Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Oneworld Publications/Rock The Boat for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: violence, grief, death, war, religion

‘The Heart of the World’ follows immediately from the shocking ending of ‘The Isles of the Gods’ where Prince Leander sacrifices himself to become the Messenger for the warrior goddess Barrica. This was supposed to prevent a war from happening but now it seems all the more likely. He has returned to life but deeply changed- he is the human vessel for her power, she’s determined to get through and into the world to fight her rising brother Macaean (the god of risk). The only thing keeping Leander together as Barrica’s overwhelming magic takes over is his connection to Selly, the sailor who lost everything to get him to the Isle of the Gods in the first place. Selly’s presence keeps Barrica’s magic at bay, and as their romantic relationship begins to blossom once again, she is forced to choose between her love for the sea and her growing affection for Leander. Aided by Keegan, the scholar who got caught up with Leander and Selly in the first book, and Kiki, the fiancee he abandoned, Selly and Leander have to work together to prevent full-scale war from breaking out through an adventure of ancient libraries, secret islands and deep political rifts. Meanwhile, Laskia- who also gave her life in exchange for the return of Maecaen to become a Messenger- finds that her sister Ruby is unwilling to be her anchor despite everything Laskia has sacrificed for her. Caught between a religious cult and the terrifying burden of her newfound power, Laskia wants Macaean to come into the world. As Barrica and Maecaen seem set on clashing with enough force to destroy entire countries, Selly and Leander have to navigate their way through love in a warzone where the two Messengers will be used as weapons by their gods.

This sequel is one of the books I’ve most been wanting to read and it didn’t disappoint at all. Selly is plunged into a world of politics and balls she doesn’t recognise and forced to adapt, all while holding Leander’s sanity together by taking in some of Barrica’s power. She’s such a good main character to follow especially because she is genuinely so desperate for things to be different- she struggles to accept this change. I loved this version of Leander too, he has moments where he’s the character from book 1 but his experiences- and being the vessel for a god- has changed him. I wish we’d seen more of a storyline for Jude, who didn’t get enough time in the first book either and his chapters are so painfully short, but I enjoyed how Keegan and Laskia were expanded on in ‘The Heart of the World’ (I relate to Keegan’s desire to go live in a library and leave the world behind). Laskia is the definition of a tragic character, she so badly wanted her sister’s approval in book 1 and now she’s absolutely destroying herself to be the vessel for Macaen- she doesn’t have someone who loves her enough to be an anchor and I found that really moving. I do think the stakes should have been higher in some parts, there are a lot of parties, but the politics and tension around the clash between Maceaen and Barrica, using Leander and Laskia, was excellently written as both countries prepare for war. The first book was so brilliant and this is an excellent wrap-up for the world.

Although I took a bit longer to get into book 1 than I had hoped, a few chapters in I knew I was going to be obsessed with this series, and I was delighted to have been approved for book 2 as I couldn’t wait to continue the story! It definitely didn’t disappoint and I flew through it because I just needed to find out what would happen to the characters! I really enjoyed the end of this story and the resolution of different characters’ storylines. I would definitely recommend this series to any fans of magic and pirates, with a hint of warrior gods and adventure.

Thank you NetGalley and OneWorld Publications for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Heart of the World is the eagerly anticipated sequel to The Isles of the Gods.

Picking up right where we left off after book one, we rejoin Selly, Leander and Keegan as they return home after visiting The Isles of the Gods. The plot is fast-paced like book one and just as exciting. The world-building was really interesting. It was great to learn more about the Gods and their history. There were twists, turns, betrayals, action and adventure.

The main selling point for this series for me has been the characters - they're such a delight. The banter, the development, the relationships - all so well though out and I simply adore each and every character (even our villains). The multiple povs were spectacular, each very distinct in voice and really drove the story towards its climax. The development of the romance was also an absolute delight, eternal happiness for them please Ms Kaufman.

Quite like Selly, I missed the sea adventures, but this story more than made up for it.

Thank you again NetGalley and OneWorld Publications

This book was an amazing follow up to book 1 with conclusions that were so necessary. The author has a brilliant way of giving every character closure.

Book 2 gives us a deeper insight to the consequences of blind allegiance and loyalty to religion when there are gaps in the knowledge of the past. The multi POVS are my favourite so we can get a well rounded story that doesnt skimp on the details,

I enjoyed this so much and I couldn’t put it down!

AK never fails to write a cast of characters you can't help but fall in love with. Each one of the MCs POVs is full of heart and flipping between four perspectives really helps to flesh out this world. Whilst I wasn't as keen on Leander in this instalment, Selly really shone for me as an MC. Overall a great conclusion to the duology

OMG this book made me FEEL some things. The banter between all the characters was really on point and the plot kept me HOOKED. Besides that, I think the writing was absolutely amazing, it helped to understand the characters more and to really dive into the story.
And don't even get me started about the last 10% of the book😭

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and Amie Kaufman for this ARC copy!

Wow, this was epic. Such a fantastic way to end such a brilliant duology.

I adored the first book. It perfectly encapsulated everything I love about fantasy book; it had action, adventure, magic, humour and romance all in one magical book. I devoured that book. So, I strapped myself in for the longest wait for the next book and conclusion of the story. But boy was it worth the wait.

First of all, I want to massively thank Amie for including a brief summary of the events of The Isle of the Gods at the beginning. I can love a book, but not remember anything that happened. I also thought it was really cleverly done; it took the format of a letter written by Keegan.

The book picks up straight after the first one, which I have to say that I always enjoy when sequels don't skip time at the beginning. And because it follows directly on from the first, you are thrown into the action from the very beginning. It's so wonderful because it honestly feels like you never left this universe; it feels like you're a part of the story. The action and adventure in this book is simply incredible; it's exhilarating and heart-pumping, while also well-paced.

The language is beautifully written; I adored the passages and descriptions of the sea and Selly's longing to return to the water. It's so full of passion that it jumps off the page. I also appreciated that although the majority of the book takes place on land this time, Selly hasn't lost her sea legs and love of the water.

SELLY AND LEANDER ARE MY WORLD. I adored these two with all of my heart; they are so perfect that I would not change a thing about their characters or relationship. Their relationship elevates from the first book, and I could not be more grateful for this. Their chemistry is superb and one of the best things about this series. They're not just lovers without chemistry or affection, they have a beautiful friendship too that shines through.

I'm incredibly sad that the series is now over (adored the ending though), and really hope that it's not the end!

I feel like people are really sleeping on this series! I adore it and cannot recommend it enough!

3.5 stars. A satisfying end to the duology thar Amie Kaufman has written. The story is incredibly compelling and the plot twists in this are definitely something! Selly and Leander are such interesting characters, and I really felt like Kegan came into his own in this book. I would say that the plot has weird pacing but the end makes the story worth it. Would recommend!
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this!