4.25 stars! ⭐️ Huge thanks to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends & NetGalley for the ARC! 💌

Okay but—feels SO weird reading the sequel when the first book hasn’t even been released yet?! I feel like I’m holding a secret and can’t scream with everyone about it… yet.

The Demon and the Light by Axie Oh is the epic finale to The Floating World duology, and oh my stars, it brings the DRAMA. We pick up right where book one left off — Ren is now a heavenly savior, apparently (no pressure, queen), and Sunho? Yeah, he’s full-on Demon mode now. Feral. Dangerous. Not even recognizing her anymore. My heart? Shattered.

Meanwhile, the Volmarans are causing chaos, a wild war is brewing, and Ren’s getting pulled into royal court politics where everyone’s got an agenda and a fake smile. And all she wants to do is save the boy she loves. Pain.

✦ The VIBES?? Immaculate. It’s fantasy, yes, but it’s also deeply emotional — about grief, hope, and finding your own light when everything feels lost. The character bonding? Top-tier.

✦ Ren’s arc is SO beautifully done. She’s not perfect, but she feels real. She’s grieving and unsure, but still fierce and driven. The way she loves Sunho??? Tender. Stubborn. Heartbreaking.

✦ Sunho, my broken demon boy. I wanted to throw something every time he was on the page because it HURT. He’s battling this monster inside him, and he doesn’t believe he deserves love anymore. Axie Oh, why must you rip my heart out??

✦ Jaeil gets his moment too!! We finally get his POV and it adds so much. He’s messy, sarcastic, loyal to a fault — just the kind of wildcard I love. His character development?? Chef’s kiss.

✦ Found family trope is ALIVE AND WELL. Honestly, I lived for the group dynamics. The banter, the loyalty, the chaotic team-ups. It gave Lunar Chronicles energy in the best way.

Was everything perfect? Not quite. A couple side plotlines felt like they got left hanging and the ending wrapped up a bit quick for my taste — like we were sprinting toward the finish line — but honestly?? It didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the ride.

This book had me giggling, sobbing, SCREAMING.
It’s lush, emotional, and cinematic as hell.
The way Axie balances mythology, romance, and revolution?? STUNNING.
And the themes?? Power, grief, choice, forgiveness. This book says something without ever feeling preachy.

So yeah.
Was it painful? Yes.
Did I love every second? Also yes.
Would I fight the Volmarans with Ren and squad? You KNOW I would.
Catch me storming the gates with a glowing sword and righteous rage.

Run, don’t walk to add this duology to your TBR.
And when the first book drops, just know the sequel is waiting to emotionally destroy you all over again.

Axie Oh excels at writing innocent and sweet characters who are easy to root for. These lovable characters, however, are also morally complex and multidimensional. They change over the course of the novel, even as their general purity remains constant.

What I especially appreciated about this novel is the subtlety and sophistication with which it offered critiques of extractive capitalism and settler colonialism.

The ending felt rushed and over-simplified, but maybe that's also because I didn't want the novel to end!

The Demon and the Light arrives none to soon to rescue faithful readers from the cliffhanger that left them wounded at the end of The Floating World. Actually, the second book in the duology is being released within six months of the first so those that do not enjoy the longer waits between books may rejoice. I was also delighted by the way the story continues. This sequel aligns nicely with the start of the story, returning to familiar characters and adding a few new ones for readers to become invested in before leading everyone into a satisfying conclusion. The notes of romance and mythology enhance the plot and the pacing of the story is steady. This book did not cave to the sophomore curse that seems to plague some duologies, instead it lifts up the story started in the first book and ends it in an enjoyable way.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

The Demon and the Light is a beautiful and romantic tale of love and redemption.

Ren has been revealed as the heir to the Floating World and the kingdom of Sareniya. But she has lost Sunho to his Demon, and is desperate to get him back. With new allies and old friends, Ren must navigate the court politics of Sareniya, end the war with the Volmarans, and somehow find a way to save Sunho, all without losing herself along the way.

I was so happy to have received an early ARC for this one, especially after the ending of The Floating World! I really enjoyed this follow up to The Floating World. I thought this was an excellent and perfect conclusion to this story. The writing was excellent and beautifully done, and the pacing was good and kept me fully engaged the whole time. I didn't want to put it down! Similar to The Floating World, with this book, the relationships are really at the heart of the book. Ren and Sunho grapple with their feelings for each other, and how to keep one another safe in a world where so much is at risk. Sunho must learn to handle his Demon side so he doesn't hurt the people he cares about, while Ren must figure out how she fits into a kingdom where her own mother never truly felt safe or accepted. Ren's growth arc was really wonderful to see - how she accepted her magic and began to understand her legacy in a long line of strong women. I also loved the POVs from Jaeil, who is also learning to accept his new role separate from his controlling father. I'm glad we see a bit more of some familiar characters, like Little Uncle Wook, who was a favorite of mine. One of the issues I had with the first book was the world building - it felt a tad confusing at times, but this book definitely fixed that for me. We see more of the Floating World in this book, and have a better understanding of the war and the Celestial Maiden and the Demons, and their influence over the kingdom. The book had some surprising twists and turns, some which I anticipated and some I did not. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the duology as a whole.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - Feiwel & Friends for the advanced copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Ren is now acknowledged as the heir to the Floating World. Sunho has transformed fully into the demon. The threat to their world in the form of a vengeful scientist is only growing as he allies with the Volmara to the North, and only they can stop him. But that means accepting the past neither of them wanted and engaging in a war that might overtake everything and everyone they love.

When I say I devoured this book, it is not an understatement. After the cliffhanger of “The Floating World” I sat here with my fingers crossed, begging that my ARC request for “The Demon and the Light” would be approved and lo and behold it was! Thankfully, I received the news after clocking out, because I then proceeded to dedicate the rest of my evening exclusively to this story.

My biggest point of comparison for this conclusion is The Lunar Chronicles, and I mean that as a compliment. The sense of fate and grandiosity for a “normal” girl surrounded by a rag-tag group of friends to help take down a big bad. Still, there were plenty of surprises and plot twists to go around, not to mention make this its own unique story, even if the tropes are there.

There were a handful of small plot lines that I wish had been addressed at the end, but truly they are minute and had nothing to do with our main characters.

Unlike Axie's previous books, this duology has three main character POVs, and that choice shines in this story, especially with Jaeil. We got snippets of his perspective last time, but this time, it rounds out the voices needed to tell the whole story. Not to mention it allows for more team-ups of unlikely characters, as well as introductions to past characters through new lenses. The snippets of conversation and “getting-to-know-yous” are funny and squeeze your heart as the various characters you’ve come to love interact with each other. In essence, it was wonderful.

There’s only three ways that sequels go: significantly worse than the first, disappointing compared to the first, or better than the first. Happily, “The Demon and the Light” is in the latter category. It gives us heartbreak, laughter, action, and hope. With the world and its laws set in place, Axie Oh proceeds to give us a heart pounding wrap up to Ren and Sunho’s story.

Thank you Feiwel and Friends for the ARC!