Tag: Dark Shores series

Gilded Serpent (Dark Shores, #3) | ARC Review

My Rating: 4/5

Title: Gilded Serpent (Dark Shores, #3)

Author: Danielle L. Jensen

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 576

Publication Date: 4/27/21

Publisher: Tor Teen

Categories: fantasy, young adult, new adult, romance, politics

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

THEIR BATTLES ENDED IN VICTORY

Lydia returns to Mudaire to enter training at the healing temple. But instead of fighting to save lives, she’s convinced she is doing more harm than good. She delves into the history of the gods only to discover a truth that will change her life forever.

His birthright as commander of the Royal Army is finally in his grasp, but Killian feels anything but victorious. Burdened by his past, he embraces the darker side of his mark—and in doing so, risks starting a war.

BUT THE WAR HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN

Having defeated the tyrant Urcon, Marcus struggles to form a lasting alliance with the Arinoquians. But he is plagued by the knowledge that there is a traitor among his friends, and it could cost him everything that he’s fought for.

Torn between her growing allegiance to the Thirty-Seventh legion and her need to liberate her people, Teriana finds herself mired in a web of secrets. She embarks upon a path that will either save everyone she loves—or put them all in their graves.

My Attention: read in 2 days

World Building: epic world building and so much more traveling in this one through xenthier stems and a deadly trek through Sibern

Writing Style: kept the intensity throughout

Crazy in Love: slow…angsty, forbidden love stories 

Creativity: I love the Dark Shores series, it has everything

Triggers: violence, killing

  • I love that even though this book is told through 4 perspectives, the chapters are so short, each person has enough book time. BUT…I was worried I’d be attracted to one couple more and for me personally, I was drawn more to Teriana and Marcus. They two of them are just so intense, so strong-headed and Marcus is just stuck in a tight, tight spot. Killian and Lydia are complicated as well, but they have other problems.
  • There is an intense time for Teriana and Marcus and let me tell you it gets so rough for them. All seems lost, they are losing hope but they each carry one another through this difficult time. There is a sex scene between them (honestly it had to happen! haha), so that’s why I thought it was more New Adult than Young Adult. Except for that scene though, they are pretty chaste.
  • Killian and Lydia goes through hardships too but their story seems slower because they are apart. It picks up steam in the ending. Most of the book they are apart with Lydia under Quindon’s tutelage now and Killian making his choice of putting they kingdom before anything else. The angst between these two frustrated me, Killian frustrates me! The good thing about Killian and Lydia’s scenes were learning more about the blight and Rufina’s history.
  • The distrust growing in the Thirty-Seventh adds so much tension and complication to Marcus’ life and it gets even crazier in the end when Cassius thwarts him again. Seriously Marcus gets such a bad deal!
  • I made a big mistake reading this book assuming this was the LAST BOOK in the series…at the midway point of this 500+ book, I was like…wait a minute this book cannot be ending this way, nothing is being wrapped up. Yeah…it’s not the ending of the series at all! 🤦🏻‍♀️
  • These couples cannot be together for so many reasons. Killian and Lydia have a chance, but Marcus and Teriana…what will Marcus do? I just want them all to come out of this happy and ALIVE.
  • The author took the characters in this book and seriously put them through the wringer…😭 this can only mean good things are coming in book four, right? But the ending…is madness!

You know, I think I would have been happy for a book of only Marcus and Teriana again because they are my favorite. I think Killian and Lydia’s story is about to get more intriguing because of the reveal at the end but they could have had their own book also. I assumed in this book the four would meet up together, but I was wrong. I’m glad the series isn’t over yet, because I love everything Danielle L. Jensen writes. Give me more romance, angst, political intrigue and action. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!

💛 ~ Yolanda

Dark Skies | Book Review

My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Dark Skies (Dark Shores, #2)

Author: Danielle L. Jensen

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 464

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Politics, War, Magic

A RUNAWAY WITH A HIDDEN PAST
Lydia is a scholar, but books are her downfall when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire. Her life in danger, she flees west to the far side of the Endless Seas and finds herself entangled in a foreign war where her burgeoning powers are sought by both sides.

A COMMANDER IN DISGRACE
Killian is Marked by the God of War, but his gifts fail him when the realm under the dominion of the Corrupter invades Mudamora. Disgraced, he swears his sword to the kingdom’s only hope: the crown princess. But the choice sees him caught up in a web of political intrigue that will put his oath – and his heart – to the test.

A KINGDOM UNDER SIEGE
With Mudamora falling beneath the armies of the Corrupter, Lydia and Killian strike a bargain to save those they love most—but it is a bargain with unintended and disastrous consequences. Truths are revealed, birthrights claimed, and loyalties questioned—all while a menace deadlier and more far-reaching than they realize sweeps across the world.

This is book two in Dark Shores series but the awesome thing is that it’s not a continuation of book one. It’s a parallel story, but Lydia’s story! You can read either Dark Shores or Dark Skies first and you won’t be lost, isn’t that cool? I read them in order but I do love that each girl got their own book!

My Reactions:

My Attention: intrigued

World Building: this Dark Shores world is amazing – in Celendor, it is definitely inspired by Rome and the “west”. In Dark Skies we go across the Endless see into Mudamora. So it was fantastic getting to know this side of the world that believe in the power and gifts of the Six (gods that bestow gifts).

Writing Style: less intense than Dark Shores, but it builds nicely into some crazy battles

Bringing the Heat: where is the heat?! Ugh…my one complaint haha

Crazy in Love: more like impossible love… ☹️

Creativity: I love this way of travel called the xenthier stem, touch it and you could end up somewhere unexpected, or in the case of the East, maybe entombed! But I love this world of powers, the Six, deimos and the west about to find out the East’s secrets

Mood: ready for book three!

Triggers: violence

My Takeaway: Lydia is slowly coming into her power and Killian has so much power but is bound to an oath to protect someone else. They better have a happy ending in book three. 😔

  • Teriana from Dark Shores is my girl and I loved her friendship with Lydia. But this is Lydia’s side of the story. Lydia is a scholar, who was adopted by a powerful Senator and has lived a life of privilege because of it. She and Teriana are opposites in personality. I always wanted to know what happened to Lydia and now we know…and it is definitely unexpected! Lydia is tested. She has been forced out of her protective bubble and her eyes have been opened to the world around her and her power.
  • I love that either Dark Skies or Dark Shores can be read first in this series. We get two perspectives that will combine in the third book and I absolutely love this format! It didn’t feel like things were too repetitive from Dark Shores since we are getting Lydia’s perspective on events that happened.
  • There is a lot of political intrigue happening in this story. Mudamora is ruled by King Serrick and his High Lords. This half of the world still believe in the Gods and the powers they bestow on chosen people. Lydia is from Celendor where do not believe in Gods, and who’s government is ruled by a governing body of Senators. Lydia is thrust into a conflict brewing between King Serrick, his daughter Princess Malahi and the leader of the Corrupted, Rufina. There is a power play going on at court, the Corrupted are threatening to take over their kingdom and they don’t even know the West is about to invade them as well!
  • Killian is trapped and has such a strong sense of honor and loyalty. I felt his struggle. He loves his family, he loves his people, he is marked by the god of war and feels an obligation to be the hero his kingdom want him to be. He may even be starting to love Lydia but…and that’s a big BUT. 😔 I love how he picked women warriors to guard Malahi. He has a reputation as this handsome ladies man but I saw no evidence of it, he barely even flirted! His main love is for his kingdom.
  • Lydia and Killian are trying to fix their mistakes, at least Killian is – Lydia is trying to get back to Celendor so she can help her best friend. In their separate personal lives, they blame themselves for events that have taken place which have meant harm to those they care about. They are both on this path to right their wrongs and yet…I get this sense the harder they try, the tighter this web taround them gets. It’s why I want these two to have a happy ending in book three. They deserve it!
  • I feel like this book is a drumbeat of upcoming war…you know it’s coming, the trap is being set, Mudamora is dying (there is blight on the land and water, there are monsters attacking at night, people are turning Corrupted), the tension is being pulled taut, the battle is coming, the war is coming, both East and West are about to collide (in book three) and I cannot wait to find out what is going to happen.
  • Where is the love?! Not even a kiss, a near kiss, ugh, I’m a romance lover so this killed me! Haha…the story didn’t actually need it, but oh my heart. I was just broken for these two. There is not time for their romance to build with war coming, there are paths to take, choices to make and all Killian and Lydia wants to do, is the RIGHT thing for the people they love. But I want them together so bad…it broke my heart in the end! 💔
  • Lydia’s story is going to reveal some secrets in book three, I can feel it! And I can’t wait to see how it affects everything.

I will be counting the days until book three, The Gilded Serpent, releases next year. I love this series and the characters. I love the world building, the political intrigue, and I want to see everything come together. I’m ready to see how our four characters grow and come together to defeat the enemies around them!