Review: The Witches’ Blade by A.K. Mulford
“You are a monster...Then we are as wicked as each other, Princess.”
The Basics
Title: The Witches’ Blade (The Five Crowns of Okrith #2)
Author: A.K. Mulford
Published: November 2, 2021
Note: I received an ARC from A.K. Mulford in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher: A.K. Mulford
Pages: 398
Format: E-book
Genres: Fiction — Fantasy, High fantasy, Romance, Fantasy romance, New adult
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you click through and make a purchase.
Book Synopsis
Having picked up the Immortal Blade during the Battle of Drunehan in order to save her family and court, Rua is now its reluctant bearer: the sword and its powers are forever tied to her. The blade gives her strength, but with each swing of it, her inner darkness rises to the surface, yearning to be released. The one person who seems capable of reigning in her darkness is a man enshrouded in darkness himself: Renwick, the Witchslayer and newly crowned King of the Northern Court. Rua finds herself inexplicably drawn to him, but given his violent past and ruthless reputation, she keeps him at arm’s length. She, however, cannot entirely rid herself of him, as she needs his help in order to quell threats from the East and North. Reports have begun to circulate that Balorn Vostemur and Augustus Norwood have combined forces in order to take back the Northern and Eastern crowns, but they cannot be allowed to succeed. Rua knows that she must protect the land’s newly found peace at all costs, and so, she allies with Renwick in order to track down an ancient relic that is the key to stopping Balorn and Augustus. The undertaking will challenge her in unforeseen ways and force her to reexamine herself and her beliefs.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: Everything I could have hoped for and then some in a sequel to The High Mountain Court.
The Witches’ Blade is a sequel that outshines the original, which given the caliber of The High Mountain Court, is no easy feat. It boasts a fast-paced, enthralling plot filled with adventure, romance, mystery, and world expansion. Characters who were in the periphery in the previous book step into the spotlight and dazzle, and new characters enter the stage and add complexity, as well as conflict, to the story. In short, it is a well-written and highly entertaining book.
Of all of its component parts, the characters are what truly make this book shine. Of particular note is the protagonist, Rua. She is a compelling lead, as she is not the archetypal heroine. She is fallible, haunted by her past, and struggling to keep her inner demons at bay. She wants to be a better person, but the temptation of surrendering to her baser side is ever-present.
Mirroring her in many ways is her love interest, Renwick. Like Rua, he is racked with guilt over his past misdeeds and is trying to mold himself into a better, more honorable person. Rua, however, does not initially see (or more likely, chooses to ignore) these similarities and keeps Renwick at arm’s length, treating him like her enemy. What follows is one of the best enemies-to-lovers romances that I have read to date. It is a slow burn, filled with sexual tension and wonderful dialogue. Their relationship also has a deeper, emotional aspect to it, and if you like your romances with a dash of spice, you won’t be disappointed. Believe me when I say that their romance alone will have you glued to the pages.
Another character worth noting is Balorn, the story’s primary antagonist. He is the perfect villain, because he is not only cruel and sadistic but also wildly unpredictable. And that latter trait is perhaps the most terrifying of all, because you never know when he will make an appearance or what he will do when he does show up. That uncertainty creates suspense and unease within the narrative, which makes the book that much harder to put down.
And trust me, the plot alone makes the book unputdownable. The plot is captivating, to say the least. It is fast-paced from the get-go, picking up in the thick of the Battle of Drunehan (the battle that was featured at the end of The High Mountain Court). From there on out, the story only becomes more engrossing. We follow Rua and Renwick as they journey across the Northern Court in search of a magical talisman, and along the way, they encounter unforeseen dangers, face off against foes in heart-racing encounters, unearth long-hidden secrets, and team up with characters from the previous book. It is the type of plot that holds your interest from the opening line to the closing word.
This book also does a nice job of expanding upon the world that was created in The High Mountain Court. We travel to the northernmost reaches of the Northern Court and even journey back to the High Mountain Court. There, we are able to see the state of things following the overthrow of King Vostemur. It was fun to explore new parts of the realm while also revisiting familiar locations.
The not so good
I only have one very minor complaint, which is that it would have been helpful for a character list to have been provided as an appendix. There were a couple of instances where I recognized a name but could not place it, and I ended up having to skim The High Mountain Court to refresh my memory.
Overall
A.K. Mulford has done it again: she has written another mesmerizing, bingeworthy fantasy. If you read and enjoyed The High Mountain Court, you can rest assured that you will love The Witches’ Blade just as much. So, what are you waiting for? Go and get yourself a copy of this book!
Will you be reading The Witches’ Blade? Let me know in the comments section below!
