Well that was darker than I expected but a great continuation none the less. Eager to read the final installment ( )

Cécile, free from Trollus now lives with her mother in Trianon. She's living her dream of singing in the opera, even though her mother is not at all the kind woman she thought. But Tristan is still imprisoned and tortured in Trollus and Cécile would do anything to save him. Including swear an oath to the Troll King that she will find Anushka, the witch who cursed the trolls.

While Cécile searches in vain and struggles with her mother's strange cruelties, Tristan faces a harsh awakening as he tries to help fix problems he had a hand in creating, all the while trying to stay alive.

This book is about betrayals and impostors and the terrible, terrible things family will do. It's also about integrity and cleverness and sacrifice. I quite like this series and am really looking forward to more.

(Why is this book 4 stars instead of 5? There were obvious clues that I felt were ignored by characters in a way that seemed contrived to draw out the secret.) ( )

Initially, much slower than the first book - where Cecile was captured within the first few pages and >>things happened
Overall not a disappointing second attempt. My biggest issue was with the end of the book, where I felt as though Cecile could have figured out that >>big reaveal
I'm still looking forward to book three. ( )

This is the second book in the Malediction Trilogy and follows the events of Stolen Songbird. Cécile escapes from Trollus and finds herself in the city with her mother preforming on stage as she has always dreamed. Except that it isn't what she wants anymore. She longs to be with her husband Tristan and her friends in Trollus, but she has a mission. She must find the witch Anushka who cursed the trolls fae to remain under the mountain. It's still her mom who is the witch, though not as an immortal never ageing witch, but an ancestral, body-snatching, murdering, pain in the ass who has no respect for her descendants lives. Cècile, bless her heart, tries her best to free the people of Trollus and find Anushka, but she doesn't really have a plan of attack. Which is fine and totally within her character. She does however seek the aid of a fellow witch who can help her find Anushka and teach her more about magic. With this knowledge she desperately tries to free the trolls as the Troll King (Tristan's father) is slowly driving her mad with magic to complete the task ASAP. She fails, but manages to free Tristan from the curse by using a blood sacrifice and calling his true name. With the two of them together they attempt to solve the mystery of the witch, while trying to decide if freeing the trolls is a good idea or not.
I loved this book, it was a great sequel, but it does have a tough of middle book syndrome. It's kind of boring in the beginning and picks up midway. Also it's so obvious that Cècile's mother is Anushka I feel throughout the whole book they're just humoring us by Cècile being so oblivious to the fact. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series and I would highly recommend it. ( )

Trolls, still loving the trolls. RTC! ( )