<----- First of all, I wish this was the cover to the book I read. However, apparently this is the UK edition. The US of A edition is white-washed, with a very pale, Caucasian looking lady in the gem on the cover. The woman on this cover looks like Elisa.
Elisa is a queen that carries a living Godstone. The Godstone speaks to her and helps her channel "magic." However, in this sequel, Elisa learns that not all is as she imagined or as she learned from study and scripture. The Godstone is more mysterious than anyone knows and the "will of God" is even more difficult to understand than Elisa imagined.
I enjoyed the book very much. I love that Elisa is strong and smart. I love that she's solid and not willowy or wispy. She's a strong, solid girl growing into an amazing woman. She doesn't shy away from the tough choices in life. She's pretty cool.
I don't want to spoil things for any readers, but there were nice little surprises in the story, including a gay character and an interesting "enemy" Invierno. I wish, however, that American publishers weren't afraid to show Elisa as she is: she's dark of skin, eyes and hair. All of her people are. It's nice to enter a world of magic that isn't full of white people, even if American publishers try to trick readers into thinking that's the case by changing the cover.
Anyway, this book is recommended... but you really do have to read the first book (Girl of Fire and Thorns) to understand quite a bit of what happens. So read the first and pick up this one, too. Check out the American covers if you live in America and see if you agree. The cover above is WAY better. :)
BTW... the third book in the series, The Bitter Kingdom, is coming out in August, 2013.
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