It's been a while since I read The Belles, but I love sequels which make it easy to slip back into the world. Some of them immediately hit the ground running and they don't slow down, but The Everlasting Rose, even though it happens pretty closely afterwards, still allows you the time to ease back into the book. And what I was struck with almost immediately is how gorgeous Clayton's writing is.
World Building

But in The Everlasting Rose Camille and her sisters have to figure out not only how to save the kingdom, but also what it will look like afterwards. Sophia is obsessed with ultimate power and beauty. Unable to stand anyone who is more beautiful than her and aiming to exert absolute power over the beauty modifications, Sophia is a terrifying force. And so while Camille and her sisters know they have to do something, like find Charlotte, how they can really resist is difficult to figure out. Especially as Sophia's powers begin to tighten in a vise like grip.

I wish I could enjoy this book, because I loved <i>The Belles</i>. However, this book desperately needs a prologue or something to remind the reader what happened in the last book. It has been a very long time since I read book one, and I was so lost during this book that I could not enjoy it. Please consider adding one before publication.

Sharply polarizing with a simplistic plot compared to the series starter’s complexity and nuance, Clayton’s sequel does little more than wrap up the story line and bring a resolution. All the villains share similar physical features, which I found disturbing (though someone may find a tiny bit of an exception, the general type is there), and I am sorely disappointed that the sequel was not better than it was, given the skill Clayton demonstrates in spinning a tale. I am torn about recommending it simply because readers will want closure, but they may not like the closure they get.

Thank you for an early copy!

The Belles was my favorite Fantasy YA novel of 2019 so I was over the moon to get the second one! I adore Clayton's writing style and the interesting world she has crafted.. I will not give anything away since this is the second novel but just know it was amazing, intense, and well-written.

I really enjoyed reading the sequel to The Belles. Though I did enjoy the first book more, both books in the series are very creative and well written. It reminds me of the luxurious living the people had in the capital in the Hunger Games. Highly recommend this series for anyone interested in the fantasy/dystopian genre.

I didn't love this one quite as much as the original, but it was still a pretty satisfying read. I felt like it was lacking some of the development that we saw in The Belles. The feelings between Remy and Camille feel sudden and unrealistic given we don't see a large chunk of their time together on the run--and then they are separated during this book. The same can be said of Camille and her sisters. These bonds were the ones I enjoyed most in the first book, but because Camille is somewhat on her own in trying to save the world, we don't see those relationship bloom and change like I hoped.

The second half really picks up as Camille meets the Iron Ladies and their castle informant (surprise!), attempts to save multiple sisters, and forms a plan to bring down Sophie. I wish there had been more, actually. Once the climax happens, the falling action seems hurried and just...not enough. I know I read somewhere that this duology might be expanded, so maybe that's why it felt unfinished somehow.

I'll admit, I was a little disappointed by this sequel/conclusion. The Belles was a unique YA book that had me turning pages because of the dramatic court politics and lush worldbuilding. The Everlasting Rose, while I still devoured this book, didn't live up to my expectations for the last book in a duology. Clayton's biggest strength with these books is the world she created. The Everlasting Rose continues to immerse the reader in a world that is decadent yet rotten to the core. My main issue with this book is that I feel like the ending/resolution just wasn't satisfying. Part of this book is about Camille dealing with her anger and I just felt that by the end of the book, she really didn't? I finished the book and felt let down because things seemed to wrap up too easily. The first book had so many twists and turns but this one really didn't.

Overall, I'm happy that I read the conclusion so I know how the duology ends but I find that I'm left feeling a bit adrift after finishing The Everlasting Rose.

Meh. The second book in a series is what makes or breaks you. I was blown away by the Belles. I got it in a book box, and devoured it, it was fantastic. I felt like this book was bridge between two books but didn’t really go anywhere. Just lots of...nothing. Very disappointing after such a fantastic first book.

Thanks Netgally for the advance review.

I did not like this as well as the first book. It had been so long since I read the first book that I did not remember a lot of the details/characters and there was not a lot of review to catch the reader up with the beginning of the story.

I really enjoyed the world Dhonielle Clayton was able to create in this book series. You see the dark side of human nature and it’s desire for perfection at its absolute worst, while being propped up on those that have to be used to create the facade. It’s beautiful and dark and terrifying all at the same time and I love it.

Very intense book. Heart was broken at times, but the ending is very fulfilling and goes along with the storyline smoothly. Flows very well. I just wish that the villain was pushed more harshly, because she definitely deserved worse.

The Everlasting Rose is a brilliant follow-up to The Belles!

After narrowly escaping with her life along with her sister, Amber, and former palace guard, Remy, and reuniting with Edel, Camille is still not out of danger as Princess Sophia gets closer and closer to the throne--and completely enslaving the Belles. Old friends make appearances, and lead to new allies in the goal of making sure that Sophia never becomes queen and that the newly reawakened Charlotte is rightfully crowned instead.

Dhonielle Clayton's prose is phenomenal with lush descriptions, intriguing characters, and many, many twists and turns. Readers of the first book, The Belles, will be satisfied with the ending but also somewhat devastated at the loss of more books about this unique, vivid world and amazing cast.

As a side note, this duology also contains a power-hungry and devious villain who is perhaps one of the most terrifying to ever exist. So, recommending this duology to readers who enjoy horror would not be a mistake.

Overall THE EVERLASTING ROSE wasn't as good as THE BELLES, but I was pretty much satisfied with how it all went down. I liked seeing Camille's self exploration of her powers, and I liked the various set ups that Clayton did with some of the characters that had pay off by the end of the book. I'm still completely immersed in the world of Orleans and the surrounding communities, and this time there are TEACUP DRAGONS which was just lovely. I think that perhaps the last third could have been less rushed, but maybe the only way to do a more in depth and meticulous take would be to either tack on another two hundred pages, or make a third book.

Overall, THE EVERLASTING ROSE was a fairly satisfying end to a decadent and dark fantasy world. I wonder if Clayton will go back to Orleans ever. I would definitely read any stories that did.

Wow. I just finished this and my mind is still racing. First off I would like to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this early copy for an honest review. I'm conflicted on the first half of the story. The characters are sort of running around like chickens with their heads cut off. There's no real plan in place and Camille and Edel have different goals in mind for what they want to do next. As a result of this, the first half sort of drags and it doesn't feel like much actually happens. However, with the way The Belles ends and how quickly the characters are pushed into certain positions it makes sense that they would be scrambling. Once the first half starts, the action really picks up and it's a wild ride to the conclusion. Camille was so strong throughout some really tough moments of this book. I loved seeing how much she's changed and grown as a character since book one. We meet new characters, The Iron Ladies, and I was so fascinated with them and how they lived. I would love to see more from them. I think a novella about The Ladies beginnings would be super interesting. My favorite thing about this book is the setting. The world of Orleans is just so lush and incredible. I love the idea of post ballons and Harry Potter-esque newspapers with moving pictures and text. I love the teacup animals, it would be so amazing to own any animal imaginable in miniature! I love the complex fashion to match all the crazy beauty treatments the citizens go through. The book really races to the ending but I was satisfied with the way this concluded (even if there were some really sad moments, be prepared with tissues) and I liked that some things were left a little open-ended so perhaps we may return to the world of Orleans one day.

I loved the first book in this duology? series?, The Belles. I'm disappointed to say that I did not even like The Everlasting Rose and wouldn't have finished it if I weren't trying to hit a number of books finished in 2018.

After reading The Belles, I wasn't sure if I could love a book more, but Clayton proved me wrong with The Everlasting Rose. I will be purchasing multiple copies of THE EVERLASTING ROSE to keep up with the demand!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for provide ng me with a copy of The Everlasting Rose in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot tell a lie. The Belles was one of my favorite books of 2018 and I was thrilled when I got the chance to review this one.

I loved it. The cat-and-mouse in the beginning was so well done and Camille having no idea who to trust just added the right amount of suspense.

The Belle mythology is intriguing and horrifying and like the first book this one has no small amount of body horror.

The only "complaint" I really have is that I wish we could have met the Iron Ladies sooner. I was so fascinated by them!

*thank you so much to Netgalley & to Freeform publishing for granting me this eARC in exchange for an honest review*

Whoa.
Honestly that’s all I can say.
Dhonielle has followed up (and maybe even surpassed) her previous work, The Belles, with book 2. Camillia is fully rounded character and her growth from the first book shows. No longer is she the delicate flower, hoping to be the favorite of the royal house; she is strong, determined, and in love.

Our story opens with Camillia and Co. as fugitives on the run from the law. Soon enough, our party dwindles and gains and dwindles again.
Everything has been leading up the final battle between Camillia and Sophia. Charlotte is awake and mending, and Camillia has made new allies in the form of the Iron Ladies...they’re pretty mysterious but they’re helpful when necessary.

Overall, this was an amazing read. I am so thankful that my wish was granted by the publisher for me to read this book ahead of its release in March. I will definitely be purchasing a finished copy when they’re out!

I am apathetic about this one. I didn’t love it as much as I loved the first book. It was enjoyable but not as much as The Belles. For me, the intrigue was no longer there and Camellia was no longer a relatable character. As horrible as Sophia was, Camellia seemed to care more about smaller objectives than things that could serve the greater good. It felt like most of the book was about being on the run rather than forming an actual plan and pushing back. It had some great action scenes but just didn’t make the cut as being a book that wowed me.

2. 5 Stars.

I was so excited for this book, because I absolutely loved The Belles. However, this book was way off the mark for me. I spent a long time in the beginning of the book trying to remember what had happened in Book 1. I understand that this is a sequel, however, it would have been helpful for the author to throw in a short recap sentence or two in the beginning of the book, since most people will have read The Belles a year or so prior to the release of Everlasting Rose. Instead, we are pretty much dumped right into the story without even a thought (or memory, as some authors do) as to what major events happened in the previous book. Therefore, in order to fully enjoy this book either a re-read of Book 1 is necessary, or a reader must have read Book 1 shortly before reading this one. Not having had the time for an entire re-read before starting this one, I felt frustrated for the first several chapters in Everlasting Rose.

Also, the book seemed very disorganized and rushed. Characters jumped from scene to scene, character development was lacking (or absent), the previous subtlety and nuance of developing relationships was traded in for insta-love... All in all, the book seemed extremely rushed and as if too much content was being crammed into this single book. The pacing throughout the book felt uneven, but overall too hurried.

Perhaps dividing this story into a 3-book series instead of a duology would have allowed the author to further develop the characters and the story arc in a way that would have felt more connected to the first book, and would have allowed the reader more time to fully engage with the characters, as we were able to do in Book 1.

In short, although I love this story and its concepts, I was disappointed by this book. I would have loved the story to be expanded and to have been able to have 3 books in this series, instead of what seemed to me to be a rushed conclusion in Book 2, with too many ideas crammed into too short of a space.