I finally decided to pick up The Demon King and read, as it's been on my to read list for a while now, and maybe the mood was right,  but I really, really enjoyed it. And when I finished it, in like 6 hours, I decided to read the rest of the series. So I finished all of them this week. I have not had a good reading spree in a while....it was fun, and really got my reading groove back. I'm back on track for my reading goal this year.

This  series has really two main characters. Han and Raisa. Han is an ex street lord from the slums trying to go straight, and Raisa is the heir to the Gray Wolf Throne and next Queen of The Fells. And fate sets of a chain of events that makes sure they cross paths. Han finds out he is way more than a street kid from Ragmarket  (of course)and Raisa learns what she is made off. You basically follow the coming of age journey of these two characters. They go from kids to adults through all four books.

What I liked: The characters. The characters. The characters. I would say they held everything together. If I did not like Han or Raisa or all the secondary characters that pepper these books, then it would not have worked all. You get pulled in by the characters right away, and you care what happen to them and want them to succeed.  And that is what keeps you reading each book. It's what kept me jumping from book to book. You're invested, so the issues with the story kinda of become secondary because you want Han to succeed and to finally get justice. You want Raisa to win and defeat her enemies. Han and his group of friends are surrounded by all kinds of peril and drama and intrigue. They spend a lot of time traveling all over the land being chased, kidnapped, beaten, plotted against and kissed by various love interests.  I liked that the characters were not all Goody-goody and pure, no character is all good, or all bad, well except maybe one. But good guys do bad things, and sometimes the bad guys surprise you with some good. That is very realistic. Everyone has a reason for what they do, even if you don't agree with their methods. 

I loved the diversity. One of the large players in this book are the Clan, which seem to be modeled on Native Americans. And Raisa is a half-blood,with her father and grandmother being Clan. Half the characters are POC in some way or other, and that is always refreshing. Fantasy still seems to be stuck in a medieval European box a lot of the time and I enjoy every time I get a break from that. More!

The bad: Here is what I didn't like...but the rest of it kept me there. Han could sometimes be a bit of a "Mary Sue" (most main characters are to some extent). But especially in the first two books. He is always one step of everyone, and always comes out on top and wins no matter how crazy the odds.That can be a bit boring after a while. Sometimes you need to raise the stakes and put your character in a position where all seems hopeless and make them really work for it or maybe they need saving for one (you can also go a bit too much the other end. A good balance is needed). Sometimes things were just to easy for Han. 

Also, I feel like towards the end some of the plot points fell to the wayside. Like it was built up or hinted at, but nothing came of it. Like, the writer was going to go one way, but changed last minute. Also some of the ending results of the stories were "too easy" like....if one character spends all 4 book saying one thing, one conversation in the last chapter of the last book is not going to change them that fast. I want to believe it. Show me the journey. So some of the ends were just too pat.

But over all I loved this series, and did not feel like it was a week wasted. I might even pick up the next series set in the world...but generations later.  I am interested to learn how things changed or stayed the same. As they Crow says in the books...the Winners write history.

Great news! The Exiled Queen is much better than The Demon King! This series is so good because I’m finally starting to find elements of fantasy that I haven’t seen in a long time. This series is basically my life line.

Of course, just like the last book, the pacing in this was slow. At certain parts I was really enjoying this and at others I was hoping for this to speed up more.

Great things about this series(!):

The romance is not the focus. Thank the Gods above, Ms. Chima knows what she’s doing! Yes, there is romance, but is it the focus of the book? Of course not! There are so many other things that are talked about! :D

There are fantasy elements that are shown, not told. Whenever a new concept of the Seven Realms world is explained, it’s shown throughout a lesson, discussion, communication method—anything! But it’s not paragraphs of info-dumping!

Han Alister is a freaking badass in his own right. I CALLED IT! HAN IS MINE! HE IS MINE! *drools and stumbles* M-I-N-E. FOR ANY OF YOU THAT READ THIS SERIES AFTER, I ALREADY HAVE HIM. Okay, wait, let me explain! Han has a brain and he actually uses it. I’m being serious guys. He does.

Raisa ana’Marianna proves you don’t need to live in a female-dominated world to be a strong and independent woman. Can we all just sit down for a second? I think Raisa may be one of my favorite female characters! From the last book, we see how she starts a foundation for education, and how she changes in disguise because she cares for her people! Can we all appreciate this?! No, Raisa is not a warrior, but she can stand up for herself and has learned enough defence to protect herself. I. LOVE her.

I think one of my favorite parts of this book were the revelations revealed from the last one! :D

I just want to say that the Seven Realms series is one of the most refreshing series that I’ve read in a long time. It has a little bit of everything and manages to mix it into a perfect blend of realistic characters, and a fantastical world that has so much to offer! The last time I’ve felt this way about a series was probably from Mistborn!

Overall, The Exiled Queen is a great second book in the Seven Realms series, and still includes all elements of fantasy that you are sure to love! The only problem with this series is probably how slow it is at some parts. But then the badass-ery and action make up for it.

Thanks for reading my review everyone, hope you have a great day! Until the next one! :D

Overall this was a great book and an excellent continuation of the series. I love how Raisa's character is developing and I found Han's inner struggles especially interesting.
It does well furthering both Han and Raisa's story lines, but I felt the wider story was somewhat at a halt. There was considerably less action than The Demon King, and the plot seemed to flow nicely until they reached their destination. From there it slowed down.
If you liked The Demon King, chances are you will with this too. It can drag at times, but the writing is once again beautiful and captivating. I'm looking forward to continuing the series!

”It seems to rain a lot wherever you are,” he said.
“I was thinking it was you,” she said loftily.

I’m sensing a pattern in this series. Williams Chima likes to start slow doesn’t she?

I can’t find it in me to give this a 4, unfortunately, but it isn't a bad 3 either.

At the end of The Demon King all roads lead to Oden Ford aka Seven Realms University. Raisa flees the Fells with Amon under disguise as Rebecca Morley to escape efforts to marry her to Micah Bayar; Han is sent with Dancer to hone his wizarding skills, sent by the Clansfolk to be their weapon in the anticipated conflict with the Wizard Council; and Micah is about to start school.

Sometimes, there are just waaaay too many books getting published and you begin to feel overwhelmed, like you are fighting against an incoming wave and there're nothing you can do to slow it down. That's why throughout the past couple of months, I decided to pick up some of my most beloved books for a re-read. Reading old stories really helped slow down everything, and I learned to shut out a lot of outside influences. Finally, it was just me, and my books, and everything felt right. :) I began my re-read this summer, with the fourth book in one of my most adored series.

In the summer, I re-read PLAGUE by Micheal Grant and the brutality of the story hit just as hard the second time around. If you have not picked this one up yet, do so immediately. 

This month, I plowed through The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima. Han Alister sounded even better the second time around. He is the one boy I will fangirl over. (But, damn. Fire Dancer is pretty enticing as well.)

I am hoping to move on to The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey next and finish the year off with The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. 

I hope you, yes you, take a couple of weeks between now and the end of this year to re-read some of your most treasured stories.