The Liar’s Knot

• Author: M.A. Carrick
• Genre: Fantasy
• Publication Date: December 9, 2021
• Publisher: Orbit
• Series: Rook & Rose #2

Thank you to Orbit and Angela Man for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

CONTENT WARNING: massacre, violence

TRUST IS THE THREAD THAT BINDS…AND THE ROPE THAT HANGS.

In Nadežra, peace is a tenuous thing. Corrupt House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city’s filthy alleys and jewel-bright gardens, visible to those who know where to look.

Vargo, Grey, and Ren all know. Caught in a knot of secrets and lies, they struggle to decide whom to trust and whom to turn from—a precarious position, even for a ruthless criminal, a notorious vigilante, and a brilliant con artist.

Because the power they are fighting is more ancient than they can fathom, and they have yet to discover how deeply rooted its poison is. In the end, it will take more than wits and knives to cut their city free.

Is there anything that is better than binge reading a series that you are enjoying a lot? Yes, in fact, there is. Binge reading said series with a buddy. After finishing The Mask of Mirrors, my dear friend Julie @ One Book More and I had no choice but to dive into book 2, because you know how it is. We had to find out what happened next! There was so much unresolved at the end of the first book, that it wasn’t even a question about starting the next book immediately and ignoring everything else in our lives.  

Since I didn’t have to get to know the main characters, I really got to enjoy seeing them adapt to their rapidly changing circumstances. Things are changing in society, in the noble houses, in their relationships with the people around them, and in their relationships with each other. That’s a lot of change, and on top of that, they’re also trying to figure out the source of the curse. 

This book had me loving Ren even more than I did in the last book, which I honestly didn’t think was possible! She faces her share of struggles in this book, one of which is being more separated from her supportive found family than she has ever been before. Tess is working towards her dream of opening a shop, and Ren encourages and supports that, but they both miss each other a lot. The other issue is a running theme throughout the series, and focuses on Ren’s ongoing struggle to maintain her own unique identity as she is forced to constantly wear one of an ever-increasing number of alternate identities to maintain the tenuous scheme she is trying to uphold. We do get to see her determination and tenacity shine through, along with her creative solutions to what appear to be insurmountable obstacles. At her side, unsurprisingly, are Grey and Vargo, both good allies to have for very different reasons. 

She’s also got some other surprising allies, including Tanaquis. I loved her character when we met her in the last book, but she plays a much bigger role in this book. She’s a quirky genius for sure, which is what makes her so helpful in this book, but I’m pretty confident in saying that she also offers neurodivergent representation in a positive light, although as someone who is not neurodivergent, I welcome constructive feedback and am willing to revise my statement if I am wrong.

Right from the start, this book is packed with action. The pace is consistently fast, grabbing your attention and not letting go. I think the biggest issue that Julie and I had with this buddy read wasn’t finding the time to read, it was finding the time to discuss that was convenient for both of us. She’d finish reading faster for some sections, and I’d finish faster for others, so it worked out perfectly, and both of us were always so full of stuff to talk about during out discussions because there’s always information being revealed, some character or villain being unmasked, a mystery unearthed, a plot twist unfolding, or just an incredible quote:

“Justice is revenge in formal dress…”

Overall, this book is everything I could have asked for in a second book for this series. It’s got action, intrigue, romance, fighting, mysterious masked characters, tarot-adjacent cards, magic, mystery, corruption, and more. This is a series I’m glad I gave a chance, and if you’ve gotten this far, make sure you’ve got book three handy, because trust me, you’ll need it.

People who have sat around with me while I’m reading, especially when there’s a surprising reveal, a shocking plot twist, or an unexpected event often look up in alarm when I gasp audibly. The gasp factor is directly related to the number of times I audibly gasp during a reading, and there isn’t an upper limit.

Gasp Factor: 13

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