As a member of the Knights of the Realm, Reid swore an oath to protect her king only to discover he harbors a traitorous agenda.Being a woman raised in a man’s world, Reid thought becoming a Knight would give her purpose and strength. So far, it has done nothing but give her trouble. The king ordered her to spy on the Axian royal family while she prepares for her marriage—a marriage neither she … neither she nor Prince Dexter wants. Once in Axian, Reid realizes she’s being used as a pawn in a decades-old political match. With the king and Knights seemingly at odds, Reid’s allegiances are torn, especially when she finds friendship in the unlikeliest of places.
As the kingdom of Marsden teeters on the brink of civil war, Reid must decide whose side she’s on—even if that means betraying her king in order to save the kingdom.
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This is the second book in the Knights of the Realm series. The author weaves these wonderful characters in and out to create a beautiful storyline. I definitely recommend this book series!
#Her natural reaction was to punch him in the face. However, she couldn’t behave in such a manner when surrounded by Axian’s esteemed guests.#
So sadly Ackley is never going to be the love interest. I like him him way better, but it seems me and the mc doesn’t have taste.
Besides that, I still highly enjoy that it’s hard to tell who to trust. I can’t wait to see how it all ends.
First of all: I love this cover. So much. So pretty.
Now that that’s out there, let’s move into the review.
The best things about Jennifer Anne Davis books is that they have a large enough cast for variety and entertainment, but not enough to overwhelm the reader. They also all have excellent pacing that keeps the story moving, but also slides in important details.
‘Shadow Knights’ is no different.
Moving from the Northern Marsden royal family, Reid has to take on the Axian royal family in far more intimate circumstances than she would like. By being forced into an arranged marriage with a man who threatened her life the last (and first) time they met.
The book teeters on the edge of the ages old question of who to trust.
Dexter knows she was sent to spy. He can’t trust her.
Reid knows Dexter is hiding something. She can’t trust him.
And it shows.
Which is something that is not always done well in other stories with the same premise. Yet, every action has a reaction and they all make sense. The relationship that does eventually develop between Dexter and Reid is something natural and takes very delicate timing. There’s always the sense that if something went just a little bit differently over the course of the book, things would not be what it is. Nothing feels contrived.
This also extends into the plot. Things are happening all over northern Marsden that has everyone in Axian on edge. And even a marriage of convenience isn’t all that convenient.
Without giving too much away, I can honestly say that this book does not enwrap itself in Dexter and Reid circling around one another. There are real stakes, dangers, and plots to unravel and they’re both willing to work at their own ends. If they happen to meet in the middle and agree on some things, so be it. But it’s not the goal. Which was something I truly appreciated.
To wrap this up, I would definitely say that this met every one of my (high) expectations for the sequel of ‘Hidden Knights’.
DISCLAIMER : I received this ARC from Reign Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Reign publishing and Jennifer Anne Davis for the ARC. This is the second book in the series of Knights of the Realm. This book continues from where we left off in the first book. We get to see Reid joining Dexter and then continuing their journey to the palace at Axian. One she arrives at Axian she realizes the fact that there are more things she doesn’t know about Axian, the prince and the commander. With each thing, she discovers her loyalties are tested. Her duty as a knight and her impending marriage to stop a possible war between the Northern Marsden and Southern Marsden is hanging heavily on her shoulders. Her life is not in her control any more than it was back in Ellington. Things she looked forward to in Axian won’t be the things she will be able to do. Will Dexter and Reid be able to trust each other enough to go through the marriage. While we see their journey we also see the problems arising and the general disquiet it brings. What is the King going to plan and how will he execute it? Can Reid be a knight and not be loyal to the King? With assassins attacking them, King starting a war and an impending arranged marriage between two people who don’t trust one another the story takes us through some fantastic turns, assassination attempts, and unlikely friendships. The book was an amazing follow up for the first book and again ends with a cliffhanger and the best ending to keep the readers eager and awaiting the conclusion to this brilliant series. I totally recommend this book and definitely check it out. It’s entertaining, fast-paced and filled with intrigue and conspiracy. A 5 star read for sure.
The full review will be available on my blog :
https://fazilasbookreviewcorner.wordpress.com/2019/11/14/book-review-shadow-knights-knights-of-the-realm-2-by-jennifer-anne-davis/