A Heart So Fierce and Broken: Brigid Kemmerer (The Cursebreaker Series)

Product Information

I made a moodboard for this book and was planning to write an elaborate review, but I’m so damn conflicted about this installment that I can’t say for sure how I feel about all of it. I think my definition of a sequel compare to this author’s must’ve been vastly different bcs this book was not at all what I pictured a continuation of a series would be like. After sleeping on it for almost two weeks, I think I’m just going to settle for a moderate rating. I feel like this book is an SJM Tower of Dawn sort of book, a little pointless but enjoyable to read nonetheless. That’s one thing, though, that Kemmerer does so well. There are hardly any characters between these two books that are solidly good or solidly bad. They each have choices and decisions to make and they have to live with those consequences. It’s not always a happily ever after. This aspect of realism is much appreciated and a little despised on my end. I love how even with all the bad things Rhen was doing, she never left his side and continued to help him cope with his PTSD and everything. I mean after all that happened in the previous book, I'm not surprised Rhen is traumatized from his curse and Lilith. There weren't really many appearances of them in the book, but they were mentioned a lot.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken: Cursebreaker, Book 2 A Heart So Fierce and Broken: Cursebreaker, Book 2

Rhen. Character growth? We don't know her. Every ounce of growth Rhen made in book one is so far gone out the window that it's not even funny, he was absolutely awful in this book. I get that his throne and people are all he cares about but the fact that he tried SO DAMN HARD to not be the villain in book one only to become the villain in book two....no ma'am. Not on my watch. The one thing I can't figure out about this is how the characters we loved in book one are becoming villainized. It's definitely an interesting take to see these characters pitted against one another, especially after learning more about them and the ways they hold each other's lives at stake. But actions Rhen took in this book and the way he spoke to Grey just made him completely irredeemable for me, and I almost consider the Cursebreakers series about Grey rather than Rhen at this point. When Grey encounters a scraver for the first time, he attempts to help him, offering him some water in his cupped hands, but the scraver bites his arm.

Did we miss something on diversity?

while ruthlessness may have its place, I believe your brand of strength would garner greater loyalty. That is what makes you dangerous. Not because you would ride in with a blade and take control, but because you could quietly sit in this chair, in the dark, with your book...and you could determine the best way to achieve what needs to be done.” You said that not every problem can be solved by the end of a sword. I have carried those words with me for days... Since you made me realize that I am no longer a weapon to be wielded by another.”

A Heart So Fierce and Broken - Goodreads

When it comes to diversity, the main gay couple from ACSDAL is still in this book, a lot more than I expected. And there is mention of one sapphic couple at the end for a good half of a sentence. This is another reason that upset me so much is you have characters with disabilities, you have Queer characters, but wooo no ma'am on the People of Color. Originally a relationship between prince and guard, Rhen and Grey formed a friendship because they spent so much time together fighting the curse, Rhen let himself be tortured so that Grey would be spared. However after finding out they are half-siblings, their relationship becomes more complicated.Commander Grey was such a wonderful character in ACSDAL, he had sworn his life to the Royal family and to Rhen in particular. In doing so he had to detach from all his family and to forego any future family that could possibly ever be used against him to get him to turn on he royals or the Kingdom of Everfall. Even so, the evil mage Lilith still took his 9 sisters and brothers one by one while trying to get him to turn against Rhen. Grey has no intention of taking his place as King. On the run and in hiding, he is more than happy to live a simple life. But with Rhen's hunt growing more extreme, he knows that it is only a matter of time before he is found. Grey is hiding in a small city, posing as a stable hand under the name Hawk, there he attempts to lay low to avoid the Rhen's guards who are looking for him. While here Grey befriends the boy Tycho, who looks up to Grey. Grey teaches Tycho some basic swordplay, but after Tycho catches him disappearing and then suddenly reappearing, Grey reveals the truth to Tycho, and begins to teach him more advanced moves.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken (The Cursebreaker Series)

And the worst part is, he's not wrong either. I was acting on emotion. I wasn't thinking about how anyone would perceive my actions. I spent months thinking Grey was dead, and after seeing what Rhen was willing to do in the courtyard, I wasn't going to wait around for him to up the ante. One thing I didn’t like about this book was that Rhen turned into the bad guy. Everyone was faced with tough choices and while that didn’t condone all of Rhen’s actions, I don’t like that everyone turned on him. I feel in love with his character in the first book and then I was hit with all this negativity about him in this book. If I truly wanted to get into everything I hated about this book, you’d be reading this for hours so I’m just going to be talking about three things that gave me a huge headache. I tried not to give too much away in this review. And you're probably wondering why I haven't mentioned Harper or really spoken much about Rhen. Well, my dear friend, there is some information that I do not have the privilege to disclose at the moment.Tycho looks up to Grey, seeing him as a sort of big brother, and Grey is also very protective of the boy. Grey teaches Tycho how to sword fight and under his guidance he becomes a great swordsman, he also joins the guards to be like Grey. I'm still reeling from that ending. I CAN'T BELIEVE LILITH IS ALIVE??!!! AND NOW RHEN HAS AGREED TO AN OFFER FROM THAT WITCH??!! AND IT'S TO PROTECT HARPER!!! HE DOESN'T EVEN WANT THE KINGDOM!!! HE DOESN'T CARE IF GREY TAKES IT AWAY BUT LILITH IS THREATENING TO TAKE HARPER AWAY FROM HIM!!! 😭Poor Rhen...😭😭 CURSE YOU LILITH!!!😡😡 Harper and Grey didn't have a good start, after he dragged her from her world into Emberfall. Over time, they end up getting well along, trusting each other, and becoming great friends. Harper teasingly calls him Scary Grey. It is implied in A Heart So Fierce and Broken that he may have had feelings for Harper and she could possibly have had feelings for him. "but Jake's not you" in reference to when they were escaping the castle. This might have been had he not been sworn of any sort of family and Rhen had not been there. Instead they remained great friends. But even though Lia Mara knows she'll never be queen, she is still determined to find a violence-free solution for both kingdoms.

Lia Mara | Cursebreakers Wiki | Fandom Lia Mara | Cursebreakers Wiki | Fandom

In general, AHSFAB's storyline was very predictable. I've heard this said by many people about the first book too, but didn't feel so myself. Or if I did, it was only in the sense that I saw the obvious red thread behind it all because .. well .. it is a retelling. I found that comforting if anything, but not boring. And while I was not necessarily bored reading book two (I read this very fast for my standards too. Brigid Kemmerer's writing style is very fluid and easy to read), I knew exactly what was gonna happen next, to a point where I honestly asked myself if it's worth actually reading some of the chapters or if just skimming would be enough.This nuanced sequel offers new perspectives and emphasizes the value and complexity of both sibling and romantic relationships.