ARC COVER                                                                         RELEASE COVER

Return to Daevabad in the spellbinding sequel to THE CITY OF BRASS.

Nahri’s life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabadand quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there.

Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of the battle that saw Dara slain at Prince Ali’s hand, Nahri must forge a new path for herself, without the protection of the guardian who stole her heart or the counsel of the prince she considered a friend. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her familyand one misstep will doom her tribe.

Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the maridthe unpredictable water spiritshave gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.

And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad’s towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve.

Out January 22, 2019

Book One: City of Brass

640 pages approx.

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.  My ARC has a different cover. I personally like the release cover.

This is a thick read and it took me a bit to get through it.

So there’s drinking, violence, gore, more violence, more gore, self-harming issues…

I would not necessarily rate this book as a YA, but perhaps as a NA.  The other thing that annoyed the hell out of me was the romance… ugh! Finally, with the world-building, which was intricate, elaborate and involved, there’s a whole lot of politics.

The characters are complicated, layered and at times perplexing, in a good way. At times, they bug the crap out of me, also in a good way.  It’s like you read something that went in a certain direction that you wouldn’t have gone, so you throw the book across the room frustrated with them.  The book sits on the floor beckoning to you.  With a loud sigh of exasperation, you get up, stomp over to the book and pick it up because deep down you really need to know what idiotic thing they’re going to do next, even if you hate them for that moment.  This love/hate relationship between myself and the characters went  on throughout the entire book. I loved it!

I really just wish there were more relationships without all the complications in fantasy novels, like a really strong friendship between man and woman just because.

Loved the Djinn as they are portrayed in the series, it’s why I was attracted to the series initially.  The magic system is fascinating and put together nicely.

For a fantasy, this book has it all.  It’s complicated and imaginative, both revealing and secretive.  There’s a sense of mystery and suspence and is incredibly engaging. I did find at times that this second book felt like a stepping stone to what will be the third and not really a standalone, or a story in itself.  Yes, it did build onto the plot of the first book, although it did follow five years after from where the first left off. There are some changes to the characters and their lives that irked me, but I got over it fast. I think those who love character driven books and who invest a lot of emotion and time into loving character development, may not like the direction that some of the characters go.

Pacing is great, if you can digest the politics easily.  The book is a challenge in some ways and a breeze in others.  I don’t mind either.  The author’s voice is great adding to the tension and conflict is built up consistently throughout the book. I love this fantasy because it’s unique and complex, and thoroughly entertaining.

I gave this book: