Cover Image: The Liar's Knot

The Liar's Knot

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This series gives me such joy, honestly. I read this when it came out and somehow didn’t write it up, my bad. However, I just reread it and yay what a lovely time! There is just SO much going on but it somehow doesn’t feel like too much?

I am scared of chonky books but yet I just dove into the final book and reread the whole series. That’s how much I love it. It’s so intricate and SO well put together. I adore the pattern and numinatra cross over and we get so much more of it here.

So the story. Wow Ren? How are you not going slowly insane. You are doing so much, and being so many people. It’s so much. And I love that she slowly learns to trust others as a consequence, I don’t think she could have coped otherwise. I adore both Grey and Vargo still and really found it great to see more of them and their worlds in this. Even learning about what Vargo was up to in book one, I love that he’s so complex. Though for a bad guy when we see inside his head he’s such a secret softie I swear. And Grey bought Ren a KITTY. I am so soft. love it all.

I do think there are bits where it’s waiting for the transition between book one and the eventual end point, but even those are filled with intrigue and fun. I can’t even explain without spoiling haha. But it’s so cleverly done, there is always something happening. And so often it’s relevant and you have NO IDEA til later.

Definitely read these books! 5 stars.

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This was a really entertaining and solid sequel to an excellent first book and I enjoyed it a lot. The focus here was more on the politics of the world, with the different noble families competing for power and the machinations were fascinating. There was a lot of character development here, which was great and I loved the way in which the authors progressed the ongoing relationships between Ren, Vargo and Grey. It was also great to have some questions answered while still leaving plenty to be discovered in the final installment. Overall, the stakes were higher and the intrigue was fabulous and while I didn't love it quite as much as the first book, I can't wait to see what the finale will deliver.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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The Liar's Knot by MA Carrick is the second book in the Rook and Rose series. House Indestor may be deposed, and the balance of power shifted but things are still in flux.

This captivating story will entangle readers in a web of deception, intrigue, and sorcery. Carrick skillfully weaves a complex narrative that challenges readers to unravel the mystery of a realm on the brink of ruin. Their writing style is exquisite, with a cadence that mesmerizes and a depth that dazzles.

The world-building in The Liar's Knot is all-encompassing, transporting readers to a vividly-realized world of magic and intrigue. The characters are multifaceted, with intricate personalities that are imbued with nuance and depth. Carrick's attention to detail is remarkable, and the plot is laced with intricate twists and turns that keep readers enthralled until the very end. The cultures of Nadezra, both Vraszenian and Liganti, and cuffs and knots, are utterly fascinating.

The magic system in The Liar's Knot is seamlessly integrated into the world, evoking a sense of realism that is both enchanting and plausible. The different cultures, Vraszenian and Liganti, favour quite different magical systems. One focuses on cards, and patterns, and is far more free-form like any oracle card system is. The other (numinatria) focuses on precision and logic.

In conclusion, The Liar's Knot is a delightful addition to the Rook and Rose series. Highly recommended!

****Many thanks to Netgalley and Orbit Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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I adored the first book, The Mask of Mirrors so I was excited to see how events developed in Nadezra after the removal of House Indestor and I wasn’t disappointed. While some books suffer from middle book syndrome this one has no such problems. Brennan and Helms deftly wind together both exploring the power gap left by Indestor as well as building the tension for the next obstacle Ren, Grey and Vargo have to overcome. In addition to ratcheting up the tension we also learn more about all three in ways that feel natural and add to the richness of the story. In particular we learn much more about how the Rook came to be and what rules and morals govern their operation as well as the relationship between them and the city which helped to contextualise both it as a role and the city itself and the problems plaguing it. Whilst I don’t always like magical corruption being used as a reason to handwave human vices and weaknesses, the Rose and Rook books so far seem to take the path of them building on each other and reinforcing one another in an almost symbiotic way which provides a much more interesting perspective on human nature. I can’t wait for the third book and I’m avidly waiting for its release.

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This is the second instalment in the Rook & Rose series.

Ren returned to Nadezra under false pretences and almost got caught out. Some of her lies are fraying at the edges and those surrounding her are clutching at them and hoping to see her unravel altogether. Who will emerge when they do? The young street rat fighting for scraps? Or the poised and precise young woman she has schooled herself to become, fighting with half-truths and clever words rather than closed fists and stabs in the back?

I liked this second series instalment slightly less than the first. Despite reading it straight after completing The Mask of Mirrors it took me a few chapters to reinsert myself within this world. I did like every perspective that featured here but sometimes found that they all hid their true identities and desires behind so many different masks that I sometimes became confused on who the real villain was and which individual I should be rooting for.

That being said, the richly textured world that was built in book one, once again received the same focus here. I loved exploring the city, both with the elite in social settings and with the poor in more criminal past times. I also do applaud this author for crafting every character with so many layers to them and with backstories that took just as long to unpack. This was a riveting novel, in both construction of its world and the individuals who roamed there, and one I tore through once I had plunged in far deep enough.

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This second instalment did not disappoint and I found myself once more sucked into the dark and conniving secretive world of Ren and her many masks. The world appears to be getting darker and many of the allies she has don't really know her so she has to keep secrets from all, and the balancing act soon becomes a big struggle. I loved seeing her reconnect and newly introduce herself to old and new allies, and the story of twisted dreams, magic, patterns and more kept me reading and hooked.
In this one I really enjoyed learning more about the Rook and also the human behind the mask.
Vargo remained a staunchly intriguing character and his involvement always promised more action and secrets.
Tess and Sedge remained loyal faves for me and particularly the love they had as friends for Ren was great to see. I think the dependability they have for her was vital to the plot and her survival.
The magic and the ominous gods/being which twist the events and the currents of the world are only just starting to be unravelled and I am excited to read more about this.
Overall, a super solid one and I am excited for the next one which is due next year. 4*s

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Thank you for my earc of this book!
Unfortunately I didn’t finish this. I don’t think this is the books issue, it just wasn’t for me so I didn’t engage and couldn’t focus.

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A stunning sequel to a totally fantastic book !
I really love this world, its got a really interesting magic system that I feel will only get deeper and deeper !
It was truly stunning ! I can't wait to see what these authors do next.

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The Liar’s Knot picks up right where The Mask of Mirrors ends.

I loved The Mask of Mirrors, although it was sometimes a bit hard to follow with a quite complicated magic system. I was hoping The Liar’s Knot could perhaps expand on that a bit more, to make the magic a bit clearer (especially for non-natives of the English language), but unfortunately that didn’t quite happen. It didn’t bother me as much this time around, though, because as I had learned from the first book: I don’t really need to understand the magic, to thoroughly enjoy it.

The Liar’s Knot is once again a rollercoaster of fun and games, of deceit and friendship and love and rivalry. The characters will sweep you of your feet and take you along for a wonderful ride. I’m very excited to read the next installment and return to the city if Nadezra.

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The second book in this excellent series: gripping, highly entertaining, and well written.
I loved the world building, the character development, and the excellent storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for letting me read The Liar's Knot ahead of its release!

I cannot begin to describe how obsessed I am with the Rook and Rose series. Given the immense amount of thought and care put into the world-building, it took a while to get into the first book, but once I began to grasp the layout of the world, I became hooked. All the better that i was allowed to immediately jump into the second book, which only improved on the story. Many times, the second book in a trilogy suffers from middle child syndrome, but definitely not this one. If this is what M.A. Carrick can achieve by fine-tuning their cooperation on the series, I cannot wait to see what they will conjure up for the final installment of the series.

As with the first book, I absolutely adored all of the characters. Don't ask me to pick a favorite, because frankly, I don't think that I could make that decision. They are all so wonderfully complex, their backstories grant them so much humanity and depth, their morals and values add up with their actions at all times and the way they interact with each other is simply a delight. I especially enjoyed the romance in this book, the secret identity dynamic worked wonders for me.

Aside from the complex world, which I don't think I'll ever shut up about, I really love the casual queer rep in this series. I'm always a big fan of organically including LGBTQIA+ characters in written worlds, and the way it was done here just makes me so happy.

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The Liar's Knot by M.A. Carrick is the second book in the Rook & Rose series. Following up on The Mask of Mirrors, this continues Ren's story as she infiltrates Naszrenian society and tangles with the masked vigilante known as the Rook. Despite loving Marie Brennan's - one of the co-authors - Memoirs of Lady Trent, this story failed to captivate me in the same way. In theory, this should be exactly my cup of tea, as it has characters of dubious morality, great descriptions and a fair dose of betrayal and backstabbing, but in practice, I didn't like the first book as much as I wanted to, and felt similarly about this second volume. Individually, I love Ren, Tess, Vargo and Grey, and think they are brilliant characters whom I would love to learn more about. But in combination, I'm just not invested. Perhaps it feels like there's too much of a good thing, too many storylines that are individually interesting, because in some ways, it seems to me that the series is meandering along, unsure where it is heading. I don't dislike it, and I will probably pick up the next book too because I can't help myself, but for me these are solid three star reads.

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The Mask of Mirrors was one of my favourite books of 2021 and I was thrilled to get an ARC of book #2 not long after I read it (even if I then delayed said review, since I was decidedly not in an epic fantasy mood for a few weeks).

Luckily, I loved The Liar’s Knot as much as The Mask of Mirrors, though it’s a very different book in some ways. Secondary world urban fantasy is something that I wish we saw more of, and this series does it wonderfully. Like the first book, the setting is a real highlight. There are clear Venetian inspirations, but none of it feels paint by the numbers, particularly given the various high fantasy concepts woven throughout, which we learn a lot more about in this book. Nadezra also feels like a lived-in place, as we get lots of little details about both the city and its various inhabitants that help build the big picture.

A side note, but I really like the way that ethnic tensions are seeded throughout the book. This series is not a full-blown war story between rival factions, but you can feel things bubbling along under the surface (with the occasional fiery outbreak), in a way that feels much deeper and more complex to unpick than just ‘culture A hates culture B for reasons’. It’s clear the authors have spent a lot of time thinking through their world-building in all its sociopolitical detail.

But while the world-building remains top-notch, it’s clear the characters have moved on from The Mask of Mirrors. By the end of book #1, Ren had tied herself up in all kinds of knots as she tried to maintain three seperate secret identities, and there was a sense of frantic energy as you knew it had to unravel… but when? The fun, and the tension, came from watching each of our characters trying to hide all of their various secrets, and digging themselves a new hole with every one they climbed out of. To their credit, the authors don’t try to keep this masquerade up past the point that it’s no longer believable – instead, the focus shifts to what it means for characters to trust each other and find common ground in pursuit of their various goals. The result is a much more intimate – but equally tense – sequel, as we see what choices our characters make armed with new information about each other.

I am very curious to see whether our characters’ tentative new bonds can weather the storm that’s inevitably coming in book #3. After all, all our characters – not just Ren – still have plenty of secrets to be revealed.

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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.

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Absolutely amazing characters, wonderful plot and such an interesting magic system and intricate world building. Such a wonderful sequel and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

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Short Version: I loved every sentence of this book. The detail is astonishing.

Long version:

I loved Mask of Mirrors so I was super excited for this book and had high expectations. This book gave me everything I wanted and then added more brilliant stuff on top.

The Plot: There are plots inside plots and they interweave with other plots…. it’s complex. This medley of plotting is orchestrated so beautifully it’s never difficult to follow. The details that subtly link plot elements together is genius level and I loved every one I picked up on and I’m sure there are a load that I missed.

The Setting: Brilliantly described and used masterfully to illustrate both plot and character elements.

The Characters: These characters are amazing. If you consider each individual character and the detail that has gone into it and then multiply that across the cast of characters, It’s just amazing. Additionally this cast is diverse, in all ways, in a way that feels organic and natural.

The Worldbuilding: I love a rich world with social norms and histories that bleed into the story giving everything added colour and flavour. This book gives me all of that in a way that is entirely relevant to the story. The magic systems are imaginative and clever and I loved how they were enhanced in this book.

The Prose: Brilliant, one of the best written series of books I’ve read.

The Pace: Generally on the slower side which helps the fast, breathless sections really pop.

The Ending: Really satisfying conclusion to this book and a perfect set up for book 3.

Conclusion: I absolutely loved this and cannot wait for book 3.

Who would love this: Anyone who loves fantasy of manners type stories, lovers of con artist stories and people who love interesting magic.

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The Liar’s Knot is aptly named. When we left Ren, Grey and Vargo at the end of The Mask of Mirrors it’s clear that they’ve all created their own knotted webs of lies. Unsurprisingly, those webs only continue to grow tighter and even more tangled in each other’s in this book. But what *is* surprisingly thrilling is watching the way their investigations of other falsehoods surrounding them in the city of Nadežra begin to unravel many of their own lies.

Ren has finally succeeded in her con to become an accepted relative to the noble House Traementis after a high cost that leaves her with a heavy heart. Only the two other masks she has to wear – both more closely tied to her true heritage – gives her some reprieve, and she’s convinced that with those identities she may be able to do some good. Vargo’s elevation to nobility is met with sneers by those who will never see him as anything but a low-class crime lord, but he has no intention of letting any of them get in the way of his plans. He and his secret spirit companion, Alsius, have more dirt on many of these callous elites than they could ever imagine. And Grey is having his own troubles with the nobility after a change in leadership in the Vigil turns toward a sinister objective. Not to mention that he often finds himself struggling to choose between fulfilling a secret duty or getting his revenge on Vargo, the man responsible for his brother’s death.

There are ton of things going with all three of these characters, but on the whole Vargo is definitely the star of The Liar’s Knot. We learn much more about his past, his motivations and the mysterious spirit companion that resides within his poisonous pet spider. Alsius actually ended up becoming one of my favorite side characters due his chatty nature and the revelations he brings about some of Vargo’s intentions. Vargo also has great dynamics with both Ren and Grey, who have their own reasons to be furious with him, and it was fun to see the way those inevitable clashes all played out.

Which isn’t to say that there aren’t any exciting things going on with the others. The side POV characters such as Tess, Sedge and Giuna are as likeable as always and I enjoyed getting their view into current events. And though I tend to be picky with romance storylines, I was actually invested in the gradually developing romance between Ren and Grey. It never felt rushed, out of place or took too much attention away from the plot (which are my usual pet peeves) so I was a rather pleased spectator.

The characters and their relationships aside, there was also plenty of action. The revolving plotlines were well-balanced and each interesting in their own ways. Even if a certain plotline would have to fade into the background for a few chapters while another got its due attention, there were always compelling hints and threads that would tie things together eventually.

However, if the first book had more elements of a “fantasy-of-manners” novel with some vigilantism and duels all mixed in, then I’d say this book contains more elements of skullduggery and magical scholarship rather than social politicking. There are jail breaks and turf wars and infiltrations of secret numinatria societies, which made for some great scenes. Then there are also many discussions and uses of the various magic systems in this world. Sometimes those applications were fascinating to see, but at other times it could slow down the pace of the book as often each aspect had to be explained. I certainly admire the complexity of the worldbuilding and the special care that was taken for the magic system, but I found this book tended to infodump in a dry way at times.

That one complaint aside, I’m still very much satisfied and eager to see what happens to this cast next.

Thank you NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Orbit for providing the free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I started the year reading the first instalment in the Rook & Rose trilogy, The Mask of Mirrors, so in a way, it was only fitting that I should come full circle and end the year with its newly released second book, The Liar's Knot.

I had really enjoyed the first book, so my expectations were very high for the second one, even though I was a bit worried about a possible case of "middle book syndrome". But as it turns out, I worried for nothing and my expectations were not only fully met, but exceeded by this amazing book!

The Liar's Knot picks up soon after the events of the first book, as everyone struggles to come to terms with what happened and the consequences of that for Nadezra as a whole. There is an impressive amount of secrets going around, and I absolutely loved seeing how the various characters interacted, knowing who was hiding what from whom. What could have easily become an overly complex mess is handled extremely well, with never a moment of confusion (for me at least; there were plenty of those for the characters...) and it's not dragged along any longer than it needs to be.

Because of the high-level duplicitousness in this book, it's extremely easy to accidentally venture into spoiler territory, so I won't go into a lot of detail. Suffice it to say that everything I had enjoyed in the previous book, I absolutely adored in this one.

The characters were fantastic, so complex and fleshed out it was an absolute joy to spend time with them. The cast is big and I still had some difficulty keeping some of the minor characters straight in my head, but I had no trouble at all following the main group. Ren and Vargo confirmed themselves as my absolute faves, but I loved everyone else too, especially some of the newer characters that didn't get quite as much airtime in the first books. The relationships really get room to breathe in this book, and it was a delight to read. The banter between the Rook and the Rose was stellar, and I couldn't get enough of that between Vargo and his spider either!

The worldbuilding is also amazing, complex yet explained in a way that makes it easy to follow and understand. I did struggle with some of the words (which I had almost completely forgotten from the first book), but thankfully I remembered to look for the glossary this time, so that particular crisis was averted! There were plenty of moments for learning and reflection throughout, and I really enjoyed how this book took its time to develop those aspects and the magic system further instead of blindly rushing ahead with the plot.

There were still enough adventure, intrigue, and swashbuckling to keep things moving, including a curse and a secret cult as well as your run-of-the-mill con artistry, criminality, and vigilantism. Oh, and let's not forget masked balls and AMAZING fashion!

The Liar's Knot had everything I dreamed of for the second book in the series, and more! Somehow, it managed to be even more amazing than the first and an all-round fantastic second book. I can't believe I have to wait so long for the next one, but I can't wait to see what comes next!

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The Liar's Knot is a great continuation in the series, much like the first book the development and further description of the magical systems is incredibly interesting. The storyline follows similar themes to the first and it is great to watch the characters develop and relationships progress.

I am excited about the next book!

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What a fabulous read, such a great follow up to what I thought was a great first book, didn’t think the writer could out do it. Again, like the first book world and the magic system are so well done, the characters continue to develop and we get to know more about them which I absolutely loved I can’t wait for the final book to see how this ends.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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