this was pretty fast paced and definitely action packed. Mia felt different in this book compared to the first and sometimes the gladiator stuff seemed to be dragging out but it progressed the story to what I can assume will be to an action packed finale. the cliffhanger is a killer

Jay Kristoff is a master. That's all that needs to be said. When he puts pen to paper, as in Godsgrave, he births vivid and fully-realized characters and worlds. He writes with wit and humor that adds a unique undertone to a body of fiction that explores the violent, shadowy, and sinister. Mia is a modern classic in adult fantasy, and Godsgrave was the perfect expansion to Nevernight. If you haven't read this series, you haven't read.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

In a land where three suns almost never set, a ruthless assassin continues her quest for vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.
Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church hierarchy think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending the men who destroyed her familia; in fact, she’s told directly that Consul Scaeva is off limits. But after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia's suspicions about the Red Church’s true motives begin to grow.
When it’s announced that Scaeva will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end him. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between love and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

Stunning! What more can I say? After reading the first book a little while ago, I was eager for the follow-up...and it certainly doesn't disappoint!

In my review for the first book, I said this:

If I were to tell you that this book featured the following elements, what would you say?

* Assassins
* Duels
* Poison
* Murder
* Sex
* Beautiful prose
* Stunning world-building, and
* Surprising twists and turns.

And all of that is still so true of this book. It is everything you expect from a sequel. Character nd plot development, more world-building, and the pacing was even better than the last. I am not sure how a third book is going to top this...but I am sure it will.

Grab Nevernight (if you haven't already) and get stuck into one of the best fantasy series going!


Paul
ARH

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff plays the long game. Legit, there’s all these moving pieces and they come together so spectacularly in the end. I should back right up though and say that this is the sequel to Nevernight which I quite enjoyed. So if you’re worried about spoilers and such, maybe look at that review, read Nevernight, and then come back here.

So, Godsgrave basically picks right up where Nevernight leaves off. The Red Church is in dire straits after the attack on it from within. Mia is a Blade because she’s the only option the church has left. She is sent on these different jobs for the Church. Interwoven with these jobs is a separate storyline where Mia is sold to flesh traders and becomes a gladiatii. As a reader, you find yourself questioning how it ended up like this. And so, eventually everything comes together and makes sense. We get to meet another character who is Darkin. There’s plenty of stabbing in this book too – in addition to a few adult scenes. Balance.

As expected, Mia Corvere only gets more badass as the books go on. She puts so much on the line in pursuit of vengeance. We get to learn a little bit more about her family. There are some BIG reveals dropped about her parents. Honestly, I can’t wait to see how it all plays out in book three, Darkdawn. I also like that Mia was willing to be a bit vulnerable in this book. She lets herself have friends — reluctantly though.

In the end, revenge is important to her, but she finds a way to get that without stepping all over people. I think she finds a way to get her revenge to align with helping out some downtrodden people. Plus, I think with Mia it is like a blindfold is ripped away and she truly sees how awful the Republic is — like beyond what happened to her family.

I liked that we got to explore the underbelly of Itreya in Godsgrave. So, the first book Nevernight is basically all set at that Red Church school. I liked that this book really builds the world up and takes us beyond. We get to see this whole world of Gladiatii and just how bad it is. As readers, I think we’re forced to look at the hubris of the Republic and a government that happily enslaves people. It’s just so awful. I am here waiting for Mia to break everyone’s chains and for endgame, whatever that may be, I know it is going to be spectacular.

On a final note, there’s a romance in Godsgrave that I absolutely was not expecting. You see, Mia sees an old “friend” from her days at “school.” She doesn’t quite know if she should trust this friend. In fact, she wants to kill her when she first encounters her. However, as it turns out, the girl may have some information Mia didn’t bargain for. Also? They have this wild chemistry between them. I think the romance was written in a way that seems natural. It will be interesting to see how it will all end up.

I am..................................... how do you say............................. Shook
With so many insane plot reveals I had trouble keeping track, a really great slow burn romance, and the most excellent lead character. It’s a sequel, so we’ll split this up into sections. Let’s talk!

→ theme work ←
Aaaaaah, this was so great. I think this book was more focused on the fact that every single person is the hero of their own story. In the first half, I was thinking this book really could have done more with the discussion of slavery - like, come on - but the second half DOES that shit far better than I was expecting.

→ writing ←
I think the thing that saves the writing of this book for me is that it feels like it’s laughing at itself. I can feel the dilapidated, possibly soulless ghost of Jay Kristoff laughing at himself as he types these ridiculous words, and I sort of love it. Every weird sentence is a reminder that this story has a narrator, a sarcastic and slightly pretentious narrator whose identity we still do not know.

→ plot and twists ←
This one started sort of slow but it ended brilliantly. This series has a lot of battle scenes - trust me, I get it if you need to skip sections due to gore etc, I get it. The plot reveals are the best - um, my favorite was the backstory reveal and the way that worked thematically. I am so fucking sorry that I cannot say anything more than that.

→ characters ←
Miaaaaaa. I adore Mia as a character so much and I would read the series for her alone. She is such a complex and compelling antihero with such a complex and nuanced arc. I never know if she’s going to swerve evil or good, but I know I’m desperately invested in who she becomes. I love that she does evil things with good intentions and toes that line.

→ romance ←
Ash and Mia are the GREATEST. They have this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers slow-burn dynamic I basically adore. Uh… yeah. I really love the juxtaposition of them to other romantic relationships as being far healthier, even though they’re both literal assassins?

→ more thoughts ←
The cissexism is really bothersome? I mean, it feels like every two chapters there’s some mention of vaginas vs. dicks and like… I get that you like being Gritty and Dark, but what am I reading. I also think occasionally the Grittiness overpowers the plot. Which I dislike. That part is bad and I dislike it.

→ enjoyment factor ←
I don't even know, guys, these are just so addicting. I always have trouble getting into the beginning but from there, I just enjoy every second I spend reading these. This book took a while to get started, but once it got going, it became a straight-up [gay-up] masterpiece of plot twists and of character development. And I adore it.

Godsgrave is a fantastic addition to The Nevernight Chronicles. Kristoff switches between humor and bloody murder with ease, keeping my eyes glued to the page and my fingers swiping through the pages. If the last 50 pages hadn't seemed a bit rushed (well-written, but rushed), this would've been a 5-star read for me.

I can't wait for Mia to murder a few dozen more people in Darkdawn!

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book but it was still a blast to read. There are a few popular fantasy series where the sequel shifts to a competition/gladiator game and this one follows in that vein. But the world is so unique that I didn't mind. All around, it was extremely fun to read.

Loved Nevernight and Godsgrave didn’t disappoint. There is something about this book that had me keep saying just one more page and then I will go to sleep

Once again, Jay Kristoff delivers intrigue, suspense, and good old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure "Godsgrave," the fast-paced sequel to "Nevernight." If you were unlucky enough to have missed the first book, now is the perfect time to read both. Just make sure you start reading them when you have some time set aside, because you won't be able to put either book in the series down until you have finished.

Oh my gosh!!!! First off it took me four months to read and finish this book because the first third of the book BORED me. It was filled with lots of action of course, but the details dragged too much for me and then the storyline went from past to present throwing me off. I just annoyed with it, but I picked it back up and pushed through it and let me just say those last 20 chapters gave me so much life! I enjoyed this book so much.

Firstly, did I mention how much I love me some foulmouth, badass, killer machine Mia. I just love her personality and all. Mia is one of those characters that you just love because she stays true to herself to the core.

The romance in this book was insane (in a good way). I was not expecting a threesome of sorts, nor was I expecting some girl on girl action. That blew my mind and it was so well written. The romance and sex scenes were just a perfect addition to this book. Unexpected, but perfect.

Ashlinn was a great surprise especially after she killed so many people in the first book. Furian was a character I loved and hated. I wish he would have embraced his Darkin side and just worked with Mia -- that would have been hot. Leona is a mess, she just needs to scurry back to her dad and plot to kill him.

The action, the blood, the romance, drama and everything in between made this the perfect fantasy novel. I love it!

That ending -- just what the fck!!! Why?!?!?!?!? I'm so mad and I need the third book to explain for me. Where did Mercurio go? Did Ashlinn die? What the heck is Tric doing back? Now that Mia is reunited with her brother what now? What the heck is Scaeva and the Church really up to? So many unanswered questions, but all so beautifully written.

LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

I loved this book! I'm always wary of trilogies or miniseries as you always hope if the first book is good that subsequent ones will be as well. I'm happy to say this was just as fabulous as Nevernight! The action is fantastic and suitable for lovers of Game of Thrones or movies such as the Gladiator. Mia is tough and smart and a likeable heroine. The twists at the end of the book were great (and I truly had been hoping she'd spared the Falcons). I'm really looking forward to reading the third one and hope we don't have to wait too long for it! Thank you for letting me read the ARC.

Kristoff has hit the nail on the head - wait, no he stabbed it, no he stomped it, no he slaughtered it willy-nilly and with a bit of repartee along the way. Just read this second book in the series - *after* you read the first!

The thing I always have to remind myself about trilogies is how quickly the mood can change between books. I read Nevernight, the first in The Nevernight Chronicle series, immediately before starting Godsgrave. And I loved it. LOVED. Some aspects were reminiscent of other books in the same genre, but it was different enough that the similarities felt more like a homey familiarity, while the unique qualities made me ache to keep reading. Mia is super easy to fall in love with, which is a lot considering she’s training to be an assassin serving the Lady of Blessed Murder, all so she can seek revenge on those who destroyed her family. But she’s seriously kick-ass, snarky as hell, and beyond driven. My love for Mia goes deep!

But I digress…I was talking about trilogies and this is a review about Godsgrave anyway, so…where was I? Oh, yeah. So, I loved Nevernight and was thrilled to have Godsgrave sitting and waiting for me because it needed to be the thing I read next. But it has to be said that the mood, really everything, is so very different. If it’s been awhile since you read Nevernight, it might not be quite so obvious, but if you’re reading them back to back? Just be prepared.

In Godsgrave, there are some shifts backwards and forwards in time. Mia’s goals are the same, but time has passed, things come to light that were barely hinted at in the first book, the cast has changed a lot, and the locations are almost entirely new. Mia learns a great deal more about herself, some truths about her family, and while she continues down the path of revenge, she also tries to learn more about her darkin nature.

In this book, Mia grows by leaps and bounds, and we start to get a glimpse into what the final book may bring us. In fact, I keep having to look back to confirm it’s a trilogy because it seems like there is so much more to cover that it couldn’t possibly be done in one final book. I have so many questions, I’m expecting it to be a behemoth volume.

Whenever it comes, whatever size it is, I’ll be reading it as soon as I can get my hands on it. At this point, I’m so committed to Mia, there is no way I wouldn’t see her story through to the end. And based on what I’ve read so far, I don’t think Mr. Kristoff will disappoint. ;)

Godsgrave marks the second in the Nevernight Chronicle by Kristoff. Check out my review for Nevernight, probably by favorite book of 2016 and a stellar re-read for 2017 prior to this release in September.

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

I adored this book. It is well written and edgy with fantastic structure, pacing and characterization. The characters and narrative are complex and highly entertaining. I love the dark humor and sense of unease. Mr. Kindly's banter with Eclipse is truly epic. I love Mia. I was on the edge of my seat with some surprise revelations and a fantastic cliffhangers for the next book. Readers are in for a bloody good treat full of sarcasm, betrayal, sex and violence.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

What the $@)$?? What did I just read?!? Mr. Kristoff had done it again. I didn't think he could top Nevernight, but he did! What a read. Action, adventure, mystery, everything you could want. It's so engaging and entertaining (Don't be intimidated by it's size, it's worth it!). Kristoff knows how to tell a story and this is no exception. I would recommend this book (But read Nevernight first!). Easily 5 out of 5 stars.

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I feel like I could read this man's shopping list and give it five stars.

I was worried that Godsgrave would fall into the "sophomore slump" that plagues so many book series, especially when I realized that some type of tournament would be involved.

I was pleasantly surprised when Kristoff had done just the opposite. There were enough secrets and bloodshed to keep me highly entertained. Plus, my two favorite shadow creatures had more than enough screen time.

Mia's romance takes a different turn in this book, and without giving away spoilers it seemed to flow naturally from the previous book's plot. I applaud Kristoff for taking such a step.

While I thought I had the entire plot figured out halfway through the book, I was proven completely wrong. The last ten pages alone kept me on my toes.

I am awaiting the last book in the Nevernight Chronicle with much excitement and anticipation. This is easily becoming one of my favorite series.

An open review to Mister Kristoff,

Oh. My. Damn!

I'm convinced you sat at your workstation for the day(s) contemplating ways to make the hearts of your faithful readers bleed.

Cheesus, I HATED Mia for a split second and was wondering why on earth you (Mister Kristoff) would allow such treacherous happenings. You sly giant you!

Well done, Kristoff, well done, you've succeeded. My heart....it bleeds.

-Amanda


It's been 13 hours since I've finished Godsgrave and I've yet to wrap my mind around all the complete fuckery that just happened.

The massive amounts of blood spilled in this book set the bar for book 3 quite high, can he top it?

Badass doesn't even cover the actions of one the CROW. This installment is stuffed from opening to end with soul splitting, heart pounding - action! There were answers finally given and even more questions that arose. Let us not forget the steamy amped up love scenes. The twists and reveals and mystery and intrigue.

Just go read this shit, I can't even....

I'm pretty happy with this second installment. I liked Nevernight better because I found the Red Church plot more interesting than the gladiatii plot but this was still very cool. There was never a point when I wanted to stop reading. The world of Itreya is so amazing. I dream of craving worlds as full-bodied as this. All of the hints about the darkin are amazing. I liked the vision Mia had at the end of the moon that was lost from the sky. It's also really awesome that Mia is gonna have to eat all the other darkin basically. Maybe they're all Niah's son, scattered into pieces. I also really want to meet another passenger daemon in the next one. I saw a bear on the cover of the British ARC of Godsgrave and that didn't happen so now I really want it. Honestly I'm a bit upset there are only three books. I'd read five of them.

Anyway, Kristoff's writing is great as always. So sarcastic and melodic. I also love those notes plugged into the chapters. I always read them. The revelation about Jonnen and Mia and Scaeva took me by surprise. I'm very interested to see how Mia reacts to that revelation. I also thought the return of Tric was really well done. I always thought he was going to turn up again since they never found his body but that was something I never could have predicted. I hope the Falcons show up in the next book. I think it's almost certain that they will but I wanted to make it known anyway, haha. They were all such awesome characters. Kind of upset Mia never hooked up with Furian but it's okay. That scene with Ash was super hot. I like her new red hair.

One last thing: Dear Red Church, please don't kill Mercurio. Thanks.

Welcome to Godsgrave

Jay, you magnificent genius! I went into this one with insanely high hopes because Nevernight was that good. And not going to lie, for a majority of this book, it's predecessor outshined it by far. It wasn't that I wasn't 100% invested, because I was, it was just that Nevernight just had this way about it where everything was intense and nonstop. Whereas with Godsgrave, it felt more like a slow burn...until that fracking ending! No kidding - the last 20% or so of this book was INSANE.

Warning: if you haven't read Nevernight, there will be spoilers for that below.

With the church reeling from the loss of not only it's head but multiple blades, Mia is now a very active blade. But while carrying out orders from the church, her mind is still set on the deaths of those who killed her parents. With one down, she still has two to go. But as she becomes more entwined with the Church, she starts to learn some ugly secrets that have her questioning just who she's killing for. Especially when an old foe shows up.

We meet a lot of new characters in this book and a few who I instantly gravitated to *cough*Sidonius*cough*. And there are, of course, return favorites who mostly show up in shadow form. Come on, don't deny you love Mister Kindly - who is not taking to having Eclipse with them now too well. Cue amazing banter. And don't fret, the footnotes are still here and still as sarcastic as ever.

There was just so much crammed in this book that I can't wait to reread it (when I own my physical copy) so that I can try to pick up on things I know I missed this time around. Full of action, death, betrayal, lies, and pain, Kristoff once again knows how to play on our heartstrings but yet keeps us rooting for this little assassin.

"...those who do not fear the flame are burned. those who do not fear the blade are bled. and those who do not fear the grave..."

Brilliant.