A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

   Don't you just love when the second book is even better than the first book of a series and you loved the first book?  I do and that is certainly what happened here with Brigid Kemmerer's second book in the Curse Breakers series.

This is the story of Grey, the once captain of the Guard of Emberfall.   Let's be clear, in the first book I was 100% Team Rhen.   But I loved getting this look at Grey's life and perspective.  There is a depth to the characters and their relationships that I think surpass even the original.  I love Grey's inner voice and how he really struggles with who is he and who he wants to be.  It's really a brilliantly told story.

I love the way it also makes us question what we would do out of fear.  Fear is a powerful motivator and people do things that are out of character when they experience this primal emotion.   Brigid takes the characters we loved in the first book and really turns things on their head in this new book.

And let's talk about new favorite characters - oh my god - so many!   First of all - Lia Mara is absolutely amazing.  I love every single thing about her character.   She is both strong and gentle.  She tries always to do what she thinks is right.  There's Jake - who isn't a new character but certainly comes into his own in this story.  In the first book, Jake is just a surly brother who is something of an albatross for Harper, really.  Now, he's strong, fierce and deeply independent ( and I love the representation here, as well!) Tycho is a new favorite.  He is a sweet cinnamon roll and nothing bad must happen to him - EVER.   And my own personal favorite?  Iisak - the mysterious creature who contributes so much to Grey's development and story - Lia Mara's as well.

This book leaves us off at a terrible cliff hanger - so reader beware.   You will find yourself desperately hoping that Brigid is burning the midnight oil to give us the amazing next chapter of this series that I know she will.  It was so good I had to finish and also so good that I didn't want it to end.  5 out of 5 stars.  Brilliant!