Raised from birth to fulfill the duties of his role as Envoy, Wes Cervos had always known where his place was in the Four Kingdoms. But ever since meeting his best friend—a dragon called Celesyria—everything has changed.
After escaping the prison where he’d been held on charges of blasphemy, Wes finds himself facing new challenges. The Codex Veritatis is still missing. Violent crime has never been more of a threat. Old alliances are wearing thin. And worst of all, the elves are venturing out of Nox.
With Wes refusing to offer sacrifices to the Dracodei, the people fear that the remaining dragon Guardians will no longer protect them. King Kylan Ursa seeks to raise a force strong enough to keep the rule of Kaveryth in the hands of men, but can he be trusted to wield such power?
Change is in the air, but one thing is certain: the rule of the High One is not going to be restored without a fight.
Storm & Spire is a Christian fantasy series, perfect for readers who enjoy fantastical creatures, political intrigue, and a touch of clean romance.
This was really good! A great next book in the series and I'm excited to see what happens in book three!
Characters: This book has four POVs, well, actually five because there is one section from Dorolds perspective, the main POVs are Wes, Kesarra, Alder, and Celesyria. Wes is very relatable. I love his struggles because they feel so real, he's just a very honest, very real feeling character. Kesarra (I think I spelled that right) is a bit spoiled, but I like fire and she is a good character. Alder was a nice addition, I like him. He's strong, all be a bit overly protective, but I understand why and I really enjoyed chapters from his perspective. And I really like Celesyria! And I so want to hug this dragon!!!
Plot: The plot is building off book one and continuing the search for answers about the High One! I'm really enjoying the story so far and watching the characters grow in their faith. Their struggles and doubts feel very real and I'm sure are questions most of us ask at some point. Mrs. Lozinski does very well in bringing everything together and giving us enough answers to tide us other to the next book.
Romance: This book did contain some of the characters having romantic feelings for each other, but also pushing the aside because they have other duties. There were a few scenes talking of rape and such, and one scene that was almost a rape scene but nothing ever happened as another character came in to rescue the damsel.
Language: N/A
Overall: This book was very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to book three. I'd recommend this book to a YA audience of 16+ just because of the content talking about rape, possibly a mature 15-year-old, like my younger sister. There is never anything bad done, I just know my dad kept that kind of mentions from me until I was older, and thus that is why I'd rate it there. This is a great fantasy series and I'm excited to read more!
Um excuse me for a moment while I try to process all that has just happened.
THIS WAS AWESOME AND I NEED BOOK THREE NOW. RIGHT NOW. Ah, y'all, I loved this book as much as I loved the first one in the series!! Everything is just building up and I can't wait to see the epic climax it's all going to reach to! I believe in my review of book one I mentioned the Christian allegory elements and how excited I was to see more of it explored in the later books for the series. I definitely got everything I was anticipating and more! I really love the allegorical spin. This series makes me think of a clash of Chuck Black's Kingdom series and The Lord of the Rings, which I am so here for!
Also, did I mention there are dragons? Cuz there are, and I love every second of it.
The characters are developing so much in this second book, and I'm enjoying watching them grow up. Especially Wes. He is my baby, y'all. I love his role as the Envoy and him trying to discover what exactly his role is now that the Dracodei aren't exactly what he grew up believing about them. He is also one of those characters who just feel real and normal. He isn't perfect, he doesn't always have the answers or knows what he should do, but he has a golden heart that just wants to do the right thing and cares for his family and friends!!!
The world-building in this series is just AMAZING. You can see the depth of Lozinksi's creativity and imagination, and I LOVE IT. From dragons to dwarves and elves, Majesty delivers the same exciting dive into a whole new world that book one did! But we must talk about Kessara, Wes, and Alder because my fangirl ships are jumping from one to the next. I HAVE TO KNOW WHO KESSARA IS MARRYING. I know, I know, why am I so invested in the romantic lives of fictional people. I just am. 😂 The forbidden romance... aaah, y'all, I AM LOVING THIS even if my fangirl side can't seem to settle on one ship. But when is the third book coming out? Y'all, I am desperate! Also, can I just say how much I love Alder while we're talking about this? He has such a tragic yet inspiring backstory, and I just feel for my precious baby boy so much.
Also, I have to add this because I noticed it in the first book. These climaxes! They are EPIC!! Lozinski is not messing around over here.
With such skill, creativity, and thrilling excitement, Stefanie Lozinksi has woven a fantastical tale filled with forbidden romance, unforgettable characters, intricate worlds, and most importantly, dragons! The Storm & Spire series is perfect for fans of Christian fantasy. Just be prepared to devour these books in a day. ;)
*I received a free e-copy of the novel from the author in exchange for my honest review*
I am so excited to share this book with all of you! This was my first time ever writing a sequel, and I have to say it was more fun than I expected. I loved getting to explore more of Kaveryth and getting to spend more time with these characters I've come to love. :)
The second installment in the "Storm and Spire" series is (in my opinion) even better than the first - and I LOVED the first one! (Magnify) 🥰
"Majesty" follows Wes, former Envoy of the Dracodei, and his friends as they try to somehow figure out how to restore the Rule of the High One, while not getting killed in the process. (That was a pretty empty summary when compared to the richness of the book to be honest.) This story was very immersive and very hard to break away from (I read this book in a couple days, and stayed up past 2 am both nights.. oops.) The book not only broadens and deepens the relationships between the main characters, but it also brings even more adventure, danger and camaraderie to the table. Things become more and more unstable in the Four Kingdoms, tension builds and the reader is left glued to story at 2:30 in the morning, wondering how everything will pan out. 😂
What I Liked * Wes! I loved Wes in "Magnify" but in "Majesty" I felt even more protective of him. I just wanted to hug him and tell him its going to be okay. * Alder!!! (Psshh! Obviously) Alder is swoonworthy and amazing and I love him. * Celesyria! I love her character too! If she's sad, I'm sad, if she's happy, I'm happy. Can I just take all of these characters and keep them safe and happy!? * I really appreciated that information was given from Book 1 without the whole thing being repeated back to me haha. It was very well written, very easy to read. * The real-ness of the characters. There were a few times in the book where I felt so connected to some of the characters as they were going through certain doubts, feelings, ect. One character seemed to be going through almost like a "darkness of the soul" and mannnn, it hit hardddd. It's almost like magic when you can connect to a book like that. * The relationships between the main characters! I loved the camaraderie between them, especially Wes and Alder. * Kaveryth. I want to go there. I want to smell the air and pick the wildflowers in the fields and watch the sea in Galeharbor... sigh... * The pace. The tension. The "HOW THE HECK IS THIS GOING TO END!?"
What I Didn't Like * That I need to WAIT FOR THE THIRD BOOKKK. 😂
Bonus My very eloquent notes from page 104 - "I CANNOT PUT THIS DOWN! I honestly have no idea what the heck is going to happen. I'm so invested in this thing!" Page 145 - "gahhhh!!!!!!!!!" And finally, my concluding thoughts: "Woohooo!!! What an amazing story! I legit have book-hangover now."
Conclusion Ya'll need to read these books. If you haven't read the first one, you need to, then come back and order this one. You won't be sorry, I promise. 🥰
NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from the author. Opinions are my own. ❤
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
A beautiful follow up to Magnify.
The characters in Majesty are so very real and relatable. Wes, and his struggles of inferiority and predestinated future. Kessara and Alder with their uncertainty verses duty. Celesyria and her abrupt decision making which affects everyone. Each character is on a different faith journey.
There is a hint of sweet romance in the book, although it doesn't take center stage. Themes such as duty, family, faith and forgiveness reoccur throughout the plot.
The plot pacing is consistent throughout the story, with some unexpected things we the reader learn about the Draconai verses the High One.
The dialogue was good - with some choice quotes particularly in the ending chapters.
"Grief teaches you to love as the High One loves. He embraces us like a storm, sometimes tearing through everything else. But he also loves like the touch of a whisper, just a little reminder that this world is not all there is."
Majesty by Stefanie Lozinski is book 2 in The Storm & Spire series, continuing the story shortly after the end of Magnify (book 1).
Concerns: I feel I need to start my review by saying that this book has a few really difficult scenes. Without revealing too much and thereby spoiling the story, at one point a female character is attacked and the whole scenario made me rather uncomfortable. I would caution the reader who has been the victim of any traumatic abuse or physical attack to be aware that this book may contain a scene or two that could be triggering.
Later in the story there are a couple of quite gruesome deaths as well.
Do these scenes add to the overall story, thereby making them necessary? Yes. And it’s clear we aren’t meant to enjoy reading them.
What I liked: Okay, so now that the hard part of my review is done, let me talk about the good stuff!
The character development in the second book is pretty much what I was hoping for. Wes is growing up, maturing, and yet still conflicted and struggles with his doubts and feelings of inadequacy. With multiple POVs, we get to know the other primary characters better as well.
There’s a lot more action and the pacing of Majesty (book 2) felt a little faster—and better in my opinion—than Magnify (book 1).
I so appreciate reading the author’s notes to readers (after the actual book ends). I know it’s not technically part of the story, but I encourage you to read it too.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
I would recommend this series to older teens (15+) and adult readers, but due to the above-mentioned difficult scenes, I would not recommend them to younger readers.
I was given an ebook of Magnify from the author to read in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Whew. I'm not sure how to put this review into words...
I guess first of all, what an ending! Stefanie, how you gonna leave us hanging like that???
This book was not a quick read for me. I found it to be pretty deep, and I did have to take breaks from it to let things sink in. There are so many depths to swim here. I'm still trying to process them all myself (and I'm a lousy swimmer!), so I won't get into them, but there are many layers to this story.
Also, I know I said it in my review of Magnify, but Stefanie's writing reminds me so much of Tolkien! But I find hers to be much more enjoyable. She doesn't use 25 pages to describe the branch of a tree, no matter how twisty-turny it is. 😉 Her world building is so great that I was flying on Celesyria's back right along with Wes and Alder. I saw-and felt-the manacles on Celesyria's ankles.
If you like fantasy, if you enjoy Tolkien, if you like dragons and elves and dwarves and a different world, if you like to read, period, put this one on your list. You will want to read the first in the series, though, which is Magnify.
I am overwhelmed. What an amazing second installment of the series. I was given an advance reader copy of this book and I devoured every word. The symbolism and spiritual themes were perfection, the romance gave me butterflies, and the emotions resonated in my soul. Go and order this book NOW!
A compelling fantasy story about how following God is worth the cost...
What was amazing about this book: *The faith elements in the story. The word I would use to describe the main character's faith is authentic. They struggled to trust the High One (the author's name for God), especially in a world that seems dark and grim. They admitted when they had faith or struggled with faith. *The forbidden romance that developed in this book. I usually don't like forbidden romance, but this author did a great job of showing two honorable people struggling with their feelings. And no adultery was needed! *The intense, action-packed plot. The four main characters go from one danger to the next, and it made me want to keep reading. It was also awesome to see how various threads unfolded throughout the story. *More exploration of the races of dragons, dwarves, and elves. A particular quote that stood out to me was one that pointed out that all races can be corrupted. I liked this, especially since it seemed the author would make elves evil (which made me sad since I love Tolkien-esque elves!). But the author showed some good elves this time around, which I enjoyed. *The world building. The previous book gave us an introduction of the world with envoys, kingdoms, kings, elves, etc. This one expanded on the universe with different kingdoms and explained some history without too much info-dumping. It was a nice refresher!
What I didn't like: *At first, the romance was hard to read because the characters just met. And it reminded me too much of Han Solo and Leia. But, as the story progressed, these characters developed, and the romance made more sense. So, if you don't like the romance at first, hang in there! It gets better. *The almost rape scene. Although nothing is explained or explicit, I didn't like reading about a woman who is almost raped, nor did I enjoy reading about a society that talks about women in such a demeaning way. *The darkness of the fantasy world. This book reminded me of Game of Thrones at times. Everyone is out for themselves (the main characters excepted), there are twisted political games played by kings/rulers, and sexual exploitation is expected. This book is clean, so it didn't detail any of these things, but it felt so dark and amoral to read. *Not having an answer from the High One. So I don't know if this book is supposed to be set during the "period of silence" between the end of the Old Testament and the New Testament or the years of the early church when the faith was persecuted. If it is the prior, it would make sense that God wouldn't speak through the Holy Spirit. If it is the former, it doesn't make sense that God wouldn't speak or at least give a feeling or conviction through the Holy Spirit. Because of the ambivalence, I wasn't sure what to think.
Despite these things, I enjoyed the book overall, and I didn't feel like it was enough to merit 4 stars instead of 5. The plot, characters, setting, and theme were so well done, thus the rating. I would definitely recommend this to Christian Fantasy readers who enjoy reading a story about following God no matter the cost.
I absolutely love this series.🥹 The characters, in their personalities and struggles, are so authentic and relatable. Mrs. Lozinski brings real authentic faith to life through this fantasy series with Lord of the Rings vibes. There are a few editorial issues that are well worth ignoring for the sake of this beautiful story. I have upgraded my rating to 4⭐ because of it.
In this story, we continue the adventure of Wes, Celesyria, and Alder to find the Codex and for the people of their land to know the truth. It was fast paced compared to the first book (page turner and got to 45% of the book in just a day. It says a lot since I have lots to do in our house 😅). This book showed how cruel the heart of man is and how you can easily be corrupted by power. I would read this again with my son. 😊
One thing I loved about this book is that the characters are not perfect. I tell you, I have been scolding them while reading (yes, I'm talking to you Kessara 🤣). I also loved how they acknowledged how the High One is helping them in things they didn't know at first, like how God is answering our prayers. 😊 One character I am a bit confused was with Alder. I liked him in everything except when he is teasing Kessara and called her 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰. 😅 Feel a bit rushed but I love them to end up together.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read and would continue with the 3rd book!
I was given a copy by the Author. Thank you! All opinions expressed were honest and mine. 😊 Grab a copy and enjoy Majesty!
Favorite quotes:
We were defending the truth, my King, whether or not you choose to believe it. Our people have needs that run deeper than food or drink or even peace.
She was born with power, and it was her duty to wield it for good, even if it meant risking her own freedom.
So why do you insist on giving in to despair? I know that things look bad. They are bad, but our fate does not rest on our own families. Our faith is in the High One. He created the whole world, and I have to believe that if that's true, He's still gere, holding it all together. Even now.
Eventually, the rain would come. Or maybe it wouldn't. But until he knew for sure, he would keep moving forward.
A good man is not the one who is too weak for violence. A good man is the one who has the power yo destroy, but chooses to protect instead.
Progress requires a foundation to build on.
He had been worshiped from the very beginning. He had just been forgotten.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I liked the writing style it was very beautiful and descriptive. I am halfway through the book which is like halfway through the journey and am looking forward to completing this part of Wes, Alder's, Celesyria and Kessara jouney. I am loving the second as much as the first. With Wes refusing to offer sacrifices to the Dracodei, the people fear that the remaining dragon Guardians will no longer protect them. King Kylan Ursa seeks to raise a force strong enough to keep the rule of Kaveryth in the hands of men, but can he be trusted to wield such power. Change is in the air, but one thing is certain: the rule of the High One is not going to be restored without a fight.
If you like fantasy, if you like dragons and elves and dwarves and a different world, put this one on your list. You will want to read the first in the series, though, which is Magnify.
11/8/2022 - just finished. So looking forward to book 3 in the series. Great ending with the letter from Raela in book 2. You have done a great job Stefanie Lozinski. Thank you.
One of my favorite things to see as I read the second and third books in a series is author growth. Book one of Storm and Spire was solid and I enjoyed it a lot, but with book two Lozinski is starting to shine. Worldbuilding, character depth, pacing, for me it's all there in book two. I can't wait to get to book three.
As I read further into the book I started to highlight lines that spoke to me, overtop of the story itself.
“Grief teaches you to love as the High One loves. He embraces us like a storm, sometimes, tearing through everything else. But he also loves like the touch of a shadow, just a little reminder that this world is not all that there is.” - Wes
There were real tears while I read those lines. Beautiful truth. I'm from a different tradition within the Christian faith than the author, but I love the depth and the boldness that she writes. Just beautiful.
Again I would really have given it a 4.5 due to my Calvinist/Protestant convictions and she is a rosary praying Catholic:
meaning she prays the rosary and I am guessing, she believes in the pope, and perhaps thinks the Lord's supper really becomes Jesus's flesh and blood and so on.
So the 'Christian aspect for some of the Novel for me, becomes more like reading a very clean very well written almost secular novel... with some 'religion' thrown in about the true God verses false religions. ( I think I am detecting, almost some symbolism with Islam.. but then maybe that is just me and something I am reading in.)
But her writing even improved, but it was already very very good!
I would not have chosen to read it, had I known her religious beliefs but since I did start reading it, and as a story so well written, I will continue to read it.
Stefanie Lozinski’s Majesty is just wow! It’s high fantasy at its best. The second book in her Storm & Spire series is just as good as the first. I eagerly awaited this one and it was worth it. Wes, Celesyria, Alder, and Kessara are on an epic journey reminiscent of Tolkien and it is enthralling. I cannot wait for book three!!
It’s been a while since I read book one, but there was enough of a wrap up explained at the beginning that I caught right back up with the story. I enjoyed seeing how the characters were growing in this story, as they work out their beliefs in the midst of trials. Great for readers who enjoy strong Christian themes in their fantasy stories.
Christian fantasy that tackles some potentially triggering topics, but always with tact. I'm invested in the characters and look forward to seeing how the story continues.
Very enjoyable. Edifying and glorifying to God without being bland or cliche. I'm about to read the next one, give the series a chance, it's great so far.
The plot line continues to build in Majesty from book 1 Magnify. I enjoyed watching Wes, Ceresyria, Kessara, and Alder grow and develop as they continue their journey of the High One and saving Kaveryth. All four must be careful as Wes and Ceresyria, who are facing crimes of blasphemy and treason, have escaped prison with help from Kessara and Alder. This Christian fantasy includes dragons, elves, dwarves, and political tension. Ceresyria is searching for her parents, and a secret is unrevealed which I'm hoping book 3 will address. Loving the banter and sparks between Kessara and Alder, although Wes and Kessara have agreed to marry in order to save Kaveryth. Looking forward to the third installment in this series.
I really enjoyed this book and hoped to share it with my young teen. However there are a few scenes where rape is hinted at and one scene where it almost happened. I would suggest this book to 15/16 uears and older.
A good second installment. I really like Wes, Kessara, and Alder, and am curious to see how the forbidden love between two characters will affect the plot. One minor character's personality seemed a little inconsistent, but that was the only flaw.