We Will Devour The Night

The Essence of the Equinox #2

by Camilla Andrew

Twenty years after her fateful first voyage north, Laila is preparing for her campaign to become the next impératrice of Soleterea, contending with negative attitudes towards chaos magic and the demons who wield it. In the meantime, Darius has settled into his new position as the rex of Mortos, but his rule has not been without conflict and conspiracy, either.

When her mother suggests that Laila distinguish herself politically by lending a hand to the famine-stricken Mortesians, she finds herself once more crossing paths with her old lover and confronting the whirlwind of emotions that twenty years apart have done little to settle. Determined to put her feelings to one side, Laila throws herself headfirst into the viper pit of Mortesian court politics to try to win their favour. However, Darius has an allure of his own—one that is not quite so simple to resist.

The second instalment in the Essence of the Equinox trilogy continues on the trajectory of character-driven gaslamp fantasy with high emotional stakes and classical worldbuilding.

Genres: Fantasy, Queer

398 pages, Paperback

Published September 22, 2024

About the author

Camilla Andrew lives in a leafy English town that sounds remarkably like a fairytale setting with talking animals in suits. She spends her days writing, reading, drinking tea and working diligently at her (remote) office job. Her works also feature in Cloaked Press and midnight & indigo.

Reviews

[CristoC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know how it’s possible to read a book I’ve thoroughly loved the first time for a second time and loving it more, but that’s what happened with ‘When the Stars Alight’ in preparation for this second instalment of the series.
Camilla Andrew comes back strong with ‘We will Devour the Night’ with the same lush writing style, the same imaginative drive to write the more than worthy middle book of the series. What’s new here is my surprise at how much I didn’t think the author’s ability to craft could be much better than I already thought it was: if the story of the first book spread out in a very specific narrative vein, here many elements contribute not only to creating the story of the second book, but to anticipating that of the third, without however leaving a bitter taste in the mouth once the reading is over. Every character, new and old, serves a very specific purpose, and not once do they feel superfluous; be it a minor character that helps making the worldbuilding coherent, a secondary character that advances the plot, or a main character that creates the plot, each point of view comes as a welcome perspective on the story. Speaking of characters…I think my notes are filled with polite invitations to every female character to step on me. The author’s ability to create distinct voices (not only) of female characters is such a heartwarming evidence of the care and love that she has for women, fictional and not. It drives you to love even the vilest of characters, those that hinder the main characters’ success, those that could do the right thing and still don’t, because of pride, because of rage, or because they are too good. It’s a breath of fresh air in a multitude of Mary Sues, of ornamental supporting-characters, and characters that are defined morally grey because they might have stepped on an ant when they were five.

As for Laila and Darius…I fear every word I’d like to write about them would be a spoiler so I’ll just say how much I loved Laila’s growth, her rejection of her deeply embedded fear of the future, caused by the fact that it’s really always been controlled by her mother, and the realism of her change. As I said in my review of the first book, she had to learn to love herself, and taking her future into her hands is the very first step in what I can see will be her character development. I loved Darius’ growth as well, his resilience, his twisted nerdy brain and the fact that, as murderous and scheming as he is in politics, he’s the perfect male bisexual specimen, thank you very much. The way in which, from their first meeting to where they are now, these characters have seeped one into the other…the heat influencing the cold, and the cold influencing the heat, the balance that they reach together…one can only appreciate the poetry that Camilla Andrew creates with character dynamics.

The negative? I have to wait for the third book. The positive? When it finally comes, I’ll get to read these books all over again.



I received an eARC of the book from the author and this represents my honest opinion.

[Ladz · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Will Devour the Night lures the reader back into a sensual and deadly world of magic and immortals, putting on display Camilla Andrew's full world-building prowess. The political and the interpersonal dance a tense waltz in this sequel that explores the beautiful and terrible ways that magic can heal or destroy.

[DC Guevara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another BANGER from Camilla Andrew, and I'm obsessed with this world just as I was the first round. Here's my official blurb.

Entering back into the lush and vivid worlds of WE WILL DEVOUR THE NIGHT is as effortless as it is delectable, which can be attributed to Camilla Andrew's undeniable talent in weaving together political intrigue, intricate prose, and decadent dynamics in an explosive sequel that explores what it means to give into one's desires, the consequences that these can create, and a yearning that stands in the middle of it all, braving everything this ruthlessly gorgeous world has to throw at it.

[Morgan Dante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as rich and decadent as the first book in the series, WE WILL DEVOUR THE NIGHT is a brilliant and sensual must-read for fans of yearning, complicated love, nuanced characters, and intricate politics in a fantasy setting.”

[Tímea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this lovely second book, and I'm glad I did. It is a fantastic series continuation, with even more lush descriptions and details about the world. What I always crave in series is an expansion of the world with every book, and We Will Devour The Night delivered that beautifully from the first page. Not to mention the deepening and complicating landscape of relationships. It intrigues and entertains which will always be one of my favourite combinations in literature.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy release week!!

I genuinely liked this book so much more than the first one. There was a bit more lore and the chatacters grew on me even more.

I absolutely adore Darius, but Laila gets a little on my nerves. The pacing however felt a bit off.

I can't wait to see how it continues!!

I got a free e-ARC in exchange for a review.

[SketchScorpio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Camilla Andrew’s writing is, as always, beautiful. Laila and Darius had a fascinating dynamic in When The Stars Alight, and it only gets more complex in We Will Devour The Night. Despite the fact that some parts dragged a bit, the politics, along with Laila and Darius’s personal journeys, kept it interesting throughout.

[eclecticbychoicereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can I even try to do Camilla's work justice? How can I find the right words to describe the perfection of her poetic style, beautifully crafted characters, and just pure emotion oozing from the pages of We Will Devour The Night, Book 2 in her Essence of the Equinox series?

As a quick reminder, We Will Devour The Night will be released on September 22nd, giving you the perfect amount of time to read When The Stars Alight and be ready to go straight into the sequel. And what a sequel it was!

I fell in love with Camill'as storytelling in When The Stars Alight. I fell in love with the world she had crafted, one full of light and darkness, stars in the night sky, and the deepest of abysses, duty and devotion, love and the lack of it, pain and torment, rage and rejection. Still, even with all the bad looming over, I felt like love would find its way through. As it always does, regardless of time, place, or any other boundaries, physical or aetherial.

Could a monster love? And what is it that makes one a monster? Is it the looks, or is there more to it? I'd say we all have some bits and pieces of something "monstrous" lurking within, and it takes the right person to love all of us, the good and the bad.

"What does that mean?" she asked, glancing up at him in confusion.
"It means you have devoured my heart."

And I have devoured every sentence of this book, every look and thought between Laila and Darius, every loving gesture, every bit of hurt and pain, everything that has led up to this. So, I ask you again, could a monster love? I think the answer is clear.

He watched the sunlight filter through the clouds, ordaining her with its halo, and something stirred in him, more refined than carnal hunger: true aspiration.
An ideal to reach for.

And an ideal it was, this whole story we were gifted in We Will Devour The Night. The story of Laila and Darius, the story of two kingdoms so different yet so similar in their thirst for power and intrigue, the story of brothers who never were, of friendships mended and lost, but above all, of love transcending time and place. A love not pure because it should be, but because the two people in love make it so, even with all the trials and tribulations, time passed and lost.

Did I intrigue you enough to devour We Will Devour The Night (pun intended)? I hope I did because this gothic dark fantasy series deserves all the praise it can get.

In short, We Will Devour The Night will gift you
- Book 2 in this hauntingly beautiful gothic dark fantasy series
- lyrical & mystical prose
- deep world-building
- whirlwind romance
- revenge & hate
- brutality & passion
- magic-driven bigotry
- star-crossed lovers
- light vs dark
and a perfect building up to a heart-wrenching finale we eagerly await!

[queenslayerbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honour to receive and ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This review might contain some vague spoilers of the novel, as well as reveal information pertaining to the first instalment of the series.

Camilla Andrew’s sequel matches, and then surpasses, the mastery of its predecessor. This second novel takes care to expand on the unique worldbuilding of the universe she created; it delights on taking the characters to their limits to show us new facets of them, always unafraid of showing either their ugliest sides, or their aspirational nature, as well as in including some additions to the familiar roaster that enrichen the story; and it ties it all together with a neat bow, using the lyrical prose the author has us accustomed to in order to elevate each already striking aspect of the tale.

The book starts thirty years after where “When the Stars Alight” left off, plunging us alongside Princess Laila, its lead, into the thorny political situation she’ll have to navigate. Andrew knows exactly how to showcase the interests of several characters and factions at once, portraying their clashes, their alliances, and everything in between and making us understand where they’re coming from, and how each small piece of the board might affect the outcome of the conflict between two opposing forces: the Solarites, maidens from the stars who rule Vysteria, and the Occassi in Mortos, a race with chaotic powers in a more hostile society.

This conflict is personified by the two central characters and their impossible romance: Laila and Darius, a bastard son now turned king. Their relationship is at the centre of the story, and the sequel more than did justice to their explosive beginnings and whirlwind courtship in WTSA. As someone who has always adored a good exes-to-lovers story, they kept me at the edge of my seat, getting me as worked up as they did with the rising tension, caused by their tumultuous history and the palpable dormant feelings still between them. The state of their dynamic at the end of the novel is one of the many things that builds the anticipation for the third and conclusive book.

Each of them has individual arcs that contribute to the darker bent the sequel takes. As someone who loves Laila, in particular, following her arc during these two books, seeing the changes she goes through, was immensely satisfying. After her actions in this book, she’ll be changed forever. And I love that the romance, far from detracting from her development, adds depth to it. Seeing her situation, knowing it in all its intimate details, I understand why she turns to Darius; why there is such an appeal to her on loving and being loved by the monstruous, and the strengths it gives her in other parts of her life. Not one single person in the entire book thinks the two of them together is a good idea, and that, to me, it’s part of the appeal: the absolute defiance of it, and the freedom it can represent for Laila… for now.

The other characters in the ensemble are not far behind on the development department, or any other. Characters already present in the first book, like Amira (Laila’s mother) and Lyra (her lionheart, her friend, her past lover) are pushed to the limit, as is their relationship with Laila, in complex ways I rarely get to enjoy among female characters. Let alone having so much care and attention destined to them, to the intricacies of their dynamics. There were other old favourites (and not so favourites!) that made their appearances to steer a lot of the exact kind of trouble (and fun) I want to see in my stories.

But the new additions are what has me most enamoured with this book. There’s Sabina, a young occasselle who doesn’t fit her society strict gender norms and struggles to navigate it; Elina, a medical practitioner in Soleterea that offers insight into that territory, and into the world of those human witches; or Sadik, the counterpoint to Elina and her tragic romance: a human man who, devoid of magic, has sook to obtain power in other ways.

Serafina, however, is the star among them. She’s Darius’s estranged mother, some whose presence still lingered despite her outward absence during the first book. She makes her first appearance in WWDTN, and she’s a hurricane that will leave nobody indifferent, inside or outside the story. Camilla Andrew dedicated a short novella to her origin story, “The Sanguine Sorceress”, which I heartly recommend to anyone who feels curious about her character. Or to those of us who appreciate morally ambiguous women and a good revenge tale.

And to conclude this review: I recommend “We Will Devour the Night” to those who enjoyed the first novel. For those who never read it, I’d recommend the whole series to anyone who gravitates towards luscious, descriptive prose; who appreciates a good doomed romance; and who craves more stories complex female characters and otherworldly, fantastical settings.

But beware: not in years have I anticipated getting to experience the end of a trilogy the way I do with this one. This second book builds up and concludes in such a way that it’ll inevitably leave you wanting more.

[Fitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I received an eARC of this book from the author and this represents my honest opinion. Spoilers for When the Stars Alight are present.

I started We Will Devour the Night while moving across the continental United States. Which sounds crazy (spoilers: it was) but I REALLY wanted to dive back into the world Camilla Andrew created. Set twenty years after When the Stars Alight, the book hits the ground running. So, if you’ve not read the first book yet, I highly recommend doing so before starting We Will Devour the Night. Bonus points if you get to Andrew’s The Sanguine Sorceress.

At the end of When the Stars Alight, a lot had happened. Laila had rejected Darius. Darius had killed his brother. Lyra’s uncle/Laila’s father figure had to be sacrificed to permanently banish Darius’s father. Amira dropped the in-world inequivalent of nuclear bombs on Darius’s home country. Dr. Emika Hariken (minor character, love of my life), uses her chimera monster powers to eat a whole bunch of people. It isn’t important to know that last part; I just really love Dr. Hariken, no matter how many legs she has and I want everyone to know that. (She doesn’t even show up in this book!)

Anyway, that’s where we’ve left off. We find Laila Rose catching stars on the beach and being told her ex-lover has dropped in for a visit (awkward). It’s been twenty years since Mortos opened up to the wider world and Laila’s mom, Amira, is concerned that chaos magic and drugs (we’ll just call it drugs) are being smuggled through to Soleterea. While Darius spends the book trying to suss out who and how stuff is being smuggled, Amira gently “suggests” to Laila that she should go forth and be a good little politician. The Rose legacy is in danger. Without Laila, it dies off and Amira absolutely wants to control control control. Off Laila goes to Mortos because, oof, a major famine is going on. Wonder what caused that shrug emoji and question mark. Absolutely, she and Darius are going to cross paths and that’s dangerous for two-lovers who are star-crossed. We get some new characters who highlight the other side of this world. Mortals get more representation. As a mortal myself, I call that a diversity win.

It’s Andrew’s second installment in her Essence of the Equinox trilogy so while we still get richly woven descriptions, there are new things to admire and reflect on. In addition to the familiar environments of Soleterea and Mortos, a rainforest is introduced as an important setting. Elina Panja is our anchor here. We get to experience the rainforest not only as a humid, oppressive sprawl of crushing green but also through her eyes. Elina’s rainforest breathes and embraces her as she acknowledges the power it holds. It reminds me very much of my favorite scene in When the Stars Alight where Lyra’s home in the forest wasn’t just a forest but a part of Lyra. Andrew effortlessly continues to spread a well-constructed quilt over the story and transforms a book into a world. Despite this, I am finding myself wishing we had more orientation. This world is becoming larger and the lack of names for geography, terrain, and water features does take me out of the environment once in a while. For a lot of readers, I imagine that this won’t hinder the overall enjoyment. It’s just a little thing I’ve begun to notice in my own experience.

Like the environments, the characters continue to be delightfully constructed. We get new faces but Elina Panja is an easy favorite. She loves her family, is strongly rooted in her goals and priorities, and is effortlessly kind (and this kindness persists even when she is setting boundaries, which I adore). A familiar face from book one returns and Andrew keeps you guessing as to what the actual heck has happened (spoilers: you won’t find out until the very end and oh gosh I internally screamed at the revelation). Since this is the second book in a trilogy, Andrew has the hard work of trying to pick up the momentum of book one while setting up book three. For the most part, it’s successful. There is no shortage of tantalizing threads but I am a little concerned that we’re going to get eleventh hour decisions from Laila (and maybe others but Laila is my primary concern) that don’t match up with who we’ve gotten to know. But Andrew has earned more than enough good will from me to dive in, trusting and exciting

So, the big question: should you read Camilla Andrew’s We Will Devour the Night? Yeah. Especially if you read the first book and enjoyed it. After finishing it, I immediately needed to consume everything else the Essence of the Equinox series had to offer. I couldn’t get enough. I volunteered to read and give a review of this book because I wanted to read more as soon as possible. When the Stars Alight prepared the meal and set the table. We Will Devour the Night serves an extravagant feast.

Come hungry.

Stars: 4/5

TLDR: Messy politics, messy families, and messy love but Andrew balances the hell out of it all while building up to a heart-wrenching finale for everyone.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

After falling in love with When the Stars Alight, the first book in the trilogy, I had the privilege of beta reading We Will Devour the Night, so this wasn’t technically a first read for me. However, that means I can say how proud I am of the work Camilla Andrew has done to turn an already great early draft into an excellent, polished novel.

That being said, let’s get into this review proper. Please note that there will be spoilers for the first book.

If When the Stars Alight was an impressive debut, but still showed some immaturity on a craft level, We Will Devour the Night is a testament to Andrew’s improvement. Instead of the slow start that probably turned off other readers, here we jump from the get-go into the political machinations of both Soleterea and Mortos. Laila is laying the groundwork for an electoral campaign, while Darius faces the threat of unrest in a country pulled between tradition and innovation. And this is how our two leads meet again, with Laila travelling back to Mortos to assert Soleterea’s dominance over its dependency. As she once again grows entangled in the web of Mortesian factions, from the villages of oppressed indigenous peoples to nobles’ sitting rooms, Laila fights her feelings for Darius, that never quite disappeared despite their distance. The political intrigue is umped up compared to WTSA, and so is the romance.

The setting broadens as we’re introduced to new characters from the rainforest country of Thalistan, inhabited by humans and inspired by the author’s own Caribbean heritage. Their story directly intersects with Lyra’s new mission, for the first time away from Laila, and opens up a new mystery for the final instalment in the series.

Andrew’s writing style, which still needed a bit of refining in the first novel, is at its best in WWDTN. The flowery prose weaves tapestries of starry skies and fields here, jagged shorelines and frozen branches there — the brightness of Soleterea, the oppressive atmosphere of Mortos, the carefree energy of Thalistan. I’m not usually one to care about quotes, but my e-book is full of underlinings.

As always, the characters are a true delight. Laila Rose is one of my favourite protagonists of all time, with her unending compassion, her manipulative streak, and her vulnerability underneath the burdens her mother places upon her. In this sequel, she toes the line between light and darkness more than ever before, between her naivete and the cruel environment she’s dropped into, between her morals and her love for a monster. There aren’t enough words in any language to express what Laila means to me.

Darius is Laila’s mirror image: dark where she’s light, disillusioned where she hopes for a better world, but similar in their cunning and desire to be loved. It’s unsurprising that Laila would fall for his charms, especially when Darius shields her from his ugliness, so Laila is blissfully unaware as he commits atrocities under her nose. Andrew juxtaposes scenes of his adoration for Laila with his disturbing experiments, lulling you into seeing Darius from Laila’s perspective, only for reality to hit you. The emphasis on one of the key questions this series poses, of whether the beast can be redeemed, is more prominent than ever.

Laila and Darius’s romance is both tender and horrifying, a disaster in motion that’s waiting to explode. The gentleness they have with one another stands stark against the ferocity of the world they live in and Darius’s own nature. You can’t help hope that their love will be stronger, even if, deep down, you’re bracing for the inevitable downfall.

I could write whole essays about all these characters, but I’ll limit myself to the new entries to save space and time. I instantly loved Elina, a healer witch from Thalistan with unshakeable ethics, and the tragedy of her love for a man who ultimately brings her nothing but pain. The same goes for Sabina, a fiery occassella who defies the norms of Mortesian society, and her friendship with Darius. And, of course, one of the most iconic figures in The Essence of the Equinox is Serafina, Darius’s mother and leader of the blood sorceresses, a force of nature whose origin story captivated me in the novella The Sanguine Sorceress.

WWDTN will sate all your reading urges, with its mixture of political intrigue, schemes orchestrated behind the curtains and doomed romance. The bitter taste of the ending will leave you both aching for and dreading the third and final instalment. 4,75⭐

[Bevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

{4.25/5}

CW: gore, violence, body horror, spice, @busive family dynamics, some others

Thank you to the author for allowing me to be a part of the ARC team! “We Will Devour the Night” is available now!

“Morally gray” has nothing on Darius Calantis.

It’s been 20 years since the solarite princess journeyed north to discover a hidden land, and Laila has yet to erase the memory of the monster she met there. Darius has retired to Mortos to lead his newly won kingdom into a new era, but the fallen star that captured his attention has yet to relinquish her grasp. As Laila’s election trials draw near, she once again chooses to risk the blood and ice of the north in an attempt to find a balance between the two lands.

As with book 1, I’m going to have to issue a warning— this is absolutely not the book for you if you’re squeamish. I can’t list all the CWs or I’ll most definitely get banned, so you’ll just have to trust me. Again, I didn’t find it to be gratuitous or out of place, but it’s not a small amount and you would not have a good time. Which would be a shame, because this book was amazing.

Yet again, the world building is fantastically vibrant. The main difference here is that it feels less sugar-sweet rich and more rot-your-teeth, everything is hiding something terrifying. Which, to be fair, it is. There’s a little bit less in the way of scenic descriptions, but the shift in focus to using the characters to set the tone works incredibly well with the rest of the story, and it doesn’t detract from how ‘other’ the world feels. There’s less emotional separation here, but it still gives a stark reminder that the characters we’re watching aren’t human. The monsters are beautiful, but they’re still monsters.

This also plays right into the characters themselves. Because we still have that impression of ‘watching’ rather than ‘accompanying’ the characters, we still don’t know everyone’s thoughts and motivations as clearly as we might in some other stories. It would be curveball after curveball, but everything is so well set up and executed that even the most out of pocket responses feel very in character. It becomes very easy to forget all the horror, right up until something happens to remind you of who you’re reading about. The resulting mental disconnect between what’s happening and what you expect or who you want to cheer on gives the whole thing the same hazy quality we saw before, just a little less obfuscated as we learn more along the way.

There is a great amount of skill required to structure a book like this so well as to make you *want* the homicidal cannibal to succeed. Seriously, that’s a hard sell, and the author’s made it look easy. Not only that, but the slow peeling away of the terrifying, beautiful fog that permeated book 1 to reveal just a little more of the truth of this world has been executed so deftly that you barely notice the change until just the right moment. Everything has teeth here, you just were too distracted to see them.

The story contained the the “Essence of the Equinox” series is, obviously, one I’ve greatly enjoyed. The thing that truly shines the brightest, though, is the talent. Not only is the storyline itself incredible, the actual execution is insane. The character dynamics, the overall feel to the books, the subtle shift in your perception as you become more immersed in this world, the prose—all of it combines to give you this indescribable, bloody tale that leaves you feeling as though something in your waking dreams has been caressing you with lethally sharp claws, and you loved it.

[Janene McClelland · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚We Will Devour the Night by Camilla Andrew📚

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
🌶️ 🌶️1/2

✨Tropes✨
💫Star Crossed Lovers
💫Touch her and 💀
💫Longing
💫Hades & Persephone x Romeo & Juliet
💫Revenge
💫Multiple POVs
💫Morally Gray MMC

✨Summary✨
The book picks up 20 years after the ending of the first book in this series. Laila and Darius have not seen each other for that long, but come face to face when Darius asks for help from Laila’s mother. Darius’ kingdom is facing famine and he desperately needs to get help soon. To improve Laila’s diplomacy skills, her
mother sends her to Darius’ kingdom. She reluctantly agrees to go. While together, they both realize they still have the same intense feelings for each other. But soon Laila learns Dominus, against all odds, is still alive and posing a threat to those she holds dear. Will they be able to stop Dominus’ destructive path? And will Laila and Dominus finally give in to their feelings before it’s too late?

✨Critiques✨
The change of POV is still a little jarring, but I anticipated it this time so it was easier to follow.

Laila still annoyed me, but I will concede she grew as a character by the end. I tend to agree with Dominus when he said she is a selfish and self-interested being. However, again, she did grow somewhat by the end.

✨Elements I Loved✨
Darius. My god would I do just about anything for that man. Camilla has written the morally gray man of my dreams. Darius can do no wrong and I will hear no slander against him. Especially after the decades long devotion he has given Laila (who in my opinion doesn’t deserve Darius).


👩🏻My Recommendation👩🏻
If you enjoyed the first book, l feel pretty confident you’ll enjoy this book. There is still the lush descriptions and world/ character building. The romance is *chef’s kiss*. Darius is my book soul mate. And Laila grew on me towards the end. All in all, it was a great book and I’m both terrified and excited for the final book in the series.

Thank you The Nerd Fam and the author for the gifted book.

[Sunshine_and_Fantasybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for both books 1 and 2.

In When The Stars Alight, we are introduced to Princess Laila Rose, a fallen star in human form, and the demon prince Darius. Their dynamic is utterly fascinating, evolving from curiosity to mutual desire. I was drawn in by Laila’s journey from her peaceful seaside realm into the terrifying lands of Mortos, navigating political intrigue and the complexities of demon court. Darius, far from being a simple monster, is charming and enigmatic, making their relationship even more compelling.
We Will Devour The Night continues twenty years later, with Laila preparing for her campaign to become the next impératrice of Soleterea, and Darius grappling with his role as rex of Mortos. The political machinations and courtly intrigue are richly detailed, and the reunion between Laila and Darius is charged with unresolved emotions and tension.
Camilla Andrew’s writing is beautiful and immersive. The world-building is intricate, and the characters’ personal journeys are deeply engaging. While some parts did drag a bit, the complex politics and the evolving relationship between Laila and Darius kept me hooked. This series is a must-read for fans of fantasy filled with darkness, brutality, and passion. Can’t wait for the next installment in this series.

[Fi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review

When the Stars Alight is one of my favorites books ever, from the rich prose and gruesome descriptions to the world building and the way Andrew creates fascinating characters, I've been beyond excited to get to the second book and I was NOT disappointed. Overall I find that We Will Devour the Night as a second installment hits the spot. It gave me everything I wanted following the previous book and more. I was particularly a fan of the politics and intrigue as we once more breach the Occasi court and I loved seeing Laila and getting to see the way she interacts with it now compared to all those years ago. The world building also continues to be absolutely full and fascinating. The way Andrew subtly creates a complex world building and incorporates it into the narrative so effortlessly is amazing. And of course last but not least, I also absolutely love the romance between Laila and Darius. They are so bad for each other sometimes but the chemistry and romance between them is probably one of my favorite aspects. The tender moments they share always leave me wanting for more and the horror that hides beneath the surface of the story gives it a more satisfying bite to it.

[Raven Elliot O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler-free review. A longer, more in depth review will be linked soon.

I received an ARC copy of this book and boy am I glad I came back. We Will Devour the Night improves and expands upon its predecessor in a satisfying and enticing way, combining rich prose and worldbuilding with complex and sympathetic characters to create a truly immersive world that will be sure to satisfy any romance reader seeking depth and personality in their reading.

Laila and Darius are truly the m/f couple I have been begging for. I want to bite them. I want to put them in a microwave and watch them through the glass. They fascinate me. They infuriate me. I love them to death.

Combine that with prose that knows in equal parts how to make me long to reach into the page and touch the world, and also to curl into my skin and never think about That ever again, and you’ve got a book I utterly devoured.

I cannot wait for the third installation and to see all the ways these two disastrous protagonists will screw everything up next time 😂

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy smokes, this book. AH. It drew me right in and was such a great sequel to the first book. I honestly do not know which book I liked more and that shows just how much love Camilla put into this world she created. And I cannot wait to read the next book. Laila and Darius are just so amazing. The supporting characters are also so well written, you cannot help but feel you are a part of the world. The book does pick up years after the ending of the first book and then bam you are right into it. Words cannot truly describe everything in this book. And I have to say Darius is one of my favorite book boyfriends. I just love him so much. This book is full of touch her and die, morally gray mmc, star crossed lovers, multiple povs and so much more. If you are looking for your next fantasy read, look no further!

[U.R. Holm · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Will Devour the Night blew me away. It’s not a small feat to try and match the quality of When the Stars Alight, but this sequel went above and beyond.
The prose is still beautiful, with descriptions from a pleasant dream that could make the fullest stomach growl.
The world is growing bigger and bigger.
Laila and Darius is growing on me more and more and I cannot wait for the next instalment in the series. And hopefully more side stories as well.👀

The different plots in this story comes together perfectly and I am excited, and a bit scared, to see what happens to all the characters that has been introduced so far.

I received and ARC of this book and will 100% sign up for any and all coming books from this author.

[Vermont Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I recieved an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review).
Wow. This book rendered me speechless. Not many books are capable of doing that, but when it comes to this one, I cannot find the right words to sing its praises. From the divine worldbuilding to the immensly stunning descriptions, everything about this was like walking through a dream. It's both pleasant and disturbing (in a delightful way) and truly grips every sense. I truly cannot express the way I felt reading this. It was stunning! I sat there gripped. Trust me when I say that when you pick this book up, you'll find it hard to put down until you've finished every single word.

[Joanna C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of the two books this one was my favorite. This book was just so action filled that you can’t help but be sucked into the story. I’m so glad that Laila finally decided to give into what makes her happy even if only for a short while. I think in this book we got to see just how much the actions of others were shrouded in secrecy. That a lot of people were doing things that would benefit their cause.

So much changed for Darius in this book but I’m glad that he was much happier now than he had ever been. Even though he’s very stubborn he tried to take advice from others to implement improvements for his kingdom.

[Skye • literaryintheskye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad that I was able to stick with the world that Camilla created for us because book two was so much more exciting.

There were amazing descriptions, world-building that gave such wonders to imagine, something truly stunning and dreamland-like. The dynamic of laila and Darius was something that I loved the author built upon, the growth of the characters was nice to see.

I loved everything about book two; the politics, personal revalations and all around the ending to a great story.

[JessicaIsRoyallyBooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the series, this book perfectly integrates right into where the story left off, even though it is 20 years later.

This series perfectly showcases life and death, light and dark and the blurred edges between. The vivid imagery provided by the author allows you to picture the world and it's characters in beautiful (or terrifying) detail. I find the characters very well defined with their own voices and personality. Each character has a specific purpose and doesn't feel like a filler.

I adore Laila, the FMC, and the MMC. I don't want to say too much, because this is the second in the series and there is a plot twist in the first that we follow into the second- which I absolutely needed to happen.

My emotions were pulled all over the place because I was cheering for the romance, but also trying to shoo her away because the MMC is creating things that haunt my nightmares. However, their love is also very sweet and genuine.

💫Unique magic
💫Second chance romance
💫Political intrigue
💫Forbidden love
💫Betrayal
💫Revenge
💫Morally grey
💫Villian gets the girl

Thank you so much for allowing me to read your books! I am hooked on this series, and cannot wait to see where it goes!

[Lauren Penner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decadent, lush, and vibrant are just a few words I’d use to describe this gaslamp fantasy world. The author’s writing is beautiful and poetic. The world-building is vivid and imaginative. The romance is steamy!

Fav tropes:
Star-crossed lovers ✨
Lovers to enemies 💔
Light vs. Dark 🖤
Royalty 👑
Court politics 🏰
Mad scientist 🧪
Magical creatures 🦄
Meddling mother 💕

Thank you to the author and to The Nerd Fam for this awesome gifted book!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful sequel to the first book in the series. I really enjoyed the additional world building and the growth and overall journey the characters went on throughout the novel. Laila and Darius are both such great characters and I’m excited to see what happens to them in the next book! Thank you to Camilla Andrew and The Nerd Fam for the ARC of this story.

[Keelie Chant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as the first book in this series. If not better! I seriously could not put this book down and devoured it so fast that I’m not lost at what to do next. I’ll be grabbing myself a copy of the third instalment for sure!

[MichelleLeigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt like this book was so much better than the first.
The storytelling for me was so much better, more like a dreamscape and beautiful, gripping and haunting.

[Mercedes Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh, I just adore Darius and Laila! I had the privilege (again) to read an e-ARC if this story, and I just loved it, fully recommend!!

[ReadWithRem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh honestly fuck Laila and Darius and justice for everyone else, especially Dominus. Wtf guys? I was rooting for you in the first book but now. . . I’m not mad, just disappointed smh

[elif sinem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruled..well that's what the novel is about too, about power and attaining it, but it also ruled. Laila is PEAK bird.

[Haleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was amazing and has a great lead up to the third book. The plot was great and the characters were amazing