The Archer at Dawn || Book Review

Title: The Archer at Dawn (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy #2)
Author: Swati Teerdhala
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, India, Cultural, Mythology
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
No. of Pages: Hardcover, 464 pgs.
Publication Date: May 26, 2020
Date Read: May 28, 2020
Rating: 4.5/5

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Synopsis

The Sun Mela is many things: a call for peace, a cause for celebration, and above all, a deadly competition. For Kunal and Esha, finally working together as rebel spies, it provides the perfect guise to infiltrate King Vardaan’s vicious court.

Kunal will return to his role as dedicated Senap soldier, at the Sun Mela to provide extra security for the palace during the peace summit for the divided nations of Jansa and Dharka. Meanwhile, Esha will use her new role as adviser to Prince Harun to keep a pulse on political parties and seek out allies for their rebel cause. A radical plan is underfoot to rescue Jansa’s long-lost Princess Reha–the key to the stolen throne.

But amid the Mela games and glittering festivities, much more dangerous forces lie in wait. With the rebel Blades’ entry into Vardaan’s court, a match has been lit, and long-held secrets will force Kunal and Esha to reconsider their loyalties–to their country and to each other. Getting into the palace was the easy task; coming out together will be a battle for their lives.

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Review

Thanks so much to Katherine Tegen Books for sending me an ARC to review!

Last year, The Tiger at Midnight was on my list as one of the most anticipated releases of 2019. And I loved it. As soon as I got the email for sign ups for The Archer at Dawn I couldn’t pass the opportunity down! And again… I LOVED IT.

The Archer at Dawn picks right up The Tiger at Midnight left off. Esha and Kunal are searching for a caravan that allegedly is carrying the lost princess to the Jansan capital city of Gwali. After they narrowly miss the caravan, Esha is injured and Kunal brings her to meet the rest of the team for her to heal. As part of the mission, Kunal heads back to The Fort to get back in the good graces of the new general to be added to the Senap team headed for Gwali. Esha, Harun, and the rest of the team are already in route to Gwali as part of the Sun Mela where a deadly competition will take place and a peace treaty will be signed. Once they step foot in the palace, things start to move forward and quickly. Esha and Kunal are each trying to do what’s best for the team, the mission, and themselves. As they navigate threats, dangers, and relationships, the mission to insert the lost princess Reha goes a completely different way than they had hoped. What follows is action, a great story, and a bit of romance, but ultimately Esha and Kunal make choices that will wither bring them closer together or pull them apart.

This book is full of action and the storyline is probably one of my favorites that I’ve read this year so far. I loved Esha and Kunal in the first book and the second book was no different.
Esha is strong and stubborn. She’s loyal and genuinely cares for her team. She’s the one that pulls them all together.
Kunal is a gem. He’s just as loyal as Esha but he has a felt duty to his land, his people, and his morals above all.
In this second book, they both grow as people, but I loved being able to see them together on the pages working together instead of working apart. Their interactions were short at times, but each time was meaningful and showed growth. They balance each other out as main characters so incredibly well.

One of my favorite things about this book is that you literally never know what’s going to happen next. This story has so much action and intrigue but also has those points where it slows down and allows you to latch onto the characters. I had a hard time putting this book down while reading because I just wanted more. Every page held something different, but it made the story great. And I just wanted to more.
I also loved the cultural influences that were weaved into this book. Books that showcase other cultures and history are so important and this one was no different.

I absoluetly loved this story. Esha and Kunal’s story is one that I can’t wait to read over and over again. Also, thanks to that ending, I’m so looking forward to book three!

The Archer at Dawn was released on May 26th, 2020.

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Author

Swati Teerdhala is the author of the Tiger at Midnight series, which has appeared on both Barns and Noble and Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Novels lists.

After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BS in finance and BA in history, she tumbled into the marketing side of the technology industry. She’s passionate about many things, including how the right ratio of curd-to-crust in a lemon tart. She currently lives in New York City.

Swati is represented by Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency

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