A Heart So Fierce and Broken

Harper has freed Prince Rhen from the curse that almost destroyed his kingdom. But all is not well, rumours are rife that there is a rival heir with a stronger claim to the throne and that 'Princess' Harper of Disi is nothing but a fraud. Grey has fled the castle carrying a terrible secret. When he is discovered by soldiers and returned to Ironrose by force, Grey's allegiances begin to shift. And as he grows closer to an enemy princess, he is forced to decide whether he will stand against Rhen for the crown he never wanted...

After reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely, I couldn't wait to get my hands on A Heart So Fierce and Broken and it felt wonderful to be back in the Kingdom of Emberfall. Brigid Kemmerer's storytelling flows and it's utterly compulsive. It's difficult to say too much about this novel without giving pivotal plotlines away and you definitely need to read A Curse So Dark and Lonely to appreciate the full force of this lush and complex fantasy.

As well as getting to know more about Harper and Rhen, this sequel focuses much more on Grey this time round as he discovers his new identity and struggles to come to terms with what this means. We really get to see his growth from being a commander sworn to a prince, a person who no longer takes orders but gives them and finally accepts who he was destined to be We also meet a new character, Lia Mara, a princess from Sly Shallow who is incredibly likeable; she's genuine and a feisty female protagonist - her relationship with her sister, Nolla Verin, is endearing and lovely, to follow despite Nolla Verin being quite nasty and cruel at times.

A modern fairy tale, A Heart So Fierce and Broken, part of the Cursebreakers series, is seriously good, its filled with magic, relationships and romance - the third book can't come quickly enough!

464 Pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Lucy Georgeson, school librarian

See also: A Curse So Dark and Lonely (book 1);   

Suggested Reading Age 11+