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The Four Treasures #2
The Cauldron of Life
Join the journey; discover your destinySet against the epic backdrop of Scottish myths and legends, comes The Cauldron of Life, the second title in The Four Treasures series written by Caroline Logan. In the Isles of Ossiana, Harris has been captured by the Faerie Queen and Ailsa must journey once again into the heart of Eilanmòr to rescue him. But Ailsa is struggling with her newfound magic and the revelations about her real identity. Is the Faerie Queen Ailsa's mother? Is everything she believed about her past a lie? Meanwhile, a war is brewing between much more powerful forces. The lines between good and evil are blurring, and Ailsa must decide where she stands…Perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Holly Black, Caroline’s Scottish upbringing and influences shine through in The Four Treasures series and teenage and young adult readers will delight in returning to the enchanting world of Eilanmor. With LGBTQ+ characters, as well as themes of self-discovery, loyalty, and love, there is something for everyone in The Cauldron of Life.
452 pages, Paperback
Published September 30, 2020
1 person is currently reading
68 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 16, 2020
I was very excited for this sequel and it did not disappoint! I think it is even better than book one. The stakes are raised so much higher and the tone is much more serious which I loved. Definitely a page turner as every chapter leaves you wanting more. The writing is beautiful but easy to read and the story has the perfect pacing throughout to keep you engaged.
We get so much more worldbuilding; exploring the fae people and their world as well as the world of demons. We also learn about cultures and gods from other countries in the world which I found really interesting. Real world myths and legends are blended with Caroline Logan's own twists perfectly. The magical elements of the story are also fascinating and I loved learning more at the same time as the characters.
All of the characters are great again and I loved the introduction of a new character named Maalik. I don't want to give anything away but I thought he was a great addition to the story. If I had one tiny complaint it would be that because the characters are split up into different groups for most of the book we don't get as much back and forth between them all as we did in book one, but this didn't actually damper my enjoyment at all. I still really liked spending time with all of them.
A great sequel to The Stone of Destiny and I will definitely be reading the next book when it is out! :)
We get so much more worldbuilding; exploring the fae people and their world as well as the world of demons. We also learn about cultures and gods from other countries in the world which I found really interesting. Real world myths and legends are blended with Caroline Logan's own twists perfectly. The magical elements of the story are also fascinating and I loved learning more at the same time as the characters.
All of the characters are great again and I loved the introduction of a new character named Maalik. I don't want to give anything away but I thought he was a great addition to the story. If I had one tiny complaint it would be that because the characters are split up into different groups for most of the book we don't get as much back and forth between them all as we did in book one, but this didn't actually damper my enjoyment at all. I still really liked spending time with all of them.
A great sequel to The Stone of Destiny and I will definitely be reading the next book when it is out! :)
September 24, 2021
Re-read in anticipation of book three coming out, I stand by my original review found here
February 24, 2022
Even better than the first one
December 24, 2020
Fantastic follow up to The Stone of Destiny. Had an 'Empire Strikes Back' kind of feel to it. Majority of the time is spent with Ailsa and the new, mysterious Maalik, which is great cause every scene between the two of them is top notch. A very satisfying ending which leaves me excited for where this story is going next!
May 21, 2021
I loved this sequel so much! I was not expecting where this story went and I was not disappointed in the plot! Alisa's character development was excellent and my favorite new character was Maalik! This was such a fun book and I was so enthralled with the storyline. The stakes have ramped up and the world has been expanded. As each question is answered more arise and I'm so excited for book 3!
October 23, 2020
A beautiful follow up to The Stone of Destiny which I really loved. Ailsa continues to be a strong heroine with principles we relate to and the pace and the stakes keep you hooked for every moment of the reading experience.
This series has everything that is good and right about the fantasy genre.
This series has everything that is good and right about the fantasy genre.
November 4, 2020
Can we make an award for cliffhangers and plot twists give it to Caroline Logan please!
I gave this a 5 stars but it's more like a 10 stars because wow!!
There's so much I want to say about this book but I would be spoiling it so I'll keep it brief.
This is a fantastic sequel! So much better than The Stone of Destiny although I loved that book. The characters are great the plot is intense and there is plenty of magic. I will be doing a video review of this on my channel very soon where I will give a more in depth review!
I gave this a 5 stars but it's more like a 10 stars because wow!!
There's so much I want to say about this book but I would be spoiling it so I'll keep it brief.
This is a fantastic sequel! So much better than The Stone of Destiny although I loved that book. The characters are great the plot is intense and there is plenty of magic. I will be doing a video review of this on my channel very soon where I will give a more in depth review!
October 27, 2020
‘The Cauldron of Life’ is the second in Caroline Logan’s fantasy quartet set in the Isles of Ossiana. Once again, the author skilfully weaves together the lives of human and fae to create a rich tapestry that draws not only on the rich heritage of Scotland’s myths and legends, but casts its net wider still.
The Isles of Ossiana reflect the history of many different cultures but its characters, both fae and human, interact with each other in ways that will undoubtedly resonate with a modern readership. Ailsa the changeling is determined to free Harris the kelpie, who has come to mean so much to her. In order to do this, she must make a terrifying journey into the darkness at the heart of the unseelie court. It is a journey fraught with danger and setbacks, which forces her to consider the true nature of good and evil.
The characters we met in but it also leads her to an encounter with a creature reviled by
Through the choices and dilemmas, they are faced with, the unforgettable characters who people these pages grow in stature as the book builds to a thrilling climax, when Ailsa comes face to face with the terrifying creature that is the Faerie Queen.
A truly worthy sequel to the ‘Stone of Destiny’.
The Isles of Ossiana reflect the history of many different cultures but its characters, both fae and human, interact with each other in ways that will undoubtedly resonate with a modern readership. Ailsa the changeling is determined to free Harris the kelpie, who has come to mean so much to her. In order to do this, she must make a terrifying journey into the darkness at the heart of the unseelie court. It is a journey fraught with danger and setbacks, which forces her to consider the true nature of good and evil.
The characters we met in but it also leads her to an encounter with a creature reviled by
Through the choices and dilemmas, they are faced with, the unforgettable characters who people these pages grow in stature as the book builds to a thrilling climax, when Ailsa comes face to face with the terrifying creature that is the Faerie Queen.
A truly worthy sequel to the ‘Stone of Destiny’.
February 26, 2023
Small spoilers because I don't know how to review this without giving away some details as vaguely as I can.
This surprised me in the turns it took and defied my expectations from the first novel. This book did something I'm not usually a fan of which is shift love interests/end games but the chemistry between them was so well done that I truly believed it was more suitable than what I thought was being set up in the first book. I'm still worried there will be a full on love triangle in the future but knowing that this is likely more endgame now makes me surprisingly happy.
I also enjoyed the twist of the main mystery and Ailsa's identity still remaining a mystery. That being said, some plot points i felt were too shallow and I wanted deeper exploration. Some conflicts felt resolved too quickly and more page time was spent on less important, albeit entertaining, moments. I'm definitely intrigued to see how the rest of the story plays out.
This surprised me in the turns it took and defied my expectations from the first novel. This book did something I'm not usually a fan of which is shift love interests/end games but the chemistry between them was so well done that I truly believed it was more suitable than what I thought was being set up in the first book. I'm still worried there will be a full on love triangle in the future but knowing that this is likely more endgame now makes me surprisingly happy.
I also enjoyed the twist of the main mystery and Ailsa's identity still remaining a mystery. That being said, some plot points i felt were too shallow and I wanted deeper exploration. Some conflicts felt resolved too quickly and more page time was spent on less important, albeit entertaining, moments. I'm definitely intrigued to see how the rest of the story plays out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2020
Fantastic sequel.
Fantastic sequel to The Stone of Destiny! I can't wait for book 3 and see where events take Ailsa next.
Fantastic sequel to The Stone of Destiny! I can't wait for book 3 and see where events take Ailsa next.
March 10, 2021
Loving this series so far, 100%recommended to anyone who loves fanatsy, cant wait for book three
October 2, 2023
The adventure continues for Ailsa, Angus Iona and Harris. Ailsa and friends go to rescue harris and Ailsa gets captured. Fast paced meeting mythical creatures along the way.
March 7, 2022
This was amazing!! Full review will come in time once I've settled my thoughts, literally only complaint is that one plot point moved a bit too fast. Fantastic!
FULL REVIEW:
The Cauldron of Life by Caroline Logan is the second book in the Four Treasures series and was gifted to my by the lovely Caitlyn from Mad Cheshire Rabbit (who also gifted me book one). I'm so so glad that I was finally pushed to read this!
As you probably know, I loved the first book in this Scottish YA Fantasy series written by a Scottish author (see my review of that one here!) and I was super excited to delve into book two. It didn't disappoint! Literally I have a singular complaint about this book (that one plot point moved a little too fast for my personal preference) and that is it. Other than that this book was perfection.
The writing is gorgeous and very easy to read which keeps you hooked right into the story, and the worldbuilding in this book built even further on that of book one and added so much depth to the world! Logan intertwines real world mythology into the fictional one with such beauty. The characters continue with great development too, both between each other and on their own. They were split up for large parts of this book and whilst I really missed the banter that occurs with all of them together it was still amazingly handled.
We have a new main character in this book, by the name of Maalik, and I think Logan writes his plot line with skilled hands. Its a concept that I've seen done before, and most of the time done badly, but Logan handles it (imo) to perfection. The perfect balance to bring the story right to where it needs to be without shoving elements into the readers face or making unbelievable circumstances.
On CAWPILE I rated this book: Characters: 10, Atmosphere: 9, Writing: 10, Plot: 9, Intrigue: 10, Loic: 9, Enjoyment: 10. That gives a score of 9.57 and is (obviously) a 5* read!
This is a fantastic second book and I was so so excited to delve into book three very soon after this one! As in... it's gunna be my next review 😂 I really couldn't wait this book was fantastic. If you like YA fantasy then I highly recommend picking this series up.
FULL REVIEW:
The Cauldron of Life by Caroline Logan is the second book in the Four Treasures series and was gifted to my by the lovely Caitlyn from Mad Cheshire Rabbit (who also gifted me book one). I'm so so glad that I was finally pushed to read this!
As you probably know, I loved the first book in this Scottish YA Fantasy series written by a Scottish author (see my review of that one here!) and I was super excited to delve into book two. It didn't disappoint! Literally I have a singular complaint about this book (that one plot point moved a little too fast for my personal preference) and that is it. Other than that this book was perfection.
The writing is gorgeous and very easy to read which keeps you hooked right into the story, and the worldbuilding in this book built even further on that of book one and added so much depth to the world! Logan intertwines real world mythology into the fictional one with such beauty. The characters continue with great development too, both between each other and on their own. They were split up for large parts of this book and whilst I really missed the banter that occurs with all of them together it was still amazingly handled.
We have a new main character in this book, by the name of Maalik, and I think Logan writes his plot line with skilled hands. Its a concept that I've seen done before, and most of the time done badly, but Logan handles it (imo) to perfection. The perfect balance to bring the story right to where it needs to be without shoving elements into the readers face or making unbelievable circumstances.
On CAWPILE I rated this book: Characters: 10, Atmosphere: 9, Writing: 10, Plot: 9, Intrigue: 10, Loic: 9, Enjoyment: 10. That gives a score of 9.57 and is (obviously) a 5* read!
This is a fantastic second book and I was so so excited to delve into book three very soon after this one! As in... it's gunna be my next review 😂 I really couldn't wait this book was fantastic. If you like YA fantasy then I highly recommend picking this series up.
January 2, 2021
Quick Review:
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars because it was a great sequel to the Stone of Destiny, full of Scottish mythology, adventure, romance.
Plot Summary:
This book continues the story of Ailsa (a changeling) and her companions (a prince, a selkie, and a fear-laith/grey man) as they try to rescue Harris from the clutches of the evil faerie Queen Nicnevan. Along the way they encounter the powers of heaven and hell and must uncover the mystery of the Cauldron of Life
My Thoughts on the Book:
This was a great sequel to the Stone of Destiny and I love how the world of Eilanmor and surrounding countries has been expanded. At first it seemed like the plot would follow a simple quest structure, but there were lots of twists that I wasn’t expecting and fun new characters. This is a classic YA adventure with a Scottish heart.
Content Guidance (while trying to be as spoiler free as possible):
Language: no bad language
Violence: some fight scenes and dangerous magic
Relationships: some romance but nothing explicit
Spiritual: characters include angels, demons and gods
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars because it was a great sequel to the Stone of Destiny, full of Scottish mythology, adventure, romance.
Plot Summary:
This book continues the story of Ailsa (a changeling) and her companions (a prince, a selkie, and a fear-laith/grey man) as they try to rescue Harris from the clutches of the evil faerie Queen Nicnevan. Along the way they encounter the powers of heaven and hell and must uncover the mystery of the Cauldron of Life
My Thoughts on the Book:
This was a great sequel to the Stone of Destiny and I love how the world of Eilanmor and surrounding countries has been expanded. At first it seemed like the plot would follow a simple quest structure, but there were lots of twists that I wasn’t expecting and fun new characters. This is a classic YA adventure with a Scottish heart.
Content Guidance (while trying to be as spoiler free as possible):
Language: no bad language
Violence: some fight scenes and dangerous magic
Relationships: some romance but nothing explicit
Spiritual: characters include angels, demons and gods
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews