*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

I was very excited about this second book, and unfortunately I was a little disappointed. The way the characters were portrayed in this book felt so different from the previous. Certain character's feelings completely changed in a short period of time and it felt rushed. However, I was excited to read more about this world and see where the author would take the reader at the end of this book.

I absolutely adored the first book and was excited to read the sequel. Although I did not feel that this book was as strong as the first book, I do understand that the characterization in this book was vital. We got to witness Monroe's self discovery in many ways and her PTSD from the Culling. I did struggle with her dropping Cohen so quickly. I understand the tension with who he was and his role in the Culling, but I wish he was able to get more of an arc as well. I loved the twist at the end and am excited for what it means for the final book.

Of Princes and Poisons
Thank you NetGalley, author, and publisher for this ARC!
I was hesistant to read this based on my opinion of the first book. Once I started, I realized that I was going to really enjoy this novel. It started off about a week after the first book ended with Monroe in prison. At first I was confused as to why and though it was explained because they couldn’t fully trust her. This was only one of the very few reasons that I was confused with. But also my confusion was mirrored in her. If she helped bring down the Culling and the royal family, why was she being imprisoned? Though they explained it as they still couldn’t trust her, I felt that wasn’t fair since she was the major reason for the help of the take down. Kai was an interesting character, I knew I would like him from the start. I loved learning from his past and getting to know him. I liked their relationship and banter and how that grew over time. I wish there wasn’t so much time gap between interactions, but I knew that they fit much better than her and Cohen. Cohen in the first book fell flat, and in the second novel, I felt that his character changed, but not in a positive character growth. I understand that he lost a lot and he has been having conflicting feelings, but being intimately pushy with Monroe felt a little out of character. I’m glad that we saw more from Uri and the other Culling girls. I wish I saw more of Ambrose and his fiancé.

The plot twist I saw coming, but I still enjoyed seeing it play out. Finding out that Kai was the true first male born heir was great. Once I saw the plot twist play out, I understood the title much more and it made sense. Though I still felt betrayed (LOL), I’m very excited for how this will turn out in the third book. Uri’s death was a plot twist that I did not expect, and that left me speechless. I am curious as to what happened to Hugo. From what I gathered, the third book is being written on Wattpad, but I will wait for either it to be released as an ARC or to read it in another format. I wish the map, at least on kindle, named the counties and countries around. There was more world building, but it still wasn’t clear for me and I still felt confused.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see Monroe fully develop her fire powers and learn what the changing of the eyes and voices mean when she channels her powers with more power.

I felt like this book was a lot slower than the first one in regards to how the story and plot moved along. I will say that I have found these books to be so addicting to read and I had a hard time putting it down. I love the intricacies of the world building and how all the little things that might have seemed insignificant at the time come back and have a huge meaning. I will say that I did guess the plot twist for the most part but I was still pleasantly surprised. Although, poor Monroe, she just can’t catch a break. I can’t wait to see what happens to Monroe and Kai in the next book as well as all the other characters. This was definitely a cliffhanger that has me waiting with bated breath for book three.

This series is addicting, suspenseful, and everything that a YA dystopian adventure should be.

Monroe is the perfect FMC for this book- she's conflicted and genuine and everyone in her life insists of lying to her about, well, everything.

The pacing was engaging and the twists and turns- wow. This was just an all-around great read. More, please!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me access to this ARC.

I was originally drawn in by the cover, but the writing really pulled me in and I enjoyed the book overall. I generally feel that second books in series fall flat, but the author did a good job of keeping us entertained!

Only four girls touched by the Goddess survived the Culling, solely due to the rebel group that Monroe joined because of her brother Ambrose. Now, the King and Queen are deceased, and Cohen is being blamed for regicide. However, what Monroe did not anticipate is that by joining the rebellion, she has merely exchanged one prison for another. The rebels despise her kind and the royal family. Monroe, Cohen, Heidi, Hugo, Uri, and Nadia are treated as prisoners and considered untrustworthy. As they grapple with the trauma of their experiences, they now face yet another challenge. They have been labeled as traitors by the self-proclaimed Queen, Larkin, who has miraculously inherited her mother's powers. Can they overcome all of these obstacles, restore peace, and bring an end to the Culling once and for all?

Trigger Warnings~ bloodshed, death of loved ones, prison trauma, toxic relationships, anxiety, panic attacks, poisoning, physical and mental abuse.

Nowadays, I usually avoid reading majorly fantastic novels as they are more intense and stress-inducing. Most of the time, I am itching to get over such books as quickly as possible. This time, too, I wanted to finish it as soon as possible - but not for the same reason. I was enthralled by the story and the writing style. I remember being impressed by the author's writing in the first book, but now I realize why. The originality and complexity of the story blows my mind. Every emotion Monroe felt was expressed so thoroughly that I could imagine her situation, dilemma, and opinions easily.

I liked Monroe's new love interest, Kai. It was wonderful to watch their attraction and attachment build gradually. The trauma suffered by all the characters was so heartbreakingly described. I hate what Uri had to suffer through by the end of the story.

Though the ending was devastating, I enjoyed reading this story and am very eager to know what happens next. Also, the title makes better sense now after this ending. I was wondering from the beginning why is it Princes and not just Prince.

If you like fantasies with love, betrayal, action, and magic, this is the perfect series to pick up. I highly recommend this book and the first book Of Cages and Crowns.

Four and a half
I think traditionally for whatever reason second books in a series can often kind of meander along with little forward movement and in some respects that's true here. However as Monroe and a few others have escaped from the Culling yes they are finding their way but also forging new relationships as their lives are forever changed. Monroe had feelings for Cohen but were they because of proximity , stress and naivety ? Certainly she's evaluating exactly what she wants now but is it possible its all confused as promises are broken and maybe hearts too !
I don't mind that the possible relationship between Monroe and Cohen changes as not only is she the reason he's lost his throne but worse still Cohen killed his own mother to save Monroe ! How on earth could any burgeoning relationship survive that ? Monroe is justifiably torn and meeting an officer who challenges her certainly sees her life going off at a tangent.
I loved that those who also escaped struggle to accept the new reality as unexpectedly none of them seem welcomed by the resistance . This opened up a whole new perspective on just what people think about the Goddess touched girls and their place in the world the citizens truly want. Plus as much as I wanted Larkin to get her comeuppance that twist didn't quite serve justice and actually brought a whole new big bad to light but my lips are sealed !
Bottom line is this went in directions I hadn't expected and that ending leaves me wanting more.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

In 'The Culling,' the captivating concept of ascending to queenship through a perilous trial presents a riveting narrative fraught with challenges. The diverse array of abilities possessed by the goddess-touched girls adds a layer of uniqueness to the story. While the parallels between past and present goddess-touched girls could have been further explored, the ongoing journey of characters like Kai keeps readers eagerly invested. With a tantalizing cliffhanger, anticipation for the third installment is palpable.

LOVE this book. I hate the cover, it’s giving AI generated though. Can’t wait for the next one, I’m hyped

Thank you Wattpad Webtoon Publishing and Netgalley.

This is an interesting book. I wasn't really sure what to expect. This was honestly really good. I'm a huge fan of the whole goddesses idea. Although this wasn't a five star I will be picking up a physical copy

I absolutely loved the first book in this series and couldn't wait to read Of Princes and Poisons. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to the first.

**Spoilers**

While I still enjoyed some aspects of this book, I couldn't get over Monroe's sudden change in feelings toward Cohen. I felt cheated that we didn't get to see them as a couple. I had really wanted to delve deeper into Cohen's character in this book; however, the author decided to simply cast him as a villain and move onto another love interest for Monroe. Personally, I still find Cohen as a more interesting character than Kai, and I hope we get that character background and development in the next book.

The ending was what saved this book for me. While the big "twist" was pretty predictable, I did not expect the death. I think the ending sets up for what could be an amazing third book in this series. Second books in trilogies are not always the best, so I will definitely give the concluding book a shot. Plus, I really do want to find out how this story ends.

I was so excited for this book. The first in the series was excellent. I read it over a year ago and when I started reading this one, I would have liked a little brief brush up of what had happened in the first book to jog my memory. It was kind of there spread throughout the book but I still can’t remember exactly what happened in the trials and at the end of the book with the royals.
Onto this book-it was not great. There was a lot of words and the same thing happening over and over with Monroe’s new love interest but other than that, the story lacked. The twist at the end was pretty predictable after Monroe reads the letters. I will say the last 5% of the book was action packed and enjoyable to read.
I will more than likely read the next book in the series because sometimes book 2 in a series is a flop but book 3 comes out amazing. I’m hopeful for more action and a good storyline in book 3.

This was absolutely amazing. The cover is gorgeous and I read this is one day. I couldn’t put it down. Better than I expected. 10/10

In "Of Princes and Poisons," the portrayal of trauma in the series is strikingly accurate, delving into the fears and coping mechanisms of the characters. Monroe's struggles, manifested in flashbacks and relived moments, authentically depict the lasting impact of her traumatic experiences. Similarly, Heidi's defensive facade, portraying her as supremely bitchy, serves as a shield against vulnerability and the fear of being abandoned.

However, a critique lies in the handling of the romantic interest dynamics. The abrupt shift in Monroe's feelings towards Cohen, from absolute love to disinterest, feels forced and lacks believability. The attempt to vilify Cohen, previously presented as a swoony, morally grey prince, raises questions about the character's sudden transformation. The author's choice to portray Cohen's actions as a consequence of his upbringing and the ingrained cultural norms adds complexity, making it challenging to accept the drastic about-face in Monroe's emotions. The narrative seems to lean towards a plot twist at the expense of character consistency.

I was quite excited to start this book. This one started off with a bang but kind of puttered out for me toward the end with a pretty obvious twist, and I'm honestly getting kind of sick of all the doom and gloom.

Speaking of doom and gloom, I felt there were some really accurate representations of trauma in this series. Monroe has a lot of fear from the things she's had to endure and has flashbacks and relives certain moments. Heidi has this supremely bitchy facade that she uses as protection, not wanting to get close to anyone lest they leave her, not wanting to admit that she gives a shit about anyone because there's danger in vulnerability.

I don't like it when we have an about face on the romantic interest in books. It's rarely done well. It isn't done well here. Monroe loses interest in Cohen after being absolutely in love with him, but the reasoning doesn't ring true. The author tries to vilify him after having previously tried to build him into this swoony prince, if morally grey. And while I believe that the things he allowed to happen were messed up, he is also like 19 (I think), has been raised in the most fucked up family with fucked up expectations, is taking part in something he has been raised to take part in from birth, something which has been happening for generations and is engrained in the culture/religion of the area. Sure, he doesn't stand up to his mother, he doesn't put a stop to the games, but do we really believe he could? Do we believe he would be able to overthrow the governing religious body? Everyone believed that his mother was poisoning him when he tried to speak up, so why is it surprising that he didn't push things further? It just seemed a stretch to suddenly flip the switch for the sake of a plot twist.

The hunger games et al. vibes are stronger here. It's like when Katniss finally reaches district 13. The atmosphere is quite bleak, and I don't really enjoy reading in sepia tones, so I could have done without that pervading throughout the book. Would I read the next one? Sure. I quite enjoyed the previous book. I didn't actually dislike this one so much as I was disappointed by it. Still, I'm not excited for the next one. This one isn't coming out until June, so I imagine by the time book 3 comes out I will have forgotten this series exists.

In 'The Culling,' the captivating concept of ascending to queenship through a perilous trial presents a riveting narrative fraught with challenges. The diverse array of abilities possessed by the goddess-touched girls adds a layer of uniqueness to the story. While the parallels between past and present goddess-touched girls could have been further explored, the ongoing journey of characters like Kai keeps readers eagerly invested. With a tantalizing cliffhanger, anticipation for the third installment is palpable.

I read this like it was the air that I breathe. I was desperate for this after reading the first and I was rewarded and THEN SOME. I cannot explain my feelings throughout this book except that it was whiplash (in the best possible way). I fell in love, I fell out of love, I felt lust, I felt betrayal and I felt forgiveness. The writing, world building, and plot is phenomenal and I cannot recommend this series enough. I am already crying that I can’t read the 3rd, I have the biggest book hangover

Brianna Joy Crump returns with another enthralling installment in her captivating series with "Of Princes and Poisons." In this spellbinding sequel, Crump delves deeper into the world of Erydia, where power, betrayal, and rebellion intertwine in a tale that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The story picks up where its predecessor left off, with only four goddess-touched girls remaining after the brutal Culling. Among them is Monroe Benson, whose fiery determination and refusal to accept her predetermined fate make her a standout protagonist. With her power and resilience, Monroe emerges as a beacon of hope for the rebellion, choosing to defy convention and fight for her own freedom instead of succumbing to the expectations of the palace.

Brianna expertly navigates the complex dynamics of power and loyalty, weaving a narrative filled with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very end. Monroe's internal struggle as she grapples with her feelings for Cohen, the prince, and a mysterious rebel leader adds depth to the story, highlighting the intricacies of love and trust amidst a backdrop of political upheaval.

What sets "Of Princes and Poisons" apart is Brianna’s skillful world-building and attention to detail. From the opulent palace halls to the shadowy corners of the rebellion's hideouts, the vividly depicted settings immerse readers in a richly imagined world where every decision carries weight and consequences.

Overall, "Of Princes and Poisons" is a gripping sequel that delivers on all fronts. Brianna Joy Crump continues to impress with her masterful storytelling, crafting a tale that combines heart-pounding action, intricate plotting, and compelling characters. Fans of fantasy fiction will not be disappointed as they embark on another thrilling adventure in the world of Erydia.

This book was way better than I expected. I loved every second of reading it. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down till I was done. I would recommend everyone read this book.