I loved Heart of Mist when I read it last year and reading Reign of Mist has solidified the series in my favorite YA Epic Fantasy series list. It took me a long time to get through it because I was listening on audiobook and I got too lazy to listen to audiobooks for a while. However, when I finally got through it, I was just absolutely enthralled with this book and I was pretty much able to pick up right where I left off because I was so invested in the story I was able to remember the things that happened.

Reign of Mist starts where the first book ended and has our heroes all separated from each other. One of the things I love in epic fantasy is when the world the books are set in starts to open up and we find our beloved characters in different locations with different cultures. To me, being able to do it well showcases the strength of the author’s world-building and Reign of Mist delivers. From Battalon, to Oremere, and to Havennesse, each location has its own unique culture and each country makes the world seem more realistic especially with how alliances and politics was described.

The characters we met in the first book suffer a lot in this one but they also experience a lot of growth and they’ve all become stronger characters. I especially liked how Bleak and Commander Swinton’s characters developed. Both of their pasts were explored in this book and their struggles and difficulties were portrayed better than the rest of the characters.

I liked how tormented Swinton’s character is as he is a very well-written gray character who struggles to reconcile his being Ashai and his shame at helping put his people in danger with his commitment to protecting his son. He is such a damn good character and I actually started rooting for him here.

Bleak. I love Bleak’s character. Before, I said that I liked Bleak because she wasn’t imperfect and here, she’s still not perfect and she’s trying to make sense of how her world has changed but she’s really shaping up to be a power player. Her past is revealed here and she’s starting to show a lot of leadership qualities and generally she’s a much stronger character than before. Her arc was so good, especially as it focuses on healing and accepting her past and her true identity.

We were also introduced to a few new characters, notably Sahara, Henri’s twin and the girl we see in the Heart of Mist prologue, and Casimir, a prince of Oremere. I liked both of their characters, especially Sahara and her relationship with Henri. However, I don’t feel as invested in them yet as much as I am in the characters we’ve already met in Book 1.

The plot is as fast-paced as before and also quite action-packed. This time though, revelation after revelation gets thrown at us and it can be something of a struggle to keep up with everything that’s happening. I absolutely loved it. I love it when things keep on getting revealed and things just ramp up- it’s addictive and keeps me hooked. This book definitely does not suffer from second book syndrome and perfectly sets the stage for Book 3.

Plus, it still focuses on familial relationships and friendships. I love how Swinton worries about his son constantly and how he’s torn about wanting to protect him and doing the right thing. I loved Henri and Sahara and I actually cried because of them at one point. It’s a beautiful, honest description of the bond between siblings and I enjoyed reading about them a lot.

Overall, I really loved Reign of Mist and I found it to be a highly enjoyable read. For anyone who loves epic fantasy, I can highly recommend this series. If you like audiobooks, I can say that the audiobook is fantastic and I can recommend it.

This review is also on The Bookworm Daydreamer