[Skye’s Review]: The Boundless (The Beholder #2) by Anna Bright

The Boundless
by Anna Bright
Series: The Beholder #2
Pages: 512
Published by HarperTeen
Release Date: June 9th 2020
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Source: Publisher
Format Read: ARC
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This breathtaking sequel to The Beholder will take you on a journey into a darkly sparkling fairy tale, perfect for fans of The Selection and Caraval.

When Selah found true love with Prince Torden of Norway, she never imagined she’d have to leave him behind. All because the Beholder’s true mission was a secret Selah’s crew didn’t trust her to keep: transporting weapons to the rebels fighting against the brutal tsarytsya, whose shadow looms over their next port of Shvartsval’d. A place Selah hoped she’d never go.

But gone is the girl who departed Potomac filled with fear. With a stockpile of weapons belowdecks and her heart hanging in the balance, Selah is determined to see the Beholder’s quest to its end.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This duology satisfies my fairytale craving. This duology feels as if it’s a love letter to fairytales. The author incorporates fairytales throughout both books in different ways. Sometimes it’s the mention of a character from a popular story we’ve all heard. Sometimes it’s simply the lessons fairytales teach us and the deeper meaning of each fairytale. I rarely come across a book that radiates the same feeling fairytales evoke in readers.

The Boundless picks up right where The Beholder left off. Selah and her crew are sailing towards Shvartsval’d. There is tension between Selah and the crew due to the crew’s deception, but Selah is determined to see their plan through regardless. And that’s all I’ll say about the plot because I don’t want to spoil anything.

Besides the fairytale vibes that radiate from this book, another thing Anna Bright did really well with this book was Selah’s growth. Selah really came into her own in this book. She no longer depends upon others to save her, instead, she relies on herself. Her cunningness is also exemplified in this book in how Selah handles herself in regards to court politics. Though she doesn’t know the rules of each court, she found a way to make herself a strong player nonetheless. 

I only have one complaint about this book, and that’s the love triangle the author tried to do. The author hinted at this love triangle in book 1, and she continued it into this book. I won’t say anything spoilery about the love triangle. All I’ll say is that it didn’t make sense to me since Selah claimed she was in love with Torden. If she’s in love with him, how can she be entertaining feelings for someone else?? This part of the story didn’t make sense to me, and I didn’t enjoy it at all. It annoyed me. Then again, I hate love triangles in general. 

Overall, I freaking loved this book. It was such an easy, fun, magical read. It brought me back to my days as a child when I read the classic fairytales for the first time. If you’re a fan of strong heroines, fairytales, and adventure, then you’ll enjoy this book.