Series: Deathless #2
Published by Delacorte (2.9.2021)
Genres: High Fantasy, Young Adult
Format: Audiobook, 432 pages
Length: 14 hours, 28 minutes
Narrator: Imani Jade Powers
Source: Library
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity--and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki--near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.
Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be--not even Deka herself.
My thoughts
I am SO. SAD. that I didn’t love this one. I adored Gilded Ones, and the sequel was a highly anticipated release. However, it had a raging case of Second Book Syndrome and left me feeling extremely disappointed. I never really got into the story or the world like I did in the first book (and both of those aspects were fantastic in the first book) and felt pretty disconnected overall. It didn’t leave much of an impression on me. I already forget basically everything and could not tell you one single thing that actually happened in this book.
I’ll probably still give the third book a chance. Hopefully it will be better than this one!
Overall Assessment
Plot: 2/5
Premise: 4/5
Writing style: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
World-building: 3/5
Pace: 2.5/5
Feels: 1/5
Narration: 4.5/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Overall rating: 2.5/5
Series: The Infinity Courts #2
Published by Simon Pulse (4.19.2022)
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Format: Audiobook, 432 pages
Length: 11 hours, 29 minutes
Narrator: Mizuo Peck
Source: I own it
It’s been ten months since Nami narrowly escaped the Four Courts and Ophelia’s wrath. Ten months since she was betrayed by someone she once considered a friend. Someone she poured her heart out to. And now her family here in the afterlife are gone, captured, and Nami is utterly alone.
On the run, only steps ahead of the AI forces pursuing her, and desperate to free her friends, Nami must take the allies she can find, even if she doesn’t fully trust them. And as she tests the limits of her own power, she must also reckon with the responsibility that entails.
Stakes are high as Nami navigates old enemies, unexpected allies, and an ever-changing landscape filled with dangers and twists at every turn. Along the way, she’ll learn powerful truths about who she can trust and the sacrifices that must be made in order to fight for a better, freer world for all.
My thoughts
Sadly this was another highly anticipated sequel that left me wanting. Infinity Courts was in my top ten of 2021 and earned 4.5/5 from me. It definitely had some Second Book Syndrome going on. I did enjoy jumping back into the world, because it’s one of my favorite fictional worlds and is absolutely cinematic! I still enjoyed it while I was reading (the narrator is awesome, too!), it just wasn’t as epic as the first book was and that makes me super bummed.
However, THAT ENDING!!! What a doozy of an ending! I can’t wait to see how things turn out in the next book!
Overall Assessment
Plot: 3/5
Premise: 5/5
Writing style: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
World-building: 4.5/5
Pace: 3.5/5
Feels: 1/5
Narration: 4/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Overall rating: 3.5/5
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