The City of Dusk was easily the best in the 2022 class of "adult debuts" that I read from YA authors. It stopped on the cliffhanger of everyone being trapped in their respective realm (where they had previously been locked out) and now they have to find a way out back to their home. The heirs were just as bombastic as in the first book, and I really enjoyed that former secondary characters were allowed to step up and new characters were seamlessly woven into the fabric of the story.

This book does suffer a bit from the middle child syndrome - it's not as exciting as the first and it's mostly about the journey - but the worlds are so interesting and I cared about the characters so it wasn't as much of a second book slog as it might have been otherwise. I'm also a huge "not everything has to be a love story" advocate, so the obvious pairing off of the heirs as love interests was expected but not necessarily welcomed. Can't some people just be friends? Sim is excellent at writing intimate, sexual scenes though, so it wasn't that' big of a deal.

It's a subtler continuation of this journey, but still a win! If you haven't read The City of Dusk yet, you should, then go check out The Midnight Kingdom.

Do you ever read a book that is so good it ruins other books for you?

I sped through the first one and was so eager for this one that I essentially finished it in a single sitting.

Highly recommend for anyone looking an incredible queer fantasy.

The book starts off with a brief reminder that gives details of the 4 houses which was good but I wish it was little a more detailed and it would have been beneficial to have a recap of the previous book. They could even use the same structure but talk about where each person left off to help the reader remember. Instead, the book jumps right into it, starting right after the events of the last book.

The first book was fairly localized and this one explored a lot more, sending our characters to all different locations. I liked this because we got to learn about new cultures and ways of living in the different areas they went to.

The book was told in multi POV format and I believe there were 6 main ones (plus a lot of side characters with each one) which made for some diverse storylines. The author did a really good job of giving each of them their own time to develop and all of their plot lines were fairly different so it kept it interesting. I feel like Angelica’s POV could have been an entire book but they all worked well together.

Out of all the perspectives, Risha’s was my least favourite. It was pretty slow to follow along with and was ridiculously predictable. This plot-line alone dropped my rating down a star. I believe her POV will be more exciting in the next book, plus necromancy magic is pretty cool. I thought my favourite perspective was going to be Taesia/Julian but Angelica definitely took that spot. She definitely has her faults but continues to grow as a character and learns more about herself. There is a lot of natural character growth with her and even all the side characters from her POV were top notch. The location she was in was also of intrigue and she had some really exciting events happening where she was. We even got to see her type of magic being further explored and expanded.

I’m very excited to read the next book. The characters are all getting stronger with their magic and I can only imagine how this next one is going to go. I will be anxiously awaiting its release.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Orbit in exchange for an honest review.

The Midnight Kingdom picks up immediately following the dramatic events at the end of The City of Dusk. Our main characters are scattered amongst the realms and are each facing their own sort of trials. Taesia, Julian, and Nikolas begin the story trapped in the transported remnants of the Bone Palace with Phos, the vengeful god of Light. Risha is in Mortri, trying to find a way to escape before she dies in the land of the dead. Angelica remains in the mortal realm, but she has political turmoil to deal with as the Mardova family tries to hold Nexus together. We also get chapters focusing on Dante and Brailee as they try to track down their traitorous aunt Camilla. 

I was surprised to find that my favorite chapters were those that followed Angelica as I thought she was one of the most shallowly developed characters in The City of Dusk. She’s given her chance to shine though I may be biased because her chapters were filled with politicking as she finds herself an ambassador and I do love that. Risha remains one of the most well developed characters and I love that we get to explore the realm of Mortri with her, though I wish more time were spent on the history and workings of the realm. Complexity was hinted at, but not that many details were given which was SUPER disappointing because there are four kings that reign over their respective cities and punish the souls in their own unique ways. Why WOULDN’T I want to know more about that!? 

Equally surprising was that the Lastrider siblings weren’t my absolute favorites. They are the edgy shadow wielders and I’m usually such a sucker for that kind of thing! I did enjoy their chapters, but on more than one occasion I found myself rolling my eyes a bit because of course nothing is easy and they have to suddenly plan a heist for magical artifacts. I did like the Noctan’s use of star charts and how they’re used to read a person (much like astrology). The Lastrider siblings are so stubborn and shady that they come across as very stereotypical YA characters, which I was in the mood for in the first book, but was apparently feeling less tolerant of this time around.

There’s a lot to like about these books in terms of plot and even accessibility for folks who might want to delve into the realm of adult fantasy after reading mostly young adult books. I mentioned in my review of the first book that I didn’t think the writing skewed more toward the young adult end of things as some reviewers stated. The content is definitely a little more brutal and bloody than some YA fantasy but…. I might rescind that statement. I enjoyed this, but I definitely had my favorite characters and some whose chapters I wanted to skim over because they were mostly there to fill in some little details. They were playing a support function and while they weren’t unimportant they weren’t exactly important either. I’ll most likely read the third and final book in this trilogy when it’s released because I’m invested in the outcome at this point! I must know what happens!

After reading City of Dusk I needed this book, I waited almost patiently for it and the second I had it in my hands... well on my Kindle I was a happy happy woman.

With a world built of dreams and nightmares, The Midnight Kingdom takes us back to Nexus and the fight to save not only the heirs but the universe, finding out who survives, where they end up and what happens next will leave you holding your breath and breathless at the same time.

Taesia and Nikolas are battling evil gods while Risha is fighting her way home through the realm of Death and Angelica, well Angelica is trying to stay alive in every sense of the word.

With the help of old friends, learning to rely on themselves and each other, and facing new enemies, all while learning that all magic does have a cost we have a brilliant story filled with the magic and mysticism I've been longing for.

If you're looking for an epic tale that spans the universe and angers the gods this book is for you, if you're looking for the potential to fall in love with a fantasy series this book is for you, if you just love dark fantasy mixed with magic, gods, monsters, and all things evil this book is for you, I'm just going to say it, if you're reading this review, this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing an advance copy of this E-Book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ok. I’m rounding up a bit for this one but I really like doorstop fantasy books. I will say that this might be one to read once the author wraps the series up so your memory of the book is fresh as you start the next one. There are a Lot of point of view characters. It’s easy to lose track of what’s going on and this is absolutely my genre so I’m used to it! Some fantasy books do get too grim and gory for my tastes but I feel with this series like at least some are going to make it through and be ok! 4 stars if you’re also a fan of nice thick fantasy novels and three if you just like fantasy ok.

Tara Sim does it again! I loved each different perspective we got, with each of the heirs going on their separate journeys. I like that they each have their own motives, goals and personalities. Each character is very well written and rounded, even with the multiple POV's it is easy to keep track of the characters and their respective powers as they each have a distinct voice. I think this is peak fantasy, I liked seeing the relationships deepen or fracture. It also contains a wide variety of representation which is important. Its a twist from the first one as now the heirs are all separated and have to go on their own journey instead of in the first when they were all working together for separate reasons. Overall I really enjoyed this sequel and I appreciate being given the opportunity to read and review this book early through Netgalley.

This book was so fun to read. It was my first Sci-Fi book. It builds off the first book. So please read the first one. There is soooo much that is going on in the book and I love it! I love the world building and the different descriptions of each setting. This is a multi POV and I love reading each one. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time because you didn’t know what was going to happen next. I am so excited when to read the next book! I want to thank NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Tara Sim for a chance to read it and give a honest review. I post my reviews on GoodReads and Amazon..

**Spoilers for book 1**

I continue to be enthralled by this world. The second instalment picks up right where the first one ended. The fours heirs are scattered across the worlds and the gods are present and cruel.

We follow them as they battle their own enemies, grow in their power and try to fix all the things that have gone wrong even if they didn’t cause them.

By the end of the journey, we have seen them solve some problems, create others but not solve the overarching issue of the Sealing from the first book. I hope (and suspect) this will come with book three.

While we do learn a bit more about the gods and Ostium in book 2, there are still unanswered questions that I wish had been answered here. Also, at times the book was a bit confusing and I found myself needing to reread certain passages. No book is perfect and I read the first one ages ago, so not unexpected. I did really enjoy watching the relationships between the characters blossom and change. I can’t wait to see what happens in book 3!

If you liked book 1, you will almost certainly enjoy book 2! Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this sequel!! I enjoyed Tara's writing style and was excited to come back to this world. Tara's summary of the first book was also really helpful since it had been a while, and there's a lot of revelations + more worldbuilding that we get with this entry. While in some books, having this many POVs can either be tiresome or annoying, I genuinely felt intrigued by most of the characters' journeys to want to see their perspective and that didn't change here. The relationship dynamics that I enjoyed also continued here, and the new characters introduced were also just as intriguing to me! I'll definitely be reading book 3.

3.75-4 stars

I struggled to finish City of Dusk so I was not confident that I was going to enjoy this book… but Midnight Kingdom is significantly more engaging that the first book in this series. It did take me a little bit to get into but then things really started happening and I flew through it!

One of my major complaints about City of Dusk was that I felt like we didn’t get to know most of the characters very well. Many of them were making decisions and reacting to things in ways that… I didn’t understand and/or felt very juvenile and two dimensional. I think Midnight Kingdom is more successful at delving into the characters motivations, and they all show some growth (mostly) but, it all would’ve been more impactful for me if City of Dusk had provided a stronger foundation. This may also come down to personal preference. I think I’m usually more drawn to books that are very character focused and I would say this series is more plot/action focused. I will say though, the chemistry between characters in this book is well done.

For me, the magic system, world, and action in this book is where it really shines. In the beginning, the POVs felt like they were switching as soon as we finally got to something interesting, but once the plot started taking off (around the 10-15% mark) there was so much happening with each character and I was interested in each storyline (again, mostly). The fight scenes and magic continue to be so cool in this book. Particularly the exploration of Risha, Angelica, and Julian’s powers. We also get to see so much more of the world, as well as some more background on the gods. It’s all very detailed and interesting, but I do feel a little like there’s a lot of faffing around only for the solutions to all line up a little too neatly in the end.

I didn’t love the ending so much, but I am still interested to see what happens in book three.

Honestly, my biggest complaint with Midnight Kingdom is that I had to read City of Dusk to get to it. Can a book one have second book syndrome? How can I recommend something where I have to say, ‘it gets good in book two’? I suppose in the end I would say, if you liked book one, you’ll like this book too. If you thought book one was okay, this one is definitely better and I would urge you to give it a try.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

Great book! Made me love the writer and want to read more from them. Action packed story and great sequel. Very happy to have read it, Character growth, great magic system and definitely made me want to continue the series when the next one comes out. The ending could have been more gripping and emotional but overall a great book, a good bridge if the next one is amazing. Thank you Netgalley for the book!

The Midnight Kingdom is the second book in the epic fantasy Dark Gods trilogy. As the second in the series, this book is the transition of the world-building efforts in The City of Dusk, and the events to come in The Dawn Throne. The story picks up right where The City of Dusk left off – the heirs are scattered and the city of Nexus is in ruins after the chaotic events of Godsnight.

Taesia, Julian, Nik, and Fin are stranded in Noctus, with Rian possessed by the god Phos. Risha and Jas are in Motri, the underworld and no place for the living. Angelica is travelling to Azuna to continue the heirs plan and seek out Deia’s fulcrum. Dante and Braillie, along with Saya are attempting to track down Camilla and restore the Lastrider name.

I really enjoyed how The Midnight Kingdom expanded the world, as the heirs are exploring different lands and realms. Because the main characters are split up in various locations in this story, we follow a series of different plotlines. The pacing at times felt a little slow, but really we are following five separate story lines which can sometimes affect the flow of the book. However, I thought the multiple points of view worked really well and kept me engaged and interested as a reader. The second half of the book moved very quickly, with a lot of action and excitement that I think positions the story well for the next book.

The addition of some new characters was interesting and expanded the story beyond the heirs and added levity in some instances. Additionally, some of the side characters from The City of Dusk had more expanded roles in The Midnight Kingdom, which I think added significantly to the overall story. Sometimes I feel that following too many additional characters can create unnecessary complexity, but it was done well here and enhanced the overall narrative. I also really enjoyed seeing how the characters relationships and personalities continued to build in this book. The romantic storylines were enjoyable and added a new layer to this complex story. Additionally, the characters and their relationships reflect a rich gender diversity, which was great to read, and I think is important representation in the fantasy genre.

Overall, I found this to be a wonderful sequel in a richly diverse and multifaceted fantasy series. The characters are each flawed in their own way, but are learning to grow and adjust to their circumstances. The world building is incredible and well thought out. I really enjoyed reading this, and I look forward to the next book in this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall interesting addition to the trilogy. Pacing at times could be improved however the characters jump off the page and never left me wondering why they were doing what they were doing. The author paints a clear picture with her descriptive language and has created and impressive world. I can’t wait to read the conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for giving me a copy of this ebook.

I was hoping after having a hard time in City of Dusk that book 2 would really wow me and unfortunately it didn't. Both books have a ton of world building so much so that I found my self getting confused and having to go back to remind myself of things.

Another thing I had a hard time with was how many POVs are in this book. There were just too many in my opinion to keep up with the characters and their character development.

Again like the first book I found parts to be a little boring and took away from the story line.

If this book had less povs and not so much happening I think I would have enjoyed it more.

I am not sure what went on fully in this first read as there was a lot happening and I kept trying to remember things that happened in the first book. There was action and combat, there some intrigue. but usually, I find that boring unless it's done really well. The interactions and growth of the characters is what was so good I think. Each heir goes on their own journey to find their way back to their world or at least back to trying to stop Phos. The power system is still of interesting I guess but maybe it's just me, but somethings seem a little vague still. The gods are the problem and of course the solution will be to kill or imprison them most likely, I think. I didn't really try to anticipate or make any guesses as to how still story was going or how it would end. Any thoughts I had on it was going to end would have wrong. The story works though and should prove a good read for most I think. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the good read. I think, three and a half stars are where I will rate this one but upon a reread that could go up to four stars.

This book did not miss a beat! It picked up right where the last one ended. In The Midnight Kingdom, Tara Sim masterfully transports readers through a kaleidoscope of realms, each distinct in its terrains and emotions. The heirs are split up in different realms, one terrifying and dangerous, another full of beautiful starlight and an angry God ready to destroy it all. While the rest are in their home realm trying to keep it from dying while finding the missing pieces to bring everything back into order.

While I really struggled for awhile to get into the first book, The City of Dusk, but by the middle I was fully immersed. The Midnight Kingdom had me captivated from the very beginning. The book immediately dives into adventure and chaos… leaving a small cliffhanger at the end of each chapter which had me fully engaged, I couldn’t put it down.

Overall, the character development throughout the book was excellent. Am intricate mosaic of distinct backgrounds in every realm was captivating. The author really paints a vivid picture of the world seen through the eyes of these characters.

I eagerly anticipate the forthcoming third installment and the heirs' valiant endeavor to seize control over their realm.

I would like to thank Orbit, NetGalley, and Tara Sim for the opportunity to read the eARC of The Midnight Kingdom in exchange for an honest review.

Tara Sim’s prose is beautiful and she does amazing work with building out character arcs and motivations, but unfortunately I think I have to accept that her writing is not for me.

I was on the fence about continuing The Dark Gods series for most of The City of Dusk because I wasn’t getting drawn into the story. But then about 2/3 of the way in, I couldn’t put it down and I was excited to continue the series. I was hopeful that this being a continuation would mean that the pacing would be faster, but if anything, I think it was even more drawn out.

This was very much a middle book, where a lot of it was the characters moving into place before an action packed last 15% where everything happened all at once and there was no breathing room.

If you loved The City of the Dusk or you enjoy slow-paced stories, then you’re likely going to have a much better time with this than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Wowowow i have not read a book that made me feel so much since KOA. I am blown away by the events that take place in this book. It was an incredible fantasy that I am sooooooo sad is over. I tried to savor this book as much as I could because I just did not want it to end. Here are my unfiltered thoughts:

In the first book, a lot of these characters’ stories intertwined, but in this book they’re mostly separated following their own path and I absolutely loved this. Watching them individually form relationships outside of their normal circle and work outside of their “comfort zone” so to speak added so much more depth to the story.

I loved the way the author portrays a certain character so close to giving up but choosing to move forward anyways even though she believes there’s no point. (She experiences quite a loss) I feel like a lot of readers can resonate with feeling like this which makes the scene all the more powerful. It was beautiful.

There are so many unexpected allies who become integral members of the heirs’ journies. Yet the author still manages to write it in an organic way that you can’t imagine them not being apart of it.

These poor heirs are put through the absolute RINGER like jeez…. they have to go through some really horrible things. I can’t even begin to tell you which one has it worse.. my heart was aching for each of them.

Can I also say, this author has such an incredible talent of seamlessly transitioning from one POV to another. It’s absolutely flawless. Almost as if the scene is playing out like a movie in my mind.

The cliffhanger broke my heart but perfectly set up the continuation for the next book which I will be DEVOURING as soon as it’s released. This book is an absolute 10/10 and I recommend it to any and all fantasy readers.

Tara Sim is a fantastic writer, growing and developing the worlds of the Four Realms in the "The Midnight Kingdom". True to the theme, it is a dark epic fantasy and this is book two. To start, readers will need to have read "The City of Dusk" before starting "The Midnight Kingdom" - otherwise the characters and world(s) will not make sense, as this book picks up exactly where it left off (with that, it wouldn't hurt to revisit at least the last few pages of the previous book because so many took place). The story is still following the heirs closely though their worlds and lives are more exclusive as they fight the majority of their own battles singularly. This book moves at a considerably faster pace than the first, as the characters and their world, along with the Four Realms, are already established. With all the character growth and development that takes place in this book I found myself like some characters, that I did not previously enjoy, making it an easier read on a personal level. I will be glad to reread this book (and with more time to be more thorough) when it is released, to revisit the worlds and refresh before the final book in the trilogy is released (hopefully sooner rather than later).

Thank you NetGally and Orbit books for the ARC, and Tara Sim for giving us this story.