WOW I am just blown away. I want to start by saying that even though this is the second book, you do NOT need to read the first book to understand what is happening. I have not read Dark Shores but still feel that the world building and characters were enough to support this book. After reading Dark Skies, I am even more excited to read Dark Shores!

Dark Skies follows Lydia and Killian, worlds apart but forced together to try and respectively save the people they care about. The Gods seem to be up to their ears in problems, and it's being taken out on the humans that have faith in them. Worlds are coming apart at the seems, and these two are so caught up in it that there is no telling how this will end up.

I adore the characters. Lydia and Killian are so different, yet so similar in so many ways. They are both such tragic humans, bent on saving each other, their loved ones, and the world - even when they can't do it all. This doesn't mean they don't spend the whole book trying to in spite of that! The side characters are okay. there are definitely some interesting characters but Lydia and Killian really steal the show.

The magic system is super interesting, with Gods "marking" certain humans with powers at some point in their lives. Each God has different reasons for marking and different types of people to give marks too. Also, the Gods are only as powerful as their people's faith in them, which I think is a very interesting subplot and calls into question the inherent "all powerful" archetype for deities.

Overall, if you love YA Fantasy and magic and Gods interfering in humans lives, PLEASE read this book because you will not regret it.

Thank you to Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this book. Unfortunately I was unable to finish it due to lack of being able to push myself through the book. I hope to pick it back up at some point to be able to review the book in full. There is so much political matter in this book that I feel takes away from the excitement. I like Killian's story line but can't say I enjoy Lydia's too much. There's a lot of detail added that I feel like is boring for the readers. It will be interesting to see how all four characters come together throughout the series though!

I enjoyed this, but I have to admit I enjoyed the first book Dark Shores more. That’s not to say I didn’t love this, but I just didn’t like Lydia as much as I loved Teriana and Marcus more, I was neveras keen on Lydia as much so I’m biased I think. But I still really enjoyed this, I can’t wait to see what happens to these (and all the other) characters in the next book to tie everything together. I loved Killian and I think the slow burn between him and Lydia swung it around for me. It’s a great read, I just liked Dark Shores a bit more.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Dark Skies is the second book in the Dark Shores series. I did not realize it was apart of a series until I finished the book! It did not feel like I was missing any of the story, so I believe it could be read on its own but the first book would provide more backstory and insight into this one.
It has been a fun read. It is a bit of a mix of dystopian, historical and fantasy. I love how completely unique this story is and the author has created such an interesting world.
The story is from the POV of Killian and Lydia. Killian is from the Dark Shores, while Lydia is from Celendrial on the other side of the ocean. When Lydia is transported to the Dark Shores, they’re lives intertwine and the story gets more interesting. Their two worlds are so vastly different! Killians world is at war and Lydia finds herself thrust into the middle of it. Lydia comes from a world where her father was dying, she was being forced into an unwanted marriage and then her fiancé was trying to have her killed!
The beginning of the book has quite the fun story, but I did find it to be a little slow, despite all that is happening. Around 40% I got more into it, and it has been a fantastic read!
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good fantasy read. However, I would keep in mind the story is set in the midst of a war. So there is some violence, beheadings, etc.

Thankyou Net Galley and Tor Teen for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really hyped for the first book - Dark Shores and unfortunately it was 50/50 for me...the second book Dark Skies we follow the story of Killian and Lydia who were a secondary characters in the first book.
To be honest i wasn't a big fan of Lydia's character since book one....aand that didn't change here either and i found myself hurrying trough her POV to get to Killian's.
The two books from the series could be read as a standalone too and you won't get confused and Dark Skies(but would be better if you reed both ofcourse) have action packed and some kind of different storyline from Dark Shores but unfortunately no matter how hard i tried i couldn't connect and immerse myself in the story.

Rating 4.5 stars rounded up

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ok friends.... there is really only one word needed to describe this book. EPIC!!!!


The beginning starts off with Killian, protecting the wall to Mudamora only to be be tricked by The Currupter and followers of the Seven god. Now under siege, Killian is marked by the God of War, and although it is an honor, he feels he has let down everyone and is a disgrace.
Because of his failures he knows he will lose his head, until Princess Malahi has other plans for him and swears him in as her personal guard for life.


If you read Dark Shores you remember Lydia is drowned by the hands of Marcus, but Lydia lives! Saved by xyanthier stone she finds herself in a foreign land at war.
After an attack, Lydia is left with a choice to save a life and lose some of her own, or leave Killian to die. Her choice leads her to be marked as a healer by the Gods she is just learning to believe in.

In this epic war tale, Killian and Lydia strike a deal to save their people along with those in need.
There are creepy monsters.
Blood and gore
A love that wants to be a triangle but a very odd shaped one 😂
Good guys
Corrupt government
And the ray of light that we get to see Teriana, Marcus, Killian, and Lydias story come together.
Think game of thrones meets Rome!

My only complaint is the love story is such a slow burn... it’ll be burning for a year till I get book 3 and I am not great at waiting.

Thanks for another epic world created Danielle. I don’t know how you do it

I was intrigued by the synopsis of Dark Skies, but since I hadn't read the first book in the series, I wasn't sure if I should go ahead and read it or not. However, I then discovered that Danielle Jensen has written the first two books in this series as interchangeable, and I loved that fact. You can truly read them in either order, and not miss out on anything that's happening. I did end up enjoying certain things about this one, but I didn't end up loving it quite as much as I was hoping to as certain parts were really hit or miss for me.

First off, I have to say that I loved the magical system featured in this world. It felt mysterious and original, and almost was layered in illusion during certain parts of the story. A good magical system is so important to the proper development of a fantasy story, and I'm happy to say that the one featured in Dark Skies was amazing. I truly adored Killian as a main character, and thought his selflessness and never ending courage truly made him stand out as a young adult protagonist. I was also quite impressed with how he changes the entire palace guard to females, and I enjoyed reading about the strong friendships they develop with each other, and their giant training master.

However, I really didn't enjoy the female main character Lydia all that much. The first part of her story is extremely slow moving, and I had a hard time keeping myself interested in reading it. Once she reaches the Dark Shores it picks up a bit, but I still found her to be a weaker character, and I never was really a fan of the chemistry between her and Killian.

While a lot of this book is action packed, I felt it was way longer than it needed to be, and certain components felt unnecessary and took me forever to want to read through. And even with how long the story is, I still ended up feeling like the gods and the reason behind all the wars and chaos was never properly explained, and it ended up leaving me quite confused. Lastly, this whole book has a hopeless undertone throughout it, and it got a little tiring to read about nothing but things going wrong again and again throughout the story.

I still think this series as a whole is going to end up probably being amazing, and I definitely want to go back and read the first book and continue on with the next book when it releases. Since I was really intrigued by the brief glimpses we're given of Teriana and Marcus in this one, I have a feeling I'm going to find their story more interesting personally than I did Killian and Lydia's.

Final Rating: 3/5.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Tor Teen for allowing me to advance read this!

I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel to voluntarily read and review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 4/5 STARS⁣
⁣
𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Lydia and Killian ⁣
⁣
𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Hacken, Malahi, and Rufina⁣
⁣
𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦: I love the author’s world building. I was initially intrigued because the story was meant to be inspired by Roman mythology, which I studied in school but I hadn’t ever really read in fantasy/fiction. It was phenomenally done in this book. In contrast to the first book, this story had wonderful parallels that kept me invested in the beginning. It was interesting to see how differently Lydia perceived events compared to Teriana, like Marcus for example. It’s going to be amazing when they all reunite and their perceptions of one another change. Within the story itself characters are constantly changing and developing as their motivations become more clear; Malahi for instance has a character arc that makes you love and hate her by the end of the book. The characters are complex in the most capturing way possible. ⁣
⁣
I docked one star only because I think my love for Dark Shores overshadows how I feel about Dark Skies. This book is an amazing sequel and the series itself is beyond captivating with its intertwined politics and romance. ⁣
⁣
𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣𝗦: Lydia and Killian. Slow burn people! Very slow burn. ⁣
⁣
𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥: readers looking for some slow-burn, Roman mythology inspired fantasy book

*Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing this ARC in return for an honest review*

Whew! Where to begin… These last few days have honestly been a whirlwind. I’ll admit that Dark Shores was a cover purchase for me. I saw someone post an image on Facebook some time ago and immediately found myself adding it to my Amazon list. When I saw Dark Skies on NetGalley, I requested it and then proceeded to finally purchase Dark Shores. See where I’m going with this? I didn’t really know that these two books could be read separately, so after I received Dark Shores, I began to binge-read the book so I could hop on over to Dark Skies. There’s a LOT of information between these two novels so I had to spend some time reflecting in order to separate everything.

It would have been great to know that these books stand alone in their own respect. It wouldn’t hurt to have started with Dark Skies and then moved onto Dark Shores. In fact, the pieces of Lydia’s POV at the beginning of Dark Skies was a little boring, since it was essentially a recap. Reading Killian’s POV was more interesting at this point and I found myself wanting to skim Lydia’s pieces to get back to him. I was expecting it to be a direct follow-up but in a way was pleasantly surprised that this was a parallel storyline, especially considering all that occurred between Teriana and Lydia. I knew there was more backstory here, but glad we were able to get it in this book.

Dark Skies is from Killian and Lydia’s POV this time, and they truly did not disappoint. I adore Lydia for her who she is as a person and all of the amazing characteristics Jensen bestowed upon her. The shy, scholarly type is a weakness of mine because they are so often overlooked and underestimated. I knew from the beginning I was going to enjoy her growth. Not to mention, she wears glasses. Such a seemingly small thing, but rare for fantasy YA to represent. Lydia goes through a lot in this book but has the perseverance of a God in her own right. She has a strength that all women should look up to and a kind heart despite everything. Although I know it made for a better story, I was sad that Killian and Lydia’s slow-burn didn’t get more page time. With how things ended… I hope to see more of them in the future.

Let’s talk about Killian though. This fiercely loyal, haunted, and fascinating man. I was so emotionally present for his POV and wanted better things for him throughout the entire novel. His personality was genuine that if Lydia didn’t fall for him, I was ready to do it for her. Lydia and Killian is definitely my preferred ship, and I enjoyed reading more about their (not) relationship than Marcus and Teriana’s relationship. By the end, I was not prepared for everything that occurred and desperately wanted better for Killian, and for Lydia. I hope Jensen soon provides some happier scenarios in Book 4— After reading the first two books, I am under no illusion Book 3 will be any happier.

Overall, the world-building was stellar, and the character development is amazing. Jensen knew exactly what she was doing when she picked apart Roman mythology and the Latin language to create such a captivating world. And a world it is— it is no small single island or continent we explore in these books, but an entire world full of vengeful rulers and political figureheads, magics, wars, Gods, and a variety of people. The politics got confusing and messy and there are times where I had to stop reading and go back a couple of paces to make sure I knew what was actually going on. I think this was the only thing that stopped me from rating this book as 5 stars. The other disappointing part (at no fault of the author or publisher because *ahem* this was an ARC) but I ever so desperately wanted and needed the map. With so much happening in this book and others that I am reading, it is increasingly difficult to visualize the world as a whole. That should tell you all that you need to know about in-depth this book goes into every piece of detail. The development is exceptional, and Jensen should be proud of her work and research. I can’t imagine how much effort she put into creating this series. The plot itself isn’t predictable like a great many YA books are nowadays, and I want more from everyone and everything.

While not my favorite novel of all time, I was impressed and entertained by it. It took more effort to read than a typical YA fantasy, and the slow burn relationship left a lot to be desired, but I am excited to keep reading the series and am looking forward to Book 3.

Even before I read Dark Shores I have been excited for the release of this book as I absolutely adore anything Danielle writes. But then lucky me received an eARC which of course I read straight away 😂 Dark Skies is set are the same time as Dark Shores and either book can be read first but both must be read before the third releases!! This one focuses on Killian and Lydia’s story and is mainly set in Mudamora which is in the Western half of Reath. This book was jam packed with action, magic, political twists, epic battles, Gods and creepy white walker type people 😂 It also has a romance which is such a slowwww burn and I was rooting these guys so much but they have to overcome so much together 😭 I think my favourite thing from Danielle is her amazing worlds that she creates! This book is something every fantasy reader would love and I felt like I was watching a new season of Game of Thrones 😂

Thank you so much to TorTeen and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review!

Lydia is a scholar, but when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire, she finds herself in danger. She manages to escape west, to the far side of the Endless Seas. There, she runs into Killian, Marked by the God War, but disgraced when the Corrupter invades his country. He swears his sword to the crown princess. But this choice catapults him smack in the middle of a web of political intrigue. Lydia and Killian strike a bargain to save the people they love most. But this bargain comes with unintended and disastrous consequences.

As you might know, Dark Skies is the second book in the series that started with Dark Shores. But what is unique about this series is that you can start either with Dark Shores or with this second book. Because - while the protagonists of that first book make an appearance in this one, Dark Skies focuses on two other characters (Lydia and Killian).

I hadn’t read the first book before picking this up and had no problems at all understanding what was going on. In fact, Dark Shores already was on my TBR list, but now I’m even more curious to read that book and find out more about Teriana and Marcus!

Dark Skies is told through both Killian and Lydia’s POV. Because they are initially on opposite sides of the world, it takes some time for the story to get going. We have to get to know both characters and their respective countries. But once they meet, the story quickly picks up speed.

There is political scheming, an army of corrupted people marching on the city, and a ton of twists. I never knew what to expect! In fact, some YA fantasy stories can get predictable, but - while this story had a familiar structure - there were many unexpected turns that kept me on edge throughout.

I also liked both protagonists. Lydia seemed a bit boring at first, but she was actually very strong and caring. She might not be a fighter in the physical sense of the word, but she stands up for the weak and helps them in her own way. And Killian is kind, yet conflicted. The poor guy carries the burden of being Marked by a god, the guilt of a military mistake, and is torn between his alliances.

Reading Dark Skies was a wild ride that made me even more curious about the first book in the series. So it's no wonder I give it the full 5 stars! And I already can’t wait for the third book, Gilded Serpent. Even though that one won’t come out until March 2021. Ugh, THE WAIT!

Rated 4.5 Stars

Dark Skies was amazing. It kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I loved it. I loved the tension that kept me anticipating what would happen next, the tension between the characters, both main and secondary, the sexual tension between the main characters, it all worked for me. I loved how the story was woven. There were twists, turns, betrayal, lies and so much more. I cannot wait to get my hands on the final book I have a feeling it's going to be amazing. I very highly recommend this book, series and author.

Dark Skies is a sequel/companion piece to Dark Shores. You can read either book first, though I have read as they have come out. I'll admit to initially being disappointed that Dark Skies would not be about Teriana and Marcus, but Lydia always fascinated me from the beginning of Dark Shores, so I was thrilled it was about her.

Both Killian and Lydia's story and background were fascinating, particularly Lydia who really goes through the ringer (somewhat quite literally). She was almost murdered (quite a few times, in fact), robbed, beaten, marked, in disguise, and really grows into herself!

Marcus is "disgraced" but doesn't let that stop him. And the relationship between the two is lovely in its growth.

Truth be told, I actually liked this book better than the first. Maybe because I could see (at least somewhat) the bigger picture, whereas I was more confused in the first book. Things are coming together, and I am so eager to see where book 3 takes us and if our group gets to interact (though, Marcus may want to be afraid of Lydia).

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

I was really excited to read this after recently finishing Dark Shores! One of the cool things about this series is that you can read this one or the other first since they are both different timelines that mesh together in the beginning and then will come together in book three! It's a cool concept that I have never seen/read before.

The beginning of this book does take a bit to get into because it deals with some of the events I had read in the other book. Even though it was a bit slow at the beginning I did like that it did a recap of events but from a different point-of-view. Dark Skies has two different point-of-views both from different people that weren't the main characters in Dark Shore.

I liked that this book was set in a different area from the other and we got to see a completely different political force. There is definitely a lot of political intrigue and it's hard to decide who wants what's best for their people. I really had no idea who I stood behind until the end and even then, you're stuck between a rock and a hard place with your feelings, haha.

The Gods are also back and we learn more about two different ones and it's cool to have that. I'm always intrigued by mythology.

The plot is very intriguing and fast once you get past the beginning. The last 150-200 pages is intense! There are so many plot twists being thrown out and I wasn't prepared. The relationship being formed is slow but you can definitely see a bond they share.

Overall, this was a great read and I know my feelings aren't prepared for the next book.

This is a wonderful companion/sequel to the fantastic Dark Shores and gives you a different side to the story that will obviously meld together with the Dark Shores story in the next book.

Dark Skies has the same non-stop pacing of the previous book and the characters again are as rich and vibrant as the previous cast. Danielle Jensen has a great style to her writing and her books are easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable and immersive.

This series is very easy to recommend......

Dark Skies is a companion novel to Dark Shores and you can start with either but will need to read both to continue the series. That being said I didn't remember much of Dark Shores as I started Dark Skies but the broad strokes came back to me as I read and I think I prefer Dark Skies mostly because I related to bookish Lydia more than Teriana of Dark Shores. The plot is fast paced and loaded with action. I'm excited for the next book to see all 4 POV's converge.
These books remind me of Sarah J Maas's work in terms of writing style and I can't figure out why they aren't more popular. I'd definitely recommend Dark Shores and Dark Skies to fans of SJM looking for something new to read now that Throne of Glass is completed.

I love how Jensen has set up this series, that you can start with either Dark Shores or Dark Skies. I did start with Dark Shores last year and I loved Teriana and her people along with Marcus and his army of misfits. I feel like we learned something of Lydia at the end of that book but I honestly can’t remember and while reading Teriana's story my thoughts never really turned to Lydia. Turns out Lydia did have a story to tell though, one full of deception, love and heartache.

"North must not meet South"

What if you grew up and only knew half of the world and thought there was nothing beyond the ocean but more ocean? In the Empire of Celendor, a conquering empire, there is believed to be nothing beyond the Endless Seas. There are rumors of the Dark Shores though and what lies there but no one really knows for certain...or do they?

The book is told from two POV's, Lydia and Killian. Lydia resides in the city of Celendrial, raised as a Cel lady by one of the top Cel Senators and raised as his own. While she was raised as a lady though she is outcasted thanks to her skin color, but has no interest in polite society and instead dreams of more scholarly pursuits. She’s a warrior at heart though and willing to do anything to protect those she loves once she learns of threats against them. Her best friend, a Maarin sailor, and her people have been keeping a secret about the existence of the Dark Shores across the seas. She entrusts Lydia with this secret in an attempt to help her escape a political marriage but things go sideways. Plots of murder and extending the Cel kingdoms reach end with Lydia finding herself in a whole new world full of god and goddesses at war through their peoples with her only ally a handsome yet infuriating solider.

Killian resides in the kingdom of Mudamora in the hidden world of the Dark Shores. He is a boy marked by on of the six (gods/goddesses) and therefore holds more responsibility than most. His mark is for strength in battle but his reputation is one of debauchery. After a catastrophic attack at the wall he was to defend a war is now upon his kingdom and his god seeming to have turned his back on him. His reputation is in shreds and he’s now part of a political game he never wanted to be apart of. On top of all of that he meets a mysterious girl in the streets who is now in danger thanks to him and is spouting wild tales of a faraway land he's never even considered existing.

If you are looking for a nice long and drawn out slow burn this is the book for you. While there were not a lot of romantic scenes, there was a lot of tension. Lydia and Killian did have some cute moments though. While there was some romance I feel like it really took a backseat to everything else that was going on. That's just how Lydia and Killian are as characters though, they're pragmatic and prioritize the needs of others above their own wants. I loved the moments that they did have though.

I started off my reading thinking that the pacing was too slow but then realized I just wanted Killian and Lydia to cross paths and was being impatient. The book starts with them in their respective kingdoms living these drastically different lives. I couldn't fathom how their lives could possibly intertwine. And when they finally did? Just wow. I loved that scene and how strong Lydia was, able to hold her own and show her real strength.

One thing I love about Jensen is her inclusivity which I praised in my review of Dark Shores as well. We get a mix of races, with white not being the race not in power in Celendrial. In the other half of the world racism doesn't even seem to exist, no one is judged by their skin color nor their sexual preferences. Gay, lesbian, bi it doesn't effect the life you can have there and no one even bats an eye if you are.

Like I mentioned at the beginning of my review you can start with either Dark Skies or Dark Shores. I personally recommend starting with Dark Skies. I think it cleared up things a bit faster, but that could just be because I haven't read Dark Shores in over a year. Will reread and get back to you. I'm very curious to see the direction this series will take though. Both end in huge cliffhangers and it'll be interesting to see how they come together. Will the next book be from four POV's or will we got back to just Teriana and Marcus and then Killian and Lydia? All I do know is that Jensen has created an amazing new world to explore.

Thank you to Tor Teen and NetGalley for the e-ARC to read and review!

"Dark Skies" is a must read! The sequel brings even more bravery and heartache to this engrossing series. I loved it!

First, can we just take a moment to admire this beautiful purple cover. It's powerful in design and stunning in its relation to the book.

Lydia I love as a main character. I love her spirit and how she works hard to make sure justice is served. She could have easily remained complacent, but instead takes matters into her own hands. And, of course, she's a bookworm so that's an instant plus.

Killan I love for his loyalty and honor, especially for someone so young with so much responsibilities and high expectations because he was Marked by the God of War. He's the kind of person you'd want as a friend and as someone you can count on to watch your back. I also love his name. It was sadly fascinating learning what it's like to be Marked.

What's awesome about this book is that we get to immerse ourselves in the culture of the East, aka the fabled Dark Shores. From faith, to class systems, to ideology. It's a necessary thing to learn to get the full picture of why East should not meet West and vise versa.

The ending had me in tears! Just why?! Why?! It was so heartbreaking. And the slow burn romance was so adorkable and sweet!

"Dark Skies" is incredible. I am smitten by the author's ability to tell such a captivating story. You with love it guarantee! This is an extraordinary tale of atonement and the courage to do what is right even when your back is against the wall.

Despite having mixed feelings about Dark Shores, I was drawn into the adventure and broader landscape in Dark Skies.

Raised by a notable senator, Lydia struggles to find acceptance in Cel society. Her scholarly tastes and foreign heritage put her future into jeopardy as the only protection she has, her father, wastes away from illness. Across the world, gods marked general Killian Calorian, fights self-doubt, disappointment, and an invading horde to uphold his oaths and protect his kingdom from dangers near and far. For both Lydia and Killian, a single mistake has the power to shape their future, setting them on a path to discover hidden powers, the despair of war, and what they're really willing to sacrifice.

In many ways, this book feels like the missing half to Dark Shores, with concurrent timelines and shared scenes between all four main characters. The desperate politics surrounding Killian and Lydia nicely balance the plot of imperial conquest embroiling Tiriana and Markus.

While the author does say the books were written so that one could start with Dark Shores OR Dark Skies, I recommend following the published order. Several moments in Dark Skies slip from nuanced into confusing without prior knowledge of the story, and overall there is less introductory world-building (as expected in a sequel).

Great action, sometimes flaky character motivations, but I flew through this book in one sitting. Recommend for those looking for female bodyguards and the warrior hiding his inner soft boi.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the ARC**

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Tor Teen, for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read Dark Shores last year and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it, so when I saw this one available, I knew I needed to request it. And I'll be waiting impatiently for book three after this story.

The beginning of both books tells basically the same story, Dark Shores telling Teriana's side of things and Dark Skies showing Lydia's. Then they both diverge into two separate concurrent tales. I'm assuming they'll meet back up in book three and become one big story. I hope so, because if we go back to Teriana and don't get more of Lydia's story, I'll be devastated, because while I really like Teriana, I adore Lydia.

The magic system and political machinations of this world are really cool, and the stories are fantastic.

Definitely highly recommend reading these two books as soon as you're able, because they're worth the read!