Blog Tour + Review – Blood Of The Lost Kingdom by Kristin Ward

Hello everyone,

It is my turn on the blog tour for the second book in the Daughter Of Erabel series; an immersive fantasy inspired by Celtic mythology. I recently reviewed the first one, so when the chance arose to read the sequel soon after, I needed no second invitation.

Thank you very much to WriteReads supremo Dave for my place on the tour, Ellie for her organisational skills, Noly for a splendid banner as always, and of course to Kristin Ward – for giving me the chance to read a free copy and just being a lovely person.

Pages: 284
Published: 3rd August 2021
Genre: Fantasy
Trigger warnings: Injury detail, sexual references

Fleeing the man who betrayed her, Fiadh returns to her beloved forest, into its heart, to discover her people. And herself. With the aid of Caelan, an Aos Sí warrior, she explores her birthright, a world safeguarded from the corruption of mankind. There, she learns the history of a mighty race and the vastness of the power coursing through her blood.

But beyond Erabel’s boundaries, men are flocking, rallying to an evil lord who covets the strength flowing in Fiadh’s veins. They have their eyes fixed on the lost kingdom of the Aos Sí, and it’s only a matter of time before they breach those borders and come for Fiadh and all who protect her.

All around her, the world is closing in, as some plot in shadows, and others in the stark light of day.

The world of Erabel grows several times more vivid in this second book of the series, where different sources of Celtic magic and mythology inspired prose arrive at every turn. With a broad spectrum of characters and plot strands that are clearly converging on one another, it offers an interesting contrast between establishing the backstory and moving events forward in the present.

We left the main character Fiadh at a bit of a crossroads at the end of The Girl Of Dorcha Wood, accompanied by her protector Krulan, leader of a group of wolf-like creatures called the Cu Sith. While a very likeable character with peaceful values and possessing a lovely connection with wildlife, she was still highly mysterious, but it here that we truly get to know her. It is a clear example of the Chosen One trope, and as the reader you are made to feel as though you are alongside her as she discovers these truths. Fiadh is also a symbol of how the series explores the topic of prejudice, creating a strong underlying message that runs throughout.

I really enjoyed the opening chapters and shared Fiadh’s desperation to find out more as she meets all kinds of interesting creatures, until we eventually get a lot of backstory in the shape of memories that she is given access to by Danu, the Great Mother. This takes up quite a large section of the book, which I had mixed feelings about, and the main problem it created was that there ended up being too many characters, making it easy to lose track. However, I did very much appreciate the author’s choice here to show rather than tell.

The story is at its most engaging when it focused on Fiadh and her feelings as she is introduced to the place where she truly belongs. Her companionship with Krulan is entertaining to read with the boisterous raven Dasha always fighting her corner, while there is something initially suspicious about Veren which hints at a revelation to come. Arguably the biggest turning point though surrounds her brother Calum, and I cannot wait to see what role he goes on to play.

Along with all of this, there are several other plot strands on the go, including Gideon’s character arc. He is a character with flaws, but his caring nature more than makes up for that and I really connected to the chapters involving him here as he develops almost paternal instincts towards a young orphan, Aishling. We also see more of Darragh than in the previous book; a ruthless and shrewd leader on one hand, but like a spoilt child during each of his amusing conversations with his beastly mother Haegna.

Overall, this is another enjoyable instalment of what is turning into a unique and bewitching series. It does get a little bogged down in the middle but otherwise it effectively moves things on with a lot of backstory, and build-up towards a fascinating conclusion that leaves the future for both Fiadh and Gideon enticingly uncertain. Now that the world has been fully established, the next book is set up very well as armies of men and magical beings prepare to collide.

A pretty good sequel which I liked about the same amount of the first book. I still love Fiadh and it was great to see more development for certain characters and mythical creatures. There were just too many of these introduced in a short space of time for my liking, but generally speaking, it was another fun read.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

*I received a free electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Be sure to keep an eye on all the posts in the blog tour!