Tag: rin chupeco

The Heart Forger

by atozmom, posted in Book Reviews

Image result for the heart forgerThe sequel to The Bone Witch, The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco, picks up right where we left Tea, the girl who is one of two Bone Witches in the Eight Kingdoms.  Feared and disliked for her ability to raise the dead, Tea finds herself raising King Vanor in an attempt to find her mentor, Mykaela’s heartsglass which gives her her powers.

Tea finds herself caught up in power struggle after power struggle as she faces down the Faceless (i.e. bad guys) and finds herself allying with the Heart Forger in order to cure a sleeping sickness that has infected royalty across the Kingdoms.  She travels to Daanoris, a place that has banned magic, and is a virtual prisoner as she and her friends attempt to find the Heart Forger and the cure.

Ancient hostilities arise and hidden plots that involve the murder of a king drive the plot as Tea is forced to use dark magic (forbidden to use) in order to defeat the Dark Ones.  Judged and banished, her and her lover, Kalen, strike out on their own with her loyal daeva, Azi (picture a flying dragon).  “Don’t let me become a monster,” she says to Kalen.

“Life isn’t fair.  But you live with it and accept it.  There isn’t much to complain when there is little you can do.”

“When it comes to matters of the heart, nearly anything is possible.”

Great read in the same vein as The Bone Witch.  The part in the middle where Tea is in Daanoris gets a bit tedious as we have new characters and a new plot to develop, but overall worth your time!

The Bone Witch

by atozmom, posted in Book Reviews

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco is a young adult fantasy novel about a girl who realizes she has special powers when she accidentally raises her dead brother from the grave.

And so sparks a journey as we follow Tea in her new life.  She is recognized as a dark asha (otherwise known as bone witch).  These are few and far between in this kingdom.  She is taken in to be trained, leaving all of her family behind except her recently-resurrected brother.  He and Tea are linked, and he needs her to survive.  When she dies, he does as well.

A dark asha’s main job is to raise and put down daeva, monsters that wreck havoc if left unchecked and must every few years  to through this process before they rise on their own.  Asha also entertain nobility, serve as bodyguards and are good fighters, and wield magic helpful to the kings.

There are various kingdoms, which currently are at peace and those who wish to wield more power known as the Faceless who remain hidden.  An unknown Faceless has raised a daeva dragon.  Tea’s teacher is too ill to put the daeva down so Tea must do so herself with a little under 2 years of training.  She knows she can die, but she cannot allow other innocents to die either.

“Duty means doing something not because you like it but because you’re supposed to,” Tea’s brother, Fox, tells her.

“Everyone is a puzzle made of interlocking tiles you must piece together to form a picture of their souls.”

“Always strive to do the unexpected.”

Great read.  Very stock in terms of good guys,  bad guys, love interests, and growing up themes.  Two stories are being told at once:  Tea is narrating her story to a storyteller while she is in exile on the Sea of Skulls.  Fascinating perspective.  Great details.  Fun!