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abby_ace_of_books 's review for:
The Ballad of Never After
by Stephanie Garber
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I've read this before, and I'm now questioning why I didn't immediately need book 3 upon release because if I didn't have it already sitting on my shelf, I would be going feral.
The Ballad of Never After is the second book in the Once Upon a Broken Heart series, and it escalates the stakes from book one very dramatically. I read this book a few years ago but never picked up book 3, and I'm glad I finally got around to it because I definitely enjoyed the series more the second time around (which could be because I didn't leave a six-month gap between books 1 and 2). We'll see how book 3 is, but I'm reconsidering my stance that Caraval is better than Once Upon a Broken Heart. I still love Caraval and it will always be super nostalgic to me, but the set-up for book 3 of this series is super enticing to me and I think it has a lot of potential.
If Evangeline wants to save Apollo - and herself - she must open the Valory Arch. The issue? That seems to be exactly what Jacks wants, and Evangeline does not want to play into his plans. The plot is a bit faster-paced and action-packed than book one, which is why I think I enjoyed it a bit more. The stakes are much higher, which can be felt in the elevated tension. There were some points that I got a bit bored (there's a lot of investigating the past, which can get a bit slow at times), but overall it didn't impact my enjoyment of the story because I understood its importance, and it was still interesting. I didn't remember any of the plot twists, and I didn't predict them either, which was nice for a change. The ending was about the only plot point I recalled from my first read-through, and it's definitely the highlight of this book. It sets up for a very, very interesting third book, and I just really enjoyed the twisty-turny nature of it.
And, like book one, I just adored the character dynamics. Lala didn't get as much page time, but I still really like her character and her friendship with Evangeline. Chaos, too, was more relevant, and the little bit we learned about his backstory makes me hope he plays a major role in book 3. Apollo wasn't on page much, which was fine because I initially thought he was boring, but by the end of the book, I was reminded why pretty much everyone hates him. I didn't really care for Luc in this one; he's more of a hindrance than anything. Like book one, the dynamics between Jacks and Evangeline are immaculate. I'm still torn on Jacks because when I think about it logically, I don't like him, but if I go off vibes and not thoughts, he's amazing. I liked Evangeline's arc in this book, as she becomes less naive and gains a better understanding of her role in the world. Their banter is the highlight of their dynamics, but the budding tension between them is well-written, too.
The Ballad of Never After continues the story of Evangeline, Jacks, and the rest of the Magnificent North, promising an exciting ending to this YA fantasy trilogy that extends the world of Caraval.
4.5/5
The Ballad of Never After is the second book in the Once Upon a Broken Heart series, and it escalates the stakes from book one very dramatically. I read this book a few years ago but never picked up book 3, and I'm glad I finally got around to it because I definitely enjoyed the series more the second time around (which could be because I didn't leave a six-month gap between books 1 and 2). We'll see how book 3 is, but I'm reconsidering my stance that Caraval is better than Once Upon a Broken Heart. I still love Caraval and it will always be super nostalgic to me, but the set-up for book 3 of this series is super enticing to me and I think it has a lot of potential.
If Evangeline wants to save Apollo - and herself - she must open the Valory Arch. The issue? That seems to be exactly what Jacks wants, and Evangeline does not want to play into his plans. The plot is a bit faster-paced and action-packed than book one, which is why I think I enjoyed it a bit more. The stakes are much higher, which can be felt in the elevated tension. There were some points that I got a bit bored (there's a lot of investigating the past, which can get a bit slow at times), but overall it didn't impact my enjoyment of the story because I understood its importance, and it was still interesting. I didn't remember any of the plot twists, and I didn't predict them either, which was nice for a change. The ending was about the only plot point I recalled from my first read-through, and it's definitely the highlight of this book. It sets up for a very, very interesting third book, and I just really enjoyed the twisty-turny nature of it.
And, like book one, I just adored the character dynamics. Lala didn't get as much page time, but I still really like her character and her friendship with Evangeline. Chaos, too, was more relevant, and the little bit we learned about his backstory makes me hope he plays a major role in book 3. Apollo wasn't on page much, which was fine because I initially thought he was boring, but by the end of the book, I was reminded why pretty much everyone hates him. I didn't really care for Luc in this one; he's more of a hindrance than anything. Like book one, the dynamics between Jacks and Evangeline are immaculate. I'm still torn on Jacks because when I think about it logically, I don't like him, but if I go off vibes and not thoughts, he's amazing. I liked Evangeline's arc in this book, as she becomes less naive and gains a better understanding of her role in the world. Their banter is the highlight of their dynamics, but the budding tension between them is well-written, too.
The Ballad of Never After continues the story of Evangeline, Jacks, and the rest of the Magnificent North, promising an exciting ending to this YA fantasy trilogy that extends the world of Caraval.
4.5/5