Rating: 5🌈
I’m so enamored of this series. From that rich, gorgeous cover to the layered, incredibly fantastical story and characters, the 13 Kingdoms has grabbed at my heart and imagination.
From its great beginning, The Reluctant Companion, where Day lays the foundation for the series and introduces us to the main characters, Jack Shaw and Sebastian Beau.
Talk about opposites! The prickly, argumentative Jack, with his roots in a large loving farm hold family versus the vain, glorious and secretive Sebastian, with magical abilities and ex boyfriend’s who pop out at every corner. Sebastian , who’s speech is suspiciously posh with martial skills too good to be true.
We came to love them both even as they formed first an affection, then something deeper, though neither would admit it, through their various adventures together.
Now, they are off again, as we left them at the end of the last story. They’ve been hired to find a religious relic for a goodly reward (something Sebastian is always up for), and the chance they might find Jack’s missing sister.
The search for the relic and their adventures they journey through to seek it out are so fascinating and well crafted.
Of course, they stumble across more of Sebastian’s near endless list of ex-lovers, to various degrees entertainment and emotional issues from all. The journeys also produces or perhaps forces the couple to talk further about their relationship. Jack wants a clarity about Sebastian’s past that’s not been given.
The reader, of course, has more than a reasonable amount of idea of Sebastian’s identity then Jack. This isn’t going to go well, given Sebastian’s personality. Oh the anticipation! And the relationship they’ve been building!
The plot, or plots, full of action, trolls, orcs, enemies, mysteries, exes, magical characters, is just one swift-moving, ingeniously crafted tale . Full of memorable secondary characters that support our heroes so well that everything and everyone becomes a rich, breathing fantasy tapestry!
I need that third novel now! Because this one ends, as I knew it eventually would, on a bit of a heartbreaker.
I’m highly recommending this series and this story. But they must be read in the order they are written for plot and character development.
If you’re a lover of fantasy, and magical characters and romance, don’t pass this series by!
Aren’t those covers amazing?
13 Kingdoms series:
✓ The Reluctant Companion #1
✓ The Stubborn Apprentice #2
â—¦ The Wandering Prince #3 – 2/28/2023
https://www.goodreads.com › showThe Stubborn Accomplice (13 Kingdoms, #2) by H.L. Day | Goodreads
Synopsis:
A missing artifact. A kingdom of secrets. Two men versus a multitude of magical beasts.
Jack and Sebastian are on the move once more. This time, to the frozen mountains of Askophai in search of a kingdom’s missing artifact. The journey alone would be perilous enough, but how are they supposed to find something that no one can describe? And what does the mysterious man who can make himself invisible have to do with any of it?
Jack has enough of Sebastian’s secrets to deal with, without taking on a whole kingdom’s. He and Sebastian might be together, but Jack still has his doubts about their long-term future. Assuming they have one that is, given Sebastian’s penchant for walking them headlong into danger at every opportunity.
One thing’s for certain, they’re going to need an awful lot of luck to succeed in this mission and return home safely.
The Stubborn Accomplice is an 85k sequel that features trolls, magical knights, an unwanted orc suitor, a wizard only too familiar to one of the main characters, and two men who really need to get better at talking about their feelings. If you enjoyed The Reluctant Companion buckle up for more banter, magic, and adventures in the continuation of the 13 kingdoms series.
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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 