Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, this long awaited third book promises even more action and romance than the last! They broke the curse, but at what cost? Haven and her crew may be considered heroes, but they arrive back in Penryth harboring dangerous secrets. Plagued by nightmares, Haven struggles to control her newfound magic while Bell shrinks under the weight of their shared … under the weight of their shared lie.
When an emissary from Solissia shows up in Penryth and drafts Bell in a magical tournament, Haven is once again forced to follow the prince to foreign lands, this time to the bloodthirsty court of Archeron’s mother.
Trapped in a shifting landscape of dark politics, duplicitous immortals, and cruel sovereigns, Haven fights to keep Bell alive all without revealing their secret. But a terrible evil brews on the horizon. One that threatens the very fabric of the realm.
Haven might be their only hope of stopping the impending darkness. But first she must learn to accept her own darkness and follow her heart—no matter where it leads.
Welcome to the Kingdom of Runes where immortals and humans clash, light and dark magic reign, and mythical creatures lurk in the shadows. If you like fierce heroines, enemies-to-lovers romance, wild plot twists, and endearing characters, then you’ll adore this continuation of Haven and Bell’s story!
The Kingdom of Runes series is upper/mature YA and contains mild cursing and adult situations, including romance.
more
Typing through happy tears as that was a heartwarming ending. Haven is finally seeing her self-worth and her friends or not by blood family’s dedication to her made my heart melt.
Honestly this series gets better and better.
I love how each book ends that part of the journey/story yet sets up what’s happening next really well so it’s not a cliffhanger but you still can’t wait for the next in the series.
This is book book 3 of The Kingdom of Rules series by Audrey Grey and I listened to the audiobook narrated brilliantly by Vanessa Moyen.
If you are like me and love high fantasy romance with a kick as female, loads of action, battles, prejudice, betrayal (yeah a lot of that lol) beautiful friendship bonds, evil villains and amazing saviours this is for you.
The character development with the series has been immense but I can’t touch on that as would reveal too many spoilers lol.
Please read for yourself as it’s the perfect kind of escapism.
Top marks 5/5 and onto book 4 which is thankfully on audible already. All are also available on kindle unlimited and I had a sneak peek and book 5 is due out end of this month! So best time to start this series is now with the new release just round the corner.
This series! Omg the i didn’t see that coming moments. I can’t wait until the next book
I thought the first two books in the series were phenomenal, but I finished this third one last night and was blown away. The intricacies with which Audrey Grey writes make everything come to life and it takes you into a world where the impossible becomes possible. There were twists in this story I absolutely did not see coming and could never have predicted, characters and storylines that changed in ways that stole my breath. And that, my friends, is the difference between a good storyteller and a great one. If you’re looking for a great series, this one had an impact on me I will not soon forget.
Wow, I’m blown away as this book brought the series to a whole new level! I loved the first two books, but King Maker gave me all their best parts plus twists galore, chaos, tantalizing romantic tension and devastation. I was immediately sucked into the story and couldn’t put it down. It gave me ALL the feels and I was left simultaneously excited and slightly hollow by everything that transpired. Grey has an exceptional ability to create complex, dynamic characters that grip your heart (for good or bad) and leave you invested in their welfare and lives. The world building was vibrant and perfectly detailed and I loved getting to explore the Sun Kingdom and tournament trials. This series has become one of my top three favorite fantasy series and I can’t wait for the next one!
Audrey Grey has become one of my new favorites and this is why. This book tugged my heart in all kinds of directions, had me cheering and booing characters and threatening to slap a one in particular. I’ve been team-Stolas all along but never expected what happened in this book. This is a must-read series and I am anxiously waiting for the next book. Haven’s powers were mistaken as belonging to her best friend, Bell, which led to him being kidnapped and an adventure that broke the dark curse hanging over their lands. But now they are stuck with their lie and it brings a new threat when Bell is drafted as a champion to compete in a tournament in the lands of a tyrant queen without Haven by his side. Defying every law has never been a problem for Haven but when she sneaks into the tournament to save Bell a chain of events is set into place that will change her new-found family forever. And the darkness they thought they had banished was child’s play compared to what is coming.
ahhh kingmaker continues havens and the other characters storys and what a wild ride it is this is audreys biggest book yet and i hope they keep getting bigger giggles loved it from start to finish though i wanted to help audreys muse torture her few times but regardless well done audrey well done and lastly team stolas for life!!!
Wow. Just wow. I knew there would be a shift in the character relationships in this book, but I never imagined the dark turn things would take. My heart aches and rages in equal measure after reading this. I don’t think I’ll recover. This book really shows the tenuous relationship between love and hate and how the line between can get blurred and we can hurt the people we love the most. This book was just… everything.
I can’t get over how masterful the storytelling of this series has been leading up to this truly epic third installment of the series! I laughed, I groaned, I gasped in shock, shouted, and yes, cursed. This series keeps delivering above and beyond what I’ve been expecting, and I’m simply blown away by the beauty of every betrayal, heartache, and revelation that cumulated to the ending of best book of the series so far. All I can say is–if you weren’t a fan of Stolas before, that might be changing. Bring on book 4, I need a cure for this massive book hangover! Highly recommend this series!
Hands down the best in the series. Maybe even the best of 2020!
Big claims I know. But they are warranted. In my opinion at least. This series has been nonstop and this book just kept that going.
THIS BOOK WAS MIND BLOWING! Yeah, I know that’s extremely high praise, but it’s because this book deserves it. It’s kinda sad for all the other books being released this year because I don’t know how KING MAKER will ever be topped. The fact that Grey has 2 more books in this series is crazy. The story arc, character development, world building is MASSIVE. To have the ability to love one character in the beginning of a book and by the end of it you can’t stand them is incredible. She’s done her homework, she know how to twist things around until you don’t know up from down and left from right.
Haven has faced down the mighty Shade Queen, broke her curse and is faced with yet another perilous task of protecting Bell from even greater evil. She finds out who she is and what she can endure in this adventure and nothing is what it seems. Buckle up and start this story in the morning because you wont be able to stop reading until it’s finished.
I just finished King Maker and I had to take a little bit to soak it all in. Wow, this third book was just incredible. It is perfection in word, each sentence speaking right to your heart and taking you on a journey you won’t soon forget. I love the subtle lessons that are taught about how we all have a little good and evil in us and we are the only ones who can master them by learning to accept ourselves. I found multiple times I had to stop and highlight something that was said, it was so profound. This book really resonated with me. I am in awe of the absolute perfection brought on by the flaws in each of us, so good. You experience all the thrills, chills and feels this book has to offer, the passion and the joy, anger and sorrow. Every chapter is packed full, keeping you enthralled until the final words. I love how this book ends but hope there can be a continuation, I want more of the epic love stories and the adventure this amazing cast of characters will have as they continue to battle against the true evil.
I am so grateful I had the opportunity to read this book, the author has a gift that needs to be shared
***may contain spoilers***
Starting a few months after the curse is broken, we see how each character is handling or not handling the aftermath. Archeron was granted three months to try and find the betrayer, Bjorn while Haven and Surai and Bell try to settle back into life in the Kingdom of Penryth. Archeron returns unsuccessful from his hunt, forced to obey the King again or face pain. He hates seeing the pity on his friends’ faces, this humiliation simmers under the surface and becomes a factor in his downfall later on in the story. He returns to try and connect again with Haven but her dark magick repells him so no love for them.
Surai is still mourning Rook and finding her place. The King of Penryth is focusing all the glory on Bell as the “curse breaker” and Bell is adjusting to having his father look at him with something other than disgust while Renk and Cressida still continue to try and torment him. Sitting in High counsel with the other mortal kingdoms, trying to sort out what to do next and how to recover in the aftermath.
Haven is funneling her magick to Bell to hide the fact he is actually barren of magick while struggling to accept her light and dark magick, waking from horrid nightmares where she kills everyone she loves. All while hiding the Noctis’ true Empress, Nasira who they brought from the Netherlands to fulfill her promise to Stolas.
Stolas is being held prisoner in an unknown location by Ravena and her mother suffering terrible torment as they seek to break his will.Haven sees him only in her dreams where sadly she is unable to heal his wounds and at their last meeting he tells her not to trust him if she ever sees him again.
Enter the handsome Solis Sun Lord Xandrian, cousin to Archeron, to invite Bell to compete in the Praetori Fiernum, the Gathering of Fire tournament. If he wins, he will become the reigning lightcaster and leader of the nine, ruler over all mortal kingdoms. As the only mortal with magick (at least as far as everyone believes) he can qualify to compete. Haven tries to underwhelm to get him out of the competition but alas the magick is so pure that Bell is forced to participate. If he loses he will be bound to the Sun Sovereign of Effendier, Archeron’s mother, a cruel woman for the remainder of his life. The group sets sale and Bell discovers he is not one to handle the ocean, spending the entire journey seasick until they reach Effendier.
Haven is barred from going with them, left behind in Penryth, so of course she figures out a way to attend, after convincing Nasira to bind her dark magic. Surai is against this, trying to get Haven to understand that it is a part of her. Haven is so fearful of destroying all those she loves that she does it anyway. Haven, Surai and Nasira proceed to find the floating kingdom and bargain for Haven to take on the persona of Renfyre, the last mortal queen from House Volantis in order to participate in the tournament. Cloaked in a glamoured spell, only those who don’t wish to harm Haven can see who she truly is. Some are against her being in the tournament and the Sovereign first insists she kill Stolas in order to participate and people keep trying to kill her but thankfully she prevails.
There is a whole host of new characters we meet through the tournament and while in the Solisian country, all with their own unique skills and personalities. We also have some returning cast from past books, including Stolas and Ravenna along with many Noctis. Each plays a role in moving this story along and keeping the intrigue and excitement going. Haven runs across a monk who gives her a scroll that shares an ancient prophecy hinting at who Haven really is…or who her mother and father were.
The description in this book is lush and delightful, allowing you to participate along with all the characters in the adventure. To travel to all the amazing and sometimes, disgusting places they journey as they compete in the tournament. To fall in love with Stolas alongside Haven as they talk on the rooftop and make a wish on the lanterns, or explore the museum and kiss on the balcony before the last round. To feel Archeron’s feelings of betrayal when he waits for Haven to go on a date to rekindle their love, only to watch her arrive in the arms of Stolas and smell desire in the air. To experience along with Bell as his father is killed and he discovers all those who betrayed him and were trying to take the magick he actually does have, how his mother sacrificed herself to hide it away so he would be able to guide the prophesied daughter of both Freya and Odin to save their world.
Better read it to experience it for yourself!
Edited to add review after listening to the audio book
This book slayed my emotions. So many feelings, excitement, betrayal, love, hate, fear, anger. Haven was led on a crazy journey to Solisia to help Bel fight in the trial to win the tournament and become the king of nine. Still hiding her magic and feeling like she has to bury her dark magic, she chooses to have nicera bind her dark magic. Thankfully later she realizes that she needs both sides of herself and when she embraced her beast side she was able to conquer the demons and save Solisia. I’m so glad I got to listen to this audio book, the narrator brought the characters to life and infused emotion into the interactions.
I love one of the final sentences in the epilogue. We all have beasts inside, from hate and fear and anger, it takes the light of love to overcome. What a powerful statement and so true!
While I personally could have done without the use of the f word, it was used sparingly.
This book was great!! Even better than the first two in the series! Haven and Bell are crazy!! This book took me on a wild ride. I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t wait to see how it ended!!
Totally Amazing Ride!!
I have read all the books so far in this series and I have to admit each one takes you on a different, but same journey. The journey is up and down and twists and turns. But this book has to take the cake of them all.
Many things happen in this book and you find yourself not wanting to put the book down because you just need to know what is happening. There are so many twists and turns in this book you find yourself going back and reading certain passages just to make sure you aren’t seeing things.
You will be like, I cannot believe that just happened, oh know he did not just do that. Or she did not just do that. You will be picking your jaw off the floor many times. You will find yourself crying a lot because the emotions that you go through in this book or just wow.
You will find yourself wondering if you should feel sorry for certain characters or not. I know I am still reeling over a couple of them because I just can’t believe that it happened the way it did. Maybe you will feel heartbroken in the end? We will just have to wait and see.
Until Next Time…. Tabi