Fall of Thrones & Thorns (Threats of Sky & Sea #3)

                Hello happy readers!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  I know I did.  I finished two books at work, yes it was that slow and dead.  The one I’ll be discussing today is Fall of Thrones andThorns, what a tongue twister, the final book in the Threats of Sky and Sea series by Jennifer Ellision.  I previous reviewed the first two books Threats of Sky and Sea and Riot of Storm and Smoke so check those out.  This one will have spoilers for the first two books.  Duh.

Rating:  5 Stars

                We left off the previous book right as Bree had come clean in a very visual way, her blood spilling into the sea showing her to be the true Queen.  A secret she had kept since end of book one having previously decided to keep it to herself and let Aleta be the queen as she had always believed she was.  Very shocking reveal but having just been called liars there to trick them she didn’t have much choice.  Truth out things are not easy.  This had been built up in her mind and heart as a safe haven, a place out of reach of the King Langdon.  Things though are not that simple or that safe as her and her friends grapple with changing of identities and the understanding that Langdon will never back down until he finds a way to conquer Nereidium.  Nowhere is safe so they decide to act first instead of waiting for further attacks.  They must go back, back to the place they just fled.  To bring this to an end once and for all. 

                I was excited to be able to marathon these two audiobooks back to back and finish out the series.  There is just something great about it.  No lag time in remembering who people were or what was happening I was in it and anxious to see how it would end.

                We are at war.  We have lost many characters over the series and there is still more fighting to do.  King Langdon is evil and there is no question he must go.  Bree is caught up in her newfound acceptance of her birthright and learning about her people, as she hasn't spent her life planning for this like Aleta.  Watching as she interacted with her Aunt was beautiful, both very eager to get to know the other but also a touch apprehensive.  It has been so long and getting to know long lost family is hard.  We also took some time for Aleta, who really grew on me in the second book, to deal with this mess.  She has spent her whole life focusing on the Nereidium people and how she would fight the king to get back to them and her people only to find out she's just a commoner.  That is a harsh blow.  Oh and your friend has been holding this truth back for a while.  I'm glad the book allowed Aleta to deal with that, to see what it was doing to her and how she could recover her new identity. 

                In my last review I mentioned the little pieces of romance in the story.  Little bits that make you want more but it's not the primary focus which was so refreshing and different for me to read.  I love me some romance heavy stories don't get me wrong but this was done so beautifully.  Bree and Caden have a romance and a connection but they both clearly admit that while they care for one another and would like to see what could happen if they ever manage to find peace, they are in a WAR and worrying about romance isn't really even on the top fifty things they need to focus on.  That was great.  The other romantic side we see again just has its moments that make you want more but again both parties have more important things to worry about.  Though thinking about the "what if" moments for a few moments here and there is nice and real. 

                This is a conclusion and a final battle of the war.  We see just what King Langdon has been up to and the danger that he brings.  He has truly lost his mind.  Our group is both pulled apart and pushed together in this crazy story each finding more solid footing on who they are and what they want for themselves in this life.  The battle is on and only one can win while many will lose. 

                Fall of Thrones and Thorns was a great ending.  It really managed to encompass the entire series and what the story had been building too and wrapping everything up (be it good or bad).  Still it managed to not just be a conclusion but a whole story in itself as these characters we watched from nothing come fully into themselves and battle the odds.  I loved getting to see the dynamic of the group, all of varying personalities and motivations coming together.  This was a great conclusion to the series and I don't want to say much more or I'd give more away.  I look forward to future books/series from this author for sure.

                Until next time…

Riot of Storm and Smoke (Threats of Sky and Sea #2)

                Hello happy readers!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  I had a pretty awesome one attending the Laura Silverman and Becky Albertalli event and getting to see my friend and her little bean made the trip all the better.  This means I spent a little over eight hours or so in my vehicle driving this weekend so I got to squeeze in a whole new audiobook so win!  The book in question is a sequel to a title I read and review last year and was very interested in continuing on in but like most things I didn’t do it right away so I fell behind.  The book in question is Riot ofStorm and Smoke (Threats of Sky and Sea #2) by Jennifer Ellision, my review of book one Threats of Sky and Sea can be found here. Spoilers for book one ahead, duh.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

                We pick up pretty much where the last one left off.  I did a double check and I read book one in April of last year which is a while.  I had been somewhat concerned I might have forgotten some things but I worried for nothing.  As soon as I started listening it all came back to me.  Bree, Aleta, and Tregle are on the run in the secret tunnels fleeing after Lady Kat had just killed Bree’s Da and in turn Bree had used her water throwing ability and killed her, just not in time to save her Da.  Not before she revealed that it is she not Aleta, who is the stolen Nereid Princess.  Now they must run and escape the kings clutches before he continues in his plans to use her and the Princess (whom he doesn’t realize are really one in the same) to try and conquer Nereid.  Caden stays behind to try and continue his work, try to influence his father from his side but he quickly realizes his father has become madder than he knew and he is no longer safe to play his heir.  He must build up his own forces and try to stop his father.

                Bree is struggling.  She just learned everything she knew about her life is not true.  Losing her Da and finding out he wasn’t really her father at all, hard to take it all in.  Oh and try handling all of that while running for your life.  You really dive into the fray here and the tension is thick from the start. I like that she is struggling with everything.  She struggles with it throughout the book and that seemed so real and raw to me that I instantly wanted to hug her several times while reading.  Then on the flip side we have Caden’s POV who also loses a father in a sense.  His father, the King, is still alive yes but he has long since changed from the father he knew and is now completely focused on conquering no matter the cost, even his own son and heir.  That is hard to accept.  He’s not just fighting against a tyrannical ruler but his own father whom he has fond memories of. 

                We learn more about the different abilities and the world with politics and alliances.  I liked diving into the magic and seeing the limits and restrictions.  No one is all powerful.  While Bree’s gift is rare and powerful she struggles with it, understanding it and how to wield it.  War is on the brink and the King holds a sinister weapon that could wipe out the world.  She isn’t sure who she is or wants to be.  Not wanting to reveal herself as the true princess but also wanting to meet and connect with any possible family she may have left in Nereidium.  Still we learn that magic skill level and training can lead to all sorts of things that not many know about.  This lead to a character I never thought I’d ever care about finding a sort of redemption in a sense.   

                Being on the move and seeing more of the world as a whole was great but I think my favorite part was getting to meet some new characters.  While I enjoyed small group I instantly liked some of our new ones.  They banter and verbally (sometimes literally) spar with the characters we know while we watch them grow and develop.  There was some romance in this as well, not a huge part of the story but still a slight presence and one in particular you just want to make happen! 

                We are on two separate journeys through most of the book and it allows the story to widen its reach.  We see Caden try to rally troops to his side as he fights with the Underground.  Old friends forced to make a choice to friendship or safety for their home and people.  War is never easy and none of the decisions are as well.  Its messy and complicated and no good easy answers, everything has a price.  This book really shows that and while I secretly wanted everything to work out for my groups and my characters to not be hurt or worse war is tough.  So my poor heart was racing as the story ramped higher and tighter.  I got a bit teary at a certain part and it just hit me so suddenly. 

                I think this was a strong follow up and it leaves you hanging that’s for sure with the ending.  Thankfully I don’t have to wait and went ahead and got the audiobook to the third and final book in the series.  I hope to finish it soon, though no trips this week so might be a bit slower depending on work.  Still I would recommend this book and series.

                Until next time…

Threats of Sky and Sea

                Hello happy readers!  Happy April Fool’s Day!  I don’t have any pranks to pull but instead a review to offer up.  This book came onto my radar after I was contacted by the author and since then I have seen this book pop up in a few places and I can see why having now read it myself.  The book is Threats of Sky and Sea (Threats of Sky and Sea #1) by Jennifer Ellision and is the first book in the series that already has book two, Riot of Storm and Smoke, out.  I was provided a copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

                Threats of Sky and Sea is a strong fantasy story.  I was told others compared the story to Throne of Glass so I was already hooked because I LOVE that series and I see the comparison.  We follow sixteen year old Breena “Bree”, small town barmaid working to keep the inn running with her Da.  Everything is going pretty good until the past comes knocking.  Her father’s past to be specific.  See anyone with Elemental gifts, control over fire, air, earth, or water are required to serve the king and her father ran away from his service sixteen years prior with some secrets.  Taken to the king Bree is desperate to escape before the somewhat mad and vicious king is able to use them further.  Time is short and lives are on the line as the past must be unraveled and more.

                One of my favorite parts of this book was the main character.  She’s sassy, strong, compassionate, and also uses her brain and common sense more often than not.  Wanting to help others in need even if instinct may say run and hide, but still knowing you can’t rush into everything.  It’s a balance and I liked it in Bree.  She is trying to play along and gain information to use in the end rather than making rash decisions.  She’s multi-dimensional and sassy.  There is this picture that shows up on my Facebook all the time that makes me think of her and it makes me relate to her all the more. 

                Ellision also developed some interesting relationships.  First between Bree and her Da which I think anyone can root for and adore.  They are so at ease with one another and even when she is confronted with the truth and knows he’s lied to her for so long, she still instinctively believes and loves him and still hears his voice in her head when she is doing things.  Then you as she moves through the story making both allies and enemies.  From Tregle a Torcher whom I kind of liked a lot though he wasn’t seen as much to the very bitchy and aloof Princess Aleta that kind of grows on you as you read.  Lady Kat and the King whom you love you hate, seriously both were pretty evil but Lady Kat…wow she just popped off the page for me as a psycho.  Let’s not forget Caden, our Prince and heir to the thrown so conflicted and caught between his roles.  He doesn’t agree with his father’s politics he had been a good father making it hard to think of him fully as an enemy. 

                We also see the always, for me anyways, amusing side of someone of common/humble begins brought into the proper society and struggling to play by the new rules.  As someone who is clumsy as can be and horrid at proper etiquette in anything I always understand the struggle.  There are some aspects that seem familiar and I did see some things coming, but I enjoyed getting there.  Funny enough I saw one thing coming but only as I started to type my review did I process one scene and its significance.  I had it based off my awesome deductive powers and small hints here and there but nope the bigger signs went over my head.  Still the world was unique and the control of the elements and the rules of magic were different and added their own flare to things.

                There wasn’t a ton in the way of romance happening.  There were the start of some feels rolling in slowly, building up.  I can appreciate it.  I was hoping to see more of one part of it but in a way it fit for who the specific character had been developed (yes I’m being vague on purpose).  Another aspect went from slow thought to something more quickly but again circumstances being what they are it gives a sense of urgency.  Still I hope to see more being built up in the next book, which again it already out so I don’t have to wait accept for on my schedule. 

                I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others, especially anyone who did enjoy the Throne of Glass series or similar books like the Air Awakens series (still only finished book one but it’s great).  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.  What element would you like to control? Personally it’s a touch call but I think I would lean towards air just so I could keep cool all the time, though given my luck with getting burned maybe fire would save me some pain.  One of those for sure! 

Until next time…