When Night Breaks

In Janella Angeles’s When Night Breaks, the dramatic last act of the Kingdom of Cards duology, the stage is set, the spectacle awaits… and the show must finally come to an end.
The competition has come to a disastrous end, and Daron Demarco’s fall from grace is front-page news. But little matters to him beyond Kallia, the contestant he fell for who is now missing and in the hands of a dangerous magician. Daron is willing to do whatever it takes to find her. Even if it means unearthing secrets that lead him on a treacherous journey, risking more than his life and with no promise of return.
After falling through the mirror, Kallia has never felt more lost, mourning everything she left behind and the boy she can’t seem to forget. Only Jack, the magician who has all the answers but can’t be trusted, remains at her side. Together, they must navigate a dazzling world where mirrors show memories and illusions shadow every corner, ruled by a powerful showman who’s been waiting for Kallia to finally cross his stage. But beneath the glamour of dueling headliners and never-ending revelry, a sinister force falls like night over everyone, with the dark promise of more power beyond Kallia’s wildest imagination, and at a devastating cost.
The truth will come out, a kingdom must fall, hearts will collide.
And the show must finally come to an end.

Author	Janella Angeles
Book Series	Kingdom of Cards
Format	Ebook
ISBN	9781250204332
Language	English
Pages	435
Publication Date	10-03-2022
Publisher	Wednesday Books

2 reviews for When Night Breaks

Rated 5 out of 5

CarolynReads4ever (verified owner) – 04/29/2025

Even though I did give this book five stars, there are a few problems I do have with it, but it wasn’t enough to take away the score. For one, Angeles manages to craft a highly imaginative story with great characters and a complex world behind the mirror. We also get to follow up on the romance between Kallia and Daron after they have been cruelly ripped apart at the end of Where Dreams Descend, even though a part of me was always rooting for her and Jack (who even though I know Kallia hates him and is supposed to be kind of the bad guy, I’ve always had a soft spot for him).
At any rate, we leave off with Kallia and Jack, who disappear into this dark world full of illusions and devils. The frightening thing about this place is not so completely apparent, as there’s no guts and gore. It’s what happens to your mind. Magicians here who are forced to wander into the Dark Unknown risk completely losing their mind and soul to the devils here, who basically make up the darkness that surrounds Kallia and Jack. Terrifying. Jack mysteriously knows this area well, and so leads Kallia off to safety in a City that mirrors Glorian, but its full of illusions and its all fake even though the people are not. The residents there are rescued magicians who have at some point in time fallen in through the mirror and ended up part of this city. For some reason, Jack knows this place but did not want to be here, but we find out when it is revealed that he too is among the devils, who was born and crafted from Roth himself. It explains why Jack is so powerful and cannot be destroyed, at least in a conventional sense.
My thoughts about Jack is this: it appears to me that Jack had gone rogue. He was a magician crafted from illusion and the devils and was sent to the other side of Glorian to fetch Kallia, but he never did any such thing and created a world for Kallia, although not real, for her to live with him. I think he really loves her, and this is why I have such a soft spot for Jack, and Kallia does too, even though she feels he is toxic. What I don’t know though, is why did Kallia end up on the other side of mirror to begin with so Jack has to go retrieve her? Is it because her mother had sent her out because she knew Kallia’s evil uncle would use Kallia to break Zarose Gate??? I sure wish that got explained, but my theory makes perfect sense.
At any rate, it’s revealed that Kallia is related to Roth, the ruler of this Kingdom of Illusions, and Roth wants to build her up to speed to get her powers back. Eventually, Kallia is taken by Vain, leader of The Diamond Rings, who also happens to be Darron’s long lost sister (quite a shocking turn of events even thought some say its put in as a plot convenience, I thought it was brilliant, especially considering how much the first book hyped up Eva). Eva does take Kallia under her wing, but does not want her to be used as an instrument of Roth’s because she loves Darron, and if Roth’s plan were to enter into fruition, it could mean unleashing hell itself upon the world he lives in.
Speaking of Darron…
Darron is grieving the loss of his new love, Kallia, and is vehement about finding her on top of finding his sister. He is now brought to shame for what happened in the final performance, and now his aunt, who is leader of this CIA type group The Patrons, is patrolling Glorian to clear up the disaster. However, with the help of Lottie and a few other unlikely allies, Darron is able to find a way into the new Glorian where Kallia is and reunite with him.
At first he is trapped by illusions. In the mirror world, sometimes the world that was left behind would play back, and the inhabitants would be haunted by ghosts of their past, or their memories, so Kallia is not sure what to trust or what to make of Darron when the time comes for them to be reunited. However, she’s upset and not trusting of him when she finds out he had been kept under the care of one magician, Herald, who had conned her and tricked her into the trap of Roth. They do, however, reunite and rekindle their romance, which was very sweet. Although Kallia was against it, knowing her time with Darron was short, Darron was willing to take all he could, even if it would be for only just a short time, wanting to make memories with Kallia to hold. I think it brings to mind the saying, “It’s better to have love and lost than to never love at all” very well, and this part really spoke to me. Well, ultimately, Kallia does break the gate to get her and Darron across, but its only under the caveat that she may never do it again as she had defeated Roth and his demons. A very masterful conclusion to a great duology.
Okay, so here are my problems:
1) I wish more was explained about the history of Glorian and the four families that make the town. There was so much build-up about them in the first book that I had expected it in the second and was surprised that it didn’t happen.
2) I was disappointed not have seen more of Aaros and Canary, who have been some of my faves. They were so close to Kallia, why not show more of what’s going on with them even in the ending instead of just with Kallia and Darron??? Also even though I don’t care much for Lottie, I wish they explain what happened to her next. It’s like as if when those characters served their purpose to drive Kallia and Darron’s story forward, they cease to exist???
3) I wanted more history about Jack, his origins, his motive. I love the roses where Jack’s POV is explained, but its somehow not enough!
4) Speaking of history, as I’ve mentioned before, why wasn’t Kallia’s explained??? Why was she an orphan???
5) What happened to the rest of Glorian?? Yes, there was some explanation in the end, but overall it was very rushed and left me wanting…more.
These are some of the issues I had that left me feeling a little unsatisfied, but overall, the story itself is still outstanding, Angeles’ writing and storytelling talents are truly remarkable here, and I would love to read it again.
Rated 5 out of 5

CarolynReads4ever (verified owner) – 04/29/2025

Even though I did give this book five stars, there are a few problems I do have with it, but it wasn’t enough to take away the score. For one, Angeles manages to craft a highly imaginative story with great characters and a complex world behind the mirror. We also get to follow up on the romance between Kallia and Daron after they have been cruelly ripped apart at the end of Where Dreams Descend, even though a part of me was always rooting for her and Jack (who even though I know Kallia hates him and is supposed to be kind of the bad guy, I’ve always had a soft spot for him).
At any rate, we leave off with Kallia and Jack, who disappear into this dark world full of illusions and devils. The frightening thing about this place is not so completely apparent, as there’s no guts and gore. It’s what happens to your mind. Magicians here who are forced to wander into the Dark Unknown risk completely losing their mind and soul to the devils here, who basically make up the darkness that surrounds Kallia and Jack. Terrifying. Jack mysteriously knows this area well, and so leads Kallia off to safety in a City that mirrors Glorian, but its full of illusions and its all fake even though the people are not. The residents there are rescued magicians who have at some point in time fallen in through the mirror and ended up part of this city. For some reason, Jack knows this place but did not want to be here, but we find out when it is revealed that he too is among the devils, who was born and crafted from Roth himself. It explains why Jack is so powerful and cannot be destroyed, at least in a conventional sense.
My thoughts about Jack is this: it appears to me that Jack had gone rogue. He was a magician crafted from illusion and the devils and was sent to the other side of Glorian to fetch Kallia, but he never did any such thing and created a world for Kallia, although not real, for her to live with him. I think he really loves her, and this is why I have such a soft spot for Jack, and Kallia does too, even though she feels he is toxic. What I don’t know though, is why did Kallia end up on the other side of mirror to begin with so Jack has to go retrieve her? Is it because her mother had sent her out because she knew Kallia’s evil uncle would use Kallia to break Zarose Gate??? I sure wish that got explained, but my theory makes perfect sense.
At any rate, it’s revealed that Kallia is related to Roth, the ruler of this Kingdom of Illusions, and Roth wants to build her up to speed to get her powers back. Eventually, Kallia is taken by Vain, leader of The Diamond Rings, who also happens to be Darron’s long lost sister (quite a shocking turn of events even thought some say its put in as a plot convenience, I thought it was brilliant, especially considering how much the first book hyped up Eva). Eva does take Kallia under her wing, but does not want her to be used as an instrument of Roth’s because she loves Darron, and if Roth’s plan were to enter into fruition, it could mean unleashing hell itself upon the world he lives in.
Speaking of Darron…
Darron is grieving the loss of his new love, Kallia, and is vehement about finding her on top of finding his sister. He is now brought to shame for what happened in the final performance, and now his aunt, who is leader of this CIA type group The Patrons, is patrolling Glorian to clear up the disaster. However, with the help of Lottie and a few other unlikely allies, Darron is able to find a way into the new Glorian where Kallia is and reunite with him.
At first he is trapped by illusions. In the mirror world, sometimes the world that was left behind would play back, and the inhabitants would be haunted by ghosts of their past, or their memories, so Kallia is not sure what to trust or what to make of Darron when the time comes for them to be reunited. However, she’s upset and not trusting of him when she finds out he had been kept under the care of one magician, Herald, who had conned her and tricked her into the trap of Roth. They do, however, reunite and rekindle their romance, which was very sweet. Although Kallia was against it, knowing her time with Darron was short, Darron was willing to take all he could, even if it would be for only just a short time, wanting to make memories with Kallia to hold. I think it brings to mind the saying, It’s better to have love and lost than to never love at all very well, and this part really spoke to me. Well, ultimately, Kallia does break the gate to get her and Darron across, but its only under the caveat that she may never do it again as she had defeated Roth and his demons. A very masterful conclusion to a great duology.
Okay, so here are my problems:
1) I wish more was explained about the history of Glorian and the four families that make the town. There was so much build-up about them in the first book that I had expected it in the second and was surprised that it didn’t happen.
2) I was disappointed not have seen more of Aaros and Canary, who have been some of my faves. They were so close to Kallia, why not show more of what’s going on with them even in the ending instead of just with Kallia and Darron??? Also even though I don’t care much for Lottie, I wish they explain what happened to her next. It’s like as if when those characters served their purpose to drive Kallia and Darron’s story forward, they cease to exist???
3) I wanted more history about Jack, his origins, his motive. I love the roses where Jack’s POV is explained, but its somehow not enough!
4) Speaking of history, as I’ve mentioned before, why wasn’t Kallia’s explained??? Why was she an orphan???
5) What happened to the rest of Glorian?? Yes, there was some explanation in the end, but overall it was very rushed and left me wanting…more.
These are some of the issues I had that left me feeling a little unsatisfied, but overall, the story itself is still outstanding, Angeles’ writing and storytelling talents are truly remarkable here, and I would love to read it again.

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