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The Sundering Duet #1
Defy the Dusk: Book One of The Sundering Duet
Not yet published
Expected 3 Nov 26Win a free print copy of this book!
0 days and 05:28:59
10 copies available
U.S. only
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom comes the first book of a gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy duology.
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Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 3, 2026
About the author
Danielle L. Jensen
33 books22.4k followersJoin Danielle's mailing list for exclusive content, giveaways, and new release alerts: https://danielleljensen.com/newslette...
Danielle L. Jensen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood, A Curse Carved in Bone, and the Bridge Kingdom, Dark Shores, and Malediction series. Her novels are published internationally in twenty-one languages. She lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her family and guinea pigs.
Danielle L. Jensen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood, A Curse Carved in Bone, and the Bridge Kingdom, Dark Shores, and Malediction series. Her novels are published internationally in twenty-one languages. She lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her family and guinea pigs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
need-this-like-i-need-air
June 15, 2026the cover eats sbbbb omg pls
i'm OBSESSED.
why isn't it nov 3 already😭😭😭😭😭
i'm dying hereee.
i'm OBSESSED.
why isn't it nov 3 already😭😭😭😭😭
i'm dying hereee.
Want to Read
April 10, 2026What is she putting in her covers?!? I'm obsessed with every single one of them! Also, a dystopian duet by DLJ?! I'm ready 😋
Read
March 23, 2026From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom comes the first book of a gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy duology.
Check out the teaser!! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWOzPP...
Check out the teaser!! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWOzPP...
Read
April 9, 2026So first of all--I would survive approximately 2.5 seconds in this world. Holy crap. I saw someone describe this as Snow Piercer meets Mad Max and that feels pretty accurate...but also with magic! And forbidden romance! And man-eating monsters that come out at night!
Here's my official blurb:
A thrilling new dystopian romantasy set in an absolutely brutal world where monsters rule the night, and the only way to survive is to outrun them. Between the non-stop action and the angsty, forbidden romance, I *had* to keep turning the page. And the ending?! Shocking!! I will be counting down the days until I can read the sequel.
Here's my official blurb:
A thrilling new dystopian romantasy set in an absolutely brutal world where monsters rule the night, and the only way to survive is to outrun them. Between the non-stop action and the angsty, forbidden romance, I *had* to keep turning the page. And the ending?! Shocking!! I will be counting down the days until I can read the sequel.
Want to Read
April 13, 2026── ᝰ .ᐟ pre-read.
NO BC THIS COVER IS EATING!!! MOTHER IS SO BACK
NO BC THIS COVER IS EATING!!! MOTHER IS SO BACK
misc
August 1, 2025An announcement for a new series by Danielle L Jensen was EXACTLY what I needed
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A pulse-pounding dystopian romantasy that is sure to be a hit and primed for a big-screen adaptation. Defy the Dusk is action-packed with moments of sheer terror. Survival and scheming galore! For those who prefer romance as a subplot, it has a true enemies-to-lovers arc that does not dominate the story. Easily Jensen’s best yet.
Vibe check: Mortal Engines meets Grisha meets Mad Max with a dash of Snowpiercer!
Many thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.
Vibe check: Mortal Engines meets Grisha meets Mad Max with a dash of Snowpiercer!
Many thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.
Want to Read
March 30, 2026I’ve been on a massive dystopian kick so I fear I will EAT THIS UP ⚡️
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
5☆ okay WOW!! this was one of my highly anticipated reads for 2026 and it blew every single one of my expectations out of the water. from the characters to the plot to the insane world building, i loved every single second of this story.
the world was one of my favorite things in this book. i genuinely haven’t read something like this and it was so refreshing to be immersed in something new and different. the fact that society lives and travels on trains aka rigs was so cool to me and honestly really interesting to wrap my head around. it was definitely giving dune meets dystopian with amazing fantasy elements sprinkled in. & i really enjoyed the magic in this story, it was the perfect mix of dystopian and the typical fantasy we love.
the characters were absolutely amazing. the fmc, lirien is such a special character and her backstory goes so much deeper than i was anticipating. not only her, but the mmc, vox’s backstory was devastating as well. it was something i wasn’t expecting. he had such a tough exterior, but knowing what he went through… safe to say i was a mess.
their romance was SO GOOD! the tension between them was unbeatable and i found myself giggling sooooo much. danielle l jensen does spicy scenes so well and this was no exception. i ate it up
& the plot!!!! oh my god i was hooked since the beginning. as the story goes on, you learn more about the politics of the world and by the end of the story, you will SCREAM!!! bc what. was. that. ending. the last 15% was absolutely insane. there was so much chaos and my heart was breaking… and the way i have to wait so long to know what happens next is killing me!!!!!! i have so many thoughts and theories in my head but i need to know what’s going to happen
this was an amazing story and i can’t wait for everybody to get their hands on it and to experience these characters! huge, huge thank you to del rey for sending me an early copy of this book 🤎
“𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕.”
the world was one of my favorite things in this book. i genuinely haven’t read something like this and it was so refreshing to be immersed in something new and different. the fact that society lives and travels on trains aka rigs was so cool to me and honestly really interesting to wrap my head around. it was definitely giving dune meets dystopian with amazing fantasy elements sprinkled in. & i really enjoyed the magic in this story, it was the perfect mix of dystopian and the typical fantasy we love.
the characters were absolutely amazing. the fmc, lirien is such a special character and her backstory goes so much deeper than i was anticipating. not only her, but the mmc, vox’s backstory was devastating as well. it was something i wasn’t expecting. he had such a tough exterior, but knowing what he went through… safe to say i was a mess.
their romance was SO GOOD! the tension between them was unbeatable and i found myself giggling sooooo much. danielle l jensen does spicy scenes so well and this was no exception. i ate it up
& the plot!!!! oh my god i was hooked since the beginning. as the story goes on, you learn more about the politics of the world and by the end of the story, you will SCREAM!!! bc what. was. that. ending. the last 15% was absolutely insane. there was so much chaos and my heart was breaking… and the way i have to wait so long to know what happens next is killing me!!!!!! i have so many thoughts and theories in my head but i need to know what’s going to happen
this was an amazing story and i can’t wait for everybody to get their hands on it and to experience these characters! huge, huge thank you to del rey for sending me an early copy of this book 🤎
“𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕.”
Did Not Finish
June 28, 2026I give up. Honestly, I apologize to Starside. This was so much worse. I at least finished Starside. I couldn’t even finish this one. 620 times Dawnrider was said. The editor gave this a quick, 3 minute skim and said, “yep, good to go.”
Like, this is turning into a rant review, which I didn’t intend for, but I can’t understand how books this bad get reviewed highly. I understand how they get published: they’re cheap, with a built-in audience, but genuinely this book was atrocious with random terminology thrown at you immediately, ZERO subtly or subtext, extremely poor sentence structure, exposition so blatant it might as well be written in bold, non-existent description of ANYTHING—people, setting, magic…
Sorry, but If after pub date, this comes out to across-the-board rave review, we’re cooked. The future of “post-apocalyptic fantasy” is bleeeeak if this is what’s being served.
Like, this is turning into a rant review, which I didn’t intend for, but I can’t understand how books this bad get reviewed highly. I understand how they get published: they’re cheap, with a built-in audience, but genuinely this book was atrocious with random terminology thrown at you immediately, ZERO subtly or subtext, extremely poor sentence structure, exposition so blatant it might as well be written in bold, non-existent description of ANYTHING—people, setting, magic…
Sorry, but If after pub date, this comes out to across-the-board rave review, we’re cooked. The future of “post-apocalyptic fantasy” is bleeeeak if this is what’s being served.
Want to Read
April 7, 2026Well hello there... 😏
✅ Danielle L.Jensen
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅ Dystopian duet
Count me in. 🤩
✅ Danielle L.Jensen
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅ Dystopian duet
Count me in. 🤩
May 5, 2026
I honestly don’t know how to start off this review except for the fact that I’m incredibly honored to be the first to read and write a review for this absolute masterpiece. I am a huge fan of Danielle Jensen’s work, and Defy the Dusk is like a darker, twisted and more magical version of Bridge Kingdom but still has the same amazing writing we know and love. If you like plot and world heavy exposition, dystopian landscapes, torn allegiances with betrayal and secrets, an age gap romance you can’t help but root for, then you are going to be thrilled reading Defy the Dusk.
𝐀 𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐰𝐧.
Book Blurb: Lirien Flintspire broke the world twenty years ago when her magic manifested and in doing so woke an ancient creature called the Strax, that multiply quickly and consume everything in their path. The only safety is following the sun, and the Dawnrider is the largest high speed rig, run by a man who thinks all those without magic are a plague to society. Lirien wants to make life better for everyone but is stopped by the King of those they left behind and taken hostage. Forced to play by his rules, she will need to fight the strax by his side or become their dinner. Will she take up the cause and forget her own, and what does it mean to be redeemed?
“𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞, 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞. 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝.”
The world building in this book is extremely rich and I loved how it’s a dystopian that’s set twenty years after “the event” not hundreds of years later. It gives a rich amount of texture of those who remember the “before” and those who can only remember the “after” and how that affects their relationships with different characters. The politics of the old world still very much shape this current world with a battle between the Nulls (no magic) and the Elemars (those with magical capabilities), where those with magic have an advantage against the Nulls. However, in this new world with the majority of Elemars located on the Dawnsrider, those that are left have to work with the Null born in order to survive. All of this old world x new world juxtaposition works together to create a rich and detailed story that is given in a way that flows with the story instead of a brick of text to work through.
“𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝. “𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫.”
All of the characters felt fully fleshed out, with dynamic pasts and stories about their lives before and after and watching them work through their grief, especially when they have been directing it towards Lirien for the past twenty years. Creating a Found Family dynamic is always a balancing act of making it feel organic and not forced but there is an extra oomph in making them bitter enemies with loss of loved ones on both sides, and then still being able to bring them together in a way that doesn’t feel forced. Danielle Jensen walked that tight rope with ease and that definitely shows in the book.
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐱𝐢 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐮𝐧, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐞.”
This is a high stakes, dystopian fantasy world, with very dark undertones of breeding programs, slavery, death and brutality…..of course the romance is still going to be present if not the main plot. And the amount of times I wanted to scream “AND THEN KISS”, well trust in Danielle Jensen’s vision because she picks her moments well in this one. With the amount of forbidden romance, age gap, forced proximity, jealousy, slow burn, and “what will I give to have you” by both sides, this is a romance for the ages and it’s filled with so much angst you could call it a hormonal teenager. I ate it up and I can’t wait for everyone else to feast on it as well!!
“𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐦.”
If you like:
🌕 Dark Dystopian Fantasy
🌖 Slow Burn Romance with an Age Gap
🌗 Forced Proximity
🌘 Forbidden Romance
🌑 Secrets and Betrayal
🌒 Dangerous Monsters and Men
🌓 What does Redemption Mean?
🌔 A Brutal Cliffhanger
Then you are going to love this one. I will be bereft till I can be back in this world, especially after that ending. Thank you so much to Delrey and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
| Insta | Tiktok |
𝐀 𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐰𝐧.
Book Blurb: Lirien Flintspire broke the world twenty years ago when her magic manifested and in doing so woke an ancient creature called the Strax, that multiply quickly and consume everything in their path. The only safety is following the sun, and the Dawnrider is the largest high speed rig, run by a man who thinks all those without magic are a plague to society. Lirien wants to make life better for everyone but is stopped by the King of those they left behind and taken hostage. Forced to play by his rules, she will need to fight the strax by his side or become their dinner. Will she take up the cause and forget her own, and what does it mean to be redeemed?
“𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞, 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞. 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝.”
The world building in this book is extremely rich and I loved how it’s a dystopian that’s set twenty years after “the event” not hundreds of years later. It gives a rich amount of texture of those who remember the “before” and those who can only remember the “after” and how that affects their relationships with different characters. The politics of the old world still very much shape this current world with a battle between the Nulls (no magic) and the Elemars (those with magical capabilities), where those with magic have an advantage against the Nulls. However, in this new world with the majority of Elemars located on the Dawnsrider, those that are left have to work with the Null born in order to survive. All of this old world x new world juxtaposition works together to create a rich and detailed story that is given in a way that flows with the story instead of a brick of text to work through.
“𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝. “𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫.”
All of the characters felt fully fleshed out, with dynamic pasts and stories about their lives before and after and watching them work through their grief, especially when they have been directing it towards Lirien for the past twenty years. Creating a Found Family dynamic is always a balancing act of making it feel organic and not forced but there is an extra oomph in making them bitter enemies with loss of loved ones on both sides, and then still being able to bring them together in a way that doesn’t feel forced. Danielle Jensen walked that tight rope with ease and that definitely shows in the book.
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐱𝐢 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐮𝐧, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐞.”
This is a high stakes, dystopian fantasy world, with very dark undertones of breeding programs, slavery, death and brutality…..of course the romance is still going to be present if not the main plot. And the amount of times I wanted to scream “AND THEN KISS”, well trust in Danielle Jensen’s vision because she picks her moments well in this one. With the amount of forbidden romance, age gap, forced proximity, jealousy, slow burn, and “what will I give to have you” by both sides, this is a romance for the ages and it’s filled with so much angst you could call it a hormonal teenager. I ate it up and I can’t wait for everyone else to feast on it as well!!
“𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐦.”
If you like:
🌕 Dark Dystopian Fantasy
🌖 Slow Burn Romance with an Age Gap
🌗 Forced Proximity
🌘 Forbidden Romance
🌑 Secrets and Betrayal
🌒 Dangerous Monsters and Men
🌓 What does Redemption Mean?
🌔 A Brutal Cliffhanger
Then you are going to love this one. I will be bereft till I can be back in this world, especially after that ending. Thank you so much to Delrey and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
| Insta | Tiktok |
June 11, 2026
I am so incredibly thankful to have received this ARC as this is so far my favorite read of the year!! This honestly deserves 6 six stars!
On your toes the entire time and thrust into a world of slow burn and enemies to lovers to enemies. The world building is amazing and it will have you mad and angry and cheering for the good guys then questioning the good guys. I cannot wait for the world to enjoy this book this fall as it will be one to add immediately to read now list!
On your toes the entire time and thrust into a world of slow burn and enemies to lovers to enemies. The world building is amazing and it will have you mad and angry and cheering for the good guys then questioning the good guys. I cannot wait for the world to enjoy this book this fall as it will be one to add immediately to read now list!
July 3, 2026
I need a drink
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤’𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙫𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚”
the premise instantly pulled me in because it gave me snowpiercer vibes, which i absolutely love. a world where humanity is forced to survive aboard massive rigs after an uprising of deadly creatures was such a unique setting, and adding magic into the mix made it even better. i loved learning how the magic system worked and seeing more of the world unfold with every chapter
the characters were another huge highlight. from lirien to vox and every single member of the crew, they truly felt like a family. their relationships, loyalty and banter made me love them even more, and i honestly couldn’t have asked for a better cast of characters
if you know me, you know i’m a sucker for a dystopian world, and this one absolutely delivered. i loved uncovering the history of what happened, learning about the politics behind everything and slowly piecing together the truth alongside the characters
and then came the last 15%…
nothing could have prepared me for those twists. every time i thought i had things figured out, another revelation completely changed everything. i genuinely didn’t know who to trust anymore, and i felt so betrayed - in the absolute best way. that ending left me completely bittersweet and already desperate for the next book
and finally… vox. 🥹 he completely stole my heart. after everything he’d been through, the way he chose to love so fiercely was so beautiful to read. every scene with him had me smiling, and those final moments absolutely shattered me - and we love a male pov
this was everything i want in a fantasy - an original world, unforgettable characters, incredible twists and an ending that leaves you emotionally wrecked. i already need book two
“𝙞’𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙞 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙞 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚, 𝙡𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚. 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜”
the premise instantly pulled me in because it gave me snowpiercer vibes, which i absolutely love. a world where humanity is forced to survive aboard massive rigs after an uprising of deadly creatures was such a unique setting, and adding magic into the mix made it even better. i loved learning how the magic system worked and seeing more of the world unfold with every chapter
the characters were another huge highlight. from lirien to vox and every single member of the crew, they truly felt like a family. their relationships, loyalty and banter made me love them even more, and i honestly couldn’t have asked for a better cast of characters
if you know me, you know i’m a sucker for a dystopian world, and this one absolutely delivered. i loved uncovering the history of what happened, learning about the politics behind everything and slowly piecing together the truth alongside the characters
and then came the last 15%…
nothing could have prepared me for those twists. every time i thought i had things figured out, another revelation completely changed everything. i genuinely didn’t know who to trust anymore, and i felt so betrayed - in the absolute best way. that ending left me completely bittersweet and already desperate for the next book
and finally… vox. 🥹 he completely stole my heart. after everything he’d been through, the way he chose to love so fiercely was so beautiful to read. every scene with him had me smiling, and those final moments absolutely shattered me - and we love a male pov
this was everything i want in a fantasy - an original world, unforgettable characters, incredible twists and an ending that leaves you emotionally wrecked. i already need book two
“𝙞’𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙞 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙞 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚, 𝙡𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚. 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜”
June 28, 2026
Thank you so much Del Rey! I have absolutely loved every Danielle L Jensen, book I have picked up and this is another absolutely amazing read! This is very fast-paced and exactly what I was hoping for when I heard it was a dystopian fantasy set on fast-moving engines. Also, just saying this would make an amazing tv show! This very much felt like a mad max western fantasy mash-up!
The characters are all incredibly complex with traumatic backstories that you would expect to find in such a dark dystopian world. These backgrounds shape how the characters interact and view the world. Hope is hard to find when the future is so uncertain and Liriens existence in the world brings equal amounts of fear and hope. Her magic is incredibly powerful, and she’s raised in a world that shouldn’t make her as kind and thoughtful as she is. I absolutely loved her so much, she is equal parts caring as she is ruthless.
The side characters definitely made this book and their relationship and love for each other and lirien grows organically over time. Each character has a reason to distrust each other, but they allow actions to speak louder than the past. This book does such a wonderful job of showing how different generations view the world based on their experiences and how they can influence each other to adjust those views. My absolute favorite sweet baby side character was Zint, who was so beyond charming with his plant affinity and allergies. Such is life to give you a gift and then make you allergic to said gift!
This world is so immersive, from the very first page, Danielle builds a complex world from the landscape to the language you are surrounded by and thrown right in. And I would absolutely struggle to survive in this world! There are so many horrifying things the characters deal with on a daily basis. I loved it so much and after how this book ends, I am dying for the next one!!
The characters are all incredibly complex with traumatic backstories that you would expect to find in such a dark dystopian world. These backgrounds shape how the characters interact and view the world. Hope is hard to find when the future is so uncertain and Liriens existence in the world brings equal amounts of fear and hope. Her magic is incredibly powerful, and she’s raised in a world that shouldn’t make her as kind and thoughtful as she is. I absolutely loved her so much, she is equal parts caring as she is ruthless.
The side characters definitely made this book and their relationship and love for each other and lirien grows organically over time. Each character has a reason to distrust each other, but they allow actions to speak louder than the past. This book does such a wonderful job of showing how different generations view the world based on their experiences and how they can influence each other to adjust those views. My absolute favorite sweet baby side character was Zint, who was so beyond charming with his plant affinity and allergies. Such is life to give you a gift and then make you allergic to said gift!
This world is so immersive, from the very first page, Danielle builds a complex world from the landscape to the language you are surrounded by and thrown right in. And I would absolutely struggle to survive in this world! There are so many horrifying things the characters deal with on a daily basis. I loved it so much and after how this book ends, I am dying for the next one!!
June 29, 2026
First of all, thank you Del Rey and Netgalley for the eARC!! My heart jumped out of my body when I got that email!
How am i supposed to form words after finishing this masterpiece? Wow. First of all, the premise of this story is very unique. I haven’t read anything like this. We’ve got a very post-apocalyptic/fantasy genre, where our main characters are on these rigs (which I imagine are similar to trains) to keep them safe from the monsters that lurk at night. I was intrigued from page one!
Second of all, the characters were built so well! Lirien was an unforgettable FMC that was flawed and yet very relatable. You could understand her purpose, especially finding out about the trauma she went through. Also, THANK YOU FOR MAKING HER 29 YEARS OLD!! Love to see a character who isn’t 19 haha
Vox was amazing as well. You see him make mistakes in the book, but then you understand why because of what he’s been through and what he’s holding onto. I love realistically flawed characters!
The ending had me screaming, and I cannot believe we ended there, but alas I get it! My excitement for the next book is sky high and I need to know what happens to my girl Lirien and my boy Vox!!
How am i supposed to form words after finishing this masterpiece? Wow. First of all, the premise of this story is very unique. I haven’t read anything like this. We’ve got a very post-apocalyptic/fantasy genre, where our main characters are on these rigs (which I imagine are similar to trains) to keep them safe from the monsters that lurk at night. I was intrigued from page one!
Second of all, the characters were built so well! Lirien was an unforgettable FMC that was flawed and yet very relatable. You could understand her purpose, especially finding out about the trauma she went through. Also, THANK YOU FOR MAKING HER 29 YEARS OLD!! Love to see a character who isn’t 19 haha
Vox was amazing as well. You see him make mistakes in the book, but then you understand why because of what he’s been through and what he’s holding onto. I love realistically flawed characters!
The ending had me screaming, and I cannot believe we ended there, but alas I get it! My excitement for the next book is sky high and I need to know what happens to my girl Lirien and my boy Vox!!
July 10, 2026
Thank you Danielle, Del Ray, and NetGalley for this eARC!
Wooooow. Okay I was so unsure for a good portion of this book. Magical trains and big scary spider monsters. What? Okay so hear me out, it is quite literally a wild ride. Mad Max vibes anyone?
Lirien destroyed the world and wants to save it. She’s been used her entire life and that doesn’t change for her throughout this book. Vox is the feralist king who had slaughtered her own. He wants to kill her but resorts to a lil light kidnapping instead. Everything just tumbles from there.
The writing is wordy, the whole beginning is full of terms from the world it feels like I’m supposed to understand and 100% don’t until about 15% in. Once I finally got into it, there was no stopping. While this plot is unlike any other that I’ve read, it’s complex and confusing at times but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Betrayal upon betrayal upon heartbreak and death. My heart was RACING the last 20%. I’m sure my bpm was elevated.
This isn’t going to be for everyone, that’s for sure. But I think those that want a dystopian, with fantasy elements and a romance subplot - this will be a 5 star for them.
Wooooow. Okay I was so unsure for a good portion of this book. Magical trains and big scary spider monsters. What? Okay so hear me out, it is quite literally a wild ride. Mad Max vibes anyone?
Lirien destroyed the world and wants to save it. She’s been used her entire life and that doesn’t change for her throughout this book. Vox is the feralist king who had slaughtered her own. He wants to kill her but resorts to a lil light kidnapping instead. Everything just tumbles from there.
The writing is wordy, the whole beginning is full of terms from the world it feels like I’m supposed to understand and 100% don’t until about 15% in. Once I finally got into it, there was no stopping. While this plot is unlike any other that I’ve read, it’s complex and confusing at times but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Betrayal upon betrayal upon heartbreak and death. My heart was RACING the last 20%. I’m sure my bpm was elevated.
This isn’t going to be for everyone, that’s for sure. But I think those that want a dystopian, with fantasy elements and a romance subplot - this will be a 5 star for them.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
୨ৎ 5 stars, a horrifying combination of snowpiercer, the handmaid's tale, and the last of us, and in the midst of it all lies a slow burn, true enemies-to-lovers subplot. My tummy hurts, and I fear for my sleep hygeine in the coming days because I will likely lie awake at night worrying about this girly's fate.
everyone kindly take note because DLJ is singlehandedly reviving the fantasy romance genre from dire straits.
thank you to Del Rey for the physical arc in exchange for an honest review
source: physical arc
Read
July 9, 2026the premise was cool but the execution was not 😔
this was long, the magic system was inconsistent, way too much time was spent on motivations (telling not showing), the motivations didn’t make a lick of sense, the relationship didn’t work for me, anything around sex was blunt/crude (and I’m no prude!), and the whole thing was exposition. and straxi is bugs 🤢
That said, thank you for the ARC NetGalley!
this was long, the magic system was inconsistent, way too much time was spent on motivations (telling not showing), the motivations didn’t make a lick of sense, the relationship didn’t work for me, anything around sex was blunt/crude (and I’m no prude!), and the whole thing was exposition. and straxi is bugs 🤢
That said, thank you for the ARC NetGalley!
Want to Read
June 11, 2026i want to read this book right now so badly
Want to Read
March 24, 2026dystopian is my jam!!!! excited for this
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This world is Absolutley brutal.
Want to Read
June 23, 2026Ordered from B&N
November 2026
November 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!
One of the first things I noticed about this book was all of the futuristic language (archconductor, quicklike, frontclass, aeromancer, worldbreaker, straxi, elemar) that's dropped with zero context. In fact, the terms I listed were all dropped on the first page, too. I can appreciate futuristic language but I feel that these terms need to be explained rather then info dumped.
I also felt like the worldbuilding was messy as many things were unexplained. For example, what was the difference between the various magic types (some were actually explained in the beginning but then new kinds of magic kept popping up)? How exactly was magic used to keep the rigs working? Just how many rigs are there too? How big are the rigs exactly because I envisioned it with rooms roughly the size of a train but there was mentions of music halls? What even is a Gauntlet Run (the term appears and then gets repeatedly mentioned with no explanation). There's also little explanation of how the highways work (I thought they were in the sky at first but then it seemed more like a Mortal Engines moving city) and despite the monsters being mentioned multiple times, it takes a good while before they even show up in the book although I thought the information given about them was extremely interesting. I also didn't see how rigs were the most effective way at living when it was mentioned that there were people surviving in the middle of the desert and I thought it was a bit of a plot-hole that no one wanted to consider living in a desert because it was dry when many civilizations have survived just fine in the desert.
I knew that this was also an adult fantasy book but I was also quite surprised at how the book first began with a very explicit, almost a handmaid's tale-esque scene. I did find it annoying how the main character was a special snowflake who conveniently had the most powerful magic (and she has pink AND blue eyes with white-blonde hair too!). I thought it was a bit of a plot-hole as to how everyone knew that it was her specifically that caused the release of the monsters and how everyone managed to recognize her even though it's been 20 years. I also thought it was interesting that the main character was 29 as I feel like you don't see very many main characters that age. I did think the age difference between the main character and the love interest was a little weird with the love interest talking about being married with children when the main character was 9.
Overall, I typically finish a book in one sitting but this book actually took me multiple days to finish. I felt like a lot was happening and it was definitely a lengthy book. I found the world building to be interesting but I didn't feel like it was very well-explained. I am interested though in reading the next book!
One of the first things I noticed about this book was all of the futuristic language (archconductor, quicklike, frontclass, aeromancer, worldbreaker, straxi, elemar) that's dropped with zero context. In fact, the terms I listed were all dropped on the first page, too. I can appreciate futuristic language but I feel that these terms need to be explained rather then info dumped.
I also felt like the worldbuilding was messy as many things were unexplained. For example, what was the difference between the various magic types (some were actually explained in the beginning but then new kinds of magic kept popping up)? How exactly was magic used to keep the rigs working? Just how many rigs are there too? How big are the rigs exactly because I envisioned it with rooms roughly the size of a train but there was mentions of music halls? What even is a Gauntlet Run (the term appears and then gets repeatedly mentioned with no explanation). There's also little explanation of how the highways work (I thought they were in the sky at first but then it seemed more like a Mortal Engines moving city) and despite the monsters being mentioned multiple times, it takes a good while before they even show up in the book although I thought the information given about them was extremely interesting. I also didn't see how rigs were the most effective way at living when it was mentioned that there were people surviving in the middle of the desert and I thought it was a bit of a plot-hole that no one wanted to consider living in a desert because it was dry when many civilizations have survived just fine in the desert.
I knew that this was also an adult fantasy book but I was also quite surprised at how the book first began with a very explicit, almost a handmaid's tale-esque scene. I did find it annoying how the main character was a special snowflake who conveniently had the most powerful magic (and she has pink AND blue eyes with white-blonde hair too!). I thought it was a bit of a plot-hole as to how everyone knew that it was her specifically that caused the release of the monsters and how everyone managed to recognize her even though it's been 20 years. I also thought it was interesting that the main character was 29 as I feel like you don't see very many main characters that age. I did think the age difference between the main character and the love interest was a little weird with the love interest talking about being married with children when the main character was 9.
Overall, I typically finish a book in one sitting but this book actually took me multiple days to finish. I felt like a lot was happening and it was definitely a lengthy book. I found the world building to be interesting but I didn't feel like it was very well-explained. I am interested though in reading the next book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley, Del Rey Books and Danielle L. Jensen for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What happens if you mix the setting of Mad Max and Snowpiercer, a society divided like The Hunger Games, the misogyny of The Handmaid’s Tale, heavy political intrigue, unlikely alliances, an undefeatable monstrous enemy, countless plot twists, and an ending that leaves you desperate for the sequel?
Well… you get Defy the Dusk.
This book completely took me by surprise.
During the first 15%, I genuinely thought I had no idea what was happening. Then, almost imperceptibly, every piece started falling into place. By the time I realized what Danielle L. Jensen was doing, I was completely hooked. That payoff is entirely due to her intelligent, strategic, and incredibly thoughtful storytelling.
Defy the Dusk somehow feels both familiar and entirely original. It pays homage to beloved dystopian, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic stories while carving out an identity that’s completely its own. It borrows inspiration without ever feeling derivative.
Lirien Flinspire is a fiercely stubborn protagonist who has spent her entire life being blamed for breaking the world with her magic. Every decision she makes is driven by her desperate need to redeem herself, making her impossible not to root for.
Kyrian Vox has every reason to hate her—or so he believes. Watching both characters challenge their own convictions while constantly plotting against one another creates an irresistible dynamic. Their chemistry, tension, and emotional push-and-pull had me flying through the pages.
Is this dystopian? Post-apocalyptic? Science fiction? Fantasy?
Honestly… it’s all of the above. It blends genres so seamlessly that it almost creates one of its own.
I intentionally took my time with this one. I took notes, reflected after almost every chapter, and slowly became so immersed in the world that by the end I genuinely felt like part of the crew. Finishing this book left me with that bittersweet feeling every reader chases—the one where you don’t quite know what to do with yourself because you aren’t ready to leave the story behind.
The opening chapters are long, and they initially threw me off. Looking back, though, I think that pacing was entirely intentional. Danielle L. Jensen gradually builds an incredibly rich world filled with layered characters and political intrigue that only becomes more rewarding the deeper you go.
More than anything, I think this is a story about guilt and the many ways it can poison people. Lirien carries the burden of the blame the world has placed on her since childhood, while Vox struggles beneath the weight of his own regrets. Their choices, flaws, and motivations all grow from that emotional foundation, making both characters feel remarkably human.
This is, without question, a six-star read for me. And I won't shut up about it until its release in November 2026.
Tropes I identified:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Slow Burn
- Found Family
- Forced Proximity
- Unlikely Alliances
- Political Intrigue
- Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
What happens if you mix the setting of Mad Max and Snowpiercer, a society divided like The Hunger Games, the misogyny of The Handmaid’s Tale, heavy political intrigue, unlikely alliances, an undefeatable monstrous enemy, countless plot twists, and an ending that leaves you desperate for the sequel?
Well… you get Defy the Dusk.
This book completely took me by surprise.
During the first 15%, I genuinely thought I had no idea what was happening. Then, almost imperceptibly, every piece started falling into place. By the time I realized what Danielle L. Jensen was doing, I was completely hooked. That payoff is entirely due to her intelligent, strategic, and incredibly thoughtful storytelling.
Defy the Dusk somehow feels both familiar and entirely original. It pays homage to beloved dystopian, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic stories while carving out an identity that’s completely its own. It borrows inspiration without ever feeling derivative.
Lirien Flinspire is a fiercely stubborn protagonist who has spent her entire life being blamed for breaking the world with her magic. Every decision she makes is driven by her desperate need to redeem herself, making her impossible not to root for.
Kyrian Vox has every reason to hate her—or so he believes. Watching both characters challenge their own convictions while constantly plotting against one another creates an irresistible dynamic. Their chemistry, tension, and emotional push-and-pull had me flying through the pages.
Is this dystopian? Post-apocalyptic? Science fiction? Fantasy?
Honestly… it’s all of the above. It blends genres so seamlessly that it almost creates one of its own.
I intentionally took my time with this one. I took notes, reflected after almost every chapter, and slowly became so immersed in the world that by the end I genuinely felt like part of the crew. Finishing this book left me with that bittersweet feeling every reader chases—the one where you don’t quite know what to do with yourself because you aren’t ready to leave the story behind.
The opening chapters are long, and they initially threw me off. Looking back, though, I think that pacing was entirely intentional. Danielle L. Jensen gradually builds an incredibly rich world filled with layered characters and political intrigue that only becomes more rewarding the deeper you go.
More than anything, I think this is a story about guilt and the many ways it can poison people. Lirien carries the burden of the blame the world has placed on her since childhood, while Vox struggles beneath the weight of his own regrets. Their choices, flaws, and motivations all grow from that emotional foundation, making both characters feel remarkably human.
This is, without question, a six-star read for me. And I won't shut up about it until its release in November 2026.
Tropes I identified:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Slow Burn
- Found Family
- Forced Proximity
- Unlikely Alliances
- Political Intrigue
- Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Pre read thoughts: Cover is amazing.
Book Blurb:
Lirien Flintspire broke the world twenty years ago when her magic manifested and in doing so woke an ancient creature called the Strax, that multiply quickly and consume everything in their path. The only safety is following the sun, and the Dawnrider is the largest high speed rig, run by a man who thinks all those without magic are a plague to society. Lirien wants to make life better for everyone but is stopped by the King of those they left behind and taken hostage. Forced to play by his rules, she will need to fight the strax by his side or become their dinner. Will she take up the cause and forget her own, and what does it mean to be redeemed?
The review:
This is my first book by Jensen and let me tell you it did not disappoint. I would also like to say how honored I was to receive a e arc and to be one of the first readers of this book. Now calling this a romantasy is a bit of a stretch for me, it definitely leans more towards dystopian with a few romantasy elements thrown in. It does give Mad Max vibes with some of the more unsettling elements being more Handmaiden's Tale.
Initially I was not sure if I would like this book. It is a little more dystopian than fantasy and the dystopian genre is not something that I read very often, however I think that Jensen did a great job at blending genres. The world building in this book is phenomenal but dense. I personally think I would have preferred a physical copy so I could have put tabs on character and places and flipped back and forth. I will be purchasing the physical copy in November so hopefully this will be a future reread. In the book we are set around 20 years after the big event that cause the chaos. for me the cons of this was that for the first 5 to 10 chapters I had no idea what was going on and was concerned that this was not the book for me. I feel like there should have been a glossary or some sort of precursor page to get rid of some of the confusion. Something like "in the year XXX the Sundering happened causing XXX" Now I did like the idea of old world and new world people and the dynamics of those who remembered before and those who didn't. I feel like the author really helped show those dynamics in different scenes and helped show how old world beliefs affected those who didn't remember.
The characters were interesting. The side characters felt fleshed out the conversations felt real and organic. Even the characters of the people we weren't supposed to like were interesting and you did want to dig in to know why each character was the way that they were.
My one thing is the Straxi I don't know why but I was over halfway through the book when I realized they were spiderlike I kept imagining them as giant worms. (insert eyeroll) I have looked and looked and I cannot find the initial description of them. If any one has the e copy can you send me that page number because it is bugging me.
Read if you like:
Enemies-to-lovers
Forced proximity
Found family
dystopian landscapes
forbidden romance
dark fantasy
slow burn
There are some triggers in the book including:
Alcohol & drug consumption
Anxiety & anxiety attacks
Arachnophobia
Blood & gore
Breeding (forced and voluntary)
Child abandonment
Classism
Claustrophobia
Dead bodies & body parts
Death of a parent
Dysphoria
Emesis (vomiting)
Emotional abuse
Eugenics & breeding
Explicit (consensual) sexual content
Explosions
Falling from heights
Fire & arson
Gun violence
Imprisonment of a parent
Involuntary confinement
Kidnapping
Knife & sword violence
Mentally ill parent
Merinthophobia (fear of bound or restrained)
Murder & attempted murder
Physical injuries
Physical assault
References child, spousal, parental, familial death
Torture and threats of torture
Profanity
Slavery & indentured servitude
Vehicular crashes
Violence
Book Blurb:
Lirien Flintspire broke the world twenty years ago when her magic manifested and in doing so woke an ancient creature called the Strax, that multiply quickly and consume everything in their path. The only safety is following the sun, and the Dawnrider is the largest high speed rig, run by a man who thinks all those without magic are a plague to society. Lirien wants to make life better for everyone but is stopped by the King of those they left behind and taken hostage. Forced to play by his rules, she will need to fight the strax by his side or become their dinner. Will she take up the cause and forget her own, and what does it mean to be redeemed?
The review:
This is my first book by Jensen and let me tell you it did not disappoint. I would also like to say how honored I was to receive a e arc and to be one of the first readers of this book. Now calling this a romantasy is a bit of a stretch for me, it definitely leans more towards dystopian with a few romantasy elements thrown in. It does give Mad Max vibes with some of the more unsettling elements being more Handmaiden's Tale.
Initially I was not sure if I would like this book. It is a little more dystopian than fantasy and the dystopian genre is not something that I read very often, however I think that Jensen did a great job at blending genres. The world building in this book is phenomenal but dense. I personally think I would have preferred a physical copy so I could have put tabs on character and places and flipped back and forth. I will be purchasing the physical copy in November so hopefully this will be a future reread. In the book we are set around 20 years after the big event that cause the chaos. for me the cons of this was that for the first 5 to 10 chapters I had no idea what was going on and was concerned that this was not the book for me. I feel like there should have been a glossary or some sort of precursor page to get rid of some of the confusion. Something like "in the year XXX the Sundering happened causing XXX" Now I did like the idea of old world and new world people and the dynamics of those who remembered before and those who didn't. I feel like the author really helped show those dynamics in different scenes and helped show how old world beliefs affected those who didn't remember.
The characters were interesting. The side characters felt fleshed out the conversations felt real and organic. Even the characters of the people we weren't supposed to like were interesting and you did want to dig in to know why each character was the way that they were.
My one thing is the Straxi I don't know why but I was over halfway through the book when I realized they were spiderlike I kept imagining them as giant worms. (insert eyeroll) I have looked and looked and I cannot find the initial description of them. If any one has the e copy can you send me that page number because it is bugging me.
Read if you like:
Enemies-to-lovers
Forced proximity
Found family
dystopian landscapes
forbidden romance
dark fantasy
slow burn
There are some triggers in the book including:
Alcohol & drug consumption
Anxiety & anxiety attacks
Arachnophobia
Blood & gore
Breeding (forced and voluntary)
Child abandonment
Classism
Claustrophobia
Dead bodies & body parts
Death of a parent
Dysphoria
Emesis (vomiting)
Emotional abuse
Eugenics & breeding
Explicit (consensual) sexual content
Explosions
Falling from heights
Fire & arson
Gun violence
Imprisonment of a parent
Involuntary confinement
Kidnapping
Knife & sword violence
Mentally ill parent
Merinthophobia (fear of bound or restrained)
Murder & attempted murder
Physical injuries
Physical assault
References child, spousal, parental, familial death
Torture and threats of torture
Profanity
Slavery & indentured servitude
Vehicular crashes
Violence
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Del Ray, Random House Worlds, Inklore and Danielle L Jensen for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t aware this book was on the horizon when I spotted it on NetGalley. I went into this totally blind to everything other than the blurb, and boy am I glad I did because it took me on a wild ride. Literally.
The author describes Snowpiercer and Mad Max Fury Road as inspirations for the novel, and you can definitely see that in the set up and execution. I’d actually been thinking how I was getting Fury Road vibes before I found out that was exactly the case in the author’s notes at the end. It’s a very good blend of magic fantasy with a gritty and often times brutal dystopian twist to it all that keeps it fresh and exciting. Having a society that has to exist on vehicles that can constantly move, because god forbid you’re stationary on solid ground when the sun goes down was an interesting twist to the world building, and I really liked how that shaped society as well. The politics in play in the overall world and on individual rigs themselves was fascinating to read about, and I especially liked the ‘class’ system that Lirien’s “home” has, based on the individual’s magic: whether they have it, and if they do how strong it is. There was something ominous about the whole thing, especially the concept of the stronger mages in the ‘Front Deck’ partaking in what amounts to a breeding program to produce more, stronger magic wielders.
Speaking of Lirien, the characters in this book are fascinating. Jensen consistently writes characters that are complicated and motivated, and you want to see them achieve their goals… but sometimes they can be difficult to root for, and I think that’s such good storytelling. Characters in this are all trying hard to survive, and that survival instinct is what leads them to clash, literally and figuratively. They have personal beliefs and biases that lead them to make choices that make you want to reach into the book and shake them. I would say that this is where I struggled a little with the book. Lirien’s situation is very complicated, and she carries a huge weight for something she didn’t mean to do as a child. And characters hate her for it. Brutally, and without mercy. It’s actually a little hard to realise just how few people she truly has on her side. This isn’t a detriment to the book, but I think at the time I read it my own personal circumstances and how I was feeling at the time made reading about that hatred, even if it was understandable, was rough! Getting out the other side was absolutely worth it, but I did struggle.
The male lead Vox is also a stand out. I was excited to see both an older protagonist (Lirien is 29) and even more so to see an even older male lead (I don’t believe Vox’s age is outright stated, but you’re given text that implies he’s late 30s/early 40s). He’s confident and carries himself like a leader, with a fun edge to him that you see around the people he trusts. But there’s a lot of anger and sadness there too. The romance is enjoyable as well. There’s great tension here because there’s a true enemies growing to know each other element, and it hooked me.
The ending made me put the book down and stare at a wall. I need the second one and the first one isn’t officially out yet! Now what?
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t aware this book was on the horizon when I spotted it on NetGalley. I went into this totally blind to everything other than the blurb, and boy am I glad I did because it took me on a wild ride. Literally.
The author describes Snowpiercer and Mad Max Fury Road as inspirations for the novel, and you can definitely see that in the set up and execution. I’d actually been thinking how I was getting Fury Road vibes before I found out that was exactly the case in the author’s notes at the end. It’s a very good blend of magic fantasy with a gritty and often times brutal dystopian twist to it all that keeps it fresh and exciting. Having a society that has to exist on vehicles that can constantly move, because god forbid you’re stationary on solid ground when the sun goes down was an interesting twist to the world building, and I really liked how that shaped society as well. The politics in play in the overall world and on individual rigs themselves was fascinating to read about, and I especially liked the ‘class’ system that Lirien’s “home” has, based on the individual’s magic: whether they have it, and if they do how strong it is. There was something ominous about the whole thing, especially the concept of the stronger mages in the ‘Front Deck’ partaking in what amounts to a breeding program to produce more, stronger magic wielders.
Speaking of Lirien, the characters in this book are fascinating. Jensen consistently writes characters that are complicated and motivated, and you want to see them achieve their goals… but sometimes they can be difficult to root for, and I think that’s such good storytelling. Characters in this are all trying hard to survive, and that survival instinct is what leads them to clash, literally and figuratively. They have personal beliefs and biases that lead them to make choices that make you want to reach into the book and shake them. I would say that this is where I struggled a little with the book. Lirien’s situation is very complicated, and she carries a huge weight for something she didn’t mean to do as a child. And characters hate her for it. Brutally, and without mercy. It’s actually a little hard to realise just how few people she truly has on her side. This isn’t a detriment to the book, but I think at the time I read it my own personal circumstances and how I was feeling at the time made reading about that hatred, even if it was understandable, was rough! Getting out the other side was absolutely worth it, but I did struggle.
The male lead Vox is also a stand out. I was excited to see both an older protagonist (Lirien is 29) and even more so to see an even older male lead (I don’t believe Vox’s age is outright stated, but you’re given text that implies he’s late 30s/early 40s). He’s confident and carries himself like a leader, with a fun edge to him that you see around the people he trusts. But there’s a lot of anger and sadness there too. The romance is enjoyable as well. There’s great tension here because there’s a true enemies growing to know each other element, and it hooked me.
The ending made me put the book down and stare at a wall. I need the second one and the first one isn’t officially out yet! Now what?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you SO MUCH for the eARC! I was beyond excited to get the ARC for this book. I've read a lot of Danielle Jensen books and have been looking forward to reading this since it was announced! Now that I've finished, my first reaction is WOW! I'm still thinking about this book. The plot and the characters, whats going to happen next and more. This is definitely different from the bridge kingdom series/world. Defy the Dusk gave me a blend of all the following vibes: post apocalyptic, dystopian, Mad max, sci fi, western/railroad era, and elemental magic/fantasy world. This sounds like quite the mix but really it all gave together SO WELL. The plot centers around Lirien, our FMC, who's magic shattered the world 2o years ago. When the world was shattered, it brought out these noctural creatures who became the enemy of all humanity. Those with the most power and magic were brought on board a high speed train to keep them separated and safe. The rest of humanity was left to fend for themselves. And so they did, becoming hardened and brutal to survive this new world. Their leader, Vox, our MMC, no longer wants to just survive, he wants to rebuild the world through revenge-and a plan that starts with Lirien. This world was very different from a lot of the fantasy and dystopian books out there (at least that I've read) and that was extremely refreshing. The book opens by throwing you right into the world and action. It did take me a little to catch up/feel like I understood the world. But after that I was sucked in. I finished this book in 24 hours, that's how much I liked it. It was dark, gritty, and emotional. You could empathize with emotions, pain, and experiences of the characters. How they had all adapted to survive this new world. It was also clearly a statement on class systems (through both the trains and the magic vs nonmagical). The book was action packed pretty much from start to finish, while weaving in the deeper plot elements about power and class. The forbidden romance and enemies to what now was done really well. It was a slow burn with lots of tension/back and forth which I think fit the characters and story line perfectly. I don't want to give away too much because I feel like going into this book without much description is the best way to go. So that other readers can get sucked into the world and story just like me. I can't wait until book 2 after than ending!! This book was epic and I highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Defy the Dusk - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Yes you read right 6 stars
After experiencing this 6 star read , you bet I’m scared to even attempt to read another book . I’m afraid all the books that come after this masterpiece will pale in comparison .Yes it was that good , good isn’t even the right word for it , Masterpiece maybe ? All i know is that this book has knocked all my favourite reads this year off their spot .
I beg you , if you do anything today . Please let it be that you add this work of art to your tbr , I promise you won’t be disappointed .
Danielle has woven a story like no other , set in a post apocalypic world remincent of Mad max and Snowpiercer , it’s everything you could want from a dystopian / fantasy book . The world building is immersive , vivid and incredibly detailed .Every page is full of high stakes .In this world you either run from the dark or you fight daily and hope to see another dawn .
I tried to take my time with this book as it deserved to be savoured not rushed, does reading a chunkster of a book in 2 days count as taking my time ? .The detail in this book is out of this world and at no point did I feel overwhelmed , but quite the opposite .I ate this up like I was starving ,every scrap of information food for my brain . Uhmm I think you can tell by my ranting that I loved this book.
On to Vox and Lirien , if like me you love enemies to lovers then this book is for you .This is Enemies to lovers done right !
I found myself thinking how is this going to work itself out as both the main characters are carrying alot of guilt , hate and are deeply traumatised. They actually have valid reasons for hating each other. Lirien is so guilt ridden its heartbreaking and all everyone sees is the worldbreaker. Vox our king of the feralists has an all consuming hate that is blinding. My literall heart was breaking for them both while reading . I just want to see them both happy. But this is the first book in a dualogy so obviously my deluded self should of known , that likely isnt the case. lol
That ending.
Why do I do this to myself, oh yeah I like trauma. I can’t cope with myself right now .Why did I read this so early?
I want to dig myself a whole and hide in it with my feelings, but after reading this let’s scrap that idea hehe , instead I will do the next best thing eat a whole block of chocolate and rant on here .
If youve got this far , thank you for reading hehe
After experiencing this 6 star read , you bet I’m scared to even attempt to read another book . I’m afraid all the books that come after this masterpiece will pale in comparison .Yes it was that good , good isn’t even the right word for it , Masterpiece maybe ? All i know is that this book has knocked all my favourite reads this year off their spot .
I beg you , if you do anything today . Please let it be that you add this work of art to your tbr , I promise you won’t be disappointed .
Danielle has woven a story like no other , set in a post apocalypic world remincent of Mad max and Snowpiercer , it’s everything you could want from a dystopian / fantasy book . The world building is immersive , vivid and incredibly detailed .Every page is full of high stakes .In this world you either run from the dark or you fight daily and hope to see another dawn .
I tried to take my time with this book as it deserved to be savoured not rushed, does reading a chunkster of a book in 2 days count as taking my time ? .The detail in this book is out of this world and at no point did I feel overwhelmed , but quite the opposite .I ate this up like I was starving ,every scrap of information food for my brain . Uhmm I think you can tell by my ranting that I loved this book.
On to Vox and Lirien , if like me you love enemies to lovers then this book is for you .This is Enemies to lovers done right !
I found myself thinking how is this going to work itself out as both the main characters are carrying alot of guilt , hate and are deeply traumatised. They actually have valid reasons for hating each other. Lirien is so guilt ridden its heartbreaking and all everyone sees is the worldbreaker. Vox our king of the feralists has an all consuming hate that is blinding. My literall heart was breaking for them both while reading . I just want to see them both happy. But this is the first book in a dualogy so obviously my deluded self should of known , that likely isnt the case. lol
That ending.
Why do I do this to myself, oh yeah I like trauma. I can’t cope with myself right now .Why did I read this so early?
I want to dig myself a whole and hide in it with my feelings, but after reading this let’s scrap that idea hehe , instead I will do the next best thing eat a whole block of chocolate and rant on here .
If youve got this far , thank you for reading hehe
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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