I really liked the first book and was excited when I saw this here on netgalley! This was a strong conclusion to this duology and it was a great way to finish off the story. the characters were fantastic and everything fell into place very well. Nothing seemed weird, the pieces fit together and the story played out as it should have.

3.5 Stars

𓄋 Morally grey characters
𓄋 Tragic Sapphic
𓄋 Necromancy
𓄋 Religious exploration/trauma

I loved The Gilded Crown so much I had to re-read it to make sure I didn't miss anything. However, Marianne did an awesome job at recapping everything in this sequel so I wasn't completely lost.

The Antlered King continues down the darker story side with death, immortality, and forgiveness. Some of Hellevir’s choices will have you side eyeing her, making you think twice, maybe even a third time. Sullivan is still creeping around, doing the most to be just as terrible and intriguing as before. I did feel like the main story line felt a little like a side quest.

The writing is still gorgeous, and the world-building was on point yet again. The pacing was decent but Hellevir’s growth seemed to take one step forward and then two steps back though, which made me feel like we were running on a treadmill. Doing all this legwork but getting nowhere.

Not my favorite read this year but there were many parts I enjoyed and choices I was left thinking about long after I put the book down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Publishing, and Marianne Gordon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

No one is more sad about this rating than me. Especially because I re-read the first book in preparation to read this ARC (which ended up not being necessary because the author really did a great job recapping the major elements of the first book for the reader) and ended up loving it more than when I'd initially read it. Unfortunately, the conclusion to this story really left me cold. I actually had to take a bit to mentally process my feelings on it. Ultimately, though, I'm just immeasurably disappointed by how things turned out.

I will say that the writing was, once again, stunning and immersive. Despite my rating and overall feelings on the plot, there were also some character moments that really stood out. There was also an issue with some of the character development/resolution, but we'll get there.

The biggest issue I had with this book is that the plot was very repetitive and cyclical. If that had been a commentary on both the cyclical nature of abusive relationships and the conflicts that arise with the trope "with great power comes great responsibility" then I think it would've worked. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case. It really just seemed like a vehicle to draw out the story. As a side effect, all of those character moments and developments also felt repetitive. Hellevir's character growths ended up feeling like they didn't matter because every time another character would make an observation or criticism, Hellevir would take that, seem like she was growing, then go right back to old habits. Again, if this felt like the point of the story, it would have been fine. The ending, however, seemed to me to show that wasn't the case.

Then, there's the romance with Sullivain. That was one of my main criticisms of the first book. When I thought the author was going to go a different direction with it, upon my reread I felt like the relationship worked. This book killed that thought real quick. The romance, as it is in this book, did not work for me at all. I can't get too deep into it because it delves heavily into spoilers. As much as I disliked this conclusion, I won't spoil things for people. Instead, I'll say that Sullivain's character arc and her relationship with Hellevir felt unearned.

As for the stuff with The Antlered King himself, that also felt largely unsatisfying. Again, can't say anything due to spoilers, but I really wish there'd been a bit more detail and clarification about him.

Overall, this was probably one of my most disappointing reads of the year. The ending in particular really failed for me and delivered an unsatisfying and frustrating conclusion to a duology that I'd hoped would be favorite.

The reading experience for this book was super immersive and perfectly blends folklore, horror aspect’s, mythology, and fantasy in my opinion. I definitely feel like the characters are the stars of the show and Hellevir was fantastic! Overall I enjoyed this read!!

⭐ 5 !

When I finished the first book of this duology, The Gilded Crown, I started my review by saying "this book was s0mehow completely different from what I expected and also exactly what I would've wanted", and that statement is just as accurate about this installment as it was the first. The covers for these books do them an incredible injustice as they really make you think these are classic romantasy novels, or at least lighthearted in nature, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

Hellevir's story is relentless and when the punches start, they don't stop. I wanted to look away but I just couldn't, it was brutal, but it was offset by just how rich, atmospheric, and alluring this world is. On another positive note, there is more Sullivain this book! She is awful, but in the best way, and getting inside of her head was such a delight, especially with how disconnected I felt to her last book.

I loved it, I might've cried a little, but it was worth it. I would recommend this series if you enjoy:

-Truly morally grey characters
-Tragic sapphic pining
- Explorations of religion, family, and forgiveness

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was blown away by the depth and emotion of this book! The world is so vividly drawn, I loved being immersed in it. I read slowly so I could absorb all the details and really feel every scene. This book takes place several years after the first one. Hellevir is still processing the events that occured years ago. Then war begins, and her focus must shift to the present. She feels torn between her family and Sullivain, but she tries to do what she feels in her heart is right. Love is a major theme of the book, but I wouldn't call it a romance. It's more about realizing that the people you love most aren't always good for you, and finding a way to relate to them that's compassionate but also respectful of yourself. This against the backdrop of civil war, with Sullivain fighting to keep her kingdom and Hellevir acting as a healer, trying to save as many lives as possible. The ending didn't make me happy, but it felt true to the characters. I'll definitely look for more by this amazing author!

Not so long ago as I write this, I had the privilege to read the first book of this duology. It had been sitting on my TBR for some time as I kept passing it up based on my assumption that it would be a fairly standard romantasy tale; the cover, frankly, made it blend in to the point where I would have ignored it entirely if I had not heard it was sapphic. “Standard romantasy but make it sapphic” is enough of a hook to make me curious to try something.

When I finally got around to reading that first book, it was nothing like I’d imagined. The story was rich with complicated characters and a claustrophobic world that left me anxious to read the next part. And wow, that wasn’t the conclusion I had expected, but perhaps I should have known better than to ever assume I knew where this was all going.

The Raven’s Trade as a whole is not for the faint of heart. It’s not the darkness of the world, but the circumstances and choices presented to the characters that make it such a “difficult” read. Hellevir makes mistakes but never does she feel stupid for making them: she tried her best given what she knew and the restraints around her. Sullivan is cruel but no matter what she does, it comes after a lifetime of being molded into that role. How much control do either of these two really have over their lives and choices? I wouldn’t call this series a tragedy exactly, but it certainly follows the rules of one, much more than any other template.

Now, I’ve said my piece on the whole duology. If any of that intrigues you, if you’re a fan of hurt no comfort (lol), if you enjoy reading sapphic stories that aren’t straightforward romances… do check out the first book. And if you enjoy the ride, pick up the second when it comes out.

For those who already have read the first book and want to know about the second: the Antlered King is a book about death. Death, immortality, the afterlife, and what people do and don’t deserve. The “surface” plot picks up a few years into Hellevir’s self-imposed exile and follows her continual efforts to protect the people she loves and prevent a civil war. But that’s only the surface. Mind you, it’s surface one that masterfully wracks up the tension and nearly had me pacing the room and yanking on my hair as I knew I couldn’t trust a single moment of peace. But the real heart of the story is its questions and themes. Is wanting to be a good person enough to absolve us? Or do only our actions matter? What purpose does shame serve in helping or hindering our growth? Is eternal suffering a fitting punishment for mistakes we made in life? At what point do we stop giving people second chances? Is forgiveness a weakness or a strength? It’s these ideas that take center stage as the story reaches its conclusion, and they’re what will make or break the ending for you.

Perhaps you’ll disagree with Hellevir’s choices. I know I never could have made them. But I’m not Hellevir and can only wish someone might make the same choices for me as Hellevir made for other characters. That someone might see the good in me even when I can’t see it in myself. Because the alternative is the void, which is really just shame, and that never solves anything.

Truly phenomenal I absolutely loved this as much as the first one. This is such an underrated series.

This was a strong conclusion to the Raven’s Trade duology and did a great job in finishing the story in a great way. I enjoyed getting to go on this journey and how everything played out. The characters felt like they belonged in this world and worked with the plot of the book. Marianne Gordon was able to write this well and was glad I was able to read this.

This was OK! Kind of sounds like the a demon books when first looking at the book. I wasn't the biggest fan of this but it was a decent read.