Thank you to The Fantastic Flying Book Club and the publishers for letting me be a part of this tour. I received an eARC of Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen as part of this blog tour but all the opinions are my own and this is a spoiler free review.
You can find the rest of the tour schedule on the FFBC website and here. Make sure to check out the other posts on the blog tour!
You can find the rest of the tour schedule on the FFBC website and here. Make sure to check out the other posts on the blog tour!
Dark Skies
Written by Danielle L. Jensen
Written by Danielle L. Jensen
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: TorTeen
Release Date: May 5, 2020
Pages: 464
Source: eARC from Publisher
Source: eARC from Publisher
Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository
Recommended Age: 13 and up!
Summary:
A RUNAWAY WITH A HIDDEN PAST
Lydia is a scholar, but books are her downfall when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire. Her life in danger, she flees west to the far side of the Endless Seas and finds herself entangled in a foreign war where her burgeoning powers are sought by both sides.
A COMMANDER IN DISGRACE
Killian is Marked by the God of War, but his gifts fail him when the realm under the dominion of the Corrupter invades Mudamora. Disgraced, he swears his sword to the kingdom’s only hope: the crown princess. But the choice sees him caught up in a web of political intrigue that will put his oath – and his heart – to the test.
A KINGDOM UNDER SIEGE
With Mudamora falling beneath the armies of the Corrupter, Lydia and Killian strike a bargain to save those they love most—but it is a bargain with unintended and disastrous consequences. Truths are revealed, birthrights claimed, and loyalties questioned—all while a menace deadlier and more far-reaching than they realize sweeps across the world.
(Summary from Goodreads)
Review:
One of my favorite books of 2019 ended up being Dark Shores, the first book in this series. So, when I saw that FFBC was doing a blog tour, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it.
Dark Skies is the sequel to Dark Shores, however it reads more like a companion novel than a sequel. This book runs parallel to the story in Dark Shores and we focus on two POVs: Lydia, who we previously met in book one, and Killian, a new character.
Lydia was introduced in book one as Teriana's best friend but we didn't get to see much of her. In this book we learn that she was adopted by a man who also happens to be a Senator and very influential in politics. Despite this, she is fairly sheltered and doesn't involve herself with the politics that her father is a part of. She is more of a scholar with a kind heart and the determination to do what needs to be done. She is also a survivor and picks herself back up even when it seems like all hope is gone. When she is thrown into a new world she is forced to survive and take care of herself and she ends up realizing how strong she really is.
Killian was a commander until armies from the Corrupter (the evil trying to invade and capture the continent) invade while he is in command. He ends up working for the Princess Malahi as her bodyguard which is a huge change for him. He's a character who always wants to make a difference and as he's caught up in politics, he is more inclined to help the people that will become affected by his and the Princess's actions.
The romance was very slow-burn though you can see how well the two compliment each other from their very first interactions. They both show a lot of growth throughout the book and you can see how different they are and how different their priorities and goals are by the end of the book.
The world-building is expanded upon in this second book. In this world there are Marked ones who are individuals who have been Marked by one of the six gods and they end up having the abilities/talents that the god who Marked them has. Most of this story takes place in Mudaire which is where the Marked ones have to turn themselves into the King so he can use them for his own gain. The world is dark, brutal and dangerous. We also get a lot more of the politics in this book which was very interesting and showed us that there really are no 'good guys' in this world and how every character has flaws and nothing is black and white.
Dark Skies is a solid second book in the series that introduces us to more characters, builds up the already complex world and has a fast-paced plot. I highly recommend this series and book to all Young Adult Fantasy lovers.
A RUNAWAY WITH A HIDDEN PAST
Lydia is a scholar, but books are her downfall when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire. Her life in danger, she flees west to the far side of the Endless Seas and finds herself entangled in a foreign war where her burgeoning powers are sought by both sides.
A COMMANDER IN DISGRACE
Killian is Marked by the God of War, but his gifts fail him when the realm under the dominion of the Corrupter invades Mudamora. Disgraced, he swears his sword to the kingdom’s only hope: the crown princess. But the choice sees him caught up in a web of political intrigue that will put his oath – and his heart – to the test.
A KINGDOM UNDER SIEGE
With Mudamora falling beneath the armies of the Corrupter, Lydia and Killian strike a bargain to save those they love most—but it is a bargain with unintended and disastrous consequences. Truths are revealed, birthrights claimed, and loyalties questioned—all while a menace deadlier and more far-reaching than they realize sweeps across the world.
(Summary from Goodreads)
Review:
One of my favorite books of 2019 ended up being Dark Shores, the first book in this series. So, when I saw that FFBC was doing a blog tour, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it.
Dark Skies is the sequel to Dark Shores, however it reads more like a companion novel than a sequel. This book runs parallel to the story in Dark Shores and we focus on two POVs: Lydia, who we previously met in book one, and Killian, a new character.
Lydia was introduced in book one as Teriana's best friend but we didn't get to see much of her. In this book we learn that she was adopted by a man who also happens to be a Senator and very influential in politics. Despite this, she is fairly sheltered and doesn't involve herself with the politics that her father is a part of. She is more of a scholar with a kind heart and the determination to do what needs to be done. She is also a survivor and picks herself back up even when it seems like all hope is gone. When she is thrown into a new world she is forced to survive and take care of herself and she ends up realizing how strong she really is.
Killian was a commander until armies from the Corrupter (the evil trying to invade and capture the continent) invade while he is in command. He ends up working for the Princess Malahi as her bodyguard which is a huge change for him. He's a character who always wants to make a difference and as he's caught up in politics, he is more inclined to help the people that will become affected by his and the Princess's actions.
The romance was very slow-burn though you can see how well the two compliment each other from their very first interactions. They both show a lot of growth throughout the book and you can see how different they are and how different their priorities and goals are by the end of the book.
The world-building is expanded upon in this second book. In this world there are Marked ones who are individuals who have been Marked by one of the six gods and they end up having the abilities/talents that the god who Marked them has. Most of this story takes place in Mudaire which is where the Marked ones have to turn themselves into the King so he can use them for his own gain. The world is dark, brutal and dangerous. We also get a lot more of the politics in this book which was very interesting and showed us that there really are no 'good guys' in this world and how every character has flaws and nothing is black and white.
Dark Skies is a solid second book in the series that introduces us to more characters, builds up the already complex world and has a fast-paced plot. I highly recommend this series and book to all Young Adult Fantasy lovers.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Crowns
No comments:
Post a Comment