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Destiny and Darkness #2

Daughter of Fire: The Darkness Rising

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Not three months ago, I’d been a daughter of the Ice Crown, the lands of snow and ice. Everything I had, everything I was, existed in a tiny world of its own, a single snowflake in a snowstorm. And then, like a candle blown out by careless lips, all of it had been extinguished in an instant.
The kingdom is under threat. A secret, desperate plot to change the course of history has been hatched in dark rooms.
Aeryn, a young student war mage from an isolated land of ice, has the powerful gift of fire. To save her world, she must draw around her a small group of fellow mages and allies at Windhall University. At her side is the beautiful healer in training, Lyse, who holds her heart. In front of her is nothing but questions, fears, and impossible decisions.
Conspirators are everywhere, shifting shadows that she can barely see. The longer it takes for Aeryn to find the answers, the more people will die. Her choices might cost her everything. Does she have the strength to do what needs to be done? Can Aeryn protect a kingdom she may not even want to save?
This thrilling sequel to Daughter of Fire: Conspiracy of the Dark offers a fast-paced, captivating conclusion to the Destiny and Darkness series, a fantasy novel for young and old.

196 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2019

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About the author

Karen Frost

15 books41 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Profile Image for Lex Kent.
1,683 reviews9,856 followers
November 20, 2019
3.75 Stars. I’m happy to say that I enjoyed this more than book one. This is book two in the Destiny and Darkness series. I do have to say that I still wish that this story had not been broken up into two books. I think my overall enjoyment would have been higher had I read it as one continuous book. Book one was about setting the storyline up where this book had all the action so they were not really balanced on their own. But now that both books are out, anyone can read them right in a row so it helps that issue. Considering these books are two parts of one whole, this series has to be read in order.

It’s hard to write a summary about a sequel without giving spoilers away for people who might not have read the first book so I will skip that. I will mention that some people have said this series is slightly Harry Potter-ish but with knights and kings. I do see that. I was going to mention that this feels a bit darker than Harry but I was just re-watching some of the movies last weekend and Harry can be a little dark at times too. I do think if you like the whole young adults in school with magic, chances are you will enjoy this too.

One of my main complaints from book one besides the short length, was that the main character was way too passive for me. While she was still a bit passive in the beginning on this book, I could see her growth as I read on. She didn’t always make smart decisions but at least she made her own decisions. I still don’t think overall she is as strong as I would like. I love kickass women in fantasy, so I have hopes she will keep growing and keep evolving.

There is more of a romance in this book than book one. It is very PG and light but it is sweet and there was even a slight triangle there to give the relationship a little conflict for a minute. Normally, I’m not a love triangle fan but it happens so rarely in lesfic that I will take the change of pace.

There is going to be a book three. While this book ended on a “to be continued”, I would not actually call it a cliffhanger. There is some threads left open, but it is to make you want to read the next installment. The main storyline is thankfully wrapped up. I thought it was a good place to end and a much better place to end than the last book. Now that both books are out and this main story is complete, I feel more comfortable about recommending this series. If you like YA, magic, and fantasy that is very readable, chances are you will enjoy this story.

A copy was given to me for a honest review.
Profile Image for Carrie.
404 reviews
November 8, 2019
Dark.

I was not prepared for just how dark this series would get. And I loved every minute of it.

This is the second installment in the 'Destiny and Darkness' series. In book one we were introduced to the upstart pyromancer, Aeryn. She found herself away from home and studying to become a war mage in Kings City, fell for a girl who is bonded to another, and on the cusp of revenge toward those who attacked her Ice Crown village.

Things begin exactly where readers were left hanging at the end of book one. So we are quickly rewarded with the resolution/answer we eagerly waited a month for. But then the story takes off and keeps you turning pages beyond the length of your lunch break and bed time.

I would not recommend that readers start off with this one. There is a lot of world building and character introduction in the first one that I think would have readers a little confused or feeling left out. Like many reviewers have already said, the first two books would have benefited from being combined.

I think I like this so much because it is a fantasy book that I can actually follow along with. It isn't my preferred genre but I can't help but be enthralled and totally engaged in everything going on. It is exciting, mysterious, suspenseful, fantastical, magical, dark, and just plain good. Easy to follow and get lost in.

I generally read books for the romance. It wouldn't be a true young adult series without a love triangle, right? We get a bit of one here. I was just recently thinking about how we don't see the that trope very often in lesbian fiction. Then voila! The universe was listening.

The side characters play a bigger role in part two and they are all really growing on me. I was sad that Sir Idris did not grace the pages often. He was one of my favorites from book one.

The second half really went bonkers. Like 'what the hell is happening?!' crazy. Dark and deadly. I was so happy that the book went there. Everything is more exciting when people are dying as a result of forbidden dark magic.

It's hard to review this without spoiling everything. So I'll just leave it here and say "read this series!"

I recommend to anyone who likes exciting stories, great characters, fantasy, magic, young love, great climactic endings... and cliffhangers.

I received an ARC from YLVA Publishing for an honest review.
Profile Image for MZ.
432 reviews134 followers
April 22, 2021
3.75 stars. It’s been a while since I finished the first book and while I liked the story of the first book I was not totally convinced. The pace in the first book was a bit slow in places and I remember that it ended in the middle of the story which annoyed me. This second book totally made up for that annoyance, it was fun to read. I was already familiar with the world now, and the magic system in place. The pace is higher, there was plenty of action, some dark moments, and there were some nice twists. Also, the romance, that started in the first book, really takes off and the ending was satisfying. While it is not the end of Aeryn’s journey, the story felt complete and I look forward to reading about the final part of her journey. The books are written in the first person from the POV of Aeryn and are best read in order. I recommend them if you’re looking for a slightly dark YA fantasy novel.
Profile Image for Betty.
649 reviews91 followers
November 6, 2019
Karen Frost is going to make me like fantasy stories if she keeps this up. Daughter of Fire: The Darkness Rising , the second book in the Destiny and Darkness series is definitely action packed. The second book begins where the first book in the series, Daughter of Fire: Conspiracy of the Dark left off. Aeryn, a young war mage-in-training, Lyse, a healer-in-training mage who Aeryn is attracted to, and several of her fellow students are facing grave danger as they discover a threat to the kingdom. The danger increases as they discover more and more of the evil plot and who is involved. Aeryn must eventually decide what she is willing to sacrifice to save a kingdom she doesn’t really feel a part of.

The first book in this series really was the world building part of the story. This book is where the action takes place, and there is a lot of action. This tale has intrigue, betrayal, conspiracy, and murder. There is also friendship, love, heroism, and sacrifice. In other words, you have all the elements of a fantastic story.

This is not a standalone novel. You really need to read both books in the series to understand and enjoy the overall story. Both novels are worth reading. I marked this as a young adult book, but I can tell you honestly that this (mumble, mumble) year old enjoyed the novel just as much as any of you young whipper snappers will, so don’t take that designation to heart. This is a story for all ages. Now, get off my lawn and go read these books.

I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud.
Author 2 books758 followers
November 4, 2019
As I was hoping, the first book, Daughter of Fire: Conspiracy of the Dark, was setting the scene and this one is where the action really takes place. Yet not all the action since it, once again, ends on a cliffhanger, although it’s a lot less frustrating than the end of book 1.

Daughter of Fire: The Darkness Rising starts where the previous book ended, with Lyse restraining Aeryn, preventing her from attacking the ambassador of the people she holds responsible for her family’s death. There’s a lot Aeryn doesn’t know, and Lyse shares her theory with her on what really happened. At the same time, the two students keep investigating the unexplained disappearances throughout King’s City. While doing so, they meet Lady Asher, a young knight, whose interest in Aeryn displeases Lyse. Aeryn and Lyse try to navigate their feelings for each other, despite Lyse being bonded to Timo. If that wasn’t enough, a Dark mages conspiracy seems more and more plausible, and the little group of students at Windhall University might be the only ones able to fight it.

There’s a lot of action and growth and excitement happening in this second book and it all makes for a very enjoyable read, even though I couldn’t shake the Harry Potter feel. Some scenes drag on a little, which messes with the otherwise fast-paced rythm, usually when the heroine is overwhelmed. That said, who wouldn’t feel overwhelmed in her place?

Aeryn is the perfect YA heroine, in that she’s responsible and earnest, and sometimes unyielding. She’s arrogant in that way only gifted teenagers can get away with. Lyse is also becoming an interesting character. She’s much stronger than she lets on and I hope we’ll get to see more of that side of her in future instalments.

I enjoyed this book more than the first one, and am looking forward to the next one, hoping I’ll like it even more.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Hsinju Chen.
Author 3 books263 followers
September 5, 2020
Content warnings: death, blood, cult, kidnapping, mind control

This story has certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. Frost made great decisions on where a chapter should break, and I find myself unable to even pause reading.

In part two of Daughter of Fire, Aeryn (16) finally learns that her family is likely alive. And some people around her are definitely up to no good. When things break into chaos, can Aeryn and her fellow students save the kingdom they don’t really care for?

This is an action-packed fantasy that is heavy on magic. It also has very good YA romance. I love Lyse (~18), and she is so kind and helpful. Even though the story is in Aeryn’s first-person perspective, we still get to see Lyse’s struggles, especially since many things take form in magic and thus allowing visualization. The jealousy drama between Aeryn and Lyse makes me a little uncomfortable. Yet it is also kind of adorable because they are teenagers and confused about their future. I feel that Asher is only a plot device for the drama. She definitely deserves more and I am happy that the next installment features her story.

“[W]e should all be the hero of our story.” — Asher


I wondered about many seemingly random facts while reading, but as the story unfurls, almost everything clicks. Frost has done a wonderful job at piecing information together and delivering an intensely paced plot. I did find it odd that spell-casting suddenly becomes very important in this second part, having been addressed little in the previous book. And one question I still cannot get out of my head was whether or not Aeryn could have used magic outside of the university to be banned from the city and subsequently able to go home. Perhaps the consequences would not be worth it.

Am I being too suspicious of things, or are Aeryn and her friends too naïve? They seem to think that everything is simple and people with power are trustworthy. I guess I got too nervous on their behalf. Too often SFF involves the main characters trying to save everyone while making a mess of things, and I am happy that Aeryn and her friends are not like that. It is very refreshing to see them, eager teenagers, not taking everything into their own hands immediately.

Aeryn and Lyse remind me a lot of Kiena and Ava from Breaking Legacies, respectively. So much so I would consider the ending almost a retelling. And Aeryn’s relationship with fate is also a lot like Joslyn’s from Princess of Dorsa —they both fight for the women they love at a great price. These two novels mentioned here are my favorite sapphic fantasies of all time, so I might be too spoiled by them to love Daughter of Fire.

“The gods stopped paying attention to the mortal world centuries ago. They have their own quarrels to attend to.” — Reddek the Wise, first Chancellor of Windhall University


The book closes on a cliffhanger that I am slightly put off by because purposefully mystifying readers by having main characters withhold information never sits well with me. That being said, this story is too enjoyable to miss, and I am intrigued to find out more in the next book Destiny’s Choice.

Daughter of Fire is a wonderful page-turner of a YA high fantasy with cute slow-burn romance between two teenage girls. If you are up for a thrilling read that also makes you melt a little when the main character looks at her crush, Daughter of Fire: Conspiracy of the Dark (part one) and Daughter of Fire: The Darkness Rising (part two) are a great YA fantasy to read.

I received an electronic review copy from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Della B.
653 reviews179 followers
November 2, 2019
Author Karen Frost has hit her stride in Book 2 of the Daughter of Fire series. The Darkness Rising is smoothly written, balancing just the right amounts of narrative and description while pairing it with an exciting adventure. This is Fantasy writing at its best!

Aeryn,the War Mage, is continuing to study and improve her powers at Windhall University outside King’s City. She has become friends with fellow mage students as well as continuing her close ties to Lyse, who is a healer in training and the girl who captured her heart.
Aeryn with Lyse are searching for the reason why random people are disappearing from King’s City, never to be seen again. As they investigate Aeryn unearths a sinister plot which may change her world forever.

This is definitely a page turner. Needless to say, sleep was lost and I am behind in my chores. I must mention again the balance I found in the writing of The Darknesses Rising. The personal turmoil of Aeryn’s was evenly dealt with as the mystery unfolds.

I personally loved all the beautiful names of characters and place settings. They were easy to read and sound out. When spoken aloud they rolled off the tongue.

I am so excited to see Aeryn’s adventure does not end with this book. The question of what comes next will keep me wondering for a long time.
5⭐️
Profile Image for Colleen Corgel.
525 reviews22 followers
November 4, 2019
This was a great read, especially if you pair it with book one. While I still think that the narrative would work better if book one and two were put together as one book, and the third starts the new arc being set up in this book. This book starts right after the first, with almost no exposition to help new readers along. The pace of this book compared to the last one is almost blazingly fast, as the events start piling up. So many of the events in the first book have their conclusion in this one, so that if you didn't read the first one recently, it would be difficult to keep up here.

This doesn't take away from how richly detailed this world is, and how well Frost balances world building with the action. Her characters are amazing, and while Aeryn still feels slightly overwhelmed at times, she's come into her own, and has become the character I saw the potential in in the first book. I love that everything seems so new to her (because it mostly is, being from such an isolated area), yet she still sees things that helps her in later portions of the book. Also, that Aeryn is a huge mush for her crush, Lyse just makes me grin.

While I believe that these first two books should be best viewed as one book - I love that this YA fantasy is as well developed as it is. It also has an ominous hook at the end that will all but guarantee fans eagerness to read book three. It didn't need to be that heavy handed, because I will read the next one - can't wait to see what is in store for Aeryn and company.

Thanks to YLVA for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for XR.
1,979 reviews106 followers
May 21, 2020
Lots of action in this one and it's pretty awesome.

Oh and the twist with Death! Scandalous!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Neen Cohen.
Author 38 books86 followers
July 27, 2022
Book 2 in the destiny and darkness series. I enjoyed this book even more than the first. Partly because I knew going in that it was a YA book (my hate of being spoiled sometimes bites me in the butt) but also there was so much more action and intrigue. A lot of things that had been set up in the first book came to fruition in this book and it was glorious.

Loved the romantic subplots, the writing is just as marvellous and descriptive as book one. But oh my, the action and intrigue was far more prevalent and what an ending. I now have to find the third book and really looking forward to it.

Delving further into the world of magic and how affinities work and interact with each other had me smiling ear to ear and loving every second of it.
Profile Image for Carol Hutchinson.
1,124 reviews72 followers
November 27, 2019
What an adventure!!!

Aeryn is continuing her journey after discovering her powers, and finding herself in the capture of the kingdom and being trained to fight. Something is a foot in the kingdom, and not all that Aeryn knew is as it seems. With everything going on, Aeryn not only has to learn to control her powers, but who and what she should trust. The adventure takes many twists and turns in the search for the truth, and justice to be served.

I loved the adventure and magic in this story, and learning more about Aeryn and all her friends in the kingdom. It really intrigued me how they worked together, and all the powers they had, but the best bit were all the twists and turns in the plot that created the intrigue and mystery. There was so much going on that you could get fully immersed in the story and just enjoy the adventure. It was really exciting, capturing the imagination, and look forward to more from the series.

There was a darkness to this follow up that made it a little more adult than the first book in the series, but this is still a great fantasy book even for the Young Adult genre.

Aeryn and Lyse were already off to a complicated start, but their friendship was strong. I loved their character development in this sequel, where they learnt more about themselves, and each other. Their relationship is definitely a special one, and I love how they interact and just fit together perfectly.

Great addition to this series, and building the excitement for more in future.

Profile Image for Sascha Broich.
325 reviews4 followers
November 3, 2019
*ARC from Ylva for review*

The second book continues where the first so unexpectedly ended.
Aeryn learns some more about the disappearances that have her concerned. She meets the knight Asher. She was a squire to Idras, who Aeryn met in the first book. Asher supports her search and at the same time ignites jealousy in Lyse.
Unexpected for Aeryn she also gets support from almost all of her fellow students. Together they unravel the mystery of the dark magic users behind the kidnappings. And step right into an conspiracy to overthrow the king. And so the second half of the book has some heavy use of magic and fighting going on.
I have only one major and two minor complaints. The major is about the magic bond. First it is "unbreakable" and then it can "unravel" and later be broken accidentally. That's not very consistent. Minor complaints are: the plot around Lyse and Timo, which should have had way more flesh to it, and then that the suspects are the culprits, no plot twist or character depth there.

So overall a solid continuation of book one, with more interaction between the students and way more action overall. And the question remains: what's laying in wait for Aeryn & Co. in the next book?
157 reviews9 followers
November 7, 2019
An ARC copy was given to me by YLVA for a honest review.

I must confess that I liked this book more than the first one. The story about Aeryn and Lyse progress and I confess that I couldn´t lay this book away. The story continues with conspiracy against the king and goes on with fighting for against powerful enemy.

I really liked the developing of both characters and I really looking forward to read more of the story.

I have only small wish to know more about the other characters Pavo, Gamiel, Kjelborn etc.
Profile Image for Dean.
375 reviews15 followers
December 1, 2019
Recensione su Book Lover

All'inizio pensavo che questa fosse una duologia, quindi ero abbastanza confusa dal finale, ma poi ho letto che ci sarà un terzo volume. Quando, non lo so, ma dovrò assolutamente leggerlo.

Aeryn continua ad indagare sulle persone scomparse nella città. Questa volta, però, oltre che da Lyse si fa aiutare anche da da altri personaggi. Continuando a scavare, però, trovano le radici di una cospirazione che potrebbe distruggere il regno.
Parallela a questa linea avventurosa c'è anche quella amorosa: Aeryn e Lyse cercano di entrare a patti con i sentimenti che provano l'una per l'altra, che potrebbero cambiare le dinamiche che stanno loro attorno.
In poche pagine succede di tutto, cospirazioni, scontri, spionaggio. Sono sorpresa che la Frost sia riuscita a mettere tutto quanto senza farlo sembrare affrettato.

Questo secondo volume è molto più serio e dark del precedente, una cosa che sinceramente non mi aspettavo ma che mi ha lasciata felicemente sorpresa. Alcune cose sono forse un po' ovvie fin dal primo libro, ma per il resto è una storia che si fa leggere.
Forse la cosa che amo di più è il modo in cui viene usata la magia, come viene messa in delle "scatole" a seconda di ciò che si controlla e come l'autrice mostra, in The Darkness Rising, che invece i personaggi possono usarla come meglio credono (c'è una particolare scena con Pavo che è interessantissima da questo punto di vista).
E, come ho già accennato, la parte dark di questo libro fa interessare ancora di più il lettore alla storia. Forse è un po' troppo ovvio chi siano i cattivi, ecco, ma non sempre questo è un male, anche perché la Frost ci mostra quanto in là quei personaggi possano spingersi nel suo universo.

I personaggi a cui già avevo cominciato ad affezionarmi nel primo volume ricompaiono qui, e molti di loro sono fondamentali: la ricerca non ricade solo sulle spalle di Aeryn e Lyse. Le due convincono anche i loro amici, che, con notevole sprezzo del pericolo, aiutano le due giovani come possono.
Di sicuro il mio preferito è Pavo; tra tutti è il più particolare, e qui ha mostrato di avere più di qualche risorsa. Spero di vederlo ancora nel prossimo volume.
Il mi odio verso alcuni cavalieri e maghi continua, ma in mezzo alle mele marce ce n'è qualcuno che si può salvare. Pochi, eh, ma buoni. Forse un po' ingenui nel non vedere quello che hanno sotto al naso.
E la relazione tra Aeryn e Lyse? Be', dire complicate è dire poco, anche per via di Timo. C'è un avanzamento graduale che poi diventa sorprendentemente veloce, quasi assurdo e forse non proprio positivo, però è una bella coppia. Forse non quella che ci si aspetta, ma bella.

Per quanto riguarda lo stile, scorre molto velocemente, tanto che non ti rendi conto di quanto hai letto fino a che non lo guardi. Continuo a pensare che per qualcuno che abbia un livello B1 o più alto di Inglese potrebbe leggere questa serie tranquillamente e non avendo problemi.

Nel complesso, un'ottima lettura.


161 reviews6 followers
December 5, 2019
Good reasons why one long book is published as a trilogy (or more):
1. Each book contains its own discrete story with a beginning, middle and end (eg, The Millennium Series or the Harry Potter series;
2. Because it’s so long it’s impossible to print in one volume (eg, Lord of the Rings, The Oxford English Dictionary, The Encyclopedia Britannica).

I’m therefore baffled as to why The Daughter of Fire has been split into (at least) three volumes. Books one and two could easily have been published in one volume; neither of them is long and there is no natural break in the story. You cannot read this second volume without reading the first, or it will make very little sense. This unnecessarily breaks up a good read and the cynic in me says it has more to do with marketing and maximising revenue than anything else.

Nevertheless, this is a good fantasy story and I do want to find out what happens to Aeryn so I will keep on reading to the end – as long as it remains interesting. Frost is to be commended for creating a richly woven picture of her fantasy realm.

The story is probably aimed at a YA market, but like all good books in this genre it is interesting for all ages. The romance is PG rated and very slow to boil, but perhaps we’ll see more action on that front in book three. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long before we can read it. My instincts tell me that it would be more enjoyable to wait until all volumes are published and then read them in one go. If you are a fan of fantasy books (and I love a good fantasy story) then I’m sure it would be worth waiting for.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Carolyn McBride.
Author 5 books106 followers
December 9, 2019
This is the second book in Karen Frost's world of gifted students at Windhall University. This one picks up right where the first one left off, so you might want to read that one first if you haven't already.

This book is a natural growth from the first, resolving the storylines from its predecessor, but developing angst and mystery all its own. Ah, the angst of young love... The pacing of this book is faster than the first. This one builds on the foundation built in #1 (Conspiracy of The Dark), and we see the growth of Aeryn, Lyse and their friends. A secondary character takes up the mantle of his destiny as well, while others try to reshape their destinies and the Kingdom around them. The characters were all very well drawn, motivations were clear and as always, the world-building was exquisite.

There will be a book three, and I have to say, I'm glad. I was totally swept up in the world, the characters we have come to know and root for and I can't wait to see how the war is resolved. If you enjoy well-written fantasy with a hint of darkness, danger, and dashing pacing; this book is for you.
Profile Image for Jaie.
643 reviews20 followers
November 5, 2019
I'm disappointed with this book. I loved the world building in the first book (which shouldn't be its own book...) But the pacing here felt too fast by comparison. The story got complicated with lots of new characters or organizations introduced - and I got confused. I didn't hate it, but I was disappointed generally.

*Karen used to write for AferEllen but she quit because she didn't agree with their politics - thank you Karen*

[Below was my note, Karen commented below to clarify/update]
Another disappointment:
I went to the author's website and saw that she is a recent, regular contributor to AfterEllen. I used to be a daily reader of AE but it is now a transphobic, lesbian separatist website. I can hope she didn't know that and was simply eager to be published, but I won't be able to support an author who knowingly contributes to hate like that.
Profile Image for Lisa B.
239 reviews1 follower
December 19, 2019
This was much better than the first instalment, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Problem is you really need to read the first book to know what is going on. We could have done without the majority of book one, and the end of that added to this book! There is a ‘to be continued’ ending in this second book also, but this time instead of just stopping in the middle of a story leaving the reader feeling cheated and annoyed, this one does come to a conclusion, it just opens up new avenues for a next instalment. I look forward to reading it.
I was given an advance review copy by Ylva in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for terry.
289 reviews6 followers
November 18, 2019
I loved this sequel. I enjoyed that the action picked up right from the start. Aeryn’s magic grew so amazingly well. I thought that Lyse and she were great when they bonded and how they worked together was amazing. I thought it was great that they were able to bring Firdas back his powers. This is a great series and I’m looking forward to book 3. I would recommend this series and definitely start with book 1. This is a great YA book and the writing is very good.

I read an ARC provided by YLVA in exchange for an honest review.
90 reviews1 follower
December 12, 2019
This book was enjoyable - definitely much better than book 1.

The story proceeded at a good pace - I was drawn in quickly unlike the first book which was quite plodding. The building up of the relationship between Lyse and Aeryn was realistic and I really enjoyed the interaction between both of them. I had to keep reminding myself they were all very young adults...

Most of the loose threads from Book 1 was resolved in Book 2 so it was a satisfying read. I'm wondering what Book 3 will bring...
61 reviews1 follower
August 2, 2020
This is the second book in the series and it resumes right where the first stopped. Same great writing style and the story just pulls you in and you can’t put it down. This one did feel a lot shorter than the first, though I wonder if that was because I knew the history already and wasn’t trying to figure everything out. This book for the most part gives a partial conclusion to the story between Aeryn and Lyse. There was a segue that left a thread for the next installment so that was expected and will be interesting to see. Overall, a good story but only when read right after the first.

ARC provided by Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Profile Image for Vervada.
665 reviews
June 25, 2021
While the first book introduced us slowly to the world and the characters, this one moves far more quickly and is filled with action, conspiracies and romance. Aeryn and Lyse are just as cute together, and Cayleth is an amazing friend and mage (illusion magic is awesome). We are also introduced to Asher, who definitely piqued my curiosity; I'm glad that we get to learn more about her in the third book. Overall, a lovely sequel!
Profile Image for Jovi.
125 reviews3 followers
January 27, 2020
Good read.

Good writing. Great plot. I really enjoyed reading this. I will definitely be reading the Third book in this series.
Profile Image for Clair Davis.
149 reviews2 followers
October 20, 2023
Daughter of Fire: The Darkness Rising;

I didn't like the first so wasn't gonna waste my time with the second...
Profile Image for Virginia.
974 reviews
July 6, 2025
More happens in this sequel than in book 1 but it's still fairly insipid. There are many superior YA fantasy series.
Profile Image for Blanche Maze.
Author 11 books44 followers
December 21, 2023
An amazing sequel

- I would like to thank Ylva Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC -

BOOK 2 in the DESTINY AND DARKNESS series

I really enjoyed the first book but I loved this sequel. The story was more intense and interesting now that the worldbuilding is set up and the very exciting cliffhanger at the end of book 1 made the beginning of this one very intriguing. I liked how the characters had to lead some sort of investigation to understand who the real enemies were. The romance subplot was also more surprising and intriguing in this one. I was eager to see how this whole thing would play out and some plottwists and revelations really surprised me. The writing is immersive and pleasant, the characters are relatable and interesting, and the plot really thickens. I'm excited to read the next one in the series!

I recommend if you like queer fantasy!

"What death takes, it never gives back."

TW: violence, war, death, murder, assault, abuse, blood, fire
140 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2020
The second book in this series did not disappoint. It was actually much better than the first book in this series. We see the characters and the story line maturing. There is a lot of action, villains are uncovered and there is magic. I can’t wait to find out how Aeryn deals with her choices in book 3
286 reviews9 followers
November 8, 2019
Read this book and its prequel back to back if you can for maximum enjoyment (3.5 stars)
I read the first book in this series when it was first available and had questions then about what information there was going to be pertinent, which characters needed to be remembered etc to take into the reading of this sequel. Although that was only two months ago, that was long enough (with dozens of other books being read in between) for me to forget major details from the first book. There is some recap that occurs here but I'd suggest that if you can, read both books back to back because this picks up where Conspiracy of the Dark left off and so it's best to have the events (among other things) fresh in mind for the sequel to not feel like unfamiliar territory and distract the reader from the new events happening there.
There are lots of familiar faces here (and some new ones) and once again teenagers are put into dangerous situations and forced to make adult decisions (with varying degrees of success). Aeryn is better adjusted to her new life here, training to be a war mage but still carries plenty of naivete from her upbringing and her age to make her an imperfect (and therefore more relatable) character.
I might have gotten more out of my reading of the story had I read the first book again right before but that aside, many of the events of this book had me on edge and worrying for the main characters. I was fully invested until nearing the end of the book where a series of events took me out of that groove temporarily so I was skeptical and less invested for the rest of the story. New information in the latter half of the story felt at times overly convenient and had me wondering if some of it was still more world building to set up for a long running series. The ending was pretty much as I expected it to be (no spoilers) and was less satisfying than I wanted it to be; plot lines that resolved along the way were sometimes overshadowed by character appearances that felt more formulaic and convenient than plausible in the moment. I am curious to see what the author releases next and how I will feel about it when I read it
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Karen.
887 reviews11 followers
November 21, 2019
So far this is an entertaining series. This installment starts right where the last one left off with Aeryn reeling from her discovery. Then the book expands into a hectic, puzzling (for the characters) adventure with new friends and foes, and no one is sure which is which. Aeryn’s suspicions are confirmed but she has to decide what to do with that knowledge.

On top of all that, Aeryn’s training continues. While she learns new skills, her feelings for Lyse continue but she also meets an intriguing young knight. There is a lot going on: the relationship (or lack) between Aeryn and Lyse and trying to handle their feelings, dealing with a scary mage teacher and at least one unpleasant classmate, unraveling what’s happening in the city, Aeryn contemplating her future and her feelings, and more. This novel just keeps on going until a satisfactory conclusion is reached, at least for me.

According to the description, this is second of a duology but it ends on a cliffhanger. The story-line from the first book is concluded, but there is a new story-line. I would enjoy a third book in this series so I’m not complaining, just somewhat confused. Nevertheless, I agree with other reviewers – if you like fantasy and adventure, read this book.

I received an ARC for an honest review.
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