"We’d made our choice, but the problem with choices wasn’t in the making— it was in learning to live with them. And that was a poison without an antidote."

Mirror Of Beasts was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I've loved Alexander Bracken's books for years and when I read Silver In The Bone last year, it was no different. And with that ending, I was so, so excited to read this one and it didn't disappoint I loved it EVEN more than book 1 and want to reread both straight away.

I love Tamsin so, so much!!! Yes she can be kind of annoying sometimes because she's so stubborn but she loves and cares the people around her so, so much even if she denies it. I love her so so much. She's been through so much and has to constantly fight and fight and fight and try and figure out how to fix everything that's happened. If I hear a word against my girl it's on sight I love her so, so much!!!

Of bloody course, my FAVOURITE character by far is Emrys. This boy. Oh my god does he break my heart. He's trying so God damn hard and you can tell how much he truly hates himself, hates all the circumstances he's had to be in and finding out the truth of what happened to him and what happens to him near the end my god. I have sobbed so much over him, he's been my absolute favourite from his very first introduction in Silver in the Bone and that hasn't changed at all, I love him so so much!!!

There are so, so many characters to love in this duology. I love our main cast of five so, so much!!! Neve, Cait and Olwen are all also so special to me. I loved watching Neve and Cait and their relationship grow and the way they truly came to love each other was, so beautiful and Olwen has been top three for me again since she was first introduced and the five of them as the found family I love them so much!!!!

Cabell oh my god. I don't know if I've ever felt so conflicted over a character before. On one hand, I understand the way he feels that Tamsin has spent her whole life trying to break his Curse and how that could make him feel like one part of him is to be feared and can never be loved for who he is and the fact he was truly manipulated by Lord Death and throughout you can truly see his struggle with himself, I loved that Bracken chose to have some chapters from his POV because I found them so interesting and really helped build his character. However, he made me SO angry so much of the time when Tamsin has devoted her whole life to him and the way he says nobody has ever really lived him, the choices he continued to make made me so so god damn mad but then again, I absolutely sobbed at the end.

I really loved the plot of this book so much. I find the Arthur story so interesting and the way Bracken retold it and used the characters was so interesting to me. Some of it was genuinely scary at times and even though it could be confusing at times, it was constantly so fast moving and I loved every minute.

Overall, I loved this book so, so damn much! Definitely one of my favourite duologies of all time and I absolutely wanted to read both books again straight away. And, as always, i will read anything the author writes.

“Life is a mirror,” Nash said. “There are times we must stare into its depths and face what we have become . The true fight is in saving ourselves if we cannot accept what we see there.”

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Silver in the Bone was a totally unexpected gem when I read it with my book club last year, and was in my top books of 2023. I was SO excited to get the ARC of the sequel, and was desperate for it to live up to my expectations. Reader, it did!

The Mirror of Beasts picks up immediately where the first book left us, and the action is instant. You're thrown straight back into the story with barely any respite as it hurtles towards its conclusion. There is so much happening in this book, in this world - and having the added POV glimpses of Emrys and Cabell littered throughout really helped to develop the story further.

Tamsin, Neve, Cait and Olwen remained steadfast and fantastic examples of friendship and loyalty right to the bitter end (and beyond). I love how this duology focuses strongly on found family and the bonds of friendship as well as having this irresistible romance subplot too. This second book continues to be steeped in Arthurian legend and mythology, introducing us to more dangerous creatures and hidden lands. We get insights into a few characters who have been shrouded in mystery since book one, and questions are answered so thoroughly and breathlessly in the climactic final part.

Action, adventure, love, fear, loyalty and betrayals - this duology had me crying, laughing, reading from behind my hands, and crying again. I would love to read more of this world, to see these characters again - and I'm hoping some hints at the end of the book mean that we might!

Recommended to anyone who loves their YA with a bit of bite, some mortal peril and with a cast of characters you'll adore.