Week 45 Reviews: Light Mage, The Iron Flower

From Goodreads:

Journey to the magical world of Erthia in this exciting full-length ebook prequel to The Black Witch by critically acclaimed author Laurie Forest.

Before Elloren Gardner came to possess the Wand of Myth, the Wand was drawn to another bearer: Sagellyn Gaffney.

Sage's affinity for light magery, a rare skill among Gardnerians, makes her the perfect protector for the one tool that can combat the shadows spreading across Erthia. But in order to keep the Wand safe from the demonic forces hunting for it, Sage must abandon everything she once knew and forge a new path for herself…a dangerous course that could lead to either triumph or utter ruin.

From Goodreads:

Dark forces are on the rise in this sweeping sequel to The Black Witch by critically acclaimed author Laurie Forest.

Elloren Gardner and her friends were only seeking to right a few wrongs when they rescued a Selkie and freed a military dragon. The last thing they expected was to be thrust into a realm-wide underground resistance against Gardnerian conquest.

While the Resistance fights the harsh rulings of the Mage Council, Gardnerian soldiers descend upon the University...led by none other than Lukas Grey, now commander of the nearby military base. Though Elloren tries to keep him at arm's length, Lukas is determined to tie himself to her, convinced that she's the heir to the power of the Black Witch, a legacy that will decide the future of Erthia. As his magic calls to her, Elloren finds it more and more difficult to believe she's truly powerless, as her uncle always claimed.

My Review:
I devoured these books, I just consumed their words! I don't know why it took me so long to read them after reading and loving the first book in the series, but it did. But I finally picked these ones up, and I'm so excited to continue with the rest of the series! They were just so freaking great!

Light Mage was really great, and really hard, because it tells the story of Sagellyn, the one that gave Elloren the Wand of Myth. And her story is difficult, her family is part of the most strict religious groups in the country, and she's wandfasted as a child. But when it comes time to seal that bond, well, some uncomfortable truths come to life. I was just so aggravated on her behalf! But once the story moved away from that, it was such a delight to read! 

The Iron Flower was just a fantastic read! Now that Elloren and her friends have started by helping those in need of it, they've joined the rebellion. It's a tough position, because it makes them traitors to their country-but their country doesn't deserve them. Plus there's the love triangle that's developing, which so emotionally fraught! 

There were so many tense moments in The Iron Flower, and I just couldn't put it down. I'm quickly becoming obsessed with this world and with this story, and a lot happened in these books, and the world got more complicated, and I'm so excited to see where things go from here! 

I absolutely loved reading these books, and I can't wait to continue on! 

Author: Laurie Forest
Series: The Black Witch #1.5, 2
Read: November 12th, 12th, 2022
Source: Own, Edelweiss/Own
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2022 Books, and The Iron Flower is a Sophomore Challenge Book! 
Publisher: Harlequin Teen, Inkyard Press
Published: August 1st 2018, September 18th 2018

Light Mage:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Iron Flower: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars