Long live Solaris.
One bloodthirsty ruler has been overthrown by another, casting the shadow of death over the Solaris Empire. Vhalla Yarl stands upon the stage of fate, prepared to do battle one final time. Fragile alliances will be tested and new bonds will be formed as the world is reshaped. She fights as the champion of peace, but when the night is darkest will she be able to pay the price … the price of a new dawn?
About the Author
Elise Kova has always had a profound love of fantastical worlds. Somehow, she managed to focus on the “real world” long enough to graduate with a Master’s in Business Administration before crawling back under her favorite writing blanket to conceptualize her next magic system. She currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, and when she’s not writing can be found playing video games, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. She is the author of the Air Awakens Series as well as the upcoming Loom Saga (Keymaster, 2016).
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Elise Kova sure knows how to end a series! This was the final book in the Air Awakens Series and let me tell you this was a ride.
I am very happy to say that I am not disappointed in the ending of this series as a whole. I have not had great luck with the endings of some series this year, but this one I can happily walk away from.
This book was not afraid to go dark.
I feel that this book was longer than it needed to be there was a lot of traveling and/or just passing the time it seemed. Don’t get me wrong it was not bad it just dragged along in some places.
I need some answers! Who was Vi really? I had this idea at one point that she was really Aldricks mom…the fire gave me that idea. And then we have Daniel…oh Daniel what happened to you? Part of me does not want an answer to this and another part demands happiness lol.
If you have not picked up Air Awakens yet you really should. If you would like to see my reviews for the other books in this series please click any of the below.
I just can’t believe that it’s over. This series has captured my heart, and now that it is finished I just feel like I don’t know what to do with myself. I don’t want this to end. But all great things, no matter how great they are, have to come to an end.
This final book in the Air Awakens series is very dark. It holds a different feel entirely from any of the other books in the series. There is true horror happening to all
The execution of this story has been outstanding. Each book carries such a significance, and they are woven to create such an intense story that solidifies with your very soul. The story is written in such a way that it gets down deep into every part of you. I applaud Elise Kova for her storytelling prowess. I only expect things to get better from here. I am so excited for her new upcoming series that I can hardly contain it!
One of the most amazing things in Crystal Crowned is Vhalla’s transformation. She grows exponentially within the short time frame of the story. It is so very inspiring. The closeness of the main characters is so moving.
Vhalla’s struggle and downward spiral at the end of the book was painful to experience with her. It was written is such a way that I really felt for her. She overcomes things beautifully by not letting the villain gouge her completely. I especially liked that she had so have some help along the way. And I think that the person that supplied the help was very fitting.
I thought that the critical and suspenseful fight scene at the end of the book was a little anticlimactic, but not entirely disappointing. I anticipated what Vhalla was going to do before the scene occurred, and I really thought that her actions were fitting of the circumstances. The villain’s death just didn’t seem monumental enough to me.
The ending of the book was quite satisfying. I loved what became of the Emperor and Empress in the Epilogue. My heart just swelled for them. I have to admit my sadness at the subtle realization of Daniel’s fate. It isn’t said in so many words, but it is apparent. I loved Daniel’s character and his final moments in this series was heartbreaking for me. I am still struggling with it.
What I loved most about this series was how all of the books came together as one story. So much planning and so many details made this series shine.
If you haven’t experienced this series then you are missing out on something truly incredible. This story is captivating. It won’t release its hold on you, even after the last page.
Long live Solaris!
Another amazing series has come to a close. More friends whose adventures are over. Another world I want to be, gone. I am not ready for this. I just found this series less than a year ago. I have not had the time I need to prepare for this. No matter how long I pushed back reading this book it was still ending. With that in mind, I picked up this book, tearing up every time I looked at it.
Spoilers for this book and the previous books.
The romance throughout this series was an epic adventure. The love these two characters had for each other was unimaginable. They were flawed, bloodied, and broken. Yet somehow they found peace in each other. They were far from perfect; at times they were downright terrifying.
“Because our love is more than something I can wear. Our time is far greater than what can be counted by two hands and some numbers. ”
Vhalla was an infinitely frustrating character throughout the entire sires. She was strong, weak, intelligent and impatient. Most of all she was real and relatable. She was one of the best main characters I have read in a YA series. There were times when she lost sight of who she was, or who her friends were. Those were the hardest parts for me to read. I could feel her pain, everyone’s pain. I understood why she felt that way, the things she went through were awful. She was a commons, a sorcerer, a puppet, a soldier, and a leader. Vhalla found herself in her trials. Once she did she flourished.
The Fire Lord was a complex man. The way he developed through the series was astounding. Aldrik was the perfect imperfect character. Because of him, my standards for YA male characters have been set to an unreachable high. Vhalla had to remind him that his people were the most important thing, more so than her. When his empire needed him, he was there. No matter how he felt about everything happening, his people came first.
Jax was my favorite character in this book, maybe even the series. I find that I am always drawn to the grief-filled, tarnished ones. The broken shells of who they once were. He pulled at my heart. When a character is so beautifully crafted that their pains become your own, this is one of the signs of an amazing author.
“Jax’s voice shifted from the laughing playboy to the broken man she knew lived beneath”
Fritz and Elicia are the friends everyone wishes they could find. So supportive, caring and understanding. Fritz never held back, he understood what Vhalla needed more than anyone. He was always there for her. Elicia hid under a veil of disinterest. Once she let Vhalla in she became a sister of sorts. The person Vhalla always turned to when she did not know who to trust.
“What are we fighting for?” Vhalla closed her eyes for a moment but all she saw was blood. Blood of her allies. Blood of her enemies. Enough blood to drown in ten times over. “What will be left when the wars are done?”
Crystal Crowned was darker than anything I expected. Blood. War. Death. Despair. These themes were in every book, but the way they were expressed in Crystal Crowned was different. Stronger and more vivid. The monsters they faced represented the darkest place a man can go. How power-hungry people care for nothing but death.
My heart is in pieces after this book. The only thing that kept me sane while finishing this book was the epilogue. I have never read anything so beautifully written and moving.
I didn’t want it to end!!
I know! I know! It took me a long time to finish reading this AMAZE-BALLS book(series). The thing is, I didn’t want it to end! The entire series comes together in this final book. Aldrik and Vhalla are finally together and fighting at each other’s side in a battle to regain the kingdom and for their freedom. Elise Kova should have more recognition for her work. This is amazing!!
3.5 Stars
First series of the year finished!
If it wasn’t for the battle of the south I would have rated this a two star.
After the fourth book I was excited to see how this series ends. Well I ended up disappointed. I hated how some of the characters meet their ends. It just didn’t seem right for them. Baldair oh how my heart aches for him. Daniel is the same way.
Through most of this book I wanted it to just end. Finally when they started to march on the South I was able to get into the book. The battle for the throne is a 1.5 star alone which bumped this rating from a two star to the 3.5 star.
I’m glad it’s over. Vhalla did get a good ending but I wish a few other people did too.