War Storm (Red Queen #4)

                Hello happy readers!  So I finally finished the final book in the Red Queen series War Storm by Victoria Aveyard.  Now you may remember that I went to a signing for this book last month and got to meet so many amazing people, including Beth Crowley who writes original music based on books she read and this one for Freysand of ACOMAF is stuck in my head!  Anywho at the event Victoria mentioned that people seemed to be split down the middle about her final book they either love it or hate it.  I was a bit concerned by that but now having read it I kind of get it.  I took a bit of time to process after finishing before I could sit down and articulate my thoughts.  But here they are fully digested and ready to share, spoilers for the previous books in the series.  Reviews to previous books:  Red Queen, Glass Sword, & King’s Cage. 

Rating:  4.5 Stars

                When we left  off things were not in a happy place.  Not like book two where Mare is taken captive bad but Cal just agreed to marry Evangeline and basically just broke Mare's heart choosing a crown over her.  So not a happy place.  Plus he messed up Evangeline's happiness which thanks to book three I now want.  But on more important news Cal's decision to fight for the crown has caused a hidden split with his Red allies as they don't plan to put another Silver in charge of them again.  But first they must remove the current king and go from there meaning Mare must continue to work with the boy who broke her heart.  Maven is a force but he is driven by an obsession deeper than any realize as he and his brother have more in common than they realize.  Allies that want to overthrow them.  It is all out war involving Silvers and Reds alike both on the same side and against one another.  Who will win?  Who will make it out the other side alive?  What will Norta end up?

                So this is a story of split war.  I loved that we got so many new POV's.  As I mentioned I was a bit leery of Evangeline getting a POV in the last book as I hated her but then I went and grew to like her.  I didn't full on love her like some of my others as she was still kind of a witch but I understood her so much better.  I even grew to want her to find a way to win, though only if she didn't mess with any of my others!  Which is huge progress from the first two books.  I looked forward to her story and seeing what was happening.  I felt bad for her and the whole love situation she was in, seriously I almost cried at some parts.  It was so messed up.  She ended up being one of my favorites of the series so huge kudos to the author for making that even possible!  We also got a new POV in Iris, the Lakelander princess / Maven's new wife.  That was very interesting to see how things are on her side, we got both the Lakelander perspective as well as one so close to Maven seeing him with a new outside light.  I liked getting to know more about the Lakelanders as they have been background for the first few books with new information constantly coming up.  She/they were also a villain different from Maven and seeing the pair side by side was very interesting. 

                And for other new surprising POV's that don't happen much and start late we do get a couple chapters from Maven himself!  I nearly swerved when the audiobook chapter stated "Maven" as the POV like what when did this happen???  The chapters while brief and limited are very enlightening.  His mind, warped as it has been from childhood is a very captivating place to me.  I can understand why the chapters are placed sparingly as too much from him would have taken away from him.  Small glimpses was a treat and more than enough to see just what has been hinted at.  On the flip side we also get to see a few chapters from Cal's POV which I enjoyed though as much as I enjoyed him, I didn't find them as fascinating as Mavens.  They didn't offer as much new insight for me.  I understood his reasons well enough as he is an open type of person who shares and is readable.  I already knew his reasons and motivations he was easier to read.  Still it was nice to have his own thoughts of his mother and brother that was a nice balm to the crazy going on.

                Of course we have Mare as the main POV.  I have some slightly mixed feelings on her.  I did feel at times she could be a bit wishy washy but she made a choice and she stuck with it.  She never wavered.  She hoped for a difference and took time for her when possible but she didn't waver in the overall choice.  I respect that.  She had some bad choices throughout the books sure but I think she held firm on the important parts.  I was with her in this, even as she struggled with her broken heart, her PTSD, and more she kept pushing forward.  That is impressive no matter what anyone says.  I enjoyed as she got to know more Newbloods like herself.  Knowing she wasn't the only one was a sweet moment not only in solidarity but in that they can teach her more of herself. 

                There are so many side characters who really came to life in this story.  Some stepped into new lights like Jullian.  We got to see more of Evangeline's family which again is crazy and Cal's granny.  We also got to see more from the Premiere and the world he lives in and wants to help spread.  The world we want!  The time spent there was beautifully written and impacted so much.  And of course General Farley was up front and center because she has come a long way since we first met her and she has struggled through so much on her own.  I really wished we had a few chapters from her.  Some of the others we spent so much time with in previous books were less focused in this one like Cameron and Kilorn to name a few. 

                Overall the story was well done for me.  There was action and intrigue as we expect and lots of political espionage happening in all corners.  The character building and even world building as we tear down one part.  It had a lot going for it in this book and series overall.  The end had parts I expected and parts that shocked me.  I was unsure how I felt at first having finished it just in shock of it all but it makes sense.  It won't be a perfect happily ever after for anyone there was just a massive war both internal and external so lots happening there.  That can't be solved or wrapped up in a little bow.  It gave the open ending we needed to believe it was possible.  Some relationships were broken but some have the possibility of rebuilding just like the world and I love that.  I love the parallels there.  At first I wanted a quick instant fix but then I realized that wouldn’t have fit with the epic journey we had just finished.  So I am very satisfied with the ending.  Even if I wanted more as soon as I finished!

                Until next time…

Witch's Pyre (Worldwalker #3)

                Hello happy readers!  So today I have my thoughts on a series ender I have been meaning to read for a while and finally did.  I read the first book of the trilogy and loved it.  Same for book two until the end just broke me and left me nervous about continuing on.  Then my bestie wanted to borrow a book and saw the cover for book one and asked if I had read this series (because yes I have plenty of books on my shelves I haven’t read and thus not a huge fan of loaning out those until I have read them first) and I had the first couple so I let her borrow book one.  I had planned to read the final book this year anyways so this would give me incentive.  Mind you the last time she was reading a book it took forever and a day for me to be able to talk about it but this one she flew through in a couple days.  So I had to get on it and that weekend at work I finally read the amazing finale for the Worldwalker trilogy by Josephine Angelini, Witch’s Pyre.  I have previously reviewed the first books:  Trial by Fire & Firewalker.

 Rating:  5 Willstones

                Lily has come a long way from the sick girl she used to be in the world we know.  She has traveled worlds, gained power as a witch, become a leader, and faced dangerous travels and battles.  She has also lost a lot.  Her first crush and best friend and in a different way the man she loves after he betrayed her in the worst possible way.  Now Lily and her coven are introduced to a new society unlike anything they have ever seen.  A society that lives with the Woven but something isn’t right in the perfect utopia and Lily is determined to find the answer.  Along the way she begins to uncover a deeper truth.  There is still nuclear war to be prevented and many sides to fight on.  Can Lily find a way to victory that doesn’t turn her into the tyrannical other her, Lillian or cost the lives of all those she cares for?

                So when I went into this book I was nervous.  At the end of the last book Rowan did something horrible.  He betrayed her in the worst possible way to me.  He took her will stones from her and locked her in a cage.  Knowing that she was still haunted by her last similar encounter and promising to protect her from such a fate being the one to do it made him dead in my eyes.  So I was worried he’d show up and magically be forgiven and all is well.  I wasn’t near ready to forgive him.  Even waiting almost two years between books as soon as I saw his name my anger was right back at peak level for him.  But I was so thrilled that the story didn’t go that way.  There was so much happening and I loved the way things played out.

               

                This new city that has been thriving all these years.  The discovery of a whole world who knew they were there but didn’t try to help.  There is a lot going on and a lot of mystery and intrigue happening.  I liked getting to know more about the others and the coven bond as it grew stronger for some and weaker for others.  When Rowan did show up, because we knew he was, it was natural for me.  The way the story plays out is so much better than I could have imagined.  There is the conflict outside our little coven from all the challenges they face but also within as everyone in the coven has their own baggage and thus react differently to things. 

                I really enjoyed getting to see a wider aspect of the world in this book.  We see the west coast but we also learn about how the rest of the world is doing.  It is such a vast contract to how they were doing in the colonies.  We also got to learn more about the Woven and the different types and what makes them unique.  We traveled a ton and used up some serious magic as the plots were uncovered.  It was a thrill ride for me.  I got the character work I have come to love in this series but I also got the action we expect as the series comes to an end and so many irons are in the fire.  Battle is on the horizon and lines have been drawn. 

               

                I saw several things coming from the start but others caught me off guard in the best way.  There was death and tears but also life and joy.  I covered the emotional spectrum in this for sure.  The end was very fitting and really encompassed what we had been building towards.  There is a real payoff in the end and while I would love to go back into the world and continue to see the “after” and more from those who made it I am also completely at ease with the end.  There was nothing that was really left hanging everything was pretty much covered and I am so happy with how things happened.  So many characters got some great arcs overall with real depth.  It was amazing.  I highly recommend this series!!!

                Until next time…