A great continuation of the Rook & Rose series! I LOVED the first book in this series and so I was a bit nervous to see how the sequel would stack up, and I am glad to say it didn’t disappoint.

I was worried I might not recall all of the details of this complex world, but the authors did a fantastic job of summarizing the story from book one so that I didn’t feel like I needed to play catch up in the beginning. The story jumps in shortly after where book one left off, and things are pretty complicated between Ren, Grey and Vargo. Their lives (and multiple identities) are so intertwined that I constantly wondered what was going to happen next. I thought the pacing of this book felt a little slower than the first, but I still really enjoyed it.

As for the characters themselves, I loved learning more about Vargo’s past and what drives him to do the things he does. I adored the relationship between Grey and Ren and how it grows. I also liked the growth of Ren’s character in particular. In the first book she has a hard time letting her guard down or trusting others. I enjoyed seeing her begin to let others in more and how much more trust she had in the people around her, particularly her siblings. The sequel was clearly setting up for the final book, and I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next.

M.A. Carrick really can do no wrong. I love this series and this book definitely lived up to the expectations I had after the first one!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

Loved this! When I first requested it I didn't realize it was the 2nd book in a series, and it is definitely one where you want to read the first book before you read this. It took me a little bit to get into it for the first book, but this one kept me hooked from the start! Lots of elaborate world building, and strong characters. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for anything that comes next!

4.5 Stars

The Liar’s Knot is the sequel to book 1 of the Rook & Rose series, The Mask of Mirrors. Written by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms under the pen name M.A. Carrick. I am a huge fan of this underrated fantasy series filled with magic, crafty con artists, swashbuckling vigilantes, scheming nobles, and positive LBGQT representation. When Liar’s Knot was announced, I was thrilled to dive back in, but with sequels also comes concern the next installment won’t hold up. However, I was not disappointed, and Liar’s Knot has solidified my love for the Rook & Rose series.

Liar’s Knot follows the three main characters Ren, a cunning con artist whose different personas and lies become harder to juggle as she discovers how tangled the web of corruption runs through her city, all the while learning to trust and rely more on her found family. Grey is also struggling with too many masks as he fights for the forgotten people of Nadezra, but the toll it takes on him maybe too much. Then there is Derossi Vargo, a power-hungry man who came from nothing to nobility and does what he has to do to keep what he’s worked so hard to build. While we get more glimpses into the characters’ lives and pasts, Vargos is more of the focus. The story takes on multiple POVs, not just the main three but many side characters as well.

The only downside I’ve found with both books is the information dumps, which, understandably, are necessary to navigate the intertwined plot threads, the rules of the numinat and pattern (the magical tools of the world), and complex politics. However, I still found myself zoning out during some of these passages and waiting for the story to pick back up to a steadier flow. Reviewing the glossary and map included does go a long way in helping to understand these parts. When the plot picks up, and the pieces come together, your patience is awarded handsomely. Those not used to hefty fantasies with lots of world-building may find this intimidating, but this story should not be missed out on.

The Liar’s Knot left me feeling the way of Mask of Mirrors did, in that I am now eagerly awaiting the next book in this enchanting and engaging world. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed! I hope that more people read and fall in love with these books as much as I have. So if you consider yourself a fantasy fan, pick this series up!

I have to start this review by saying that I didn't realize at the time when I requested it that this was a sequel. I always read series books in order so reading this one without having read the first book was quite confusing. That being said I liked what I read and will be going back to read the first book and this one again.

I love this series so much. It is wonderfully intricate, the characters are delightful, and there are just so many fun things going on that it’s sometimes hard to keep track of. Which I don’t consider a bad thing. On the contrary, it means I can reread them and find things I missed the first time. I don’t know how the authors keep track of everything, but being that they are anthropologists, it makes sense that they have created a world that has so many details that it feels so incredibly real. The plot itself is also very intricate, with multiple deceptions and so many layers all working together. As a fan, I really enjoyed the fact that (*spoiler*) some of those deceptions became a little unraveled. We as the audience learned who was under the Rook’s hood at the end of the last book, but in this one, Ren gets to learn it too. It was such a satisfying and entertaining moment, and the book is filled with many more of those moments. If you are looking for an immersive fantasy with characters to fall utterly in love with, please join me in fangirling over this underrated series.

The Liar's Knot is a fantastic follow-up to Mask of Mirrors. I love that a quick recap of the first book was included at the beginning of the book. It helped me jump back into this intricate world. The first half of the book started out slower than I would like, but had a lot of great character and world building moments to make up for the slower pace. The second half is much more fast paced and I couldn't stop reading once I reached the half-way point. This trilogy primarily revolves around three main characters Ren, Vargo and Grey. All three shine even more in this novel than the first. The secondary characters also continue to be great. I loved seeing Guina grow. Tess is still an MVP. Alsius is such an interesting character.

I can't wait to see where all these characters and their relationships go in the three and final novel. The world building in this series is top notch. I highly recommend this trilogy for those who like fantasy wth fantastic world building and politcal intrigue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me just say I did not realize this was a sequel when I requested it and was vastly confused the majority of the time. However, I must say the writing was spectacular! It truly felt so vivid and the world! The world felt so real and it was all so immersive!

This author truly has a talent for organizing words in such a beautiful way. I will definitely be reading the first book as I've realized my mistake and will hopefully understand everything more.

As well, the characters felt like real people. I couldn't believe just how real everything felt and I know if I had read the first they'd feel even more real!

Such a great book! The only pitfall was that it felt like it had a slow start.

This is easily one of my favorite books. The characters' relationships and their development throughout the book was endearing, and I was so invested in their stories. The magic is really interesting and kept me intrigued. The world building was a bit complex but very well done!

Sequel to The Mask of Mirrors, The Liar's Knot is engrossing and impossible to put down. I picked up Liar's Knot first, was hopelessly lost to start, and yet was drawn so deeply into Carrick's complicated world that I ordered the first book as soon as I finished. Ren and her layers of identity, Alta Renata, who is finally a member of House Traementis; Arenza, known and trusted by Grey Serrado and some of the underclass of Nazdera; and the Black Rose, hero and symbol of hope, enthralled me. My first reaction on finishing it was to be irrationally angry the next book wasn't available yet. If you like fantasy and swashbuckling, you want to read this book, and it's predecessor, and then the next one too.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of last year and I got the ARC of this one last year but I only just now read it. The first book in the trilogy was in my top five favorites of last year and I was just so nervous that I wouldn’t like the second one as much so I kept making excuses to put off reading it. I finally picked it up and I was worried for absolutely no reason. It was just as good as the first and will definitely be a top read of the year!
The world is expanded, the plot moves forward, the characters are more loveable. I seriously loved every second. I would recommend the audiobook. I had a hard time with the made up words and the audio really helped with that!

Okay wow I loved this a whole heck of a lot.

I love every single on of these characters, which I was initially worried about because I was not loving Vargo at the end of The Mask of Mirrors and as the summary indicates, this one goes more into his backstory, but wow M.A. Carrick pulled on my heartstrings with his arc in this one. I also really love seeing more of the world they have created. One of the things I loved about the first book was seeing both the upper class society and the lives of the common people through Ren's various disguises and I think we still get a lot of that in this one, especially with more inclusion of Vargo and Grey's POVs.

Because several plot arcs were finished at the end of The Mask of Mirrors (Ren officially joining House Traementis, the identity of The Rook, etc.), this in someways fell into second book syndrome because a lot of the plot felt like set up for the finale. That being said, I have full confidence that everything will come together in Book 3 and am anxiously awaiting news of a release date so I can plan my reread of the first two!

The sequel in The Rook & Rose series was just as amazing as the first one! So many knots and tangles that I cannot wait to see unfold. The intricate plot leaves me guessing what is coming next and I cannot wait for book 3.

*3.5 stars*
The Liar's Knot was a solid sequel to the first—but definitely not perfect. Where this shines best is through the characters and the very complex relationships they share with one another. Especially with the added element of aliases. Witnessing them attempt to keep up their own secrets while discovering others was pretty entertaining.
I do struggle with the world building. There are so many cool concepts, but not nearly given enough time and treatment to be satisfying elements of the story. There is both dream and tarot magic (and another that I can't seem to remember the exact name of), aristocracy, a secret society, and an absolute ridiculous amount of Proper Names. With this being the sequel there is even more added, and not an adequate amount of time to adjust/understand the world.
I did really enjoy the build up towards the romance, although I do think extent of feelings develop very quickly after that.
The first half of the book was stronger for me. The payoff of certain events set into motion from the first book were deeply satisfying. Unfortunately the set up for the third book just didn't excite me as much. I do plan to finish out the trilogy, as I really enjoy these characters and would like to see their story completed.

This is a stunning follow-up to The Mask of Mirrors. Woven in a tale of magic and mythology are characters that sing off the pages. I rarely find a book that creates a world so otherworldly yet so real I am immersed in the story. I cannot wait for the next to be released.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. It was a fairly massive undertaking: a long book with multiple POV characters and a lot of world-building that needed to be done to set the scene. That said, I felt like the book was fast-going and I was excited to pick up this one, the second in the series. And while this one was a bit slower than the first, I still found myself enjoying it quite a lot.

Lies and secrets crisscross and tangle in Nadezra. And with so many spiders spinning their own webs, knots are sure to form when one too many plots intersect with another. Derossi, Grey, and Ren know all too well the struggle that comes with trying to push forward one’s own agenda when to do so means running across a million others with their own plots and plans. And while steps have been made, each feels their own particular knots begin to slip further and further from their grasp. What truths are out there to be discovered? And will these exposures save or destroy them?

While you definitely got hints of the type of story this series is setting out to be, it really feels like it comes into its own here in the second: world-building, world-building, world-building! The first book had a decent amount of plot action at the heart of the story, what with introducing our main trio of characters and also Ren’s ongoing con. We also were waiting to learn the true identity of the Rook. With both of those plotlines played out, this book was much, much lighter on the action and pacing. This could be a struggle for some readers who want to see a faster moving story, but for those who really like to explore and sink into the details of a unique world and society of people, this is definitely the series for you! I loved all of the intricacies we got to see of the city itself and of the inner workings of the secret societies that exist within it (all, of course, with their own plots and purposes).

I still really liked our three main characters. I will admit, I did start to become frustrated when they began to fall into the traps where as a reader you’re just yelling at them to talk to each other a bit and they’d finally understand what was actually going on! But, of course, that would leak out a lot of the tension of the story early on. I was pleased that the author didn’t push this trope past the point of believability, and our characters would catch on to things here and there when they would have had to be supremely obtuse to continue in ignorance. Sadly, I’ve seen stories play out that way before all too often, so it was a relief to see the author

I really enjoyed this book. With its slower pacing and focus on world-building and the smaller, personal stories of our main characters, it may not be for everyone out there, especially not the more plot-focused readers. But I love this type of immersive fantasy story, and I definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy the same!

Rating 8: A slower story firmly rooted in its dedication to building out an intricate world and filling it with complicated, well-rounded characters.

Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've made no secret over the last year how much I loved The Mask of Mirrors when it came out, and The Liar's Knot is no different. I'm actually not sure which one I love more, the first book for introducing me to this world and these characters, or the second one for delivering on so many of the things that were hinted at in book one.

Okay, in an attempt to keep this spoiler free, since it is a second book in the serious, let me say that I actually squealed when certain relationships developed that I've been rooting for. Other characters received so much more development and depth that I loved them so much more. I honestly didn't have a single perspective that I was bored reading. Ren, Grey, Vargo, Tess, and Sedge were far and away my favorite POVs to read, but the few others sprinkled in were interesting and rewarding, too.

Like in the first one, the first half of the book was a lot of set up for the plot and to be fair, not a lot really does happen. But I loved the characters so much that I didn't really care. The developments to the world and magic were great, too.

And finally...the end. I adored how this ended, but the TEASER at the end is what really killed me. The hints at what will happen in book three SHOOK me and now I need that book immediately. The Liar's Knot has definitely cemented the Rook and the Rose as an all time favorite series, and I will read anything that M.A. Carrick (and the authors that comprise that pseudonym) comes out with.

2.25 stars

I feel so conflicted about this book because on one hand, I love these characters so much and ultimately will continue on in the series because of them, but on the other hand, this book was an absolute slog to get through. It took me 2 whole months to get through this book, and it put me in a reading slump every time I picked it up. Reading this book genuinely felt like a chore, but one that I wanted to get through because I think the first book was strong enough to make me want to continue on in the series regardless of how much I was not enjoying this one. I don't even think there was much that was objectively bad about the book per se - the writing is solid, the characters are the same ones that I loved from book 1, but this whole book just felt like filler. While the first book was slow in terms of the plot and pacing, it still had a general direction it was going in, and I felt like this book didn't even have that. I found myself asking what the point of this book was continuously - the plot wasn't going anywhere, and the characters weren't really getting much development either (definitely not enough to justify the complete lack of everything else). 95% of the plot takes place in the last 20% of this book, and honestly, I was just so ready for this book to be over. I'm clearly in the minority though with the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this book, so I'd still recommend the series overall, but I just don't think this lived up to the first book for me personally.

There was so much going on! At a very slow pace but none of it felt like it was unnecessary. The writing just draws you in and keeps you there. I’m so happy I continues this series and I honestly can’t recommend it enough! It was an adventure of its own keeping up with so many secret identities. I had so much fun!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher’s for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love this series and was super excited to see that a 3rd book will be coming out!!!