Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron. I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this sequel because I didn’t really love the first book, but I’m glad I gave it a shot.

How much would you risk to save the ones you love? Would you tempt even the most dangerous fate?

Briseis has one chance to save her mother, but she’ll need to do the impossible: find the last fragment of the deadly Absyrtus Heart. If she is to locate the missing piece, she must turn to the blood relatives she’s never known, learn about their secret powers, and take her place in their ancient lineage. Briseis is not the only one who wants the Heart, and her enemies will stop at nothing to fulfill their own ruthless plans. The fates tell of a truly dangerous journey, one that could end in more heartache, more death. Bolstered by the sisterhood of ancient magic, can Briseis harness her power to save the people she loves most?

***Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for providing a copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

There was a lot I didn’t like about the first book in this duology, This Poison Heart. The plant magic and mythology were probably my two favorite things about it, though, and this sequel expands on both of those aspects in fascinating ways. Bayron did a beautiful job of bringing the plants and Briseis’s powers to life with vivid descriptions. The re-imaginings of so many mythological beings were fun to read, and the use of the characters felt fresh. I enjoyed getting to learn more about Briseis’s family history and seeing her relationship with her long lost aunt Circe develop into something special. Briseis learned a lot from the horrors she experienced in the first book, and a large part of her journey in this book was re-learning how to trust others. She also had to figure out how to face those who had wronged her all while struggling to deal with the grief from a major loss. Her character felt much more compelling in this installment than the previous one, and the growth of her character was a really great arc that grounded the entire story. Unfortunately, the romance element still felt forced and a bit superfluous, even though the love interest was one of my favorite characters in this book. Her blunt attitude was incredibly fun to read, but I just didn’t buy into the relationship. The pacing in this book was much improved compared to the first book. Everything moved along at a pretty quick speed, and I appreciated that it didn’t get bogged down as much as the first book. However, much of the plot felt really convenient with the characters having or finding the right information or people at just the perfect time. Overall, though, I really enjoyed the journey in this book and thought this was a great follow up to This Poison Heart that built upon the previous book’s strengths (the interesting magic and fresh take on myth) while ramping up the pace and providing a compelling arc of growth for Briseis. Therefore, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars.