Book Review: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling

Title: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling (Kingdom on Fire #3)
Author:  Jessica Cluess
Genre: Young Adult | Magic | Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Random HouseB FYR
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Source: Publisher
Format: eAudio

It’s time for war.
After suffering terrible losses, Henrietta and Lord Blackwood have led their warriors to Sorrow-Fell, a vast estate where only those invited by a Blackwood may enter–and the ideal place to plan a final assault against the Ancients.
It’s time for a wedding.
Henrietta nervously awaits her marriage to Blackwood, but when the ritual to become his bride reveals a dark secret, she realizes that Sorrow-Fell is not a safe haven; it’s a trap. Convincing the sorcerers of this, however, is not easy. So with Maria, the true chosen one, and Magnus, the young man who once stole her heart, at her side, Henrietta plots a dangerous journey straight into the enemy’s lair. Some will live. Some will die. All will be tested.
In this stunning conclusion to the Kingdom on Fire series, Henrietta must choose between the love from her past, the love from her present, and a love that could define her future. While battles rage, the fate of the kingdom rests on her decision: Will she fall or rise up to become the woman who saves the realm?
It’s time for Henrietta to make her stand (goodreads).

I'm far too emotional to write a review. 

Book Review: Tess of the Road

Title: Tess of the Road
Author: Rachel Hartman
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers 
Publication Date: February 27, 2018
Source: eARC
Format: Publisher

In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can't make a scene at your sister's wedding and break a relative's nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.
Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it's a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl--a subspecies of dragon--who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she's tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one (goodreads).

Tess of the Road was beautifully written but wasn't strong enough to hold my attention. 

Book Review: A Poison Dark and Drowning

Title: A Poison Dark and Drowning (Kingdom on Fire #2)
Author: Jessica Cluess
Genre: Historical Fantasy | Magic
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 19, 2017
Source: ALA
Format: ARC

The magicians want her to lead. The sorcerers want her to lie. The demons want her blood. Henrietta wants to save the one she loves. But will his dark magic be her undoing?
Henrietta doesn’t need a prophecy to know that she’s in danger. She came to London to be named the chosen one, the first female sorcerer in centuries, the one who would defeat the bloodthirsty Ancients. Instead, she discovered a city ruled by secrets. And the biggest secret of all: Henrietta is not the chosen one.
Still, she must play the role in order to keep herself and Rook, her best friend and childhood love, safe. But can she truly save him? The poison in Rook’s system is transforming him into something monstrous as he begins to master dark powers of his own.
So when Henrietta finds a clue to the Ancients’ past that could turn the tide of the war, she persuades Blackwood, the mysterious Earl of Sorrow-Fell, to travel up the coast to seek out strange new weapons. And Magnus, the brave, reckless flirt who wants to win back her favor, is assigned to their mission. Together, they will face monsters, meet powerful new allies, and uncover the most devastating weapon of all: the truth (goodreads). 

A Poison Dark and Drowning will hit you right in the feels over and over again. 

Book Review: Glitter

Title: Glitter (Glitter #1)
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Genre: Young Adult | Dystopian Fantasy | Romance
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 25, 2016
Format: PhysicalSource: Library

Outside the palace of Versailles, it’s modern day. Inside, the people dress, eat, and act like it’s the eighteenth century—with the added bonus of technology to make court life lavish, privileged, and frivolous. The palace has every indulgence, but for one pretty young thing, it’s about to become a very beautiful prison.When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny. Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates.Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take (goodreads). 

 

 

Glitter was imaginative, but didn't take advantage of its morally-grey premise. 

Book Review: A Shadow Bright and Burning

Title: A Shadow Bright and Burning (A Shadow Bright and Burning #1)
Author: Jessica Cluess
Genre: Young Adult | Historical Fantasy | Magic
Publisher: Random House BFYR
Publication Date: September 20, 2016
Format: ARC
Source: BEA

I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?
Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves (goodreads)?

A Shadow Bright and Burning is nothing short of fun and bingeworthy!

Book Review: Unmade

Title: Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy #3)
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 23, 2014
Genre: Young Adult // Magic // Romance 
Format: Physical Copy
Source:  Library

Powerful love comes with a price. Who will be the sacrifice?
Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.
Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.
This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end (goodreads).

All great things must come to an end, and sometimes that end is full of heartbreak and redemption.