Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood & Starlight

by Laini Taylor  

 

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

 

(summary from goodreads.com)

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If you liked the first book, just save yourself some anguish and wait until the 3rd book is out before you read this one. Seriously, I think I just might stop reading 2nd books all together. This was a heart wrenching book, even grittier than the first one, with characters you care about mostly miserable for all 500 pages. Unlike some 2nd books, this one at least goes somewhere and accomplishes something, but I yearned (pleaded, demanded) for a little more happiness. Zuzana and Mik were the lone bright plots of this book - they were fabulous and I loved every bit of them - without them it would have been 500 pages of darkness. I have a feeling this author could go either way with the romantic plot, I hope it's an ending I'm happy with. I'll let you know … when it's finally out … way far away in 2014.

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: yes Profanity: yes Sex: yes