Sometimes a series suffers from the second book slump - they have this great opening, and a fantastic conclusion, but that book in the middle is just a bridge to get you from A to B. Friends, Dark Skies is NOT that book. If anything, it's even better than Dark Shores and I freaking loved that book!

When the book was first announced I was saddened to hear that Dark Skies would be an alternate beginning that stepped away from Teriana and Marcus and instead followed Lydia and Killian. I'm not going to lie, I wanted more of my old friends and a bit of steamy escapist romance to add some levity to these trying times, but between a few chapters of overlap in the beginning and some serious character building and backstory through the eyes of those that know Teriana, those feelings of separation anxiety didn't last long. In fact, the stories of these four characters were so expertly intermeshed that it felt as though they were written simultaneously - there were no gaps or continuity errors, and each character provided a different facet to another's character development. The result was a beautiful juxtaposition between personal introspection and public perception that really drew me in.

And while I wasn't exactly Lydia's biggest fan in Dark Shores, she turned out to be exactly the heroine that I needed to read. Nerdy, introverted, and physically weak she was a surprisingly atypical female lead. She's terrible with a sword, her magic makes her weak to the point where she needs almost constant protection when she's using it, and she lacks even the basic street smarts needed to care of herself on a good day (let alone one a bad one when she's thrust into a world she doesn't know) and yet she somehow manages to get by on sheer nerve and book smarts alone. Yet, her naivety and determination brought a good deal of humour to a dark and rather hopeless situation, and now I can't wait to see where she'll go in book three.

Killian is another fabulous character, made only the better because of his flaws. He walks a precarious line between what is expected of him and what he is compelled by his mark to do, what the world believes a Marked soldier is and the reality of the experience, and those he is sworn to and those that he loves. He is pulled in so many directions at any given time that it's almost impossible not to let your own heartstrings get tangled in his mess. He is resourceful, determined, and loyal to fault - I have no doubt that when he finally comes face to face with Marcus there will be some serious friction between these two bull-headed battle prodigies.

I could talk about the slow burn romance that leaves you dangling off a cliff (noooo, I'm not salty about that, AT ALL), or a high court that has misdirection and manipulation down to a tee, but instead I'm going to focus on the magic and world building. Because, seriously, OMG! Jensen has taken on the behemoth task of creating not just one or two kingdoms with variant beliefs, but an entire world where the disparate parts are so unique that they're almost unrecognizable from one another. And the level of originality is practically next level. Don't get me wrong, I love a good fairy/ elf/ fae/ witch/ mage story as much as the next fantasy fan girl but I adored being able to get lost in this story without any preconceived notions about the people or how the magic should work.

With Dark Skies and Dark Shores serving as companion novels, where either can be read as the first book in the series, I highly suggest you dive into this world with reckless abandon. Let yourself get swept up in the dangerous games of politics and romance, soak up the subtle critiques on critiques on colonialism and patriarchy, and ride along with your favourite new characters as they rebel against everything that was ever expected from them. 

Read it book lovers, you won't regret a single sentence.

Danielle L. Jensen is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors!

I loved Dark Shores when I read it earlier this year, and Dark Skies doesn't not disappoint! It was wonderful to see the world of Dark Shores expanded in this book, and to get to follow Lydia (who I loved in DS when she was introduced). I can't wait to see where this series goes!

Would highly recommend to any fans of YA high fantasy. There is also no need to read Dark Shores before picking up Dark Skies, as they can be read independent of one another.

I read Dark Shores last year and forgot some of what happened. But I knew this was more of a companion novel so I just dove right in. The beginning started at the same place for both books, so as we followed Lydia, I remembered more and more of what happened with Teriana and Marcus in the first book. It was so fun how the 2 books were intertwined but told from different characters perspectives.
I think I enjoyed Lydia's POV more than Killian's, even though I did enjoy both. I just really enjoyed her story of getting whisked across the endless sea to somewhere she never knew existed and trying to find her way back home.
Even though Melahi wasn't my favorite character, I really loved her royal guard. It was such a loyal group of girls that seemed so genuine. I also liked Finn! Lydia and Killian were such strong characters and perfect for telling this story.
The only thing that kind of put me off was all the politics. It completely fit with the story and it was needed in the story, but it's just kind of boring to me (completely personal opinion!). Also, especially towards the end, there were a lot of detailed battle scenes and setting up for battle scenes which also aren't my favorites to read.
That being said, I still really enjoyed this book! I can't wait to read the third book where all 4 POVs come together and I think the story will get really interesting!

Jensen does it again!! I read Dark Shores last year and loved it but was nervous about the sequel due to the change in Main Characters but it 100% delivered. This book was action packed from start to finish. While being very different from the first book it still tied into the world perfectly. We got to learn more about the Gods of the Dark shores and the Corrupted, less Pirates of the Caribbean and more Mythology meets The Walking Dead!

I thoroughly enjoyed the main characters Lydia and Killian... and oh my goodness the "bad guys"! I cannot wait to see how this story wraps up in the next installment!! While the events of this book run concurrent with the events of Dark Shores I do recommend reading Dark Shores first. It houses more world building and background information that I thing was valuable for me to enjoy Dark Skies as much as I did. Dark Skies also has a few spoilers for Dark Shores towards the end.

~ ARC received in exchange for an honest review ~

'Dark Skies' is the second book published in the 'Dark Shores' series by Danielle L. Jensen. According to the author either book can be considered the beginning of the series and therefore can be read in any order since the stories run parallel to each other. Personally I'd recommend sticking to the publication order since the world-building in the first book is stronger. I don't think I'd have enjoyed this one as much without the understanding of the world that I already had through reading Dark Shores.

While the first installment was written from the perspective of Teriana and Marcus, this one follows the fate of Teriana's best friend Lydia, who was a secondary character in Dark Shores. We're also introduced to Killian (who is my new book boyfriend.)

Overall this is a solid YA series and I like how the romantic relationships are portrayed. The weakest aspect of both insallments for me is that Teriana and Lydia's friendship feels underdeveloped. It's quite a vital aspect of both stories and the reader should have more of a chance to invest in their relationship, however, they share very few scenes together throughout. It's a case of just having to take their word that they're important to each other without actually being shown why. With Dark Skies focussing on what happened to Lydia while the events of Dark Shores were taking place, I was hoping this would be addressed, but again I genuinely kept forgetting that they had anything to do with each other.

Nonetheless I recommend this series and I'm looking forward to continuing with it!

~Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title~

Dark Shores was such a great book, and I love this author and Her works, so I was thrilled to be able to get a copy of this one! It was intriguing, and exciting, and in giving certain characters more development, it made them all the more endearing to me !

Phew. What a ride!

Kudos to the author for creating such an interesting world and well-rounded characters. This is a captivating story about a girl who was uprooted from her world, where logic and knowledge are the only thing worshipped by her people, and thrown into another world filled with magic and gods and wars.

I must say I couldn't care less about Lydia when she was still in her world, but once she arrived at the Dark Shores, she changed into this admirable and brave young woman whose journey was so worth to follow. I also love it that she's myopic. We don't get to read that often in books, certainly not in fantasy books.

And Killian. I love his story very much! He's strong, yet vulnerable. Brave, yet conflicted. And his loyalty has no match. The romance is slow burn and their sacrifices HURT me.

I need book 3 NOW.

I won't lie, I was really hesitant to get into this. After the events of the first book, I wasn't up for reading a book focused on Lydia. The author said that book 1 or 2 could be used as the start of the series, so I though I'd give it a shot. It couldn't hurt to see what the other beginning could be. After reading this, I actually have a newfound appreciation for Lydia! I don't love her, but she much higher up my list than before. Killian is also another great character that I grew to love as well. I also appreciate being able to see bits of Teriana and Marcus in here, as we get more in depth with their characters too. While this might not be the book 2 I wanted, it does a really good job of keeping me engaged with the characters and world.

I absolutely loved Dark Shores so I was so excited to be able to read an ARC of Dark Skies!  Dark Skies is part of the story started in Dark Shores, but this time the main characters are Lydia and Killian, not Terinana and Marcus. Both books run parallel to each other in the beginning and I was thrilled with this change of position in the story, it kept the narrative fresh, while getting the perspective of some well loved side characters from the first book.  I thought it was exceptionally clever, especially as it didn't come off as repetitive at all.

The world building in Dark Shores was outstanding, and, even though Dark Skies was book 2, it didn't skimp on the same level of detail when it came to describing the new places the characters visited.  In this book, we delve deeply in to a world where the "corrupted" are feared beyond all.  Marked people who can literally suck the life out of people with a single touch.  As the corrupted bring war to Killian's land, he is sworn to protect the princess for life, or face death.  When Lydia mysteriously arrives, on the run from her home, they are forced together by circumstance and will need to work together, no matter how reluctant they are.  

Full of intrigue, betrayal, action and magic, if you haven't started the Dark Shores series yet, I'd recommend picking them up as soon as you can!  I can't wait for book three

I love books with a strong female lead and I love books about books, this book was both.
Lydia is a scholar and Killian is marked by the god of war, yet neither ends up with the life they planned or wanted. In a random event Lydia ends up crossing paths with Killian and their lives will never be the same!
I'll be honest, I was worried that Lydia would be weak or a damsel in distress, but that wasn't the case. She was strong, but also fallible and didn't need a man to save her but worked with a variety of other characters to help herself and others. I found her to be someone I could relate to and both characters were well written. The storyline was engaging and I read it in less that 24 hours.

I received the ARC in exchange for and honest review.

This book reminded me of Avatar the Last Airbender and the Dragon Prince wrapped into this epic conflict that is literally going to take this world by storm. Be that Celendria or any other Kingdom out there. The Seventh God corrupts everything he touches. The blight are a plague, and this novel is so frustrating for Lydia I wished the poor girl would get a better life. And I think she will in book 3. I also loved Lydia's father, and hated Lydia's nephew. You will also love Killian because he's an man with honour. You will experience his story in your own personal experience.

I have been waiting for the sequel for a long time and it does not disappoint. It's like Lord of the Rings the Two Towers. And so much political scheming! There is so much involved that your mind will get mind-boggled in this. Lydia is taken to the Kingdom of Mudamoria by the Xenither, and from there she learns about the conflict, the scheming nobles of Mudamoria, and how she navigates through this entire web. It's like a never-ending web. And Lucius Cassius, our favorite villian makes a fab return. I guess he's also playing hands with Rufina and the King of Mudamoria's Daughter, Malahi.

I really wished there was a map, as I want to see this large world. I also wanted to see more of Gamdesh, which we saw of Sonia, but not enough. I would have wanted to seen more individual descriptions of the Sultanate of Gamdesh's troops. I was also so glad to see Bait saving Lydia, and thus telling the stories of how Lucius is using Legate Marcus for his own end. We didn't get to see much of Terianna and Marcus in this novel, but this is a big world. What Danielle is creating is akin to There will come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool. It's a world of ancient fantasy. It's going to be big. I think there are more novels coming.

You will like this novel because of Killian, and I ship Killian and Lydia together. They both are affected by the politics of their nations, and both come together because of that. Now we really have to see who is playing the real game here. Rufina? The corrupted? The goddess? The Seventh? And I'd love to see Celendria's Emperor take the center stage. I get the feeling that Danielle wants to explore more of the world, and I do too! I want to see Phalanxes of the Fantasy Greek City States, and I'd love to see the chariots of fantasy Egypt in the next sequels or so.

There's so much plot involved I'll leave it to you guys to figure it out. But from me, I loved book 1. I love book 2, and I'm going to give this a solid 10/10 and I cannot wait to read book 3 and 4.

Danielle Jensen yet again delivered a wonderful book.

This is the follow-up of her first novel, ( the worlds are connected, but you can read them in either order ) and this time it follows Lydia ( one of Terina's friends. ) Lydia is a student in a place where men control every basis of every women's life. It was quite interesting to see Lydia clash against these norms especially because she doesn't have a mouth filter and is quite sassy at times. Lydia somehow ends up in the Dark Shores, trying not to die ( because who really wants to these days. ) Then she becomes a healer with her abilities that poof out of nowhere.

Killian is our other main protagonist, he's a politic geek and gets really caught up in politics. ( more than he wishes to.) Lydia and Killan strongly dislike each other and clash in many ways, but in desperation decide to work together. ( what can I say, if I was about to die, I would work with my enemy too. ) He's more of a cold dude, the one that will literally ignore you and give you the cold shoulder for NO REASON? *cough* yeah that's him. ( * cue the character development * )

Lydia, poor girl, just wants to return home. The Corrupter is growing stronger with each minute and the clocks ticking, they have to decide if they want to put their separate desires above the Corrupter? Or save themselves.

You got to see Terina and Marcus COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. It was fascinating to see them in another point of view, it was almost scary to me. *shivers*

The world-building in this book was immaculate. There is so much depth that creates a whole other dimension a whole other layer to this story. I got to understand the characters, their culture, beliefs, values and proved them all to be so complex and layered.

The world-building and the depth of the characters were the things that impressed me the most and really won me over. Well done! I loved this book so so very much.

This novel was absolutely amazing! Another great novel by Ms. Jensen, who continues to weave amazing characters and intriguing story lines. This novels overlaps with the first novel, but follows Lydia, a friend of Teriana, whom was in the first novel of the series. Lydia is a scholar in a place where men dominate and women and no say, but she has formed her own opinions and does not always control her tongue. To avoid death, Lydia ends up unexpectedly in the Dark Shores, where is gains abilities as a healer. Killian is the other main character, whom does his duty to his kingdom, for he is marked by the God of War. Killian is dealing with his own failure and gets caught up in more politics then he likes. When Lydia and Killian cross paths, they are in for a fight, but as they continue to cross paths, they strike a deal to help each other, for both know Teriana and each have the need to right wrongs. Lydia desperately wants to return home, based on things she discovered that caused her to originally escape. However, the Corrupter is gaining ground. Lydia and Killian will have to make some hard choices, regardless of the feelings growing between them. For there are several characters who have their own agenda and will use whatever is necessary to achieve their desires. Looking forward to the next novel in the series and cannot wait for all the characters from the first two novels to reunite!
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

According to the author, Dark Shores and Dark Skies are both starting points for the series, so you can read them in either order. The parallel stories converge in the third book. How cool is that? I read Dark Shores first but can easily see how they are interchangeable.

The world-building reinforces the amazing world-building in the first book. In an email to her followers (*cough* totally on the list), Jensen wrote:

“The setting isn’t just a few kingdoms, but an entire world. It crosses a dozen nations, it contains diverse cultures and races and religions, it faces evils that are both human and decidedly inhuman.”

The amount of detail and the depth of development in this series is astounding. The story, the world, the religious beliefs, the culture, and the characters are all intricate and complex. This story delves more into the gods and goddesses of the Dark Shores, particularly the seventh god, The Corrupter. The most feared god, The Corrupter wants control over all of the other gods. People who have been “marked” by this god can literally suck out your life force. Kind of like a human Dementor! Scary stuff!

Much like Dark Shores, the story switches perspectives between the two major characters – Killian and Lydia. Lydia’s story at the start of the book parallels Teriana’s story, so you witness the same events unfolding from a different perspective. I thought this was a really clever way to provide ample and pertinent context while developing the characters. I liked seeing Lydia’s perspective on what happened between her and Teriana. Throughout much of Dark Shores, Teriana feels betrayed by Lydia, but I suspected there was more to her story. She seemed too loyal to Teriana to betray their friendship so easily. In Dark Skies we find out how Cassius learned about the world Teriana’s people worked so hard to keep a secret.

Killian is an equally fascinating and complicated character. Even though he is “marked” by the god of war, he faces Corrupters in battle, and he fails to protect the kingdom. Now disgraced, he pledges his sword to the crown princess who is vying for the throne. Killian is as trapped as Lydia, and this leads them to work together to protect everything important to them before it’s too late.

I also found it fascinating to see Teriana and Marcus, the protagonists of Dark Shores, in a completely different light. You see the conflict in Marcus so clearly, and it makes you think about how different a story can be from someone else’s point of view.

I can’t say enough about this fabulous book. I am loving this series and Danielle L. Jensen! Her style of writing pulls you into her stories in a completely immersive way. I can’t wait for the third book in the series, where the stories and the characters converge!

Favorite Parts:
- The amazing world-building. I felt like I was in the story. A combo of ancient Rome and Waterworld with a mythical component woven in, this setting is EPIC!
- The complex characters. Like Dark Shores, the characters are so incredibly well-developed. I love the variety of perspectives that shape the story.
- The love story. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good love story, and Jensen never disappoints. 🙂

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

While Dark Skies is the second book released in the Dark Shores series, the beauty in the way this story is being told means that you can pick up Dark Skies *before* Dark Shores and be no worse for wear. The two books, each featuring a different duo of main characters, are experiencing their adventures at the same time with both coming together in the future third book. Going into Dark Skies having read Dark Shores, yes, there was information that I was already privy to, but I don't believe it takes anything away from either story regardless of where you pick up the tale. Just be sure that you do!

Dark Skies follows Lydia, a girl on the run after the political plotting of her empire threatens her life and puts her on the run, and Killian, a commander who finds himself in disgrace when he fails his kingdom under attack. When they cross paths they come to an agreement to help everyone and everything they hold dear.

This book has everything in it that I love and need! Action, adventure, political intrigue, plotting and scheming, plus a strong-willed heroine who wont back down, a hero that I will continue to root for because he's earned it (seriously, Killian is easily one of my favorites forevermore), and a villain with more tricks up their sleeve than you're prepared for. This series is easily added to me recommend list.

Dark Skies is a reminder as to why Danielle L Jensen is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. The way she crafts her worlds, her characters, her plotting. Just everything. I will gladly keep coming back for more.

Thank you to Macmillan/Tor and NetGalley for the ARC on exchange for review.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the advanced reading copy of Dark Skies by Danielle L. Jensen.

As this is the second book to a series I don't want to give to much detail, as not to spoil anyone. I will say I love the magical world and characters that Jensen creates. They are marvellously, flawless, unique, and interesting characters.

The first novel is about Terinana she is the second mate to the ship Quinsence. She is strong willed and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Marcus is the commander of a brutal army. He is brave and cold. They are both wonderfully developed characters that add so much more depth to the story. The fact that this book (like the Malediction trilogy) is told in two perspectives adds so much love of these characters, it is indescribable. Danielle L. Jensen’s writing is something I can always get lost in.

I highly recommend you start this series. Danielle’s L. Jensen is one of my favourite authors. I will always read anything she publishes!

I didn’t end up reading this one...the description sounded like it was the first in a series, but when I checked on Goodreads, it is #2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review Shielded by KayLynn Flanders. What a great debut with a wonderful plot and characters! Defiantly will be recommending this read to my young adult customers!
#DarkSkies
#NetGalley

This book was received as an ARC from Macmillan-Tor/Forge - Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have been waiting for a book like this in a very long time. This book has it all action, drama, and a few comedic moments put in there. There is Lydia and Killian escaping their troubles with the kingdom while in peril. Lydia is a scholar that has dipped her toes where she is forbidden and now she is a wanted criminal. Killian is a commander blessed by the power of the gods but instead of his gifts being helpful, they cause harm to the army and is now banished. Now with their kingdom Mudamora in danger by the Corrupter, Killian and Lydia must ban together and strike a deal to save their loved ones before it's too late. My heart was racing throughout the entire book and I absolutely felt like I was in battle with them cheering them on to save Mudamora. I know our teen book club will really love this.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Okay, I'm an idiot and didn't realize this was the second in a series. Luckily for me, this had its own storyline and besides a little confusion at the beginning, it was easy enough to catch up. I really enjoyed this title, fast-paced, slow-burning romance, several possible villains. Going to purchase the first and wait impatiently for the third!