The writing's amazing, Caighlan still leaves me in awe.It's the kind of writing that, once you start reading, you can't stop yourself from devouring the book. It also makes you physically tired.

The plot is great. It features plot twists we never expect and a romantic sub-sub plot that doesn't fall head first (Labyrinth Lost, I'm looking at you). The romantic sub-sub plot is crafted in such a way that it's presented bit by bit, never looking forced. It never makes the story shift much - it's almost an Easter egg.

The book's ending is amazing too, it leaves us with questions and a sense of dread that's rare in books.

The characters are what you'd expect after reading Children of Icarus. We see Fey Bell's "friends" from Fates (Elle, Cassie, Ryan) and meet loads of new and interesting characters, like Polina and Gammon. There is beautiful character development, especially when it comes to Ryan. We also never know who to trust, something that, when written nicely, is absolutely amazing.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to everyone.

The labyrinth is full of monsters and perils, not least the people inside it.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Smith, and I didn't realise that it was the second in a series. I wish I'd read Children of Icarus first, because it might have lifted the sense of vagueness, and answered some questions about the characters and setting.

From the start, you are following the main character, who communicates with glares and sharp weapons. She's clearly competent, and confident in her own skills. She has no patience for other people, and only trusts herself.
I really liked this strong female character, whose aim is her own survival. She disregards territories and hunting grounds of different clans, and lives by her own rules.
Even though the labyrinth is a dangerous place, she's made it her home, and she'd rather face the dangers she knows, than try and chase some freedom that might not exist.
I've gotta say, I was a little disappointed, when about 28 pages in, the character spoke. I thought it was interesting to have a nameless mute as MC. But, as it carried on, she was still pretty cool.

The only problem I had, was her age. I repeatedly forgot that she was sixteen. I thought she was much younger, perhaps eleven or twelve. Despite her physical and mental competency, she feels very immature.

The story is well-written, and it follows our MC as she reluctantly spends time with the various clans - the Fates, Kleos and Harmonia. All of which are populated by the children that are sent to the labyrinth (I'm guessing it's an annual festivity, or tribute. The details are sketchy).
It's very Lord of the Flies, as they all try to establish some sort of order and normality in their dangerous new world. Inevitably, the groups are somewhat splintered and people work on their own agenda.

I found it to be rather slow, in terms of any actual plot. It's a reasonably long book a 336 pages, but I felt it could be condensed easily.
Perhaps it's because I came in at the second book of the series, but I found the meandering around the labyrinth (that I didn't fully understand), to be long-winded. I didn't know where the labyrinth was, or what it looked like. Is it made of trees, concrete, magic? How tall is it? Do they see daylight? Can you climb over the walls? Why are they all there?
I was quite bored for the first half of the book and had to force myself to continue. The second half does pick up a bit, as our main character gets more heavily involved in the clans and their conflicts.
There was also a flood of characters from the different clans, with little to distinguish between them, so it was hard to feel invested in what was happening.

It's was an OK read for me, I'd recommend anyone interested in it, read Children of Icarus first.

I had reviewed Children of Icarus last year, loved it and couldn’t wait to read the second book. When I got accepted for it, I did a happy dance in my living room. Which got me weird looks from my SO and my youngest daughter. I was so excited because I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for “Nameless/Clara” in this book. I also couldn’t wait to see how the author incorporated more Greek mythology into the story.

The book follows Nameless/Clara as she gets caught between two warring factions. Those factions are Harmonia, an all girl group, and Kleos, an all male group. While trying to avoid both factions, she saves Ryan, a boy from the Fates. She needs help deciphering a notebook that the Executioner left her. Ryan has knowledge of the language it is written in. After traveling back to the Fates hideout, they discover something terrible happened. The only person that Nameless cared for in the labyrinth has been taken in by Harmonia. To save her friend, Nameless partners with the Ryan and a small group of Fates that are with the Kleos. Going on a rescue mission into Harmonia, she finds out that not everything is what it seems. She needs to find out the truth behind the attack on the Fates before she is killed. She also needs to find out why the war between Harmonia and Kleos is happening.

This book was a fantastic dark fantasy young adult book. The world that was built up in Children of Icarus was expanded upon in Children of Daedala. This isn’t a fantasy where unicorns and rainbows appear. No, this is a gritty fantasy where children are fighting for their lives and formed societies. I was reminded very much of Lord of the Flies while reading this book. There were so many similarities between the two of them. Only thing…..the kids in Lord of the Flies get rescued at the end. These kids were thrown in the labyrinth as a sacrifice.

Nameless grew so much from the last book. The training the Executioner gave her before she died was a huge part of that. But also, she was mentally strong too. After what she went through with the Fates, she had to be. Her distrust of Kleos and Harmonia were warranted. Gammon was taunting her and Polina treated her with disdain. She was tough too. I mean, she wore metal spikes in her braids and she took down a temple lion….by herself. She even talked more in Children of Daedala. Which is something that I was amazed by because she never talked in Children of Icarus.

The secondary characters made this story what it was. Each character had their own personality which is rare in books. I got to care about Elle, Ryan, Theo, the Mud Maiden and the other secondary characters.

There is no sex in Children of Daedala. There are a few kissing scenes. Nameless did have Ryan and Theo chasing after her. Also, Polina and Theo were observed kissing too. So no sex but lots of kissing towards the end of the book. Which, in my eyes, is acceptable for a young adult book.

The only complaint I have about the book is…..what is Nameless’s name? She has gone by Clara, Nameless and Fey Bell in both books. But her real name is never revealed. I want to know!!

The ending stunned me. I was not expecting what happened to happen. I also was not expecting who showed up to show up. I am wondering what that will mean for book 3? And for Nameless?

5 stars

My summary of Children of Daedala:

Children of Daedala is the stunning sequel to Children of Icarus. This book was a fantastic read. It had fleshed out characters and a plotline that kept me glued to the book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Young Teen

Why: There are a few kissing scenes but nothing beyond that. I will warn that the book does have some pretty graphic battle scenes so I would vet it for anyone under that age of 14.

I would like to thank Caighlan Smith, Capstone, and NetGalley for allowing to read and review Children of Daedala

All opinions stated in this review of Children and Daedala are mine and I received no financial compensation for this review

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Lord of the Flies meets a hellhole of monsters and myth in this gripping continuation of a girl’s journey from shadow to blade. Dark, thrilling, and injected with stakes that will cause your heart to pound both in fear and delight, CHILDREN OF DAEDALA is a mind-whipping sequel to an epic series.
I anxiously (but eagerly) await the next installment.

-Pooled Ink Reviews

I'd bump this up to 2.5 stars just based on the premise behind the book, but the book overall? Utter chaos. Multiple characters are introduced in a flood throughout the book, with no back story to build them as "people" and the lack of detail in describing the surroundings left me unable to create the pictures in my mind that normally help me relate to a book. There's a labyrinth, and apparently three factions: Fates, Kleos, and Harmonia, but there's no back story until about the last 3 pages and it ends so abruptly that it left me not wanting to read the next book at all, but kind of wishing I had back the time I spent reading it. The main protagonist is referred to as 3 different names throughout the entire book and you never find out what her actual name is. She also blames herself for the death of 2 people (possibly children, that's never explained either), but we never find out why. As for formatting, I think because this wasn't really meant to be a Kindle book, it wasn't formatted properly. There were no "" marks around when someone was speaking throughout the entire book so it was nearly impossible to tell if the thought was being said out loud, or just in the characters mind. I could have gotten past that part if the rest of the book hadn't been so utterly confusing, but taking that and the book itself and I'd give this one a pass.

Cover is intriguing although it reminds me of the lion in the Lion, Witch, Wardrobe. Right off the bat you know you're ready a different book with the mention of the Executioner, Fey, and Screecher-Eaters. The story is from the perspective of Fey Bell, a 16 year old girl who has been banished into the labyrinth where survival is difficult. There are lots of characters and several groups which are at odds with each other: The Fates & Icarii, the Kleos, and the Harmonians, as well as Daedalum. I had difficulty falling along during the first half of the book with many questions. What is the name of Fey Bell and why do others sometimes call her Clara? How did all these kids get to this place, and why? What is a Fallen Day? Some of these questions are answered, and some aren't. The text is occasionally difficult to tell if the character is talking to self, to others, or thinking. Action wise, this book is great. Lots of weapons, fighting both monsters and people, sabotage, and a rescue. Fey Bell has brief romantic interactions with 2 guys, Ryan and Theo, but which one is telling the truth? With two sections: Divide and Conquer, the book has a dramatic ending that is set up to start the next book. I'm rooting for Fey Bell. Would be great if the book included an illustrated map of the territories.

This book made me stare into the abyss, trying to grasp reality again. Thank you netgalley for the arc for an honest review and must I say, this book was UTTERLY AMAZING. Honestly, this has been one of my favorite reads of this year.

She seems to want to be alone in this labyrinth she's been thrust into. Surviving the labyrinth isn't easy. There are groups who claim portions of the labyrinth as their territory and are vicious to protect it. She has been mocked and cruelty treated and thus keeps her distance as much as possible. There are dangerous odd creatures who are difficult to kill. It seems like the rest of her original group is dead and so is her teacher- the executioner. The executioner taught her how to survive and that her best chance of surviving is to be alone and never trust anyone. She keeps her distance from the groups, not wanting to be forced to join one or be brutally attacked. Then one day she does something that will change everything. She saves three people from a flock of creatures. Before they can hurt her she takes one of them captive... this changes everything.

A mobi file was not available, so I was unable to read this! I tried reading a little on my phone, but due to migraines I can't. Not that it helps, but the first few pages I read the writing was really good!