Days of Blood and Starlight

Days of Blood and Starlight is the intense second installment in Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, suitable for mature middle-grade and young adult readers (ages 10-14). The story plunges deeper into the epic war between the chimaera and seraphim, with protagonist Karou at its center, using her unique ability to resurrect fallen chimaera. Parents should be aware of prominent themes of war, death, grief, and significant violence. There is also an attempted sexual assault scene, which is a pivotal, though not graphically detailed, moment for the protagonist. The book explores complex moral dilemmas, the cost of war, and the struggle for identity and justice, making it a rich read for those ready for darker fantasy.

Seventeen-year-old Karou, a lovely, enigmatic art student in a Prague boarding school, carries a sketchbook of hideous, frightening monsters--the chimaerae who form the only family she has ever known.