The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

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.  I am in the midst of a serious book hangover. How is it possible that I loved this book, but have no clue what in the heck just happened. Talk about a wild ride with an epic mind mess ending. I'm going to be up front and honest... If you're expecting the same feel as book one, you won't get it. This book was about the same characters and followed a similar plot, but the Author added a twist. A dark pre-crossing story that will leave you white knuckling the pages. It was brutal, with graphiAMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1PnuNAO   MY THOUGHTS:  4.5/5 Stars   I am in the midst of a serious book hangover. How is it possible that I loved this book, but have no clue what in the heck just happened. Talk about a wild ride with an epic mind mess ending. I'm going to be up front and honest... If you're expecting the same feel as book one, you won't get it. This book was about the same characters and followed a similar plot, but the Author added a twist... A dark pre-crossing story that will leave you white knuckling the pages. It was brutal, with graphic scenes (not suitable for the light hearted). Lily was physically abused and sexually assaulted. She grasped for her life and in the end rebelled because she believed in the "Better World". I loved Lily so hard and for me that was the problem... Nearing halfway I found myself more interested in her story than in Kelsea's. I sympathized with her where I couldn't for the Queen. I was really hoping for a merge or a clear connecting piece that brought the two together, but still after the last page, I am left baffled and confused. I kind of, sort of get it, but then again I don't. For me the two stories were missing that linking piece... The information that makes your jaw drop and think OMG now I understand. With all of that being said it was still an amazing book. I liked the individual stories and found myself loving Aisa. I look forward to reading more about her in book 3. Also, I need more of the Fetch too because he was clearly missing in this story. In case you missed that... I need more FETCH to move forward. Yeah, Pen was okay, but Kelsea wants the Fetch. Please give him to her... Thanks in advance ;)