An epic tale of fierce loyalty, unbearable sacrifice, and the heartless hand of fate. Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious … discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana‘Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells. Han is hurt and betrayed. He knows he has no future with a blueblood. And, as far as he’s concerned, the princess’s family as good as killed his own mother and sister. But if Han is to fulfill his end of an old bargain, he must do everything in his power to see Raisa crowned queen.
Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it-he’s saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive-and even that might not be enough.
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This review MAY contain spoilers.
My love for this series explodes further with each book that I read. I loved the first two books, but this book far exceeds the illustriousness of the first two books. I am so completely in love with this series.
The world building is as strong as ever. Everything from the first two books stands firm in this book and there are small added tidbits to expand upon those things. It really does feel like a drop in the water that ripples out. I am so impressed with it.
The characters get so much more lovable in this book! OMG, I cannot express my love of the character growth for each of the main characters. Heck, even the not-so-main characters. The main characters have come such a long way from who they were at the start of the first book of this series. They are almost different people. I say almost because the core of what has always made them who they are are still there. They have just matured in different ways. They have gone through magical transformations. The writing of these characters is exceptional. I mean, for example, I never thought that I would feel sorry for one of the antagonists. The relationships that are forming are also a delight to experience. I love the friendships that are forming.
The plot is so unbelievably good! I love how everything has built up from the previous books. There is so much tension and so much champing at the bit for what will happen next. I like how the plot is full of mystery and that there are pieces in place for things that we don’t know about yet. I also like that the plot flows very seamlessly. There are no choppy plot points that seem out of place.
I adore the romances in the book. Especially the romance between the main characters. I like that the main romance was a slow-building romance that is still powerful. The way that the two main characters came together was very natural and wasn’t forced at all. It is a perfect slow burn romance that burns intensely. I can’t wait to see how it plays out in the last book!
Overall, this series is definitely one that I recommend! This series is perfect for fans of the Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes or the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. It is high fantasy with a deep-rooted plot, memorable characters, and a vibrant magical world. You’ll definitely want to put this series on your to-be-read list!
My latest read! Some books I read off and on over the span of a year or so because I like their worlds so much, I want to draw out my time in them as long as possible. Cinda Williams Chima’s Seven Realms is one of those worlds, with its solid balance of adventure, fascinating magic system and cultures, strong-but-not-stereotypical female characters, complicated politics, and even more complicated character relationships—which, if the epilogue is any indication, are only going to become more complicated in the next book. Highly recommended!