The Liar’s Knot by M. A. Carrick

Title: The Liar’s Knot

Author: M. A. Carrick

Publisher:  Little, Brown Book Group Ltd., Orbit

Published Date:  December 9th 2021

Length: 629 pages

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Adult, LGBT, etc.  

Rating: 4.25/5

Trust is the thread that binds us . . . and the rope that hangs us.

In Nadezra, peace is as tenuous as a single thread. The ruthless House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city’s filthy back alleys and jewel-bright gardens, seen by those who know where to look.

Derossi Vargo has always known. He has sacrificed more than anyone imagines to carve himself a position of power among the nobility, hiding a will of steel behind a velvet smile. He’ll be damned if he lets anyone threaten what he’s built.

Grey Serrado knows all too well. Bent under the yoke of too many burdens, he fights to protect the city’s most vulnerable. Sooner or later, that fight will demand more than he can give.

And Ren, daughter of no clan, knows best of all. Caught in a knot of lies, torn between her heritage and her aristocratic masquerade, she relies on her gift for reading pattern to survive. And it shows her the web of corruption that traps her city.

But all three have yet to discover just how far that web stretches. And in the end, it will take more than knives to cut themselves free…

+++++

After the first book had a bit of a weird effect on me, I was waiting to see how the second book would be. I was lucky to be given an arc and I did finish the book back in December but the new year has not favoured me in good health so far. So, here’s the review, finally.

The second book starts as Nadezra is recovering from the corruption of house Idestor and everyone is trying to find ways of solving the problems, some problems from the old corruption and some new ones arising from solving the old problems. I think, the pace is better in this one than in the first one though perhaps slower than I wanted it to be? I am just not sure what it is about the pacing with this series that’s just never what I want it to be. It’s a me problem more than a book problem and I openly admit it. Pacing is gonna be a point of dissatisfaction for me, I guess. It’s not slow paced but it isn’t fast enough for me? I know, it doesn’t make sense.

The part that I really loved is the way this book delved into the history of things. We learn so much about Nadezra, Vraszan and the magic system along with the histories of the characters, too! I always love learning things about the world and the society living in it. Also, Vargo and Master Peabody! BFFs! I love the rag-tag group and their goals and how they all might want the same thing but not everybody is aware of it? And sometimes the reader knows it and it’s a fun game.

Like the last book, I really loved the characters! The way their arcs are happening right now, too! I think I have found a clear favourite while reading this book, it’s Vargo. Is anyone surprised? I love that with the second book, the characters’ lives are made more complex and complicated. Ren has to navigate this new world of numinatria cult to learn more about the curse, she also has to run missions as Black Rose to help the Stadnam Anduske while dodging Vargo. She also has to deal with having a crush on two people (of course, but I don’t mind it in this particular book for some reason). She also has to keep up the act of Alta Renata and Arenza as well as the Black Rose. Yeah, she’s busy.

There’s also Grey who has to juggle his duties while struggling with his morals, Vargo is also not having a great time of it. In between trying to save people and not step on any landmines, that guy just needs a buddy, okay? A buddy to hug or something. Tess is also not having a great time of it. Basically, everybody is struggling in some way or the other and it’s woven in the story beautifully.

A lot is happening in this book and it is not suffering from the middle book syndrome for sure! I loved it a lot more than the first book for sure. The pacing is still not my favourite thing but as established, it’s a me thing. So, we will not consider it. Overall, I am just eagerly waiting for the next book because I want to know what happens next. I am eternally grateful for the e-ARC but I want the next one too.