By Kelly Bridgewater
This white-knuckled conclusion to The
Brilliance of Stars takes readers on a breathless adventure from the
speakeasies of America to the Horse Guards Parade in London, an ancient
cemetery outside Paris, and back to the Eastern European strongholds where the
Vales’ tragedy first began.
“Fate is fickle and the stars are silent, but I
do know this: No matter how difficult the circumstances or how savagely the
world tries to tear us apart, I am here with you.”
Ten years have passed since Jack and Ivy, elite
operatives for the secret agency Talon, rescued their friend Philip and
completed their fateful mission. The 1920s are in full swing as American
speakeasies thrive amid Prohibition, and despite the team’s best efforts, the
deadly cult, the Order of the Rising Moon, lives on in the shadows. Which is no
surprise to Ivy; nothing has gone as she expected since that day after Poenari
Castle.
When a wave of assassinations strikes world
leaders, intel confirms the Order’s involvement. Ivy holds them responsible for
the tragedy that changed her life, and she is determined to find and destroy
the villains once and for all—but she must do so before their relentless
assassin eliminates his next target. Her.
Except, there’s something oddly familiar about
the way he moves, the way he anticipates each of her moves. It’s as if he knows
her. But that’s not possible. Is it? Ivy will have to rely on every skill she’s
learned if she hopes to survive—and save those she loves. No matter the cost.
Bestselling author J’nell Ciesielski wraps up
the Jack and Ivy novels with yet another thrilling adventure filled with
glamorous espionage and a boundless romance.
My Thoughts:
To Free the Stars
by J’nell Ciesielski happens ten years after The Brilliance of Stars. I
highly recommend readers read the first book before they dive into this one.
Yes, the novel could stand alone; however, there are many plot points that
reference moments in the first novel. Again, plenty of moments of action.
Chasing through the globe in different locations as the Talon try to destroy
the enemy. Ivy and Jack must overcome some obstacles together to solve and stop
the assassination attempts. While the plot could be interesting because of the
spy element and chasing around the world, it was a little dry for a good chunk
of the novel. The romance is building a little more in depth this time around.
If readers were thrown for how much romance was in the first book, then one is
kicked back a notch, but it is there. Ciesielski does a wonderful job at
inviting readers into her settings. She uses just enough description to keep the
readers actively involved in the story and the setting. The writing is
wonderful. Nicely shown and dived deeply into the character’s train of
thoughts. Overall, To Free the Stars by J’nell Ciesielski does tie up
the story from The Brilliance of Stars; however, there were moments that the
story was pretty dry for me. I wanted more action.
I received a complimentary copy of To Free
the Stars by J’nell Ciesielski from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the
opinions stated are all my own.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Purchase To Free the Stars
