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Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian (Review #173)

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN THIS FAR IN THE ASH PRINCESS TRILOGY, STOP NOW. DO NOT READ. THIS IS BOOK 2. CHECK OUT ASH PRINCESS FOR THE REVIEW OF BOOK 1!

"The Kaiser murdered Theodosia's mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo's country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess--a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn't realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.

Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage--Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser's rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.

To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.

Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself."

Review:
We are back in the world of the forgotten Astrean Princess, and she is itching for a fight. Theo is willing to do anything to save her kingdom and her people from the hands of the Kaiser, even if it means selling her hand in marriage to the highest bidder and the largest army. But Theo is not the pawn everyone else sees her as. The cunning I admired so much in her is still present throughout this book and it made me love her all the more. Her aunt, the infamous pirate Dragonsbane, has offered her help, but at what cost? And feelings for Soren are not so easily smothered. 

Again, I enjoyed this read. though the overarching plot was still ever-present, a new game is also afoot when noble suitors from many different lands come to land a princess and her kingdom. I enjoyed seeing our characters bloom into more complex people and see where the story will take us next. Theo has always been smart, and this book was no exception. She took each problem with stride and despite her own doubts, I never once thought she made a bad choice. And more importantly her inner circle didn't either. 

A lot happened in these 500 or so pages, filled with deceit and lies, love and terrible loss. And the ending was nothing short of a cataclysm. With the war begun, the ultimate fight is just over the horizon and frankly I'm beyond hyped to see it. I can't wait to read the final installment and see the Fire Queen set the world ablaze!

As always, let me know your own thoughts and feels down below in the comments!!!

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