The Little Book Spy: Kingdom of Sea and Stone by Mara Rutherford

Hello friends! Today, I’ll be reviewing Kingdom of Sea and Stone by Mara Rutherford. I was so excited to read this book back in October. Before it had arrived I was anxiously awaiting for my book on release day since I pre-order. I could not wait to dive back into this fantastic duology and see how it all ended!

About the Book:

Title: Kingdom of Sea and Stone

Author: Mara Rutherford

Release Date: October 6, 2020

Series: Crown of Coral and Pearl #2

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 368

My Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐

Summary:

Ever since Nor was forced to go to a nearby kingdom in her sister’s place, she’s wanted nothing more than to return to the place and people she loves. But when her wish comes true, she soon finds herself cast out from both worlds, with a war on the horizon.

As an old enemy resurfaces more powerful than ever, Nor will have to keep the kingdom from falling apart with the help of Prince Talin and Nor’s twin sister, Zadie. There are forces within the world more mysterious than any of them ever guessed—and they’ll need to stay alive long enough to conquer them...

My Thoughts:

*If you haven't already, go check out my previous review of the first book, Crown of Coral and Pearl!*

Kingdom of Sea and Stone was a fantastic conclusion to the Crown of Coral and Pearl duology. Jumping back into this series, I was glad that there was a brief overview of the first book. It was perfectly woven into the first chapter as Nor reflected on what had happened. It allowed me to gradually get back into the story and understand what happened to the characters in the previous book, which really helped refresh my memory since I had read Crown of Coral and Pearl at the beginning of January. One thing that I didn't expect to see in this story was magic, especially blood magic, and I think it was a perfect element to see in the story. It gave it a unique element that complemented the story and answered a lot of questions that I had from the Crown of Coral and Pearl. The world building was amazing and I loved how you were able to explore more of the land and sea. The descriptions of the landscape and ocean makes me wish that I could travel there to see it for myself!

I loved being able to see familiar characters, both good and bad, and meeting some new ones along the way. Compared to the first book, Nor went through so much and had becoming a very different person in the second book. She questions the choices she had made in her life and questions what she wants in life. To explore and experience the world on her own and through out the story, she struggles to find herself. Since the second book was more focused on Nor's character growth and the freedom and adventure she desired, Nor and Talin's relationship in this story was very minimal and kind of distant. I was kind of sad about that because I enjoyed seeing their relationship in the first book, but I understand why it wasn't as focused on. Nor wanted a new sense of freedom with no looming threat of responsibility that was controlled by anyone. I also loved how much Zadie had grown from the first book and was able to take control of her life and live the way she always wanted. I will admit, did find the ending slightly rushed and quickly wrapped up, but overall it was definitely a very enjoyable conclusion to this duology! I recommend checking out this series when you get the chance, you don't want to miss out on this wonderful adventure.

If you’re interested in checking out Mara’s pages, the links are below along with places you can get Kingdom of Sea and Stone.

Thank you all so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed my review/suggestion. Until next time!