It took a little while to get into this one again after a bit of time between the first and second book. Once I got into though it went fast and I flew through this one. Really into this series and I enjoyed reading it.

Of Princes and Poisons is book 2 in The Culled series.

Monroe Benson has survived the arena and managed to get herself out and got to the rebel faction only to be self-isolated and in a cage again.

I requested this book and the first in the series at the same time as I hadn't read it, but I only got this one to review. I originally wasn't going to read this but then I really wanted to so I finally did. I am glad I read it as I really enjoyed it. It obviously has similarities to other series but I was so invested in all the characters that I had difficulty putting it down. There were some moments that were slow and the book was really long but the last few chapters made up for it.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I was so excited for book two, and to see where Monroe and Cohen would end up. Callahan was a surprise at first, but I felt like I knew that he and Monroe would end up together after their first conversation. They just had a chemistry that Cohen and Monroe didn't have. Caine is a perfect type of villain, because you know not to trust them and hate them, but they still surprise you with just how bad they are. I do wish we'd seen more of Larkin and how she was running the kingdom (was she just violent, or was she paranoid? was she trying to be a good queen or was she just assuming it as her due?), and I honestly forgot about Kinsley until she showed back up again towards the end. I'm excited for book three because I want to know how this story ends (even if I kind of already know I feel), but wow what a cliffhanger this one ended on!

I loved Of Cages and Crowns when it came out, I will say that it had been a while and I need to reacquaint myself with some of the minute details before I jumped into this sequel.

Monroe, Heidi, Nadia, and Uri have all found themselves out of the Castle and with the rebels. Prince Cohen is too, but maybe not as thrilled about it as the others are. I appreciate that the character arcs continue and that the development we see in them throughout book one carries into book two. Basically, they still are the characters they were created to be. The writing style and tone are maintained throughout as well.

The book itself is broken into four parts. So, that is how I’m going to focus my review.

Part one: This is the longest of the four parts and takes place in the rebel camp. Honestly, this was the slowest part of the book. It dragged for me because there really wasn’t a lot going on and everyone seemed to be a little whiny. I totally get that everyone had been through a huge trauma, but it was hard to get through. There were those moments that made it feel like the traditional sophomore slump which can pop up in sequels. There is the necessity of the heavy narration and dialogue to act as that bridge from the excitement and development of a book 1 into the depth that then comes to life in book 2, so it’s not that I didn’t appreciate it, it was just a little slow for me. And, then of course you had the love triangle which is one of my least favorite tropes, but it didn’t consume the progression of the characters' adjustment to the rebel camp. It just forced Monroe to figure her life out a little. The best part of this section of the book was the development of Callahan’s character. I really did like him.

Part two: Action picks up starting with this section. There is an attack and Monroe learns the full impact that her power can have. It was pretty badass actually. It was an important moment for her not only for her self-discovery, but for her to solidify her position. I felt that the action scenes in the book, starting with this one, were the best aspect of the book. The tension is built up, the emotions are portrayed well even in the aftermath of the unknown. While I thought the height of the event was going to be a turning point that kept the momentum high and running, I was a little disappointed that the following depth of narration and dialogue had a similar feel to the first part, it just revolved more around some additional characters coming into the fold. It was towards the end of this section of the book that made it very clear that this is indeed a transition book that is building the stage for book 3. This is an essential feature of a book within a series, it just makes the valleys of the action between the peaks scratch out a little longer.

Part three: Part 3 and 4 are the shortest in the book. This part allows Monroe and Callahan’s connection to be fully acknowledged, and I liked their little unsanctioned excursion. Their return to camp in this section really just created the setup for part 4.

Part four: Ok, I will fully admit that I didn't see the twist coming. I feel that it was the perfect ending to the book and allowed this book to do exactly what it needed to do ... set up book 3. It created new tensions and new conflicts and a million doubts and questions. Monroe’s characterization remained consistent throughout and her reaction to everything that happened was exactly how she would have reacted based on who she has shown herself to be over the course of the two books. The action and tension once again was well developed and played out well across the pages. Where there needed to be emotional tension created, I feel it was successfully done. This ending is where it is clear that the author knows where she is going and truly knows who these characters are. I’m a little on the fence about Callahan though. Not quite sure how I feel about him.

The transition between book 1 and what is to come in book 3 was successfully and built up to allow the anticipation to be there. I know that at the end of this one, all I wanted was to continue going to see what was going to happen next. I will 100% read book 3! Overall, the series is worth the read, and I highly recommend it.

Loved Book 1 in the series and couldn't wait to read Book 2. It took awhile to get into it but just as enjoyable as the first.

I loved the first book in the series. I may not have loved this book as much as the first book. But I liked it nevertheless. The plot was slow but interesting. I can’t wait for the next book. There are so many things I want to know.

Gahhhhh!! The ending in this book. I can’t even wrap my mind around what happened and the fact that I have no idea when the next book comes out. As you might have guessed, this book ends on quite a cliffhanger. The twist, the heartbreaking shock, and where Brianna leaves us hanging is pure torture. This is probably one the best to leave your readers wanting more endings I have read in a long time. So, way to go, Brianna!

Let’s discuss the rest of the book. If you haven’t read the first book in this series, you may want to stop reading this review. There are spoilers from the first book below. You’ve been warned.

This book starts with Monroe, who is now a prisoner of the rebels. They are holding her in a dark, cold cell, being questioned by Callahan, aka Kai. A man who has been talking and questioning Monroe for a few weeks now. This was a surprising twist for me because, in the previous book, Monroe was assisting the rebels by helping to overthrow the Queen and royal family. It turns out that the rebel group also wants to kill all the goddess-touched girls as well. Monroe is definitely at a low point at the beginning of this book. She has no idea if her friends are alive, and she knows that her romantic relationship with Cohen is all but destroyed because she is the reason why most of his family has been killed. I sometimes forget how much a fantasy heroine has to suffer in a series, and let me tell you Monroe suffers. The girl can rarely catch a break. But Manroe does grow as a character, and as much as she can be naive at times, she is learning to survive in this world she finds herself in. Brianna does a masterful job of expanding her world in such an interesting way. I didn’t think she could top the political intrigue that she had created in the first book, but she does. As a reader, you have no idea who to trust; danger lurks around every corner, and you get this sense that something bigger is happening in the shadows, but you are not too sure what it is. It is so damn addictive. There are so many dangerous twists and turns I could not put this book down. It just sucks you in.

We were also introduced to new characters, whom I loved. They brought humour, drama, and unpredictability to the story. We also get to spend more time with Uri, Nadia, and Heidi, who were all secondary characters in the first book. This core group of ladies is fabulous, and they all have such distinctive personalities. It was great getting to watch them grow as characters. We were also introduced to another new MC, Callahan, aka Kai. He becomes a new love interest for Manroe, which creates a love triangle situation. But like most fantasy series, the second male lead we introduced to is often a better fit for the main heroine. I genuinely liked Callahan. He is smart and caring and is Monroe’s equal when it comes to those sharp verbally spar matches they seem to have.

Overall, this is an addictive and heart-pounding read. Brianna has reminded me why I love YA fantasy books so much.

I enjoyed book two just as much, if not, maybe more than the first book!! I really love these characters, and the world building and plot are interesting too! I can't wait to read the next book!

Sorry for the late review., I was dealing with some health issues and now I'm catching up on my reviews!

This series just continues to pull on my heartstrings! The lies!! The betrayal.
But it’s SO GOOD. I love the growth and character arcs among many characters and not just Monroe and Cohen. We have Callahan/Kai in this one, and his role is just as important.
I loved the growth in Monroe and Cohen— mainly Monroe tbh— as she’s finally becoming her own person and making her own decisions that aren’t completely life or death. We see how she learns more about relationships and love and the different kinds of love.
This book made me cry multiple times, but I also laughed because there was some good banter. I felt for Cohen, such sucky luck he has.
Thank you Wattpad for letting Caitlin and I host the author for our indie book club! We had a fantastic time reading and discussing these books and absolutely cannot wait for the next one!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Book Review

Seriously people if you love a competition based series like The Hunger Games or The Selection Series, with a kick-a** FMC then read these books! This series is so addicting and suspenseful. I enjoyed it all the way through and am a little depressed I don’t have book three to read yet. This book was a wonderful rollercoaster to read. I was all over the place with emotions from laughter to tears and most of all I fell out of love and then back in love. I can’t elaborate without spoiling things, so I’ll leave it there.
Also, these covers are just so gorgeous!!
This book is so good I would read it again!

One last thing, Brianna- thank you for this amazing book series! I feel lucky to have found your books! Please hit me up when book three releases! 🙏🙏

So much to enjoy in this one:
👑 Royalty
☠️ Poison
👑 Found family
☠️ Impending doom
👑 Magic
☠️ Will they or won’t they
👑 Heartbreak
☠️ Enemies to friends to lovers
👑 One bed

"Please don't cry, Monroe. I don't know what to do when you cry. I can take the burning and the yelling and the cursing at me. I can handle you calling me names. I can take you not doing what I say. But the tears.." - Of Princes and Poisons

Thank you to the author Brianna Joy Crump, Wattpad Books and NetGalley for the electronic advanced copy of the book.

I thought that I would have been super into this book just based off of the blurb and initial description. I am honestly so so upset that I could not get into it (I really tried and forced myself to read it). I know all books are very subjective and not everyone will enjoy every book they read and that is perfectly okay. This book is no exception. I just truly could not vibe with it so I ended up dnfing it 40% through. I gave it a fair chance before I decided to do this because I really do not like dnfing any book I pick up. I wish nothing but the best to anyone who reads it!

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, so I was very excited to get my hands on this one. Book two definitely didn’t disappoint, and now I’m not so patiently waiting for the third instalment!

We pick up in rebel camps where the goddess touched girls are still being held prisoner, though they have some freedoms.
Monroe and Cohen are trying to find their new balance after everything that went down, and it’s proving to be harder than they thought it would be.
Plans to overthrow Larkin are in the works, and everyone is on edge.

Once again, we have a bit of everything: magic, love, friendship, action, drama, betrayal. There are new characters to love and despise, and an epic ending that will leave you wanting more. I feel as though I should’ve guessed what was going to happen, but I didn’t. I had suspicions, but didn’t think it would play out that way. Definitely had me on the edge of my seat and close to tears.

If you like a good fantasy story with great world building and characters with depth, then this is the series for you!

I had high hopes for this book, I sped through the first one so I was truthfully expecting to do the same for this one but this book fell flat for me in places. I felt like some of the story was filler, and I found myself not connecting with the characters halfway through the book until the very end where suddenly I connected with them again. I did enjoy reading about Monroe and her fire ability and her struggling through the rebellion. She did become a better character for me in this book, more likable due to her actions. Another part of the story I was confused by but also not fully shocked by was the sudden change in love interests. It just feels like neither of them is good for her, and I honestly hope this story ends up with her alone for some reason. The plot twists were good, most were predictable and I wasn’t shocked but the death had me sobbing. Also the ending, has me excited for the next book although this wasn’t the best for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating 1.5

I requested this one because I read the first book in the series a couple of years ago and enjoyed it, so I had high hopes for this one. But there were several things that didn’t work well for me. For one, the stakes just never felt high enough despite the predicament the characters found themselves in at the beginning of the work. There should have been tension and true grief/stress present rather than being focused on banter and the speedy beginnings of insta-love (why though).

The characters were just not good. I remember liking Monroe as a protagonist and being impressed with how well balanced she was. In this book, Monroe read like a whiney, bratty, preteen with a silly crush. It was no good. The secondary characters weren’t enough to make up for this, either, though they were generally better written than Monroe. The romance suffered greatly due to the way the characters were written. Also, the author chose to completely about-face with one of the personalities/actions of a character from the previous book to manhandle him into the new role needed for this book. And then there was the antagonist who we’re repeatedly told is dangerous and evil but is neatly shoved aside when it becomes necessary. These conveniences were majorly dissatisfying.

This book suffered from middle book syndrome. The first 25% of the book was generally just Monroe bantering with her new love interest and moaning about not being able to see her old love interest. There was also zero meaningful worldbuilding incorporated into the book, which was massively disappointing. Similarly, the setting wasn’t included well either, leaving the whole book feeling ungrounded.

The book was still readable, so if you’re a diehard fan of the series you may enjoy this one. To me, it was nowhere near as good as the first book, and I don’t think I’ll be checking out book three. My thanks to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Of course loved Book 2 just as much as book 1. Well maybe half a star less but still it was an absolutely wonderful book.
I really hope there will be a book 3 with how this one ended! I devoured this series and it was truly incredible. I absolutely loved the characters. I loved getting introduced to a few new characters in this one including Callahan (Kai) in this book and I am so glad what happened, happened. I am glad the relationship between Kai and Monroe worked out because they had the best chemistry. And Of course who doesnt love a good enemies to lovers story!
I highly recommend this series to each and every one of you, especially if you love The Hunger Games/The Selection vibe feels but add in some great powers, drama, romance and you get The Culled Crown Series!

This book was a good continuation of the first book. These new covers are beautiful btw. Although I enjoyed the first book more than this one. It has found family, it’s a slow burn, one bed, and forced proximity.

Rating: 5/5
I received this book for my honest opinion.

It’s not often that I love the second book more than the first but this author knows how to write a fantasy book that will give you everything that you never knew you needed. This book has magic, romance, friendships, betrayal, love triangle, amazing writing style, world building and great character development.

This book picks up right where book one leaves off, and it will take you down a different path that I was not expecting, but this author knew that was needed. This book takes place after all the events that went down in book one. Now that the Culling is over and the remaining 4 girls and 2 of the royal family are marked as traitors and the rebels camp that they were sent to, no one trusts them there. Oh and did I forget to say that Monroe is not sent to the rebel tents like her friends but she is forced into a dark jail cell and the only comfort that she has is when her guard Kai comes and bugs her to death (well she prays that she would just die). One day she is granted freedom to go live with her friends with the other rebels and is given small jobs to do around the camp. Her and her friends have a lot of trauma that they’re working through after the culling and learning how to move on from what they know, what they have seen and what they have had to do.

I loved the first book and I loved this book as well. This book has everything that the first book did but so much more because of the twists and turns that this book took. I didn’t know really what I was missing in the book until about 2/3 into and I figured it out, but when you get to the end of the book and it's just right there in your face I was still taken away by it. I loved that we got to know a little more about the magic system and to see the girls learning more about themselves and how to rely on themselves more but to truly see them come together to overcome their trauma. The found family between them, all because of a stupid horrible game for the goddess gifted women. I thought the pace was great, it was fast but it did slow down a little bit but in all the right places for me. The way this author makes sure to engage the readers throughout the book is chef's kiss.

Now I won’t say to much about the main characters other than I am so happy that Monroe focused on herself more in this book and the new love interest… I do have to say I find him to be way hotter than Cohen. I loved the love triangle vibe throughout the book, but to see her decide something for herself and to pick who and what she wanted was so amazing. I loved getting to see her growth as a character in this book and the first one. I do have to say if I was her I would be burning down the world and everyone that stood in front of me after I found out what she did. Girl…. I don’t envy you and the choices that you have next, but I can’t wait to see what Brianna will write next for you.

I could go on and on but instead…. JUST GO GET THE FIRST BOOK IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT ALREADY, AND THEN READ THIS BOOK RIGHT AWAY because if you’re like me you will need book three and ASAP.

I want to thank NetGalley and Wattpad books for the opportunity to review this book.

3.5* Rounded Up

This is a fun YA Fantasy that had a lot of twists at the end which makes me excited to see where the next book will go. Overall this is a good series, and this installment is a totally different setting and tone than the 1st book which I did like. I enjoyed the MC's journey of finding strength in herself and figuring out what she wants from life. While I think this one suffered from some slow moments and a lot of repetitive scenes I do like that we got a little bit of the opposite view of society than in the first book. I think with a bit of editing this series could really be much more fast paced and thrilling. I did see the big reveal at the end of this book coming, but it played out differently than I thought it would and definitely shocked me at times. I will be eagerly awaiting the next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Wattapad Books for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to get an advanced copy of the second book in The Culled Crown series when I did. I was in such a book slump and DNFed three books before this came in the mail. I read and loved Of Cages and Crowns, and jumped into Of Princes and Poisons as soon as I got it. After the super intense ending of OPAP, I couldn't wait to find out what happened to Monroe and Cohen. The story went in an unpredictable direction, and I thought it was great!

Monroe's story is so fascinating, and she sometimes gave me Katniss Everdeen vibes. Since that's one of my favorite all-time YA characters, you'll get no complaints from me. Her character is so conflicted and confused and traumatized, and she doesn't know who she can trust and depend on. I don't blame her. She's caught so many people lying to her and keeping secrets! She's also dealing with her unharnessed powers, which proves to be more of an issue than expected.

The relationship between Monroe and Cohen went in an entirely different direction than I expected, but it made sense. Now that they are away from the chaos of the competition, they begin to see how different they are. Their visions don’t align, and they have both hurt each other badly. The story definitely paints Cohen more as an antagonist in this one, and he is painted in a pretty harsh, albeit truthful light. I hate how he speaks to Monroe and makes her feel less than. He talks down to her and gaslights, and his behavior feels so toxic. He doesn’t ever let her speak and constantly cuts her off. I think there are layers to his character, and in this book, we see the unflattering desperation of a man who has lost everything and has taken it out on the person he blames the most.

While adjusting to her new life, not as a prisoner but not completely free either, Monroe develops a bond with a moody, broody, gorgeous, and intelligent commander. I never expected to fall out of love with one love interest and fall in love with another, but I totally did. Kai is complicated and mysterious and fabulous, and the love story between him and Monroe is as layered and compelling as the characters. Other characters and friendships are great, too, and some of them broke my heart a little bit.

The story delves deeply into the trauma Monroe and the other competitors struggle with, and it's done in a way that really shows the mess of emotions they all feel. It was well done and exemplified how people deal with grief, loss, and trauma differently. The world-building is also fantastic, and the author does a fantastic job of creating a vivid and immersive world both in the first book and in this one. Now that Monroe, Cohen, and the others are with the rebels, they learn more about people's feelings toward the goddess-touched girls and the royal family. Distrust, political intrigue, power struggles, unusual magic, and more make for an engrossing read.

Of Princes and Poisons has a ton of character development, the plot is intriguing, and the romances and friendships are complicated and layered. It's a strong balance of all the elements I love in a romantasy. And after that shocking twist of an ending, I can't wait to read the next book!

Special thanks to Wattpad Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.