Published: December 2021
Pages: 629
Series: Rook & Rose book two
Summary
In Nadezra, peace is as tenuous as a single thread. The ruthless House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city’s filthy back alleys and jewel-bright gardens, seen by those who know where to look.
Derossi Vargo has always known. He has sacrificed more than anyone imagines to carve himself a position of power among the nobility, hiding a will of steel behind a velvet smile. He’ll be damned if he lets anyone threaten what he’s built.
Grey Serrado knows all too well. Bent under the yoke of too many burdens, he fights to protect the city’s most vulnerable. Sooner or later, that fight will demand more than he can give.
And Ren, daughter of no clan, knows best of all. Caught in a knot of lies, torn between her heritage and her aristocratic masquerade, she relies on her gift for reading pattern to survive. And it shows her the web of corruption that traps her city.
But all three have yet to discover just how far that web stretches. And in the end, it will take more than knives to cut themselves free…
My thoughts
Oh my goodness, this book is another stellar addition to the Rook & Rose series. I loved book one, I loved this book even more. I am like a hound at my front window waiting for the postman to deliver book three so I can read the conclusion of this series. The Broken Binding editions of this are just the icing on the cake, they are beautiful. But anyways, onto my thoughts..
“You need not mask yourself for me.”
I think we saw a hint of romance from the last book and that comes out far more here. This is definitely still a subplot but I am a sucker for yearning so the small amount of romance hit the spot for me. It’s also quite nice to see our characters take some moments for themselves. There is so much action and scheming that many of our characters are losing themselves to the game. It’s good to strip that back at times and have them find a slice of solace.
“He said nothing; he was too busy telling himself to pull away and then failing to do so. Because for a moment, Ren looked happy. And he was, too.”
The character development in this book was fantastic too. My favourite here is Guina. She not only grew into her position and her family name, but she found her own identity. She pushed herself to challenge her friendships, to push back to how people treated her. She stood up for herself and clearly influenced by Ren she took her own risks. I loved seeing her growth and confidence, I was rooting for her and still am. I can’t wait to see what she does in the next book. I’m not sure if she finds out the truth of Ren but if she does and her heart breaks I will be very upset..
“It can be difficult to understand what we truly desires; often we settle for distractions and substitutes. But remember that you cannot reach your destination by looking at a map. You must walk the path.”
Now, so many other great characters. Vargo, Grey, The Rook.. We get to learn more about their history, what they’re up to and why. It really brought them to life more and raise the stakes. I felt like we were being brought more into the fold but at the same time, we’re learning alongside Ren so it felt natural and not any large information dumps that brought you out of the story.
Similarly to book one, I’ve seen many reviews on the pacing and finding it difficult to get into the first half. I didn’t find that the case either. I’ve found both books front to last page very enjoyable, good pacing that balanced the need to drive forward the plot whilst learning more about the world, the magic and the lore behind it all. At times the lore did confuse me, but I found as I kept reading the pieces came together for me. It’s incredibly intricate and I am amazed at how the authors have woven this story together.
Caught in their own web of lies
The book is titled very accurately for what we go on to read. It’s not just Ren but most of our characters are weaving and getting caught in their own lies. With some having multiple identities it is difficult to keep up the lies whilst trying to remember in what persona you should such information. I think this book did that well and it took it further. The identities they have and the people they need to become – who are they really? What are they doing this for? They’ve all gotten stuck and swept up in the motions I don’t think they spent any time in book one questioning why they’re doing certain things. It’s all about survival but it comes to a head in this book which was great to see and dive into more.
“If you can’t even have a good cry with your friends without worrying about your secrets getting out, I’m thinking you need more crying, more friends, and fewer secrets.”
The friendships in this story are heart-warming and I love the family that Ren has made with Tess and Sedge. Ren truly starts to question her drivers and realises she can’t pretend with everyone, she needs to show a piece of her real self. She opens up, she shows her vulnerability to the people around her and she realises the value of having true people that know the ins and outs around her. It’s a really great message about sharing the burden with your loved ones. Supporting each other and just being there for one another. No matter how big or small but having their trust, support and love can break up the loneliness, and that alone can be all that is needed.
Would I recommend?
Yes, absolutely. This is another fantastic book, a completely engrossing story with fantastic character development, complex plot and superb worldbuilding. I love this even more than the first book and I hope the postie arrives soon with book three! I need to know how this concludes!