This was way better than the first one. More world-building, and character development.
I liked that it was fast-paced and full of action. And it kept me interested throughout the whole time. And also, new very interesting characters, I mean talking bear😀 Never seen that one.

I liked that we saw some romance finally, which we didn't get in the first book.

Draven is Morally grey and we love it, I know we do.
And his touch her and die vibes... Also, he is so tender with the people he loves.

"𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏 𝑷𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏. 𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆."

What an ending!!! I did suspect something similar, but still loved it. And now I have no idea what's going to happen in the next book.

Why I didn't give it a 5-star? Because it didn't have a lot of major plot?! Not that it wasn't interesting, it was. But nothing big happened. Like it was a side quest. We got more inside about Draven. And some hints about Morgan's past. But I wanted something more.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

#books #fantasylover #fantasybooks #

I enjoyed this book much more than the first one besides that Morgan was insufferable for half of it. I could ignore her because I loved Draven so much that I was reading for him really. I hate the temper tantrum relationship conflict trope at a certain point. The banter in the first half of the book was great but when we circled back to it at the end I was so annoyed!!

I loved the way the world building was laid out in this book. It felt natural and wasn’t completely overwhelming. I also adored the side characters and it gives the inner circle vibes of ACOTAR.

The pacing was pretty good I felt like for most of the book but then it just randomly felt so rushed the last 100ish pages that I was left like 👀 wait. How did we get here? Wtf just happened?!

I’m still super happy with the series thus far and am looking forward to books 3 & 4. I’m interested to see where we go in book 3 because the ending/cliffhanger has me reeling. It will never be ACOTAR for me but it definitely gives a similar vibe!

Thank you NetGalley, Starwater Press, and Briar Boleyn for providing me an e-copy in exchange for a review!

This story gives me all the feels! I don’t think I have ever loved and hated a character as much as Draven! The roller coaster ride he takes you on in this book is worth all the stress!

The best part to me is Morgan really coming into her own and learning more about her past - also NIGHTCLAW!

This book was non-stop action from the beginning and the story leaves me shocked with every twist and turn. This is definitely not one you will predict what’s going to happen - just when I thought I did, I was proven wrong in the best and worst ways!

If you’re looking for an adventure including some spice, new friendships and survival games, this is it!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Briar Boleyn for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 3/5 Stars

While I did still have fun during this book, I did find myself less interested. It was a little harder for me to get through but overall still enjoyable.

"Briar Boleyn's "Court of Claws" is a thrilling addition to the fantasy genre, offering readers a gripping tale of magic, intrigue, and adventure. Set in a vividly imagined world filled with political machinations and mystical creatures, Boleyn's storytelling prowess shines through in this action-packed novel.

At the center of the story is a young heroine, whose journey to navigate the treacherous waters of court politics is both captivating and empowering. Boleyn's characters are well-drawn and multifaceted, making it easy for readers to become invested in their fates.

The pacing of "Court of Claws" is brisk, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Boleyn expertly balances moments of high-stakes action with quieter, introspective scenes, creating a dynamic narrative that never loses momentum.

One of the highlights of the novel is Boleyn's richly detailed world-building. From the majestic castles to the sprawling forests, every aspect of the setting feels immersive and alive, adding depth and authenticity to the story.

In addition to its exciting plot and vibrant world, "Court of Claws" also explores themes of power, loyalty, and the consequences of one's actions. Through the trials and tribulations of her characters, Boleyn crafts a thought-provoking narrative that will linger in the minds of readers long after they've turned the final page.

Overall, "Court of Claws" is a must-read for fans of fantasy fiction. Briar Boleyn has crafted an enthralling tale that will appeal to readers of all ages, with its compelling characters, intricate plot, and richly imagined world.

Thank you NetGalley and StarWater Press for the opportunity to ARC read this book.
Picking up from the cliffhanger in Book One. Morgan finds herself in the underworld of Umbral of Flames with Draven. During her time here she learns more about herself and discovers she has more powers than she originally discovered. Not only can she wield fire, but she is having dreams that seem real and later on we find she has some other powers that come from someone else 🙃. While she fights suppressing her powers, Draven is diligently trying to convince Morgan to harness them. Their relationship really develops during this book, and the temperature between them gets STEAMY ❤️‍🔥🥵

The second book gives Hunger Games vibes with the trials for the throne and we see a moment of self sacrifice to save the other (won’t say who so it’s a surprise). The battle scene was well written in my opinion. It gave Sarah J Maas vibes.

Overall I loved this books. I’m really starting to get drawn into the series. The cliffhanger we’re left with in this book is more intense than the last. I just HATE 3rd act breakups.

Tropes:
One Bed
Bonded
Lost Princess
Found Family
3rd Act Breakup 😡

This book started kinda slow but those last hundred pages really had it in them!
I was really scared that this book would be like the last one but it’s pleasantly surprised me.
We finally get character development from Morgan, as well as background information on not just her heritage but a little insight of her mother. And the massive cliffhanger this book ended on leaves a tingling sensation in my hands to reach for the next book in this series.
Morgan and I are in a hate-love relationship. There were so many times I was thinking “yes, Morgan! Tell them/ well done!” And in other moments I internally cringed at her behaviour…
I loved how her relationships with other characters developed, and there were almost tears falling at the beginning and the end.
Why is it always the characters I like the most who call it a night?
+I skipped over the spice scenes, so they could’ve been just left out completely.. but that’s just my opinion.

I liked this book so much more than the first and I really enjoyed most of it but the last little bit of the book made me so mad. I’m just annoyed, it feels like the relationship between the main characters takes two steps forward and three steps back, it just stresses me out and not in a good way lol. I still really enjoyed this one, the story line is great, there’s more world building, I like the side characters in this one, the relationship development is great until it’s not lol. Yeah it’s just my opinion anyway and reading is subjective

Read this series! All the books are fantastic! I'm not huge on fantasy but these did not disappoint!

Book 2 and things have flipped upside down for Morgan and Draven. Thoroughly enjoyed this book - the secrets and lies..Trials to win a crown. Can't wait to continue this series and see what happens next!

Rating - 4.5/5 🌟 rounding up

This was by far my favorite book! I literally read this within 24 hours and stayed up way too late!

I love that we are seeing Morgan step into her badass vibes as she plays double agent against Arthur. I was also really happy that we got Draven's POV! Each page had me flipping cause it was full of what was going to happen next. The author is really good at just killing off characters that you didn't see coming!

Thank you netgalley and publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will be honest, I went into this book with low expectations. I did not love the first book, and this book was much of the same. The descriptions paint a beautiful picture of the world and the clothing, but I find that there is actually too much of it. The constant description is too much fluff that doesn’t add much to the plot or story. Speaking of the plot…what happened? This second book fell away from the Arthurian legend retelling and is much more of a generic story about fae. It felt like it was trying to be ACOTAR or FBAA, but it fell flat. The characters had very little development, in fact I feel like they regressed from the development in the first book. Morgan was whining constantly and comes across as immature and unrelatable. It’s hard to feel empathy for her character when she does nothing to help better herself. Overall, the pacing and lack of character development kept me from loving this story.

By the Three…this can’t get any better, or can it?
I 👏 love 👏 this 👏 book 👏

🗡️ Mates
🗡️ Magic
🗡️ Secrets (Lies-however you perceive them to be)
🗡️ Trials
🗡️ Love

I have fallen head over heels for Draven, my current book boyfriend. I dare anyone to fight me on that one. Yes, his tactics are questionable at times.
Morgan is definitely a character with trust issues that continue throughout this book. She has good reasons to act the way she does.

•I would like more spotlight on other characters in this book.
•Still, though, 5/5 ⭐️
I’m ready for the third installment. Let’s get it going!

Special thanks to #NetGalley, #StarwaterPress, and #BriarBoleyn for this ARC to review.

#BloodofaFaeSeries #BookWorm #Reader #ARC #BookReview #BookReviewer

Another good story in this series. However, it is much darker than the first book. Returned to Draven’s home, Morgan begins to learn the truth about her magic and who she really is. The relationship between the two develops with twists. This continues to tell a very different story of King Arthur. All the characters we love from those stories are presented in different ways. Keep reading onto the next book

Oh boy! I didn’t expect these twists! This book continues where book one stopped. You will encounter new secondary characters, discover more about the FMC & MMC. Discover a new court, a deadly competition and a major cliffhanger. This book did not end like this!!!! So thankful I can jump straight into book 3.

This was one epic journey ♥️

Court of Claws picks up shortly after Queen of Roses ended. Except for the prologue, epilogue, and a few dreams from another character's POV, the story is told from Morgan's perspective. We left the previous book with Morgan being fatally injured, but Draven bonds with her to save her life. Of course, Morgan doesn't know this.

Morgan wakes up in Draven's home court where he is the Prince who should be Emporer. His stepmother has been running the court as Queen Regent. And she's not thrilled to give up her rule. Draven and other candidates enter a contest called the Blood Rise to see who will ultimately win the crown.

Morgan has only been accepted into the court begrudgingly as Draven's paramour. And she isn't happy about playing the role. But he knows that is the only way to keep her safe and untouchable. I was just as frustrated with Draven as Morgan with his lack of information. She does learn some of what she needs to know. But Draven keeps so much to himself that he could have easily opened up about more than he did to save himself and Morgan some drama. But that wouldn't make for easy conflict, would it?

Morgan is so judgmental about some things while so accepting of others. It was somewhat frustrating that her view of the world and morality is offered up as "well of course this is wrong" or "of course this is okay." Like no one could possibly view things any differently than her without being morally out of whack. What is the standard she's following for such morality lines? Nothing but her own thoughts and feelings.

This was also a frustrating book in that Draven did seem to be working for the greater good and obviously cared about Morgan, but she just couldn't cut him any slack. And as soon as anything went out of her liking, he was public enemy number one in her mind. Granted, he did keep several secrets that were pretty big, and of course, trust would be broken in so doing.

Court of Claws does have the troupe of a game that must be played/challenges that must be won. Books like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Hunger Games, Divergent, Throne of Glass, Red Rising, etc are hits because of similar games/challenges. I will say I got a little confused about how the court was able to watch the trials when the contestants were in a cave, and the court was not. (I'm really going to date myself here, but I totally pictured something like the '90s kids' game show Fun House when reading about the trials.)

This series is obviously a feminist or semi-feminist twist on King Arthur/Camelot where almost all of the strong male characters from the original are either female, LGBTQ, or toxic masculinity abusive males. I DNF'd Kristen White's feminist Camelot retelling for similar issues. Only I do find Briar Boleyn's retelling more interesting. I like that Draven is still such a strong male character. But (highlight for spoiler) I don't understand why he couldn't have been Emporer and Morgan Empress through their bond without him having to "let" her take the position. His line about not wanting to leech power from her felt a bit thin to me. End spoiler.

Favorite quote:
-"How many times can you deny a gift before the gift no longer comes when you call it?”

I read Court of Claws quickly given its size. I stayed up late reading, and I don't give up sleep easily these days. I didn't want to put it down when I needed to. But at the same time, looking back I feel I can only give Court of Claws 3 Stars. Morgan's attitude was challenging for me through a large part of the book. Draven's refusal to share information only felt like a weak plot idea to be able to create conflict later rather than an actual need to keep said information to himself for any real reason that I can discern up to this point. I will be continuing the series; however, I hope it improves, and this book just suffers from SBIASS (second book in a series syndrome). Have you read Court of Claws ? What did you think? Let me know!

Briar Boleyn expertly navigates readers through the twists and turns that occur in Court of Claws in a way that had me absolutely entranced. The level of character development in this series had me feeling all of the feels and wanting to throw my kindle at one specific part. Dearest Author, you know what you did!!

5 🌟
2.5 🌶
This was so much better than the first book I am really enjoying where the series is heading.
In book 2 we got
- fated mates
- one bed
- magic
- trials and much more.
I love all the characters especially nightclaw 🐈
Thank you net galley and star water press for a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Dove right in! Fast past and fast moving!! You gotta keep up.
Great development and direction of story. Always love finding new fantasy Novels and Authors. Will be recommending this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing the eARC of 'Court of Claws' by Briar Boleyn in exchange for my honest review 💫

'Court of Claws' is a dark fantasy, Arthurian retelling with a Fae twist.
The second book in the 'Blood of Fae' series exceeded all my expectations in a very very good way! The story picks right up after the big cliffhanger in the first book. We learn more about Morgan's powers, the Exmoor and there's a lot of worldbuilding and introducing new characters. The way Briar involved Beks in the storyline was amazing. I love his sidecharachter!
I'm a little frustrated with Morgan in the second book. There's a lot of: 'I hate you because you kidnapped me', but Draven literally saved her life (and didn't kidnapp). Get your shit together girl.

All things considered, this was a very well written book and I cannot wait for the story to fully unravel in the next two books! Would I recommend my friends to read this book? ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY YES!

Tropes:
🖤 Slow burn romance
✨️ Magical objects
⚔️ Arthurian retelling
🐦‍🔥 Mystical creatures
☠️ Morally grey MMC

Rating:
4⭐️/5
2🌶/5