Hi Cara,
Last year I read the first book Girls of Paper and Fire and fell in love with Lei and Wren story. Nearly a year has past and I finally get to see what happened to our favourite Paper Girls in Girls of Storm and Shadow.
Lei and Wren have escaped their oppressive lives in the Hidden Palace as royal courtesans to the Demon King, but they soon learn that freedom comes with a terrible cost.
Lei the naive country girl as now known as the Moonchosen due to slaying the cruel Demon King. But slaying the Demon King was the beginning of the plan, not the end. Now Lei and her warrior love Wren must travel through the kingdom to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans. The journey is made even more treacherous thanks to a heavy bounty on Lei’s head, as well as insidious doubts that threaten to tear Lei and Wren fledgeling relationship apart from within.
Meanwhile, The Demon King support plot to eliminate the rebel uprising, fueled by dark magic and vengeance. Will Lei succeed in her quest to overthrow the monarchy and protect her love for Wren, or will she fall victim to the sinister magic that seeks to destroy her?
Girls of Storm and Shadow is an epic journey of a story. A journey that evolves distance travelled and the growth of the characters.
Although on a dangerous mission and dealing with past traumas their is humour, friendship and love in the story. It shows even in the darkest of time there are glimmers of light.
Girls of Storm and Shadow introduces us to a diverse bunch of characters. It’s interesting to see how the different castes behave around each other. It also shows Demons that are kind to Paper. The animosity between the birds and cats that make me want to find out more about the Night wars. Also, I want to lock Cats and Birds into a room just for their barbed banter.
Girls of Storm and Shadow has moments in the book that will bring you to tears, make you laugh and make you gasp.
Lei and Wren are an interesting couple, the ying to each other yang. Wren up bring bringing and training has darkened her view and what she is willing to do to win. Where Lei still sees the good in people even after everything she has gone through. Although I worry that Lei seeing the good in people won’t last.
As my copy is E-ARC the below quote might be in, but I hope it is as I want it on a t-shirt. If it wouldn’t get me into trouble .
“What Can I say? Explosions make me happy”
The LGBTQ representation is high in Girls of Storm and Shadow. It’s not just seen in Wren and Lei, but other characters. Also, no one is bothered that others are in same-sex relationships.
The last 25% of the book really had me on tenterhooks. The ending, I won’t say anything but SERIOUSLY.
My rarting for Storm and Shadow is 4.5 out of 5.
Girls of Storm and Shadow comes out on the 5th November in the UK and USA.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing the e-book copy of Girls of Storm and Shadow for a fair and honest review.
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Thanks for reading,
