Review: 4.5 Stars


This series truly is incredible. After reading Dark Shores I was thrilled that I already had a review copy of Dark Skies so I could continue this series right away. I was not aware that Dark Skies was not necessarily a sequel before starting it. The events in Dark Skies occur at the same time as Dark Shores and the book focuses on Lydia and Killian rather than Teriana and Marcus, who were the main characters in Dark Shores. Either book can be a starting point for the series and in the third book the story lines will converge. The only other series that I’ve read with a similar format is A Curse So Dark and Lonely and I really love this type of design for a series, where each book focuses on a different couple.

Since both books start at the same time I felt like I was re-reading the beginning of Dark Shores, only through Lydia’s point of view. So it took me a bit to really get interested in this book. I actually set the book aside and almost decided not to read it, but I saw all the positive book reviews and decided to try again. (You can check out other books I want to give a second chance here.) Once the book started to go in its own direction I quickly found myself invested. I actually think I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed Dark Shores! This installment was a bit less of a political fantasy and really expanded upon the world building, which was really cool. The gods worshiped in the West were explored a lot more, along with the people those gods marked and bestowed with magical gifts. The seventh god, the Corrupter, was a huge part of this story and I really found the whole world fascinating. There was also a blight that infected plants, animals and people and the descriptions of the blight were so vivid and horrifying.

I also really loved Lydia. She was not as fierce as Teriana, but her vulnerabilities, especially her emotional ones, made her easy to connect with. Both Killian and Lydia were so incredibly self-less and truly put the people of Mudamora first. I absolutely loved Lydia. She was loyal and kind and she really got to my heart in a way that Teriana didn’t. I had a lot of mixed feelings about Malahi, the princess of Mudamora, because at times she truly seemed to care for her people, but at other times she could be so petty and childish. Each character had so much depth to them and they all had distinct personalities. I just really loved these characters and I felt like the themes of honor, selflessness and morality were all explored in depth.

I can’t believe that I almost gave up on this book! It was pretty freaking great and I am glad I gave it a second chance and didn’t miss out on Lydia and Killian’s story. I really loved how this book expanded upon the world built in Dark Shores and I couldn’t get enough of this book. It was hard to me to set this book down as the action hardly ever stopped and the whole thing was incredibly well done. I’m already impatient for the next book to come out and highly recommend checking out this series now if you haven’t read it next.

I loved Dark shores so much so I had high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint! It exceeded expectations and I love this one even more than the first!

An interesting tie in to Dark Shores! I think I did prefer Dark Shores but I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the new settings in this companion novel - putting more pieces together. I can’t wait to see what happens in the 3rd instalment where the paths of our characters from both novels cross over! This is full of action and romance and is really well written - if you enjoyed Dark Shores, you’ll enjoy Dark Skies for sure!

This was once again really good! I didn't know this would be from completely different povs, but it worked well. I was sucked into the story, and enjoyed it.

Danielle L. Jensen is one of my favourite authors, because I know that everytime I pick up one of her books I’ll get to experience a thrilling adventure, a swooney romance and an interesting new world.

And did Dark Skies deliver all of that? - YES, absolutely!

Dark Skies is the second book in the Dark Shores series, but since the first and the second books take place during the same time frame, and follow different characters, you can read either of them first. I had read Dark Shores beforehand, and during that read I really wanted to know what happended to Lydia, one of the main characters in this book, as she was introduced in Dark shores. I’m so glad to have finally have found out what happened to her after she left the story in Dark Shores.

Lydia as a character is a scholar and loves to learn and to read, her adoptive father is a high ranking member in their society, but his failing health will eventually mean that she is without protection in a world where women have little power. As she discovers a plot by the most powerful man in The Celendor Empire, her life is put in danger and she has to flee.

Across the world there is Killian, a disgraced commander who is marked by the god of war. But his failings brought with it the invasion of the Corrupters forces.

This book is full of political intrigue, brewing war, slowburn romance, a magicsystem based on different gods “marks” and wonderful world building. I loved how Lydia as a character evolved, found her own strengths and became a force to be reckoned with.

Overall I really loved this and can't wait for the next installment, 4,5 stars!

Book Review- Dark Skies by Danielle L Jensen
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Dark Skies is the second book in the Dark Shores series, with the first titled Dark Shores. However, either book can be read first. Shores and Skies both take place at the same time with each book following differebt characters. I read Dark Shores last month which follows the characters Teriana and Marcus.
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Dark Skies follows Lydia and Killian. I think I like Lydia and Killian ever so slightly more than Teriana and Marcus. I think one of the benefits of being in Lydia’s head (at least for me) is she knows nothing about the Dark Shores at the beginning of the book so she is learning everything for the first time just like I am as the reader. Although, I guess the same could be said for Marcus as he learned everything dor the first time in Shores. But for some reason I connected more with Lydia than Marcus. Killian’s character was great too as it was the first “god-marked” POV. And that was very illuminating.
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I am really enjoying this world and after reading these 2 books I have so many questions that I need answered. I also have a feeling about the heritage of a certain character so if you have read these books let’s chat!
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4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 and am eagerly awaiting the next book!

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

I remember enjoying the first novel in this series, Dark Shores, and when I started this novel I realized I couldn't remember any of it! But that was okay, as this novel does not pick up where the last left off, rather, we are getting a parallel story at the same time the Dark Shores was taking place. There were some parts of this story that seemed to lag a bit, as is normal for most books, however, I quite enjoyed it and loved how the stories intermixed. I quite like that style like the Starbound series by Amie Kaufmann and Megan Spooner, where the first book told one story, the second a parallel story and the third about half was a new story and then they were all brought together! It was fantastic and I had not really read a series like that before so I am excited to see if that is the path that is going to occur for the Dark Shores series. Really wonderful and quite enjoyed and I am excited to find out what happens next with the next novel!

Dark Skies is the 2nd book in Dark Shores series, told from Lydia and Killian's perspective. Timeline takes place at the same time as Dark Shores.

Lydia's transformation and journey from the beginning to the end was amazing. From attempted assassination, being robbed, beaten up and then being Marked. I could not stop rooting for this girl. It isn't often I read about a character who wears spectacles either, and I loved that small representation. Killian is also a great male character, some of his choices resulted in his disgraced status, but I love his determination and his growth into his role as being marked by the God of War.

There is definitely a romantic interest going on between Lydia and Killian. I loved the development between the two, and that it didn't overshadow the plot. Warning, the ending nearly broke me.

The world building. Dark Skies has a medieval-esque world, dark, foreboding with gods and mythical creatures. It was easy to immerse myself within the walls of Mudaire to the sewer tunnels where orphans took refuge fighting disease, hunger and the dark creatures that haunt the night skies. There is also this war between Mudamora and the Corrupter's armies, it gets pretty bloody and nasty.

Overall, I thought Dark Skies was nothing short but amazing. Intrigue, betrayals, epic battles, dark enemy to defeat, and a star crossed romance. I can't wait for book 3 with all 4 perspectives!

Dark Shores had me hooked! I couldn't wait to see how all of the scheming turned out for Teriana and Marcus and then....I find out that this book is about two completely different characters. Lydia - Teriana's supposedly dead best friend from the first book - and a completely new character named Killian who is a disgraced God of War.

Now, these types of surprises and switch ups don't usually sit to well with me but I honestly liked this book a lot better than the first one. Why? The author did a better job of world building and character development in this book. The Lydia that we briefly met in the first book, who seemed to be a meek and uninteresting character was a completely different person here. We also get a really good look at Killian's character and the people he's fighting hard to protect. I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see how the author ties the story together in the next book.

The story begins in Celadon, and during the same timeline as Dark Shores. Lydia escapes from Cel and lands in Mudamora where she comes face-to-face with two dangerous things, only one of them won’t kill her. Killian, marked by the God of war and the commander of his King’s army, meets Lydia during a fight. He saves her life and in return, Lydia repays him by saving him. This is where we stumble into a whole new world; a world where a god would suddenly appear and bestow their ‘gifts’ upon you. The gifts can be healing, fighting, growing things, water breathing, etc.

I love Danielle Jensen’s writing which gets better with every book. I never thought I’d be able to finish this book in a day, but I did. The pacing is wonderful and even though there are so many things happening, you’ll forget your bathroom break and watch(err.. read). There are assassination plots, mysteries, magic, chases, a BLIGHT(Or, a virus. I should’ve included a trigger warning) zombies, evil god, evil army leaders, more evil people, more scheming.. There’s a lot of slashing people, and more darkness.

I loved Lydia and Killian. They were both compassionate, loyal, brave and so very human. When I say ‘human’, I mean that they feel afraid, helpless, anxious considering the fact that they were god marked. The other characters in the book like Malahi, Killian’s mother, brother, Finn were written impeccably well, with just enough context to their characters.

Overall, I would highly recommend this if you love fantasy, great characters, a couple that you’ll root for, magic, politics, intrigue, plot twists, and of course if you loved Dark Shores!

Thanks to the publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A really good second book to an encapsulating series, but I was a little sad that we didn’t get to see the characters from book one enough. As much as I liked the characters in book two, I wasn’t as invested as I was with the first book. I think it messed me up a little when the author said the first two books could be read in either order. I felt like I was rereading parts of the first book since we met these characters there. It was still good to delve a little deeper into the characters backstories and their arcs. I’m very excited to read the third one.

This book was so good! If you read Dark Shores you definitely want to read this! Dark Skies takes place at the same time as Dark Shores but we get Lydias point if view and see what happened to her! It is fast paced with an interesting plot and more great characters! Killian and Lydias chemistry and slow burn romance is great! I can’t wait to see what happens when all the characters from both books come together in the next book!

A sequel worthy of its predecessor and definitely another enjoyable read by Danielle Jensen!
At this point, I would be hard-pressed to find anything to complain about Jensen’s work. I was not expecting a spin-off starring a side character from the previous Dark Shores book, but the adventure of Lydia through a xenthier and on the other side makes for fantastic world-building. The Dark Shores are a new world to certain characters in the series, so the reader sits in on the journey as they experience new challenges and make new friends. I am absolutely excited to read the next book in the series.

Keep in mind that while this is the second book in the series, it does not continue the previous book. Instead, it restarts the story from the vantage point of two new characters (one we briefly met in the first book) who are trying to do the right thing for their people regardless of their hopes and feelings. On one hand I was devastated that this would not continue the story from Dark Shores that left me hanging on the worst cliffhanger ever, but on the other I was curious to see how this story would come together.

This book was so flipping heart breaking! Neither of the two main characters get what they want/hope for, instead this was a story full of angst and missed moments and I was so wrapped up in it that I could not adult, only keep reading. I was equally wrapped up in the action and despair, wanting to throw an intervention and at the same time wanting to see how this complicated hot mess would play out.

On a side note, while this is not a romance (100% fantasy with action/adventure and court politics), there is a possible romance in the story that I root for- and of course it is a forbidden love (and it breaks my heart that they never even kissed!) Also, this book is considered YA and I would just call it (great) fantasy, age is unimportant to the story- no it is not inappropriate for the YA crowd, it just felt more adult to me with the conflicts and hard choices (but the characters were in their late teens).

You would think that I would know better after reading the first book, but still the abrupt ending here caught me off guard. I am so twisted up in this book now, I am not sure if I want to go back to the original characters or if I want to know what happens to these too who I have come to love as well. Be sure though, I will gladly read any book in this series with any character and I can't wait for more.

First of all, I think it is important to note that although Dark Skies is the sequel to Dark Shores, the books can be read in any order because they follow the stories of entirely different characters, but the characters have a history before the series even starts. I also realize I am incredibly late on this review. I’m super behind on reading arcs…I’ve just felt so….blah and unlike myself the past few weeks.

I read Dark Shores first, and overall I was not overly impressed by it. It was a fine book, but that’s about it. (Check out my review: https://sylreads.wordpress.com/2020/06/02/review-dark-shores/). The second book, however, felt more solid and grounded. Both books did a great job of show casing what fear and sense of obligation can drive us to do, but Dark Skies has stronger world building and a slow burn romance that I think most readers can get behind.

I enjoyed Lydia and Killian so much more than Teriana and Marcus. I think it is because there was more than snark as a means of communication, and Killian was a much more well-written character. He and Lydia were flawed, loyal, and compassionate, even in the face of betrayal and political pettiness. I enjoyed reading both of their points of view, seeing their growth as individuals and together,and found myself wishing for more when I hit the last page.

With plenty of twists, action, and great dialogue, Dark Skies is a successful sequel. There’s no second book slump here! I will say, this book is much heavier on the gore than book one. If that is something you are not comfortable with, I would gently suggest skipping this book because there’s a lot of blood. From book one, this book further explains the religious aspect of the story, and it is fascinating to read how different characters have such different interpretations of what the gods want of their people. Although Dark Skies is very much a medieval sort of fantasy novel, it is pretty relatable to our world in a way that is a bit scary at times.

Anyway, I definitely recommend picking up Dark Skies, and I’m really excited for book 3!


Teens will enjoy the fast pace of this novel, especially with the great character development and well-written action scenes.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! I missed the characters from the first book, but I loved getting to know these other characters too. The world building is great, as are the characters. I can't WAIT for book three, where all the storylines will hopefully converge. Danielle L Jensen is an auto-buy author for me. :)

Full of intrigue, betrayal, magic and adventure , Dark Skies is as fantastic as Dark Shores.

While this book was released second both Dark Shores or Dark Skies can be read first, dark shores was one of my favourite books of 2019 and this one will now be a favourite of 2020.

Lydia and Killian both have so much going on with themselves and the people they are protecting. This book has layers upon layers. The slow burn is so wonderful and I can not wait for book 3 where all 4 POV show up!!

Maybe it was because I didn’t read the first book she wrote or maybe because I’m outgrowing YA but I had to DNF this book. I wanted to love it so much, the world and characters seemed amazing but I just couldn’t get into it....her writing style seemed very choppy for me and I was a little confused while reading but not everyone has the same experience reading the same book so hopefully I can pick this back up again in a little bit :)

I enjoyed Dark Shores, so I was excited for this one. I enjoyed how it takes place during the same time as Dark Shores, which I’ve never read in a book before, so that was fun.
I like the characters we meet in this book, the magic, the pacing, and of course all the twists and turns! This is a really good series that I’m glad I picked up.

Dark Skies by Danielle Jensen is book 2 in the Dark Shores trilogy – an epic fantasy tale that has me eagerly anticipating the final installment scheduled to come out next year. The trilogy is classified as a YA Fantasy, but it quickly sucks adult readers in and does not feel like a story intended for a younger audience.

What I Loved

Killian and Lydia separately and together. I enjoyed Teriana and Marcus from book 1, but I love Lydia and Killian in this story. They each have qualities that I connected to on a deeper level. Lydia is bookish and feels that there are nothings you can’t learn from a book, while Killian – wearing the mark of Tremon, the war god - has been raised to tackle problems as appropriate for a leader among men – with diplomacy first, then with might if all else fails. They approach problems differently but that both are brave and not afraid to stand up for their convictions. They do the right thing, even when it is the hardest thing to do.

I love the tightly woven intricacies in this multidimensional world. Every structure and every landscape is painstakingly detailed to the point it is effortless to immerse yourself in it. And not one of the senses is overlooked. I was quickly able to see, hear, smell, and even taste various points of this unknown world, even when it was not pleasant to do so.

The romance plot in the story utilizes plot devices typically only found in romance genre novels. The type of devices that make me hurt for two young lovers who love utterly and unfailingly but for whom their sense of right and wrong keeps them apart. The unfulfilled romance gives the tale a haunting quality that has stuck with me long after I finished the book.

The concept of the marked ones and the magic they bring is a fun aspect of the story for me. This aspect had my attention throughout the novel as a lover of anything and everything supernatural and magical. I want to know more about the gods of the Dark Shore and look forward to finding out more in the third book.

I found the parallels between Dark Shores and Dark Skies very interesting. Each story was separate but intertwined with the other. Lydia is introduced in Dark Shores, but you only see her in a few chapters and learn a little more as the characters think about her, and the same goes for Teriana in Dark Skies. She is present in the first few chapters, and after that, she is just thought of and occasionally mentioned. Both leading ladies fall in love with a military man. And both stories have a young sidekick character – Bait in Dark Shores and Finn in Dark Skies. Also, and probably what I loved the most, both stories have elements of repression of women yet contain women of remarkable strength and character, both good and bad.

Lastly, I found it interesting how the two worlds in the trilogy are the two aspects of the Roman Empire – the West has the belief in gods and intervention from those gods shown by the powers they can bestow. The East has the corrupt democratic empire that is trying to take over the world but has no beliefs in a higher power or powers. One demonstrates Ancient Rome’s political side and the other - its spiritual side. I will be curious to see what happens as the two worlds become more aware of each other.

To Read or Not to Read
I highly recommend this trilogy, as it contains memorable characters, an intricate world, and is full of page-turning action. What more can you ask?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.