Saffron is back dealing with high school bullies, Gwen is getting drawn deeper into political intrigues and world ending magics, and Yena is learning that not everything is as it seems. It will take everyone working together to save the world when Kadeja escapes.

This blew away all my expectations for this sequel! I had felt the world was very narrow in the first book and this one had much more expansive world building, giving us a fascinating nexus point I wanted to stay in for longer. I was worried that the problems set up in the previous book wouldn’t be all tied up, but this had a thoroughly satisfying resolution! It was your basic fantasy story, but then the new information we get at the three-quarters mark recontexualized everything for me. It made me immediately want to go back and reread the first one.

And yet there were threads enough for more stories, & some sweet romances that didn’t overpower the rest of the story. I still feel that we didn’t get quite as much character depth as I would had liked as the pace of the plot kept us constantly moving, but I was too swept up in the story to be particularly bothered by it.

Many thanks to both NetGalley and Angry Robot for the opportunity to read this arc!

Foz Meadows is such a star, and as always I am blown away by their capacity. for love, empathy, and true human emotion in their writing. I absolutely loved this duology, and the way this book in particular really digs into the complexities of grief. I ache for these characters and feel them so palpably that they could be standing beside me.

While I knew Meadows writes queer stories I really enjoyed HOW queer this one felt, how it was tied directly into the story itself and one could not exist without the other. Autonomy plays such a huge role and I think that is the source of a lot of that realism in such a fantastical story. There is so much care and love taken with all the challenging explorations of trauma and pain, it's impossible not to fall in love with these books.

An instant new favourite series, and another book written by Meadows that I'll never shut up about.

A Tyranny of Queens brings us to where we left off with Saffron back on Earth trying to deal with everything she's been though without giving too much away. Meanwhile back in Kena the search for Leoden continues.

After reading the first book I knew I needed to continue the story. I think the story dealt well with Safi's trauma but also her no longer fitting into her old life. After being threatened with being placed in a facility due to her behavior she makes a run for it and leaps into a portal that doesn't exactly take her where she meant to go. I don't want to spoil anything from here but there a few twists I wasn't expecting.

Back in Kena Gwen and company are trying to figure out the mystery of the captured Worldwalkers while also dealing with everything they've been though. We also get to see more of Yena and her journey.

It was a little frustrating to have all the characters separated through a large part of the story. The book delves into grieving but also how to stand up for yourself and do what's right.

I really enjoyed these characters through these two stories. I will say although this book comes to a very satisfying conclusion I feel there is room to tell more stories with these characters. A+ for diversity and LGBTQ+ characters as well.

I had a lot of fun reading these books, highly recommend both!

Thanks NetGalley and Angry Robot for ARC in exchange for an honestly review.

A Tyranny of Queens digs deep into the emotional fallout of portal fantasy, balancing politics, trauma, and found family with sharp storytelling. The pacing lags at times, but the payoff—both in character growth and world expansion—makes it worth sticking with. Meadows crafts a complex, inclusive narrative that lingers long after the last page.

A Tyranny of Queens by Foz Meadows is one of the most beautiful books I've read so far... loved this story so much!!! 5 stars read from me.

5 ⭐️

After the sets up of book 1, we really take our time for Saff to process a lot emotionally, making the start of this book feel a little slow. That being said, MAN was the payoff worth it. The journey we go on in the Manifold Worlds is truly a wild ride. Learning the deeper lore of this world, and getting to glimpse other worlds besides the one we know where Kena is has me crossing all of my fingers and toes that we get more stories set in this amazing world. If you are looking for a portal fantasy that really does not shy away from trauma and processing all the emotional baggage that comes from finding yourself and your place in the world(s) I can’t recommend this duology more highly.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy to review via NetGalley.

Politics, emotional sucker punches, magic, AND a plethora of representations?! I'm sold! The Tyranny of Queens is a captivating, multifaceted fantasy novel that not only delivers on the magic and politics you’d expect but also offers rich representation of gender, relationships, and mental health. It’s a must-read for anyone looking for a thoughtful, inclusive, and gripping tale.

One of the things I enjoyed most was the handling of gender and identity. The representation goes beyond mere tokenism; the characters gender identity is intricately tied to the story’s broader themes of power, autonomy, and societal expectations. It’s a refreshing change to see genderqueer identities explored with such depth and complexity in a fantasy setting.

The book also sensitively explores mental health, offering a portrayal of characters who face challenges like depression and trauma. These issues are addressed with care, acknowledging the struggles while also showing resilience, and strength.

What really elevates this story, though, is the theme of found family. The relationships between characters evolve and deepen throughout the book, creating bonds of trust and mutual support that transcend bloodlines. It’s a beautiful reminder of the power of chosen family and the healing that comes from surrounding yourself with people who truly see and understand you.

Even better than the first!!

I enjoyed this one even more, the characters, the world, everything was well written and was fun to read

Wow! Foz Meadows has firmly become and auto-buy author for me with this book.

Saffron Coulter experiences a lot during her time in Kena and now she has returned home but she isn't the same girl who left. She isn't alone in struggling with all of the changes that were wrought as her friends and found family are also trying to come to terms with the events at the end of An Accident of Stars.

Meadows weaves a captivating tale with this story paying respect to the tangible grief that all of the characters feel for their losses. I really love how inclusive and incisive this story is with BIPOC, queer, and trans characters as well as having social commentary. I was constantly surprised by this story and its twists and turns as well as being brought to tears not by moments that were more powerful than sad. There is a real feeling of consequences throughout the story and with an ending that is incredibly satisfying for the reader. I enjoy the way that this book feels as though we have only been granted a window into all of the characters' lives and they will go on living outside of the pages of this story, we just won't be granted a look into what those lives look; I like to think that Lita and Safi meet again in the future...

I truly do not feel as though I have the language to properly convey just how amazing this book was and feel so privileged to have been able to read it.