Despite numerous attempts, I could not seem to finish this book. I was unaware that this was a sequel when I downloaded it so I felt a little lost on the story. I also did not like the main character who seemed a self centered. Perhaps I would like it more if I had read the first book. I'm giving this a 3 stars only because the problem with the book was with my not having read the first one not a result of the book itself.
Thank you for the copy. I will attempt to read it again after I read the first one.

I loved this. Deborah Hewitt is the author I wish I could get everyone talking about. The Nightjar grabbed me; The Rookery hooked me. I could read a million more books written in this world and never be bored.

When I found out that Deborah Hewitt was writing a sequel to The Nightjar, I was so excited. Unfortunately, most of the things that I loved about The Nightjar were missing from The Rookery.

The Rookery is set a while after the events of The Nightjar. Alice Wyndham is picking up the pieces from everything that happened in the first book and getting her life back on track. She’s working to join House Mielikki, hoping to master her magic in time to save herself. In this book, Hewitt focuses heavily on the world-building, really digging into the magic and lore behind The Rookery itself. But I was never really able to connect with the characters in this novel - Alice felt like she had lost a lot of the depth she had in the first book and the other characters just weren’t that memorable. And I really couldn’t understand Alice’s romantic relationship because there just wasn’t the build-up necessary in this book (keeping it vague to avoid spoilers).

Overall, The Rookery had a great premise, but I wish the execution had been better. If you combined the world-building + action of this one with the heart + character development of the first book, you’d have a truly incredible novel.

The Rookery is Deborah Hewitt’s sequel to her debut novel, The Nightjar, which I described in my review as having many of the issues one expects in a debut novel but that also left the reader eager to see what she did next based on her “imaginative content and writing style.” The sequel has its own issues but does improve on its predecessor. Some inevitable spoilers for book one to follow.

“The Rookery” itself is an alternate near-copy of 1930s London, “built as a sanctuary for the Vaki, a magical race of people” fleeing persecution in in Finland at the time of the Crusades. The four original “master builders” each had their own magical specialty (water, building and stone, fire and metalworking, flora and fauna) and founded four Houses devoted to their specialties. One of the plot threads involves our main character, Alice, taking the tests to enter House Mielikki, the flora and fauna house. The tests are more challenges than exams, and unlike your typical midterm, failure can mean death, as we see illustrated in a horrifying scene early on.

At the center of the Rookery is the Summer Tree, described by one character as “what keeps us stable … We’re anchored onto London. And the tree’s roots stretch through every part of our city … Without them the city would crumble.” This bit of info is important because the major plot thread is a desperate attempt to stop the Summer Tree’s sudden unchecked growth, which is causing earthquakes, devastation, and death, and is on course to utterly destroy the Rookery. Alice is heavily involved in the attempt as House Mielikki, as one might expect, is the one charged with monitoring/tending the Summer Tree. If trying to survive her House tests and saving the Rookery aren’t enough, someone is also trying to kill Alice, or least scare her; the death cult that almost killed her in book one while trying to usher in an apocalypse is still around; questions remain about Alice’s parentage (her father, we learned in the first book, is sort of the Lord of Death); she has a boss-from-hell in her research assistant job; and she has mixed feelings about Crowley, her PROPAI (Possible Romance Person with Annoying Issues) [I know, sounds like a fintech company; I’ll work on it]

One major improvement is that in The Nightjar, Alice had a tendency to opt for the worst (or the not-as-obviously-good) choices, mostly it seemed because the plot needed her to. That issue is mostly gone in the sequel, with the plot feeling less contrived (save one expository scene where I couldn't figure out why the information-doling person was divulging the info) and Alice feeling more naturally (and wisely) active. The high stakes, both personal (her tests, her family background) and external (the possible destruction of the Rookery), add a nice bit of tension, which ratchets up nicely as the tests get more dangerous and the Summer Tree’s growth more explosive and deadly. There’s more of a focus on birthlines than I generally prefer, the ending felt a bit rushed, and I’m generally not a fan of the “our elite group uses entry challenges that kill many candidates” plot point, but in general the plotting and pacing were strengths of the novel.

Alice as noted is a less contrived character here, and probably more engaging/likable as well (not that likability is a requirement). Her mentor Bea is a wonderful secondary character and feels fully fleshed out. Other side characters are given shorter shrift, and as with the first book, I wish we’d spent more time with them, so they came more alive as people rather than plot aids, especially her friends. The will-she-won’t she romance with Crowley doesn’t take up a lot of space, which is a good thing as it’s one of the weaker aspects here: perfunctory, not particularly interesting, and honestly unnecessary. Part of me even wonders if down not-so-deep Hewitt herself feels that way, as the writing seems to diminish at those points as well, becoming more clichéd, more mundane, almost as if the writer isn’t all that interested in the thread herself.

Outside of those segments, the style is solid. The sequel’s prose isn’t as lushly beautiful as the prior book, which I was sorry for, though part of that can be attributed to the more mundane settings.

Like its predecessor therefore, The Rookery is a bit of a mixed bag (though with some clear improvements), but in the end the positives outweigh the negatives. And I like Hewitt’s writing trendline.

While I'm sad that I didn't read the first book in the series, I'm happy that I stumbled upon this book and the Nightjar series. I had heard of Deborah Dewitt and the success of this series before but I didn't really know exactly what I was in for with this book. As someone that didn't really read the series, the time that was taken to really catch me up was really useful and I found that I really enjoyed it.I really enjoyed all the twists and turns and while an alternate London isn't really a new concept it is approached in a way that feels new. It's definitely a really great read.

The Nightjar was a splendid read, and this sequel is a fantastic addition to the series. Crowley is back and it's so good to read this character again. If you enjoyed The Nightjar then I highly recommend you pick this one up, and if you're new to the series and like mystery, fantasy, and dark fiction, you'll enjoy it too!

When I found out The Nightjar had a sequel I was surprised, but excited. I absolutely loved the alternate London and the magical world Hewitt created and I couldn't wait to find out what was next.

This is a story of self discovery and understanding. Alice is on a journey to learn more about herself and her magic and the impacts it has on the whole of the Rookery. I truly appreciate Alice's independence. She clearly is wrestling with her feelings for Crowley, but she is her own person outside of the relationship. Crowley doesn't push, giving Alice the space she needs to heal and grow and learn on her own. I do wish the two had reconciled and figured out how to communicate sooner. They are a formidable team and I would have loved to see them teaming for more of the story.

The first book was not really my cup of tea, but it did leave me with a lot of questions that this sequel answered. It was a satisfying ending, but not exactly my favorite.

The Rookery is the second book in an adult fantasy duology set in an alternate version of London. When I read the first book, I was intrigued by the magic system and intricate worldbuilding. I loved those aspects of The Nightjar, but I didn't really connect with the heroine, who I found to be rather unlikeable. I also felt very put off by a scene of animal abuse that occurred in the book.

With that being said, I felt interested enough to want to see how things continue in the sequel. I actually found this book to be a LOT better than its predecessor, and it really fleshed things out. Though Alice still bothered me at times throughout the story, the conclusion of The Rookery was quite satisfying and tied together all its loose ends.
I recommend this book to people who have read and enjoyed The Nightjar, and I recommend the entire duology to people who like dark fantasy and mystery.

Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC.

Alice Wyndham is a strong protagonist and I enjoyed her journey in this book. The idea that she can see nightjars - the bird manifestation of people's souls was interesting. I liked how her powers evolved to gather information from other people's nightjars in order to try and solve the mystery of what is destroying the Rookery from the ground up. There were some slow points in the middle of the book when the plot seemed to stall. But I loved the challenges to enter House Mielikki and the development of Alice's relationship with Crowley. I liked the lyrical style of writing and the world was very well developed.

Though my effort was, I feel, valiant enough, i just couldn't get into this one the way i did the first. Alice's casual, and, at times, morally superior, way of using people for her own ends wore on me terribly.

A wonderful addition to an intriguing series. I enjoyed revisiting one of my favorite worlds with a favorite author.

The Nightjar was one of my favorite books of 2019. I fell in love with the complex yet inviting story and the world within a world that is the Rookery (the place not the book). I was beyond excited when I heard about this book and even more excited when I was chosen to receive a advanced readers copy. Did The Rookery (the book not the place) live up to my expectations? No, it did not. It blew them away! Everything I loved about the first book was on full display with lots more added to it unwrap and enjoy. Crowley (did I mention how much I loved Crowley) is back and more complex then ever. He sure has some making up to do after the last book. The quiet moments between him and Alice were some of the best in the book. There are a lot of twists and turns. A few I saw coming, a bunch I did not. The ending was amazing and made me smile and gasp at different points. If you enjoyed The Nightjar you will absolutely enjoy this novel as well. 5 out of 5 stars.