As a wielder of domestic magic, Finlay Ashowan likes to keep his affairs as neat and orderly as his kitchen. But between his work for the King and Queen of Daxaria and a new (secret) relationship with Lady Annika Jenoure, his life is anything but tidy.
For one thing, if Annika and Fin are to continue their romance, they’ll need to sort out the pesky issue of Fin’s being a commoner—before Annika is forced into a political marriage that interferes with her own carefully laid plans.
For another, pressure is mounting as the war with Troivack draws ever closer. When Fin requests time away from the castle to rest, the King agrees but under a very particular condition: Fin must brave the streets of Austice as a spy, sleuthing out the plans of the Troivackian troops allegedly hidden there.
Further complicating things, Fin’s estranged father is on his way to Daxaria, an unexpected and unappreciated arrival that’s bound to wreak even more havoc in his son’s life.
As Fin forges new friendships and alliances—magical and non-magical alike—he becomes even more enmeshed in courtly intrigues, old feuds, and very personal problems. And the more he tries to clean up the various messes in his life, the more apparent it becomes that his troubles are only just beginning . . .
Bare with me, I read House Witch 2 and 3 back to back and am already muddling up what happens when. These books are generally cozy fantasy but do deal with parental abuse, war, and death. I personally think the author handles the transitions very well, but it might not be for everyone. If you liked the first book, you’ll continue to enjoy this series. My main quibble is that it really rushes the central romance, which feels like it should have taken place over at least months, instead of weeks.
You have the looming tension of Fin’s abusive father returning at the head of an army, as he and his lovely mother build happy new lives in Daxaria. You also get Fin drunk and drugged at various points, which is ALWAYS hilarious. This definitely feels like a middle book of a trilogy, with all that entails, but it’s still a fast fun read. Oh, and in Book 3, they FINALLY make Kraken not sound like a racial stereotype (not sure if that comes across on the print version, but it’s BAD in the audiobook). So if that’s bugging you, there is an end in sight. Book 2 was good enough that even though I had intended to read something else before Book 3, I found myself diving straight into it, wanting to stay in this world a bit longer.
