Disclaimer: I received an e-arc from netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Between Burning Worlds

Author: Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

Book Series: System Divine Book 2

Rating: 4/5

Publication Date: March 24, 2020

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, death, rape alluded to)

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 688

Amazon Link

Synopsis: A thief.
An officer.
A guardian.
All from different backgrounds, but sharing one same destiny…

The planet Laterre is in turmoil. A new militant revolutionary group has emerged calling themselves “The Red Scar” and claiming responsibility for a spate of recent bombings. The infamous rebels known as the Vangarde believe that in order to bring about a peaceful revolution, their charismatic leader, Citizen Rousseau must be freed from prison right away. Otherwise the bloodshed will only escalate.

Soon Marcellus, Chatine, and Alouette all find themselves pulled into battle with extreme consequences.

Marcellus is determined to uncover his corrupt grandfather’s plan to seize Laterre—even if that means joining the Vangarde.

Aloutte, trying to unearth the truth about her past, becomes a captive of Marcellus’s grandfather, the general.

Chatine, who is serving time on Bastille, hopes to escape the brutal and horrifying reality of the prison moon.

But the failed attempt to break Citizen Rousseau out of prison launches Aloutte, Chatine, and Marecellus into the middle of a dangerous war for control of Laterre. And in the midst of it all is the legend of a secret and dangerous weapon that could mean complete and absolute power to any that wields it.

Review: I liked this book more than the first! The character development is excellent, the ships are flying, and the world building was divine! I loved the action scenes too, they were better laid out in this one. The book is also very well written, it doesn’t feel like two authors writing one book.

However, the pacing and plot are both still so slow. I still feel like there are unnecessary events in the book that make this book much longer than needed.

Verdict: A great sequel! Can’t wait for the next!

BETWEEN BURNING WORLDS

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Les Misérables meets The Lunar Chronicles in the out-of-this-world sequel to Sky Without Stars that’s an “explosion of emotion, intrigue, romance, and revolution” (Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series).

This intense second installment in the System Divine series, opens with Chatine enduring the horrors of prison, Marcellous is preoccupied with being a double agent, and Aloutte, is trying to uncover the mystery of her origins.

A stellar sequel to the “Les Mis in space” Sky Without Stars, The Between Burning Worlds gives us an in-depth look into each of POV’s mind.

Marcellus is experiencing some unsettling, emotional confusion with his involvement in the first book.

He shoulders his responsibility, and don his uniform, excepting his role as informant. Chatine, alone and shunned for her betrayal she is forced to mine zytrium. Alouette, is own a quest that takes her to the darkest corners of the Planet. Without any support, she is in search of her mother and her past.

Lost and on their own, they are searching for answers.

The planet Laterre is under a new threat, causing turbulence. The militant revolutionary group, The Red Scar emerges and is claiming responsibility for recent bombings. The Vangarde rebels believe, that for a peaceful revolution to take place, their charismatic leader, Citizen Rousseau, needs to be freed.

The Syfy world building is expanded more, with vibrant details in this visionary epic fantasy. Both authors, Brody and Rendell have created incredible narration and melding their writing styles. This highly original riveting storyline kept me fully enthralled, within its pages. I enjoyed the extensive main protagonist character development. The sub-characters are also notable and add more layers to the plotline. Romance is not at the forefront, as the cast maneuvers through gripping disasters and hard hitting betrayals.

A enjoyable creative epic Syfy Fantasy with an exceptional cliffhanger ending, that will have gasping and wanting more.

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**Disclaimer: I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review from the publisher. Please also note, the below post contains spoilers for the first book in this series, Sky Without Stars.**

Title Between Burning Worlds (System Divine II)

Author Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

Release Date March 24, 2020

Publisher Simon Pulse

Description from Amazon

A thief.
An officer.
A guardian.
All from different backgrounds, but sharing one same destiny…

The planet Laterre is in turmoil. A new militant revolutionary group has emerged calling themselves “The Red Scar” and claiming responsibility for a spate of recent bombings. The infamous rebels known as the Vangarde believe that in order to bring about a peaceful revolution, their charismatic leader, Citizen Rousseau must be freed from prison right away. Otherwise the bloodshed will only escalate.

Soon Marcellus, Chatine, and Alouette all find themselves pulled into battle with extreme consequences.

Marcellus is determined to uncover his corrupt grandfather’s plan to seize Laterre—even if that means joining the Vangarde.

Aloutte, trying to unearth the truth about her past, becomes a captive of Marcellus’s grandfather, the general.

Chatine, who is serving time on Bastille, hopes to escape the brutal and horrifying reality of the prison moon.

But the failed attempt to break Citizen Rousseau out of prison launches Aloutte, Chatine, and Marecellus into the middle of a dangerous war for control of Laterre. And in the midst of it all is the legend of a secret and dangerous weapon that could mean complete and absolute power to any that wields it.

Initial Thoughts

I was super excited to be part of this tour. I pre-ordered a copy of Sky Without Stars last year but didn’t end up reading it (a total mistake, as I realize now). Signing up for this tour was my reason for finally diving in and I’m so glad I did!

Some Things I Liked

French history retold. This is by no means historical fiction, but I absolutely love the way elements of the French revolution are woven into this story. The character names are perfect and I especially loved the introduction of Maximillienne Robespierre.
I had so many theories going into this book and I just loved that I was correct on most of them. Joanne Rendell and Jessica Brody are excellent at crafting their plots with subtle clues are hinted at and then returned to later. I was so happy that I picked up on most of these. Please note, these are not obvious hints but the writing style is filled with subtlety and I just loved it.
#teamChatine. I have written about this many times, I don’t like love triangles. And, I especially don’t like it when the pair that I don’t ship makes any progress. I’m so glad that Marcellus really only felt any romantic feelings toward Chatine in this book. His relationship with Alouette is still there, but I was glad to see it take more of a backseat in this book. It’s not that I don’t like Alouette, I just liked Chatine and Marcellus better. I hope Alouette finds someone nice in the next book (not Marcellus, he’s Chatine’s).
Star Wars vibes. I loved that this story felt like Star Wars. From the setting in outer space to the intricate political plot, I was all about those Galaxy Far Far Away vibes.

Series Value

I can’t wait for the next book in this series. Sadly, nothing has been announced yet about it. But, when it is, I’ll be there! Because of the amazing foreshadowing and subtle language used, this series also has very high re-read value. I would definitely, happily, re-read the first two books before starting book 3.

Final Thoughts

I loved this book. I liked Sky Without Stars a lot, but I loved Between Burning Worlds. It had everything I wanted in a sequel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Scythe by Neal Shusterman – if you liked the idea of society after a “great change” – and you like sci-fi, try this series.
Untitled System Divine Book III by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell – if you liked this series, definitely add the next book to your TBR.
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant – if you liked the Les Mis vibes from this story, definitely check out this May 2020 release – it’s another Les Mis retelling filled with historical fiction, assassins, and more.

I found this book a little overwhelming in the beggining just because there is a lot to remember from the first book in the series..

A lot is happening in this book and a lot is at risk. Marcellus is working the Vanguard, Alouette is trying to uncover her past and Chatine is stuck serving time in prison on Bastille. Our favorite characters from the first book return and we meet some new ones that we fall in love with.

There's a huge cliffhanger at the end of this one, so I seriously can't wait for book 3!

Very interesting novel.

I really enjoyed the storyline, plot development, and writing style.

The context of the story pulled you in from page 1 and kept you hooked until the end.

Looking forward to reading more novels of this structure!

The publisher and Netgalley provided me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

The first book in this series, Sky Without Stars, was one of my top reads last year. The richly imagined world, premised upon one of my favorite works of classical literature, was firmly entrenched as one of the most vivid and lyrical re-tellings I have ever read. I was beyond excited when I heard about the sequel, and have already pre-ordered my hardcover edition.

Between Burning Worlds evokes all of the magical suspense of SWOS. It builds on the complex characters of Marcellus, Alouette and Chatine as they are thrust into new adventures and dire situations. I was enthralled by the political machinations that underpinned the actions of the General. I was entranced by the brief promise of freedom Chatine experiences. I fervently turned the pages to find out if Marcellus and Alouette can orchestrate a coup.

Chatine will forever be my favorite because of her gutsy, angsty, obstinate spirit. Her banishment and imprisonment strengthen her rather than diminishing her. Secrets from her past set her upon a quest that consumes her. Marcellus is forever changed by the acts of treachery he witnesses from his grandfather. He is determined to carve a better world out of the hopelessness of Laterre. Alouette makes discoveries about her history and purpose that alter her trajectory and her sense of self.

We meet a whole cast of new characters - including the handsome, enigmatic Etienne. He helps orchestrate Chatine's escape and introduces her to a world full of possibility and opportunity. What awaits Chatine is knowledge that will undermine all of the assumptions she has made about her family and her life. Alouette and Marcellus make a desperate gambit to escape the clutches of the general, that ends in anarchy, and rebellion.

I cannot wait for the next installment.

I adore the world building of Brody and Rendell because it takes the issues I love from Les Miserables and adds all these SF elements. It is such a work of talent and craftsmanship to be able to balance this intricate storyline, world building, and multiple POV. Between Burning Worlds is an epic sequel to what is turning into one of my favorite SF series. Also can we just give a whole extra star to this book because there's a recap of EVERY character in the beginning? I want this in every major series.

Part of what made me love this series from Sky Without Stars was the epic world building. I am a huge SFF fan and so I appreciate deeply when world building is done right. A key aspect of the world building which was explored deeper in this book was the nature of cyborgs as we meet people who choose, and didn't chose, to undergo this procedure - and what it means for them afterwards. Having a multiple POV novel allows Brody and Rendell to expose readers to so many aspects of the world, but also the differing perspectives that exist within it.

I enjoyed the first, so I was excited about this one. As I'd hoped, it was even better! I really enjoyed reading this series!

Review will go live on www.librariumdream.blogspot.com March 24th

Thank you Simon Pulse and Netgalley for a review copy, this in no way influences my opinion of this novel. ( already preordered the audiobook and physical of it prior to being approved)

Tons of information dumping in the start which happened in Sky Without Stars. After that info the story picks up where it left off. Well paced and full of drama, leaves you satisfied yet wanting more. There better be a book three.

I enjoyed the internal thoughts each character had and it truly kept the story flowing. There is so much more drama and the stakes are higher than before. Marcellus is still infuriating in his weakness and I found myself disappointed in him and his choices.

This was an interesting book. The first one was based on Les Miserable. This one continues the story of Marcellus, Chatine, and Alouette. Marcellus is my least favorite character. There is a lot more sci-fi elements to this story than the first and much more detail is given.
Overall, I think this book does a good job of expanding upon the first book and continuing to expand the story.

I loved this sequel. When I first heard of a reselling of Les Miserable in space I knew I wanted to read it. I devoured the first one in a day and immediately wanted to read the sequel. This one kept the complex story going, raised the stakes, added more characters for me to love (and worry about), and exceeded my expectations. I'm constantly impressed while reading how this series manages to weave in details from Les Mis while also being original in the rebelling to make the story its own. Taking on Les Mis would itself be a huge challenge for how complex the plot is and managing a huge cast, but this series excels at it. I loved following a story I loved in a totally new setting and new ways. This series has become a new favorite and I'll be recommending it to everyone I know that loves resellings, space, political intrigue, rebellion, suspense, and ensemble casts of characters.

Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell once again bring an exciting, nerve-wracking novel that picks up where Sky Without Stars left off.

The world-building thrives in this novel. The world of Laterre expands, including more of its history and the history of the other planets in the System Divine. I love the parallels to French and world history and how the authors took certain elements and gave them futuristic, science-fiction twists (like the Blade or the computerized monocles). The “deadly” weapon that the characters are trying to stop was interesting and also eerie. It’s something that could very well happen in the future and it’s a terrifying thought.

The characters also shine in this book. The main three—Marcellus, Alouette, and Chatine—are incredible. They all rise to the challenge and kick butt and grow for the better. While they aren’t perfect, they are relatable and complicated. I love that Marcellus isn’t the typical, macho hero or that Alouette isn’t who you’d think could whoop someone in a fight or that all the regret Chatine is harboring could become so poignant and beautiful. But just like in the original story, there are pockets of inspiration between the riots and space voyages and chaos of the plot. The new characters introduced are just as well-developed and amazing. I loved them all immediately and I really hope everything ends well for everybody because otherwise, I will not be okay!

I read about 30% of this book before I decided to preorder it. I knew it would pull through. That the story would keep tumbling to a very, scream-worthy end. (Seriously?! That ending, though!) I love the backstory that’s revealed and the secrets unveiled and all of the elements that pay homage to Victor Hugo’s original story and also work for a modern audience.

When is book three coming out again?

"The planet Laterre is in turmoil. A new militant revolutionary group has emerged calling themselves “The Red Scar” and claiming responsibility for a spate of recent bombings. The infamous rebels known as the Vangarde believe that in order to bring about a peaceful revolution, their charismatic leader, Citizen Rousseau must be freed from prison right away. Otherwise the bloodshed will only escalate."

An exhilirating return to the world of The System Divine, a retelling of Le Miserables!! Only this retelling takes place in a sci fi, futuristic world!!
The characters are vibrant and unique!!
The world building is extraordinary, and lush!!
The writing isnt complicated, but detailed and smooth!! Easy to navigate, making it a quick read!!
A sequel you won't want to miss!!

I really enjoyed this book and I wish it wasn't over. I loved the first book so I could not wait for this one to come out. It was super action packed which I love. I absolutely loved the plot and the main characters!
I will be recommending this book to the teens at my library.

I really enjoyed Between Burning Worlds alot more then A Sky Without Stars. It picks up after the events of the first book and i loved diving deeper into each character and learning more about them. However the story did go extremely slow in the beginning and then picked up speed until the very end. I hope there is a third book.

This exceeded my expectations. You know how near the end of Sky Without Stars, the narrative broke free from Les Miz, did more of its own thing, notched up the tension, and piled on the cliff hangers? There’s a lot more of that in book two. Or at the least, it picks up that thread of storytelling far more quickly.

As the story opens, Chatine is enduring the horror of prison, Marcellous is busy being the most obvious double agent ever, and Aloutte, who takes some time to appear, is trying to solve the mystery of her origin. But, of course, there’s subterfuge afoot, and we’re introduced to a number of new characters that make the story so much more enjoyable. The love triangle is also complicated by these new arrivals, and now seems far less clean cut. (I also have a new ship--because I can’t help myself--and I am so hoping it sails in book three!)

Our protagonists, however, generally have more pressing concerns than their romantic interests as they navigate betrayals and disasters and attempt to outmaneuver the various forces bearing down on them (both internal and external). Chatine, Marcellous, and Alouette are all worthy leads and their evolution throughout the story is exceedingly well done and believable.

The book is well written and characters, both minor and major, well developed. There were some slightly overused devices that irked. (For example, don’t ask our characters why this person that they’ve just encountered looks vaguely familiar because they won’t be able to remember until the plot requires it of them. We also see more than one character reflecting on the extent to which another has changed...or perhaps they never really knew them at all.) But in a 600+ page book, I guess I can let that go. It’s also worth noting that the setting expands here and the world building is really superb. (Cheers to residents of Planet-Britain and monocles of the future!)

A note for Les Miz fans: there’s no Jean Val Jean here, and we’ve pretty much left the source material behind. We do get a character whose name and physical description is similar enough to Enjolras that I’m thinking it’s him and expecting to see more of him in the next book. But at this point, I think I am rooting for more originality than a return to the Les Miz plot beats. Or at least a lower death count.

So, yes, if you enjoyed the first book in any way, shape, or form, this one is definitely worth picking up. (Because, honestly, it’s better.)

First of all, than you so much to The Fantastic Flying Book Club and Simon Pulse for an ARC in exchange for an honest review and participation in the bookstagram tour!

I don't want to spoil anything serious, so without doing so:

In the highly-anticipated sequel to the "Les Mis in space" Sky Without Stars, Between Burning Worlds gives us a detailed look into each character's mind. Marcellus is experiencing confusion and deep upset following the events and his personal involvement from Sky Without Stars. With no other hope but to wear his uniform, he steps into his informant role with grace.

Chatine, on the other hand, is suffering from her betrayal in Sky Wthout Stars. Forced to mine zytrium and shunned for her betrayal, Chatine is as alone, if not more, than ever.

Alouette is in search of her past, and more specifically, her mother. With no one to support her in this quest, Alouette must maneuver the dark corners of their planet.

All three of these characters have something in common: they are lost on their own, and in search of answers. Unlike Sky Without Stars, Between Burning Worlds enlightens us with yet more character internal dialogue. We spent much of Sky Without Stars udnerstanding not only the politics and political climate of the time and planet, but of the characters' backgrounds and personal feelings. Here, we learn of their hopes and mistakes, of their true feelings and goals. Much of this book is setting up the ending of this Book 2, and what an end it is!

Both Brody and Rendell have a way with easily melding their writing styles. This book, while massive, kept me going each and every page. I've read multiple book 2's with similar lengths in the last few months, and none kept me entertained quite like Between Burning Worlds! And as someone who has almost no interest in Les Mis, this book and it's predecessor have kept me enthralled! An all around awesome sequel! Rating this 5 stars, would give it a 41/2!

A really great sequel that built so well off of the first book! I loved reading about these characters again and the world building was seriously perfect.
You feel like you're actually in. the story and that's not an easy thing to achieve.
It's basically Les Miserables in space if you haven't read the first one. So if that's your jam, definitely read this one and it's predecessor.

I loved it!

I thought the same thing about this book that I did about the first one. Way too much inner monologue and brooding, and not enough action. I love the concept of the plot, but the books are so long and filled with unnecessary repetition that it's hard to get really invested in them. Despite all the internal musing, I don't feel any more connected to the characters than I did before. The secondary characters were shallow and felt like they were added in simply to move the plot along and then dropped. After two fairly long books, I feel I should be really invested in this story, but honestly I could take it or leave it at this point. The most memorable thing about the series is that it's overly long. If a book is going to be this long, I feel like there should be more happening in it. I doubt I will be picking up the next installment.