Week 20 Review: Traitor of Redwinter

From Goodreads:

Traitor of Redwinter is the second in Ed McDonald’s Redwinter Chronicles, full of shady politics, militant monks, ancient powers... and a young woman navigating a world in which no one is quite what they seem.

The power of the Sixth Gate grows stronger within Raine each day—to control it, she needs lessons no living Draoihn can teach her. Her fledgling friendships are tested to a breaking point as she tries to face what she has become, and her master Ulovar is struck by a mysterious sickness that slowly saps the vitality from his body, leaving Raine to face her growing darkness alone. There's only one chance to turn the tide of power surging within her—to learn the secrets the Draoihn themselves purged from the world.

The book can teach her. She doesn't know where she found it, or when exactly, but its ever changing pages whisper power that has lain untouched for centuries.

As the king's health fails and the north suffers in the grip of famine, rebellious lords hunger for the power of the Crown, backed by powers that would see the Crowns undone. Amidst this growing threat, Raine's former friend Ovitus brings a powerful new alliance, raising his status and power of his own. He professes support for the heir to the throne even as others would see him take it for himself, and desperately craves Raine's forgiveness—or her submission.

But the grandmaster has her own plans for Raine, and the deadly training she has been given has not been conducted carelessly. In Raine she seeks to craft a weapon to launch right into her enemy's heart, as Redwinter seeks to hold onto power.

Amidst threats old and new, Raine must learn the secrets promised by the book, magic promised by a queen with a crown of feathers. A queen to whom Raine has promised more than she can afford to give…

My Review:
Oh, I loved reading this book! I had a really great time reading the first, and I loved going back into this world and spending this time with these characters! I was very appreciative of the little summary of the events of the last book, because my memory is poor, and a lot happened. And this world is so very complicated! 

Raine is torn-she doesn't want the power, but she keeps using it, because she does have it. Reading this book that is teaching her more, along with the encouragement of the Queen of Feathers who is still a mystery, alongside dreams of various tyrants who got taken down? I don't know how it's going to resolve but I can't wait to find out! 

The fact that Ovitus comes back, engaged to their overload's daughter, that was pretty frustrating, given how much he had, how little he had to work for it, and how little she had and how much she had to work for it, especially with his lie that they'd slept together, which is a constant whisper in her head, causing her to be hesitant in what she actually wants, because of what she's thinking other people will think of it. 

But that end, and that reveal? That was so epic, and so awful, and I need to know how they're going to deal with it all! Because the depth of what happened, and the consequences to come and have already happened? Words cannot describe how much I want to read the 3rd and final book right now!  

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to finish out this series! 

Author: Ed McDonald
Series: The Redwinter Chronicles #2
Read: May 12th, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Loved the first book, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Tor Books 
Published: October 24th 2023

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars