Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller - OPTIONAL

Ruin of Stars (Mask of Shadows #2) by Linsey Miller, 416 pages.  Sourcebooks Fire, 2018.  $18

Language: PG-13 (16 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG; Violence: R (blood and torture)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

As the Queen’s Opal, an assassin, Sallot Leon has to do many distasteful things.  Sal is focused on identifying and permanently removing the Erland nobles who are responsible for the deaths of every inhabitant of Nacea, Sal’s homeland. But when Sal’s old friend Rath comes to them for help, Sal must choose who commands the most of their loyalty – family or Queen.  Sal thinks the choice is made, but new details of further betrayal and deeper plots bring Sal’s promise into alignment and give them a chance to strike a final blow against all their enemies.

Magic takes a bigger stage in the second book of this duology.  The beginning is a bit confusing if it’s been a couple of years since you read Mask of Shadows (like me).  But once you settle in, the adventure is definitely worth it.  It is quite bloody, though.  Sal’s character is gender fluid –this is almost a non-issue within the scope of the book, except that others keep trying to identify them as female, but they refuse to be pigeon-holed.  

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS