Days of Blood and Starlight By: Laini Taylor

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• Title: Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2)
• Author: Laini Taylor
• Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication Date:  November 6, 2012
• Pages: 517
• Genre: Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Library  
• Rating: 4.0 /  5.0 stars

Karou finally knows everything she has sought to know. And she hates it. Being an angel lover and betrayer of her people would not sit well for anyone, but for Karou, it's even worse because she dared to dream. Dared to dream with Akiva of a world where peace was possible.

And all that was wrenched away from her. Now, Karou tries to correct her past mistakes while suffering under an almost unbearable burden while Akiva struggles a world away with his own troubles. Whether they will ever see each other again is not the real question, but whether Karou will ever find it in herself to forgive Akiva for what he has done to her. Or if she can forgive herself for what she has done to her own world.

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I was super excited to start this book after the cliffhanger that left me reeling in the last book, in general this book didn't disappoint. I think the best way to describe this book is that a lot of things happened without anything actually happening. It sounds a little bland, but like many middle books in a trilogy, this second book had to be a bridge between what had already happened and what would later happen.

I liked this book because I got to know Karou even better, especially through the internal dialogue that went on. Oftentimes I hate it when characters go too into depth with all their icky *feelings* and such, but in Karou's case, I think it allowed the readers to gauge the shifting perspectives and sense of worth Karou felt throughout the novel. She was never the helpless, lovestruck girl in a romance novel, and I admired Karou's sense of self in this novel even more because she was able to get through everything despite all her additional hardship.

I also loved getting to know a whole new set of characters within the chimera and seraph ranks, especially Liraz, Hazael,  and Ziri. I was immersed in their worlds and it gave me a greater perspective of what each side felt, giving very real feelings to mythical creatures and made me think of our own human conditions and the perspectives that drive our decisions.

As always, I loved Taylor's beautiful writing and I wrote down quite a few quotes for safe-keeping. I love the beautiful descriptions she is able to weave into my imagination and the depth of feeling she is able to convey without saying too much.

I did rate this book lower than the first book because the action was mostly centered on Karou and her internal conflicts, though done in such a way that the plot lines eventually converged. I think it's still a great book, but the lack of mystery with Eretz kind of dimmed the magic, even if by an infinitesimal amount. But that being said, I still cannot wait to read the next installment!