Battle Magic

Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy are on their way to the First Circle temple in Gyongxe. They make a stop at the Emperor's summer palace where they are treated like royalty. During their stay, they discover that the Emperor is planning on invading Gyongxe. This is a fatal threat to the temple of the Living Circle. With imperial soldier hot on their trail, they rush to warn the citizens of Gyongxe of the coming attack. The mages try to help the citizens prepare for battle, but will it be enough to win the war?

I won a free copy of this book from the publisher in a promotional event for the book*. I was excited to read this book. It seemed like a really cool fantasy world, and I was not wrong. I have only read the three books in the Circle Reforged series, but I am looking forward to reading other books that involve these characters and this world. I really liked the way magic works in this world, and quickly was absorbed into the story. This was a great young adult fantasy. I like that Pierce does not shy away from real issues--war, relationships, and PTSD to name a few of the topics. It is refreshing to read about real issues while reading a really good story.

This is the third book in the Circle Reforged series, which currently has three books. It is the eleventh book in the Emelan series, which is where several series take place. Chronologically it takes place before The Will Of The Empress. I did not feel lost starting the story with this series. I think it would have added depth to what was going on if I had read some of the other books, and maybe cleared up some references to the past. But, I do not this it was necessary to enjoy this series to have read the other books.

If you like young adult fantasy books, I recommend reading this book.

*Winning a copy of this book does not change my review. It simply provides me with a copy of a book I would not have gotten to as soon, or heard about otherwise.