A solid follow-up to Helm of Midnight. Although, it feels like a middle book. With Helm, it felt like a complete story. However, this feels like a very long prologue to book 3, which makes it hard to know how I truly feel.

Surprisingly, this is even darker than Helm, and I was very invested in the cult storyline. I can't wait to see how the author proceeds with this in the next book.

Shala Nyx returns to narrate a portion of the story and does an excellent job. The new narrators were also fantastic.

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. Full disclosure, after after having listened to the first book I did purchase the e-book which I found helpful to have available when listening. The e-book also has some graphics that I found useful. This is a long audiobook (20+ hours) and it has a ton of characters and the world is complex. It is nice to have the print version to refer to when needed. The audiobook is really enjoyable, I really enjoyed the three piece narration. Each of the narrators did a good job with their specific characters and chapters. I appreciated having 3 narrators, one for each of the character perspectives. It really helps to keep focus on which part of the plot is the focus and which part of the timeline you are in depending on which character is telling the story.

This follows three characters, Krona who we met in book 1, Mandip a noble and new character, and Thalo child an acolyte in a strange religion and also a new character. We also get to see many characters that we met in the first book and Krona is grieving the loss of her older sister and still coming to grips with the information learned in the previous book. I would not recommend reading this as a standalone, though if you do start here the author does do a good job giving recaps of necessary information. I read book 1 recently so the information was still fresh, but they were published about 2 years apart. Through Krona, Mandip and Thalo Child we come to understand that there is a war brewing and there are many unknown factors at play and many of the players have their own agendas. This installment delves deeper into the magic system, the religion of the Thalo, and the gods that are worshipped in the universe the book takes place in. We also come to understand how all three characters are tied together and how the events that occurred in the previous book link everyone together.

This isn't as violent and bloody as book 1 but it is dark and does have violent moments. There are a few battles and the Thalo are not kind to their charges. Much like the first book, there is a bit of a horror, mystery, mixed into this fantasy. I love a good genre mashup, and this delivers.

As with the first book, I can't believe more people aren't talking about this series. The covers are stunning and the storyline is action packed. I do feel that this book like the last one was a bit on the long side and there are a lot of things to keep track of, but that is to be expected with an epic fantasy. I haven't been able to find any release information for the next book, but a quick look at her blog indicates that she is working on edits for book 3. I am so exited to find out what happens next!

The Cage of Dark Hours by Marina Lostetter was spectacular! This book read like part fantasy, part horror which I loved. It was filled with high stakes well-developed characters, and exquisite plot points. The magic system was fascinating, I LOVED it! I didn't know if it was book 2 when I requested it so I read book 1 first and now I absolutely love this series. I hope there is a book 3.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Omg.

I thought the first book was amazing. This one. Yea. This did it for me. I loved it more than book 1. The kidnapping of children creeped me out but loved everything about it. Cannot wait for book 3

This book was pretty good, and I think a great sequel. I loved the first book The Helm of Midnight and I love this book just as much. It gives us a deeper understanding and insight into Krona and her emotions as she is not dealing well with the death of her sister. We are also giving insight into the Thalo order and those who are allowed to keep their magic. We are introduced to a lot of new characters, but there are a few from the last book. There is one mysterious woman who sets the tone for Krona. There are some really brave characters. I really love her father. The writing is impeccable, and the narration makes you feel as if you are transported in the story. The narrators did an amazing job and complement this book well. I really enjoyed reading both of these books equally.

4.5

While I don’t think this was a perfect book, it was such a solid follow up to The Helm of Midnight! I also really enjoyed the audiobook narration.

One thing Lostetter does really well in this is providing a recap of key details from the first book without feeling too much like a sparknotes summary. While I had recently reread the first book, I still found the quick details really helpful in getting myself reimmersed in this world. The world itself is what keeps bringing me back to this series. I love the magic system and the way the series is highlighting structural inequities in society, like they literally take time from the general population to allow the rich and powerful to live exceedingly long lives. I also like that one of our new perspectives is a son of a great house who fully expects to be a powerful government figure because it’s essentially his birthright and then he gets caught up in the events of the story and realizes how differently other people live. We meet some other new characters and new perspectives as well and they all had something that kept their storyline interesting. There were very few POV shifts where I internally groaned a little because there was usually something that made me want to go back to each person.

This book also opens up the world beyond the city, like blows it wide open. We travel to other places and see pieces of other cultures. There’s a creepy cult and expanded magic and hints at the true nature of the gods.

I do think this book takes a while to catch its stride, which prevents it from being a 5 star for me. My notes around the 12% mark where essentially, I have no idea where any of this is going so far it seems like it’s mostly vibes and then a comment on the lack of Thibaut. Fortunately both of those “faults” were resolved shortly after I made those notes. That being said, I love the direction this book took the series and if Lostetter can stick the landing this could be a new favorite series.

The Cage of Dark Hours is the second book in the series, following The Helm of Midnight. Read the first before even attempting this one. The Cage of Dark Hours opens with a brief synopsis of what happened which works well as a refresher but not as a starting point.

The Cage of Dark Hours continues a few years after the events of the first book. We have a couple of returning characters, but most of the cast is new. In the first, we learned how little the people living in the valley really understand about the magics that keep them safe, about their gods, or about the creatures that terrify them. This time around Krona and her companions are trying to pull the cover all the way off, revealing what is truly going on.

The book opens with a Thalo ritual and we are introduced to Thalo Child who gives us insight into the inner workings of the Thalo order, people who have been allowed to keep their magic.

Next, we catch up with Krona. She’s overseeing a punishment for people who broke one of the five gods’ laws. This particular punishment comes from Knowledge, and it is the removal of a hand. Krona watches inside her Regulator armor, all the while knowing that she’s guilty of the exact same crime. She’s not dealing well with the death of her sister and is trying to connect with her in any way possible.

Finally, we meet Mandip, a noble. Mandip, due to his petty nature, sweeps up his cousin’s escort, who just so happens to be Thibaut, maybe my favorite character. Together, they meet Juliet, a popular opera singer. She invites them to her performance that night for the gathering of nations in Lutador’s rotunda.

Then, the First Marquise is murdered. Krona is framed and runs, trusting her fate to a woman she knows little about.

I found The Cage of Dark Hours more readable than the first. Even though it’s still a dark story, it did not have me cringing like the first. Even in the roughest moments, the characters are able to keep their humor and find comfort in each other.

The story is fascinating and engrossing. My only disappointment is that it’s not a full story in itself. The first in the series was at heart a murder mystery and there was some wrap-up at the end. I guess in a way this one is a heist book, at least toward the end, but it felt mostly like a set-up for the third. It’s the book that gets everyone in place and not quite ready for what comes next.

I listened to the audio and I like that there are three narrators. With chapters telling different characters’ pieces of the story, the readers help keep it clear. Also, it’s over 20 hours long and the different readers help keep the story moving.

After defeating a long-dead serial killer, they now work to uncover the truth behind the Thalo, the quiet, creeping puppet masters of their world.

I love this series. It is such a unique world, magic system, and religion. It's a great cross between fantasy and horror. This book series started out as a mystery surrounding a serial killer and has become so much more than that. This second installment in the series broadens the scope to include the whole society instead of just specific people. However, it does come back around at the end to remind us of the importance of that plot! We continue following our favorite character from book one, Krona, but we also get new POVs including a POV from one of the Thalo. This POV is so interesting because it allows us to learn about what is definitely a cult kidnapping children and how they plan to start a war in order to exert control over all of society. Personally I hate so much about what the Thalo are/do, but it was easily the most intriguing part of the book. Overall, this book gets 5 stars from me because I love the characters and world, but the plot of this book does feel like a set up for book 3. A book I need ASAP!

Also, I listened to the audiobook primarily and thought it was very well done! There are a couple of different narrators to separate the POVs and I thought it worked really well!

This follow up to The Helm of Midnight was once again just okay. I think the story has as lot of potential but it just was a bit boring overall. I did love the narrator and plan to seek out more audiobooks narrated by them.

The Cage of Dark Hours was an amazing second installment to The Five Penalties series. I absolutely loved The Helm of Midnight and was very eager to read this book. As much as I loved the continuation of the story and all its twists filled with suspense, I have to say I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first book. Honestly, I don't think it's anything to do with the story, the writing, the world building or character development. In my opinion the author did a fantastic job with everything. It felt more like a foundation for the next book.

One thing I always admired in Marina's writing was how she beautifully builds a gender and sexual diverse, queer normative world without trying to emphasize the fact that she did so unlike some authors. Her writing is absolutely gorgeous, the world and magic system are very unique.

I really wish this book and the series received more attention because it is simply brilliant but as the themes of the story are extremely dark, not everyone would be willing to pick this up. However if you do decide to read this series, you are in for a wild ride full of twists and turns, a very unique magic system and a beautifully executed storyline.

Four solid stars! Looking forward to the next installment.

I loved the world created in The Helm of Midnight! And at least 2 of the 3 main POVs!

The second book in this trilogy is even better. Can’t share who lives/dies/disappears in book one but I can say that I really enjoyed 2/3 of the main POVs in this book too! In fact I liked them even more.

The magic, world, relationships, characters, story all expand & improve!

Child stealing. I wasn’t thrilled with them.

The Regulators? Still fascinating.

The more I read the more I was captivated & couldn’t put it down.

If you liked book one of this trilogy you will love book two! I can’t wait for the final installment!!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio! Another hardcover on my Amazon Books Wishlist! Great audio!!

This book, when compared to book one, felt a little stretched thin. Several years have passed, and we meet a mostly new cast of characters with the exception of Krona and Tibbet (a few other familiar faces do come up almost in passing, but they didn’t feel particularly important). I did really like the last section, the “heist”, where everything came together and we get a bit more of the bigger picture, but most of the rest of the book felt rather surface level.

I admire the complex worldbuilding and, believe it or not, wish we got a bit more of the politicking from the various states inside the Valley (particularly since our crew has to cross state lines a few times over the course of the plot, though that travel is kind of brushed over…). I wanted to see more about how the characters’ actions impacted the greater story, particularly since our 3 POV characters come from such different situations.

Very intrigued to see where this series goes so… eagerly awaiting book three!

I received an audio ARC through Netgalley for an honest review

I absolutely love the world building and the way the magic system was built in the first book, and this book did not disappoint. It adds to what’s already known but doesn’t overwhelm the reader with so much new information. There is also a wider cast of characters in which I found like some more then others, but I do feel like the author was able to focus more on character development in this book where I thought that was an issue for some characters in the first book. Over all I did like this book more than the first. I also feel like it’s so much more gayer then the first book and that’s always a positive in my book.

The Cage of Dark hours by Marina Lostetter was well written and the odorator on the book was engaging.

The story itself I found hard to really wrap myself around because it seems to be the same storyline in every book of science fiction I've read in the last 3 months. It also reminded me of several science fiction movies that I've seen recently and series on tv.

I apologize to the audience , ut I didn't feel as though this was an original idea for a book nor did I find it engaging.

I received an audio ARC of The Cage of Dark Hours by Marina Lostetter from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley so that I could write an honest review. This is the second book in The Five Penalties Series and follows The Helm of Midnight, which I absolutely adored. This world continues to be beautifully diverse, genderfluid, and queer-normative.

We rejoin our beloved characters in the aftermath of sudden death. Krona is reeling from her loss and doubting her place as a Regulator (basically enforcement for magical items). I loved the exploration of grief with Krona's character. She is left with a death mask that is a hollow remainder of the person that she lost and uncomfortably desperate to gain even a glimmer of her loved one. Krona's guilt over continuing to live her life in the wake of her devastation and enforcing those who abuse magical items while doing the exact same time in her free time while protected by her privilege was fascinating; it made her an even more sympathetic character and heralds upcoming trouble that the reader (and Krona) can see coming from a mile away. Krona isolates herself as she suffers her crisis of faith, which made me miss the side characters deeply.

We also get a few new characters and spend a bit less time with Krona. Instead of this being a story about her, we gain a larger cast of characters that continue to bring depth and complexity to this world. We gain insight into the Thalo cult, the resistance, and the nobility. Thibault remains a favorite character and his relationship with Krona is breathtakingly beautiful and sweet. I had to take some time after a certain scene just to exist in a happy, heart-melting moment before I moved on.

While the plot was not nearly as concise as the previous book, this one took a deep dive into the lore and magic that fills Lostetter's world. Which, honestly, was what really caught my interest in the first one. While we learned much of the world in the first novel, this one asks the question: Okay, now that you have a picture of the lore under your belt, what if most of the background is a lie crafted expertly by those in power? What if there is deep corruption at the heart of this world? What if things aren't what they seem? And where ARE the gods, anyway?

I absolutely can not wait to see where this series goes. If you enjoy complex worlds, cults, magic items, and magical monsters - PICK. THIS. UP. Already one of my favorite series of all time.

Dark magic, a child stealing cult, and secrets long-hidden....

The Cage of Dark Hours is a solid follow up to The Helm of Midnight, though it definitely feels like the middle book in a series and I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first. I was expecting something with more of a full story arc like we got in book 1, but instead this is more the first half of what is to come in book 3.

We follow some familiar characters from book one, but expand to new ones as well. Most notably, one of the perspectives is a child growing up in an abusive magical cult that steals babies to raise as their own. We slowly learn more about the world, the magic, and lies that have been told for generations. It's certainly not a light book, but the world is genuinely interesting and I want to see what happens in the next installment. I was most invested in the cult child perspective, but it was also difficult to read about how the children were treated.

I love that this series is set in a queer norm society and we get casual gender and sexual diversity throughout. Overall, a solid second book and I look forward to more! The audio narration is well done. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

Only one more entry into this fantastical world and I can’t wait to see how it ends. Another great book from Marina Lostetter.