Let it be known that I called the bad guy from the start and I’m still mad about it (I’m kidding… mostly).
Unlike the first book (The Librarian's Ruse), A Traitor’s Vow is more of a journey than a love story. Though it begins as you might expect, with Amelia entering Kyvir’s study, she quickly begins a journey that tests her morals, grit, and love for Kyvir, her family, and her country. Trust is a shaky thing, and Amelia finds herself stuck caught between the world of a heroine and the role of a daughter.
A Traitor’s Vow is the perfect book for a female, teen audience. The content is appropriate, the morals are clear, and it’s a quick read.
Though it takes a solid chunk of the book, Amelia grows into a decisive character. I couldn’t help but respect her decisions in the second half of the book, even if I disagreed with them (inconceivable).
The injustices and intrigue keep the story moving, although the pace dips to what I’ve come to expect from intrigue stories. Although I prefer the pace of the first book, the pace does quicken in the last act. Just when it got my heart pumping, the book ended.
That’s right. If you hate cliffhangers, you may want to wait for the final book to release. Otherwise, let me know when you realize who the bad guy is, and (especially) let me know your thoughts!
So you like spoilers, do you? Well, buckle up, because this novella has loads to keep track of!
As was established in the first book, Amelia and Kyvir are an item in the first book. Though she wants to stay with him, Amelia makes the hard choice to try and fix her mistakes by delivering a message to the mystical northern kingdom of Ivanyar. Surprise surprise, she never makes it that far.
Amelia and company are attacked on their way to Ivanyar. Leon almost dies (let’s be real, he deserved that). Duke Gladik of all people saves the day right before Amelia is cut clean in half. They’re forced to take a detour in Amelia’s hometown which turns into the rest of the book.
While in her hometown, Amelia is lectured by her father, betrayed by a friend, and sentenced to death for high treason. To avoid this fate, she accepts a deal to attempt the impossible of stopping a war between Myarna and Vilnaria. This seems much more reasonable when she discovers it was Vilnarian nobles who set up the assassinations and tried to spark a war with Myarna. It seems much less reasonable when she remembers she’s a simple librarian, not a politician or princess.
With her family’s fate on the line, she returns to Vilnaria’s capital and seeks an audience with Kyvir.
Out of nowhere, Amelia and company are thrown in the dungeon for murder and treason. Sadie is dragged off and her screams turn to a haunting silence. As already stated, it’s a little unclear but the insinuation is that she’s been killed.
Lo and behold, Sir Fern arrives to taunt and steal any remaining hope from Amelia before her execution.
And like that, book two closes.
I know I only gave this book four stars, but it set up the third book to be even better than the first. I can’t wait for the next one! Lord willing, I’ll be on Thirzah’s next launch team. If you’ve never tried a launch team, you should. It’s so rewarding to get early access to a book and talk to the author about it before anyone else.
Ok, that’s enough yapping from me. Good book. Go read.
