Map of Fates (Conspiracy of Us, #2)

by Maggie Hall

[Joséphine]

Audiobook rating: 3 stars
Book rating: 2.5 stars

Initial thoughts: Julia Whelan is an impeccable narrator and it is to her credit that even though I didn't love this book, I still enjoyed listening to it. Compared to The Conspiracy of Us, Map of Fates wasn't as solid for me. Both books were very plot-driven, so I should say that the tone and the pacing were consistent throughout. However, I prefer mystery novels without grand overt fantastical elements. That "discovery" the synopsis refers to left me feeling a little disappointed.

My suspension of disbelief can stretch really far but in the case of Map of Fates, it nearly snapped. The combination of blood from specific people in the Order's lineages stretching back to Olympus and Helen was too much for me to swallow. Yes, there was the cautionary note that the female descendant had to have purple eyes to ensure the purity of blood, but seriously? Stellan supposedly was a direct descendant of Alexander the Great and his blood was still a perfect mach to Avery's to open up the rings and read the messages from Napoleon Bonaparte? I thought that whole premise was too far-fetched and convenient

Despite my gripes over the main premise and the overt romance that sprung forth in Map of Fates I still had fun listening to it. Whether that was enough for me to want to pick up the sequel next year remains to be seen.