Days of Blood and Starlight

I recommend reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone prior to the sequel.

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? 4.5 stars AKIVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I find that this tale is ultimately a tale of love, redemption, and finding yourself. The ultimate betrayals don't come without repercussions and some can hurt more than others. Karou, is put in a hostile situation where she finally has reached her destiny to find her last self and put into a contrasted, futile world that was ultimately a repercussion of her mutiny. She is harmed and goes to her people for forgiveness. Though life is not what it was, she becomes the person Brimstone wanted. She loses all hope ,but still carries her cross. The book is basically a shadow of a dream. What would we be when our dream shatters into only blood and starlight?

Akiva had to deal with so much and his anger - his personal demons and resentment is so futile. He had watched the person he loved the most- die. What would that give,you? Nothing. His dream, his hope, and his resistance towards killing chimera- was crushed when he heard the sound of her head falling. Akiva is a fragment so to speak. He had his vengeance but with a cost. He develops so much and you can here his voice through the echoes of war in the writing. Will his hope finally give him the redemption he so very needs?

Zuzana is trying her hardest to deal with her best friend leaving without a trace and is trying her best to find her. She is innocent- in a way. Brought into this world and she is still trying to understand it. She is the one person that has never betrayed or lied to Karou. Zuzana's passion in finding her friend is fervent and she cannot be stopped. There is no good and evil- because there is always a bleak sheet of grey in between. Nothing will be the same again and maybe after a loss of a dream, hope still survives. What would you do when the person you love the most, commits the ultimate betrayal?