A Reckless Oath by Kaylie Smith

Summary:

Despite the a huge loss, the group must decide on next steps while navigating a deadly magical forest. The witches have an impending war to contend with, the Valkyrie is able to return home after years of exile, and the siren has been dragged back to the world she left behind. Everyone will have decisions to make and a part to play.

My Thoughts:

After the crazy ending of the first book, I could not wait to dive into this book. A good chunk of this the book surrounds what happened at the end of the first book, so much so that I was confused as to why the focus was on that and not the war that is clearly brewing. Yes, what happened was a big moment, but I don’t think it was bigger than the impending war and some of the other extremely pressing issues. However, there was a nice resolution and by the end, even if I suspect said resolution will no longer apply. My hope is that all of that time focusing such a specific moment was to drive the plot in the third book and also drive home the emotions that will likely be stirred up. This is just my guess given that this book ends on a huge cliffhanger! 

There are some questions answered from the first book so that helped clarify the world a little. Overall though, I don’t think the world building is the best and it feels a little chaotic. I have no problem with this as the story is still entertaining. However, if you love extensive and detailed world building, I don’t think this book is for you. It’s definitely a challenge to create an entirely new world in fantasy novel so I think it’s worth giving grace with world building aspects. 

The author has announced the title of the third book and I cannot wait to read it! This was such a great read for me. While the world building is not perfect, there are so many great fantastical elements to enjoy in such a captivating unpredictable story.