Great read! If you haven't read the first book "Children of Icarus" I suggest you do that before reading this one. It won't ruin the story necessarily, but it does set up the characters personalities where this book will not. This is also a cliffhanger!

This book, like the first in the series, was very well written and full of excitement. I wouldn't say gripping, but still easy to get caught up in. Nameless, or Fey Bell, is a much stronger character this time around. Where she was weak and missing grit previously, she is full of it here. She is brave, well trained and impressive, but not unbelievably so.

I did find the whole Theo/Fey Bell love thing annoying... it made sense in the end. It was unbelievable that she, this strong loner, would be so taken in by his OBVIOUSLY fake attraction to her.

I also lost a little interest in the back and forth Kleos/Harmonia spying. It just went on for too long, I think. I AM happy with the cliffhanger as it left me very excited about the next book!

I quite enjoyed this book! It would definitely appeal to younger readers and perhaps lovers of Maze Runner as it has a similar concept.

Lots of action, a couple of fun and messy love triangles and a LOT of mystery. Quick summer read for adults and a great adventure for teens.

THE CLIFFHANGER!!!! I did know this was a sequel and if you didn't read the first one (Children of Icarus) you would be confused on a lot of parts, especially trying to understand why some things happen and the backstory of characters. I greatly enjoyed the main character's growth from book one and throughout this book. It was a fast read and kept me very interested. I'm so upset I have to wait for the next book with a cliffhanger like that! So many questions! I'm glad my thoughts on a certain character proved to be correct and I hope they get what's coming to them. I would definitely recommend reading both books. There is plotting, monsters, warring sides, revenge, weapons, danger around every corner in the labyrinth, and a hint of romance. There is I believe three kisses total in the book, so nothing to be shocked at. Also, in case someone has requested this based on its mythology aspects, I love mythology and although the first book had more references that this one, it's really not a major part of the story so far. It's very subtle and just kind of in the background (besides the obvious Icarus story the whole series is based on). Some of the characters really fall flat for me but I still enjoyed the story and I'm interested to see where it goes.

That cover! Ahhh so beautiful.

I was a little disappointed in Children of Daedala. I spent most of my time being confused. Confused about who characters were, why our MC 'Fey Bell' had some many 'frenemies'. Why these kids were even in the maze in the first place. It got to me so bad, that I had to do further research.. And it turns out this is the SECOND book in the series. A point that probably should have been mentioned somewhere on Netgalley or Goodreads. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the story more if I actually knew the backstory (which I assume was covered in the first book).

Rating: 4/5

I will start this off by saying: I enjoyed reading this book. I essentially picked it up and read it in one sitting. I was intrigued and I wanted to know what was going to happen in the book. Here's a few issues I took all, the same:

The book is a sequel and the publisher didn't make it clear this was the case. I've wavered between 3.5 and 4 star for the rating, but I figure if I had read the first one I would waver closer to the 4. So I'm rounding up to be fair. For the most part, it didn't impede my reading of the story. But having read the first book might have filled in some of the holes that I felt existed in character development.

The main character is a little Mary Sue to what we expect in characters in dystopian novels. The Katniss Everdeen type. I would have liked to see something a little more...original. Not even talking about appearance, but in personality. It didn't get to a point that irked my reading of the story, but it would have been nice to have something a little different.

I didn't take an issue with character development for relationships, it generally seemed to flow well. There were times I felt like some of the characters went from hot to cold and the character's didn't necessarily react to the change as much as I felt that they should have.

That said, I have to give it to the author - from this book, it appears she has very clearly thought out this world. I never felt confused reading descriptions or had issues imagining what I was seeing. And I have to give it to the author for that - too often I just skip descriptions because I'm not able to understand the descriptions or picture it at all. At the same time, she didn't go to the Dickens extreme where the detail makes me want to just punch myself. And in the end, I think this is the most important piece in what makes a book good - because when the author cares enough to develop it so thoroughly, it's often pretty easy to get lost in the book yourself.

At first I got this book not realizing it was the second in the series. After reading half and being bored and confused I went searching for Children of Icarus. After being sucked into the first book I read this one in one sitting, and now am stuck waiting for the third. I love that this book follows that narrator as she matures. She goes from a blubbering littler girl in the first book to setting her sights on a real goal in the second. She becomes strong and doesn't need to hide anymore. I love that the characters that were my favourite changed into the most hated. It kept me guessing. I am still rooting for Theo to be a good guy however. I have a lot of questions about the final battle between the Kleio and Harmonia that I hope are answered in the next book, and I would love to find out more about the Mud Maid.

Will be waiting patiently for the next one!

The writing's amazing, Caighlan still leaves me in awe.It's the kind of writing that, once you start reading, you can't stop yourself from devouring the book. It also makes you physically tired.

The plot is great. It features plot twists we never expect and a romantic sub-sub plot that doesn't fall head first (Labyrinth Lost, I'm looking at you). The romantic sub-sub plot is crafted in such a way that it's presented bit by bit, never looking forced. It never makes the story shift much - it's almost an Easter egg.

The book's ending is amazing too, it leaves us with questions and a sense of dread that's rare in books.

The characters are what you'd expect after reading Children of Icarus. We see Fey Bell's "friends" from Fates (Elle, Cassie, Ryan) and meet loads of new and interesting characters, like Polina and Gammon. There is beautiful character development, especially when it comes to Ryan. We also never know who to trust, something that, when written nicely, is absolutely amazing.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to everyone.

The labyrinth is full of monsters and perils, not least the people inside it.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Smith, and I didn't realise that it was the second in a series. I wish I'd read Children of Icarus first, because it might have lifted the sense of vagueness, and answered some questions about the characters and setting.

From the start, you are following the main character, who communicates with glares and sharp weapons. She's clearly competent, and confident in her own skills. She has no patience for other people, and only trusts herself.
I really liked this strong female character, whose aim is her own survival. She disregards territories and hunting grounds of different clans, and lives by her own rules.
Even though the labyrinth is a dangerous place, she's made it her home, and she'd rather face the dangers she knows, than try and chase some freedom that might not exist.
I've gotta say, I was a little disappointed, when about 28 pages in, the character spoke. I thought it was interesting to have a nameless mute as MC. But, as it carried on, she was still pretty cool.

The only problem I had, was her age. I repeatedly forgot that she was sixteen. I thought she was much younger, perhaps eleven or twelve. Despite her physical and mental competency, she feels very immature.

The story is well-written, and it follows our MC as she reluctantly spends time with the various clans - the Fates, Kleos and Harmonia. All of which are populated by the children that are sent to the labyrinth (I'm guessing it's an annual festivity, or tribute. The details are sketchy).
It's very Lord of the Flies, as they all try to establish some sort of order and normality in their dangerous new world. Inevitably, the groups are somewhat splintered and people work on their own agenda.

I found it to be rather slow, in terms of any actual plot. It's a reasonably long book a 336 pages, but I felt it could be condensed easily.
Perhaps it's because I came in at the second book of the series, but I found the meandering around the labyrinth (that I didn't fully understand), to be long-winded. I didn't know where the labyrinth was, or what it looked like. Is it made of trees, concrete, magic? How tall is it? Do they see daylight? Can you climb over the walls? Why are they all there?
I was quite bored for the first half of the book and had to force myself to continue. The second half does pick up a bit, as our main character gets more heavily involved in the clans and their conflicts.
There was also a flood of characters from the different clans, with little to distinguish between them, so it was hard to feel invested in what was happening.

It's was an OK read for me, I'd recommend anyone interested in it, read Children of Icarus first.

I had reviewed Children of Icarus last year, loved it and couldn’t wait to read the second book. When I got accepted for it, I did a happy dance in my living room. Which got me weird looks from my SO and my youngest daughter. I was so excited because I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for “Nameless/Clara” in this book. I also couldn’t wait to see how the author incorporated more Greek mythology into the story.

The book follows Nameless/Clara as she gets caught between two warring factions. Those factions are Harmonia, an all girl group, and Kleos, an all male group. While trying to avoid both factions, she saves Ryan, a boy from the Fates. She needs help deciphering a notebook that the Executioner left her. Ryan has knowledge of the language it is written in. After traveling back to the Fates hideout, they discover something terrible happened. The only person that Nameless cared for in the labyrinth has been taken in by Harmonia. To save her friend, Nameless partners with the Ryan and a small group of Fates that are with the Kleos. Going on a rescue mission into Harmonia, she finds out that not everything is what it seems. She needs to find out the truth behind the attack on the Fates before she is killed. She also needs to find out why the war between Harmonia and Kleos is happening.

This book was a fantastic dark fantasy young adult book. The world that was built up in Children of Icarus was expanded upon in Children of Daedala. This isn’t a fantasy where unicorns and rainbows appear. No, this is a gritty fantasy where children are fighting for their lives and formed societies. I was reminded very much of Lord of the Flies while reading this book. There were so many similarities between the two of them. Only thing…..the kids in Lord of the Flies get rescued at the end. These kids were thrown in the labyrinth as a sacrifice.

Nameless grew so much from the last book. The training the Executioner gave her before she died was a huge part of that. But also, she was mentally strong too. After what she went through with the Fates, she had to be. Her distrust of Kleos and Harmonia were warranted. Gammon was taunting her and Polina treated her with disdain. She was tough too. I mean, she wore metal spikes in her braids and she took down a temple lion….by herself. She even talked more in Children of Daedala. Which is something that I was amazed by because she never talked in Children of Icarus.

The secondary characters made this story what it was. Each character had their own personality which is rare in books. I got to care about Elle, Ryan, Theo, the Mud Maiden and the other secondary characters.

There is no sex in Children of Daedala. There are a few kissing scenes. Nameless did have Ryan and Theo chasing after her. Also, Polina and Theo were observed kissing too. So no sex but lots of kissing towards the end of the book. Which, in my eyes, is acceptable for a young adult book.

The only complaint I have about the book is…..what is Nameless’s name? She has gone by Clara, Nameless and Fey Bell in both books. But her real name is never revealed. I want to know!!

The ending stunned me. I was not expecting what happened to happen. I also was not expecting who showed up to show up. I am wondering what that will mean for book 3? And for Nameless?

5 stars

My summary of Children of Daedala:

Children of Daedala is the stunning sequel to Children of Icarus. This book was a fantastic read. It had fleshed out characters and a plotline that kept me glued to the book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Young Teen

Why: There are a few kissing scenes but nothing beyond that. I will warn that the book does have some pretty graphic battle scenes so I would vet it for anyone under that age of 14.

I would like to thank Caighlan Smith, Capstone, and NetGalley for allowing to read and review Children of Daedala

All opinions stated in this review of Children and Daedala are mine and I received no financial compensation for this review

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Lord of the Flies meets a hellhole of monsters and myth in this gripping continuation of a girl’s journey from shadow to blade. Dark, thrilling, and injected with stakes that will cause your heart to pound both in fear and delight, CHILDREN OF DAEDALA is a mind-whipping sequel to an epic series.
I anxiously (but eagerly) await the next installment.

-Pooled Ink Reviews

I'd bump this up to 2.5 stars just based on the premise behind the book, but the book overall? Utter chaos. Multiple characters are introduced in a flood throughout the book, with no back story to build them as "people" and the lack of detail in describing the surroundings left me unable to create the pictures in my mind that normally help me relate to a book. There's a labyrinth, and apparently three factions: Fates, Kleos, and Harmonia, but there's no back story until about the last 3 pages and it ends so abruptly that it left me not wanting to read the next book at all, but kind of wishing I had back the time I spent reading it. The main protagonist is referred to as 3 different names throughout the entire book and you never find out what her actual name is. She also blames herself for the death of 2 people (possibly children, that's never explained either), but we never find out why. As for formatting, I think because this wasn't really meant to be a Kindle book, it wasn't formatted properly. There were no "" marks around when someone was speaking throughout the entire book so it was nearly impossible to tell if the thought was being said out loud, or just in the characters mind. I could have gotten past that part if the rest of the book hadn't been so utterly confusing, but taking that and the book itself and I'd give this one a pass.

Cover is intriguing although it reminds me of the lion in the Lion, Witch, Wardrobe. Right off the bat you know you're ready a different book with the mention of the Executioner, Fey, and Screecher-Eaters. The story is from the perspective of Fey Bell, a 16 year old girl who has been banished into the labyrinth where survival is difficult. There are lots of characters and several groups which are at odds with each other: The Fates & Icarii, the Kleos, and the Harmonians, as well as Daedalum. I had difficulty falling along during the first half of the book with many questions. What is the name of Fey Bell and why do others sometimes call her Clara? How did all these kids get to this place, and why? What is a Fallen Day? Some of these questions are answered, and some aren't. The text is occasionally difficult to tell if the character is talking to self, to others, or thinking. Action wise, this book is great. Lots of weapons, fighting both monsters and people, sabotage, and a rescue. Fey Bell has brief romantic interactions with 2 guys, Ryan and Theo, but which one is telling the truth? With two sections: Divide and Conquer, the book has a dramatic ending that is set up to start the next book. I'm rooting for Fey Bell. Would be great if the book included an illustrated map of the territories.

This book made me stare into the abyss, trying to grasp reality again. Thank you netgalley for the arc for an honest review and must I say, this book was UTTERLY AMAZING. Honestly, this has been one of my favorite reads of this year.

Wait... What? No.... WHYYYYY???? Why did it end? Where's the rest!!!??? No cliffhanger instead you are just thrown from the cliff free falling trying to make sense of what in the world just happened!!! Halloween is fast approaching and I am seriously considering becoming Fey Bell as she is currently my favorite person in the fictional world. This book was not only exciting and addicting to the point of forgoing socialization of any kind just to read the next chapter but it is whimsical and clever and everything I could ever hope for! It makes you angry, and sad, and fearful and it really is just all immersive. This could be the next Fandom empire!


How long do I have to suffer pining for the next?

She seems to want to be alone in this labyrinth she's been thrust into. Surviving the labyrinth isn't easy. There are groups who claim portions of the labyrinth as their territory and are vicious to protect it. She has been mocked and cruelty treated and thus keeps her distance as much as possible. There are dangerous odd creatures who are difficult to kill. It seems like the rest of her original group is dead and so is her teacher- the executioner. The executioner taught her how to survive and that her best chance of surviving is to be alone and never trust anyone. She keeps her distance from the groups, not wanting to be forced to join one or be brutally attacked. Then one day she does something that will change everything. She saves three people from a flock of creatures. Before they can hurt her she takes one of them captive... this changes everything.

A mobi file was not available, so I was unable to read this! I tried reading a little on my phone, but due to migraines I can't. Not that it helps, but the first few pages I read the writing was really good!