A Poison Dark and Drowning
Ratings5
Average rating3.8
In the gripping fantasy sequel to A Shadow Bright and Burning that Justine Magazine says is "a pinch of Potter blended with a drop of Infernal Devices (Cassandra Clare)", Henrietta wants to save her love, but his dark magic may be her undoing. “Devastatingly magical and monstrously romantic.” —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of CARAVAL Henrietta wants to save the one she loves. But will his dark magic be her undoing? In the second book in the Kingdom on Fire series, Jessica Cluess delivers her signature mix of magic, passion, and teen warriors fighting for survival. Hand to fans of Victoria Aveyard, Sarah J. Maas, and Kiersten White. Henrietta came to London to be named the chosen one, the first female sorcerer in centuries. Instead, she discovered a city ruled by secrets. And the biggest secret of all: Henrietta is not the chosen one. Still, she must play the role in order to keep herself and Rook, her best friend and childhood love, safe. But can she truly save him? In order to try, Henrietta persuades Blackwood, the mysterious Earl of Sorrow-Fell, to travel up the coast to seek out new weapons. And Magnus, the brave, reckless flirt who wants to win back her favor, is assigned to their mission. Together, they will face monsters, make powerful allies, and discover that some old wounds are still full of poison. Praise for Jessica Cluess's A Shadow Bright and Burning, Kingdom on Fire, Book 1: “This is a novel that gives off light and heat.” —The New York Times “The magic! The intrigue! The guys! We were sucked into this monster-ridden alternative England from page one. Henrietta is literally a ‘girl on fire’ and this team of sorcerers training for battle had a pinch of Potter blended with a drop of [Cassandra Clare’s] Infernal Devices.” —Justine “Unputdownable. I loved the monsters, the magic, and the teen warriors who are their world’s best hope! Jessica Cluess is an awesome storyteller!” —TAMORA PIERCE, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Series
Featured Series
3 primary booksKingdom on Fire
Kingdom on Fire is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2016 with contributions by Jessica Cluess.
Reviews
Popular Reviews
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4.5 Stars
Initial Thoughts: This book was just as enjoyable to read as the first one, but it did not take me any time to put myself back in the world and with the characters. I was a little worried this book would suffer from second book syndrome but I am happy to say, it did not in any way! I loved all the new information we got in this installment and it is fascinating to see the choices the characters are making and how this is going to shape into the final book. I also loved Maria as a new character that will be a huge part of the final book. I also really like how Jessica Cluess handled the different love interests and it did not seem forced to me at all (I also 100 PERCENT approve of who it appears Henrietta is ending up with!)
Some spoilers within, though nothing that would give away the “plot”.
This one was a little more eye roll inducing than the first one. Henrietta expresses little to no character development and is very much a product of the era the book is set (late 1800s London) even though it's a fully fictional world full of magic and faeries and giant otherworld monsters. Some of her decisions and inner thoughts/turmoil were overly dramatic and I found Maria and other characters much more realistic and interesting. I enjoy Cluess' writing overall and it was a book I looked forward to reading based on the first of the series, but the writer could have done a little more work on her main character to make them progress instead of stagnate. I was actually hoping they would die at the end I was so fed up with them. There is also virtually no ending to the story, fully written to accommodate a third book, which is one of my biggest pet peeves. They don't even enter Blackwood's mansion at Sorrow-Fell which would then lead to them meeting R'hlem and possible destroying him, with Magnus riding off for no other reason than to be killed. But we don't know because they're just sitting on the front lawn staring at the house when the book ends. If you can't finish the arc in a single book, don't bother with it.
