Redemption

Legends of Lightning #2

by T.R. Slauf

“Blood seems to be the only thing flowing in this Realm. The day I found out the truth of who I was, was the day I died.”

“Sometimes you must die so you can be re-born.”



Esther escaped the horrors of Castle Rose, but at a cost. Believing her lost guide is still alive deep in the bowels of Adam’s dungeons, she aims to save him, but the other Huntsman are not so sure he’s alive… Desperate to rescue Oisin, Esther makes tempestuous allegiances with dangerous foes. Walking a fine line between enemies and allies, life and death, she rages war against the monsters of the Hidden Realm.



Esther’s journey continues in this heart wrenching sequel as she navigates the politics and grudges of ageless Queens. By night, she’s haunted by what she’s seen fighting in a war that was never hers. What she’s done to survive in the Hidden Realm will haunt her forever and she’s terrified of losing herself in the darkness without a star to guide her. Will Esther be able to save Oisin and the lands before the shadows of her mind overtake her spirit?

291 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2021

Reviews

[Athena (OneReadingNurse) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redemption picked up not too far after the end of Hidden Realm, with Esther and the other Huntsmen reeling over Oisin’s loss and the Queens dealing with their own problems.  Overall this was a stronger book and it was awesome to see the growth between the two novels

...

I definitely liked Redemption more than Hidden Realm.  Now that the story is more streamlined, the plot and action felt stronger and the characters had believable arcs.

Esther had to deal with the PTSD from the torture, separation, and worse from her imprisonments.  It was also interesting to see how the soldiers responded to war that hadn’t seen battle before.  One particularly affected character – I could have sworn it was a nod to the Venture Bros henchmen 21/24 dynamic, but the author said no – it was particularly grisly though.  Trauma affects people in many ways and this book took a deep dive down some dark paths

I think the character (and world) building got a big, necessary boost too.  With more background on the Queens and politics, personalities, alliances, and a bit more history, tbe plot was carried a long way.

I liked spending more time with the Queens to see how truly twisted they are. A few personalities and developing characters surprised me and kept the story interesting.  A lot of things actually kept it interesting, such as betrayal on more betrayal, political maneuvering, an exploration of various forms of fanaticism, and meeting more magical creatures.  T.R. got creative with the torture too – this wasn’t splatterpunk but definitely grimdark

After a chat with the author, let me give Indie authors a piece of advice: so I was reading the Kindle version and felt like the book needed a solid proof-read before the final went out.  There were up to two typos on some pages and honestly it was enough to throw me off a tad.   This is now the second time an author told me that they spent good money on an editing service. I think that all the people do is run the manuscript through a spell check, without reading for context or grammar or other non spell check errors.  The result makes me think that 1) these services should be ashamed of themselves and 2) authors would be better off using a private editor with good references, or even asking a friend with a critical eye.

Now, that said – I did dock a star for readability affecting immersion at times, but, I would still 100% recommend for fans of dark fantasy and twisted fairy tales! As I said it was a much stronger story than book one and had many hard but important themes to unravel.  You will hurt for these characters!  Personally I can’t wait for the next book, this ended on a ridiculously suspenseful note!

[Lezlie The Nerdy Narrative · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The day I found out the truth of who I was, was the day I died."

A few weeks ago, I read the first book in this series, HIDDEN REALM. Towards the end of that one, I felt the author really hit their stride and I had a feeling that the next book in the series was going to be better and that gut feeling did not fail me - REDEMPTION really delivered. The world building that I fell in love with in the first book continued to be expanded upon in this one. I was completely invested in the characters, Esther, Snow and Windsor especially. Slauf just laid Esther's little soul wide open for the readers to get lost in her grief, her quest for vengeance and desire to fulfill her prophecy.

"Sometimes you must die so you can be re-born."

Esther's story continues in this installment with her realization that she must make herself accountable to those in this realm that were depending on her - to force herself to finally stop running. She'd run from her home realm in order to escape the pain of loneliness, only to find it delivered upon her ten times over in this realm.

The world building and atmosphere continue to shine. This is the realm where the fairy tales collected in the tome written by the Brothers Grimm originated, except the truth is much darker and more twisted. I do believe this is the darkest retelling I've read to date. Queens Snow, Cinder, Aurora are all nightmarish immortals who rule their respective Kingdoms and the war brewing has begun to make its presence felt. (No idea how Queen Belle would have been - she got 86'd by the Beast and let me tell you - you do NOT want any part of this guy!)

There was more intrigue that you can shake a stick at - my eyebrows were shooting up into my hairline almost constantly. Betrayals, alliances and scheming kept my drama-loving self entertained and turning pages just as fast as my eyes could consume the words. I do believe my favorite "newish" character that I learned about were the apothecaries, or healers. I found their history and practice very interesting and loved how the author crafted in this world.

EVERYTHING about this series was better in this installment. I couldn't stop thinking about it once I started reading it and I am so eager to get my hands on the next one, which I believe may conclude the series. For some reason, I'm thinking this is going to be a trilogy. Whatever it ends up being, I plan on seeing through to the end!

I did accept this book from the author for review consideration.

[Emily Lorié · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redemption - Book Two in the Legends of Lightning series did not disappoint! 🙌🏻

This series follows Esther, a newly appointed and reluctant Realm Walker, destined to save the people she has grown to love (or tolerate) in an increasingly familiar realm she now calls “home.”

For the sake of avoiding spoilers to book one, I will just say that I was fully invested during the entirety of the continuation of Esther’s story.

Some characters grew on me, others cemented the fondness that already existed, and some newer characters took me by surprise.

The world building in this series is perfectly executed, in my humble opinion, and the author leaves just enough to the imagination to keep you flipping those pages, eager to read what comes next.

An excellent read! I highly recommend this to anyone who is into dark fantasy, Grimm retellings, and inventive twists to beloved tropes.

Looking forward to book three! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Liesbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

In all the whole story, doesn’t give any feel-good vibes. It’s a true reflection of what war does to a person and because the Queens are immortal, depending on what kind of person you are, it makes you or breaks you.

The hard reality falls upon Esther when she had to leave her guide Oisin behind in Castle Rose. There seems to be only one king in this kingdom, because all are Queens. Queen Snow, Queen Aurora, and Queen Cinder, all referencing to the fairytales that once have been told. For Esther’s plan to work, she needs an alliance between Queen Snow and Queen Aurora. But last time, they left a Queen Snow under the influence of ruby berries and opium. Will this plan work?

When Maarifa takes over the castle, her brother flees with his mother out of the castle. Maarifa has now an alliance with the Red Witch, but not all is what it seems. In the meantime, Esther is going back to Queen Aurora to convince her of an alliance with Queen Snow. But once there, not the usual welcoming party is there.

When they all go to war, some people have alternative goals and motives. They are the ones that want to betray their alliance. Nobody is safe and everybody seems to have an agenda, either to get rid of Esther or following up on their persona vendetta. When all seem to be lost, and unexpected alliance will turn the odds. But for Esther there is only one goal, to safe Oisin, which she is thwarted in because she needs to fulfill her duties as the Realm Walker.

As in the first book, there are some scenes that are hard to read, so much violence between each other and the other sex. Hopelessness creeps between the story but in the hour of darkness, there is hope. Almost every character endures horrible acts but still find hope to carry on, even Esther. The characters in the book are well written and the world building is amazing, as you have humans, Faye and other fairytale creatures living all together. A story full of war and war atrocities. If you can stomach the horrors, then this book is highly recommended.

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment in the Legends of Lightning Series! The first book, Hidden Realm, was really interesting and Redemption was just as amazing! This dark fairytale fantasy is very well-written and every bit as dark and gritty as the first book. T.R. Slauf has created an excellent fictional world with some fantastic characters. Slauf’s attention to detail and ability to keep the reader on their toes had me intrigued from the start and I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series!

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Tati Alvarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great continuation from book one. Thank you again to the author who sent me a free copy! All opinions are my own.

Although I enjoyed book one, I could see the improvement in writing, plot, and character development we get in book two. Which is what we want as readers and what authors want because it means they are improving upon their craft.

I wouldn't necessarily say this book is darker, but I will say we get the rug pulled out from under us more and I was eagerly awaiting each chapter. This is easily a series you will want to binge.

Can't wait to see where it goes from here!

[♣Bookishbellee♣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved Hidden Realms when I read it last year and was eagerly anticipating the sequel- which was well worth the wait 🔥 Redemption jumps right into where Hidden Realms left off and was every bit as action packed and engaging as the first, maybe even more so
And god I love this world so much- I still can’t get over how the author cleverly weaves in the fairytale elements into the story, and am completely blown away by this dark fairytale fantasy world

not to mention the writing- I love how expertly it flows and captivates, it reads very much like an enchanting fairytale (albeit a very dark one)

But I think what I loved the most about Redemption is how we delve more into the characters and their story arcs- don’t want to say much because spoilers as this is a sequel BUT I will say I can’t wait to see more in the third installment 😍

Also I really need to mention, there are some really dark and gruesome scenes in this series so do go in with caution or check the trigger warnings before reading!

[(old.enough.for.fairytales) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book soooo much! I thought it was a great continuation of book one and really enjoyed the direction Slauf took the story in this book.

I think my favorite character development was Queen Snow! She was SUPER unlikable in book one and I was not thrilled when we visited her realm early on in this story, but I was pleasantly surprised and loved her storyline.

The plot twists and surprises in this book fantastic and while some were anticipated, that didn’t make me any less pleased with their appearance in the plot.

Can’t wait to see what happened in book 3!

Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ellie Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

~About

The Crimson Shadow remains at large, stalking the lands and inspiring numerous others to join her cause. Since her attacks began, a rebellion has been started in the name of freeing the Fae from the subjugation of humans.

Meanwhile, Realm Walker Esther gathers the Huntsmen to fight, to rescue her guide Oison from the Kingdom of Roses and its beastly ruler. As Esther steadily learns more about her power and her heritage as a Realm Walker, she becomes a stronger and more formidable opponent against all those who would seek to join with the Crimson Shadow.


~Characters

For the purpose of this review, I’ve chosen to focus on the following five characters – Esther, Oisin, The Crimson Shadow (otherwise known as the Red Witch), Queen Aurora, and Queen Snow.


-Esther

First and foremost, Esther continues to prove herself as a courageous young woman, having grown a lot since the first instalment of this fictional series. She has since learned to develop more control over her lightning powers. However, she still has much to learn before she is capable of winning any wars. Her core goal in this story is to rescue Oisin, her faithful guide who she was forced to leave behind in the Kingdom of Roses. Her feelings for him become more apparent as the story progresses, spurring her on until she becomes confident enough to stand up for both herself and he and others she cares for. It is here that Esther’s deep sense of love for others in her life becomes apparent because she is willing to risk her own life to save another’s. Throughout the story, her determination to help others and to rescue Oisin only grew stronger, a trait which I have come to deeply admire her for.


-Oisin

Next, we come to Oisin, Esther’s loyal guide and Huntsman. In book one, we saw him risk his life to protect Esther at all costs, showing great strength and fortitude in times of peril. However, book two flips their relationship dynamic, putting Oisin in a position to need rescuing, so that Esther must in turn develop her own strength in order to free him. In addition, we learn more details about Oisin’s past and how he lost his sister in this second instalment, details which allowed me to greatly empathise with him as a character, despite his not having much air-time, so to speak, in this book. Although we only see him briefly at the end of the book, Oisin remains an important character, whose presence lingers in Esther’s heart, even from a great distance, symbolising just how powerful our bonds with others we love can be.


-The Crimson Shadow

Next, we come to the Crimson Shadow, also known in the story as the Red Witch, who acts as a primary source of conflict, leading her pet wolves on a massacre of the villages in the many kingdoms. With her intelligence and cunning, she uses an increasing number of people to gain further power and influence in the lands, even roping some of the royals into her insidious plans. Where in book one, we got to know the backstory behind this cruel sorceress, in book two she feels more like a mystery again, only appearing a few times within the book. When she does appear, she seems even more vicious than in the first instalment, intimidating others with brute force instead of using the somewhat seductive charm and more covert manipulation she possessed in book one.


-Queen Aurora

Now, we come to Queen Aurora, who makes for a tough and brutal ruler, as well as a revered warrior-queen in her own right. She proves herself to be intelligent and strategic, making battle plans at a moment’s notice. She was also proud, fierce, and stubborn, with a cold edge to her that shows an apparent lack of compassion toward those outside her inner circle. However, I came to see this hardness as necessary to her character as it had allowed her to survive for so long in a world that could be so brutal and unforgiving. Despite her brutal ways and uncaring nature, there was a deeper sense of loyalty and care which lingered inside Aurora, one which was buried deep so she didn’t appear weak to others. As such, I found her to be one of the most fascinating characters of all.


-Queen Snow

Finally, we come to Queen Snow, another immortal ruler who Esther pleads with to join their fight against the Crimson Shadow. Back in book one, we saw Queen Snow dependent upon the sweet nectar of opium for her sanity (or lack thereof), lingering on too may painful memories otherwise to keep going in life. At the start of book two, she is still very much stuck in her delirious, opium-induced state, her mind dulled to the atrocities which are occurring around her. Learning more about her past and the number of loved ones she had lost, I came to understand why the opium called to her in such a way, providing what felt – to her – like a necessary lifeline. However, we do see her pull herself together for her kingdom, detoxing from the opium she is so fond of, so she can help fight on Esther’s side. Nevertheless, we soon see her inner fragility again as she struggles to be alone with her sober thoughts, constantly battling her overwhelming sense of grief to try and fight, to save her beloved kingdom from the Crimson Shadow’s wrath.


~Positive Aspects

There were many positive features of Redemption, many of which are included below in a handy bulleted list.

-I loved the author’s writing style as it was very visual and emotive.

-The third-person narration worked well as there were many points of view to explore. In particular, Esther, young Oisin, Maarifa, and the other royal’s point of views were interesting to see.

-The history of the lands and their rulers was fascinating. I especially loved learning more about Queen Snow and all she had endured, both as a mortal and, later, as an immortal.

-I like that we saw other character’s point of views before our lead hero’s this time around as this offered differing perspectives on the wars occurring throughout the lands.

-I also liked the action scenes in this story, especially at the half-way mark, where Esther fights the Red Witch with her newfound abilities. To me, this felt like a very powerful scene.

-Finally, seeing how Oisin lost his younger sister (with his personal backstory elaborated upon) had my heart aching for him as a character.


~Memorable Quotes

Throughout the story, I noticed five particular quotes which made me stop and reflect.

1) ‘Nothing in life is guaranteed.’

2) ‘Sometimes the pain, the emptiness, was too great to face and so you ran. You run someplace, any place to start over, desperate for a new life.’

3) ‘Sometimes you must die so you can be reborn.’
4) ‘You are not obsolete – you just let your nightmares convince you that you are.’

5) ‘Histories are your most important of studies – the past is doomed to repeat itself – because it goes unstudied.’


~Overview

Overall, Redemption proved to be a thrilling sequel to the first instalment in the Legends of Lightning series. I found myself loving every moment and I cannot wait for book number three.

Themes included camaraderie, war, power, grief, loss, and magic.

My Rating: 5 stars.
Recommended to: lovers of fantasy novels with fairy-tale twists.

[Afreen Khalil Inscribed Inklings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Redemption ( Legends of Lightning Book 2 ) by T. R. Slauf 📚



Check out the review on my blog- https://inscribedinklings.wordpress.c...

Redemption is the second book of Legends of Lightning series. I read the first book, Hidden Realms last year and i absolutely loved it. I was really glad to get a chance to read the second book. It was as dark and twisty as the first book with a punch of great fairy re-telling in it. In this book, Esther, the realm walker comes into her power.

Esther's character evolved into a hardened yet fiercely loyal person. I really loved all the side characters in this book. Some new people were introduced and a few people died as well, sigh. What I missed the most was Oisin, the guide who was still stuck in the dungeons of Adam. But the angst, pain and love between them was heightened in this book. I can't wait to read more of their arc in the next book.

The writing style was dark and articulate. The tone of the book was grim. The fairy tale re-telling part of the book was epic as always. The showdown battle between the two sides and also the inner war between the Queens was interesting to read. The author has made the plot very intricate and given a lot of attention to detail which was a pleasure to read. The characters were vivid and stayed in mind long after I read the books. If you like fantasy with darkness,action and fairy tales- re-telling, you should definitely read this.

Afreen

[Nicola Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series I’ve read and it’s completely overtaken the first in so many levels, I didn’t think it would get much better that book one but I was so wrong.

The quest to rescue, save and remain alive takes place by the wonderful Esther. There was so much build up in the first book that this one explodes out of the pages. So much emotion, turbulence, allies and enemies jump out at you. Leaving you not knowing what will happen next. The level of detail is just as intense. I never thought so much evil could be almost put across as beautifully dark.

I love how there’s so many characters that make the battles so inviting, filled with huntsmen to embark on the journey to get Oisin back. I loved again the added almost twisted fairy tale vibes with the queens. I found this one a bit more gruesome than the first but a lot more easier to follow. I felt more connected to the fantasy side and was excited every chapter I completed.

This author knows you to ramp up your frustrations on hooking you in to wanting to know what will occur in book three. Never known an author as brilliant with cliff hangers than this one.

I would definitely recommend to read hidden realms first before adventuring onto this one. You get more of a connection and appreciation for the plot if you do.

[Gemma Best · Rating 5 out of 5]

Redemption is book 2 in the Legends of Lightning series by T.R Slauf and I was so excited to read this second installment as I loved the first book so much. Redemption picks up shortly after Hidden Realms with Esther still reeling from the loss of her guide, Oisin. Oisin is being held captive by the King of the Beasts - Adam. Esther doesn’t know if he is alive or dead but she is willing to risk everything for a daring rescue.

Redemption is a book about making alliances and, just like in the first novel, the Queens of the realm - Snow, Aurora and Cinder are absolutely fascinating. They are all warped and darker than their fairytale tellings and almost every scene that involves them is unsettling in some way. The immortal Queens who have done whatever they wanted for centuries. They are a really compelling part of Redemption. An uneasy alliance between Snow and Aurora is at the heart of this story but can Esther keep the Queen’s from turning on eachother?

This novel is full of rich language and T.R Slauf does not shy away from the darker side of this world. This novel is so difficult to put down and I really can’t wait for book three to see how this story ends.

There are trigger warnings for this book - make sure you check them before you read :)

I received an ARC of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and is written voluntarily.

[Pancha Mantilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Katieandbreypa and Booksirens for giving me an ARC of this book.

First of all thanks for giving me answers … but I still need more!!!

This is the second book of the legend of lightning saga. A series of book that work with a world with characters of the brothers Grimm fairy tales. yet of course with darker stories and twists. A few chosen ones can travel among this world and ours, some arrive with great power meanwhile others just live in piece. Esther has discovered her control over lightning.

This book, once again has great characterization and world building. As we move into the story the novel adapts to show more points of views and perspectives. This to show the different cultures surrounding each character. The plot keeps getting better and the main character evolves accordingly.

—- May contain spoilers from book 1 —-

After her time in the dungeons of king Adam and her scape Esther is desperate. She blames herself for Oisin and doesn’t know how to continue her journey. As such all the character around her seem to change, each facing their own demons. She must face the present and chose among fighting a war or risking everything in the hope of finding her guide alive. She shows more growth that ever. And as she begins to accept her destiny as the Realm Walker so will the inhabitants on this land. The problem is each one of them has their own agenda.

This book was really above and beyond. The characters, plot and world building just keep amazing me. I can’t wait to get to know their story better!

[✩₊*Shelby ⋆ ☾⋆ LiteraryFaery ⁺₊✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, my sincerest thanks to the author for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Everything expressed below belongs entirely to me.

It was beyond amazing to see Esther evolve so entirely in this sequel! I think what I love most is the enchanting writing style Slauf employs throughout–it’s totally spellbinding and I cannot get enough.

I love a story that keeps me reading and dying for more but DANG–killing us with these cliffhangers! Super excited for more Esther and Oisin in book three!!

I highly recommend this series for fans of action-packed supernatural stories, dark fantasy epics, and twisted fairytale retellings!

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esther may have survived Castle Rose but she is torn up with guilt about Oisin and leaving him behind. She still has to unity the Huntsmen and the Queens if they are going to be able to fight the Red Witch. But Esther is distracted and danced along the line closer to the enemy than to the hero.

I admit that I tried to start reading this book and quickly realized that you need to have read Hidden Realm first otherwise you are going to be lost. I love how this is a dark twist on Grimm’s fairy tales. Esther is supposed to be the hero, but she didn’t fully understand her role in this battle. She is going to have to sacrifice all just to survive this world.

Although Esther is supposed to be the hero and fight the Red Witch, I find that she is too distracted by different things. Don’t get me wrong, my heart went out to Oisin and I just hoped that he would make it through his ordeal. Having said that this story had some great battles and I think does a great job of gearing up for the next chapter of the series.

I really enjoyed Redemption. I do recommend reading Hidden Realm first since this one picks up right away. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Legend of Lightning series is turning out to be fantastic. I loved the first book, and this second book, Redemption, did not disappoint. I really enjoy the dark fairytale aspect. It’s dark, gruesome, and keeps you on your toes. I had trouble setting this one down because of the twists and turns that had me constantly thinking, “I’ll just read one more chapter…”
T.R. Slauf has a knack for writing action. The battle scenes in this novel are expertly executed, keeping me in the action without describing every little detail and taking me out of the story. The flow and pacing are excellent, and I really enjoyed the jump between the characters. This second book is almost better than the first, and it makes me excited to see what comes next.
I enjoyed the characters quite a bit. I do recommend reading these books in order as it makes for a more well-rounded experience. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. T.R. Slauf is definitely an author I will be keeping my eyes on. Don’t miss out!
Thank you to R&R Book Tours for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

[Ve (ve_xo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! The plot connected well with the first book. My favorite part is how the stories correlate with fairytales, definitely a darker atmosphere. Almost like a grim fairytale! I never expected the plot to twist and bend the way it did.

Loved the characters, I think the character development went pretty smooth. It’s great to see how the sequel brings in different aspects, especially the darker side of the fairytales.

The author does a great job building the world and weaving the magic into it. I am super interested in seeing how the story continues! The action in this book keeps you hooked for sure. It’s a whirlwind of events that will have you devouring chapters!

Huge thanks to the author for sending me a copy! All opinions are my own. Can’t wait to read more!

[Nadia Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redemption is book 2 of the Legends and Lightening series by T. R. Slauf. The twist and turns in Redemption will keep you guessing and shocked at the ending. I don’t like how each book is ending with a cliffhanger. I feel like it’s an attempt to force you to read Wastelands which is the next book in the series. I would have enjoyed more had it been a stand-alone but glad I got to know what happened with Oisin.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Divya · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting continuation of the previous book that sees Esther make friends in unexpected places in the fight against the red witch. This book moves at a much faster pace than the previous one and is an entertaining read. I liked how the author combines fairy tale re-tellings with other fantasy features in this book. I received a free copy of the book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

[J Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Would she have still willingly traveled to the hidden realm if she knew what awaited her?

Esther is unwilling to believe that Oisin is dead. She is determined to rescue him from the Castle Rose dungeon but first she must build alliances between royals, Huntsmen, and villagers. It is the only way to create an army large enough to fight the Red Witch and even then, they will not succeed unless she accepts her destiny.

I could not put this book down. The storyline is dark and violent, but enthralling. The only thing I didn't like was the giant Cliffhanger ending. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Legend of Lightning series is set in the world of Grimm’s fairy tales. It’s dark and gruesome, and the second book, Redemption, did not disappoint! I really enjoyed the focus on the fairy tale queens in this one, and all of the political happenings were handled really well. There are betrayals and twists that had me saying “One more chapter” until the very end.
🐺
There are two huge battles scenes in this one, and both felt epic and were easy to follow. I hate when a battle scene is messy and hard to follow; takes me right out of the action 😅 The novel as a whole had a really good flow and easily jumped between different characters to deliver a full scope of events. Oisin’s chapter nearly broke my heart 😭 I recently read the first book, Hidden Realm, and it was so cool to see the way Slauf grew as a writer in between the two books.
🐺
My only complaint with this one is Esther. When placed next the Crimson Witch and scheming queens, she falls a little flat in comparison. She also has a tendency to fluctuate wildly with her emotions and motivations, which put me off to her a little. But I am still eagerly looking forward to the third book 😍

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I found this series, before I read this one I read the first book. The characters were great and I really enjoyed going on this journey. The story was great and I enjoyed going on this journey.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I will continue to stand by you no matter what path your grief takes you, that is if you'll have me."

Genre: Fantasy

tw // sa, substance abuse, descriptive violence

Rate: 4.3/5 ⭐

The Legends of Lightning series takes place in a dark and gruesome retelling of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tales that has had me hooked since the beginning. I started reading the books without knowing it was a retelling and the moment I found out about it made me enjoy the reading even more. This is the first fairy tale retelling that is so dark and violent that I read and because of that I find the set and idea of these books very interesting and different. So, what is the whole story about?

When she was a child, Esther was plagued with vivid nightmares. Now they have returned to haunt her: bloodthirsty monsters chase her through a forest of dead trees while a mysterious hooded figure stalks her. After waking with fresh wounds from her dreams, Esther searches for the truth about who she is and the Hidden Realm she is destined to save. Esther finds herself in a realm very different from her own, she is hunted by unknown enemies and smothered by expectations of grandeur. Deciphering friend from foe she travels the lands, trying to unite kingdoms torn by pride

I have no complaints about the writing style: it got me engaged throughout the whole book and never did I have the feeling of being bored or disconnected with the story. The descriptions are also very good, making the world very "palpable", real. Even the more challenging scenes, that is, the fighting scenes were well described. They are easy to follow and picture without being simple or boring.

However, I found that there was a lot of unnecessary misogyny in the book. Even if it's supposed to be a dark and gruesome story, more often than not the misogyny could have been avoided, it wasn't even necessary when there were two women fighting each other, and yet there it was. It just didn't sit right with me. Another thing that made me sad and annoyed me a bit was the homophobic comment: a character can be hateful without needing to add homophobia to the equation.

Something I really liked about Redemption is that we get to see the points of view of a lot more characters than in the first book, which makes the story a lot richer and interesting. We also get to learn more about the world, their royals, and traditions as well as to travel to more of its lands.

I don't have many complaints about this book to be honest. What I'd say that bothered me the most was Esther's behavior in certain moments. It almost got me shouting at her. BUT that was only at times. Can she be annoying? Yeah, sure, but Esther got thrust into this world she's still getting used to with a very big role that she has to come to terms with too, so I think her behavior can be explained too. There are one or two more things that annoyed me, but they contain spoilers! So, my lips are sealed shut 🤐.

Can't wait for the next book to come out!

Thank you so much Shannon from RRBooktours and T.R. Slauf for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review! All thoughts are my own

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the Legends of Lightning series. The first book was so good and I did wonder if Redemptions would be able to keep the standards set by the first book. I shouldn't have even thought about it, Redemption smashed it out of the park for me.
Redemption is even better than the first book, such a twisty and dark tale. We see Esther, the realm walker coming into her power in this story. A story that also has a retelling of a fairy tale within the pages too. I have to say I loved it.
I was engrossed with the war between the queen's and the battle between the opposing sides. Again, the author has brought characters that are well defined and so vivid they jump of the page.
Another story that combines darkness, action, fantasy and fairy tale retelling to create a book that immerses you till the last page.

[Crystal Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like the first book I loved this one! To see Esther be worn down by her experiences in the realm and fighting through all of her emotions was enriching. She had so many feelings clouding her mind and even though it didn't necessarily backfire, I was relieved to see she was able to the consequences and decide to make a change. I really enjoyed all the battle aspects in this book, you can really feel the severity of the war jump off the pages. I think being able to jump between characters not just the heroes of the story but also the villains was interesting to read to see what each side was thinking as the war began. Overall I think this book was really interesting like the last one and I can't wait to read the next one!

[Blackcats and bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

It begins a couple of weeks after book one ended, we see how thing played out for Esther, Snow White and the others. Esther also starts to accept who she is here.

As we get to see more of the other characters, it shows that not all are as they seem. We see how immortal lives can change, unhinge or destroy one’s sense of self. How experience can change a person good or bad, how choices change outcomes.

The writing is again wonderfully done, showing great imagination and constructing a diverse world housing diverse characters.

Only thing I didn’t like was that sometimes it just felt a little slow

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Katie and Brey PA

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esther escaped the horrors of Castle Rose, but at a cost. Believing her lost guide is still alive deep in the bowels of Adam’s dungeons, she aims to save him, but the other Huntsman are not so sure he’s alive… Desperate to rescue Oisin, Esther makes tempestuous allegiances with dangerous foes.
This book was just as good, if not better than the first and I have loved every second this series. This is number two in a series and cannot be read as a standalone. The world building was continued in this book which gives readers more insight into the world. This book offers great twists and turns. The characters are only getting better with each book, and I have so much hope for book 3.

[Anjali · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠?
- after reading Book1, not reading Book2 was not an option...
- the cover gave out Minotaur vibes

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠...
- the world building, and character arcs were even more powerful in this book, which starts off a little after the cliffhanger in Book1
- the book (which should come with some trigger warnings) depicts the horrors of war and post traumatic stress very realistically
- I did grow to admire Esther in this book
- Queen Snow's story was admirable too
- this book also ended on a cliff hanger that makes me want to grab book3

[Alysia Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This was an amazing follow-up to the first book! I was really frustrated with all the hoops Esther had to jump through to finally complete her mission, but it definitely built up her character. I also liked the politics between the rulers. Oh and finding out what Queen Cinder was like...whew! My absolute favorite part to this series is the dark nature of the princeses. Our characters have a lot of scary things to go through to finish everything, but I'm along for the ride!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent second installment to this dark fantasy series. A page turner that I could not put down until the very last sentence.

Based on the Brothers Grimm Fairytales this storyline takes you through many unexpected twists and turns.

The character development takes a deeper look at the main characters and adds a few new ones.

I earnestly await the next installment to see where this story goes next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.