Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Breath of Life
SERIES: The Godstone Saga, Book 2
AUTHOR: Jocelynn Drake
NARRATOR: Kale Williams
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 10 hours and 7 minutes
RELEASE DATE: December 16, 2021
BLURB:
Caelan wants his throne back.
The bargain has been struck, and it’s time to return home.
But the situation is worse in Erya than he previously suspected.
Now he has to fight for his birthright, and maybe get a little revenge in the process.
More details to come soon.
Breath of Life is the second book in the six-book Godstone Saga fantasy series and is not a stand-alone. The story contains explosions, gods with secret plans, hidden romance, a prince set on revenge, magic, and lots of delicious angst.
REVIEW:
Jocelyn Drake continues her six-book series, The Godstone Saga, with book two, Breath of Life. The series contains a continuing storyline, so you must read the books in order. If you haven’t read book one, Steal the Wind, you should stop and do that before reading further because this review will contain inevitable spoilers.
Steal the Wind spent a decent amount of time setting up the story arc and introducing us to the four main characters – Prince Caelan of the Kingdom of Erya; Drayce, his childhood best friend and secret crush; Lord Rayne Laurent, his advisor and right-hand man; and Lord Eno Bevyn, his trusted royal bodyguard. In Breath of Life, their found family dynamic resonates as we see the foursome embark on the mission to to help Caelan reclaim his throne as prince and putative king of the kingdom of Erya, protect its citizens, and keep the Empire from obtaining the Eryian Godstone. But as events unfold, we see that things are more complicated than initially thought, and there are evil forces more dangerous than the Empire threatening the world of Thia. Caelan learns that he is tasked with more than just the care and protection of the citizens of his kingdom – he must protect the godstones and save Thia itsself. The gods start to show themselves, too, and they have their own agendas.
Breath of Life revolves around trust and betrayal. The pieces on the chess board are constantly shifting, and Caelan isn’t sure who he can trust or if he can trust anyone other than his three companions. They are on the run, hiding while strategizing, and Calean continues to put the good of his people above his own, which adds its own risk to an already dicey situation. In addition, he’s battling his internal war with powers he doesn’t know how to control, as well as his feelings toward his BFF Drayce, who he’s been in love with, in secret, since they were kids.
Like in Steal the Wind, the story is again told in alternating chapters from each of the four men’s points of view. Again, Drake often ends one chapter in the middle of an event and picks up in the next chapter from a different character’s point of view which, at least for me, is equal parts intriguing and annoying. But that is perhaps trivial in light of Drake’s gorgeous, intricate world-building and how she spins out this story in a fluid way, despite all the moving parts and complex layers of personal challenge and growth for the characters.
Drake’s ability to craft and tell a good story is the predominant thing that comes through in Breath of Life. And she’s picked the perfect narrator to pair with that: Kale Williams. Williams is one of my favorite narrators because he, like Drake, tells a terrific story. He does it all through his voice, overlaying the story in the text with his thoughtful interpretation of the characters’ motivations, reactions, and emotions. He imparts texture and layers to the characters’ personas with the pitch, timbre, and accents of the voices he assigns to them. He delivers them consistently and distinctly across the narrative, all effortlessly.
I recommend the Breath of Life audiobook and book one, Steal the Wind (read that first!). Williams’ voice transfixes, immersing you in an accessible storyline expertly crafted at Drake’s hands. The story will pull you in, as Caelan, Drayce, Rayne, and Eno captivate you, and you will quickly find yourself immersed in their adventures, romances, and fates as the perilous world events play out around them.
RATING: 
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