As a child, the Name-Bearer had one duty; to receive and deliver the names of the future monarchy from the Flowers of Prophecy. But on the day of the Naming Ceremony, the Flowers refused. They claim another child was born more worthy of the Naming, and the Name-Bearer must find him and bring him to them in order to restore peace to her land.
Ten years later the Name-Bearer, along with trusted allies, sets out on her quest to find the Unnamed Prince and fulfill the prophecy. But embracing one’s destiny is never an easy path, and they must battle enemy territory, a bounty on their heads, the increasing sightings of monstros, and more.
With so much opposition, will their courage – and their friendships, survive?
The book was by far my favorite sequel in series. It had the same magical atmosphere as the Name Bearer and the up and down adventures kept me very engaged and excited. I loved reading the inner emotional turmoil of several different characters and their povs.
The side plot line with Jesadirany was mysterious albeit a little bit predictable. The chapters were short and timely, so they didn’t distract from the main plot. The reveal was very satisfying at the end. Can’t wait for the new book to come out in 2024. I am deeply invested in the characters and their story lines.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that sets you up for the final installment of the series. It has its issues, but I was entertained.
While I loved the general story, the inclusion of Central and South American culture and folklore, and the characters, the incredible reveals, something about this felt disjoined; so much so that by the end, when I should’ve been the most hooked, I was uninterested and skimmed most of it.
What I liked: -I love the main characters in this novel. -We get what seems to be a love triangle (don’t usually love but here loved for some reason) -There are some great reveals that I genuinely didn’t see coming -It sets us up for the next book well. -There’s this fabulous scene with Churon when they first arrive and see this powerful but incredibly young individual and you think he’s so wise but immediately it’s revealed he’s just a kid with a lot of power and honestly that was adorable. I loved those moments when this incredible being just wants to learn from our main characters and he’s acting his age.
What I struggled with: -Many characters felt two-dimensional throughout the novel. We get backstory but know little about their habits, the likes/dislikes, what drives them. Those are the things I love about characters. -The pacing was off, going from quick to slow and back again but at different intervals that left me more confused than intrigued. -We had the same writing issues noted in the first book: missing scene description and development; rapid scenes with overly explained plot points; being told what to think rather than being given the opportunity to develop an opinion;
This novel read very young on the YA spectrum, which is completely fine, but I am just simply not the target demographic for the younger end of YA.
This one felt a lot more developed than book 1 (in many aspects) and I cared about the characters and their various struggles a lot more this round. More developed world-building, lore, side character histories, more romantic tension and overall plot tension-- just great. I read via audio this time around and that also might have helped-- the few angsty/repetitive portions moved quickly along and I didn't have to dwell on them. Bigger cliffhanger this time so now I'm actually annoyed I have to wait for book 3 because there's a decent wait at my library 😆.
The Follower of Flowers was my most highly anticipated read of the year, and I must say it did not disappoint! I was so captivated by the story that I put aside all my other readings just to immerse myself in this magical world. I'm beyond happy that I was able to get the arc — Thank you so much Natalia!
The pacing of the narrative is masterfully done, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the mysteries and secrets that lie within the prophecy. The character development is a true highlight of the novel, as each character faces their own unique challenges and triumphs over their inner struggles, making them incredibly relatable and compelling. I loved the characters and reading this felt like I was reunited with friends. There are moments where I just couldn't help but squeal and make comments! The slow burn romance always gets me and I loved it when it was shown between Rawl and Alric!!
I absolutely adored how Natalia included the characters names at the beginning of each chapter. It added a special touch and made it easier for me to connect with the story. There were moments where I had to pause and adjust to a change in POV — when a character's name was mentioned but the perspective shifted suddenly. However, Natalia's writing seamlessly blended these different perspectives without causing much confusion. I did find myself going back to reread those sections, but it didn't make the reading experience difficult at all.
Natalia's storytelling hit me right in the heart. I couldn't believe what I had just read when I finished the story at 4 am. The way she portrayed friendships and the unbreakable loyalty that forms when friends become like family was absolutely my favorite part! The moments of devastation left me speechless because amidst all the beauty, they served as powerful reminders of the dangerous journey the characters have to go through to find the unnamed prince and not getting caught since the Name Bearer has a bounty on her.
Overall, The Follower of Flowers exceeded my expectations and I loved it so much!! Natalia Hernandez's storytelling skills are truly remarkable, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for the next book!! I wish it was already the next year to read the next book!
Let me just say…. THAT IS HOW YOU WRITE A SECOND BOOK!🙌🏽 Hooked from start to finish.
I would also like to say - CALLED IT. 😏 I absolutely love that each character that shows up is one of importance. She doesn’t just mention them for them to be forgotten…they all matter and you can feel that in her writing. The character and world building in this one was soooo good. I felt myself getting emotional through backstories and just in general. There were so many POVs and so many back stories to sort through but it didn’t feel like it took away from any part of this book. It just allowed me to further fall in love with each of them.
If this is how she wrote the second book, I can not WAITTTTT for the third!
en el primer libro puse que la primera parte una maravilla pero que no entendía por que tenía que aguantar a dos señores en la segunda parte y que tenía ganazas del reencuentro de las 5 en el segundo libro
pues aquí la primera parte se me ha hecho eterna literalmente casi paro de leer PERO CUANDO POR FIN HA SIDO EL REENCUENTRO? Y EL FINAL? buf buf buf menuda maravilla
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I might decide to edit this later after I’ve thought about the story more (and I am released from academic prison) but here are my initial thoughts:
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I did the first one. The characters are really the soul of this series and I really enjoyed what we saw with this ensemble. I also thought the pacing was executed better and the plot was more cohesive.
With that said, I still have some quibbles. I find Danika (I think I’m spelling that right? I’m listening to the audiobook) makes a lot of sense in theory but there’s something about the execution that gives me pause. I don’t mean that in a really critical way, but I think we needed a more of her POV spread throughout this book AND book 1 to really nail down why she makes the decisions she does during the latter half of this story and provide additional emotional weight. Also, similarly to book 1 the ending felt a little rushed and slightly disjointed from the rest of the story. Rather than being a season finale, the final scene feels more like it would take place in the couple episodes *before* the season finale, if that makes sense. I’ve thought this since book 1 but this book really solidified for me that this series maybe should’ve been written as a duology instead of a trilogy.
With that said, I’m enjoying this series and I look forward to reading the conclusion. I recommend reading it.
Achei que esse seria o último livro, bela surpresa descobrir que não.
O livro tem uma escrita facil de ler e não fica no mesmo assunto por muito tempo. Ao mesmo tempo que isso o torna mais dinâmico, em alguns momentos parece que o tom e emoções mudam mais rápido do que o que gostaria, como logo após da morte de Raidea temos o primeiro beijo entre Rawl e Alric em um campo de batalha. Eles poderiam ter sido românticos em outros momentos mas eles escolheram aquela hora e lugar. Acontece.
Amo a história, apesar da traição de Damika ainda não sentar bem comigo, e aguardo ansiosamente o próximo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I was already really into this book, but the way everything connected at the end and turned what I thought I knew on my head was INCREDIBLE! I really loved it.
I'm so excited to see where it goes after this!
I really loved seeing Nova's journey and I loved the new characters we saw!
And I was into the idea of her and Ash, though I was waiting for Damika and missing that too. But I am not a fan of love triangles, so I'm slightly nervous for it. But also excited to see where it goes.
The fact that it took me until chapter 22 for the twist to finally click! I need the next book ASAP!
Rawl…Alric…Nova… Axchel…
But also, Jesa?!?! Damika!!
I feel like I can’t say anything about anything without spoiling it, but it is an absolutely perfect sequel. I cried, gasped, and cried again. There are about 3 different cliffhangers that have me distraught! 2024 couldn’t get here soon enough!
This was a lot more heavy handed than the first book. More world descriptions this time around in addition to other POV’s besides Nova/Nessa. I feel like because this felt so bogged down - I didn’t appreciate the mini plot twist that happens. This is a book you can’t take long breaks from otherwise you’ll forget a lot quickly. I’m hoping the third book is less pages and not feel as dense.
the pacing was much better than in book 1 and i finally got surprised by a plot point (though i did predict another pretty big one :/ ) at the end there‘s a kiss that feels a bit iffy to me because it feels like it happened without real consent…
I need the 3rd one so badly! Kept me captivated throughout with all the twists and character stories. It's also been a long time a book has made me shout "no" throw the book and then immediately pick it straight back up to know what happens next 😂. Loved every second of it and can't wait to see what the 3rd book brings!!!!
Phenomenal! Watching the prophecy unfold was an amazing journey. The stories of sisterhood, companionship, and family are interwoven in a universe that was so dreamy. I am so excited for the ending of the series. I can’t recommend this series enough.
I was very happy to get back to the story of Nova (The Name Bearer) and the epic quest she began in The Name Bearer. The opening hook in that first book was so strong that it really pulls you forward through the series. Hernandez is a very entertaining storyteller.
I was glad to be back in Andala. Here was everything I loved about the first book--the world building deeply inspired by Latin America, the subtle attractions and confusions between characters, the compelling heroine who somehow feels both incredibly strong and very vulnerable at the same time (AKA human), and that epic, epic quest! The new characters we meet here in Book 2 are just as interesting and well drawn as the characters from Book 1. Especially the wise and playful Churan! That character is a delight.
Because I'm so invested in Nova and her epic quest, I was at first a little bit distracted by another storyline that appears here about Jesa. I felt like, "Who is she? Get me back to Nova!" But it didn't take long, thanks to Hernandez's great storytelling, for me to be as invested in Jesa as I was Nova. I also trusted Hernandez enough as a storyteller to know that these stories would intersect later, and intersect they did. I didn't see it coming and in hindsight I thought it seemed obvious. That's a perfect surprise.
I did thoroughly enjoy this book and found it an easy and enjoyable read. Especially given that it was a relatively short book! I loved seeing how Nova had grown and her relationships with both her Danrayen and new friends. I’m intrigued to see whether she will end up with Axchel or Damika and cannot wait to see how they manage to get Churan named by the flowers! There were also some truly heartbreaking moments with the deaths of Raidea and Adira. And I will be heartbroken if anything happens to Alric, when he and Rawl had just admitted their feelings to each other! Some parts were a bit predictable, such as where the side plot with Jesadirany and Sofia was headed. But I am intrigued to see the conclusion to all of the prophecies. Overall would definitely recommend and looking forward to the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The writing was much better in this book, I do wish the narrator stopped pronouncing "coax" as "co-ax", we're not talking about cables after all. I do like that the chapters listed the POVs this time since the first one just switched them randomly towards the end.
I still think that book one and book two could've been combined into one because nothing substantial happened in book one.
I liked that we saw more growth from our main character and that the author delved a bit into the trauma she would've sustained being taken away from her parents at 3 years old.
I loved the back story interwoven through the book, when my first guess was busted I was sad to see that I had been right on the next one. It was a bit obvious, but I kinda hoped it was gonna be different.
I absolutely love the way this story is coming together. I can't wait to read more.
Words cannot describe how much I adore this story. Damika and Nova grow so much in the second story. The last 25% has some of the highest highs and lowest lows.