this was pretty fast paced and definitely action packed. Mia felt different in this book compared to the first and sometimes the gladiator stuff seemed to be dragging out but it progressed the story to what I can assume will be to an action packed finale. the cliffhanger is a killer

Jay Kristoff is a master. That's all that needs to be said. When he puts pen to paper, as in Godsgrave, he births vivid and fully-realized characters and worlds. He writes with wit and humor that adds a unique undertone to a body of fiction that explores the violent, shadowy, and sinister. Mia is a modern classic in adult fantasy, and Godsgrave was the perfect expansion to Nevernight. If you haven't read this series, you haven't read.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

In a land where three suns almost never set, a ruthless assassin continues her quest for vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.
Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church hierarchy think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending the men who destroyed her familia; in fact, she’s told directly that Consul Scaeva is off limits. But after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia's suspicions about the Red Church’s true motives begin to grow.
When it’s announced that Scaeva will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end him. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between love and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

Stunning! What more can I say? After reading the first book a little while ago, I was eager for the follow-up...and it certainly doesn't disappoint!

In my review for the first book, I said this:

If I were to tell you that this book featured the following elements, what would you say?

* Assassins
* Duels
* Poison
* Murder
* Sex
* Beautiful prose
* Stunning world-building, and
* Surprising twists and turns.

And all of that is still so true of this book. It is everything you expect from a sequel. Character nd plot development, more world-building, and the pacing was even better than the last. I am not sure how a third book is going to top this...but I am sure it will.

Grab Nevernight (if you haven't already) and get stuck into one of the best fantasy series going!


Paul
ARH

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff plays the long game. Legit, there’s all these moving pieces and they come together so spectacularly in the end. I should back right up though and say that this is the sequel to Nevernight which I quite enjoyed. So if you’re worried about spoilers and such, maybe look at that review, read Nevernight, and then come back here.

So, Godsgrave basically picks right up where Nevernight leaves off. The Red Church is in dire straits after the attack on it from within. Mia is a Blade because she’s the only option the church has left. She is sent on these different jobs for the Church. Interwoven with these jobs is a separate storyline where Mia is sold to flesh traders and becomes a gladiatii. As a reader, you find yourself questioning how it ended up like this. And so, eventually everything comes together and makes sense. We get to meet another character who is Darkin. There’s plenty of stabbing in this book too – in addition to a few adult scenes. Balance.

As expected, Mia Corvere only gets more badass as the books go on. She puts so much on the line in pursuit of vengeance. We get to learn a little bit more about her family. There are some BIG reveals dropped about her parents. Honestly, I can’t wait to see how it all plays out in book three, Darkdawn. I also like that Mia was willing to be a bit vulnerable in this book. She lets herself have friends — reluctantly though.

In the end, revenge is important to her, but she finds a way to get that without stepping all over people. I think she finds a way to get her revenge to align with helping out some downtrodden people. Plus, I think with Mia it is like a blindfold is ripped away and she truly sees how awful the Republic is — like beyond what happened to her family.

I liked that we got to explore the underbelly of Itreya in Godsgrave. So, the first book Nevernight is basically all set at that Red Church school. I liked that this book really builds the world up and takes us beyond. We get to see this whole world of Gladiatii and just how bad it is. As readers, I think we’re forced to look at the hubris of the Republic and a government that happily enslaves people. It’s just so awful. I am here waiting for Mia to break everyone’s chains and for endgame, whatever that may be, I know it is going to be spectacular.

On a final note, there’s a romance in Godsgrave that I absolutely was not expecting. You see, Mia sees an old “friend” from her days at “school.” She doesn’t quite know if she should trust this friend. In fact, she wants to kill her when she first encounters her. However, as it turns out, the girl may have some information Mia didn’t bargain for. Also? They have this wild chemistry between them. I think the romance was written in a way that seems natural. It will be interesting to see how it will all end up.

I am..................................... how do you say............................. Shook
With so many insane plot reveals I had trouble keeping track, a really great slow burn romance, and the most excellent lead character. It’s a sequel, so we’ll split this up into sections. Let’s talk!

→ theme work ←
Aaaaaah, this was so great. I think this book was more focused on the fact that every single person is the hero of their own story. In the first half, I was thinking this book really could have done more with the discussion of slavery - like, come on - but the second half DOES that shit far better than I was expecting.

→ writing ←
I think the thing that saves the writing of this book for me is that it feels like it’s laughing at itself. I can feel the dilapidated, possibly soulless ghost of Jay Kristoff laughing at himself as he types these ridiculous words, and I sort of love it. Every weird sentence is a reminder that this story has a narrator, a sarcastic and slightly pretentious narrator whose identity we still do not know.

→ plot and twists ←
This one started sort of slow but it ended brilliantly. This series has a lot of battle scenes - trust me, I get it if you need to skip sections due to gore etc, I get it. The plot reveals are the best - um, my favorite was the backstory reveal and the way that worked thematically. I am so fucking sorry that I cannot say anything more than that.

→ characters ←
Miaaaaaa. I adore Mia as a character so much and I would read the series for her alone. She is such a complex and compelling antihero with such a complex and nuanced arc. I never know if she’s going to swerve evil or good, but I know I’m desperately invested in who she becomes. I love that she does evil things with good intentions and toes that line.

→ romance ←
Ash and Mia are the GREATEST. They have this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers slow-burn dynamic I basically adore. Uh… yeah. I really love the juxtaposition of them to other romantic relationships as being far healthier, even though they’re both literal assassins?

→ more thoughts ←
The cissexism is really bothersome? I mean, it feels like every two chapters there’s some mention of vaginas vs. dicks and like… I get that you like being Gritty and Dark, but what am I reading. I also think occasionally the Grittiness overpowers the plot. Which I dislike. That part is bad and I dislike it.

→ enjoyment factor ←
I don't even know, guys, these are just so addicting. I always have trouble getting into the beginning but from there, I just enjoy every second I spend reading these. This book took a while to get started, but once it got going, it became a straight-up [gay-up] masterpiece of plot twists and of character development. And I adore it.

4.5 stars

Godsgrave is the highly anticipated sequel to a wonderful novel titled Nevernight. Full of bloody treachery, murder, deceit, plans of assassination, romance, darkness, brutal determination and stone cold fury, this book takes readers on a wild ride though the portal of hell. I say hell because of all the blood, violence, and general darkness that makes this book so wonderful and beautiful in a really dark and fascinating way.

Mia can't catch a break and even through careful plotting, obsessing over every little detail, preparing herself for what is to come, nothing goes as she expected. She goes through a lot in this novel. Not only does she yearn for revenge, she finds out life changing secrets that lead to a great adventure linked to her past. And even through the horror, the killing, Mia finds a way to trust and make allies. She grows, has to find new ways to deal with the darkness, the pain, the guilt and the fury. And maybe perhaps she even opens her heart a little....

She'd grown up inside books. No matter how dark life became, shutting out the hurt was as easy as opening a cover. -17%

This book kept me engrossed, intrigued, and on the edge of my seat until the very last page. Twists both predictable and not kept the story from being dull. Action, adventure, revenge. This book has it all! Mia creates a plot to take out her enemies, and she risks losing everything to fulfill it. So much blood rests on her hands, so many names and faces. She struggles with so much emotion in this novel, it truly is amazing. The journey, watching her struggle and fight herself every step of the way... How brilliant it will be when she finally stops fighting and just unleashes herself.

“Problem with being a librarian is there's some lessons you just can't learn from books. And the problem with being an assassin is there's some mysteries you just can't solve by stabbing the f*ck out of them.” -18%

The writing is just as flowery and poetic as in the first novel, and I found myself enjoying the flow and tone it provided for the story. It was easier to fall into the world, I found. Raw, gritty details of revenge and grief were written so well that I could feel the emotions coming of the pages. The shadows spoke as if they were looking over my shoulder, looming beside me. Mia's journey is one we can all learn from; revenge isn't always as great as we think it will be, nothing ever goes as planned, good can be found in the bad, and the past follows you no matter where you go. While we may not fight in areas as Gladatti, we still struggle much like Mia does, and the author is not shy of sharing the connection through his writing.

Overall, I enjoyed Godsgrave and will definitely be eagerly awaiting the next installment of the series! As for you, have you ever found the dark enticing? Ever enjoyed picturing blood splatter as a character assassinates an enemy? Then this is most definitely the book for you! Full of the raw, dark details of death and murder, vengeance and arrogance, Godsgrave leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat, pouring over every little detail and eagerly awaiting each plot twist and gruesome death.

P.S. Some quotes I liked:

If Vengeance has a mother, her name is Patience. -5%
The heavens grant us only one life, but through books, we live a thousand. -17%
“Death is the only promise we all keep. This life we live... there is room in it for love, Mia. But a love like autumn leaves. Beautiful one turn. A bonfire the next. Only ashes the remainder.” -34%

*Thank you NetGalley for the the eARC!

Godsgrave is a fantastic addition to The Nevernight Chronicles. Kristoff switches between humor and bloody murder with ease, keeping my eyes glued to the page and my fingers swiping through the pages. If the last 50 pages hadn't seemed a bit rushed (well-written, but rushed), this would've been a 5-star read for me.

I can't wait for Mia to murder a few dozen more people in Darkdawn!

Since this is a review for a sequel, I will try to avoid spoilers from the previous book as much as possible, but some are still present. You can also look up my review for Nevernight here.

I am a huge fan of Nevernight. My goal was to make all my friends read it so that we could gush over the book together. So, when I finished Godsgrave, I was slightly torn and wasn't entirely sure how to rate it. While there are aspects I absolutely adored, others made me questions a few things to be honest.

“Silver at her throat. Stone at her feet. Iron in her heart.”

Mia is finally a member of the Red Church, but things have not really changed; Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo are still breathing and far away from her reach. The Red Church doesn't seem to want to help her, and she's still looking for answers about her own abilities. When an opportunity to avenge her family presents itself, she goes against the institution she fought so hard to be a part of and sells herself to gladiatorial collegium in hopes of finally fulfilling her life's purpose.

Let's start by saying that Godsgrave does not suffer from the second book slump syndrome. It's starts off once again with a bang and pulls you right into the story. It was a lot bloodier, a lot more brutal and all the stakes were heightened. It not only stays true to the plot of the first book, but builds upon it in a manner that adds more layers to the story and characters. Also, the whole gladiator thing the novel had going was not only amazing, but set the layout for some crazy fight scenes.

Speaking of which, the fight were actually one of the things I absolutely loved. In the first one, the characters fought for a place among the Blades, but in this one, everyone is fighting for their life - it added an intensity and vulnerability that wasn't always there in the first one. These character could die at any given moment, and you were always at the edge of your seat, gripping your book tightly, trying to figure out who would go next. They were gory, bloody and gruesome and I loved every bit of it!

In terms of further world building, it's still mainly done in the style of footnotes. When I read the first book, it was something that took me a little while to get used to, but for this one, I was actually looking forward to the sassy and sarcastic narrator. It's really well done, and is a very unique take. Kudos to Kristoff for thinking of such a clever way to present things! The story itself unravels through alternating timeline like the first novel, and it's done in a manner that keeps you guessing what will happen next for both arcs.

In terms of characters, Kristoff did a great job a presenting us with new diverse characters - despite them being in a similar situation of sorts, he still managed to make them stand out in different ways. It was nice to learn about individuals that had no relation to Red Church but were still great warriors in every sense. These were people who knew when to fight together, and when to fight alone. There was no fancy tricks with them; it was nothing but brain and brawn. Placing Mia, someone who is strong and smart but still relies on her powers and tricks, among a group of fighters like that was a great way to explore other dimensions of her. She's is no longer the best, and she has to learn how to fight together to insure her survival.

“Dark delight in her belly. Warm blood on her hands. Mia closed her eyes. Raised her blade. Oh Mother, blackest Mother, what have I become?”

Moving on Mia Corvere, she's always been such an amazing character, one of my favourites actually. It was nice to see her character grow into a more mature and flawed one - she's now fighting among people who have been training since infancy and her powers do not offer her the advantage it did, and she's come across crucial information about her past, making her question all her choices. When you see a ruthless assassin struggling with what was right and wrong, you realize just how human she is, which I think adds a great deal of depth to her persona. It was also great to learn a few extra things about her Darkin abilities - I honesty would have liked to have more information, but I guess we need to leave some suspense for book three.

SPOILER ALERT
There are a few things I had a hard time wrapping my head around. I was annoyed at how easy it was for Mia to trust Ashlin after what happened in the first book. I am still quite angry at her and refuse to forgive her - I had hoped Mia would be on my side, and considering she was someone who was was hellbent on bringing down the government for what they to her family, I had hoped she would extend the same courtesy to Tric. I thought it went against her "Never fear. Never flinch. Never forget." motto. Also, I was a bit disappointed that after the build up that had been done for Jessamine, her character died so easily.

Overall, this book delivers all of the awesomeness Nevernight did, but with more depth and intensity. Despite the few things I was slightly iffy about, I still loved the book and after that ending - I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW!

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book but it was still a blast to read. There are a few popular fantasy series where the sequel shifts to a competition/gladiator game and this one follows in that vein. But the world is so unique that I didn't mind. All around, it was extremely fun to read.

Loved Nevernight and Godsgrave didn’t disappoint. There is something about this book that had me keep saying just one more page and then I will go to sleep

Once again, Jay Kristoff delivers intrigue, suspense, and good old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure "Godsgrave," the fast-paced sequel to "Nevernight." If you were unlucky enough to have missed the first book, now is the perfect time to read both. Just make sure you start reading them when you have some time set aside, because you won't be able to put either book in the series down until you have finished.

Oh my gosh!!!! First off it took me four months to read and finish this book because the first third of the book BORED me. It was filled with lots of action of course, but the details dragged too much for me and then the storyline went from past to present throwing me off. I just annoyed with it, but I picked it back up and pushed through it and let me just say those last 20 chapters gave me so much life! I enjoyed this book so much.

Firstly, did I mention how much I love me some foulmouth, badass, killer machine Mia. I just love her personality and all. Mia is one of those characters that you just love because she stays true to herself to the core.

The romance in this book was insane (in a good way). I was not expecting a threesome of sorts, nor was I expecting some girl on girl action. That blew my mind and it was so well written. The romance and sex scenes were just a perfect addition to this book. Unexpected, but perfect.

Ashlinn was a great surprise especially after she killed so many people in the first book. Furian was a character I loved and hated. I wish he would have embraced his Darkin side and just worked with Mia -- that would have been hot. Leona is a mess, she just needs to scurry back to her dad and plot to kill him.

The action, the blood, the romance, drama and everything in between made this the perfect fantasy novel. I love it!

That ending -- just what the fck!!! Why?!?!?!?!? I'm so mad and I need the third book to explain for me. Where did Mercurio go? Did Ashlinn die? What the heck is Tric doing back? Now that Mia is reunited with her brother what now? What the heck is Scaeva and the Church really up to? So many unanswered questions, but all so beautifully written.

LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

I loved this book! I'm always wary of trilogies or miniseries as you always hope if the first book is good that subsequent ones will be as well. I'm happy to say this was just as fabulous as Nevernight! The action is fantastic and suitable for lovers of Game of Thrones or movies such as the Gladiator. Mia is tough and smart and a likeable heroine. The twists at the end of the book were great (and I truly had been hoping she'd spared the Falcons). I'm really looking forward to reading the third one and hope we don't have to wait too long for it! Thank you for letting me read the ARC.

Kristoff has hit the nail on the head - wait, no he stabbed it, no he stomped it, no he slaughtered it willy-nilly and with a bit of repartee along the way. Just read this second book in the series - *after* you read the first!

The thing I always have to remind myself about trilogies is how quickly the mood can change between books. I read Nevernight, the first in The Nevernight Chronicle series, immediately before starting Godsgrave. And I loved it. LOVED. Some aspects were reminiscent of other books in the same genre, but it was different enough that the similarities felt more like a homey familiarity, while the unique qualities made me ache to keep reading. Mia is super easy to fall in love with, which is a lot considering she’s training to be an assassin serving the Lady of Blessed Murder, all so she can seek revenge on those who destroyed her family. But she’s seriously kick-ass, snarky as hell, and beyond driven. My love for Mia goes deep!

But I digress…I was talking about trilogies and this is a review about Godsgrave anyway, so…where was I? Oh, yeah. So, I loved Nevernight and was thrilled to have Godsgrave sitting and waiting for me because it needed to be the thing I read next. But it has to be said that the mood, really everything, is so very different. If it’s been awhile since you read Nevernight, it might not be quite so obvious, but if you’re reading them back to back? Just be prepared.

In Godsgrave, there are some shifts backwards and forwards in time. Mia’s goals are the same, but time has passed, things come to light that were barely hinted at in the first book, the cast has changed a lot, and the locations are almost entirely new. Mia learns a great deal more about herself, some truths about her family, and while she continues down the path of revenge, she also tries to learn more about her darkin nature.

In this book, Mia grows by leaps and bounds, and we start to get a glimpse into what the final book may bring us. In fact, I keep having to look back to confirm it’s a trilogy because it seems like there is so much more to cover that it couldn’t possibly be done in one final book. I have so many questions, I’m expecting it to be a behemoth volume.

Whenever it comes, whatever size it is, I’ll be reading it as soon as I can get my hands on it. At this point, I’m so committed to Mia, there is no way I wouldn’t see her story through to the end. And based on what I’ve read so far, I don’t think Mr. Kristoff will disappoint. ;)

Godsgrave marks the second in the Nevernight Chronicle by Kristoff. Check out my review for Nevernight, probably by favorite book of 2016 and a stellar re-read for 2017 prior to this release in September.

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

I adored this book. It is well written and edgy with fantastic structure, pacing and characterization. The characters and narrative are complex and highly entertaining. I love the dark humor and sense of unease. Mr. Kindly's banter with Eclipse is truly epic. I love Mia. I was on the edge of my seat with some surprise revelations and a fantastic cliffhangers for the next book. Readers are in for a bloody good treat full of sarcasm, betrayal, sex and violence.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

What the $@)$?? What did I just read?!? Mr. Kristoff had done it again. I didn't think he could top Nevernight, but he did! What a read. Action, adventure, mystery, everything you could want. It's so engaging and entertaining (Don't be intimidated by it's size, it's worth it!). Kristoff knows how to tell a story and this is no exception. I would recommend this book (But read Nevernight first!). Easily 5 out of 5 stars.

4.75/5 stars.

It’s rare that a sequel manages to be equally as devastating as the first book. Nevernight was easily one of the best books I’ve read in the last year, but Godsgrave has managed to score a pretty high place up there as well.

I finished this book at 1am, and I genuinely couldn’t sleep because of how much those plot twists messed me up. Naturally, I ended up making chocolate chip cookies alone in my kitchen in the middle of the night to try to distract myself from my feelings………spoiler alert: IT DIDN’T WORK.

Just a note before I continue: if you consider mentioning sexuality and queer characters/relationships to be a spoiler, kindly see yourself out because I am 100% going to be talking about the rep in this series. As a bi woman, knowing about lgbtq+ rep in book is often a huge motivation for me to read it, especially on the wonderful (and unfortunately still rare) occasion that it’s found in my favorite genre—fantasy.

Moving on—

Godsgrave has a different feel to it than Nevernight. It’s got a similarly dark and twisty plot, with the delightfully original voice, unique world-building, and badass main character that I fell in love with in book 1. But something about this one feels deeper, grittier, and even more deliciously morally gray. If the first book was about revenge and blood and murder school, this one is about revenge and blood and a fucking gladiator competition, with a side of f/f romance and moral conflicts.

Once again, Mia “you can count the shits I give on no hands” Corvere is a fan-fucking-tastic narrator. She’s on a new path, but her campaign of revenge remains the same: there are still two names on her murder list, after all. She’s smart and strong and vicious, but she’s also painfully human at times. Mia isn’t a caricature of a heartless assassin, she has moments of vulnerability and doubt that make her even more well-developed and compelling.

I can’t really say much about the plot itself without spoiling anything, but it was possibly even more action-packed, thrilling, and unpredictable than Nevernight's. I did think the gladiatii plotline was a little slow to start, but once I got into it I found it almost physically impossible to tear myself away from this story. Meeting all of the new characters, learning about the competitions, getting a close-up view of how Itreyan society really works……it was all so interesting. This book does a fantastic job of deepening the complexities of an already-fascinating world. Mia is forced to question the system she grew up in for the first time, to acknowledge how—even after her family fell from grace—she was still immensely privileged.

The interactions between Mister Kindly and Eclipse were another highlight. The not-cat was a fantastic character in Nevernight, and this book features not one but TWO shadow animal companions that follow along on Mia’s adventures—drinking her fear, spying on people for her, and making snarky comments about her life choices. I’m also still so impressed by how incredible the characterization of two literal shadows was??? Their roles in Mia’s life and their shadowy (hehehe) origins led to some really interesting reflections on their identities, and the mystery of what it really means to be darkin.

As I mentioned before, there’s so much moral gray area!!! Even as Mia sinks further into her revenge scheme, she’s forced to confront the humanity of the people around her, and question the true motives of people she once admired.

Also !!!!!!! Bisexual and f/f rep!!!! If you read my review of Nevernight, you might remember that I was super excited to find a bi main character in a fantasy series. I really loved that Mia’s sexuality was explored more in this book, both in regards to her attractions towards men and women, and the emotions she had to come to terms with as she realized how much a certain someone truly meant to her.

My only (very, very minor) complaint was that this book did sort of have that “middle of a trilogy” feel to it overall. Don’t get me wrong, I really fucking loved this, but the sense of a bigger picture or any long-term plot seemed to fade away during the gladiatii competition. There are a lot of questions that are still unanswered, a lot that was hinted at for the third book, and the competition didn’t quite feel connected enough to the overall series plot. I also wished we’d gotten to see more of the characters from the first book. The new characters introduced were wonderful as well, but I wished the members of the Red Church ministry, Naev, Adonai, Marielle, Hush, etc.) had gotten more page time. There’s still the third book to look forward to, though, so I’m confident that all of this will pull together into a spectacular conclusion.

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I feel like I could read this man's shopping list and give it five stars.

I was worried that Godsgrave would fall into the "sophomore slump" that plagues so many book series, especially when I realized that some type of tournament would be involved.

I was pleasantly surprised when Kristoff had done just the opposite. There were enough secrets and bloodshed to keep me highly entertained. Plus, my two favorite shadow creatures had more than enough screen time.

Mia's romance takes a different turn in this book, and without giving away spoilers it seemed to flow naturally from the previous book's plot. I applaud Kristoff for taking such a step.

While I thought I had the entire plot figured out halfway through the book, I was proven completely wrong. The last ten pages alone kept me on my toes.

I am awaiting the last book in the Nevernight Chronicle with much excitement and anticipation. This is easily becoming one of my favorite series.