A song of ash and moonlight

Legrand (A Crown of Ivy and Glass) brings readers back to Middlemist, this time from the perspective of Gemma's older sister Farrin Ashbourne, who has always been their father's favorite and the one who takes care of the estate and the family. In the previous book, the Ashbournes formed an alliance with the Bask family while freeing Gemma's lover from Kilraith, a god of the Olden. Now they must work even closer, as everything seems to fall apart. Anointed magicians, including Alastrina Bask, are vanishing from all over, and a fiery birdlike woman is following Farrin and disappearing without a trace--all while the mist is growing and forcing people out of their homes. Though Farrin has been brought up to hate Ryder Bask and his arrogance, she feels drawn to him, and they'll have to work together to save those they care about. VERDICT The characters could be further developed, but Legrand has created a lush and atmospheric world in which magic and peril are all around, immersing readers at every turn. Fans of Sarah J. Maas might enjoy this series.--Leigh Verburg