City of vicious night

Riven, Asa, and the Boomslang's crew are back, facing new dangers in Requiem, a human colony in Alpha Centauri. It's been four months since the fateful events of City of Shattered Light (2021), when Asa saved her sister, Kaya, and Riven lost her friend Ty to Asa's all-powerful father, Luca Almeida. The duo, alongside their outlaw friends, are taking odd jobs in the crime-ridden matriarchal city of Requiem. When they become the target of a hacker, Riven and the crew join the Ascension Trial for choosing a new matriarch, a process bound by rules that can keep them safe for a time. But before they can complete the trial's dangerous tasks, a new revelation about Luca Almeida's nefarious plans for Requiem surfaces--along with the news that Ty is still alive but, just like Kaya, irrevocably changed. Asa, Riven, and now Ty (although apart from the central action) alternate perspectives as the story spirals and old enemies become allies. This sequel skillfully mixes found family and aliens with adventure and politics, with the added emotional core of romantic tension between Riven and Asa and the gang's ongoing grieving over the friend they believe lost forever. Altogether, it's a heady combination that entertains and engages while centering an overall diverse cast. An immersive sequel with higher stakes, romance, and satisfying relationship dynamics. (Science fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.