(The Tearling Trilogy 2) (Queen of the Tearling) - The Invasion of the Tearling

This book is an odd mixture of magical fantasy and post- apocalypse earth. My teenage daughter bought it and I read it as well. It is more appropriate for the teenage reader. There are a few references to current politics that are out of place and distracting. Overall it is an easy read but not a particularly good story or storytelling.

Kelsea is my new favorite heroine ever. Maybe heroine isn't the right word for her. But I finished the book yesterday and I cannot get her out of my head. I cannot wait until next November when the final installment comes out. Best series I have read in ages.

As a sequel I had high hopes for this novel, and it only somewhat delivered on them. This book is extremely slow paced, and unlike the first one it doesn't really quicken later on. I liked the book, but didn't love it as much as the first. All the old gang is back, but on the Tearling side of the narrative not much happens. The parallel narrative of Lily was downright slow as molasses and a bit heavy handed on the whole feminist and sexual equality issue. Whereas the first novel was a great fantasy adventure with undertones that were there if you wanted them but weren't thrown in your face.

Pacing was just too much of an issue here. Literally our main character, Queen Kelsea, doesn't do much at all or go anywhere. Too backstory heavy and not enough driving force forward. I have high hopes the third installment will bring things back around.

I was really hoping this book would be good and don't get me wrong parts of it were. The time travel element was the worst part of the book- it distracted form the main story and was completely irrelevant! I got the connection but it was poor at best and a waste of pages. Hated that I had to read Lily's story but didn't get to finish Kelsea's ,especially since she was the main character. Lilly's story should have been its own book apart from Kelsea and her world, it would have made a fine story on its own but combined was terrible. The in and out of both worlds really took away from the main story which was good. What happened to the Mace? Father Tyler? What of the church and Anders? Is there supposed to be a 3rd book? Does the Red Queen die? Does Kelsea go back to being queen? What of Finn? The miners? What happens to Fetch? What about the rest of the Mort? All these things were started and set aside for the time travel- the story would have been compelling just answering these questions.

I loved Queen of the Tearling despite its many problems, and read it in a day. This one was a much more difficult read. Some parts were extremely interesting but they were few and far between. Most of the book felt like a mess to me. The whole 'Lily' thing threw me off right from the start. It was nice to gain an understanding of 'the Crossing' since I was left with so many questions about it after the first book, but I really don't think this was the way to do it. It felt awkward, confusing,and just plain weird. I think the Lily story was worth telling, and would have been very interesting had it been part of the series as a novella. The author had enough central characters to deal with, and it would have been a better story, with more depth, had she left that part out. The two stories did not meld well and were incongruous, pulling me out of the story every time. Instead of creating a sense of anticipation, this quickly became just frustrating.

We've all heard the saying, 'Show, don't tell' but I could have lived with a lot more telling in this book. In fact, now that I think about it, I don't think the author did much showing or telling. The relationships and characters in this second book were overly simplified; they lacked depth. And Kelsea herself became pretty unlikeable in this book too. I realize that she is young, but she seemed to regress from the last book. She pushed all of her friends and counselors away and made stupid decisions all by herself. There was no growth and we didn't even get to witness her own thoughts about what was happening to her. As a result, I really didn't understand what was going on with her half the time.

I still love a lot of the characters in this series and wish that there was more about them. The Fetch: who is he and why does he only show up once in a while out of the blue and then take off again? What is his purpose in the series? I started to wonder if he was Kelsea's father but that would be just icky considering the way she feels about him. Father Tyler: I really like him and he started to show a lot of growth, but where did he disappear to? The Mace: a strong, realistic, honorable and loyal, say it like it is guard. I could stand to hear more of his backstory. Arliss, Ewen, Aisa and Glee and their mother, Pen, even Elston and Kibb. They are all very likeable characters, and this could have been a 5 star book if their stories were fleshed out more. They are the reason I kept reading, and they are what made this a 3 star rather than a 1 or 2 star book. Can we see more of them and less of Kelsea in the next book? It's going to take a lot for her to redeem herself.

Yes, I will read the next book but I don't feel a great need to pre-order it or run out and buy a brand new copy.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Book Two of The Queen of the Tearling series
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: June 9, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

With each passing day, Kelsea Glynn is growing into her new responsibilities as Queen of the Tearling. By stopping the shipments of slaves to the neighboring kingdom of Mortmesne, she crossed the Red Queen, a brutal ruler whose power derives from dark magic, who is sending her fearsome army into the Tearling to take what is hers. And nothing can stop the invasion.

But as the Mort army draws ever closer, Kelsea develops a mysterious connection to a time before the Crossing, and she finds herself relying on a strange and possibly dangerous ally: a woman named Lily, fighting for her life in a world where being female can feel like a crime. The fate of the Tearling —and that of Kelsea’s own soul—may rest with Lily and her story, but Kelsea may not have enough time to find out.

What I Liked:

Woah. I'm not quite sure what to think of this one yet. It was very thorough and very long, an engrossing and complex story. I added my usual Adult Novel Warning above because, like The Queen of the Tearling (book one), this book is very graphic, in a blood-and-violence, language, war, rape, etc. type of way. Really graphic, but we're obviously not talking about an adult romance novel. This is an adult fantasy fiction novel with all of the awful aspects of a war and wartime in a kingdom. This book was interesting, and WEIRD. I think I like what Johansen is doing with the series, but I must say, it has taken a strange turn.

This book picks up where the last one left off - Kelsea is trying (and failing) to come up with ways to defeat the Mort army. So far, she has successfully slowed their march to conquer the Tearling kingdom. But a strange and evil power is disturbing Kelsea, one that has full hold on the Red Queen. Meanwhile, Kelsea has been having visions of a young woman, Lily Mayhew, of the time before the Crossing. Kelsea is fighting for her kingdom, for control over herself, for her adulthood and her humanity, and for the right thing to do. But in the end, there is no easy solution to any of her problems, and sacrifices must be made.

Like I said before, this book takes a strange turn. Pretty quickly into the story, Lily Mayhew is introduced. Kelsea is having visions of the time before the Crossing, through the eyes of Lily Mayhew (really, as a bystander of Lily's life). Lily is the wife of a very important man in the Department of Defense (year 2046 or something like that). She is physically abused, because he gets angry sometimes. She takes pills to not get pregnant, because she doesn't want to bring a child into the world. In pre-Crossing times, women were property and only good for having children. Lily is rich and polished, but she's a prisoner in her miserable life.

It isn't clear why Lily is important to the overall story, why Kelsea is seeing visions of this particular woman. So when I first started reading through the chapters featuring Lily, I was confused. Sure, I was intrigued by what I was reading (terrified and sad for Lily, but I couldn't stop reading), but I wanted to know how things connected. The two story lines intersect towards the end of the book - towards the end, we see why Lily is so important to Kelsea's time.

So I definitely enjoyed the new story line, despite being confused at first and wary of the strange turn of the story. Basically, Johansen is introducing a "modern" aspect to this story, whereas we all know this book is a fantasy novel. It's cool to see the two worlds collide. A queen and a rich woman from times similar to (but not the same as) our time today. Obviously our women's rights and policies on pregnancy and marriage are not like they are in pre-Crossing times. It just took me by surprise, to see this almost modern story running parallel to the fantasy one. Weird but intriguing!

I can see how Kelsea has grown, from cover to cover of this book. Kelsea is not the same person that left Carlin's cottage at the beginning of The Queen of the Tearling. She has hardened, and become brutal and exacting in punishment. She is not kind or soft. She is strong and decisive, but she is rash and impulsive, with a temper and a trail of mistakes that cost her kingdom dearly. She doesn't really realize it, but she's becoming more like the Mort Queen in certain ways. In other ways, she's entirely her own.

One aspect of Kelsea's character that was explored (and I really liked this) was the question of her sexual curiosity. She's a nineteen-year-old virgin and she's looking for... something. And she gets what she wants, and what she is looking for. Remember how I said in my review of The Queen of the Tearling, that there wasn't much romance? There still isn't, but there is this physical relationship between Kelsea and another character that is rapidly spinning into something else. But that sort of thing isn't really allowed because Kelsea is the Queen and the other person is... not a king or prince or nobleman of a sort.

Just like in book one, the world-building is very solid and easy to read and get into the story! This story is filled with gruesome, unpleasant happenings, such as maiming and rape and abuse and assault. Definitely things that come with a war, or an uncivilized brute of a man (no matter the time period), so I wasn't surprised to see this content in this book. Just be warned.

I love the secondary characters in this series, and I really like how we get to know more about many of them personally in this particular book. We see an entirely different side to Mace, as well as Father Tyler, and even minor characters such as Andalie's little girl Aisa. The Mort Queen is also featured. This book is written in third person limited, so we get a lot of insight of characters other than Kelsea.

The introduction of the new story line definitely helps further the overall series plot. The Mort army has reached the Tearling, and Kelsea must somehow figure out what to do to defeat the Mort Queen. Everything is linked together, and Kelsea has to decide how to use what she knows and has found out about the Mort Queen. The third book will definitely prove to be quite the showdown, especially given the ending of this book! Slightly cliffhanger-like!

What I Did Not Like:

Hopefully we get answers about Kelsea's father in book three. I expect that, because hints have been dropping left and right in The Queen of the Tearling and this book. I also hope that some romance pans out because I am quietly shipping Kelsea and someone... I have theories about the ending of this series and I really hope Kelsea finds love by the end! I know this is an adult fiction novel, but I still want some sort of romance!

Just like in the first book, this one had slow pacing... I'm struggling to remember the immediate beginning of this book. But there are so many parts and scenes of this book that you will NOT forget. Gruesome and horrifying, those scenes will be burned into your brain. Good job with that, Johansen. But dang, this book was LONG!

Overall, I didn't have too many complaints though. My heart kept breaking for so many characters because literally EVERYONE suffered/suffers. I'm holding on to the hope that there will be a nice ending for most of the characters. An innocent hope, I imagine.

Would I Recommend It:

I liked this book! It's gruesome and raw and horrifying, but definitely enjoyable and interesting. But I can't say I'd recommend it to just anyone, given the content. If you're sensitive to things like maiming, torture, rape, abuse, assault, etc., then maybe this isn't for you! Johansen really captures fantasy wartime at its worst. But if you're an adult fiction fan with a penchant for fantasy, then definitely check out this book (and series). NOT for children though! I hesitate to recommend this to even young adults. ADULT BOOK, EVERYONE!

Rating:

4 stars. Definitely a great sequel! I'm slightly scared of reading the third book. I NEED to know what will happen! But I'm also very afraid of what will happen! This series better be a trilogy and nothing more... I don't think my heart could take more!

Epic. This series is epic. I am so in love with this series and the world and the characters. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it. On its face it’s a high fantasy but it’s also a dystopian or maybe sci fi or historical. It doesn’t fit into one box and I love it all the more for that.

Kelsea is an incredible heroine and she has grown so much from the first book. I love her strength and tenacity and her devotion to her people. She truly cares about them and is willing to do what needs to be done. What I liked in this one is that Kelsea flirts with danger in this one and skirts a line of right and wrong but she always seems to come out stronger in the end. She is a true fighter.

And the book wouldn’t be what it is without the secondary characters. I love love love Lazarus and I want to know everything there is to know about him. Pen holds my heart and is my absolute favorite. Aisa is tough as nails and I love this little girl. Glee is adorable and Andalie is so loyal. And of course I still want to know more about the mysterious Fetch.

The plot in this one kept me on my toes and so much caught me off guard. And I loved getting some backstory about the Crossing and what not. There were so many layers to this story and I love how seemingly disconnected things all wove together as part of one larger story. There is so much going on and I can’t wait to get my answers.

The Invasion Of The Tearling is a fantastic read and I’m so enjoying binging this series. I cannot recommend these books enough. Easily a new all-time favorite.

I rather liked the first novel in the series though I wouldn't have rated it as great. But I just couldn't get through more than a few chapters in this book. The silliness of the dialog between the evil 1% capitalistic/feudal nobility and the heroine protecting the 99% was appalling. The breaking point was a 'dramatic' confrontation between the heroine and nobles. I don't mind treating one side as evil and irredeemable, but making them stupid beyond belief robs the story of any real tension. At the end the nobles are cowed by the horrible threat of .... "eminent domain". Wow. It made me laugh. The vapid transplantation of today's concerns into this distant society robs the Tearling of any real verisimilitude. For the sake of those who liked the novel, I hope it got better after the first 70 pages or so that I tried. It seems unlikely it could get worse.

The Invasion of the Tearling is the second in the Tearling series.
Kelsea made a few changes during the first book in taking over her Kingdom that brought on serious repercussions. The Invasion of the Tearling is where we see those repercussions come into play. We know from the first book that war is inevitable. As you can likely gather from the name of the book, that war comes into play in this book. Overall, it was a good book. There was a lot of build-ups and in a slight way, I feel it was a bit anti-climatic.
There was a good bit of character development throughout this book and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Kelsea's internal conflict with accepting herself and the woman she is becoming. It was done in a very relatable way. There are two storylines going on in this book and we learn a lot about the pre-Crossing era. I think this part of the story was the most interesting because it was done in a way that was very believable. The things that led to the downfall of humanity and in turn led to the Crossing in search of a fresh start are all things we see in the world today. Greed, debt, desire for power, disrespect, and hate towards people that are different or we don't understand. It was eye-opening to think of the very things we see day-to-day in this world being what destroys us and sparks a hatred and bigotry that infects every fiber of the world.
Overall, I would give this book 4 dragonflies. It was enjoyable and I look forward to reading the last book of the series, The Fate of the Tearling. I would consider this book a 16+, there is language as well as some sexual relations, and rape, and a few scenes of battle.

I can not get over the fact that this book is being marketed in the YA genre, or that it compares to Hunger Games or Harry Potter.

First, this is the rape-iest book I have ever read in my life. Rape is not an underlying theme here- it is a dominating theme. At some point, it seems everyone but the queen has been or will rape. Children are sold into sexual slavery. Girls are raped by their fathers. Women are kept as sex slaves. Men are raped because it's just done in battle. Even when Kelsea starts having "flashbacks," the person she flashbacks to is raped by her own husband, goes to meet a bunch of neocons who want to gang rape her, and then has to fake being raped by her own bodyguard to be safe.

Second, anytime I do try to talk to people about this book, I feel like it should come with a disclosure statement. Human trafficking and rape warnings. I can not freely recommend this book to everyone without saying "If it wasn't for all the rape, there's a good story line in there...." And I can not recommend this book to anyone under 18. If this was a movie, it would be R rated at the very least. And not in a kinky way but in a very violent way.

I can not ever understand how 1) this gets overlooked by people praising this series. I mean, I am not against sexual content but is this book appropriate for everyone looking for a good sci-fi/fantasy story? NO. and 2) What does it say about rape culture that this book is so popular....?

And this book actually would be phenomenal if I wasn't constantly having to skip past the descriptions and insinuations that everyone is getting raped.

Saw it simmering in the first book, but now Ms. Johansen brings out the full-on wide-eyed ideological Socialism befitting a pre-school class reading "Rainbow Fish". It's complete with plastic, absurdly unrealistic characters designed to indoctrinate the YA reader into the concept that a "better" world is one in which there is no luxury, but everyone will be blissfully happy because their basic needs are met. Almost every character who has wealth and land is disgusting, selfish, vain, and cares about profit over any value for human lives. Literally. Like, they'd rather kill people than lose a couple of bucks. They're also tacky dressers. The poor, "good" people (those are synonyms) are pretty much all raped, enslaved, dismembered and otherwise put upon but retain their humanity and hearts of gold. If you're a woman, you'll be raped, beaten and/or sexually enslaved by your husband, soldiers from either army, thieves, nobility, clergymen and other random dudes. It's a rape culture, duh. And despite your feminism, you'll actually be embarrassed and vindictive when you actually want one guy to sleep with you and he says No. Thank gosh the adolescent Queen with absolutely zero real-life skills is there to make super-wise decisions, threaten the 1% with "eminent domain" and protect the masses from these despicable people who own stuff. And hey, she's not cute and not thin, so that makes her a wonderful role model and a legitimately appropriate heroine . It's like Bernie Sanders slept with Barbara Streisand, the child went to the movies and watched Avatar and Hunger Games, and then wrote a couple of books for teens. Good grief. I do admit I only made it half way through this second book. Maybe it gets better. I doubt it.

Sequels are too often fillers. Second books in a trilogy that act solely as a bridge between the first and final book of the story.

That is not the case with The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen. This second book in the story line expands upon the original in daring and inventive paths that will leave many readers with a powerful sense of "what the hell just happened!"

Kelsea Glynn has taken her place as Queen of the Tearling and as such, has drawn the ire of her far more powerful and deadly neighboring kingdom of Mortmesne and its Red Queen. The tribute of slaves sent from the Tearling to the Red Queen has ended and both kingdoms have lined their borders with their armies. The Red Queen and her dark magic has been warned to stay out of the Tearling by a powerful being from which she has learned her power but she cannot allow Kelsea to disobey her. The Mort army prepares to invade the Tearling and there seems to be nothing that can stand in their way.

As the war nears, Kelsea begins to fall into fugue states where she connects with a young woman who lived before the time of the Crossing. When technology ruled mankind and not magic. This woman, Lily, battles her own war. Against a brutal husband and trapped marriage. Lily is drawn into a rebellion against the tyrannical government that has become America and finds herself in line with a rebel leader by the name of Tear. The rebel leader Tear has a vision of leaving the Americas and heading back to what once was England, where the ancient powers of magic still exist and building his utopia. A kingdom that would become the Tearling. What is the connection between Lily and Kelsea and who is the Red Queen?

Kelsea, the Queen of the Tearling, must come up with a daring and dangerous plan to save her people as the Red Queen, her own nobles and the church align against her. But will the magic of the Tearling be enough to save her?

Johansen has taken a straight up young adult fantasy novel of magic and swords and kingdoms rising and falling and used that first book as a base on which to expand her novels into something so much more. It is a grand scale she is working on now as mysticism and time are crossing one another to tell the story of not only Kelsea the Queen of the Tearling but of how this kingdom was created and how it fell into such ruin. Johansen does not shy away from the politics of the class societies and failures of the dreams of socialism in this tale. Kelsea has grown as a character. Her innocence as the missing princess has morphed into a strong and powerful Queen who is beset upon all sides. Her steadfast protection of her people when all would consider them collateral damage in this war set the tone for all her decisions as Queen. Until the final one, which I will not give away, but it leads into what will be a highly anticipated and desired third book.

What makes this such an original and well written novel may be just what puts some readers off. It is not your standard fantasy young princess saves the kingdom book. It is much more than that. Johansen has dared to step outside the box with this one and clue us in on a much grander vision for her novels and I applaud her for that.

Very well done. A truly good read!

Another great novel by Erika Johansen. I really enjoyed this second novel in the Queen of the Tearling trilogy. We were given answers to my questions from the first novel and I do always enjoy getting answers! So, it seems we are seeing our future as well as our past in this one…a very interesting premise. The same loveable characters from the first novel are back, picking up right where they left off. And now we have new characters from pre-Crossing! In this story, our future (Tearling’s past) is grim indeed. And, given some recent developments here in present-day America, imagining some of those conditions in our future is not too difficult. Let’s hope those aspects of humanity remain fantasy.

My one major complaint is hard to describe without giving much away. I’ll just say that if the leader of the Crossing knew what he says he always knew, then why would he have returned Lily? Why put her through all of that torture? I can’t think of a single good reason. He even lost a good person in the process of the rescue. This makes no sense for the storyline other than to forcefully add some extra drama. I would love to hear from other readers if they can explain any good reason other than adding drama and length to the novel.

One other comment I must make is regarding the audiobook version. I started reading the novel before my hold for the audiobook came through at the library. So, once it arrived, I picked up the audiobook where I had left off reading. While I like Davina Porter (I’ve heard her narrate the Outlander novels) I do not feel she was the right narrator for this novel. She is an older, British woman. However, the heroines in this novel are young and at least one of them is American. The only accents Davina can do are European. I just found her to not have the right voice for these characters. And, the accent she chose to use for The Mace was horrid! He sounded goofy and stupid when he is intended to be tough and smart. So, I ended up leaving the audiobook and returning to the book. For that, I give Davina a C for this novel. (Sorry, Davina. I know you’re normally better than that.)

Can’t wait to read the last in the trilogy!

I was really impressed with this book because the second book in a trilogy can so often fall into the (as I call it) dreaded pit of dullness, but I felt that The Invasion of the Tearling had many new insights to offer into the world of the Tearling.

Most prominently, the backstory was so interesting and FREAKING SCARY. It was filled with the essential futuristic dystopian elements a la Harrison Bergeron or Brave New World but what made it so frightening was that it felt so close to home. That could really happen in just a few years *shivers and chatters teeth together*

My biggest issue was that at times I felt like I was reading two different novels: Kelsea's story in a more fantasy-like setting and Lily's story in a futuristic dystopian setting. I still believe the novel overall deserves all 5 stars, though, because: A. I'm lowkey obsessed with this series and although I read the entire thing within the span of a few weeks, it holds a lot of sentimental value to me because I love the characters and the masterful way Erika Johansen weaves the the plotlines all together and B. IT ALL CONNECTS. It was 100% necessary (in my opinion) to the plot to have this sort of far-removed history or else the main storyline could have fallen into the category of a predictable or cliche fantasy.

After reading the first installment, I knew that there was a whole pre-history to the Tearling (The Crossing etc.) and this was still the same realm as, um, Earth, just centuries later (and with some creative liberties in reference to *magic*), but still it read like high fantasy to me even though I know in its true essence it's not... but come on, don't blame me for my subconcious confusion: there was a MAP. What's more textbook high fantasy than that?

This connection between the two storylines was a vital component to tie everything together and give the series an edge over many others. I also think it creates a wider appeal, as now fans of not only fantasy, but also sci-fi/dystopians can undoubtedly enjoy it.

I am not sure what happened here. Maybe it was a combination of simply waiting so long for the next book that i just expected mind-blowing amazingness and sheer genius. I was a little disappointed with this book BUT i will say that once i was done throwing my temper tantrum from lack of awesomeness the story itself started to sink in and grow hooks.

This is one of those stories that shifts back and forth between present and the past. We learn SO MUCH in this installment. It makes sense that it was so information laden vs story rich. No doubt in my mind that the next book will be as mind blowing as i had hoped this one to be because the last book HAS to bridge that gap between past present and future.

In this one we learn:
– how much Kelsea’s powers have grown.
– who the red queen is
– The mace’s back story
– VITAL information about the Fetch’s past
– I start seeing Kelsea’s power struggle within herself
– about pre crossing times
– about Jonathan Tear and his vision
– more about the magical necklaces
– MOSTLY every question I had in the first book (and chose to overlook) was answered!
– enter more delicious bad guys that also include snippets from the past

SURPRISE! This book NEEDED the flip flopping, which i don’t particularly like usually. I actually recall putting this down and wondering how i was ever going to finish it since it felt like the storyline couldn’t stay focused. I pretty much grumbled and complained about Lily and her story for about 3/4 of the book and was convinced the whole book was going to suck ass….and then i finished it and it was ALMOST perfect. *sighs* -Insert Romantic frustrated Sigh Here-

I found myself running through a gamut of emotions with this novel it wasn’t ONLY suspenseful but it was rather emotional and lovely on top of all the intrigue, mystery, deceit and evil.

Original Review Posted at: [...]

I'm listening to the audiobook from my library; about 4 hours from the end, but greatly enjoying it. However, I will throw in the CN: Spousal Abuse: Physical, Emotional, and Sexual. Mentions of Child Abuse. This book can be very hard to listen to as someone without explicit triggers on these things; if they trigger you, I would be aware of that before starting the series.

That said: This is an amazing book... well written, with good characters. The fugue-state segues help to illustrate the backstory and, while I'm not entirely sure how they fit in, they're great world-building, and the book is full of questions that we don't quite have answered, but that help to drive things forward. I'm really enjoying listening to it, and frustrated when my drive ends and I have to leave off with my listening to go do other things. If you can get past the stuff that deserves content notes, then it's well worth the time.

The first thought I had after finishing this book: Please tell me there’s a third on the way! Then I discovered that there will indeed be a third book, and I gave a sigh of relief.

You know, it very seldom happens that I give the sequel to a much-loved first book in a series, five stars. Nine out of ten times I find that the second book hardly ever lives up to my expectations. I am so incredibly relieved that it wasn’t the same for this book. I had high expectations for The Invasion of the Tearling after I finished the first book, and my expectations were met in spades!

Unlike with The Queen of the Tearling, the sequel moves from YA into New Adult territory. If it had followed the expected and typical NA plot formula, this magnificent novel would’ve probably left me disappointed. Johansen cleverly steers away from the overused NA plot formula and gives the reader something fresh and different, with only a few elements of the aforementioned genre, such as profanity and adult themes, but without it becoming crude and distasteful. It worked perfectly well for me, and actually it was the next natural step to move into this genre, as Kelsea’s character grows in leaps and bounds.

From countless glowing reviews on the blogs I follow, I wasn’t sure whether I was going to enjoy Lily’s story. Surprisingly I did, and found that it is as much an integral part of the Tearling’s history as Kelsea’s character is to the survival or destruction of the Tearling.

Overall, this was a glorious read and even though it took me nearly five days to work my way through it, it was well worth every minute of reading time. I would love to shake Johansen’s hand and thank her from the bottom of my heart for steering clear of the romance backbone countless authors can’t seem to do without for their novels. It takes a truly talented writer with one heck of an imagination to create a story of such epic proportions, and Johansen’s got it down pat!

No spoilers in this review of The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen. This book was fantastic! I give it 4.5 stars. It is book two in a trilogy, but it doesn’t suffer from the usual middle book problems. There is a lot of story enhancement and development as well as growth in several characters. In fact, it is the perfect bridge from a great series opener to what I can only assume will be a dramatic, fulfilling conclusion to Kelsea’s story. If the excerpt of the prologue I recently read is any indication, book three is going to be spectacular! (See the end of this review for a link to that article.)

The Queen of the Tearling was fairly narrow in scope, focusing mainly on Kelsea’s adjustment to her new life as ruler and the changes she initiated to make the kingdom her own. The Invasion of the Tearling, on the other hand, expands on the brief glimpses of intrigue from book one into a whole new realm of magic and possibility. The scope broadens to include much more history of the Tearling and many new characters, all of which consistently point back to Kelsea.

Kelsea has visions to possibly learn the origin of the exodus to her current homeland. She tries to put together the missing pieces in the Tearling history since the Crossing to determine what lead to its current tumultuous state. She attempts to learn the full extent of the power contained in her sapphire necklaces. And she yearns to grow up, to emerge from adolescence into adulthood in a variety of ways. All the while, the evil Red Queen of Mortmesne is plotting her revenge on Kelsea for ceasing the monthly shipment of Tearling slaves. Her troops are advancing on the Tearling army and civilians, and Kelsea scrambles to protect her people.

Kelsea continues to be an intelligent, brave, and selfless heroine. And Johansen continues to provide a fascinating cast of characters. Their stories first appear to be background information but always weave into the overall story arc in exciting ways. Several mysterious characters have been introduced of which we still don’t know the extent of their importance. I can’t wait to see their full story and have several nagging questions answered in book three! I highly recommend this book! And please, please tell me the rumors I’ve heard about a movie starring Emma Watson are true. These books would make an excellent movie series!

Check out our other reviews at [...]and our full book recaps at [...]

BEWARE: There are ***SPOILERS*** in the following article we're linking to! It is an excerpt of the prologue of book three, The Fate of the Tearling, as listed in Entertainment Weekly on May 17, 2016 [...]

In the end, one of the best ways I judge a novel is by how engaging I find it. Is it the kind of story that sparks my imagination? Is it a book I hate to put down? And, when the adventure is left in a cliff hanger until the next book in the series, how anxious am I to get my hands on the next one? The answer with The Invasion of the Tearling is positive on all these counts. I find the characters and the world Erika Johansen has created to be engaging and imaginative. There may be clear good and evil, but, I can see the increasing shading and blurring around these lines as we learn more about each back story. Though the book has added a dimension of time travel and the inhabiting of other people's lives element, it is done in a manner that is not at all confusing or disruptive to the flow of the narrative. The switching back and forth between character stories and time lines works very well and continues to enhance the over all plot. I am also greatly enjoying learning more of the history of the dystopian society as well - just how did they manage to get to the terrible place they are now?! And, just how are they going to get out of it? Looking forward to the next book to find out!

Queen Kelsea, who I liked in the first novel despite being a bit of a stereotypical anti-princess type character, has taken a turn for the worse. I grew to like her less and less with each queenly act. I didn't recognize her as the same character from book one and not just because *Spoiler* she magically becomes thin and beautiful. Popularity always seems to do that. Hollywood does it all the time but I've never had a writer do it to the main character. The changes were not for the better. There are many times that I didn't understand or like the character at all. I can only hope these changes are addressed in the final novel.

Freaking Lily. Boy, did I dislike Lily. She was a terrible addition whatever the little blurb claiming her story is gripping. It was not. It was unrelentingly violent and lame and dull all at once. I fell asleep on the chapter each time and thought to skip her sections entirely. I didn't. I still kinda regret that decision. There was nothing revealed in them that I didn't already guess. Lily should have been a novella. I hated the way her story took me away from the Tearling world. Her world was so black and white, paint by numbers evil and awful. No nuance whatsoever.

Which brings me to my final disappointment: the author was so blatantly pushing her own viewpoint that several times I had to step away from reading. There's a difference in your viewpoint coloring how you write and using your novel to force feed your opinions on your readers. I get it, anyone who disagreed was evil, wicked, moronic, weak. Again, the lack of nuance irked me.

I felt frustrated by this book in many ways but I'm a completionist, so I will read book three. I can only hope it's more like the first. 2.5 stars for the parts that I did still enjoy (basically, everyone but the main characters)

The Invasion of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling) 
by Erika Johansen 

YA High Fantasy
3.5 stars

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Book Synopsis:
In this riveting sequel to the national bestseller The Queen of the Tearling, the evil kingdom of Mortmesne invades the Tearling, with dire consequences for Kelsea and her realm.

With each passing day, Kelsea Glynn is growing into her new responsibilities as Queen of the Tearling. By stopping the shipments of slaves to the neighboring kingdom of Mortmesne, she crossed the Red Queen, a brutal ruler whose power derives from dark magic, who is sending her fearsome army into the Tearling to take what is hers. And nothing can stop the invasion.

But as the Mort army draws ever closer, Kelsea develops a mysterious connection to a time before the Crossing, and she finds herself relying on a strange and possibly dangerous ally: a woman named Lily, fighting for her life in a world where being female can feel like a crime. The fate of the Tearling —and that of Kelsea’s own soul—may rest with Lily and her story, but Kelsea may not have enough time to find out.

In this dazzling sequel, Erika Johansen brings back favorite characters, including the Mace and the Red Queen, and introduces unforgettable new players, adding exciting layers to her multidimensional tale of magic, mystery, and a fierce young heroine. 

***** Gladys #XOXOtheNerdGirl *****

I adored The Queen of Tearling so much, that I was afraid to read the next book in fear that I wouldn't be so engrossed by it.

So I began slowly, often in between books as I didn't quite understand the visions at first even though the synopsis spoke on it.  The visions were from pre-crossing which was already a dystopian environment, then back to the high fantasy "present day"  I found them interesting but something was missing.  Once I re-read those parts again I was fine.  Well...  until it came full circle.  Press on if you find the pre-crossing visions not to your taste.

Now with that being said, onto what I loved. I loved getting to know Andalie and The Mace's past.  Yes we get to find out what makes them tick.  I also love seeing Andalie's children grow.  Glee is my favorite and I hope we get more of her in book 3, the final trilogy.

Kelsea Reliegh Glynn.  She is the queen.  But is still a child.  Althouh older and more learned then before, she is still struggling to figure out who she is. AND the right path she needs to pave.  But she does it with dazzeling style and becomes STRONGER towards the middle.  She would do ANYTHING to save her Kingdom and by any means necessary.  She often startles me at times as she is she is ever growing dangerous with her Tear Magic.

I did have mixed feelings in this book.  I feel the pre-crossing visions we ok but could have been shorter.  I loved every thing else. The action.  The intrigue. 

3.5 stars rounded to a 4!!  Still tipping my hat to you Erika Johansen!!! I can't wait for the next one.

*This review was done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official.

It's still a little uneven, but this second book in the Tearling trilogy is a definite improvement over the forgettable first volume. The magic is still over-powered and under-explained, and Kelsea's character beats don't always feel like they're motivated, but there's a propulsive energy to the story that was missing from the last book. I especially enjoyed the extended flashbacks to our modern era (or at least its The Handmaid's Tale-esque near future), which was new in my experience of post-apocalyptic fantasy. Lily's life in America is interesting in its own right, and the connections between her and Kelsea give important shading to them both. There's still every chance that the quality will drop back down again for the final book in the series, but I'm more optimistic at this point than I was when I finished The Queen of the Tearling.

I was so disappointed in this book. I enjoyed the first in the series, and was excited about reading the second in the series. I couldn't even finish it.
The first has some obvious disparaging political and religious mentions, but they were few and far between and I could easily ignore them. This one is so over the top I couldn't do it. The author hates the church and lifts it up as the root of all evil. She makes an obvious case for socialism and seems to insist that it is the rich conservative class that has caused every problem in society. If she had just written the story she began in book one, I would have enjoyed the series. As it is I'm disappointed and will never read her books again.

I love this one! Great character development, realistic leadership and a fresh way of looking at 'world after the fall of technology/rise again of magic' idea made it one of my favourite reads of the year so far.

In this book, Kelsea has settled in to the role of being queen but she still faces plenty of challenges. So often in fantasy novels, the prodigal young ruler takes the throne and immediately starts dispensing good advice and fair judgements, and is loved by all the kingdom. Kelsea is indeed gaining a reputation as a fair queen, but the decisions she makes and the way she handles things are often met with disappointment or alarm by her friends and advisors. She isn't the most tactful person sometimes. This book really looks at the price of doing what is right and the political ramifications for Kelsea and the Tearling because of what she has done and what she does in this book. People make mistakes and I think Erica Johansen tackles Kelsea's development very well. She's learning to do some things well, but there were points in the book where I was putting my head in my hand wishing she hadn't just said something. If this book held consequences from what happened in The Queen Of The Tearling, I expect book three will also show what has happened because of several small rulings taken in this one.

In the first book, there were hints about the history of the Tearling and it's founding. People talk about 'The Crossing' from the old world and that many things were lost in that Crossing. In Invasion Of The Tearling, readers get to learn more about what happened. I knew as soon as I read it that some people were going to be... shall we say... upset, because of how it's done. With her magic, Kelsea can see back in time into the mind of a Pre-Crossing woman called Lily. Lily lives in our world, in roughly the 2070s in the USA. So of course there is a lot of technology, cars, guns, security. (A lot of security - Lily's world and life are not pleasant ones.) It's a big juxtaposition between Kelsea's world with it's limited technology, building tools, and medical knowledge to Lily's world of modern conveniences and governmental invasions of privacy. I found it really interesting and I don't think it was a big deal, but I'm sure some readers will have issues about the contrast. I do have to say, that while it was really interesting to see the history of the Tearling and the reasons for it's foundation and some of why it is the way it is, with no technology, I'm not entirely sure why there was so much about it - I'm not sure about it's purpose in the story. My guess is that in book three, something that Kelsea has seen in the flashbacks will be very important and I'm looking forward to seeing things tie together a bit more.

I loved getting to know some characters a bit better in this book. It really rounds out the world and shows the positive changes in the castle and the country since Kelsea has taken command. I'm really excited to see how characters like Glee and her sister who has joined the palace guard tie in with the bigger picture of the story. They, and other people you see more of in this book, like Pen and Mace, already have clear important roles in the story but I feel like they are going to have some staring moments in book three.

Overall, I absolutely loved this story. I read it over just a couple of days, I could barely put it down - I just had to know what happened next! Lily's story was just as gripping, and for me a lot scarier, than Kelsea's, and I enjoyed seeing Erika Johansen weave the two of them together. I adore the character development in this book, the changes in Kelsea were so well done and believable. She's growing up and adapting to leadership at a realistic pace, making the mistakes you would expect for a young woman and a new ruler. I really can't wait for book three. I'm giving The Invasion Of The Tearling 9 out of 10 stars.

Let me know if you've read this one because I would love to talk about it with people!

~Ailsa
[A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Review originally posted on my book blog, link is in my profile.]

Originally seen on The Bookish Owl (http://www.thebookishowl.net/?p=6941)

*A paperback ARC of this book was provided by Fully Booked as part of a review opportunity*

I have been eagerly awaiting the sequel to The Queen of the Tearling for months now so it was impossible to even think about saying no to Fully Booked when they offered me the chance to read, review, and host a giveaway for it. That being said, I initially had a few reservations about The Invasion of the Tearling. For one thing, I had a huge issue with the world building in the previous book and to be honest, I was expecting to run into that same problem again. For another, I don’t do so well with POV switching and in The Invasion of the Tearling, the two points of view came from women who lived in different places, different times, and under vastly different circumstances.

After the first hundred pages or so, however, I discovered that all my trepidations were for naught.

The Invasion of the Tearling satisfactory answered a lot of my questions pertaining to the world portrayed in the books. No, it did not answer everything but it did provide information on the Tearling, the Crossing, and the formation of this new world. With these few particulars, I was able to get more into the story as compared to the shallow experience that I had with the previous book.

The addition of a romantic subplot did not distract or reduce the political complexity that the previous installment boasted of. Yes, I did love the addition of romance (I’ve been shipping the two of them since the first book, what can I say) but what I loved even more was the fact that the focus did not stray away from the bigger problems on hand; specifically, the conflict with Mortmesne and Kelsea’s discovery of her true self.

Speaking of Kelsea, holy shitballs – that character development was perfectly spot on. She was explored to the fullest extent and I felt like I knew her personally by the end of the book. Her development was excellently written and as such, I was able to identify with the awe-filled terror the guards and the people felt towards their Queen.

What really surprised me about The Invasion of the Tearling was the smooth transitioning between Lily and Kelsea’s chapters. I was expecting some jarring moments and several rough patches, but I never did encounter them. If they even existed at all, they weren’t glaringly obvious. This fluid switching solidified and made obvious Johansen’s fantastic writing skills.

Because The Queen of the Tearling was released quite some time ago, I anticipated some sort of recap in its sequel. Sadly, I was disappointed and I felt rather confused during the first half of the book as I struggled to remember the pivotal events and key plot points of the previous installment. The continuity between the two books was great but I wish that Johansen had run over several significant events that happened in The Queen of the Tearling.

In A Nutshell:

While The Invasion of the Tearling gave me some answers, it still ultimately left me with a lot of questions. Nevertheless, it is as every bit as complex and as riveting as the first book and it kept me up half the night – I was itching to learn what would happen next! This book was an extraordinary piece of work, perfectly showcasing the limitless imagination and creativity of Erika Johansen as well as her remarkable talent for writing. The Invasion of the Tearling was simply amazing.

In this stunning sequel to Queen of the Tearling, Kelsea faces the consequences of stopping the transport of slaves to the Red Queen in Mortmesne.

The Mort Army is planning an invasion and as they prepare to cross into the Tearling, Kelsea begins to have visions of a woman named Lily who lived in the pre-crossing error. Kelsea is convinced these visions are the key to protecting her kingdom and stopping the Mort invasion.

Even more heart pounding than its predecessor, The Invasion of the Tearling takes the reader on a journey back to the time before the crossing and answers questions about all Kelsea's family, how the Tearling came to be and who the Red Queen may be.

We learn more about the Mace and new characters who play a big role in the story are introduced. A smashing follow up that leaves you hanging on until the last page then has you needing to know what happens next!

Taking off where Queen of the Tearling left off, the Mort army is coming and war is imitate. This book featured more than just Kelsea, I found. The first book had different points of view at times but the primary focus had been Kelsea. This one had a wider range and I found myself really enjoying this.

New characters are introduced like simple-minded jailor Ewen and a bit more on a soldier named Hall. I can't remember if Hall was in book one much but his involvement promoted an intense question of glory to the queen that I found to be great. It was an outside view on what was going on with Kelsea and though it couldn't be more wrong, it was an idea that was taking seed outside of Kelsea's immediate surroundings. Kelsea finds she has to grow up fast in this atmosphere. She's come face to face with politics, military tactics, zealous religious nuts and her own personal life.

With all of that going on, there's a side story about a woman named Lily who lived in approx 2058 which is a time where technology has advanced but a lot of political and social advances for women, minority groups and basic freedoms have been obliterated. Amidst the strangeness where the line between the rich and poor has left a widened gap, a rebellion is beginning. Lily, to me, is a bit naive to the world though she faces an abusive relationship and stifling laws. Though in all that, she helps in the Pre-Crossing and only gains strength as she goes. Pre-Crossing is something that had been mentioned lots in book one and it was good to see the story behind it instead of just an explanation. I hope this isn't the last that we hear about the history of the Tearling.

I really enjoyed this book. The deeper I got, the more dedicated I became to the characters and the situations that faced each of them. Also, there's a long awaited meeting that happens that I think the author did wonderfully.

CONCLUSION:
This was a successful merge of dystopia and epic fantasy and combined two very unlikely characters to do it. Lily isn't much like Kelsea who, to me, is beyond her years. Normally, I find middle books to be transitions and often don't quite reach the hype of the first book. This one reached the hype. I became so engrossed that even a day after I've read it and am writing this review, I'm haunted and crave more.

I suggest reading the first book in the series, Queen of the Tearling, before this one. It isn't a necessity, but it does make things a whole lot clearer. In the beginning of Invasion of the Tearling.
A lot of the fates of the characters from the first book are introduced in the first few chapters, so a new reader to this series might have a wee bit of difficulty keeping track of who, why and when.
It has one of the strangest present to past time evolution plots I have read in quite a while.The past is described as a post-apocalyptic misogynistic world, and the present is an almost medieval fantasy like world with plenty of magic, but with echoes of the 21st century.
Although the slipping from one life into another is quite interesting it doesn't seem to have much point other than to validate family connections.
Lily's story or rather the world she lives in is quite interesting. A world where women have no rights at all, and men are free to do with them as they please. Including abuse them when they feel like it. Sounds rather medieval, despite all the modern trappings, doesn't it? Whereas in Kelsea's world the women rule the roost. Although some of those misogynistic elements are reflected in Kelsea's world, especially in certain male high-born leaders.
Overall it is a creative fantasy driven by power struggles and family secrets.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed the first book, but the second book was long-winded and lacked the charm of its predecessor. One of the elements I loved was how unashamedly Erika Johansen chose a brilliant but outwardly plain, overweight character. It was so different, I actually found myself initially uncomfortable by her discription; I've been force fed "ordinary but gorgeous heroines" since freaking Bella (the anathema to all things feminist driven). It made me realize how "photo-shopped" literature. As the book progressed, I saw Kelsey as stunning. Her wit, brilliance, and personality were charismatic. What an amazing message for women and young female readers. This is true beauty; this is true power. I felt embarrassed by my initial reaction to her less-than-stereotypical appearance and inspired by her character. Johansen caves and changes Kelsey's appearance: she takes on Lily's slender body and beautiful appearance. WTF!!!!!! It felt so cheap and ridiculous, like the message is being really pretty and thin actually is the most important thing in the whole wide world. Way to collapse beneath mainstream pressure.

The plot drags. The flashbacks to Lily ARE HORRIBLE. Boring, boring, boring. They only serve to disrupt the plot and are just incredibly ineffective. I've read this story before, and I've read much better versions of it. I had to skip the chapters, but it made it really difficult to finish. Pros: Johansen is a skillful writer. Her tone is enjoyable and her world building is effective. Is it worth reading? Honestly, I don't know. The first book is compelling enough that I want to see Kelsey's journey through to the end, but this was a big heap of mediocre story telling for me.

I enjoyed the sequel as much as I did the original. Watching Kelsea change and grow was both terrifying and intriguing. The slips between her time and the past were written in such a way that what could have been a jarring transition was really very smoothly done. I have grown to love this world and it's inhabitants (the lovable ones, at least). Something that I really appreciate is that, while many of the antagonists are completely irredeemable and slimy, the primary baddie (The Red Queen) has moments where she is not only human, but relatable. For me, that ratchets up the conflict. I look forward to reading the final book in this trilogy.

No.... Just.... No.

I wasn't a huge fan of the first book but it picked up at the end and I hoped that momentum would carry over into the sequel. It didn't. At all.

I made it through the 63% mark before I just couldn't take it anymore. It's so disconnected and choppy and we switch perspectives so often that I can't figure out what the hell is happening. It doesn't flow.

Kelsea, who I liked well enough in the first novel, has morphed into something I hate. First she thinks she's ugly and won't shut the hell up about it, then she thinks she's pretty and won't shut up about it. She reminds me now of the time Willow went all evil in BTVS.... Only not in a remotely good way. And don't even get me started on her libido. Her whole inner dialogue about sex as well as the sex itself is laughable. Kelsea has, in my opinion, become the kind of idiotic 'heroine' that I really just want to punch in the tits.

This book had a chance to turn things around but it just crashed straight into the s*** pile with its absurdity, so very bad...

I was a fan of the first book, but I loved the second. From the first chapter, the author, the characters, the plot don't miss a beat. Everything is magnified here in round two featuring the Tearling and Mortmesne: the stakes, the personalities, the plots, the worldbuilding, the battles. Johansen's debut and introduction to this story was good, but The Invasion of the Tearling is pretty damn great. It's creative and clever, and while the final big twist was a little predictable, it tied in so well with the story and the characters.

I was a bunch of emotions when finishing this book. Johansen manages to pluck every cord with these characters. Kelsea evolves -- for better or worse; more is revealed about Lazarus aka the Mace; the Fetch hints and alludes and still remains the most intriguing character in the book. Johansen is pretty skilled at crafting flawed, realistic characters. Kelsea isn't always likeable but she's active and determined. The Red Queen is also shown to have new sides that while they don't excuse what she has done or become, make her a little more understandable.

I have to admit for a while there I wasn't sold on Lily's connection to the main story from book number one and the more standard fantasy characters. It's a different brand of fantasy, whatever subgenre we want to call The Queen of the Tearling series, but it's one that mixes fantasy with contemporary with science fiction/time travel. The magic/science angle is the flimsiest aspect o the book but I overlooked it for how well it fit in with another twist (the resemblance to the painting.) Somehow, Johnansen made it work and I loved how it all came together right at the end.

This is pretty actiontastic at times, but not nearly as much as I expected from a book with a title that has "invasion" right there in it. However, the author is more concerned with the behind the scenes, the preparation, the negotiation that comes before a conflict. And while there is some violence and few skirmishes and battles, the main conflict in the story is between Kelsea and the Red Queen, or Kelsea and herself, or even Kelsea and the ghost of her mother. The invasion and threat that goes along with a hostile force gets the plot of the novel rolling, but it doesn't consist of most of the book's focus.

The Invasion of the Tearling was a great followup to The Queen of the Tearling. Hype can be misleading but for this series, it is dead on. If you like genre mashups or are into different types of fantasy, this is not a series to miss. It's clever and fun, moves at a good pace, and keeps interest for hundreds of pages.

<i> "The wrongs of the past are not less significant, they're just harder to fix. And the longer you ignore them in favor of more pressing issues, the worse the harm, until the problems of the past actually create the problems of the future." </i>

I read the first book last June 2015. It's been almost 3 years since I decided to wait for a closer time to the release date of the third and last novel before reading this. I'm not sure what happened but I forgot about this book. If not forgotten, I was too lazy to start it. As I was perusing my bookshelf looking for books to bring to the condo, I saw this on the top shelf, begging to be read. I decided to finally read it since I didn't even know what my next read was going to be. One of the best decisions I've made this 2018 so far.

The first book received a diverse amount of reviews from my GR friends. Trusted reviewers gave different advice whether to read this or not. I decided for myself then, knowing that my curiosity will never be sated unless I try it myself. It's been a great decision to start the trilogy, because both books have received 5 stars from me, and hopefully the last would too.

I read a short summary (spoiler filled) of the first book a few hours before reading this. I didn't have the luxury of time to reread The Queen of the Tearling, no matter how good it was. After having a vague reminder of the characters and what happened (most of what was in the spoiler didn't even strike a memory to me anymore) but I decided to try 100 pages (basic rule of mine) and see where things go. One chapter in, I already knew I was going to enjoy the novel. Memories of the first novel slowly resurfaced my mind. It took me about 4 days to read this novel. I was terribly disappointed with my reading speed considering I was really enjoying the novel. Nevertheless, I finished the novel and immediately bought the third one. I'm going to read the final novel of the trilogy after my current read. I'm dying to know the fate of well... everything and everyone.

The thing with Fantasy novels is that you need to know the need for world building and character development, but only to a point where the readers wouldn't feel as if they are dying of boredom. You see, I believe that Erika Johansen has mastered that skill. Even in the first novel, she already had that splendid ability to grasp the reader and make them hold on 'til the end without feeling weary.

The characters are back, and they are freakin' amazing. I can't express how glad I am of their development. Not just of the main character, Kelsea Glynn, but of... everyone. There are new characters in the novel (or if they were already in the first novel, forgive me, it's been /almost/ 3 years) that are absolutely perfect addition to the story. My favorite parts of the novel would be where Lily's story were being told. I didn't really understand her part of the novel yet in the beginning but I was vastly enjoying her story. As sad is it was, it contributed such depth to the overall plot. Chapters in this novel are roughly 40++ pages long, and are divided (unequally) to different perspectives. Kelsea's, Lily's, and the Red Queen's. I kept wanting to read more about Lily's part but Kelsea's and the RQ's part were also really good. Especially Kelsea's part where we see an obvious development of the queen of the tearling as compared to her first appearance in the novel, adapting to her new path. The Mace will always be a favorite character of mine. Even as a /minor/ character, he adds a vast amount of enjoyment. Even Pen was a great addition to the novel, and was mentioned quite a lot considering he is a queen's guard. The Red Queen was as ruthless as usual and I can't comment much on her without spoiling. All I can say overall about the character is that, I don't really fixate on a love story between characters most of the time, but even I was hoping for 2 people to be together. I was that impressed with the character development.

The part of Lily's story was not just entertaining, but also informative. Informative of current events that we need to be aware of, and most importantly, what can happen to the future if we continue to be ignorant and indifferent. It's a very political novel as a whole and some people might not like that, but I found it to be perfect. The regression that was happening in the novel was truly terrifying. Lily as a character could be depicted as someone who is living in the past, yet she is actually in the future, but also in the present. It's not something I can go in depth because it would really spoil everything. All I can say is that her parts of the novel heavily contributed to my enjoyment.

The only bad thing I can say about this novel is that it is the second to the last novel of the trilogy. I'm always hesitant to read the last novel of the trilogy especially when I am completely attached to the plot and characters. Only Fantasy novels can do this to me and this trilogy is one of them. So far, one of the highest recommendations I can give. Truly enthralling and addictive. I only hope that the last book would deliver the same amount, if not more, of enjoyment the first two novel gave me.

In the mire of dystopian, post-apocalyptic books out there right now, it's unfortunate that this series somehow rose to the top of the list as far as even being optioned for films when there are better stories and far more dynamic heroines out there.

I was excited to read the first book in this series because of the hyped up "strong female lead," but the only marked trait about her that allegedly set her apart was the fact that she's plain. Really, how original and unique. Ever hear of Jane fricken Eyre? Hermione Granger? Scout Finch? Anne Shirley? It's been done before and unlike the immature, foolish Kelsea who, as the second installment proves, seems nothing more than a mouthpiece for the author's ill-conceived notions about fixing society, these characters are actually admirable, strong-willed, and courageous. In my opinion, Queen Kelsea only ranks a couple of rungs above the cloying Bella Swan - and maybe not even. At least Bella became somewhat cool when she turned into a vampire.

Additionally, the fact that this book is lauded as some type of feminist manifesto is laughable. It's about as misogynistic as Game of Thrones with its gratuitous sexual violence and language straight from the medieval gutter that, when it appears, is wholly transparent as simply there for shock value. Guess what? It's not shocking, it's just in poor taste. Especially as it's marketed as a young adult book. Since when do YA books throw around the c-word? Can you imagine how much better the final battle in the seventh Harry Potter would have been had Mrs. Weasely called Bellatrix Lestrange a raging "CU Next Tuesday" before she avada kedavra'd that witch? Doubt it.

And the Lily storyline garnering comparisons to Atwood's masterpiece, The Handmaid's Tale is nothing short of infuriating. Margaret Atwood is a gifted and world-class storyteller with a prolific career, while Johansen, aside from the convoluted, completely inconsistent world she's imagined - which those who don't know any better refer to as "genre-bending," has a writing style that can be described in the kindest terms as stilted, lackluster, and juvenile.

If you want to read solid competition to The Hunger Games, if you want something that mirrors the astute sociopolitical commentary of The Handmaid's Tale, then try a less known work like L.S. Kilroy's The Vitruvian Heir, a steampunk piece set against a nightmarish, Neo-Victorian version of the U.S. that is truly chilling, artfully written, and full of badass female characters worthy of admiration. There are others, too, but this one stayed with me...in a good way.

Unfortunately among the big publishers, cream doesn't necessarily rise to the top. But sh*t sometimes floats.

Case in point.

I cannot describe how much I loved this book. I neglected to read it for months before I finally decided to man up and read it. I ADORED The Queen Of The Tearling, so I had high expectation, obviously.
I WILL WRITE SPOILERS SO BEWARE OF MY REVIEW!!!

ANYWAY, its starts right about where the first ended, of course, with Kelsea being queen with the threat of invasion, throwing some traitors in jail and overall, trying to rule. But just after we start the book we are introduced with a new twist, a new character from before the crossing. Her name is Lily. And as I read her story, along with Kelseas, I couldn't decide whose story I was enjoying more. I adored the way the author intertwined their stories. It was almost as if they were the same person, from different times. Don't get me wrong, they are definitely two different characters, and they go on as such, BUT they were my favorite parts to read.

The Fetch makes an appearance but I wish I could have read more about him. It begs the question if he will appear more in the next book. Pen becomes a potential love interest but there is just something about The Fetch that makes you wonder if he could be a POTENTIAL LOVE INTEREST?! DOESN'T SEEM THAT WAY RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS MADDENINGLY FRUSTRATING!!

We are also introduced to a dark creature. HE IS HANDSOME IN APPEARANCE BE CAUTIOUS OF HIM!!!

Also, we learn A TON more about the Mort Queen and she is so interesting it is hard not to love and sympathize with her. We learn about why she is so evil and why she wants the Tearling necklaces. We learn she's not as powerful as she seems and we also learn that her past is a little heartbreaking but I love her as the villain.

BACK TO LILY!
She is a large portion of this book. She is someone that, at first, I couldn't wrap my head around. It was difficult because there were already so many characters to keep up with that I wasn't positive I could keep up with her. But she basically becomes your main focus BECAUSE YOU LOVE HER SO DAMN MUCH FOR WHAT SHE PUTS UP WITH. She is important.

I still love Kelsea, she becomes questionable, and she changes so much in this book she doesn't feel like the same character by the end. She tries to do the right thing but you just have this gut wrenching feeling that some bad stuff is going to happen in the next book.

I was overall pleased with this book. I cannot wait to continue on in the next book.
By the way, this is an honest review.

I enjoyed the Queen of the Tearling despite all the reasons I had to hate it. I was hesitant to give the sequel a go because I was worried that it would ruin my experience with Queen. And unfortunately, I was right, but for a different reason than I thought. I wanted more world building of this post-crossing world and more history. Well, I got it, but in the most roundabout and unnecessary way possible. We could have just as easily learned this information from a found diary or a passed down account. Lily's parts might have even been pretty good in a between-books novella. As it stands in this book, it feels more like filler to drag the series into a trilogy.

it took me a while to finish this book. I started this book in '15 and just finished it today. I feel like the author tried to add too much at once and kind of lost the story's momentum along the way. I did have to have the audiobook's assistance to get the ball rolling again and I only got invested in the characters again in the last couple chapters of the book. I feel that maybe if the chapters weren't as long and the switching from the pre-passing and the present as well as different povs were in different chapters it would have flowed better.

This is an excellent 2nd in the Tearling series. It answers many, but not all of the questions raised in the first book The Queen of the Tearling. The author is an excellent writer and this book is as much about the maturing and coming of age of the Tearling queen MC as it is about the invasion that occurs from a neighboring country throwing her kingdom into chaos. IMHO you need to read this series in order, or you will be rather lost. This ranks up there with some of the best books I've read and I'm eager to see the next installment. I'm also going to check out the author's other books.

I should start by saying that I liked The Queen of the Tearling. While set amidst Ye Olde Tirede Fantasie Elements [princess raised in secrecy must ascend to throne and deal with treacherous nobles while fending off an evil, magical queen who threatens to invade], the book distinguished itself by considering how a young noble woman might fare, coming of age in such a setting. Frankly, I’m bored by princes Finding Their Destinies, but I read The Queen of the Tearling with interest, as it lavishes attention on protagonist Kelsea as she both rises to the challenges of her role and chafes at unfamiliar restraints. The story of a young woman with a bad temper and an egalitarian, reactionary perspective coming into her own in a conservative, sexist, hierarchical society fascinates me. Thus I finished book 1 eager to learn how Kelsea’s new magic powers and the impending invasion of her country would affect her character, particularly her impulsiveness and her reformist tendencies.

Unfortunately, book 2, The Invasion of the Tearling, disappointed me greatly. Magic and backstory subsume the carefully developed characters that readers grew to care about in book 1, and the entire edifice devolves into a poorly organized mess. I blame a lot of book 2’s failures on Johansen’s world-building decisions [or lack thereof].

SPOILERS ABOUT LILY, WILLIAM TEAR, AND JONATHAN FOLLOW.

The Invasion of the Tearling reveals that Kelsea’s neo-medieval, fairy-tale-throwback society is actually a colony settled by people from our near future. These Blue Horizon separatists, 300 years in Kelsea’s past, escaped a totalitarian version of the United States marked by Oil Wars, drastic disparities in wealth, constant surveillance and censorship, homophobia, and the reduction of women to breeding chattel. For some reason, Kelsea feels an emotional, magical connection to Lily, one of these activists, and she regularly enters fugues that yank her out of the building tension in the Tearling and back into the past, where Lily is developing what might be called a proto-feminist consciousness. However, their separate adventures fail to coincide in any significant way that advances the plot or any character’s understanding, so Lily merely comes across as a boring, privileged, underdeveloped distraction from the much more interesting Kelsea.

Johansen’s decision to intercut Kelsea’s story with Lily’s kills the book’s momentum, but it’s the actual content of her world-building that really sinks The Invasion of the Tearling. The regime against which the Blue Horizon members struggle is extravagantly, comically, exaggeratedly bad, and I get the sense that we’re supposed to support the Blue Horizon’s non-sexist, non-homophobic, non-censorious ways as better, even ideal. Yet Johansen seems to miss that fact that the Blue Horizon members are just as problematic as their enemies.

For just one example, the Blue Horizon explicitly rejects all technological advances past the Industrial Revolution. The leader, William Tear, says something to the effect that technology has brought more problems than it has solved, so it’s time to get rid of it. No one questions this statement, which is quickly glossed over by the action scenes, so it’s clear that Johansen hasn’t thought through the implications. A rejection of post-industrial technology excludes anyone who depends on it, including people who use supplemental oxygen, people who require advanced drug cocktails to treat HIV/AIDS, people who use assistive communication devices, and/or people who use power wheelchairs. Clearly people with disabilities and/or terminal illnesses and/or health complications have no place in the Blue Horizon’s oft-cited “better world.” I can certainly dig ableism as a founding principle if the author wants to examine and comment on the implications, but she doesn’t seem to think Blue Horizon’s discrimination against people with disabilities and/or sickness and/or health complications is a problem.

In fact, the Blue Horizon’s supposed equality and liberality collapses every time one squints at it because of the author’s inconsistent assumptions. Her treatment of people of color in particular drives me up the wall. There are only two significant people of color in The Invasion of the Tearling. One, Jonathan, is Lily’s chauffeur. Another is a Cadarese ambassador, who offers to help Kelsea against the Red Queen in exchange for a marriage alliance. Jonathan is a secret bad-ass revolutionary who exists only to facilitate Lily’s consciousness raising before he Dies For The Cause. Meanwhile, the ambassador, who promises that Kelsea would be the most valued of the Cadarese king’s harem [yes, he has a harem], seems to live in some hackneyed Orientalist Arabian Nights Land. Nope, it’s not a better world if it stinks of embedded, unexamined racism.

Furthermore, Johansen fails spectacularly with Lily’s character, especially on a conceptual level. Leaving aside the fact that she’s utterly boring, Johansen basically constructs Lily as important precisely because she’s going to pair off with William Tear and have a son who’s Kelsea’s ancestor. Thus Lily starts out as an electively child-free person, illegally using contraception, so that she won’t have a kid with her rich, controlling, abusive husband, and she ends up happily sailing off with William Tear because he says that he foresaw the future in which they had kids. Yes, folks, this character, who we’re supposed to support because of her curiosity, struggle to control her own body, incipient enlightenment, and freedom of choice, submits to yet another white, straight, cis dude, just because he claims that they’re destined to be together. Lily’s husband abuses her physically, emotionally, and sexually, in large part obsessed with her fertility, and William Tear, with his coercive insistence on Lily’s future breeding, isn’t much better. Johansen wants to convince readers that Misogyny Is Bad, but her own embedded sexism leads her reduce one of The Invasion of the Tearling’s co-protagonists to a predestined baby maker. And we’re supposed to be happy about this? Sorry — I’m not happy. I’m just disappointed.

In this second book we find Kelsea and her guard forced to prepare for the consequences of her actions in book one. The Red Queen is mounting a force that will wipe all disobedience from the minds and hearts of the people of the Tearling. Kelsea’s supplies and man power are woefully limited and the hard earned support of her guard is quickly tested. On top of all this she begins to have visions of a woman long since dead and seemingly completely disconnected from the Tearling and Kelsea’s current struggles.

Kelsea’s confidence, resilience, and sense of self will be harshly tested as the Invasion draws closer. Enemies will come at her from all sides. She must decide who she is and who she wants to be and make a stand.

The Invasion of the Tearling is the perfect continuation of the story of Kelsea and her kingdom. Erika Johansen brilliantly gives answers to questions you’ve had since the start, while at the same time posing new ones that will see you through to the very end, pushing you to turn each page faster than the last.

Find more reviews by me at corkbug09.wordpress.com

My Review: This is the second book in the Tearling series and it has a surprisingly different feel than the first book. From characters to genre to setting there are a lot of new things introduced to the reader.

While Queen of the Tearling focused on Kelsea, Invasion of the Tearling spends a lot of page time on a new character, Lily Mayhew who lives in the Pre-Crossing era. At first it was a little hard to wrap my head around how she fit in with the storyline because Johansen doesn't give her reader any information on Lily. Her story just appears leaving the reader to try to figure things out. Lily's story was somewhat interesting but bleak and I kept waiting for the author to make it clear as to why this character was suddenly taking up the reigns. The plot then bounces back and forth between Lily and Kelsea (oftentimes with these odd fugue states between the two that aren't clearly explained) but their stories stay quite separate.

Another thing that struck me about this book was that the author combined two different genres. Kelsea's story continues to have a medieval fantasy feel but Lily's story line was Dystopian. I can't say that I've read another book like it and it was quite intriguing the way Johansen incorporated them. There are also some good action scenes that kept me on my toes and ramped up the energy of the book. I loved Father Tyler's story line which left me on the edge of my seat but be warned that there are some very graphic scenes involving abuse, rape and assault that may make some readers squeamish.

Information is still slow in coming to the reader but things are made a little clearer as to how this Tearling world originated. Johansen continues to leave a lot of unanswered questions which left me a little frustrated but I also understand that it was done to ensure that readers will pick up the last book in the trilogy to see how all of the pieces fit together.

Some new characters are introduced into Kelsea's world which bring a freshness but old favourites (I'm looking at you, Fetch) also make some brief appearances. I still have the feeling that I don't really know many of the characters well enough - who is the Fetch, who is that dark force, what are Mace's secrets, who is the Dark Queen ... So many questions still to be answered!

Lily's story definitely takes over a lot of this book and Kelsea, who was the focus of the first book fades a little into the background this time around. Kelsea also goes through quite a transformation in personality and changes physically but these changes felt forced and rather quick. She went from a naive, yet strong, plain looking girl (we're reminded ad nauseum about this fact in the first book) to a stronger, bolder, darker and yes surprisingly a more attractive leader in a rather short period of time. She is, once again, a wonderfully flawed character who makes mistakes and feels believable. Her romantic liaisons were thankfully in the background because they fell fell flat and felt unnecessary to the plot. I have a feeling that Kelsea will come back with a vengeance in the last book.

In the end, I wouldn't say that I was as enamoured with this book as I was with the first book but it was still a good read and a bridge to the final book in the series, The Fate of the Tearling which will be released in 2016. I hope that all of the secrets surrounding these women and their worlds will be revealed to the reader because I want to end this series with all of the answers and I just hope that Johansen will deliver.

My Rating: 3.5 stars (increased to 4 stars for this site)
**This book review can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca) where I share hundreds of book reviews and my favourite recipes. **

Here's the thing, kelsea's character is very confusing to me. I feel like who she is in book two is very different from book one.
My biggest problems are below
Spoilers:
1. Pen. This seems random, and their is no relationship building. I want to know why and how Pen fell in love with Kelsea. I also have no real idea how Kelsea feels about him, but their relationship is glossed over as a not so interesting side fact about what Kelsea does with her time.
2. The fetch. Loved his appearance, but again he just showed up and apparently Kelsea is now MADLY in love with him and crying about it. He and Kelsea certainly had a cool bantering repertoire in book 1, but nothing justifying her cry fest about never being with him in book 2.
3. Father Tyler. Cool side story, but again glossed over. Where is he?
4. Lily. By far the most interesting part of the book, and I was always mad when Kelsea came back from her visions. That world was really cool, and the characters pretty great.
I think the second book should have been ALL Lily, and with hints that she could hear Kelsea in her head. Then the end could have been Kelsea waking up and understanding her history/ what to do with red queen.
This just felt like neither story line got enough time to make sense. I don't even know if I'm voicing this correctly.
Anyone have similar feelings?

It was okay. A disappointment after the first for sure. I was annoyed with the Lily story at first -- but of course at the end it all comes back together. The parts that I'm still baffled by -- why the frequent mention of homosexual relations? The rape of men? Castration. I don't see how it fits in the story -- it was just thrown in there -- seemed so random. And while the first book was definitely YA, and I'd let my tweens read it.. There's no way that I'd allow them to read this one.

THE INVASION OF THE TEARLING NEARLY HAD ME QUITTING RIGHT FROM THE START.

The first few point of view characters were not any of the major characters from The Queen of The Tearling. In fact I had no idea who these people were or the people they in turn mentioned.

Oh, look, he gets to be a soldier now. Glad you were smart enough not to go after the slave carts and get yourself killed...after all if you died before you lived then I really would have no idea who. you. are. 0_o

It took an aggravating long time and several chapters for Kelsea to make a mental comment that allowed me to place him.

And POV #2? The brawny, mentally slower, but has a heart of gold jailer. Who, you guessed it, got some new prisoners. But because he was not in the loop from book one, he had no idea who these people were. Which meant I had no idea who they were. Oh I got they were important...but they weren't the baddies I could recall from book one.

Now I hate it when books spend chapters recapping the previous book(s) but you have to give me something reliable. Something concrete.
WHEN WE FINALLY, THANK GOD, GOT TO THE PEOPLE I REMEMBERED, THINGS STARTED COMING BACK TO ME. THE STORY MOVED FORWARD, AND I WAS GETTING MORE INTO IT.....AND....THEN WE JUMPED INTO THE PAST....

The story went back and forth between the two plot points, and it took me probably a third of the book to get into this. Part of that was because of what was happening, but even more than that, this book was way to long.

The beginning of The Invasion of the Tearling was slow and pretty boring, but as the pages turned, it started picking up. I devoured the last few hundred pages or so. I needed to see how she was going to confront the evil queen. I needed to know how the things we uncovered in the distant past, affected the recent events, and how they foreshadowed the future.
THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING FOR ME WAS ONE OF THOSE BOOKS THAT I ENJOYED, BUT IF I LOOKED CLOSER AT, I HAD PROBLEMS WITH. NAMELY, I DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE WORLD.

How the heck could they have been in the future-past thing? Then there was the fact I had no idea where in the world this sudden and new landmass was supposed to be.

But as this story progressed, we got to learn more about it, about what happened in out world, about this exodus to the better world, and it all started making sense. Looking back, I really liked how the author set up the world Kelsea and co lived in and what she started bringing into play in book two.

All I could think is there is no good in the world anymore.
CHARACTER WISE, I FELT THIS BOOK WASN'T AS STRONG AS THE FIRST ONE WAS.

I definitely liked Kelsea less. She wasn't bad or annoying, but she didn't stand out. She struggled to rule in a world where no one wanted the child to make big decisions, and she made some bad choices at times. And other times I remember thinking she should have made more stupid decisions more often because at least that kept me entertained.

Mace was a pretty fascinating books of secrets. He was definitely playing his own game, and I loved trying to figure it out.

Pen, oh Pen you feel for the stupidest girl in the whole queendom, and I think you started to realize it. Or maybe love just made you blind, because it made you reckless. I kind of feel sorry for you.

I'm not sure where recent developments leave me in The Fetch department. On one hand I love his mystery, and I really want to know why he is being punished. But on the other, I think the book pulled me away from liking his character as much as I did in book one.

By far the most interesting character was the power behind the evil queen. I loved his scenes. I loved untangling that mystery. I am super excited to find out more with the way the story leaves things.

WORDS TO LIVE BY
"Pain only disables the weak." (Mace pg 78/511)

"Cruelty is in everyone, Teir Heir. It takes only the right application of pressure to coax it out." (Handsome Man pg 124/511)

"And Kelsea wondered suddenly whether humanity ever actually changed. Did people grow and learn at all as the centuries passed? Or was humanity mearly like the tide, enlightenment advancing and then retreating as circumstances shifted." (Kelsea, pg 435/511)

OVERALL
Overall, I'm disappointed by The Invasion of the Tearling. This book could really be divided into two halves, the part where I was confused/bored and the half where I couldn't get enough of it. I plan to read book three because there are some questions I want answered, but I no longer feel the need to own the entire trilogy. A visit to the library is good enough for me.

Just OK. I had trouble getting into this book. It really started slow. In fact, it stayed slow for pretty much the entire book until the very very end. When I was done reading the whole thing, I was content and felt like I would probably like to read the third book to come. So I cannot say I disliked the book. However, I really hate being told so many times in a book that pertinent facts to the story have to be kept secret. I found it to be very a lazy style of writing when the story supposedly depends on keeping so many secrets from the reader as the pages turn.

This book has 511 pages and is split into three sub-books. When I got to the end of each sub-book I didn't really feel like I had accomplished a whole lot. And there was a void between each of the sub-books. So why split the book into three parts? Seemed like nonsense. I also was wondering where the “invasion” went. The title of the book leads the reader to believe there was going to be an invasion, but one never really culminated. At least there wasn't much said about one between the covers of this book.

There seems to be a kinda neat story behind this book and its predecessor, but the way the author goes about telling the story is certainly not the best way to do it. I will admit that she is consistent in the way she writes. She keeps the reader in the dark about relevant facts and eventually tells you some of the answers by the end of the book. Sadly, I'm not all that impressed with the answers to the secrets when I eventually find them out. I had a feeling Lily was the woman in the missing portrait from the get go. And I had a feeling the Red Queen was the unwanted child in the Beautiful Queen's portrait. But when I was eventually told this was so, I said “so what.” 3 stars!

**Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy**

Looking back at my review of THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING, I was surprised that I had any reservations, because I only remember how much I thoroughly enjoyed the book. When I received a copy of THE INVASION OF THE TEARLING, it is pretty safe to say that I was ecstatic, so eager to follow Kelsea's story and find out what happened to her.

THE INVASION OF THE TEARLING answers so many questions that I didn't know I had about Kelsea's world and how it came to be the way it was. The backstory was fascinating, and the switches to the viewpoint of Lily, pre-Crossing, were interesting interludes. However, now I'm left with more questions than I had before - why does Kelsea start to look like Lily, for one? Plus, a few others, but I won't spoil any details for you now.

Johanson does a number on the reader in THE INVASION OF THE TEARLING, with one revelation after another, and constant plot twists and turns. The action is well paced, though, and I never felt like it was too much.

One disappointment was the near disappearance of the Fetch - he only showed up once in the novel, and I was hoping for more from his relationship with Kelsea. Otherwise, all the characters we got to know in THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING were there, and we learn more about them, as well.

With all new facets to the story that we learn, THE INVASION OF THE TEARLING never feels like a sophomore slump of a novel. It's an amazing ride with so many surprises for the reader that make it worth the nearly 500 page bulk. This is one that flew by despite its length, and I am waiting on pins and needles for book three.

There's a social commentary hidden somewhere in these pages. It must be there, for I conclude that subtext is why the book is so popular. Kelsea has become even vainer in this book than in the first. So much so that her magic has interpreted beauty to be the one true desire of her heart, thus makes her thin and pretty. It does have a purpose, as beauty ends up being the key to everything. Kelsea also suffers from the mental health issue of self-harm known as cutting. It turns out that this self-abuse was actually a path to power, that it was how she learned to heal. As such, encouragement for cutting is implied. Kelsea, once she's beautiful, uses a friend for sexual purposes- a friend who she doesn't have romantic feelings for, and who she believes is in a relationship with someone else. Rather than feeling guilty for turning her friend into a cheater (the friend is not in much of a position to say no to the queen), she feels relieved at the idea that he probably won't develop feelings for her. This is an interesting insight into the mind of a mistress. It's interesting that someone who is so opposed to slavery would wield her position of power in this manner. I certainly agree that she does not need a man to be whole, and does not need to marry a King or anyone else to cement herself. However, the idea that she'd rather manipulate someone into her bed instead of finding someone who actually wants her is disheartening. (She's the QUEEN. Not one single guy in the kingdom that might willingly offer her company? There's a whole area dedicated to prostitution— at least one of those guys would have traded a no-strings night for a few coins. Instead, she makes a loyal man become disloyal.) Kelsea, as a main character, I'd only give 2 stars.

All that being said, there's another story that's woven in to the book. Lily, and her story, is exceptional. If just that portion were made into a novella, it would be worth it. There is exemplary writing in those snippets. The Lily story I would give 5 stars to in a heartbeat.

In the final Kelsea chapter, the book hits a small climax of sorts. Much like in the first book, there isn't an actual ending. The first book was just an introduction and a bit of rising action. This book is more rising action. SPOILER ALERT! As one reads about the possible army coming, then about the army coming, then sees it coming, one expects a battle. There's a point where it's clear that there aren't enough pages left for a battle. That's because there isn't one. But no, nothing is resolved. One character laughs, one cries, and the army does nothing. END SPOILER. Apparently, there's going to be another book.

Do NOT try to read this book without the first one- you'll have no idea who anyone is. And don't try reading the ending first, because the ending is part of Lily's story, not Kelsea's, so it won't make any sense.

As someone who is not interested in hunger games, graceling or any other such titles, I love this series. Love the attention to detail and character development. There are notable changes to some characters actions and development, but looking at the bigger picture and what's going on these changes make sense. Lily's story was engaging and created more questions. I wish there had been more development between Kelsea and the romantic interest. Not much more as I hate unnecessary and overdone romance in the worst possible moments. Just a bit more to better establish how these characters feel about this development. Obviously the war is more pressing but 1 more scene between them would have gone a long way in better establishing the place they've found themselves in. Other than that I loved this book and am excited for the next entry.

Other titles I recommend: Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses series, Finnikin of the Rock trilogy

I loved the second book in this trilogy. The beginning was a little slow. Some of the extra characters I thought could have been left out. But overall it was a great story to build up to the third book. I will not give away any spoilers but I will say it ended with you going "oh my gosh it makes sense". Kelsea sometimes was annoying and acted like a brat. I hope in the next book that she grows up tremendously. I can't wait for the next book.

Well, of the so far 6 people who wrote this book a bad review, I must say I feel so sorry for you that you weren't able to enjoy it. I started this book two days ago, came home at 62% on my Kindle, and read the rest of it in an hour and a half.
What an amazing feat by Erika Johansen. What complexity and depth. The Pre Crossing story is enthralling, however unlikely of a future it is. I don't know how this is considered a young adult book, I don't think a young adult would understand it to be honest. There are very strong themes I know I didn't identify with when I was 17.
If you want happy endings and pretty pictures then don't read this book. I saw some scattered criticisms that they don't like the main character anymore, but what we have to understand is that characters evolve in books. If Kelsea were ALL good she would be boring. All heroes are tempted by the dark side. I guess some people are sensitive and easy put off. I found Kelsea's character different and refreshing, not some altruistic do gooder who has perfect moral clarity. She struggles and is tempted and clearly her jewels have power over her.
Anyway, amazing read, enjoy!!!

What an awesome sequel to this book! I loved it so much even though some things confused me. Oh I so can't wait until next year for the third book! This is one of my favorite trilogies!

MY REVIEWS:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1251084169
http://melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-invasion-of-tearling-by-erika.html

This book was a slight letdown, only because I loved the first one so much. Im not sure I like the direction of the character development, and the juxtaposition of the past and future was a little odd. I am eager to see how she wraps up the series.

I *wanted* to like this book. I enjoyed the first one. However, I just stopped liking the heroine about halfway through. Her constant praise of socialism and "inequality" preaching really got annoying and made the book a tough slog after a while...and is incredibly ironic coming from a character sitting on a throne in an absolute monarchy. She became very, very tiring and less and less likable as the pages turned. I wanted an escape; that's why people read fantasy. Not to be lectured and bombarded with thinly disguised political agendas. It ruined the book for me. Her behavior later in the book becomes morally repugnant and really makes the character irredeemable. This could have been a great book...such a waste.

This book is another great installment in this series. My only issues were : the main character changes so dramatically, I started to quite dislike her which sucked because I had rooted for her so much throughout the first book. I had hoped that might change at same point in the book but alas, it did not. I did like uncovering the secrets of some characters and learning the background stories of the Tear itself. I REALLY hope there is another book as I have many unanswered questions and I might combust if they aren't answered!

I don't normally write reviews on the store, but after reading some of the 3-star reviews for this novel I have to come on here to write its defense. This book was nearly perfect! Easy 5-stars.

Erika Johansen makes some bold storytelling choices that are not often seen in the sci-fi and fantasy genres, resulting in a unique novel that stands outside the usual categories. It has the social commentary of good sci-fi and the page-turning tension of a YA adventure. Stark realism alternates with bright optimism until, in the novel's climax, you genuinely have no idea what decisions the main characters will make, or what the consequences of those decisions will be. Unpredictability is such a rare quality in fiction! Only a book like this one, one which flies above the limits of genre, can manage it.

By the way, Johansen's writing shines! Every word is evocative, every sentence flows.

Honestly, the only case against "The Invasion of the Tearling" is the graphic and extreme nature of several horrific scenes. (SPOILER WARNING) Kelsea flirts with "the dark side" for much of the novel, resulting in some violent set pieces that chill the soul and linger in the brain. Even more disturbing is the depiction of marital rape. That scene filled me with more horror than the entirety of "A Song of Ice and Fire." A writer with such vivid language and thematic ambition is bound to ruffle the feathers of some readers, but I believe Johansen was right to include these scenes. Unlike George RR Martin, who often throws in rape and violence to merely create a gritty vibe, Johansen uses them in the service of character development.

One more thought (SPOILER AGAIN): I also approve of the Lily storyline. It clears up the logistics of the Tearling world and it sheds light onto the relationship between Kelsea and the Red Queen. So no hating on Lily please.

Read this book!

***Spoilers****

I really liked this second book. It seems like the chapters about Lily are a point of contention - people love them or hate them. I loved them. I found the juxtaposition of the two timelines to be fascinating, and as a lover of dystopian nightmares I enjoyed those chapters quite a bit. The story had a nice pace, and I really liked the way she went with it. I cannot wait for #3.

Interesting Series. Can't wait to read the last installment. The plot moves fairly quickly, and is an easy read, but there are several different story lines to keep readers interested. Not predictable at all.

Elegant and beautiful so well written and so deep in meaning. No wonder Emma Watson got the rights to film the first book . It will repeat the success of The Hunger Games all over again both in the books and their translation into film. A real triumph for the author which displays not only her knowledge of her language but can use it to our own amazement in the written word .
Thanks Erika!
And what happens next?

I read about Emma Watson playing the Queen of the Tearling in s movie adaption of the books and I tried reading the first one which was great. This second one was even better. The character development is significant and fun to read. The story is so suspenseful and I don't know how to wait till November 29, 2016 for book 3!

Okay, so After reading the first book, i was pretty excited about this one. However, I had no idea that I was in for such an amazing ride with this story. It takes turns that I never expected. This is honestly unlike any story i've ever read and it keeps me on my toes every second. This had become one of my favorite book series. With that being said, please keep in mind that this is an Adult book, and has Adult and graphic content in both the sexual and violent categories. She holds nothing back in her writing, which I personally like but there are definitely aspects to this story that are much more intense than i had originally anticipated. If you are looking wonderfully raw and gripping story, this is it!

The Invasion lives up to the standard set by The Queen. Many questions are answered, most importantly what has led to the creation of The Better World. Kelsea inspires the reader as much as her people. At the same time, she faces the same struggles as so many other 19-year-olds. There are plenty of plot lines with great momentum to carry us into the third installment. Well done, Erika Johansen!

I'm not sure about this one. It depends on how the series develops and ends. I'll read the next one. It's not a book you look forward to reading or really enjoy it while you're reading it. I just hope that when we get to the end of the series, the ending makes it worthwile. We'll have to wait and see if it gets better.

Great read! I enjoyed this second book almost as much as the first but was surprised how the past and future came together when the present appears to be the distant past but is actually the present. I guess everything really does repeat itself if this is a true example. Interesting twist.

***Spoilers****

I really liked this second book. It seems like the chapters about Lily are a point of contention - people love them or hate them. I loved them. I found the juxtaposition of the two timelines to be fascinating, and as a lover of dystopian nightmares I enjoyed those chapters quite a bit. The story had a nice pace, and I really liked the way she went with it. I cannot wait for #3.

Interesting Series. Can't wait to read the last installment. The plot moves fairly quickly, and is an easy read, but there are several different story lines to keep readers interested. Not predictable at all.

Elegant and beautiful so well written and so deep in meaning. No wonder Emma Watson got the rights to film the first book . It will repeat the success of The Hunger Games all over again both in the books and their translation into film. A real triumph for the author which displays not only her knowledge of her language but can use it to our own amazement in the written word .
Thanks Erika!
And what happens next?

Great book that's worth the read.. The author flips from present to past in at times jarring ways but by the last quarter of the book it's all worth it. Again the realism of the characters-a no holds barred type of story is refreshing compared to most fantasy series

I read about Emma Watson playing the Queen of the Tearling in s movie adaption of the books and I tried reading the first one which was great. This second one was even better. The character development is significant and fun to read. The story is so suspenseful and I don't know how to wait till November 29, 2016 for book 3!

Okay, so After reading the first book, i was pretty excited about this one. However, I had no idea that I was in for such an amazing ride with this story. It takes turns that I never expected. This is honestly unlike any story i've ever read and it keeps me on my toes every second. This had become one of my favorite book series. With that being said, please keep in mind that this is an Adult book, and has Adult and graphic content in both the sexual and violent categories. She holds nothing back in her writing, which I personally like but there are definitely aspects to this story that are much more intense than i had originally anticipated. If you are looking wonderfully raw and gripping story, this is it!

The Invasion lives up to the standard set by The Queen. Many questions are answered, most importantly what has led to the creation of The Better World. Kelsea inspires the reader as much as her people. At the same time, she faces the same struggles as so many other 19-year-olds. There are plenty of plot lines with great momentum to carry us into the third installment. Well done, Erika Johansen!

I'm not sure about this one. It depends on how the series develops and ends. I'll read the next one. It's not a book you look forward to reading or really enjoy it while you're reading it. I just hope that when we get to the end of the series, the ending makes it worthwile. We'll have to wait and see if it gets better.

Great read! I enjoyed this second book almost as much as the first but was surprised how the past and future came together when the present appears to be the distant past but is actually the present. I guess everything really does repeat itself if this is a true example. Interesting twist.

Better than the first book of the series. Writing has improved and the story is getting really interesting. Seeing how a country can fall back into what went wrong the first time around and doing it again is also something to think about. Read it in almost one setting so a book that I couldn't put down.

This is a very well written sequel to Erika Johansen's "Queen of the Tearling". It continually kept my interest throughout. There are many
extremely complex characters, all well-developed, and a few twists and turns that I did not see coming. I liked this so much, I already pre-
ordered the 3rd volume of the trilogy, which won't be out until late November of 2016.

What a wonderful series even if you aren't a huge fan of sci-fi/fantasy. The characters are full, especially the women. Plus the imagination of Johansen amazing. I can't wait to read the third. Wish it wasn't the last.

While I loved the first book, the second was filled with too much of the author's own agenda. I didn't like where the story went, and at the end of the book, I didn't like the main character. She is selflish, immature, and pretty ridiculous. Wait, I hated her, now that I think about it. There was also a lot of skipping to another story throughout the book that totally threw me at first and I didn't like the other story. I will NOT be reading the next book.

5 out of 5 stars. Love this series! The story lines are becoming entangled and it's interesting as the lines between good and evil become more and more blurred. I love Erika Johansen's writing style and can't wait to read more of her work.

I liked it. It was a good idea to read the first in the series, the Queen of Tear. I still had questions at the end, so I'm hoping it means there is another book to come that continues the saga? It ended on a cliff-hanger note, I thought. Caution: Next section may be spoiler alert: Who was Fetch? Did Kelsea find a true love? and what about Row? the Red Queen? Questions, questions. Please, Ms. Johansen, tell me you are answering these questions?

The writing is good and the story is intriguing but the author's blatant atheism is distracting! Ok, we get it! You hate the church and everything about it! Even the likable character of Father Tyler isn't allowed to be a true believer, he calls himself a "bookkeeper", not a priest. Ms Johansen is so anti-religion, she sets up the whole story as a utopia that must exist without God or religion. It is sad that the target audience is impressionable teenagers. What is her goal? I will not be continuing with this series.

Meh. I don't know why this is so highly rated, and I really don't know why it's categorized in with young adult books because it is most definitely too graphic. There was too much time spent on leading up to everything and not much done on the back story of any characters. Just odd.

The “sophomore slump” refers to when an artist delivers a stellar first effort, only to follow it up with a dismal second one. Erika Johansen aims to beat this expectation with THE INVASION OF THE TEARLING, the follow-up to her wildly popular debut, THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING. While QUEEN was a formulaic fantasy with an unremarkable, albeit somewhat endearing, heroine, INVASION dishes up unexpected twists and shows that Johansen isn’t a one-trick pony.

Kelsea Glynn, Queen of the Tearling, has finally come into her own. She has taken up her mother’s throne and stopped shipments of human slaves to the neighboring kingdom of Mortmesne, ruled by the evil, yet seemingly ageless, Red Queen. With this defiance of the Red Queen comes danger: the Mort are invading the Tearling. They possess a massive army that Kelsea knows will wipe out her own, but she’s shoring up what support she can at home. On the religious front, the Holy Father --- the Tear Pope --- isn’t helping matters, plotting to wipe out his secular rival and allying himself with the Mort enemy.

Thus far, Johansen has sketched out a fairly standard fantasy. What turns this story on its head, though, is Kelsea’s supernatural abilities. She begins to see visions of a woman named Lily Mayhew, who harkens from America before its residents fled to what would become the Tearling. In QUEEN, Johansen glossed over the Tearling’s foundation as a futuristic colony founded by idealistic socialists, but she delves into it full fold in INVASION.

Lily is a rich socialite in a 1984­­­-esque society in late 21st-centurysuburban Connecticut. The reader soon finds, though, that she’s emotionally torn, abused by her husband and secretly taking contraception. Lily’s monotonous world is turned upside down when an injured woman tumbles over a wall into her garden. Lily finds her strength and hides the political dissident in her home, tumbling further and further into the world of a rebellion against the autocratic regime. The revolution’s leader? An enigmatic man named William Tear, whose eager visions of a “better world” resonate with Lily.

Johansen wryly juxtaposes Lily and Kelsea’s realities with perceptible irony. Tear, of course, went on to found the Tearling, which, in Kelsea’s day, is as far from a utopia as one could get. Plagued by war, poverty, injustice and intolerance, and ruled by a monarch, the Tearling would be Tear’s worst nightmare. But is it one that Kelsea and her mysteriously connected pal, Lily, can solve?

THE INVASION OF THE TEARLING sets itself apart from every other middle volume in a fantasy trilogy because of its brutal portrayal of politics and all its consequences. Dreams, both past and present, aren’t all they aim to be, but Johansen makes the reader want to root for Kelsea. This reviewer eagerly awaits the concluding book in the Tearling series.

Reviewed by Carly Silver

This is a good middle book of a trilogy. It answers some questions from the first book, but not all, and raises some new questions. Of course you're left at a cliff hanger. The last book comes out in Nov. 2016.

Book is very good, but the copy I was sent had 30+ pages missing right in the middle. At a very intense point in the story too! This has never happened with other books I've purchased (on the store or elsewhere) and threw me for quite a loop. Hope this doesn't happen to you!

Imagine a terrible knock-off combination of Game of Thrones and Harry Potter. From Game of Thrones, you get the shifts in character voices (much better done in this 2nd novel than in the 1st), senseless brutality, and warring kingdoms/lands. From Harry Potter, you get the protagonist sacrificing herself to save everyone else. Very Christ-like, only Kelsea is too stupid to think about driving a better bargain.

I don't know why everyone keeps saying that this series is the next Hunger Games. For one, Hunger Games is better written -- both in prose and plot.

Save yourself the time and wait for the movie. Hopefully, Emma Watson will hire a good screenwriter to fix this series.

This book is well-paced and exciting. The characters show development and change from the first book. The introduction of "Lily" and "William Tear" are welcome additions and make me want to read more! I am totally in love with this series and can't wait for the next one!

The ridiculous plotting, absurd character development, and extreme violence against women and children continue in this, the second installment of "The Queen of the Tearling" series. The story is slow, almost nothing happens for the first two-thirds of the book, and what does happen is ludicrous. When the story finally reaches its denouement, it makes no sense whatsoever. I will not be reading any more in this series.