Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Quiescence Trilogy #2

The Warrior Queen

Rate this book
From the stillness, a hero rises.

Catanya has escaped to the Kingdom of Awnell. Inside the towering fortress city, she meets Queen Ayr, a freethinking and cunning leader intent on safeguarding her people's liberty. Unsure who to trust, and still grappling with her untamed magic, Catanya must learn what it means to be a warrior.

Miles away, Diyah's strength is tested as new allies emerge and old secrets unravel. Torn between fear and curiosity, she begins to suspect that nothing is as it seems in Caerlon.

As the division between brother and sister threatens to ignite a centuries old conflict between kingdoms, both Catanya and Diyah must decide what price they are willing to pay for freedom.

New dangers approach and mysterious legends emerge in the second installment of the Quiescence Trilogy.

428 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2022

5 people are currently reading
568 people want to read

About the author

Kathryn Knowles

4 books41 followers
Kathryn Knowles is a composer, cellist, conductor, and writer currently based in Toronto, Ontario. She splits her time between writing, teaching, conducting, composing, and running Mad Endeavour.

In her spare time, Kathryn enjoys taking on new creative projects (i.e. filling up that “spare” time), spending time with friends and family, tending her ever-growing plant collection (obsession), and looking at pictures of puppies and dreaming of the day she can have one of her own.

Learn more about Kathryn:
www.kathryn-knowles.com
www.madendeavour.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
10 (43%)
4 stars
9 (39%)
3 stars
4 (17%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for Erin.
513 reviews25 followers
August 22, 2023
Warrior Queen 3⭐️ 1🌶️


Historical flashback
Multi POV
FMC savior
On the run
Intrigue
Opposites attract
Self discovery
Secrets
Romantic tension


The book picks up were the first left off. With a little kingdom history (which felt a little out of place and disconnected, even with the cameo at the end) and the FMC having to gain a little political savvy in a different kingdom before setting off on her own quest of self discovery.

The second FMC’s arc is a bit stagnant, but you can see romance in her future. The tension is very nice!

There was a bit of world building in this second book and thankfully the relationship dynamics shifting how they did made things a lot more enjoyable. So I would say, the romance suffered a bit of a second book slump, but the plot was steady and you can see how things will pick up in the next book.

The pacing, while still unevenly being weighed down in some sections, was far better than the first book. The previous “tv series” structure of seemingly mid scene changes has mellowed out into a far “easier to read” structure.

I’m invested in the relationships and I’m looking forward to seeing the plot play out!

Thank you Netgalley and Mad Endeavour for the Advanced Reader Ebook Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
30 reviews
January 22, 2024
Catanya's and Diyah's stories continue. In this book there is a lot more adventure, magic and secrets.

This book starts right where the first one ended so we don't miss anything. We see Catanya arrive in Awnell and we soon meet one of the most interesting side characters, Queen Ayr. I was happy to read more about the mysterious Drayk. Catanya's stay in Awnell sets her on a path to find the mystical land of Tuir-Avlea.

Meanwhile in Caerlon, we get to follow Diyah. While her story is a bit slow in the beginning of this book, it goes very fast towards the end. Diyah also meets interesting new people, who can hopefully help her!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice mix of a new city (Awnell), a quest and court intrigue. We got to see more of their world and there is some nice character development since the first book. The dual POV keeps it interesting, you want to know what happens next but then the POV switches and you just have to keep reading!
I look forward to the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Mad Endeavour for the copy I received. This is my honest review.
Profile Image for Chey.
1,494 reviews50 followers
May 18, 2022
Book two in the Quiescence series doesn't disappoint. We pick up with Catanya having escaped into Awnell and meeting Queen Ayr. Meanwhile Diyah is in Caerlon being tested as allies and secrets are making themselves known. What will happen when the conflict between siblings threatens to ignite a war between kingdoms and the price of freedom becomes even more costly?

This was an interesting read that had quite a bit of worldbuilding. The author did a fantastic job in creating their world and making it believable. Catanya and Diyah have differing personalities that make the story more interesting to read. I am partial to Catanya more than Diyah just because she seems to have more fight in her.

The story itself, while interesting, fell a little flat in a few places. There were moments the story dragged with details and while they were needed, there was too many at once so it felt like info dumping.
Profile Image for FS Meurinne.
Author 2 books134 followers
August 18, 2023
This is the second book of the Quiescence Trilogy, and we delve deeper into the captivating world crafted by the author. The story follows Catanya and Diyah. Catanya seeks refuge in the Kingdom of Awnell, where she encounters the cunning Queen Ayr and must grapple with her magical abilities while learning the ways of a warrior. Simultaneously, Diyah's resilience is tested in Caerlon, where new allies and long-buried secrets come to light. The siblings' rift threatens to reignite an ancient kingdom conflict, forcing them to question the cost of freedom. Although the narrative occasionally bogs down with excessive details, the suspense, and unexpected twists maintain an alluring momentum. As I've grown attached to the characters and the world of Mórceá, I eagerly anticipate the series finale.
1 review1 follower
May 20, 2022
Wow, what a thrilling adventure! I honestly could not put this book down! It was beautifully written, and there was so much suspense and intrigue, as well as many unexpected twists and turns along the way, which kept me guessing up until the very end! I enjoyed it even more than the first book, especially as I've now grown more familiar with the characters and the world of Mórceá, and I liked that there was even more development of these complex characters. I'm looking forward to the final book in the series!
1 review2 followers
August 5, 2022
Wow! Even better than the first book. I’m loving Catanya’s journey, and the new characters in Awnell are wonderful. I love Queen Ayr, she's so badass. And Diyah’s story is so good! The characters really feel alive and I can’t wait for book 3!
708 reviews16 followers
December 19, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book. The characters are really something. The main characters Catanya and Diyah. Following through the book these characters development is excellent. A must read for book lovers everywhere
4 reviews18 followers
September 29, 2022
Loved it, the way the characters just came to from beginning to end was great. Which in turn made the story flow. It made the story a must read.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
105 reviews4 followers
August 18, 2023
Thank you to netgalley and the author for the chance to read this arc in exchange for a honest review

I loved the book, I was instantly on the adventure with the characters!
At times I just wanted to shake Catanya and tell her to believe in herself like all those around her do. I really enjoyed the story going over to Diyah and Jèmys, im invested in how her marriage is going to go with Julyàn since he won the tournament.
I do have 1 complaint and it's that we were left of quite a cliff hanger
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Annie.
454 reviews8 followers
January 2, 2024
Catanya has escaped her horrid brother to the Kingdom of Awnell. Here she can regroup, train and be ready to fight Cadyan. Right? Eh, maybe. This calls for a quest! When Catanya fails spectacularly to save Awnell and Queen Ayre from Cadyan, she must find people who will help her understand and harness her magic.

Meanwhile in Caerlon, Diyah has been saved from near death to become the crown's physician. I mean, she has the skills but Diyah is still a prisoner. Forced to heal. But when she is listed as a prize for the winner of the trial to find the next head of the Caerlon army, things start to get interesting.

I really wanted to love this book after the first one, but I just couldn't love it as much. The storyline felt a little forced and a little out of place. Just a segue from the first to the third book. I fear you could summarise this book into a chapter or two. It did start to get more interesting about 2/3 the way through and it did end on a very interesting note. I needed some spice in this. It wasn't even a slow burn. I am definitely looking forward to book 3. I think the third book will be amazing!

Big thanks to NetGalley, Mad Endeavour and Kathryn Knowles for an early release copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.