Book Review: “Hope in Nautical Dusk” (Opal Charm #2) by Miri Castor

“Hope in Nautical Dusk” (Opal Charm #2) by Miri Castor (2017)

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fiction

Page Length: 422 pages (electronic review copy)

Synopsis:

The Gift of Twilight flourishes within Opal Charm as winter descends on Dewdrop. Life was already rough before, but Opal’s got new obstacles to face – getting into high school, bringing her brother back home, and training to protect Athre and Earth from Samael, the mysterious overlord who seeks to rule all, and put an end to her and the Charm lineage. The balance between harsh truths and sweet lies is more fragile than ever.

Yet, as winter rolls on, the balance begins to break as a new threat emerges. Memories Opal once trusted are disintegrating her friendships, and lies are clouding her Path of Dawn and Dusk. Opal must seek the truth while protecting those close to her, no matter how painful it may be.

This is a story about what it means to have hope in the face of despair. (description from Goodreads)

* To see the review for book one, click here.

Review:

Opal Charm is back for new adventures in book two with her friends Adaze and Aaron by her side. After big battle with Samael, things are finally starting to settle down. Opal is still continuing to work with JAEL in order to protect her universe while also learning to control her newfound powers of “twilight”. We see a more confident opal, who is still unsure at times, but is trying to mend her relationship with her parents and friends.

Hope in Nautical Dusk gives its readers a more in-depth look at the characters we know and love while also introducing new people as well. I loved the expansion of the members of JAEL backgrounds and seeing more of Opal’s home life and how she interacts with her family. Through these encounters I learned more about each character’s back story, gained a better idea of where they came from, and why they choose to be a part of JAEL.

On top of the character expansion, readers also get a taste of more world building as Opal and her friends travel to new zones in Athre. Like Earth, Athre is filled with many lands and various types of people. I felt like a gained a better grasp on Athre terms and the types of people as opposed to book one. Concepts were explained a bit clearer and it was easier for me to distinguish which was which.

As the plot continues, we see Opal develop even further as she is tested through various obstacles. Lots of things transgress in this novel and it’s filled with many ups and downs (I don’t want to spoil the book for you, so I’ll stop here). Like with book one, I appreciated all the ethnic diversity and the inclusion of LGBTQ characters.

I’ll definitely be continuing with this series and looking forward to what adventures Opal will take us on next!

Final Verdict: