Silks and Stones (the sequel of Cinnamon Soul) by Quinn Lawrence.
Hey everyone, I’m Ayxan Solongo aka Arden Skye aka TimeFliesAway, a shapeshifter traveling through the multiverse.
4.5 – Half a star less, but rounded to 5 stars on platforms that don’t have a half star feature.
I’m not sure why exactly – apart from my current hyperactive mood – but it took me a little longer than the previous volume to read through.
It might be because of the added cliches, much more than in the 1st book. What I loved a lot previously was how “new” the story felt. Fresh and exciting. This sequel picks up a more classic route of fantasy sequels. While still taking its own and different paths at the end, it had a few cliche tropes that are not my favorite.
For example, Cinna’s invincibility. Obviously, it was explained in the first book, but Cinna could’ve still been injured more; it read like she barely got any bruises (even when the villain used all their might to kill her, apparently), save from becoming unconscious a few times.
Nonetheless, I loved it a lot. It was so great seeing the characters again, especially the two main heroines! Cinna’s and Hokuren’s found family relationship is so heart-warming to read. I’m envious of them, not gonna lie.
Jarmo was also a nice addition and I liked the friendship between him and Cinna. Thanking the author a lot for not being heteronormative, because in every other fantasy book these two would’ve been a romance. Even when there were no romantic sparks.
Getting Hokuren’s backstory was also nice. Seeing her learn that her mother wasn’t as perfect as she thought all her life (also due to everyone else painting her as almost flawless).
And, just like in the previous volume, I made a lot of theories about the antagonists, along Cinna’s and Hokuren’s crime solving minds. Love tropes like these every time.
| Criteria | Scores | Our Score |
|---|---|---|
| Artistic Achievement | 1-5 | 4 |
| Pacing | 1-5 | 4 |
| Characters | 1-5 | 5 |
| Writing Style | 1-5 | 5 |
| Originality | 1-5 | 3 |
Finale Grade
A
Thank you to Quinn Lawrence on Netgalley for an eARC. The book was released on 7th April 2026.
Left 27th May 2026
~A. S.
Check my other content on this earth: Newsletter | Commissions | My books | Fediverse
Arden Skye or Ayxan Solongo, also widely known as TimeFliesAway, is a shapeshifter traveling through the multiverse.
Written By: Arden Skye aka Ayxan Solongo aka TimeFliesAway
Favorite game/film/book: doesn’t have one, cause there are too many good ones!
About: A child of Mother Nature, traveling through the multiverse. Likes to explore the stories of unique individuals – most often referred to as “weird” in a lot of worlds.
Donate: https://ko-fi.com/timefliesaway
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