When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles was amazing. Now that the world is established, I really feel like Angeles was able to work on making the pacing fast but not too fast, the surprising elements surprising, and literally I would not change anything about this book.

Kallia is an amazing main character and oh my gosh, her character!!! Her confidence, outfits, the journey she has to go through in this book. . .simply perfectly written. Demarco is amazing as well, I'd read a whole prequel about him and Eva.

Honestly, I seriously disliked Jack in the first book but in this one. . .I think some opinions will be changed.

Overall, the worldbuilding felt stronger in this one, which is really what I wanted. I would love to know more about Soltair but I think some new things made up for it. I will miss Kallia and Demarco and hope Janella writes more books in this world!!

*4.5 stars rounded up

I love this duology so much. The first book was actually my first ARC ever, and that holds so much value to me.
I thought this sequel was amazing. It was so different from the first book, but also so similar. There were so many changes made, from setting to even the characterization of some characters, but it still largely made sense.
I did think everything was a bit hard to follow. It was impossible to figure out whose story to trust, but not in a fun, unpredictable way, just in a “please tell me so I’m not confused” way. I also thought there was a decent bit that was pretty predictable, but only close to the beginning.
I really loved all of the new magic showcased and all of the new, complex characters. I don’t really want a spin-off novel for anyone just yet (I’m not a fan of those), but I was so committed to everyone’s story. I feel like it wouldn’t be hard to tell who my favorite character is now given that she’s amazing (a new performer). Angeles also always does a beautiful job with magic, and also CLOTHING. I love it when authors take a moment to detail every outfit, and Janella Angeles is amazing at this. (Angeles said there were more Hadestown vibes in this installment too and I totally agree)
Overall, this was just such a satisfying sequel. It was a bit hard to keep track of, but a beautiful and satisfying conclusion to this duology!

Here we go! The finale in the duology by Janella Angeles. The story picks up right where the first book left off with the competition ending in disaster and famous ex show-man Daron Demarco’s fall from grace being on the front page. Daron however has bigger concerns, mainly how to find his sister who he thought was gone and the contestant he fell in love with, Kallia. Kallia on the other hand is reeling from falling through a mirror and being stuck with the one boy who is so full of secrets and lies she can barely discern if he can be trusted, Jack. Kallia is stuck in a new place and must work together with the one guy who has hurt her in ways she never thought but maybe there is more to him and her than she ever knew. Filled with magic, romance, and secrets, this is a conclusion that wraps up Kallia and Daron’s journey but leaves it open for Jack’s journey. The story definitely sweeps away any potential for the Kallia/Jack relationship being a thing ( I really preferred this pairing but oh well), they do start to build a friendship and start to learn to trust one another. The relationship between Kallia and Daron is very clear and there is no question that these two people are in love with one another. Overall, a nice ending to the story, and I am excited to see Jack’s story if the author continues!

*Thanks Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

The competition has come to a disastrous end but little matters to Daron beyond finding Kallia, the contestant he fell for. Kallia has never felt more lost, mourning everything and everyone she left behind. Only Jack, the magician who has all the answers but can’t be trusted, remains at her side. Will they survive?

Love, love this duology. Kallia is a terrific character. Sassy, bold, dazzling and unapologetic. Not sure if any of the male characters actually deserve her..... This book is a bit slower than the first book but there are many, many surprises and twists once it gets going. A wonderful, magical book.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc.

*Spoiler free, 4.5 stars*

I was looking forward to this book the second I finished Where Dreams Descend. The first book leaves things on the precipice, the darkness almost revealed, the curtain just about the flung back. I wanted to know more. I was so pumped to be back in this world, and I could not wait to see what I would think of it.

Gosh, I love this duology so much. This is everything that I wanted out of the sequel.

The way that Janella writes is just spectacular. It's lush and downright gorgeous. It makes everything dazzle, the glamor and intrigue of the world seeming to seep into my very veins. She's just a talented writer, I could gush about it forever.

The way that this book reveals the secrets kept in Where Dreams Descend, but presents new ones of it's own, how it creates the same dazzling showmanship that made the first book as incredible as it was, but makes it completely different and entirely it's own, was spectacular. I loved how it continued, and built, on the plot of the first book. It gave new secrets, new schemes, to uncover. There's so much more discover, so many more corners of this world to uncover. It's brilliant. The worldbuilding, just dang. The way it's vast, yet claustrophobic at the same time (yes, a weird description, but it fits). It's so good.

And the characters, oh my gosh I love Kallia so much. I love her confidence, the way she strides into everything with her head held high. Her talent that just drapes over her. I love Daron and his desperation to make things right and his yearning for the people he loves. I love the side characters, both old and new, and everything that they added to the book. And they added so much.

And the freaking foreshadowing. There was a moment that my jaw dropped because the way clues were dropped was downright amazing. Like, it was genius and brilliant and so, so good. I absolutely loved how the story twisted, and where it went.

I am not quite sure what I think of the climax, like actual climax scene. I'm not quiet sure what I didn't 100% love about, but I think it was built up to be this big dramatic moment, and a couple pieces didn't completely slot in for me. But that's alright, because the overall book, and the overall climax, were amazing!

Also, I want a [redacted] and [redacted] book.

I love this duology so much. It's dazzling in everything that it does. It's so, so good.

WHEN NIGHT BREAKS was definitely one of my most anticipated sequels this year, and I'm happy to report that it did not disappoint! It's easy, I think, for books like this to get caught up in the aesthetic of it all and forget to focus on the characters, but that's not what happens here. Janella Angeles crafts such an exquisite, visual world, but one inhabited by intriguing, three-dimensional, and even surprising characters.

The very concept of mirrors is a rich one, both visually and symbolically, and, without getting too into spoilers, that's the underlying premise of this sequel. Instead of just telling us how dangerous magic is, this world is unafraid to show it. As Kallia fights for herself and for what (and who) she believes in, we also get all sorts of knotty, intriuging questions about identity and loyalty that weave in and out through the thrilling fantasy adventures and the epic romance.

I think I may be in the minority, just judging by books that use a similar plot device, but I will say that I'm glad the book doesn't take a particular turn I thought it would. There's a particular trope I just don't care for that was hinted at throughout both books, so it was refreshing, in a way, to see that this one didn't go there (and I won't say more to avoid spoilers!) and instead took a different perspective.

All in all, it takes a little while to really get off the ground (which, I admit, surprised me, given the tense cliffhanger of the previous book), but it's a fun read and a super-satisfying conclusion!

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me with this ARC. For being one of my anticipated reads this year I was so nervous to see how the author ended the duology.

I won’t deny I was disappointed when it became clear that nothing romantically was ever going to happen between Kallia and Jack. Their sizzling chemistry doesn’t disappoint and it felt like a tragedy to let that go to waste in the end. However their relationship progresses and grows into a beautiful friendship, and seeing Jack conquer his own devil and come out a better person with someone he platonically cares about felt just as satisfying. If not more satisfying than him being Kallia’s endgame.

The first act felt a bit underwhelming and didn’t pick up until near the start of the second act. Demarco just wasn’t all that interesting to me, I liked him better in Where Dreams Descend than I did in When Night Breaks. There is a scene featuring Demarco and Kallia that made me all emotional and tear up. Other than that…it was all Kallia and Jack.

THAT SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER THOUGH!! It leaves a lot of room for a spin-off series with [Redacted] and [Redacted]. I know Janelle said on Instagram that it would likely end up as enemies-to lovers-to enemies again, but I would devour that book in a second still!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing house for a chance to read an ARC of this book!
This was one of my most anticipated sequels this year and When Night Breaks did not disappoint! Full of magic, luscious settings, irresistible romance, and a spectacular cast of characters, Janella Angeles sweeps the reader away. With a satisfying conclusion, this book is captivating and terrifying—highly recommend if you haven’t picked it up from the cover alone!

I attempted to read this book out of order from the duology so please take that into account. I did eventually go back and read the first book but my first impressions were this:

The setting and idea are both really awesome and lush. The writing itself felt a little flat and the characters didn't really come alive for me on the page. I also felt like there was much basis for the love story. I didn't entirely understand why the love interest would risk everything based in their relationship. Conclusion: great world and world building, emotional development needs more work. I will definitely keep an eye on this author

definitely a sequel, equally dazzling and more mysterious as where dreams descend, worth the wait! (rtc)

I really loved this series and this book did not disappoint. I enjoyed where the author took the characters and there journey. I was never bored while reading this book. Overall great read!

This last book in the Kingdom of Cards Duology did not disappoint. Within every page there was magic and often something terrifying following it. This book starts where the last one ended and we are introduce to a mirror world which has been swallowing up magicians as they fall through said mirrors but this new works isn't exactly as it seems. Evil is afoot and Kallia is smack bang in the middle of it.

We are introduced to so many new characters, some of which I loved and others hated, but each one of them was written beautifully. Not going to add any spoilers here but the twist with one of the characters is just *chefs kiss*.

"what if I didn't want to be found?"

I really enjoyed this book, the writing and world building remained strong throughout and I felt myself turning each page with haste to find out what had happened next. It was easily devoured in two days (lucky me being the passenger and not the driver). I definitely recommend reading this duology, and the authors notes at the end are worth it too.

I've been dying for this book for so long! And it did not disappoint. Magical, terrifying, lush, and perfect, this was an epic conclusion to Angeles' amazing story.