Elly Blake- Nightblood ♥♥♥♥♥

Elly Blake- Nightblood
437 pages

Be still my heart; I am in love! I came into this book with a lot of anticipation, and I wasn't disappointed! The level of emotions I had to fight through while reading this final installment in the Frostblood Sage was staggering. I bought this series on impulse. It caught my eye as I wandered through the bookstore, and I'm really happy that it did. Like the second book, this one definitely earned five stars. 

Ruby is such a compelling character. She's flawed, and she knows it, but she doesn't hide from it. She has grown so much and watching it happen made me happy. Like deep down inside warm and fuzzy. The way she handles challenges is inspiring, even if you aren't a fireblood. 

Arcus has grown on me so much. I think that was the point. I don't think you were supposed to love him right away. That would take the fun out of it all. Of all the books I've read and all the stories I've seen unfold, I'm just a little bit obsessed with how his character evolves throughout the series. Seeing all of that growth culminate here made me happy. 

Kia. I still don't know how to talk about Kia. He is one of those characters you just have to love. You can't help. I felt so connected to him this time around, and I was glad for it. His entire arch and his journey through this series carries so much purpose, and I just love him. 

When I was close to 100 pages from the end, I was getting very nervous I would hate the end of this book. I didn't want to hate a series I had come to love so much, but I had this sense of dread as I took in everything that was happening. I didn't hate it, though. I am a little torn about it, but I didn't hate it. I feel like everything was constructed so well that it wasn't really a slap in the face (which is what I was beginning to fear). I can accept it, though. I can understand all of it in a way that I didn't think I would. 

The lore was just as impressive here as it has been in the previous books. You really get to understand it all, which is something I thought would take forever. This book brings it all together and doesn't leave you wondering about much, just a little. 

Overall, I love this book and this series. I highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for something new to read. 

Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

An in depth look at the series will be posted soon on my In Depth Review page

Elly Blake- Fireblood- ♥♥♥♥♥

Elly Blake- Fireblood
408 pages

At the beginning of my review for Frostblood, I talked about how a book that is a five star is just obvious. It just earns it, no questions. Fireblood definitely did that, and I'm in love with this book! From the very beginning, it grabbed me and pulled me along with it. 

The pacing was on point this time. It took me through ups and downs, lulls, and intensity. My only "complaint" is the lore is kind of hard to follow. There are so many players with affinities and ties to the land, it's a little hard to track. That isn't really a bad thing, though. It's something that makes you think about relevance, and it pushes you to connect dots and remember details. This is definitely the kind of series you have to come back to and read again to truly appreciate all the nods and inferences. I'm still really enjoying untangling all the threads. On top of all of that... the emotions were still so it-hurts-so-good. They were intense and fitting and beautiful and painful all at the same time. And I loved every second of it. 

Ruby has come so far since the beginning of the first book. Don't get me wrong, I was always rooting for her, but now I feel like I'm screaming my support for her. There is so much I want to say about her, but I don't want to give away too much. So, I'll put it like this: she is a refreshing version of a trope I am rather tired of. And I absolutely love her for it. 

I feel so much more connected to Arcus in this book. As I said in my last review... the type he was portrayed as feels so old to me, like I've seen it too many times and want to roll my eyes. However, here, there is a lot more to him. I felt like there was more depth than I gave him credit for. So this is my apology for that. 

Kia. I don't even know what to say about Kia. I hate him. But I love him. I feel like he is such a perfect addition in so many ways. He gives a complete balance to the books that I am feeling so hard. I didn't want to like him, to be honest, but I do like him. 

I also loved the way this story progressed. I like watching all these changes happen both within and without Ruby. This book one hundred percent is the set up of the next book, but it didn't feel like a 400-page intro. It felt complete. Contained, but a part of the whole. If that makes any sense. 

The way this book ended was so satisfying. It wasn't what I expected at all, which was really lovely. I read a lot of books, and it isn't very often I am taken off guard by an ending. It's something I very much appreciated! I sincerely can't wait to start the next book!

Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥

Jennifer Estep- Protect the Prince ♥♥♥♥♥

Jennifer Estep- Protect the Prince
417 pages

I'm in love with Jennifer Estep's writing style. I found her through the Elemental Assassin series and fell madly in love. This series is just as wonderful, and I really like the small nods in the first book to Gin and everyone. 

I've really liked watching Evie figure herself out. She has grown a lot since the beginning of the first book. I am a little unhappy with the character development of Sully and Paloma, though. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but it feels like they are startlingly the same as when the series began. There have been some small changes, but it's not enough. Until the last couple of chapters. Almost as though the evolution of their characters was an afterthought. 

The storyline was really interesting, and the only problem I had with it was the level of foreshadowing. I knew the big twist almost immediately after the set up for the "end game" of the book. It would have been nice to have a little more guesswork involved. Maybe it was intentional, but it was frustrating to know, 100%, where things were headed, and to have Evie so oblivious. 

That being said, I'm really excited about Crush the King! There is still so much I want to know, and several questions I still have. This series very much so adds to the love I have of Jennifer Estep. (As a side note, her website is lovely, and she makes it so easy to identify what order her books and short stories should be read in. Something is that woefully underrated). 

♥♥♥♥♥

A Dance of Mirrors- ♥♥♥♥♥

DavidDalglish- A Dance of Mirrors

378 pages

This one was an interesting change of pace. Angelport is very different from Veldaren. While there were some similarities, the social climate was different. The power structure was also something new to get used to. So much more about the world was revealed, and I feel like I have a much better understanding of how everything works in Neldar. There is also a much greater introduction into the Elves.

Haern comes further into himself and begins to more thoroughly understand what he wants to become. Alyssa showcases a lot more of who she is, and I find myself liking her a great deal. Zusa has a much more prominent role, and she is one of my favorites.

While this book wasn't what I was expecting, I loved it just as much as the first two.

Rating:

♥♥♥♥♥

A Dance of Blades- ♥♥♥♥♥

DavidDalglish- Dance of Blades

391 pages

This book carried on the fantastic vibes from the first book. I really love how the characters are separate yet unified, and dangerous but lovable. There are still some lingering questions about the setup of the world, but they are overall irrelevant for now. It’s more just curiosity on my part. The level of change and growth in a lot of the characters was astounding. While five years had gone by, Dalglish did a really good job of moving them forward in a way that felt authentic. I’m pretty attached to most of the main characters now, even the new ones. They each have something fantastic about them that I can’t help but to love.

I liked this plot significantly more than the previous, which is saying something. While the last book was about Thren trying to impose his will onto Aaron, this one focuses on Haern deciding who and what he wants to be. A couple new characters added impact the dynamic in interesting ways. The way Dalglish builds up plot arks, the next couple of books should be just as amazing if not more so.

Rating:

♥♥♥♥♥

For a more detailed review (including spoilers), click here!