Book Review: Burdney by Nicole Sager

Purchase HERE

Title: Burdney

Author: Nicole Sager

Series: A Companions of Arcrea Novel #2

Genre: Fantasy

Audience: Young Adult - Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a villain's grand scheme takes flight, who will rise up to clip their wings?

Years after an act of betrayal lowers a dark cloud over Burdney, Lady Agatha seeks vengeance and respect, while her sister, Aeryn, chases after freedom and peace. When a young slave named Epic arrives at the Mizgalian castle disguised as a nobleman in need of shelter, the conflicted youth soon finds himself caught in a web of intrigue that reaches further than anyone suspects. 

In a race against time and doom, Blunt the minstrel must travel to Burdney for the vindication of a condemned friend. When his travels take an unexpected turn - and sometimes even go in circles - the Arcrean bard must learn to trust that God is always in control. 

Secrets and deception lie in wait around every corner, until a conspiracy is revealed that will wage a battle for hope and justice on the grounds of Burdney.

~ MY REVIEW ~

**4.5 stars**

Burdney by Nicole Sager is the exciting sequel of Hebbros, and takes us on quite the journey! Thrilling. Humorous. Mysterious. Darkness is slowly closing in over the pages; but hope and laughter definitely have their part. *smiles*

In this book, we peer into the lives of a pair of sisters. The eldest is the jilted, would-be-bride of Lord Bradley. Bitterness colors her every move. The younger is hurting, but still clinging to hope. Along with her faithful protector, Lathan, she tries to live her life under her sister Agatha's miserable authority.

     Meanwhile, a slave named Epic mourns his former master and struggles with the deception his new owner is forcing him into.

    Blunt the minstrel embarks on a frantic journey to save his friends.

     And Lathan searches for long-hidden answers.

Agatha, Aine, Lathan, Epic, and Blunt are all POV characters (oh, and Dainger too, who is a dragon-slayer! And his sister Miriam) ... and their lives entwine in the most intriguing and wonderful ways! Burdney was such an adventure! And a mystery of sorts, with secrets abounding. It was so fun trying to figure everything out; and amazing to see it all come together in the end! What a grand escapade! *grins* There were the dark moments too, though. The Faithful (Christians) are still not very safe speaking of their beliefs; and many a character has sneaky and treacherous plans up their sleeves. Dark happenings are going on, and fatal proclamations are made to dear characters. But as I mentioned above, there was an abundance of humor to balance the heavier themes. I found myself grinning and laughing time and again over these characters and their strange adventures. I loved Dainger and his teasing attitude, and his battles with the venomous plants-of-sorts! XD That was great. Blunt made me chuckle with his choice of clothing. And his journey with Symone and her father was quite hilarious and exasperating and endearing. I really like Epic! Would definitely like to see more of him! Lathan was very intriguing.

The message of the story, I found very poignant. Bitterness, betrayal, revenge. Hope and loss. Utter alone-ness. I love how God's hand was shown so clearly in Burdney, when everything seemed lost, you saw how perfectly He had brought everything and everyone together. In the midst of human failure, deception, and pain, God was turning things around for the good of His people. Wow. In kind of bittersweet way, there was much beauty to Agatha and Aine's story. I hope we can see more of them.

Overall, Burdney was an incredible story set in a non-magical fantasy world with complex characters and intriguing mysteries. Unfolding a thought-provoking message, this book takes us on a sensational journey full of twists and turns, surprises and fun. A page-turner. So many beautiful moments, especially in the ending.

Fans of non-magical fantasy, mysteries, and action-filled adventures should definitely give Burdney a try. And please, read the amazing first book of the series, Hebbros, as well! I can't wait to read more by Nicole Sager! ^_^