Well I found my first 2025 favorite. Serenade of Kings is just what this bookish heart needed. I LOVE me a good backstory and man did this deliver. In Prelude of Fire (Book 1 in this series), I fell in love with the characters, their journey and their growth.  We got a glimpse of Ragnar and his relationship with Gailea.

With Serenade of Kings, we get to see a much better, clearer picture of that relationship and how things progressed to the evil tyranny we see in Book 1. The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat and one particular scene had me stunned.

I thoroughly enjoy this author's writing. I love that it's character driven, full of emotion and depth.  You can feel the tension and turmoil, not to mention the heartbreak. The action scenes are pretty great too. This is a must read for fans of YA Fantasy. I can't wait for the next book!

I sincerely appreciate the author for this review copy. These opinions are my own.