Coming July 30th, 2024 from Hachette Children’s Group; 576 pages
Content Warning: Violence, death, gore, domestic abuse
About the Author: “Alexandra Bracken was born in Phoenix, Arizona…She sold her first book, Brightly Woven, as a senior in college, and later moved to New York City to work in children’s book publishing, first as an editorial assistant, then in marketing. After six years, she took the plunge and decided to write full time. She now lives in Arizona with her tiny pup, Tennyson, in a house that’s constantly overflowing with books. Alex is a #1 New York Times, USA TODAY, and internationally bestselling author. Her work has been adapted for feature film and is available across the world in over 20 languages” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Alexandra Bracken on the following platforms:
After the events of Silver in the Bone, Avalon was gone, and Lord Death was free with Cabell by his side. Tamsin, Neve, Olwen, Caitriona, and Emrys are now in search of a way to stop Lord Death and his Wild Hunt from wreaking havoc. Lord Death is planning to release the evil spirits of Anwnn, killing everyone in his path along the way. To stop him, Tamsin has to find an artifact powerful enough to trap Lord Death and save the world and her brother Cabell. As her companions help her search for the artifact known as the Mirror of Beasts, they realize the mirror might not be everything it seems, and they discover secrets along the way that could change everything.
The Mirror of Beasts was a satisfying end to an intriguing story that blends the real world and Arthurian legend together. It picked up right where Silver in the Bone left off, maintaining a fast pace that continued throughout the rest of the book. There was always something happening, which at times was slightly overwhelming, but, overall, I was able to keep track of everything. I really liked the incorporation of the Bonecutter and the role she played in the search for the mirror. I felt like she added a lot to the story, as did Nash’s character. I think that Bracken handled Tamsin’s and Nash’s relationship perfectly, acknowledging how complicated it was while also giving them closure and highlighting their deep familial connection. Each character in the novel played a vital role in the story, but I think there could have been a few more scenes with some of the side characters to help strengthen the bonds between them. However, part of the reason I felt like this may have been the amount of time it’s been since I read the first book. Despite this, I felt a big connection to each character, and I enjoyed watching them grow as the story progressed. I was satisfied by the endings for Tamsin and her friends, but I did have some lingering questions that were left unanswered. Overall, The Mirror of Beasts was a fast-paced, interesting conclusion to the duology.
The Mirror of Beasts releases on July 30, 2024.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Hachette Children’s Group for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Writer