I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. This is the sequel to The Belles. Camille is still trying to restore the beauty of society in Orleans. The description in this book was masterfully done and it makes going alone on the journey so much easier. They are still on the run from Princess Sophia. Camille has her guard and sister with her. I enjoyed reading this was fun and entertaining.

I loved the first book so much, but this one was a disappointment.

The writing was beautiful but too flowery. I felt that the MC was all over the place emotionally, a departure from the first book. The romance was not believable. At all. The book dragged, and the ending felt anticlimactic, like the author sped through the ending without really planning it out. I’m sorry I read this, I would’ve preferred to just have read book one.

I had high hopes because the first book set up such a cool world with so much intrigue! I wanted more of that, but instead I got a lot of repetition of the world building we already had in order to cram in as much plot as possible. It felt like this book was going to be two books but then her publisher took book 3 away or something. The pacing was just too rushed. Too many big things happening back to back took away a lot of the impact.

The end was also just really abrupt because of this pacing issue. Technically all the plot points were good and made sense but it was just too rushed so finishing the book felt like something to do rather than a journey.

2.5.

This book was... not good. The language was beautiful and flowery and lovely. However, the first one could have been a standalone. This felt so different pacing wise compared to the first one and was almost boring at times. The charm of the first book was the plot and the themes and this just fell flat to me. I’m really disappointed and will not be continuing. The ending of this one is a neat package and should be left as a duology.

All in all this wasn’t one of my favorite stories, but this was a satisfying conclusion to the duet. Clayton weaves together a tale of the horrors befallen Orleans by the evil Queen to be Sophia and how she plans to manipulate and torture the Belles to make their society even more dependent on beauty. While the overall message is good (and the covers are gorgeous) the world building and execution fell short for me. I didn’t feel much for the characters and I felt some of the concepts difficult to conceptualize.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for the release of this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you are not aware, this is book 2 in the Belles series. Belles was released I believe in 2018. It was talked about all over the booktube community. I was a little late to the game but I finally got on board. I will have to say this book did not disappoint.

The world building was fantastic. I think this book came out strong. It is hard to for a sequel to be as strong as the first book but this one did not fail me. I don't want to go into great depth about this book because I don't want to spoil for those that have not read book one but the author did a great job with the character building and flushing them out. It was a very easy story to follow and I highly recommend this series.

A wonderful conclusion to the Belle's. I'm not sure if the story is ended or not, but it felt like it could be done and I was pleased with the ending. Everything wrapped up nicely and it was great to see things unfold. This story was just as unique as the first one and the world was a delightful one to read.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing a copy of the book.

I am glad I read this to close out the duology, but it was not as fun and twisty as the first one. The ending was predictable, but also satisfying. I still love the commentary on beauty and class and society and all the things we do wrong here in the real world--Clayton is brilliant. But, the plot dragged and somehow didn't feel as fresh as the first. I will recommend the duology as a whole.

As you might recall, I requested an eARC of the first book, The Belles, when it came out last year and I really enjoyed it. I was very excited when I got approved to read an ARC of the second book and I'm glad I enjoyed it.

COVER

The covers of this series are just gorgeous and I love how they have Camille on the cover who is a woman of color! I also love how it shows the element of beauty on the cover which is a huge part of this series.

WORLD-BUILDING

We got to see a lot more of Orleans (the world in The Belles series) in this book which I really enjoyed. In the first book, it set up the fictional world of Orleans where a small number of girls "aka Belles" are able to create beautiful/ugly looks according to the desire of the paying customer. In Orleans, everyone is born grey and color can only be given to them by the Belles. The Belles also are forbidden to associate with men beyond a professional capacity and they can't engage in consensual relationships. The world is a blend of 18th century France with futuristic like tech. I liked learning more about different places and how people who are not the Belles live their lives in Orleans.

Then there are the characters.


CAMELLIA

Camellia is our main character who was working at the palace in order to compete to become the favorite that will serve the Queen of Orleans, however everything goes terribly wrong. I love Camellia as a main character as she's passionate as well as determined. She's knows what she wants and what she needs to do and isn't afraid to make it happen. She also is very ambitious and headstrong but I really liked both of those characteristics about her. I also like how she makes her decisions based on her feelings which sometimes might seem like a flaw but I think that really makes her special.

EDEL

Edel is Camellia's sister and I really liked how much more we learned about her in this book. She had many similarities and differences to Camellia. For instance, she was very sweet and kind though she didn't want to take as many risks as Camellia, however she was still a very strong female character. I liked learning more about her powers as a Belle and how much she supported her sister.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

We explored Camellia's relationship with her sisters a lot more in this book and I really enjoyed that aspect because while we got some of that in the first book, we didn't get to see them outside of their Belle roles. Edel and Camellia are very sweet siblings and have a sweet sister relationship. (I don't want to say too much as I really don't want to spoil things that happen in the second book.)

PLOT

The Everlasting Rose is the sequel to The Belles, which I reviewed previously and really enjoyed! The plot was a little slower in this book especially at the beginning as it took awhile for things to happen which made it a little slower to read and get into as well. We got introduced to more characters and things in this book such as the Iron Ladies who were so interesting. They are rebellion leaders who are against Belle culture and they help Camellia on her journey to get rid of Sophia. I also liked how we got to learn about Belle lore (which was super dark) through the eyes of other Belles and people who aren't part of the Belles. Overall, I liked the plot even though sometimes it lagged.

ROMANCE

The romance was one of the things that I was a little iffy about. I think it was a little fast but not quite insta love which was good. I preferred the romance in the first book. I did, however, like how the romance still took a backseat to the plot and the world which was nice as it allowed me to enjoy the book without feeling like the romance was filling up the whole thing.

WRITING

Dhonielle Clayton's writing is so beautiful and immersive and really helps me feel as if I'm actually in the book and experiencing everything with the characters. The descriptions are also very in depth and lyrical and I love how she is able to differentiate between the good and beauty with the darker undertones.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I think The Everlasting Rose was a good sequel as even though it was slow going, it picked up pace later and really immersed me back in the world. I liked learning a lot more about Orleans and Belle culture throughout the book. I really recommend this series!

-3.7 Stars
The Everlasting Rose is the sequel to The Bells. This series is very character driven and I enjoyed see them grow and change in the second book. We follow Camille, Edel her sister, and Remy who are all in hiding and on the run of while trying to find princess Charlotte; that's the main plot without giving anything away.

Even though in book one the main theme was about beauty, I felt that book two was more about family and relationships with a little bit of beauty. I liked that this book had many different scenes/background changes (Seeing as they were on the run, they had to move from place to place, quickly.)

This book was much shorter than the first book. The ending felt like it started in the middle of this book, but not in a bad, slow way.

I can't really say much, seeing as this is a sequel, but it was a fun read, with some twists I didn't see coming. But my favorite part of this book was the writing style. Dhonielle Clayton writing style is great, I enjoy it.

This story blooms into a story about sisters, a dash of romance wrapped up in a revolution!

I was given an ARC of this book, however, these are my honest thoughts.

This was even better than the first book! The stakes were higher, and the writing was still just as gorgeous yet toned down to better get the point across. I literally could rant about the writing forever because it is BEAUTIFUL.

Camelia and Rèmy are SO CUTE I COULD RANT FOREVER. I felt like both of their character arcs were done incredibly well, and had development galore. Every choice naturally had consequences and the characters learned from their mistakes. The world was explored so much more, and we got to see cultures within cultures which I absolutely loved! This novel felt edged in darkness as opposed to the first, which was rather sugary-sweet most of the time. I don't want to get into much more, simply because spoilers, but I'D HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with an honest review in exchange for an honest review!

This Book was just as amazing as the first one. I can't wait till I can pick it up in audio as I did with the first one. I will forever buy Dhonielle books

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

This book is the sequel to The Belles. While it can be read as a stand alone, valuable background information will be gained by reading The Belles first.

Camille Beauregard is on the run from the evil Princess Sophia with her guard Remy and her sister Edel. Together they attempt to escape the guards, find the missing Princess Charlotte, and overthrow Sophia before she becomes the Queen. They enlist the help of the Iron Ladies, ladies who believe beauty treatments aren't necessary. Princess Sophia is truly evil and will stop at nothing to gain whatever she desires, no matter how many people she has to harm or kill. Can Camille and her sisters stop Sophia before it's too late?

I found this book to be extremely predictable. However, that being said, the author did an amazing job creating imaginative descriptions and detailed characters.

THE EVERLASTING ROSE picks up where THE BELLES left off, with Camille, Edel, and Remy on the run. Sophia is determined to hunt them down and erects a special prison to keep all the Belles in called the Everlasting Rose. Camille has to figure out how to get Princess Charlotte safely on the throne, protect her sisters, decide whether or not the mysterious Iron Ladies can be trusted, and manage to live another day while on the run.

What I Loved:

Dhonielle Clayton is a master at crafting beautiful, lush descriptions in her writing. While the first book in the duology focused more on describing the beauty work Camille and her sisters did, this one describes more of the surroundings and Gris people, matching the edgier tone of the story.

With Camille on the run, the tension levels are high. You're never sure who is trustworthy, who has their own agenda, and who sincerely wants to help. There aren't as many twists in the plot this time, but the ones that we get are perfectly timed and gasp-worthy.

What Left Me Wanting More:

While we get some answers around the Belles' history, there is a lot left unanswered or unclear. If this had been a longer series, I would have expected the answers to come later, but as a conclusion, it was left to be desired. However, if there is ever a prequel or spin off exploring more of this world, I will absolutely be buying it.

In general, THE EVERLASTING ROSE felt rushed. Given it's around 100 pages less than the first book, this isn't too surprising. In particular, the end came together quite quickly and didn't leave as much room for the full emotional experience.

Overall Verdict:

While I didn't enjoy this as much as I did THE BELLES, THE EVERLASTING ROSE is an ultimately satisfying conclusion to a clever duology.

THE EVERLASTING ROSE picks up where THE BELLES left off, with Camille, Edel, and Remy on the run. Sophia is determined to hunt them down and erects a special prison to keep all the Belles in called the Everlasting Rose. Camille has to figure out how to get Princess Charlotte safely on the throne, protect her sisters, decide whether or not the mysterious Iron Ladies can be trusted, and manage to live another day while on the run.

What I Loved:

Dhonielle Clayton is a master at crafting beautiful, lush descriptions in her writing. While the first book in the duology focused more on describing the beauty work Camille and her sisters did, this one describes more of the surroundings and Gris people, matching the edgier tone of the story.

With Camille on the run, the tension levels are high. You're never sure who is trustworthy, who has their own agenda, and who sincerely wants to help. There aren't as many twists in the plot this time, but the ones that we get are perfectly timed and gasp-worthy.

What Left Me Wanting More:

While we get some answers around the Belles' history, there is a lot left unanswered or unclear. If this had been a longer series, I would have expected the answers to come later, but as a conclusion, it was left to be desired. However, if there is ever a prequel or spin off exploring more of this world, I will absolutely be buying it.

In general, THE EVERLASTING ROSE felt rushed. Given it's around 100 pages less than the first book, this isn't too surprising. In particular, the end came together quite quickly and didn't leave as much room for the full emotional experience.

Overall Verdict:

While I didn't enjoy this as much as I did THE BELLES, THE EVERLASTING ROSE is an ultimately satisfying conclusion to a clever duology.

“Resistance comes in many forms and alliances take many shapes.”

Quick warning, as this is the sequel, there may be spoilers for The Belles in my review or this post.

The ending of The Belles left me wanting more! I had to know the future of Camille and her fellow belles and dove right into The Everlasting Rose as soon as it was in my grabby hands!

And, boy, did this book NOT disappoint!

As in The Belles, Clayton toyed with my emotions. She has a gift for building anticipation with a proper dose of dread, all while not really giving too many hints away. The result is me, desperately turning pages trying to figure out what is really going on, because I know, there is way more than meets the eye!

This book is dark. Oh my black heart is it dark! So decadent and delicious, with plenty of moral grey as icing on this dark cake. The first book danced on the edges of how dark this world is, but in The Everlasting Rose, Clayton takes us deep into the rot of this beautiful world. Everything, Camille included, takes on a blemished edge. And I am here for it!

Queen Sophia is just as deranged as ever, power going straight to her beauty obsessed head. And I loved getting more Edel. She is the rebel sister of my heart!

I wish I loved this book completely, but there were some issues I had towards the end. Mainly, I hated how I didn’t really get the motivations of a certain sister. I wish, we could have gotten more of an understanding of why she made the choices she did. I don’t know why, but it felt incomplete to me. I also would have loved more Iron Ladies! Where were these badass babes for most of the book??? I felt like we got a ton of build up, and then everything was over and resolved in a flash. And while the build up is fantastic, I would have liked a bit more turmoil before the triumph. Personal preference on that though.

Overall though, I devoured this book. I love Clayton’s writing, and love how she isn’t afraid to really explore the darker sides of her characters. The imagination of this world blows me away! Every detail highlights how focusing on outer beauty can become an obsession, and just how toxic it really can be. I love the different aspects that this focus raises, which hopefully sparks some fantastic conversations on body image and self confidence.

I’m not sure if there is more to this series coming, but I would welcome more. There is so much to this world, and while the main story lines are wrapped up, I still have so many questions that I would love to explore. Regardless, I am excited to dig my teeth into anything Dhonielle Clayton writes, and look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

Thank you Rockstar Book Tours and Freeform books for my review copy!

2.5 stars
*Received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

DNF @ 75% - I know I was almost done but I just couldn't keep reading anymore.

To say this was disappointing, is an understatement. While I found the first book at least fun to read this lost all its charm. As stated in my review of The Belles I thought where this series really shined was the world-building and was expecting the world to be expanded and to learn even more about the beautiful opulent world of Orleans. What I got was... not that. Turns out the majority of the world building was done in the first book and and any additions to the world and magic system were not fleshed out at all. In the first few chapters The Belles suddenly develop a new ability and no explanation was given for it which I found especially weird considering the amount of detail that went into explaining every single thing a Belle could do in the first book.

Both the plot and character development (what little there was) felt rushed. I'm pretty sure this was meant to be a trilogy, but it ended up being turned into a duology which probably added to the rushed feeling. The introduction of the "rebel group" The Iron Ladies fell flat and I just found them not interesting at all. I didn't understand almost any aspect of the group at all down to their name and characteristics (why were they constantly referencing spiders??). I only sort of understood why they were rebelling at all because we didn't get any details about the actual people of Orleans or any notice of their unrest. I found Camellia's relationships with other characters to be unbelievable and I just didn't feel I was shown the feelings they all claimed to have for one another, and a lot of the dialogue and interactions between characters just felt awkward.

One thing that bothered me is that literally any time anything happened a character would just up and leave the group immediately with no plan?? What? In the middle of being on the run?? That made absolutely no sense for certain characters who had shown know history of being impulsive. Overall I just couldn't get to the end of this too many unbelievable things kept happening, the characters were annoying me, and I'm left hugely disappointed.

This sequel to The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton brings us back into the world of Orleans. The Belles are on the run and the evil princess, Sophie, is out to get them. The Belles must hide from the princess, the army, and virtually everyone they know, in order to save their own lives. Camellia and her friends desperately want to save the true ruler, Princess Charlotte, before she dies from her illnesses.

I really enjoyed this book, although perhaps not quite as much as the first book in the series. I would recommend it for readers aged 12 and older.

** I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
I was really intrigued by the first book in this series. The world was original in a lot of ways and the characters were interesting.
While I found this book to be good, it lacked the sparkle of the first book. The belles were whiny and tiring except for Camille. She was so set in revenge that she often put those close to her in danger.
Auguste was really unnecessary in this book as were several other characters that passed through. For me, there were lose ends that were hastily tied into slip knots instead of actually being finished.
Not a terrible book but very similar to many 2 books. It just fell short of what I expected.