Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): 
Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

Book Review:
Wow. I am going to be thinking about this book for days. Taylor really steps it up in this sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I'm not even sure where to begin this review. Well, I guess I'll start with Taylor's writing. With Smoke and Bone, I experienced some choppiness as well as a lag in the middle of the story. All you'll find here is a smooth, complex story, rich in detail. I stand amazed. I could easily read this story over several times before I fully grasped it in its entirety. I had to re-read sections out of Smoke and Bone before starting Blood and Starlight. I don't even know how I'll remember everything from this book. I had some difficulty identifying with Karou this time around. In the previous book, she seemed so strong and sure of herself. Her world has been shaken, and understandably, so has some of her personality. I'm glad she finds her voice eventually. In my honest opinion, she is a little harsh on Akiva, but there's definitely room to grow in that relationship. The majority of the story takes place among the Chimera, which I adored. The alternating voices of Karou and Akiva was a nice touch as well. There is SO MUCH that happens that I want to talk about, but I don't want to spoil it for future readers. If you haven't picked up this series yet, I implore you too! Easily one of the most original captivating stories that I have read thus far.

Favorite Quote:
“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living—one without massacres and torn throats and bonfires of the fallen, without revenants or bastard armies or children ripped from their mothers’ arms to take their turn in the killing and dying.

Once, the lovers lay entwined in the moon’s secret temple and dreamed of a world that was a like a jewel-box without a jewel—a paradise waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness.

This was not that world.” 

Cover Art Commentary:
Yes! Yes! Yes! Gorgeous, isn't it?! It fits perfectly with the first book, while having its own flair! Love it!

Rating: