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The Winter Dark #2
When the Light Returns
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26A deposed king and the powerful captive of a corrupt queen join forces in a sweeping fantasy of romance, magic, and redemption in this sequel to While the Dark Remains.
The long winter dark has been banished for good, and the mountain palace of the late king should be a sanctuary for Ballast Vallin, who has just assumed the throne. Instead, it’s a torment. Held to account for the sins of his father, Ballast must relinquish his crown and all claim to Daeros, the kingdom for which he risked so much. Worse, Brynja—his father’s former captive, the woman he loves—is the one who forces his hand.
Disgraced, Brynja is sent to Iljaria, a kingdom imbued with ancient magic. There she finds herself at the mercy of Queen Valrún, and is forced to aid in the queen’s quest to claim all the magic long thought irrevocably bound to the gods.
But then a shocking revelation about Ballast’s past brings him to Iljaria—and to Brynja. Together, amid secrets, magic, and betrayal, they must challenge the power-hungry queen to a battle that could ruin the world or remake it. For Brynja and Ballast, their most invaluable weapon is hope.
The long winter dark has been banished for good, and the mountain palace of the late king should be a sanctuary for Ballast Vallin, who has just assumed the throne. Instead, it’s a torment. Held to account for the sins of his father, Ballast must relinquish his crown and all claim to Daeros, the kingdom for which he risked so much. Worse, Brynja—his father’s former captive, the woman he loves—is the one who forces his hand.
Disgraced, Brynja is sent to Iljaria, a kingdom imbued with ancient magic. There she finds herself at the mercy of Queen Valrún, and is forced to aid in the queen’s quest to claim all the magic long thought irrevocably bound to the gods.
But then a shocking revelation about Ballast’s past brings him to Iljaria—and to Brynja. Together, amid secrets, magic, and betrayal, they must challenge the power-hungry queen to a battle that could ruin the world or remake it. For Brynja and Ballast, their most invaluable weapon is hope.
- GenresFantasy
Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 12, 2026
3 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Ruth Meyer
8 books912 followersJoanna Ruth Meyer is the author of five YA fantasies, including the critically acclaimed ECHO NORTH. She lives in Mesa, AZ, with her husband, son, two orange cats, and a giant grand piano named Prince Imrahil. She loves forests and rainstorms and stories that make her feel things, and in all likelihood, she’s drinking tea right now.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 28, 2025
Rating: 3.5 stars ⭐️
When the Light Returns is Joanna Ruth Meyer’s follow up to While the Dark Remains. The story moves from the single point-of-view of the first book into a multi-point of view novel, changing perspectives and timelines throughout the story. Our main character, Brynja, is joined by friend and foe alike as threat of invasion hangs over all of our kingdoms.
This story was a marked improvement over the first book, with the pacing greatly improved by the multiple perspectives. The story flowed better, and overall was more engaging. The theology is expanded a little more as our characters move through the world, but I would have liked a little more depth to the magic system.
Our main character is somewhat more active in this story than the first, though there is still a significant problem with our main character passively accepting the control of others. Other characters refer to Brynja as a schemer, or five steps ahead, and that hasn’t ever felt true to her characterization. In the first book, she seemed to barely survive but for the manipulations of others, so others’ trust in her ability to plan felt disingenuous.
The story still fell into many of the common tropes of the genre, which made it feel somewhat predictable. The ending of the story felt like it lacked substance, especially considering the losses of the previous book. The final solutions felt tidy, and felt out of our main characters’ control. I did enjoy the epilogue, which had some nice details about the long term fates of our characters.
Overall, this book was an improvement over the first. If you were really enamored by the first book, you’ll probably enjoy it. However, if you haven’t read the first book, this wasn’t solid enough to justify continuing on.
This book was provided to me on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When the Light Returns is Joanna Ruth Meyer’s follow up to While the Dark Remains. The story moves from the single point-of-view of the first book into a multi-point of view novel, changing perspectives and timelines throughout the story. Our main character, Brynja, is joined by friend and foe alike as threat of invasion hangs over all of our kingdoms.
This story was a marked improvement over the first book, with the pacing greatly improved by the multiple perspectives. The story flowed better, and overall was more engaging. The theology is expanded a little more as our characters move through the world, but I would have liked a little more depth to the magic system.
Our main character is somewhat more active in this story than the first, though there is still a significant problem with our main character passively accepting the control of others. Other characters refer to Brynja as a schemer, or five steps ahead, and that hasn’t ever felt true to her characterization. In the first book, she seemed to barely survive but for the manipulations of others, so others’ trust in her ability to plan felt disingenuous.
The story still fell into many of the common tropes of the genre, which made it feel somewhat predictable. The ending of the story felt like it lacked substance, especially considering the losses of the previous book. The final solutions felt tidy, and felt out of our main characters’ control. I did enjoy the epilogue, which had some nice details about the long term fates of our characters.
Overall, this book was an improvement over the first. If you were really enamored by the first book, you’ll probably enjoy it. However, if you haven’t read the first book, this wasn’t solid enough to justify continuing on.
This book was provided to me on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 of 1 review