Book Review: Tempered Glass by Beth Overmyer #TemperedGlass @Bethyo @flametreepress @RandomTTours

Synopsis

Verve survived a dangerous transformation into the Fire Queen, but can she survive the power that was given to her?

In the second installment of the Blade and Bone series, Verve seeks to tame and conceal her magic. But when tragedy strikes, she’s forced to return to a land she never wanted to see again and confront – or evade – a darkness she hoped had died. The Gate of the Dead has been opened and there are few places to hide.

With her secret husband at odds with her way of breaking the curse, Verve finds that love can make an unreliable ally, and that anger is a potent weapon.

My Review

Verve has now transformed into the Fire Queen but before she can get to grips with this new role trouble strikes. The darkness she thought she had left behind has reappeared. What does the future hold for Verve?

The storyline was brilliant, fast paced and action packed. I really enjoyed the world building in this book because it was so immersive but easy to understand. I would describe it as both magical and sinister especially when the Fae make an appearance. The writing style was very descriptive and at times it felt like I was with Verve as she tried to navigate not only the mortal world but also the world of Fae.

After finishing the first book which ended on a cliff hanger with Verve’s transformation into the Fire Queen, I was curious to see what happened to Verve next and to see how she would cope with this big change. This book picks up one year after the events of the first book. The Verve we meet in this story is very different to the Verve we have previously met. Verve has progressed as a character. She has grown up, is more confident but she is still getting use to her new powers. One thing that is clear is that Verve doesn’t realise how powerful she is. She is struggling to control her powers, doesn’t know when they will manifest and has no guidance. She is alone and scrambling around in the dark. She has to hide her powers and pretend to be mortal to protect her family. Verve believed that she had left Dacre behind but she really hasn’t and as the story unfolds she realises that she is still connected to him and that she has been cursed. It was also interesting to see the relationship between Verve and Fenn develop and blossom. It showed how connected they were to each other and that they were very much in love. But they do clash when it comes to how they should deal with Verve’s new powers. The battle scenes were brilliant and when we see Verve in action the reader is given a glimpse into Verve’s transformation into the Fire Queen and what she is capable of.

One of my favourite parts of the book was the last chapter. I think this was Verve’s defining moment when she realised who she really was and is able to reflect on this. She realises that in order to be her true self she has to embrace every part of her whether that be Fae, mortal, Fire Queen, darkness or light because they are all connected and make her who she is.

Author Bio

Beth Overmyer was born and raised near Oberlin, Ohio, and she hasn’t moved far since. One of Beth’s greatest inspirations for her writing is found in the author J.R.R. Tolkien, especially his fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Other literary heroes include Brandon Sanderson, Agatha Christie, Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, and Neil Gaiman.

When not writing, Beth can be found reading fantasy novels, cozy mysteries, and non-fiction. She has also volunteered at her local public library as a creative writing club leader. Most of Beth’s education was at home, taught by her mother and various moms in P.A.T.H. and N.iC.H.E., two homeschool groups that met at churches in northern Ohio. After high school, Beth attended a community college, studying theatre. She decided that the written word was more her style, so after taking a few courses, Beth took to writing as her career.

bethovermyer.com / X: Bethyo / Instagram: bethovermyer