Name: A Heart So Fierce and Broken
Rating: 3.972573839662447 (474 reviews)
ISBN: 9781408885086

Brigid Kemmerer

In the sequel to New York Times bestselling A Curse So Dark and Lonely, Brigid Kemmerer returns to the world of Emberfall in a lush fantasy where friends become foes and love blooms in the darkest of places.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken

What a novel. I'm so glad I decided to pick it up, because I was thinking I'd rather not. But, It was great. Everytime I put it down, I decided I was going to read just one more chapter, one more page, one more word until the book ended up being over. 

My issues with the first book lied with everything. The characters were so two dimensional, the main characters weren't even likeable, the book didn't have a pacing issue but the pacing felt odd and I wanted a greater focus on Grey. 

This book seems to have cleared up basically all of my issue. The introduction of Lia Mara from the Shyll Shadows was a literal game changer. She has so much character and personality and background she's very much three dimensional. We even see her mother and sister, and her guards and everyone, although I would say the dialogue of the characters definately improved from the first book too. The characters are all definately likeable and bring out that empathetic side of the reader, and I'm quite glad that there seems to be a change in the authors writting, although I could potetinally change my mind with a reread... I'm so happy that this book focused on Grey. He's such an adorable brooding character and I love the idea of him being the hero, and Rhen being the anti hero? Or maybe it's the other way round. If you didn't enjoy the first book, Ithink you'd love this book. if you loved the first book or loved Rhen, I think you'd enjoy the first book more, but still like this book too. 

surtified™

What a novel. I'm so glad I decided to pick it up, because I was thinking I'd rather not. But, It was great. Everytime I put it down, I decided I was going to read just one more chapter, one more page, one more word until the book ended up being over. 
My issues with the first book lied with everything. The characters were so two dimensional, the main characters weren't even likeable, the book didn't have a pacing issue but the pacing felt odd and I wanted a greater focus on Grey. 
This book seems to have cleared up basically all of my issue. The introduction of Lia Mara from the Shyll Shadows was a literal game changer. She has so much character and personality and background she's very much three dimensional. We even see her mother and sister, and her guards and everyone, although I would say the dialogue of the characters definately improved from the first book too. The characters are all definately likeable and bring out that empathetic side of the reader, and I'm quite glad that there seems to be a change in the authors writting, although I could potetinally change my mind with a reread... I'm so happy that this book focused on Grey. He's such an adorable brooding character and I love the idea of him being the hero, and Rhen being the anti hero? Or maybe it's the other way round. If you didn't enjoy the first book, Ithink you'd love this book. if you loved the first book or loved Rhen, I think you'd enjoy the first book more, but still like this book too. 

Third read: not as quick a read as the first book, but still enjoyable.

Fourth read: went a whole week without reading this due to circumstance. Now that Sparking Fire Out of Fate is out, I can complete the trilogy, full steam ahead!

Third read: not as quick a read as the first book, but still enjoyable.

Fourth read: went a whole week without reading this due to circumstance. Now that Sparking Fire Out of Fate is out, I can complete the trilogy, full steam ahead!

Hannah DCamp

So Grey is still my favorite. Everything is fine.

I still don't get why he ran away so aggressively at the end of the last book but THAT'S FINE it remains largely unresolved in this one. It's explained away by him (and others) saying that Rhen would have to kill him, but I still don't get why.

Rhen and Harper don't entirely make sense. They react to things in ways that don't make sense for their characters as established in the last book - Harper seems weak and inexperienced, and clings to Rhen the whole time; Rhen seems overbearing, calculating, and cruel. Luckily they're not really present here, so it doesn't matter? 

[image error]

Even Grey is not entirely consistent, which was my favorite thing about him in the last book (he was so consistent before guys, that was like the most painful/great thing about him!). He has these weird reckless moments that I didn't particularly like. Also the fact that (view spoiler)[he suddenly has magic powers that he can immediately control (hide spoiler)] doesn't really make sense. The man has been alive for how long? And he's been injured how many times before? And he never noticed this one super convenient thing about himself??


The scraver is the coolest part about this book. I have no real idea what his powers are (aside from *wintery*), but he's super interesting. (view spoiler)[I want to know more about his son, and why he the king came to search for him, and more about why the treaty is so important to him. I don't anticipate answers to any of my questions. (hide spoiler)]

I trudge on to the final book. I started this because I wanted to read Forging Silver into Stars, but I'm already hesitant to return to this book world because of how inexplicably different it's become. Big sad.

Brigid Kemmerer returns to the world of Emberfall in her lush fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Tatiana

This was overall a great sequel to A Curse So Dark And Lonely. I think the switch to Gray and Lia Mara was amazing. By the end, the reader really finds themselves attached to the characters, even more so attached to the minor characters.

One thing to mention about this story if you're about to read it is that it is entirely different from Cursebreakers #1. Although the stories are tied, very loosely I might add, it is better if you go in knowing that it is barely a continuation from Rhen and Harper's story. Keep an open mind :)

Some issues I have with the book was that for the first half I really found myself disliking most of the main characters including Harper, Rhen, Gray, and Lia Mara. When Gray accepted his fate (FINALLY) it was when I actually started liking him again. 

I think the third book coming out in January is going to prove to be an extremely interesting book regarding Rhen's character arc, whom I kinda hate by the end of this book but I do think this is the point of this sequel.

The last half of the book though was really interesting and I truly could not foresee what was going to happen which made it that much more exciting. I will definitely be picking up A Vow So Bold And Deadly (especially after that cliffhanger!)

Melissa Palmer

Book #2 of a YA fantasy trilogy. Great series.

I actually really enjoyed this book. The first one was super boring for me, and Grey really sold this one. 

Sarah Campbell

Katherine

menna

This book is p a i n omfgggg. I enjoyed every single second of it but my god was it pain (in a good way but I’m dead).

I don’t know what I was expecting was going to happen in this book but this?? Was not it!! I loved every second, even though it was in a way a filler book to move events along to the final book, it really kept me engaged in the story and lord the characters!! I love these characters so much so this book really made my heart ache...the original 3...my heart, I’m so sad!!

This whole book just filled me with happiness to see the characters again and sadness to see what they were going through. Scary Grey is still my best boy and I really loved reading through his eyes. AND LIA MARA MY BABY I LOVE HER SO MUCHHHH (I really think her and Harper would make such good friends and I just pray it happens at the end of the series pleaseeee).

I’m so worried how this series is gonna end! I had the same feeling through the later half of the book, so much worry for my favs ahh!!

Addie 🌻

** upon finishing this series I have decided to lower my rating (from four stars) to three stars. I feel like this book was far too long would have been better suited to be a novella rather than a 400 page novel

Im so so so shocked by the ending like whatttt when I finished it I was just freezing I didn’t move I just froze- 

Okay so the book made me mad bc I didn’t know there will be changes for the pov and i hated the way grey and harper were close and it felt like betrayal to rhen like when all of them were protecting grey and making sure he could escape safely- but also rhen did a mistake I cannot blame any of them and the book was moving slow like really I feel so fine that I finished it now i can read rhen and harper pov !

Thiea

Im so so so shocked by the ending like whatttt when I finished it I was just freezing I didn’t move I just froze- 

Okay so the book made me mad bc I didn’t know there will be changes for the pov and i hated the way grey and harper were close and it felt like betrayal to rhen like when all of them were protecting grey and making sure he could escape safely- but also rhen did a mistake I cannot blame any of them and the book was moving slow like really I feel so fine that I finished it now i can read rhen and harper pov !

A Heart So Fierce and Broken

Reviews

Highlights