Book Review: Clash of Fate And Fury by Rachel Menard

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the CLASH OF FATE AND FURY by Rachel Menard Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: CLASH OF FATE AND FURY (Labors of Gen #2)

Author: Rachel Menard

Pub. Date: March 21, 2023

Publisher: North Star Editions

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 416

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/CLASH-OF-FATE-AND-FURY

Seventeen-year-old Gen may have rescued her beloved father from prison, but she hasn’t saved him yet. If she fails her end of a bargain with the Olympian Empresses, they will send him right back to his cell. To keep the Empresses happy, Gen must bring them the legendary golden apples of Hesperides and the monstrous Cerberus. But both are rumored to be in the neighboring Elysium Empire, which has a long history of war with Olympia. Making matters worse, Gen’s former enemy and newly designated heir to the isle of Arcadia Castor invites herself on the journey, hoping a golden apple could end Arcadia’s reliance on Illumium for storm vials. And Castor’s twin brother, Gen’s StormMaker boyfriend Pollux, has been pulling away from Gen due to troubles stemming from her mind magic. With Castor’s pirate-thief girlfriend and Pollux’s servant companion in tow, the unlikely team embarks on its voyage. But war is only an insult away in Elysium, and more than the Emperor has their eyes on Gen’s mission. The quest has caught the attention of one of Elysium’s Oracles, and trouble is sure to brew with Prophecy on the rise.

 

Why Should You Read This?

Clash of Fate and Fury by Rachel Menard is a thrilling sequel that builds on the world and characters established in the first book. The story follows seventeen-year-old Gen as she tries to fulfill a bargain with the Olympian Empresses to save her father. The quest takes her to the neighboring Elysium Empire, where war is brewing, and she must find the legendary golden apples of Hesperides and the monstrous Cerberus. Along the way, she is joined by her former enemy and newly designated heir to the isle of Arcadia Castor, her StormMaker boyfriend Pollux, and other allies.

The world-building is excellent in this book, and readers get to see more of the different types of magic and visit new lands. The pace of the story is fast, with plenty of action and running around to fulfill the Empresses’ quest. Gen remains a great, likable, and relatable main character, and the author does an excellent job developing her and other secondary characters like Pollux and Bale. Castor remains an annoying, selfish character, but the author makes her consistent throughout both books, and her arc makes sense in the end.

The relationship between Gen and Pollux is sweet, and their problems and relationship development are well integrated into the plot. The author does a good job addressing the issue of Gen’s gift, but it could have been explored more. The ending leaves an opening for a potential third book, but every loose end is resolved, and readers will be satisfied with the ending the characters got.

Overall, Clash of Fate and Fury is an excellent sequel that builds on the strengths of the first book. Fans of the series will enjoy the expanding world-building, character development, and thrilling plot.

 

About Rachel Menard:

Rachel Menard is an author of strange and fantastical tales for teens. Her self-published novel, Steel Hand, Cold Heart won the grand prize in the 7th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published e-book awards, and her traditional debut, Game of Strength and Storm, was selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard along with its sequel, Clash of Fate and Fury, forthcoming from Flux in March of 2023. Her short fiction has been featured on the Cast of Wonders podcast and her writing tips and advice have been seen in Writer’s Digest. She lives in Rhode Island with her partner, son, and feisty cat.

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Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive finished copies of books 1 & 2 in The Labors of Gen series, US Only.

Ends April 17th, midnight EST.

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