Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Zoraida Córdova for my arc of Illusionary in exchange for an honest review.

Published: 10th May 2021

Warning: some spoilers for book one Incendiary.

Illusionary picks up where Incendiary left off. Renata Convida has teamed up with her greatest enemy, Prince Castian and despite their differences, their teamwork is the only thing that can possibly save the world.

Their plan: find the knife of memory, kill the king, save Puerto Leones.

But with the King’s forces and Renata’s old friends The Whispers on their tail, and Ren slowly falling into The Grey, the pit of her mind where she has kept all of her stolen memories, danger lurks at every turn.

This was beautifully written and lived up to its beginnings completely. I loved the developments and relationships, the friendships, banter and the history. I felt it really explored some background story of the place, the events of the past that led to the present day of the story and left me feeling satisfied as a reader that I had all the answers, without being overly complicated.

In all honesty I’ve not been loving YA recently so it’s a huge compliment from me to say how much I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I wasn't completely bowled over by the previous installment of this series, but the plot intrigued me enough to come back for a second helping, and I'm glad I did. Cordova's writing and plot came into its own in this final part of the duology, and Renata flowered from a slightly two dimensional character into a true heroine. I loved the resolution of the love triangle, and the plot resolution overall.

This was the sequel we all needed and wanted. Zoraida did it again and trapped me in the story and definitely I will recommend this.
Great conclusion and character development ( mention that we got new ones too) of course my eternal love is for Leo hahaha. I promise you will enjoy it. Give it a try, Zoraida created a great world! Thanks for let me read it!!

I was looking forward to reading the follow up book to Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova let me tell you i was not disappointed. Illusionary is everything I expected and more. fans will not be disappointed,. Im keeping my fingers crossed that there will be future books linked to this series.

Illusionary is the sequel to Incendiary and the second book in Zoraida Córdova’s Hollow Crown duology.

I read Incendiary in January and thoroughly enjoyed it. It had all the hallmarks of a classic YA fantasy adventure novel, with action, magic, daring rescues, romance, betrayal, and twists that had me yelling “NO WAY” into the pages.

Sometimes you find a duology where the first book sets up the world-building and plot so skillfully that the second book can expand upon them, develop the characters, and go in new directions that make it even better than the first. That’s what happened with this duology.

Incendiary walked so that Illusionary could run. Well, actually that’s a disservice to Incendiary.

Incendiary ran so that Illusionary could soar. And soar it does, from twist to twist, hurtling towards an action-fueled finale that left me warm, satisfied, and in high spirits.

In this book, we see Renata struggling to control her magic as it changes into something new. She’s rebuilding from the losses and betrayals of the first book and the moments when we see her grow in confidence and begin trusting Castian and the others around her were really poignant.

Renata was socialised into thinking her powers made her either a weapon, a monster, or a burden, but in this story we see her begin to love herself and heal from past traumas.

Some of the most beautiful moments in the novel were when she grows in self-confidence and begins to believe in the good her power can do.

Ren, Leo, and Castian’s friendship and trust in one another really made this book for me. After everything they went through in book one, seeing them having rare moments of fun and safety in each other’s company made me so happy.

Both books in this duology are written from a first person POV in a present tense narrative, which makes everything feel like it’s happening in the moment (perfect for fight scenes). We read from Renata’s perspective so we’re privy to all her closest thoughts, hopes, and fears, and we understand what motivates her.

Although the stakes are high in this book, it feels like Zoraida Córdova really had fun with the writing. The dialogue feels really attuned to each scene and includes some golden quips from Leo.

Illusionary really expands the world of Puerto Leones. We venture into Louzou, sailing across the Castinian sea, encountering pirates, and learning new aspects of the kingdom’s magic.

We find out more about the history of Memoria and how Renata is connected to it, as well as Castian and King Fernando’s past.

Starting off in one area of a world and branching out works really well for a two-book structure, as we get used to a segment of the world in the first novel before seeing more of it in the second. It also means readers can enjoy familiar areas while being introduced to new ones, and Córdova balances this really well.

Colonialism and displacement are big themes in this book, as we learn how the Moria people had their land taken from them and their history erased.

Their continued persecution as a marginalised group feels very reflective of our world, and as we see them begin to instigate change, fighting for a fairer world, we can’t help but want to fight too.

We also see more queer representation in the sequel, with a returning gay character from book one and a sapphic romance between two new characters.

Overall, Illusionary is a fast-paced, thrilling sequel with a punchy finale that cements the brilliance of this duology. Zoraida Córdova shows her range as a writer, moving from exciting action scenes to beautifully written romantic moments in the space of a chapter. This was one of my most anticipated sequels for 2021 and it didn’t disappoint.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

An absolutely brilliant sequel to a duology that deserves so much more love, and definitely one of my favourite finales ever!

Illusionary jumps right back into the story where Incendiary closed off. After rescuing Castian from the Whispers, Renata has formed a reluctant alliance with him to find the Knife of Memory and to also locate Dez. Though finding out the truth has left a mess of emotions between them. Plus they’re on the run from the King’s wrath and on top of that Ren’s control of her magic, of the Gray is slipping.

At just under 350 pages this book is shorter than its predecessor, but it’s packed with more adventure and magic plus double the amount of feels!

Once again Córdova’s beautiful writing and storytelling immediately immerses you into the world she has created. With Ren and Cas on their quest, the setting is a lot more dynamic than that of the castle in Incendiary but it is just as atmospheric, and I loved how this expanded on the world-building allowing us to venture out and discover more of the kingdom of Puerto Leones and beyond.

The pacing of the story overall has a great balance as we get more intimate time with the characters and their developing relationships interspersed among all the action of saving the kingdom. It was wonderful to see the return of some other familiar faces as well as being introduced to some fabulous new ones along the way too.

Ren is such a strong and wonderfully written character and this sequel has made me love her even more. The exploration of her powers and how all the memories shaped her identity was even more masterful than in the first book – seeing her come to terms with her trauma and following her journey to self-love and acceptance was so powerful.

I really enjoyed seeing the relationship and history between Ren and Cas unfold. There’s A+ banter and SO MUCH ANGST but the romance doesn’t ever detract from the primary storyline or the individual development of the characters.

And somebody really didn’t hold back on the tropes! 👀😂 Fake marriage? There’s only one bed? Enemies, to reluctant allies, to wait a minute there is A LOT more going on here than I first thought…? Not that I’m complaining one bit because it was all just *chefs kiss*

This duology has such a fascinating magic system and I really loved how we discover more about it, the history of the Moria and remarkably its link to the King and his backstory! The twists and reveals of how the Kingdom of Puerto Leones came to be how it is and the story as a whole is just so satisfying.

And that ending… absolutely perfect but I’d be lying if I said it didn't have me bawling my eyes out even now! 😭❤️️

The Hollow Crown duology is one that I will gladly come back to reread and I won’t ever stop recommending! GO READ IT!!!!
Final Rating – 4.5/5 Stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review :)

This is the second volume in the Hollow Crown duology. Incendiary (volume 1) was one of my favourite books last year and I was looking forward to the 2nd volume.

My favourite part about Illusionary is the character development. Renata, Dez, Leo and Castian have evolved so much and I enjoyed the transformation. Everything worked so natural and nothing felt forced, which I appreciate a lot. I also enjoyed the new characters that appear on the way in this adventure.

Second favourite has to be the world and the magic system. I love them. I have been thinking about the magic system for a while because it is awesome! In this volume you find out more about the history of Moria and more about how the magic works. From all the powers in the book, Renata's one is my favourite. It raises a lot of philosophical questions and I just want to read more about it.

Lastly, but not the least, is the ending. There is nothing I can say about it without spoilers, but it was perfection! I have read the epilog a couple of times because it made me feel so good!

I loved the first book in this duo and Illusionary did not disappoint either. Gripping story picking up right where we left off! Would definitely recommend!

Hodder kindly sent me a copy of Illusionary to read and review and I thought it was such a brilliant ending to the Hollow Crown duology! I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't started the series yet, so I will just say that I adore Renata (and Castian), the back-and-forth banter, the painfully slow burn romance and the *magic system*, which is SO unique! If you enjoyed Incendiary you'll definitely enjoy this too 😍

Illusionary is the epic conclusion to the fast paced Hollow Crown duology, the story continues to unfold with plenty of surprises and action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat! The sequel begins a couple of weeks following the events of Incendiary and I was delighted to re-immerse myself in the rich world of Puerto Leones that the author has created. Illusionary introduces us to a wealth of new characters and builds on the already incredible world building.
This novel, similarly to the first book, focuses on Renata and her previous trauma as someone who was used as a weapon by the kingdom. Renata began to question her past and confront her trauma in Incendiary, and in the sequel she continues on her journey of self-discovery. She is definitely one of the most complex fantasy characters I have ever read, she is plagued by her past deeds and how she is viewed as a villain by many people while attempting to be the kingdom’s saviour.
Illusionary features many more personal scenes for Renata as well as Castian, scenes of quiet contemplation rather than high stakes action at all times which was refreshing and built up tension perfectly. Renata and Castian both bonded over their shared pasts, as their characters can both be viewed as villains or saviours. Their backstory is revealed very slowly over the length of the novel in short flashbacks and memories, creating a deeper connection between the reader and the main characters.
With magical weapons, corrupt kings, desolate rebels and a dash of romance, Illusionary is the perfect conclusion to an incredible duology. Incendiary was one of my favourite fantasy novels of 2020, and Illusionary has definitely stolen the spotlight for 2021. I do believe this brilliantly creative series deserves a lot more hype and a much bigger readership, if you haven’t picked up a copy yet, then I highly recommend doing so!

TW: violence, death, blood

I'm going to try and keep this review short because I don't want to end up on a long rant but honestly I was just really disappointed by this sequel. I adored Incendiary so much and it was honestly one of my favourite reads of 2020 but this book felt like a completely different series. I wasn't really excited at any point whilst reading this book and it felt like the romance had completely taken over the whole book and the plot/action became a side point.

I still love the world but 80% of this book was just travelling around and building a relationship that didn't make sense to me. And then the last 20% was a tiny bit of action with a love triangle. SPOILERS REDACTED It was just so disappointing. The actual action/plot that was built up throughout the first book lasted all of five seconds and SPOILERS REDACTED; I just couldn't comprehend this whole plot point and it just brought my enjoyment of the book down even further.

I loved that we got a lot of Leo but where was everyone else that we met in book one? The rest of the whispers and Lady Nuria; they were severely missing from this book. They all get a few minutes guest spot at the end but we don't really get any focus on them and they almost felt shoehorned into the book. I really wanted a scene of them with Ren and apologising for what they did and realising they were wrong instead we get some weird scenes and then they're gone...

I just, I hoped for a lot more from this book and sadly it didn't live up to what I hoped it would be.

Incendiary took me a while to get properly into and I really didn't like Renata as a main character. I still enjoyed the book, especially some of the supporting characters and the world and magic system. After finishing it, I was looking forward to learning more about everything - I didn't quite realise it was a duology. That being said, I think Illusionary wrapped up the story quite well, and it was a satisfying conclusion.

While the first book focused more on the rebellion and had Renata confused about her powers, alliances and love life, and therefore annoying, Illusionary focuses more on her character growth and the magic, which is definitely the strongest aspect of this series. It definitely made me like her more as a character - I think she grew into the person she was meant to be from the very first page, the powerful and badass woman, and she really realised where she belonged.
My favourites remain Leo and Castian, though. Honestly, if the story revolved around those 2 and Lady Nuria from the first book, I think those would easily be 5 star reads.

This book was fast paced and exciting. So much happened in this installment, but it didn't feel rushed. We found out a lot about the world, how and why the rebellion started. It was a perfect mix of action, character development and back story. And it all led to a satisfying conclusion.

I really enjoyed Illusionary and I'm looking forward to picking up more by Zoraida Cordova in the future. I think, although YA fantasy has a lot to offer that is similar to this story in plot, this duology is definitely worth a read, as Cordova's voice is distinctive and strong.

I enjoyed this one more than the first book. The pacing was better and the overall shape of this story made more sense to me than book one.

I enjoyed the romance developing between Ren and Castian.

I was satisfied with the ending.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Illusionary is the final book in The Hollow Crown Duology by Zoraida Cordova.

In the previous book Ren and Castian set out to look for Dez and the Knife of Memory. The Knife of Memory is the only way to stop the King of Puerto Leones and prevent a war with the Moria.
On one side Cebrián is leading the Whispers and Dez is trying to get the Knife of Memory to give it to Cebrián.
Then the King also wants the Knife to control the Moria.
So everything is riding on this one Knife and a Robári is the one who can wield it. The Knife can be used only once then it returns back to its resting place and the one who uses it has to pay a heavy cost.

After Renata's encounter with Cebrián, her powers are going haywire. They are changing, memories slipping out of The Grey, Renata getting lost in those occurrences, all control that she had is slowly declining and she constantly worries what would happen if a memory completely took control of her mind.

Renata's character development was massive here. She learnt to control her powers, she started to accept who she was, she learnt to live and she fought to prevent two kingdoms from slaughtering each other, even if that meant she had to sacrifice herself to do it, she did it fearlessly. I admire her a lot.

I have added another name to my book crushes list and that is Castian. He is so gorgeous.
Castian wants to build a new world where the people of Puerto Leones and Moria live harmoniously. No more wars, no more discrimination of the Moria, no more Moria puppets. This vision gave him the drive to find the Knife of Memory more and then there's Renata of course.

Their relationship was a bit rocky in the beginning. Renata called Cas her "ardent enemy" and that she hated him. These statements hurt him a lot. The slow burn was so good and the angst.. my God.. I was so frustrated by both of them. The fact that Cas loved her almost his whole life and Renata just forgot him was a huge *uuuggghhh* moment for me. I can understand that all she knew about Cas was his cruelty and that all her good memories with Cas were buried in The Grey. Thankfully she gave in to her feelings and loved him.
When he indirectly told Renata that she was the only one in his heart, that she was the only one who was always with him just to tell her that he would always remember her even if she forgot who he was, was just beautiful.

Leo is officially my favourite character in this series. I love him. He is such a great friend and so loyal and humorous. He just lightens up a heavy mood. Renata and Leo's friendship was precious and perfect.

Even though Dez changed sides by the end of the book and fought on Renata's side, I still don't like him. I may not hate him now but I do not like him.

In this book we see a whole different side of the King of Puerto Leones. A backstory that just took me completely by surprise. It also changed the way I saw the King a bit.

Cordova has done an amazing job writing this book. It is so beautiful and amazing. I loved it with all my heart. The description, the extension of the world; The Kingdom of Moria; was just so well written. I was just swept away in it.
The Epilogue had me in tears. It was such a happy ending. My heart is full of joy.
I immensely thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eArc

Illusionary is the sequel to Incendiary and the conclusion to the Hollow Crown duology. It begins soon after the end of Incendiary.
Look, I'm not going to summarize it because it would definitely spoil book 1, and trust me, you don't want that.

I will say, though, that, in my opinion, this sequel was even better than the first book. I loooooved it so much. It was truly perfect. It really was everything I wanted and more. I was captivated from the first page to the last.
I loved the characters. None of them are perfect but they sure were perfect to me. I love Renata so much but ******* too and Leo and Leyre and just every single side character.
Zoraida truly created an incredible world with amazing characters and it is truly everything.
Now, onto the plot, it really surprised me in the best way. I saw exactly none of it coming. Every time I thought the story was stirring me one way, it took me in another unexpected one. And I loved every second of it.
I also felt so much reading this, I laughed, raged, cried, got super scared and also happy, really everything.
This book really made Zoraida Córdova into a one-click author for me.

Illusionary by Zoraida Cordova is the second book in the Hollow Crown duology and it immediately continues after the thrilling end of the first book. I was so excited for this installment and I really liked it.

It started off with a scene in the castle and we get this from the point of view of King Fernando and that was so intriguing and directly provided an entrance into this book and kept me interested from the first pages.

Another aspect I really liked was that we get to see more of Prince Castian and he was already intriguing in the first book and herein he becomes an actual protagonist and I definitely became a fan of him. He also has a darker history and trauma like Renata and both want to overthrow the tyrant king and therefore they have to work closely together. This created a lot of tension and they figure out their feelings along the way and maybe see that the other is more than the enemy.

Renata was an incredible protagonist and she is such a brave, fierce and strong heroine. She also continued her emotional development and figured out her powers more and I really liked to follow that. In addition, you learn even more about the Moria and explore more of the world. Personal scenes where followed by intimate moments and action scenes and that made it such a good installment. I also had the feeling that by the end every character became a better version of themselves and I loved that.

Overall, Illusionary was very enjoyable and a very good sequel that I liked even more than the first book. 4 stars.

(ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for a review.)

I wasn't entirely sold that this might be the end of this duology. I couldn't quite see how it would end in less than 400 pages with all those loose threads dangling. But it came together. It really did. I'm very satisfied with how it ended.

The story follows Castian and Renata and starts a few weeks or months after the first book as they hunt for allies and magical objects.

The story followed a logical path and not once did I question why they did something. I bought all the twists and turns.

Ren is the memory stealing the main character. She is fierce and strong and a softie at heart. I like her as the main character and a badass woman. She isn't my favourite character but she is up there with them.

Castian is the bloodied prince with a very big secret revealed at the end of the first book. He is strong and willing to fight for his future kingdom but also for Ren and their history. Again I liked this character and his interest in Ren was clear from day 1 but I still enjoyed the unravelling of that subplot.

Leo is the queer sidekick and spy who joins their journey. he is a breath of fresh air between the two stubborn characters and acts as an ear for full hearts.

I enjoyed this series a lot and loved the ending though it dragged just a tad.

I will check out this authors future work and maybe even dip into her backlist at some point.

I devoured Incendiary when I read it last year and had ridiculously high expectations for Illusionary, some of which it met, and some that it just didn't. Please note this review will contain spoilers for book one. After learning the truth about Dez being the young Prince thought dead, and her memories returning of her time in the palace with Castian as a child Renata had a decision to make. Go back to the Whispers who had already betrayed her once, or put her faith in the Prince who has ruthlessly hunted her people. Now on the run with Castian searching for the Knife of Memory hoping they can use it to kill the King, they must learn to trust each other, because there are forces working against them. They will make new enemies and friends as well as running into past ones, but in the end it will come down to how much Ren and Cas are willing to give up because the Knife of Memory requires a sacrifice, one that neither want to pay.

Ren is the perfect POV to read this duology from. She know's injustice in more than one form, and yet she never lets it stop her from fighting for what is right, even if that means going against people she classed as friends. She is a girl of two worlds, but feels she fits in neither, and that really gets brought to life in this book. On one hand she know's working with Castian is the best way to get to the Knife of Memory and kill his father, but she's also not sure she can trust him after all the crimes he has committed against the Moria. She is incredibly resilient, but we get to see her feel the pull of the two worlds more in this book, she may have hated Castian but that changes the more time she spends with him and the more of her memories of their past come back to her, but she also feels beholden to the Whispers, even after they betrayed her, and before long she will have to make the choice of who to put her faith in. Her character development is off the charts, and she has easily become one of my all time favourite characters.

While this book is told entirely from Ren's pov, we do get introduced to a whole host of side characters that you can't help but love. A lot of my favourites from book one turn up, and we also get introduced to some new ones, but by far my favourites in this book were Leo, Renata's only friend when she was in the Palace and Castian, the Prince she was once friends with. Ren and Leo's relationship was one I loved from book one, he is like a big brother too her and spends most of the book either mercilessly teasing her or trying to protect her. But the relationship we really see grow in Illusionary is the one between Ren and Cas. Any fans of enemies to lovers romance will devour their scenes together, filled with steam and just the right amount of angst. My one issue is it seemed a little fast, Ren was in love with Dez in book one, and though he disappeared early on, she spent the rest of the book searching for and trying to save him, so I wasn't prepared for her feelings to change so quickly.

If Incendiary was a slow burn then Illusionary strapped a rocket on it's back and zoomed off, because the pacing of this book was significantly faster than book one. In one way, that is good because a lot of people struggled with the pacing of book one, but for me it just meant that we lost all the character growth we got in book one. We just didn't get enough time with some of the characters to understand their motivations, as well as Ren's reactions to them. Whether this could have been fixed with multiple POV's, or making the series a trilogy I'm not sure. But I just felt that some of Ren's interactions felt rushed, and her forgiveness of certain characters and their actions just didn't feel natural.

My favourite parts of this book where when Ren, Cas, Leo and co went on their journey to find the Knife of Memory. Cordova has a real strength to her world building and I loved getting to travel around Puerto Leones, visiting different villages, as well as their time spent at sea. Plus Sea = Pirates, and I found some new favourite characters on that part of their journey. But also, Ren found a place where she fit, a place where she could use her powers without others fearing her, and I loved seeing her come to the realisation that there are others out there like her, and that she might just not be alone in the world. Cordova's world absolutely jumps off the pages, and you easily find yourself swept away with the story. There aren't quite as many plot twists jumping out at you in this book, but we do get plenty more action scenes than book one that make the story flow a lot faster.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. It was a fun and incredibly fast paced ending to the duology with a great cast of characters that I loved. Cordova has a real strength for world building and for writing character you can't help but bond with. I just feel certain things let it down slightly and made it a like, not love book for me.

It’s no secret that I loved Incendiary when I read it, so I was beyond excited to read the sequel and conclusion to this duology; Illusionary. I was also extra intrigued since Zoraida Córdova said that it was going to be ‘highkey romantic with much action and soulful glances’ and reader? she meant it!

Illusionary was honestly such a fitting and beautiful conclusion and a perfect send off for Ren, Castian and co. This novel was a departure from the first novel in many ways and it worked so well to establish this part of the story and sets it apart nicely. I swear it’s like Córdova looked into my head and managed to pluck out all the parts of stories I love and included them seamlessly in this novel.

I liked how this novel picked up right where we picked up – with Ren and Castian on the run from King Fernando’s forces and seeking the mythical knife of memory. I think these parts were some of my favourite to read – even if Ren and Cas are not exactly on the best of terms at this point. Ren and Castian have this complex shared history and it was fun to read as they navigate their new situation and the task they find themselves on. The path isn’t exactly smooth to begin with but I liked how their relationship developed and flourished after they come to an understanding. Plus the pining? the soulful glances? the brushing of fingers? the protectiveness? the romance? It was unreal and I loved every second.

I also loved how Leo, Nuria and other characters were given more page time in this novel and it made me like them even more. I also really liked that each character felt like a pivotal member of the ‘party’ and had their roles to play, without it feeling cliched or tired, it was reminiscent of classic stories, it was giving me fellowship of the ring vibes and honestly? I’m always down for that kind of comparison. I would be totally okay with Cordova writing a spin off book or short story through Nuria’s perspective. Just putting that out there into the universe.

I also adored the parts where the characters were at sea, I won’t say too much more but I’ll leave it with a few hints: Pirates, a wise captain, a hidden island. It was epic and I just know I’m going to re-read this book over and over.

The way the story progresses was so enjoyable to me, it definitely took time to reach the pivotal moments and it’s hard to describe without giving too much away but I thought this was actually really unique. Usually in a fantasy you expect a bit of buildup, with the characters embarking on a journey and then there’s consistent action until the end but I really admired how the author kind of flips this structure around a bit. I would say this book is more character focused and about the adventure than the big fights and flashy moments although there are plenty of those too!

Overall, Illusionary was a truly brilliant read, I can’t gush about it any more, well any more than I have already.

Fantastic conclusion to the series.

I was very eager to see where the story would go after the revelations from the end of Incendiary. This second book doesn’t have quite the level of twists and turns and backstabbing as the first - it feels a little more grown up and considered - but the action is top notch. Ren takes a lot of time coming into her own and wrestling with the different parts of Castian she knows and reconciling what she knows of him now with dark Prince she has hated. She also has to come to grips with her powers and her growing abilities as they go in search of the Knife of Memory.

Even as there are many adventures and escapades in their fight to defeat King Fernado - the focus in this book is on self discovery and self acceptance. Both Ren and Cas are tortured by the things they’ve done in the past and struggle to forgive themselves. The slow burn of their relationship is delicious and made even more painful by the spectre of Dez and what he means to both of them.

There are soo many different parts to this book with new characters and places and more world building as we learn more about the history of the Moira and their abilities. This is a fantastic YA duology and I’m sad it is over.