Review: Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2) by Kresley Cole

Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Dystopian, Adventure
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased by Reviewer
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In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles.

Shocking secrets

Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who’ve been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It’s kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies

With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery

When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she’s drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can’t remember—but Death can’t forget…


He made the sign of the cross.

He made the sign of the cross when he saw what she was. Evie tries not to let it hurt her, his sign of revulsion, but it's difficult. She's in love with him, and she knows it. A part of her hoped that he would accept her—regardless of her true nature—but that seems impossible now.

The cat is out of the bag now, so to speak. Jack knows everything: he knows that Evie has supernatural powers. He knows that she and their companions are part of a much larger game. He knows that she's a killer. He knows that this is no longer "his party."

And he knows he still wants Evie.

As the odd man out in their hodgepodge group, Jackson Deveaux immediately returns to his brooding nature. And Evie is going out of her mind thinking that he hates her.

The gang continues their journey to find her grandmother—Evie's last hope at learning how to play the game to end it. As they travel, their purpose is revealed; alliances are formed; secrets are uncovered.

And Death is on their heels.

More specifically, Evie's heels. For some inexplicable reason, Death is obsessed with her. And she gets the feeling that it is not because of the game. Something has happened between them in the past. She can't remember what, and he can't help but to.

But now she's in his grasp. And she can't deny her attraction to him.... There is something so eternal—inevitable—about them.

I want to start by saying: I got a lot of grief for the cover of this novel. I pretty much spent all my classes reading (don't worry, my classes were boring), and all my friends laughed at the vampire-esque cover photo. It was pretty funny in retrospect, but at the time I was slightly mortified and took extra care to conceal the cover. Yes, I know I could have taken it off, but I didn't want to rip the cover either.

But it was a great conversation starter!

"Elizabeth, are you reading a vampire romance?"
"No! It's about Tarot Cards and an apocalypse. And there are zombies. And now they have to form an alliance and ohmygawd they're having sex right now! What is going on?!"
"Wait really—can I see?!"

These are mostly guys I'm talking to. So enjoy that image of me getting a few guys to hold a book with that cover. I was so proud and should have gotten a photo.

Downside, though? I was definitely blushing in the middle of class—so people knew. And a few probably thought I was reading Fifty Shades of Grey.

But how did I feel about this novel?

In a word: confused. I mean, I liked it. I definitely was engrossed by it. But I cannot sort out my particular feelings about it.

I still love the characters! Matthew and Finn are my homeboyz—a true bromance! And I especially love the teenage girls and their dynamics. They are so ridiculously catty and it brings me great joy to watch them all but scratch each other's eyes out.

And, to an extent, it is a fairly accurate representation of teenage girls' behavior when it comes to boys.

Aaaand now it's time for my rant! Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen—I have a lot to say!

So remember when I said that I thought I could tolerate Evie as a person? Yeah, I withdraw that statement. She skipped past stupid and landed right on dumbass for this round.

I have a strong suspicion that Evie is the kind of girl who can't help but be in a relationship—which is impressive and unfortunate, given her apocalyptic setting. There is slim pickings in the After Flash world, but boy, does she know how to pick 'em!

Spoiler alert: she is definitely experiencing major Stockholm Syndrome, and I want nothing more than to slap her and isolate her from all men. She just cannot seem to make a rational decision. And she is attracted to terrible qualities in men: like possessiveness. I am not talking about jealousy, that is fine—you do you Jackson and Death—but I am talking about how both of her suitors seem to view her as an object to be coveted rather than a person to be loved. And I strongly disagree with that notion and don't think that this view of "what love should be" should be perpetuated for young(er) readers. Both men are vindictive and manipulative and I don't think they should be presented as desirable.

Also, I am sorely tempted to tag this as "Raunchy Reads with Izzy." This book—I don't know how—took a sharp left turn and somehow ended up with semi-explicit sex. Which, I do not mean to demonize sex—it is a perfectly natural and enjoyable part of human life—but I am disconcerted by it being depicted this way in a YA novel.

To be perfectly honest, I don't know how I feel about it. I think it wouldn't have bothered me, had it not been tied to an unhealthy representation of a relationship.

Also, the age difference between Death and Evie weirds me out. I don't mean the fact that he's about a millennia older than her, I mean that he is 23 and she is 17. Give her three years, Death, and I might feel better about you.

Okay, rant done.

I did enjoy this book. But you all know how particular I am about romance and the representation of what is a healthy relationship. The plot itself is interesting, though, and I definitely recommend you guys read this series!

Until next time, my loves!

About the Author

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the U.S. and abroad.

Before becoming a writer, Cole was a world-ranked athlete, coach, and graduate student. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. Two of her favorite places to visit include the rain forests of Central America and the Far North Queensland area of Australia (where, by the way, she would not recommend swimming outside of the stinger nets–at night).

Cole lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals.” She spends any free time traveling and enjoys all things related to boats and water.