Book Review: Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms #6)

Release Date: February 6, 2018
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Length: 400 pages
Source: Audible Audiobook

As two lethal elemental gods set out to destroy Mytica, sworn enemies must become allies in the final fight to save the kingdoms.

Jonas continues to willfully defy his destiny, but the consequences of plotting his own course are drastic. As the fight for Mytica rages on, he must decide just how much more he's willing to sacrifice.

Lucia knows there's something special about her daughter and she'll do anything to protect her, even if that means facing Kyan alone.

Amara is called back home to Kraeshia. Grandma Cortas has her own plans for Mytica's future. She promises Amara power, revenge, and dominance if she agrees to be part of her scheme.

Magnus and Cleo's love will be put to the ultimate test. Dark magic is causing widespread destruction throughout the kingdom. Enemies across the sea are advancing. And unrest is stirring throughout the land. Is their love strong enough to withstand the outside forces tearing them apart?

    

Review:

Characters: So, I know I’ve said this, probably too many times, before, but these characters have come such a long way since the beginning of this series. It’s almost impossible not to see as you read this book. Magnus, while he still has his contemplative and brooding side, he isn’t the cruel prince who was torn between becoming his father and escaping him. Cleo is no longer the party girl princess whose only weapon was a sharp tongue. I could go on about Lucia no longer being the proper princess she once was and Jonas finding his voice and making the right choices. This book is a testament to how far these characters have come and how they’ve persevered and survived to face this final challenge.

Romance: With this being the sixth and final book in this series, it isn’t like there was a lot blossoming or budding romance in this book. There is a little bit of new romance, and I’m surprised with how okay I am with it and how easily I began to root for that couple. As for the already established romances, each had their trials and tribulations but more than anything they showed just how strong these couples are together and how much stronger they are with each other, rather than apart. I love the romances in this series, as melodramatic and heart wrenching it got at times, I have to say that I really like where each of these couples ends up and how their stories reach their conclusion.

World Building: This is one section I've tried rewriting over and over again. There is so much that's packed tight into this series, so much so that there's a spin-off series that strives to present even more of this world to explore. In this book, there isn't a whole lot of expansion. In fact, for the most part, as long as you're caught up on this world, in all forms, there isn't really anything new introduced and there are plenty of hints and implications toward the Spirits and Thieves series. This story takes everything we know about this world, for the most part, and puts everything to the final test and it's fantastic. I do wish there was more about the world that was explored, but that's most definitely just the part of me that has a voracious curiosity. 

Predictability: This series used to feel very unpredictable to me. I mean, I always felt like my expectations were being blown away with every installment in this series, and while I still love this series, and I love this installment, I've sort of caught on to the rhythm and rhyme of the story and it's not hard to see where things are going in this story. Even though I understood where things were headed, I never felt robbed of the experience to discover things as they happened, plus there was always a shadow of doubt as to whether my predictions would be wrong, not much of a doubt but enough to keep me on my toes.

Ending: How is it that even though I feel that this story is complete and reached a fantastic end, that I still have questions. I mean, I know we're going to get the final Spirits and Thieves book which I'm sure will alleviate some of my questions about this world, but there are definitely a few things that I'm not sure when we'll get answers to. That all being said I really enjoyed the end of this story and the end of this series. While I do believe that the final climax could have been more heart wrenching, how everything turns out, for better or worse, felt right and I can't wait to see what might come next.

Rating:

I did debate about this for quite a bit, but I love this story so much, from beginning to end this series has been everything I love about fantasy; magic, romance, and adventure and how the series wraps up and how it affects the world and the story was unbelievably amazing!

Novella Reviews: Falling Kingdom Stories

Reviewer Note: This is only the second time I've attempted reviews like this. Since there's no bind-up edition of these stories and since they're so short there's not enough substance to do a full review so these reviews will be similar to the anthology and omnibus reviews I've done previously, with the reviews consisting of shorter reviews that aren't in my traditional categorized format. I hope you enjoy! P.S. While I think you can read these stories at any point in the series, for the most part, there are some fairly heavy implications at twists in the series later one, and I would recommend reading Obsidian Blade prior to Immortal Reign, as elements from that story do come into play in that book.

Release Date: August 12, 2016
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Length: 21 pages
Source: FREE Kindle Book

Crimson Dagger is the story Falling Kingdoms fans have been waiting for!

In this prequel short story, set before the events of Falling Kingdoms, Prince Magnus is awoken by an unexpected visitor—in his bed. One look into her fierce, hateful eyes, and Magnus knows exactly who it is: Kara Stolo.

Ten years ago, as a scared little boy, he told a lie that irreparably changed Kara’s life. As a result, her father was wrongfully imprisoned, chained in the dark dungeon underneath the palace, where he was to remain until his death. Now, Kara is back to avenge her father's punishment, and there's more. Kara believes he's still alive, and she needs Magnus to help free him . . . or else.

    

Review:

So, in all honesty, while we do see some of where Magnus's character development over the course of the Falling Kingdoms series originated in this short story, it doesn't really have much of an impact, if any to be honest, on the core series. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, while short I felt it really showed a full and well-written story with a beginning, middle, and end, whereas some other short stories I've read for series, see my reviews of the Wrath and the Dawn short stories, felt more like deleted chapters than actual stories. In this story, we see Magnus and how the choices he made when he was younger affected him when he grows up. There's not a lot that connects this and the main series, and as far as I know, and can remember, this incident isn't brought up at all in the main series, but it's still a fun and exciting story that fleshes out Magnus's character even more.

Rating:

I didn't need this to have a huge tie to the rest of the series, nor did I go into it thinking there would be, and since it does tell a complete and new story it was a lot of fun to read and I wish Rhodes would write more short stories set in this world than the two that she did.


Release Date: November 15, 2016
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Length: 54 pages
Source: Kindle Book

Magnus from Falling Kingdoms and Maddox from A Book of Spirits and Thieves are on an epic quest through time in this series-bridging novella.

In a garden of ancient ruins on the cliffs of Limeros, Prince Magnus comes face-to-face with a witch. The old woman incapacitates him with a spell, presses a single object into his hand—an obsidian blade—and tells him to bring it to a woman named Samara before the sun sets and his portal home closes forever.

A flash of dark magic transports Magnus back in time to a Mytica he’s only heard about in storybooks. Lost in this foreign land, Magnus sets out to find Samara. But a chance encounter with the rumored Witch Boy derails his journey. Magnus saves Maddox from a beating, but the cruel Livius is now on their tail. The sun is starting to set. Time is running out. Both boys must fight for their lives.

Follow legendary bad boy Magnus and the enigmatic Maddox as their worlds collide in this high-stakes adventure.

    

Review:

This story is much more substantial than the last. In this tale, Magnus is sent on a journey against his will by a mysterious witch, who sends him back in time to when Mytica is ruled by two goddesses and Maddox Corso is in the employ of his guardian Livius. When I first heard of this story, a little over a year ago, I thought it was just going to be a fairly insignificant story where you get to see Magnus and Maddox meet and interact, and in a lot of ways it is. However, when I began reading Immortal Reign, I discovered that this story has much more of an impact on the main series than I thought as the titular Obsidian Blade appears in the prologue of Immortal Reign. Much like with Crimson Dagger, the main aspects of the story don't have a huge impact on the main series as both Magnus and the people he comes across in the past will forget their encounters, but there's a lot of little call outs, implications, and easter eggs in this story that relates both to the Falling Kingdoms series and the Spirits and Thieves trilogy.

Rating:

Again, this was a very enjoyable story, even though it doesn't hold TOO much of a bearing on the main series. It reads almost like a side quest to the main series where it was fun, exciting, and full of a lot of the things I love about both series, but short and for the most part fairly irrelevant, still I would highly recommend it for any Falling Kingdoms fan.

Book Review: Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms #5)

Release Date: December 13, 2016
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Length: 379 pages
Source: Purchased Book

The ruthless Empress Amara of Kraeshia has taken the Mytican throne, and now uncertainty looms over the three kingdoms. Since Lucia unleashed the fire Kindred, wreaking havoc throughout the land, Myticans have been looking for someone—anyone—they can trust. They believe in Amara, not knowing her grand promises are built on lies.

In Paelsia, Magnus and Cleo reluctantly follow King Gaius to the home of his exiled mother, Selia. Selia is a powerful witch and claims she can help unlock the magic of the Kindred—if the visitors agree to her terms. When Jonas arrives from Kraeshia, he is shocked to find that his rebel army now includes his sworn enemies. Along with Nic, Felix, and the mysteriously resurrected Ashur, the contentious group agrees to cast aside old grudges—for now—and united against their common enemy: Amara.

Meanwhile, bearing the child of a Watcher and feared by all, Princess Lucia travels across Mytica to find her family. But time is running out. The impending storm signals the dark prophecy Timotheus warned her about. Her fate is written, and it includes none other than the rebel Jonas. When their paths collied, Jonas and Lucia must decide between blindly following their destiny or fighting for their own free will.

The battle for power culminates at the Paelsian palace, where Amara resides. Rain pours. Blood spills. And soon all will discover that the darkest magic comes at an even darker price.

    

Review:

Characters: With Kraeshia ruling over Mytica, all hope seems lost for those who wish for its freedom. Cleo and Magnus end up following a seemingly changed, and not as dead as he should be, Gaius in hopes of finding Lucia and freeing Mytica from the hold of Amara. However, the young couple's journey is not without its challenges. Gaius tries to break them up at every chance he can get, telling Magnus that romantic love is a weakness that will keep him from power. Cleo wants to believe that Magnus is not the same cold and calculating man that murdered her first love in cold blood, but when they are joined by Jonas and the rest of the Rebellion that's come back from Kraeshia, Magnus's cold self returns. Is it all an act, or is Magnus just showing his true colors? Jonas and a pregnant Lucia end up crossing paths and end up joining each other, much to their mutual aggravation. Along the way, both must confront their destinies and find out what their places in this world are. Okay, I know that last part was really short, but the section was getting long and I needed to start the wrap-up. Overall, I still love these characters. What I find most interesting though are how the core four characters feel about each other. When I first started reading this series, I expected them to all team up and at the very least hold mutual respect for each other, if not like them, but there are still characters that even after all their faults I consider "good" that aren't on good terms with other "good" characters which make for an incredibly tense and wonderful to read dynamic.

Romance: Another misconception I had when first starting this series was how the romance might go. I don't think I ever went into this series expecting romance, at least not to the point we've got, but once it became clear that there was a romantic aspect between quite a few characters I thought I knew where things were headed. First off I expected Jonas and Cleo to get together, and granted maybe even the author did too, but honestly, I'm glad they didn't. While I did enjoy their chemistry, the tension and romantic connection between the dark and brooding Magnus, and the formerly pompous but recently hardened Cleo, was an unexpected and completely obsession-worthy match. There are of course other romances in this book, including a certain annoying red-haired boy and a recently resurrected prince. One of the things I love best about this series is how the author doesn't put romance at the forefront of the story to drive it, nor does she hide it in the background. With this many characters of adolescent age, there's bound to be romance and it's handled very well. Sometimes romance needs to drive the plot to new places but it never takes over or overshadows the main plot. There is a bit of romantic drama in this book, some misunderstandings or characters blowing things out of proportion, but still it never distracts from the main plot.

World Building: First off, let me say that if you haven't read or kept up with the Spirits and Thieves spin-off series you really should. It's not needed to fully understand or appreciate the added world building of this installment, however, there are a few things that are casually mentioned and introduced in this book that may seem jarring to those haven't had the right context for those revelations. Though, like I said, on the whole, they shouldn't affect the series that much so it's more of an optional thing, though I still recommend doing it. Now on to the real juicy stuff. Most of this book takes place in Paelsia and so there isn't really all that much additional world to explore, at least not physically, but there is a great deal more to learn about the Kindred, about the King of Blood's past, and about the prophecies concerning key members of our core four characters. This book isn't exactly long, but there's still a great deal of information and adventure packed into here. One of the most interesting parts of this whole book to me was seeing how civilians thought of our core four heroes. I mean, logically if everything turns out okay in the end, Magnus and Cleo will probably end up ruling all of Mytica, however, their subjects or at least the Paelsian people since that's mostly who we see, hate them. They barely know who Jonas is, and most that do think he's dead or hate him too, and all anyone knows about Lucia is that she's a vengeful witch who's burnt down countless Paelsian villages. I'm very interested to see how public opinion is of them once the series has concluded.

Predictability: One of my favorite things about Rhodes's writing, especially with this series, is that you never quite know who or what to trust. This series has so far gone in so many unexpected places. I mean when this series started the main villain was King Gaius, but over the course of the series we've seen far worse enemies at play. Power hungry gods, disingenuous Watchers, and a princess who had a good idea, but because of the influence of others has taken it too far and now threatens all of Mytica, and probably the world as well. Since there's a lot that goes on in this story, there's a lot that can be twisted and happen in ways you wouldn't expect or even believe. I can't tell you how many theories I had for this book that turned out not quite as I had expected them too. There were, of course, things that I did guess that were fairly easy to, but while that never detracted from my enjoyment of the twists, it was obviously the things that caught me off guard that I enjoyed the most.

Ending: *Throws book at the wall* Yeah, I've seen a lot of that going around when it comes to the end of this book, and while I did not physically throw my book against the wall, I understand and agree with the sentiment. When I first saw that this book had an excruciating cliffhanger I began to expect the worst, I actually had three theories as to what might happen at the end of this book, none of which was even close to right. There is actually more than one cliffhanger for this book and while the first two might be rather intense, one even leading me to shed a few tears, it's what happens in the last chapter, on the last page that has me counting the days until the final installment in this series. (At least, I would count the days if we had a definitive release date.) The way this installment ended as a whole really set up that this next book will be the final battle. Things get really intense and I'm excited to see how our heroes manage to (hopefully) save the day.

Rating:

Once again I'm blown away by this world, these characters, and how this story unfolds. I swear, each time I start one of these books I'm afraid that this will be the time I'm disappointed or that this installment won't measure up, but every. single. time. the story exceeds my every expectation. I can't wait to find out how this series ends, and at the same time, I don't want it to end.

Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms #5) by Morgan Rhodes (WOW #17)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that everyone’s excited about!

An epic clash between gods and mortals threatens to tear Mytica apart... and prove that not even the purest of love stands a chance against the strongest of magic.

MAGNUS and CLEO are forced to test the strength of their love when Gaius returns to Mytica claiming he's no longer the King of Blood but a changed man seeking redemption.

LUCIA, pregnant with the child of a Watcher, has escaped the clutches of the unhinged fire god. Her powers are dwindling as she goes forth to fulfill a prophecy that will keep her baby safe . . . but could mean her demise. 

JONAS treks back to Mytica with a plan to overtake Amara, but fate takes hold when he runs into the beautiful Princess Lucia and joins her on her perilous journey.

AMARA has taken the Mytican throne, but with no way to unleash the water magic trapped within her stolen crystal, she'll never be able to seize glory and get sweet revenge.

And what kind of darkness will descend--and who will be safe--after Prince Ashur reveals the dangerous price he paid to cheat death?

Crystal Storm releases on December 13, 2016 from Razorbill

Gah! This is pretty much my all time favorite series! Every single book is better than the last, and I can't wait to see what's to come in this series. I love all of these characters, minus maybe Amara and Gaius... and Nic (sometimes.) These characters have endured so much since the first installment in this series, and with it so close to wrapping up I can't wait to see what happens.

So, what are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Book Review: Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4)

Release Date: December 15, 2016
Author: Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Length: 400 pages
Source: Purchased Book

Rebels, royals, and monsters wage war over the Mytican throne in the shocking fourth book of the Falling Kingdoms series, from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes.

CLEO: Reeling after a bloody showdown in Limeros ending with Amara’s abduction of the water crystal, and a vacancy in the Mytican throne, Princess Cleo must cast aside her feelings and look toward her kingdom with the eyes of a Queen.

MAGNUS: With the kingdom in chaos, Princess Lucia still missing and quite possibly in danger, and a shocking realization about Cleo, the steely prince is once again torn between love and duty, leaving him wondering whether he’s strong enough to rule his people.

LUCIA: The young sorceress has had her vengeance after the cruel death of her first and only love. Heartbroken and unable to trust anyone, she allies with the awoken Fire god, who also seeks revenge.

JONAS: After escaping death by the skin of his teeth, the defeated rebel—along with a mysterious stranger–leader reunites with Princess Cleo, only to find himself a mere pawn in a dangerous hunt for the elusive Kindred.

KING GAIUS: Abandoned by Melenia and betrayed by his own children, Gaius flees Mytica and sails to Kraeshia, where he attempts to ally with the famously brutal emperor across the Silver Sea.

    

Review:

Characters: I love all of the characters in this book, more or less, the more villainous characters I love to hate, but you get the drift. I think it's generally accepted by now that at the very least our protagonists are Magnus, Cleo, and Jonas, Lucia however is the wild card in this book, and that's not just an expression, after the death of Alexius, Lucia isn't dealing with her grief very well and has become cold, manipulative, and seeks the destruction of the world with the being who used to be inside the Fire Kindred crystal. Magnus, Cleo, and Jonas form a tentative alliance, full of mistrust and secret agendas that are likely to crumble if they don't stop trying to undermine each other and actually work together like they say. These characters are so rich and deeply developed. It's very easy to get a good sense of who these characters are and their growth in this book is fantastically told.

Romance: I was actually surprised at how subtle a lot of the romance in this book was. I mean it's there and a lot of it is amazing. Though, not every romance is one that will end in happily ever after. There are just as many romantically dark moments as there are moments of pure bliss and joy with a certain pairing. I do have to say though, that when I first began reading this series, I had far different expectations as to where the romance would go, and there are two books left, maybe the romances will pair out like I originally thought, but at this point I surely hope not. Sorry I couldn't say much more but I felt as if I did I would have given away too much.

World-Building: I know it shouldn't surprise me anymore how an author can keep building a world a certain amount of books in, but I have to say it surprises me every time. Aside from getting a good look at at the sprawling empire of Kraeshia, I didn't expect much more building of the physical world in this book, but we also get to see a Mytican landmark late in the book, that I don't think we've seen before, one that holds significant meaning to the lore of this series. Aside from that we learn more about the characters in this book, where they come from and what shaped them into becoming who they are today. With two books left, four if you count the spin-off trilogy, which did get a couple world-building mentions in this book, there's still a great many things I'm sure we'll learn about this vast and wonderful world.

Predictability: Morgan Rhodes is evil, there I said it. I mean she writes good books, don't get me wrong, but people who say this series is a teen Game of Thrones don't even know the half of it! It's hard to know who's safe and who's the next to go, and in an effort not to stay on this particular topic too long that's all I'll say about the deaths in this book. As for the general unpredictability of this book, well, like the other books in this series it's very hard to see exactly what's coming but sometimes, and really only scarcely sometimes, I could pick up on some foreshadowing and get a vague clue as to what was going to happen at some point, and sometimes I didn't see the foreshadowing until it's too late.

Ending: I totally called the end of this book, or well, I called the cliffhanger. Though I have to say the foreshadowing was pretty heavy handed and if it didn't happen in this book it'd most likely happen in the next. The final climax of this book was pure gold. Since it's not that hard to get a read on these characters I knew how things were most likely going to play out and I loved and relished every minute of it. I need the next book in this series so bad right now, I'm kind of happy I didn't get an early copy of this book now because you have no idea, or maybe you do, how crazy this ending has made me!

Rating:

So I think it's pretty safe to say this, it being nearly the end of the year and everything, but this is most definitely my favorite book I read in 2015 as well as my favorite of this series so far, though I feel like I've said that with every book, so I'm sure when Book 5 comes out I'll end up saying that's my favorite book!