Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This was so close to a 5 star. I was really digging the high stakes and adventure in this one. I really thank the author for having a recap in the beginning because I needed it. It really helped my brain remember the little details of last time.

This is also one of those stories where I liked the main characters but I was more invested in the B cast. Keegan, Jude, & Kiki stole the show for me. I wish we could have had Kiki in the last book because she is delightful. Keegan being aroace coded was great. Ive wanted to hug poor Jude since the last book.

I love the look at religion and its effects on people in this universe. It seems to be a huge point of their society. The ending made me smile and tear up a little. This was a very good duology and I think I enjoyed this book more than the first.

Selly and Leander have been through a lot and the result is love. He is now the Messenger for the goddess Barrica and Leander is the only thing keeping him from being taken over by the dark magic. Unfortunately, Barrica wasn’t the only goddess who woke up and this new god is trying to start a war. Will these two be able to stop the evil in the world, both immortal and human? Will their new bond survive what they must go through next?

The Heart of the World is the second book in The Isles of Gods fantasy series. The beginning of the book has a refresher of the first book so those who have a space of time between novels will be reminded. This might be too much if you are reading the books close together, though. Kaufman has taken the world-building from the first book and expanded on these dynamic characters. A good fantasy read for those who enjoyed the first part.

*Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely adore Amie Kaufman, and this duology is just the latest of her books to blow me away. The Heart of the World is the final book of the Isle of the Gods duology, and it picks up where the first book left off. Selly, Leander, and Keegan have returned to Alinor with Leander transformed as the Messager of Barrica, meanwhile, in Mellacea, Laskia has also become a Messanger and is trying to awaken her sleeping god. Jude is caught between his ties to Laskia and his loyalty to Leander. I loved this book, the plot, characters, writing, everything was fantastic. So without further ado my--spoiler free-- thoughts.
First up the adorable, the unbelievable, the one and only, Selly and Leander. I loved these two in the first book, but seeing their relationship grow and face hardships both godly and worldly was amazing. I can’t say much without giving anything away, but let me just say that I was extremely happy with what happened to these two in this book. Now on to the other musketeer, Keegan. Keegan was one of my favorite characters from the first book, and I loved him just as much in this one. He had a bigger role in this book, and I enjoyed learning more about him. Next up is Laskia. I hated her in this first book (obviously). She’s the villain but I also found her super annoying and her reasonings irritated me. She is much the same in this book, but I will say that I liked seeing her finally standing up for herself in the last little bit, and though I would have preferred a different ending for her, I understand why the author chose the one she did. Lastly, Jude. I kinda felt like Jude was unnecessary in the first book, but I really enjoyed him in this one. He was one of my fav characters and I am glad that he finally decided who he was and what he wanted. There are new characters in this book, my fav being Kiki, and I loved seeing more of the world and exploring the magic and gods within this book.
On to the plot. I really enjoyed the plot of this book. It is a bit slower than the first one, with everything leading up to one big moment. That being said, I flew through this book, finishing it in just a few sittings. I actually prefer plots that are a little slower and have less action, so there is that. Amie Kaufman is an absolute legend at writing engaging and magical plots and I love them.
In conclusion, yes. I loved this book, it was exciting and lovable and emotional. The first book was super good, but this one was perfection. Oh and don’t worry there is a cute little epilogue where everyone gets their own ever after.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (closed door)

The gods have their messengers, and that means the threat of war is looming. As Selly and Leander face the reality of their new bond, they also wonder if they'll both survive the power that links them. Meanwhile, Laskia revels in her new abilities, and Jude struggles with whether to run or continue the path he's been on with Dasriel and Laskia. Will the gods be released back into the world and bring a war that could destroy everything, or will our heroes find a way to bring about peace without sacrificing themselves?

This. Was. So. Good! Book one was good and fine, but this one sucked me in from the beginning and never let go. There were some POVs in the first book that bored me a bit and seemed unnecessary, but this time every character had a purpose and contributed to the storyline in a meaningful way. There was so much tension and conflict throughout, and I never knew what was going to happen next. The characters all had to gamble with their lives and hope that they'd come out alive in the end. There were stronger friendships and more romance, and I wasn't sure if everyone would get a happy ending. I even loved the addition of Kiki's character, even though she didn't get as much page time as she deserved. I should also point out that the first chapter provided a great recap of book 1 for readers like myself who didn't reread before jumping into this one. Whether you enjoyed Isles of the Gods or not, I highly recommend picking up the conclusion to this duology! It definitely made me excited to read more from Amie Kaufman!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is an excellent follow up to the first book and completes another great series by Amie Kaufman. The conclusion is satisfying, characters well drawn out, and there are some solid unique plot points to differentiate this novel from so many YA fantasy series out there. I look forward to her next series.

Story: Selly and Leander return to his home as anchor and messenger: heavy responsibilities that take a toll on both. Selly must navigate Leander's court while also ensuring that he does not become lost to the goddess who granted him powers. Laskia also has messenger powers - but she needs to find an anchor and allies fast. Meanwhile Jude and Keegan each has a mission to complete that will change the fate of kingdoms and the gods themselves.

I especially appreciated that the author plays with dualities (in this duology) so effectively. We have two groups: Selly/Leander/Keegan and Laskia/Ruby/Jude who have become embroiled with the return of two gods. The first group has support and love on their side while the second is held together by fear and intimidation. The first group is not entirely good while the second is definitely not entirely evil. As well, the first book was about Leander being a fish out of water (no pun intended) at sea while the second novel puts Selly out of her element in the royal palace.

The running theme is of manipulation by the ones they thought loved them and the characters finding their own places in the world. This has less of the swashbuckling action of the first novel due to being set in Leander's palace but is all the better for not being a repeat as a result. Most of the action comes at the end and the first part of the book is about the deteriorating mental states of all the characters under the pressures of the returning gods.

In all, I greatly enjoyed this duology. Kaufman is a solid writer who makes characters that are relatable, flawed, but interesting. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

3.5 stars - I liked the first book in this series better and I gave that one 4.
This book picks up right where the first one left off. Leander and Laskia have both become messengers for gods while trying to prevent a war.
We have our same 5 POVs (Selly, Leander, Keegan, Jude and Laskia). This was obviously easier to follow than the first one because I already knew the characters. We get to know them all so much better and watch their relationships (romantic or friendship) blossom. I really liked that we got to meet Kiki (Keegan's ..."wife"). She was great and I loved how accepting she was that Keegan had no romantic feelings toward her. The fact that she helped him jump out a window to escape their marriage still makes me chuckle. I also liked getting to know Jude better as he is kind of a morally grey character.
This book was pretty slow in the middle and didn't lose my interest, but my mind drifted a little. I don't think the pacing had to do with the writing style, which I liked, it just wasn't as exciting as the beginning and end. The end was super fast paced and I also enjoyed the little epilogue-y part.

I just finished my reread of Isles of the Gods and it was PERFECT way to start off this book, I would recommend everyone do that. It's a nice refresher. now onto this book. I am convinced that Amie Kaufman can do no wrong. Everything she writes is utter perfection. It was filled with danger, romance, twists and turns, that you didn't see coming (although you should) and I wish I could have my memory wiped so I could read it again for the first time.

I believe this sequel to The Isle of the Gods was just as good if not better than the first. The romance between Selly and Leander was extremely satisfying, and the rich character development of Jude and Laskia just blew me away. The narrative of course was excellent (I would expect nothing less from an Amie Kaufman novel), but her ability to depict these nuanced personalities that are so complex and so human is just outstanding. Selly is still my favorite; we get to see a more vulnerable side to her that was sort of missing from the first book. Overall, I loved The Heart of the World. It’s one of the most original YA novel I’ve read this year.

I adore this duology with all my heart! I recommended the first book to everyone I knew, eagerly awaiting any news for the sequel, and getting approved for an ARC was a dream come true. I was in a bit of a reading slump for a while but "The Heart of the World" broke it! I love these characters so much - especially Jude - and the world feels so fresh. The ending is a tad rushed but it didn't change how much I loved everything else about the book. Normally in a multi-POV book, there's at least 1 or 2 characters that I just do not care about, eager to get through their chapters as quickly as possible - but I never had that issue with this duology. I loved every POV, the different perspectives and motivations of the characters, and the romance! Honestly, I wish this was a trilogy because I want MORE!

A great conclusion! I was blown away by the storyline, world building, and action in The Isles of the Gods. This sequel was its reactive counterpart. We see the fallout from the events at the end of the first book and how those choices affect every character. Although the plot was much more slowly paced, I could not put it down. I wish we could have seen more of Laskia’s perspective and more consequences for her. The ending felt rushed, but overall I am happy with how everything came together.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, and Knopf Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

So good! After the breathtaking conclusion of Isle of the Gods, I couldn't wait to see what happened next with Leander and Selly and The Heart of the World did not disappoint. Although it was a very quick and easy read, so much happened and the plot felt well paced. Loved the characters and the conclusions ... I wish I had more of this series to read!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy

This book took on a ride and i loved it. this is prob going to my top book of the year. i adored this book and all the drama that came with it. I loved seeing the new setting and the new characters and also loved how complicted this book became wtih so many wild twists and turns.. I am happy with the ending but would love to see mroe set in this world. Bookworms there is so much for you in this book. Hate to more girls so much for you!!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This was SUCH A GOOD CONCLUSION. Nothing felt too rushed, I liked the ending, and the pacing was fast in a great way. I felt equally engaged as I did with the first book, and highly recommend both of them equally! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=4.25 | 😘=2 | 🤬=1 | ⚔️=3.25 | 13+

summary: The Isles of the Gods book two

thoughts: I love these characters! and this world! very well-paced as well, and I like where the character arcs (specifically Keegan, Selly, Jude, and Leander’s) ended up. I think Laskia got less attention, or less of a happy ending than I would’ve liked? maybe just… less of an ending. idk. also I want more Kiki content but I think this series should not have any spin offs so idk what to do about that.

my biggest critique (spoiler??): (view spoiler)

anyway! overall!! a good time. not as good as book one (tough to beat), but still great! a nice conclusion to it all!!

Amie Kaufman, you heartbreaker and heart-putterbacktogetherer. I have eagerly been awaiting this follow-up to The Isles of the Gods and I was not disappointed! The stakes here were so high and never felt like a forgone conclusion and I was turning the pages like mad to see how it would all turn out. A seriously satisfying ending to the duology.

An amazing conclusion to this story. I loved how the book ended. The characters stayed true to themselves while also growing. In this second book we get to experience life on land and more of Leanders world. Plus the bibliotek! I will miss reading about Shelly and her adventures.

An absolutely excellent follow up to "The Isle of the Gods". It builds on the world and magic, while expertly flushing out all the characters. An unexpected and ultimately fulfilling end to the story.

I was excited to receive approval for this arc, as I read book one upon its release last year and really enjoyed it. The Heart of the World had an uphill battle against it, in terms of following a strong sequel and adjusting the world building and plot to employ literal gods. Though the middle felt muddled at times, what with following several point of views, it ultimately delivered in the final 50 pages.
The muddle came from the author having to set up necessary moments that would come in those final pages. At times it felt disjointed, such as the emphasis on a relationship only passingly mentioned in book one. Likewise, a roadblock was presented at the end of the first book that was solved within the first 10% of this one. The stakes were immediately lowered with that move, and the author needed to re-establish them.
It was a satisfying conclusion for these characters, and anyone who was a fan of the first book will enjoy reading this one.

What a beautiful second book in the duology. I still didn’t love the multiple points of view, five this time. And I still stuggled with Jude’s overall purpose until the very end. That payoff was worth it. Every thing came together in a way I wasn’t expecting. I think Amie Kaufman is a talented writer with some crazy great ideas. I loved Leander and Selly and Keegan. I despised Laskia but at the same time felt so deeply for her. And the introduction of Kiki was the best. I would love to read books from her perspective, not just a single epilogue chapter. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This sequel was fast paced, suspenseful, and ultimately had a great conclusion. I will say, the ending felt rushed and the epilogue seemed sugar coated, but then again, I probably would have been upset if it didn't have a super happy ending.