3.5/5

If I were sixteen I would have really liked this. As it was, I think I liked it? The time travel gets a bit confusing and I have a feeling that if I think about it for too long it would be a problem. Also this is not the final book in the series (not that it says anywhere that it would be, I just assumed it was). The characters are mostly really fun and the plot is definitely interesting. The pacing in this is a little bit slow at times but the ending is really solid and I want to know what happens next.

The main character in this bounces between being a bit too good at everything snd just so naive and trusting, but in ways that don't gel with her backstory. I liked her but her moments of "well i can't trust anyone" and then promptly trusting all the wrong people did get a bit old. Both boys in the love triangle were bad options, but I think I might prefer the worse one.

Thx to Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A huge, huge thank you to NetGalley and Entangled teen for granting me an advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinions

First off I am a huge fan of Allyson Noel so I was highly anticipating book two in this series and let me say it was worth the hype!

The story line picked up right where book one left off. Make sure you allow plenty of uninterrupted reading time for this one as you are not going to want to put it down!

Highly, highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Alyson Noel for this ARC.

I didn’t realize there was a first book until I started reading this. So many plot twist and lots of romance in Italy. Great storyline and the cliffhanger!! Can’t wait for the next book!

I love reading Alyson's writing!

This book picks up where book 1 ended.
(This book also ends on a cliffhanger)

Who the heck do you trust at Gray Wolf?!?!
I love the mystery and suspense this series has, as well as the historical facts that are weaved in (in a fun way - not like you are learning in class 😀).

Again, this series heavily focuses on tarot cards, hidden meanings in art, and artifacts - so if you don't find any of that interesting, but to just move along. If it sounds like something that intrigues you, this book is very much worth the read.

I finished this one in one day and put my family on pause - that's how invested I was.

There were no good stopping points! I NEEDED to know what happened next!

With that said, it was very fast-paced and I very much enjoyed it! Can't wait until the next one is finished and released! ❤️

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and voluntarily review this free eARC!

I received a digital copy of Ruling Destiny via NetGalley to read and review.

I was SO excited to get an ARC of Ruling Destiny! The second book of a series can be hit or miss but I think I enjoyed this more than Stealing Infinity. Ruling Destiny takes up right after Stealing Infinity. As the reader we still have no idea who to trust at Gray Wolf- even Arthur. We are left on a note that hints there will be a book three and I will definitely be ready to read it.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to receive an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

5 Stars

In the sequel to Stealing Infinity Natasha must decide who she can trust in a school where lying and thieving is the only way to survive in any timeline. She tries to unravel the secrets of Gray Wolf Academy, while weaving her own web of lies. She must choose between a friendship with the outsider Killiana or a relationship with the golden boy Braxton, all while doing their benefactor’s bidding. Which is literally tripping through time. It has it all: mystery, romance, tarot, plot twists, and time travel.

I absolutely devoured Ruling Destiny in one setting. The author does a fantastic job of transporting us into the different eras. She blends magick and science seamlessly to give this unique view of time travel. You really get the sense of Natasha being alone in this school where distrust and dishonesty are more common than not. She really struggles against the concept of who she used to be and who she is now. I loved seeing her get better but not magically being the best at everything. It definitely made it more realistic! The book ended with a really big cliffhanger and I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this follow-up to Stealing Infinity. Everything is bigger and bolder in this installment. The mystery, the stakes, the chemistry between the characters. Who to trust! I loved the characters and their dynamics! I've been a fan of Noel going back to Evermore, the first book in her Immortals series and she has only gotten better. Love this series

Tasha has a choice to make. Does she trust the brown haired, blue eyed boy she's falling for who keeps evading her questions or the blonde haired golden boy who seems keen on getting close to her. Not only that she still doesn't know who she can trust and if by helping Arthur she's doing more harm than good. Secrets come to light in this second book along with many more questions we hope will be answered by book three.

I picked up this book because Killian had me intrigued and I just had to see how the author would develop him. Unfortunately, I was majorly let down. I put myself through this painful story only for his character to be destroyed and rendered unlikable. Like i get that he was meant as a villain, but she could have made him a more interesting complex villain.

Reading this just reminded me why I didn't like the first one. Tasha spends the majority of the book creating theories in her head with little evidence. We are constantly told that she can't trust anyone at the school but not shown why. A lot of the problems come from her making up stuff in her head and the other characters withholding information from her. The worst one was Braxton's inability to tell her that he was there when her father died and knew who killed him. Like my dude you are her boyfriend but won't share this crucial information? How can he hope to be in a healthy relationship with her like that. There was so much of this story that's just everyone else knows what's going on except the MC that I was left frustrated and not enjoying the story at all.

Only good thing is that it's a quick read.

“but for now, on this storm-ridden night, we find ourselves here, separated by lies”
___
The second book in the Stolen Beauty trilogy by Alyson Noël.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2023 and I was hooked from the beginning to the end. Finished it in a heartbeat. There is something about all these characters that feels nostalgic and exciting, it’s hard to describe.

Read this series if you want:

• time travelers and time heists
• betrayals and unreliable characters
• romance
• magic system based on numerology
• high stakes (I had to put the book down at times because I was stressed out haha)
• fun fact: all artworks and ancient artefacts mentioned in the novels are real

Something I missed in this book is some more character growth from the main character, Tasha. She’s basically the same and hasn’t evolved a lot from the beginning of the first book. However she’s in a challenging environment with a lot of secrecy and uncertainty so I can understand it can be hard to grow in that environment. I hope she will have a lot of growth in the final book because I can see the potential in her story.

Thank you netgalley and entangled publishing for the eARC!

This was a really good follow up to the first book Stealing Infinity and actually managed to ramp up the mystery, magic and sexual tension. Caught between Braxton and Killian Natasha struggles to decide who she really can trust at Grey Wolf. Add in her fears for her friend Mason who has been dragged into this world of time travel, theft and danger and Nat whilst determined to find out why some students have disappeared still hides her unusual abilities. Thrown from one era to another Nat continues to search for the truth but it's even more shocking than she could ever imagine !
This author mixes so much here with Dark academia , history, art, tarot and magic that enables time travel. There's always a sense that Natasha is alone and cannot really trust anyone and as this book begins with quite literally a blast from the past for this reader the"triangle" just didn't really work. This is YA so things never progress too far if you catch my drift but certainly characters are left frustrated. I think the use of history and how art is integral to the plot was extremely well done and genuinely look forward to what happens to these characters next.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed this book, I enjoyed the first book also, the continuous was great, this book was more inpactful and eventful. I enjoyed the characters, the plot and the world building. 4 stars

Wow! Where to start with the story? This is a fast-paced, ever changing story. It's impossible to tell what's truth or lies, as Tasha travels through time and uncovers pieces to a puzzle that is just starting to click in place in her mind. While this story can be read as standalone, it's really so much more enriching to read Stealing Infinity first.

LOVED this story - could not put down - hope the next one is out soon so I can find out what happens next in her "big plan'!!

This was just as exciting as the first! Many many plot twists, time travel, romance and renaissance Italy! A recipe for a five star read! I love this world! And all the timelines they travel to! Great storyline and a cliffhanger ending!! Who do you trust? Can’t wait to read the next book!

I absolutely loved the second book in this series, although it had been a while since I had read the first one I was able to remember the characters and the story line from the first book as I delved deeper into this one.
I really enjoy the characters, the historical references as well as the art history that is introduced in these books. I can easily relate to Tasha as she encounters situations from her time traveling jaunts,. In this book Tasha's distrust of those around her comes to a head with surprising results. You'll find yourself captivated by her relationships with her friends, and those she interacts with as she struggles with determining who is a friend and who is an enemy. You'll find yourself trusting, and doubting, and cheering her on while she tries to find answers to not only the mystery surrounding her situation in Grey Wolf, but her relationships with the two young men she's attracted to as well. This book is a bit of a building block for the next book in the series and although it's not exactly a cliff hanger the ending will leave you yearning for the next book in the series so you can find out what happens when Natasha literally takes a leap of faith in order to solve some of the mystery surrounding herself and what happened to her father.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This is book 2 and I need book 3 now! The story pick right up from the end of book one and has so much more time traveling and so much more adventure. I wish I could go to Gray Wolf! I love every second of this story.

Thank you @entangledteen and @netgalley for the e-arc of one of my most anticipated sequels this year!

Here’s what I loved:
• dark academia feel
• time travel
• the TWISTS
• time heists
• the romance!!!!!

These book are addictive. From page one I am pulled into the world of Gray Wolf and I wasn’t ready to leave! I am such a fan of this series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: make outs
TW: violence, murder, death, past attempted sexual assault discussed/recalled

Super excited for this title! I loved book one and book 2 was just as amazing. The twists and turns, the plot! All of it was amazing

Thank you Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for sending me an e-arc of this, all opinions are my own

After absolutely loving Stealing Infinity, I could not wait to get my hands on this book! So when I saw it on Netgalley....I really hoped and prayed I would be able to snag a copy.

I loved diving back into this world, and I love how much time travel was woven into this story. I think I remember saying I wanted more of that in book one! I do wish my ARC copy had the little Numerology and Fact pages that the first book had, but I kept it handy so I could reference it.

This book definitely introduced a little love triangle into the mix, and there were so many secrets going around that I was naturally suspicious of everyone and everyone. Compared to the first, this book focused more on the love triangle characters rather than every student in the school, and there is a tiny bit of discussion about where Song went from book one. This book also introduces the idea of Magik, which I hope gets explored more in the sequel.

And there is quite a cliffhanger too! At this point I have no idea how long this series will be, but I am in it for the long haul. The story is so interesting, and I love all the historical artifacts and people woven throughout the book. The idea of time travel really grabs my interest, and I love the way the author handles it here.

Overall, I was not as in love with the sequel as I was with the first, but I really enjoyed the story and I am definitely looking forward to the next installment. These covers are amazing, the secrets always keep me on edge, and the time travel aspect is so beautifully done. Definitely worth the read!
Content warnings: murder, violence, blood

It was such a fantastic read. This picked up from where the first novel left off. It does answer many of the cliffhanger questions from the last book; however, this novel also has a massive cliffhanger. It's fast pace and fun. The characters are further developed, and I enjoyed that very much. It would be good to read the first novel before you read this one. If you dive into this book first, there isn't much of a recap. If you think about it, there are some inconsistencies regarding the timeline and what would happen to the characters/people. I find Braxton and Nat's relationship boring. It's not that it's a YA genre. There is no banter or excitement whenever Nat and Braxton are together. It's very one note. They have the same personality, which makes for a bland relationship. I can't wait for the next book.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Teen and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.