I have missed my sassy Cajun, Nick and his friends. Eight books in and boy that boy has been through a lot. This is the last book in the Chronicles of Nick but not really as it’s lead in to a spin-off series, I guess? I’m not really sure how I feel about it. First, the book was fun and zippy. Just like the other books in the series, it’s no-stop from the beginning to end. It’s fast paced that I had to slow myself down or I would have read it all in one sitting. Nick’s son, Cyprian Malachai has come back from the future to make sure that Nick stays on the path to destroy the world. In doing so, he frames Nick for the murders of his former friends that kicked off the whole series. That plot line is actually a nonentity in the book itself as it’s quickly resolved but it does lead to Nick start to understand what is really going and how to stop it. The one thing that has separated Nick from the all the Malachai’s before him is that he was loved by his mother and he has the loyalty of his friends. Cyprian makes it clear that one of the reasons he hates Nick is that he is well liked while Cyprian is not. This seems kinda weak to me but who am I to judge. I’m sure we will get more in the Shadows of Fire series that will feature both Cyprian and Nick. So how does Nick defeat his foe. Obviously major spoilers so if you want to read more, check under the cut.
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Quick Review: Intensity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
5
This may be one of the strongest sequels I have read in a long time. There was no drag or filler. It was non-stop from the very beginning. The characters are smartly written and interesting to read. You feel for all of them but for different reasons. All of their decisions are explainable even if you don’t agree with them. It is a very good book. At the end of An Ember in the Ashes, Laia and Elias are escaping Blackcliff and Serra and Helena is now sworn to be the Blood Shrike to the new Empire, Marcus who won the trials. We begin A Torch Against the Night begins right where it’s predecessor left off. Laia and Elias on the run with Helena and her men right behind them. After a run in with Elias’ Mom, the Commandant they finally escape but not without some causalities. Eventually, they met by Keenan making it an awkward march to save Laia’s brother, Darin. Who is locked up in the infamous prison named Kauf. Meanwhile, Helena feels betrayed that Elias didn’t complete the trials forcing her to work for Marcus. Marcus is cruel and knows exactly what will hurt Helena the most. Have her track down Elias and bring him back to be executed. No one knows Elias like Helena does but she is torn between her loyalty to the Empire and her love for Elias. In the previous book the point of view switched back and forth between Laia and Elias. In this one we also get Helena’s and it’s a welcome view. We know how Laia and Elias feel but Helena is still loyal and believes in the Empire. She can see it’s not perfect but she understands how it is structured to keep them safe. Slowly, she starts to see a little bit of of what they see about they have been saying all along. Her view gives us a more rounded view of the Empire. Now it wouldn’t be a YA novel without a romantic intrigue. The love triangle was already introduced in the last book between Laia, Elias and Keenan. To me it was pretty obvious who was Laia’s choice but I guess there had to be some mystery. Elias was always talking Laia up and Keenan was always talking her down but the reveal at the end was a little bit of a surprise. I figured there had to be something up with one of her suitors but not exactly how I thought it would be. But enough about romance. Laia is truly lovely. She is one determined, brave young lady. She has been through so much in the last two books but her wanting to save her brother has never wavered. She’s not the strongest or the fastest but that never stops her from joining the fight or trying to figure out how to help. Even when her confidence is low, she still fights for what she wants. She is heroine to be looked up too. If you haven’t read An Ember in the Ashes what are waiting for? I suggest you do that now so you can read this book too. You will not regret it.
The series The Book of Spirit of Thieves is both a prequel and a sequel to Morgan Rhodes other series Falling Kingdoms. With it’s dueling narratives that take place centuries before and after and in the same realm as the action of her previous books and also in our own world in present time. In some ways, it fills the origin holes of some the mysteries and prophecies but stands on it own. The switching POV of Maddox, Becca, Crystal and Farrell are kind of a mix bag. I like Maddox as his is different from the others. It’s the prequel part of the story and takes place in Mytica. Becca, Crystal and Farrell are all in present day Toronto. The sisters Becca and Crystal are fine. There is a genuine love between them but a little bit of distance. Since the events of the last book, they both have learned a lot about themselves and each other and they are not sure what to do about this new knowledge. Farrell, I could do without, sort of. I understand why he is a POV but I just don’t really care that much about him as I do the others. He’s a privilege rich white boy who drinks and acts out because he didn’t get the love at home. He uses people to make him feel better and people keep giving his boorish behavior a pass because he’s just a good kid inside. He’s just hasn’t gotten over the loss of his brother. He’s being controlled by an ancient cult leader. Ok those are both true but still. I’ve over it. This series is fine and okay. I think Falling Kingdoms is a far more interesting series with more compelling characters and more twists and turns. That being said, it’s still kinda fun to read and it does fill in some wholes of the other series so it’s worth checking out if you’ve read the other series.
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So this is the final book in the series. I think. I thought the same thing about the The One but I think this is really it. I am grateful that this was only a duology and not a trilogy because while it was entertaining I feel it also ran it’s course. I liked that it flipped the original plot on it’s head by having the Princess being the one to choose instead of being one of the choices. Eadlyn, the Princess of Iliea is faced with many challenges for one being unliked by her people. She is thought of as being cold and standoffish and inexperienced and she is a little bit of all of that but what stuck me is that this is the same criticism that many women in power have faced. What I didn’t like about this book is that despite all of the self affirming moments in this book. She finds that she is stronger then she thought. She gains new perspective on not just her life but that of her peoples but in the end, it’s about who she is going to marry. That is the whole point of the Selection. To find the Princess a husband. In the first book, the selection was supposed to be a distraction and by the King more time to figure out how to handle the unrest but as the selection went on, it became more about making her more likable and then how to secure her crown when an outside threat emerges. Sort of Spoilerish but not really, I think we all knew she was going to find her true love but I really wished that by end she would realize that she didn’t have to actually get engaged. That she could find her soul mate and say this is man I am going to marry some day but right now, I’m still a teenager and I want to live a little before I settle down. That would have been a kick ass ending but this is a sort of fairy tale so you know. I don’t want you all to think I didn’t enjoy this book or the series as a whole because I did but I think it could have been so much more. And for what’s it’s worth, the guy she picked was my pick too so there is that. I’ll be interested to read what Kiera Cass does to follow this one up.
I think this was the best book of the series so far. The world and the characters are now well established so we can get on with the conflict of the story. When we last left off, Garret left after hoping that Ember would tell him to stay. Ember was too raw from the fight with her brother and her dragon side feelings for Riley to say what she truly felt and let him go. They both understood that they are two different species so it probably wouldn’t work out. That’s how they justified it at least. Garret has gone to London where St. George is headquarters to get answers to if the order knows that their are good dragons, while Ember and Riley try to track down who is leaking information on his safe houses. Garret soon finds information that St. George and Talon have been working together and have set a trap for Ember and Riley so off he goes to rescue her. Meanwhile, Ember’s twin brother Dante gets promoted to a secret project that we won’t know it’s true purpose until the next book but it’s definitely not good. Even though he is all in with Talon, he is having some reservations about what he is doing but not enough to stop him from doing what he is told at all cost. So the stakes are much higher. Both Talon and St. George are after them and only if they can work together to break up the alliance. Ember is starting to come into her potential about how powerful she can be but in doing so she finds that what she has to do to survive is not always easy to live with. Killing is never easy. Garret knows that St. George is corrupt but it doesn’t make going against his former order and brothers any easier. Also Riley has been shut down for so long that it’s hard for him to open up to Ember. This book was far more action packed then previous book with a pretty big cliffhanger. One can only hope that everyone gets out alive or at least get a Jon Snow treatment.
All the feels! Re-reading this book just reaffirms how painful The Raven King is going to be.
2 Women, So Many Books 