When I read THE HARM TREE, I thought it was a standalone - there was absolutely nothing I could find on the major online sources to contradict that. However, I am so glad we got a sequel, because it's a really interesting world.

I like how this series explores the conflict between new and old faiths from both sides, as the two girls have different faiths - or lack of faith. Torny is more of a "I accept that the old faith is a thing and real, but I don't want much to do with it." While Ebba is of the new faith, but the way it's being used (or rather, abused) by ambitious and/or fanatical men who have got it wrong makes her doubt.

Usually, when a book deals with old vs new faith, one is presented as completely wrong and so the advances of the new/the retention of the old must be severely dealt with. However, there is nuance in this series, looking evenly at both, and exploring how <em>people</em> are often the cause of trouble with faith (particularly when they interact) because of small-mindedness, fear, ambitious, and twisting religion to own ends.

We're not in the north! We've travelled into other parts of the empire (both the next "ring" of control and the empire "proper" across the book.) In THE HARM TREE, the set up of the empire and the church is a background thing that doesn't get much explanation, but here it's expounded upon and forms one of the core story threads. I do love a good expansion on a political landscape, after all!

It wasn't always clear exactly what was going on, because of the uncertainty around spirits and possession and faith, particularly when it came to the dead characters from the previous book that Ebba and Torny were seeing. How much was PTSD from the events? How much was supposed to be visions sent by faith? What was possession? It did makes sections (particularly a lot of Torny's chapters) quite hard to work out.

Ebba was easier, because it didn't directly affect the plot if you decided it was one way or another - because all that mattered was that various characters <em>believed it was true</em>, and then acted on their belief. And depending on whether you decided it was truly happening or delusion, it added another layer. But Torny's events didn't work without knowing what it was, because it was what was happening directly to her, not the belief of others.

Overall, it was a good read, and I liked seeing much more the world, but there were several points where clarity would have helped.

It took me a while to get myself into the setting and the characters' situations - but I hadn't read the first book in the series - so my fault on that score. The writing is fluid and engaging and the story develops beautifully as we follow the characters and emotional challenges they face. Readers of Fantasy are in for a treat with this title.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGally for the opportunity to review this book.

The Harm Tree was one of my favourite books of 2019 so I was delighted to find out Rose Edwards has written a follow up. And it's a good follow up! Rich world building, strong character development and great diverse representation. Set in a Norse inspired world, this is a gripping, compelling and fast paced YA fantasy and I loved reuniting with Torny and Ebba.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

The story begins not long after the events of the first book, with Torny and Ebba heading to Vellsberg with Berengar. The world-building extends past the borders of Arngard and into the wider Empire which I loved. We also got to meet other cultures and learn a little about them. The author has obviously fleshed this world out well and it feels so real because of this.

After the traumatic events of book one, Torny is struggling with her PTSD, guilt and shame. Meanwhile, Ebba feels out of place and haunted by the spectre of the Prester. Instead of bringing the two friends together, their trauma pushes them further apart and I think it was important that they learned to help themselves heal before helping the other. Torny's feelings for Ebba were also resolved and new character Aisulu encourages Torny to embrace her sexuality.

Aisulu isn't the only new character the reader meets. My favourite was Rosamund as she was clever and feisty. I also loved Serke, a trans woman and healer. Neklaus replaces the Prester as the character I hate most in this book. He's a misogynist, sadist, and rapist, and has literally no redeemable qualities. Ebba's character development was wonderful to read and her growing confidence was well earned. The ending was bittersweet but felt right. I'd highly recommend these books to readers wanting a fast-paced YA fantasy with rich world-building.

"People do a lot of things to girls. Things they think no one will see, or won't complain about if they do. Maybe they dress it up in words - the good daughter, the bad child, the chosen one. Maybe they don't bother to justify it at all."


Ebba and Torny are two girls attempting to escape their dark past and monstrous misdeeds that necessitated their survival. They seem to have a habit of causing havoc everywhere they go, the past constantly snapping at their heels, and their future a giant uncertain question mark. The only feature of their lives that stays constant is the death that surrounds them as they find themselves drawn into battles as bartering chips, example executions, and tools for the demise of enemies. They are complex vessels, and all they want is their strings to their puppeted bodies to shape their own destinies and to outrun the past.

The Ember Days is a young adult fantasy of epic proportions.

I have not read The Harm Tree which is the prequel and I really, really, really, really, really, really recommend reading the first book before the second. There was a lot that I was confused about, however I will not let that have bearing over my review. For this reason, I will not talk about my feelings of the plot.

However, I can most definitely talk about my feelings of the characters. They are truly excellently written. I believe Rose Edwards has a penchant for writing strong female characters as The Ember Days was brimming with them. There's a lot of talk about fire in the book - for plot reasons - but I feel it is an accurate reflection in the characters, there was fire burning in each of them. I cannot resist a fiery female character, and Edwards provides an onslaught of them, the moment I started reading this book I was destined to enjoy it.

The writing itself I enjoyed. Particularly Ebba's chapters. There was something so raw and three dimensional about the way Edwards wrote her insight. In the book, Ebba is accused of being deceitful, but her monologue was honest, gritty, and warm, I could not help but like her.

For the first half of the book, Torny struggles with her sexuality and her feelings towards Ebba, but she is saved with the budding connection of Aisulu who is rather mischievous and wears her preference to women like a badge of honour. The contrast of these two female characters and their sexuality was well written Aisulu bringing Torny out of her shell felt like a gentle acceptance that I wish the real world had an abundance of.

The intersecting lives of not just these characters, but all the characters are woven skilfully. They all hold meaning to each other, and for that reason, the climactic finale at the end of the book was as satisfying as pouring batter into a pan.

All in all, a really great read.

"'From what I've seen,' I tell him, 'death is rarely the end of things.'"