The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

If you have not yet read this series which starts with The Burning Sky...WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?!!!  I seriously am in love with everything about this story, the world, the magic, did I mention EVERYTHING.  I was literally reading this second installment during SSR (silent sustained reading) in class and gasped aloud, much to the amusement of my students and my own personal embarrassment.  What I really wanted to do was jump on top of my desk and yell, "I LOVE THIS BOOK!"  But I feel as though that may be frowned upon withing the confines of school..whatevs, let me tell you why I love this series:

1. There are end notes!  End notes people!  Little numbers that lead you to a glossary of information in the back of the book to explain all sorts of magical terms to us lay people.  It is fabulous.

2.  She does not shy away from using big words.  Wonderful words.  Words that even I, as a teacher, had to look up and add to my vocabulary.

3.  The world is amazing.  This time around I would love to mention the unique point of view that she chooses.  Half of the chapters are told from the end.  The other half are told in flashback, which I don't always love but this time around, it was so different, it was amazing.  Also, let me take a moment to talk about how great the magic is.  It is great.  Comforting in its normalcy (for magic, I realize that's kind of a contradiction, but you get what I'm saying, right?) but also singular in some of it's creations and creatures.

4.  The characters are simply perfect.  How can entire novel center around two main characters without getting monotonous or boring, when the characters are these two, the answer is: sheer awesomeness.

The Perilous Sea was equally as fantastic as its predecessor The Burning Sky.

Final Recommendations:  if you like epic magic, great characters, a little bit of romance, and a simply wonderful story, everyone, just. go. buy. it....like NOW!