May 1, 2022
Follows Corayne's continuing quest to save the world from the demon god who is seeking to invade. The Companions--Corayne and her fellow ragtag band of unlikely heroes--have won the first battle, but the war is far from over. Readers may need to refresh themselves with Realm Breaker (2021), as this sequel drops readers right in the thick of the action involving numerous individuals (many of them point-of-view characters) and countries in the story's complicated geopolitical landscape. Most of the viewpoints are those of Corayne and her present Companions, with occasional perspectives from other characters (such as Queen Erida, sympathetic in her struggles against sexism despite her evil goals, and Ridha, searching for allies and finding something more) who offer peeks at the rest of the world. The first act is slow, as the characters plan their next moves and their individual story arcs are established. The journeys of Amhara assassin Sorasa and former Gallish squire Andry, who grapple with changed loyalties, are especially notable for how they play out within the group's dynamics. Once the action starts, however, the heroes' breaks between facing all manner of men and monsters--notably undead Ashlander armies--become shorter and shorter, building to a nail-biting reckoning of a climax. The cast has a wide variety of skin tones, and there's positive, casual representation and acceptance of queer and nonbinary characters. Will leave readers gasping for more. (Fantasy. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2022
Grades 8-11 Straight off of killing a giant kraken and closing the Spindle--a door to another realm--in Ibal, pirate Corayne must take stock of the dead Gallish soldiers she helped defeat and of the remaining members of her own ragtag team. Queen Erida of Galland has joined forces with evil Taristan, naming him her consort and using the monsters he's been unleashing from other realms to bolster her own armies. The Companions, as Corayne and her team have been called, must continue the long battle to close more Spindles even as Taristan opens them. The queen also fights against a cousin bent on stealing her crown and throne. An even bigger threat is the powerful god What Waits, who's been sending Corayne nightmares throughout her travels, and whom Taristan follows and intends to pull from the beyond. The mix of politicking and real physical fighting makes this sequel gripping, while the relationships between the odd band of Companions and their enemies have depth. It's a well-thought-out sequel, and fans of Realm Breaker (2021) will clamor for it. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Aveyard's been on best-seller lists since she debuted with Red Queen (2015), and Realm Breaker hit #1. Her many fans will be eager for this series continuation.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-The Companions-Corayne and her fellow ragtag heroes-have managed to kill a giant kraken and close one Spindle, the portals leading to another world. She is ready to accept her heritage and take up her father's sword, but Queen Erida has taken the evil Taristan as her consort and all his monsters are at her disposal. Aveyard has nailed the balance of political maneuvering and action sequences, avoiding the middle book slump. There is diversity in the main cast and worldbuilding, as well as easy acceptance of queer and nonbinary characters. VERDICT Aveyard's fans will be awaiting this sequel. A first purchase.

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"[Blade Breaker] builds to a nail-biting reckoning of a climax... Will leave readers gasping for more." — Kirkus Reviews

"The mix of politicking and real physical fighting makes this sequel gripping, while the relationships between the odd band of Companions and their enemies have depth... fans of Realm Breaker (2021) will clamor for it." — Booklist

"Aveyard has nailed the balance of political maneuvering and action sequences, avoiding the middle book slump...Aveyard's fans will be awaiting this sequel." — School Library Journal

Praise for Realm Breaker:
"The entire time I was reading REALM BREAKER, I wanted one thing: for the book to never end. It is classic yet groundbreaking, romantic yet edgy, a rollicking adventure that carries you along at a relentless pace. A true fantasy masterpiece." — Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the An Ember in the Ashes series.

"Set in a sprawling world of warring empires and hair-raising magic that any reader would want to get lost in, REALM BREAKER is a fantasy fan's dream, injected with Aveyard's trademark action, heart, and razor-sharp characters." — Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times Bestselling Author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin

"Realm Breaker is the kind of book you take with you to your favorite reading chair. The world is rich and built with deep care; the characters are complex and flawed; the story is filled with the kind of sweeping scale that fantasy does best. This is a new classic." — Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Skyhunter

"An enthralling adventure, a richly imagined world, and the most impossible odds combine to make Realm Breaker an addictive, tightly-paced gem of a book. Readers will delight in Aveyard's bewitching new beginning, all at once epic in scope and intimate in detail. It's the adventure I was desperate to go on as a teenager and the kind of story I eagerly devour as an adult." — Emma Theriault, author of Rebel Rose

"There are a wide variety of action scenes, daring escapes, and betrayals...exquisite descriptions and clashing motivations result in a nuanced, sprawling realm. An epic series opener of old-school high fantasy catering to modern audiences." — Kirkus Reviews

"Like Aveyard's hit Red Queen books, this series starter is a hefty tome with well-mapped details of lands, monsters, and people. Rotating narrators keep the story fresh and leave readers wanting more." — Booklist

Praise for the Red Queen series: "A sizzling, imaginative thriller, where romance and revolution collide, where power and justice duel. It's exhilarating. Compelling. Action-packed. Unputdownable." — USA Today "Aveyard's "little lightning girl" remains a relatable and deeply flawed heroine... Aveyard adeptly sets the scene for a fourth book to follow, amid a war not yet won." — Publishers Weekly "Another devastating cliff-hanger ending will leave readers hungry for the final volume." — Booklist "Simmering with internal conflict and well-devised courtly scheming." — Kirkus Reviews "Breakneck pace and engaging characters." — School Library Journal
— USA Today