A Vicious Game
The Halfling Saga
Union Square & Co. (February 6, 2024)
The thrilling third entry in the high fantasy saga that started with BookTok sensation A Broken Blade.
“It seems fate has dealt me the same hand again. I know how to play it.”
A new king is on the throne and the rebellion lies in ruins. Keera spends her days drinking and her nights avoiding the strange dreams that have haunted her since she returned from the capital.
Keera’s family in Myrelinth won’t let her go without a fight. With new intelligence about the magical seals left behind by Keera’s ancient kin, the Light Fae, she rallies to face her demons and unleash the formidable powers she inherited from her people. But a shocking truth is hiding in plain sight, one with the power to unravel the entire rebellion...
The pivotal third installment in the Halfling Saga will upend everything Keera thought she knew about her enemies . . . and her allies.
I really wanted to love the third book in The Halfling Saga, but it wasn’t meant to be.
I loved reading books one and two, so I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of A Vicious Game by Melissa Blair. There is truly a lot to love for fantasy readers, it just didn’t fill my cup. The pace felt much to slow in comparison to the two books before. I promise, this review won’t contain spoilers.
The ending of A Shadow Crown (book two) was quite devastating for Keera, and her allies. With that in mind, I was anticipating a war cry at the start of A Vicious Game. I assumed their crew would be down and depressed, but ultimately still swinging. I think that it took Keera too much time to come around and be helpful. All throughout this series I have thought that Riven, her lover, was too soft and coddling of her. He definitely showed those characteristics in this book, and it was grating on my nerves. The only person I could truly like was Gerada.
The story was a little too slow moving to keep me fully invested and entertained. Their magic challenges fell a little flat, and ultimately when the big reveal was made, it was one I saw coming. It had been right in front of our face since the beginning, I just wasn’t sure how it was truly possible until it was exposed.
While I didn’t love A Vicious Game, it is still a good book that is part of a great series. I was provided this book for my honest opinion and it’s not easy to admit when a story doesn’t make 4 or 5 stars, but that doesn’t mean I can’t admit it honestly.
Kristin lives in the PNW with her husband, and three kids. She loves to read YA fiction, fantasy, and romance. She enjoys a few side-hustles, including creating bookreels/booktoks for authors. The only shows she watches are re-runs, and if she’s not reading a book, she’s listening to one.
