Foz Meadows has managed to create a world that is so deeply unique, that the reader can't help but love it. I did find there was a touch of the miscommunication trope used towards the beginning, which I personally am not a huge fan of but otherwise, this book was just as good as the first and I cannot wait for more!

I was a bit hesitant about this one considering how much I LOVED A STRANGE AND STUBBORN ENDURANCE and it was written as a standalone (as far as I knew). But I do believe in this instance, a sequel was a good decision. While ASASE resolved some areas for Cae and Vel, there was still a long way to go for a "happily ever after" both individually and as a couple. I feel like ALL THE HIDDEN PATHS delivered on that closure for them. It was particularly enjoyable getting their both their POVs during this journey and just how totally gone they were for each other and just couldn't quite figure it out. A moment that really pulled on my heartstrings is hearing Cae distraught by something he inadvertently did and then switching to Vel who was equally distraught by his own (inadvertent) actions. These two were just such good softies in love.

This book also continues to lean heavily on political intrigue and mystery. Which I personally LOVE but it did create a slower plot, similarly to the first book. If a reader enjoyed the ASASE enough to pick up ATHP, this won't be an issue. The story, however, does not meander aimlessly. Each part of the story really does bring in a thread to pull together the final picture and I really appreciated that from Foz Meadows. Even characters we meet early on in the story for short periods, become important in unraveling the politics near the end.

I ended up listening to this and very much enjoyed that experience. These are beautifully written characters and I appreciate the time and dialogue given to consent, autonomy, emotional healing, etc. Throw in a twisty, turny mystery that kept me at the edge of my seat trying to figure out - I was sold.

This was a fantastic follow up to a strong first book in a fantasy romance duology. I do think I liked the first one more but I did enjoy spending time back in this world with these characters as they work on each of their communication problems while they strive towards their happily ever after. Also if you like court drama and intrigue I think the plot of this one will keep you engaged as well!

a good follow up to STrange and Stubborn endurance (which I LOVED. It was lovely being back with Vel and Cae. I did want the book to lean heavily on either the romance or the political intrigue and because of the way it straddles the line, I felt like both suffered for it.

A stunning follow-up novel. While I found it hard to adjust to this world having been a while since I read the first, I remembered the characters fondly. I found the dynamics between Vel and Cae a bit difficult to fully embrace at the beginning, as they were both so unsure and insecure. But, as the story progressed in a lyrical and stunning way as did its first installment, this sequel was the perfect companion novel.

This sequel to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance gave me conflicting feelings.

On one hand I loved that we got more of Vel and Cae and see them get closer and have such growth in their relationship. It's just that overall the book felt a bit of a remix of the first book from the conflicts, motivations, etc.

There were moments in the story that was slow I had to take a break from reading and getting myself in the right headspace to continue.

The world-building was still wonderful and I did like the court politics in this one.

Overall, this was still an entertaining read.

3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

I really liked the sequel.

I struggled because I did forget a few details from book 1 but overall I really did enjoy this one it was good!

Another excellent book by Meadows. It really kept me hooked, and I appreciate the way the author works through character trauma on the page; it's cathartic.

A lovely follow up to the first one, I loved this sequel just as much as the first. It felt so nice to get back into this world and to see Cae and Vel navigating their relationship with some new traumas and the lingering effects of the old ones. Foz does an amazing job at really bringing these characters to life and making you feel what they feel.

This was a fun and enjoyable book - very hard to put down. Had me wanting to read the next chapter each time i finished one. I was living for the drama, intrigue and especially the romance. I'm not usually a fan of the miscommunication trope, but I didn't mind it in this one.

I'm a fan of Foz's writing and loved being able to dive in and explore the land. The way they write feels like an acrobatic routine and just makes it flow so beautifully.

I felt a bit conflicted about requesting this book. On one hand, I've enjoyed other books by this author in the past, so I know that I can connect with her writing and plotting. But on the other hand, I struggled a bit with the first book in this series. I thought it had a lot of promise, but I also thought that the story was almost trying to pack too much into one book.

In that ways, I was pleased to see that this book stepped more fully into focusing in on only a few major points, primarily the growing relationship between the two main characters. But, again, I was a bit conflicted with how this actually played out. Given that this is a new relationship and both parties only know so much about one another, it was very realistic that there would be conflict and misunderstanding in their growing romance. So I appreciated this honest take on relationship development. That said, I personally really struggle with stories where much of the internal conflict hinges on a misunderstanding that could be cleared up with some simple communication. As realistic as this sort of thing it, I just don't find it compelling to read about.

I was also unsure how this book would work as a sequel to the first. When I read that one, I was under the impression that it was a stand-alone book, and now, having read this one, I'm not sure it shouldn't have just remained as one. While I did like elements of this story, there were other times where some of the plot beats felt almost identical to what we had read in the first book. Yes, we had a deeper look into this relationship, but was it really adding anything to what the first book left us with? I'm not sure.

I guess I would conclude that readers who really loved the first one should check this one out, especially if those readers are just wanting to spend more time with these two characters. But if you were satisfied with this first as it stands, I also don't think it's strictly necessary to read this one.

Really Enjoyed It, 4 stars

This was an interesting book. I loved being back in this world with the characters I loved so much; however, I kind of think it would have been better to leave the first book as a standalone.

We pick up a few weeks after the end of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance with Cae and Vel on a brief honeymoon of sorts. Events are spurred into motion when they receive a summons from the capital. They journey across Tithenai to get to the capital; it becomes much more lively an adventure than they bargained for. Then when they get to the capital, politics ensue.

I think that this was so interesting for me because it very much felt like the same plot from the first book but recycled and with reasonable miscommunication in a relationship rather than reasonable miscommunication in an arranged marriage. I feel like I wasn't surprised by any of the twists and turns, and I did end up being a smidge disappointed that it followed such similar plot beats as the first book.

This book has a lot more sex scenes than I remember the first book having, which wasn't bad, but there was a BDSM element introduced with a new POV character, and some of that stuff made me vaguely uncomfortable. It made me feel like consent was questionable, and I'm not sure if it actually was, or if my understanding of it was skewed, but I thought that was an interesting choice given Vel's history in the first book.

But regardless of those complaints, I definitely enjoyed following these characters. I love Cae and Vel very much, and they remain incredibly endearing. The miscommunication or I guess lack of communication is understandable given the circumstances, but I did get a little tired of continually falling back on that. Although there was enough action as we got further into the story that it was easy to overlook that communication piece.

Overall, while I had a good time, I really don't think that this installment was necessary. I honestly would have been happy with ASASE as a standalone.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for an advance copy. I also preordered it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The absolutely stunning conclusion to one of my absolute favorite books of all time, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. Foz Meadows does it again with another phenomal book that will simultaneously change your life and completely ruin you. We revisit Vel and Cae as they continue to work through their beautifully queer romance as a married couple, learning how to trust and love each other in spite of their arranged marriage, all the while navigating political conspiracy, murder mysteries, and healing through all the trauma they went through both as individuals and events that they had experienced together.

While I did enjoy Strange a bit more as a whole, I enjoyed the mystery a little more in this one. I was both more suspenseful and less predictable. This is truly a masterpiece of an extension on an already stunning first book. Foz's pen is as sharp as a knight's sword on the battlefield and as precise as a surgeon's scalpel. I truly cannot wait to see what else Foz has in store for us.

(+) trans author (he/him), achillea romance, queernorm world, disability rep, mildly spicy with kink and BDSM

I know I’m a bit late after the release for this sequel, which was one of my highly anticipated releases of 2023, but I just wasn’t in the mood for it towards the end of the year. But now that I got the time to dive into the audiobook, I liked being back in this world.

The writing is just as captivating as the first book, sucking me into the world immediately. The one signature element of the author’s writing I’ve found is how emotional the characters’ internal monologues can be - the writing has a way of making us feel the pain and insecurities and uncertainties that the characters are feeling and empathize with them deeply. The plot though is actually very similar to the first book - right from the murder attempts on the characters to them investigating together and separately to finally finding out it’s a very unexpected culprit - it took me a while to start enjoying it but the second half was much quicker read.

Velasin’s character definitely evoked all kinds of feelings in me. I still know how he has PTSD from the events of book one, and it’s actually sad to see him confused about how to build a life and marriage with another man because it was never a possibility he considered when in Ralia, and now he is not sure what to do - which leads to lots of miscommunication and tad bit self destructive behavior on his part. I just wanted to shake him up and make him talk honestly with his husband, but I had to wait till he had his own revelations. But it was also lovely to see him become more confident slowly, not just in his relationship, but also about what the future has in store for him and what kind of role he can play in Tithena.

Cae is dealing with huge amounts of guilt and grief - not a good combo - from all the events that happened in his family. Now being thrust into politics due to his new position as his grandmother’s heir is giving him new headaches because that’s never been his forte. Being not in sync with his husband is also making him unhappy, along with the various murder attempts/suspicions on them. But he is also resolute in his love and trusts his husband, not caring about the wider implications of his show of love and deference at times.

I sometimes feel like Markel deserves his own POV because he is such an important character, a very important person to both our main characters, and someone without whom their relationship wouldn’t be the same. His loyalty is strong and with it now extending to Cae as well, it was heartwarming to see him advising both of them at various times. He is also the only person who can give a necessary talking to to Vel when he is in his self destructive phase. I also liked that there were some moments showing his love story as well, indicating that he does have a life outside of his bond with Vel.

This book brings with it a whole new set of characters, which took me a while to get the hang of. The ruler of Tithena is an enigmatic figure who seems to know more than anyone else and is quite good at making moves to benefit her plans. Qiqa is still a mystery who I would have definitely liked to know more. The three young men who become fast friends with Vel and Cae due to sharing some unfortunate circumstances are just very sweet and supportive. But the one other POV we got of a new Ralian character - Asterian - was the one I wasn’t sure of. Yes, he has his reasons for doing what he is supposed to, but it was hard to sympathize with him initially but I came around towards the end. But his chapters were also pretty kinky (even though there were very few chapters with his POV) and that’s not my cup of tea - and I was oscillating between accepting the kink just as is while skimming it myself, or feeling bored that it wasn’t necessary to any of the plot development.

Overall, I did enjoy this book a lot, especially in the second half when the investigations took interesting turns and there were revelations. My love for the characters remains untouched. It’s just that the joy I felt when I read book one was a tad bit toned down here because of the very similar plot beats and predictability of it all. I still adored the extremely well narrated audiobook by James Fouhey and Vikas Adam and can only hope that if there’s a third book, I’ll get to listen to it again in their lovely voices.

While I still find the end villain reveal and confrontation from book 1 to be the most absurd and annoying thing I still greatly enjoyed the continuation of this series. I however did not enjoy Asrien and the entire subplot of him should have been its own separate book with maybe hints dropped here. I didn't like it and I didn't like him.

All the Hidden Paths is the direct sequel to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, the first book in the Tithenai series, and these books must be read in order. The complex political structure and extensive world-building would simply confuse a new reader otherwise. I’m going to do my best to minimize any spoilers for A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, but it will be difficult to avoid them all for this review. So considered yourself warned!

After the danger, injury, and terrible betrayal that marked the first few weeks of their marriage, Velasin and Caethari have retreated to the country to work through their grief and start building their lives together. But politics and prejudice stalk them even in their relative isolation and soon they are summoned to the Asa’s Court in Qi-Xihan. Their marriage has ignited a political powder keg between the liberal Tithena and the more conservative Talia. Add in the recent deaths in Caethari’s family and his own elevation in status and importance, a summons by the ruling Asa was hardly unexpected.

But nothing is easy for Vel and Cae and a simple journey to the capital is marred by multiple assassination attempts and an increasing emotional distance between them. Once they arrive at court, the threats and danger only multiply. Surrounded on all sides by those they cannot trust and those who would see them dead, Vel and Cae must wade through the quagmire of court politics and somehow manage to stay alive. Doing so is easier said than done and, even if they survive, there is no guarantee there will be anything left of their marriage by the end of it.

All the Hidden Paths follows A Strange and Stubborn Endurance and, while I enjoyed the first book, I thought All the Hidden Paths was a stronger and even more compelling novel. Velasin and Caethari are the centerpiece and their relationship is a fragile and unbalanced thing at the start of the book. They feel something for one another, but given the trauma they’ve endured during the previous few weeks, it is easy to understand why they are tentative and unsure of how to move forward in their marriage. There are miscommunications and foolishness on the part of both men, but it is Velasin’s own fears and insecurities that nearly undermine them. But their connection to one another makes them a truly engaging couple and one I only want to know more about. The cast of secondary characters is equally strong, especially in Vel’s devoted friend and servant, Markel, who remains intriguing in his own right.

At it’s core, All the Hidden Paths is a novel of court politics entwined with a romance. As a result, the world building, while excellent and critical to the story, can be a bit dense. But I found the groundwork laid in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance made untangling some of the chaos a little easier this time around.

I thoroughly enjoyed All the Hidden Paths and felt it was a slightly stronger entry than it’s predecessor, which was amazing in its own right. There is a lot to unpack with this novel from politics, how we manage grief and communicate with one another, and the realities of human frailty, but it is absolutely worth your time and effort. As a fantasy, it is top-notch.

I'm a bit conflicted on this one - at face value, I did enjoy it, probably as much as I did the first book, but I'm just not entirely sure it was necessary. The plot beats felt very similar to the first book, and even some of the relationship developments felt recycled. Overall, I'd probably still recommend it for anyone who wants a little bit more from this world and these characters (Markel is my absolute fave, truly), but if you haven't started the series yet, I'd say you could read A Strange and Stubborn Endurance as a standalone and call it a day.

God, I love this series.

It's just so... wholesome. Even with people being murdered and arrested and poisoned at seemingly every turn, it's a balm for the soul. This is a novel - and overall, a duology - that handles grief expertly, because recovering from tragedy isn't so much one definitive accomplishment as it is a series of much smaller ones spread out over a long, long time. The ending of A STRANGE AND STUBBORN ENDURANCE was a reassurance that while Velasin and Caethari still had a lot of work to do on their relationship and with their respective grief, they were on the right track. And this sequel, as chaotic and intense and topsy-turvy as it may be, was an absolutely perfect follow-up.

The miscommunication trope is used a lot in this book, and while I was a little worried about that at first, I have to say that I'm extremely impressed with the way it was pulled off. So much of what Vel and Cae struggle with is realistic, and especially considering neither of them feels like they deserve the other... ugh. I just wanted to give them both big hugs and lock them in a room together until they talked. It was brutal at times and absolutely heartwarming at others, and coming out the other side I genuinely feel like the ending of this book was even better than the ending of ASASE, which is no small feat, because I loved that book, too.

I just love these <i>characters.</i> Even the new ones, like Aserian, really stood out to me as dynamic, individual people with their own baggage and trauma. The wider cast was a bit harder to follow, but that was to be expected for a book this densely-packed and political. It needs to feel lived in, so I didn't fault it for that in the slightest.

I really, really hope we get more stories of these characters and of this world. I could sit and linger in Tithenai for forever and never get bored.

(Many thanks to the folks at Tor for providing me with an ARC of this book!)

Thanks to Netgalley for the copy! I loved A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, so I was beyond excited when I saw there was another one! Cae and Vel are so adorable around each other, but were occasionally frustrating in their lack of communication skills. They definitely needed to work on talking to each other, as well as communicating their feelings better outside of life or death situations. I enjoyed that we got to see flaws in their characters, because perfect characters on only interesting for so long, and I liked seeing Markel with his partner as well (I wish we'd gotten a bit more of her!). Even the side characters were interesting, and I honestly did not expect the twist. There were some characters that I wanted to just throw stuff at, but more because they were being mean to Vel than that they were badly written. Overall, I'll pretty much read any next book in the series because I love this world so much!

this was actually soo much better than the first book.
I didn't like book one because I felt it was doing way too much. it wanted to be a romantasy, an exploration of trauma and healing from that trauma, and a complex political fantasy, and for me, it didn't manage to do all of those things.
this one, however! decided to focus more on the relationship and their development than the political fantasy, which worked!
also, I liked the miscommunication in this? it works bc these characters didn't know each other enough by the end of the first book, so it felt realistic for them to have some problems.