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Forsaken #3
Die Drei Könige
Mein Ehemann hat mich betrogen.
Verzeihen ist keine Option.
Ich werde Königin Rolfe bitten, unsere Ehe zu beenden. Wir wollen es beide.
Ganz zu schweigen davon, dass sie mir noch etwas schuldet.
Verzeihen ist keine Option.
Ich werde Königin Rolfe bitten, unsere Ehe zu beenden. Wir wollen es beide.
Ganz zu schweigen davon, dass sie mir noch etwas schuldet.
654 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2022
1111 people are currently reading
1197 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Barsetti
29 books921 followersPenelope Barsetti is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her beloved novels have sold more than 5 Million copies, and her work has been translated into a dozen languages. Readers may know her by another name, Penelope Sky, where she writes contemporary dark romance.
An avid wine drinker, napper, and Netflix junkie, she lives in California with her family, but if she could live anywhere, it would be Florence, Italy. For those familiar with her work, you’ll know exactly why that’s the case.
Fantasy Romance is her favorite genre to read, and she’s excited to release her own novels into the world.
An avid wine drinker, napper, and Netflix junkie, she lives in California with her family, but if she could live anywhere, it would be Florence, Italy. For those familiar with her work, you’ll know exactly why that’s the case.
Fantasy Romance is her favorite genre to read, and she’s excited to release her own novels into the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
February 25, 2022
Part 3
3,5 🔥💥🐉 ⭐️s❗️
The author’s first fantasy attempt was up to par.
Her vision was broad and glorious and I enjoyed a lot the world that she built.
I was intrigued by the characters, the creatures, the elements, politics and dynamics. (Dragons Pery and Storm were amazing!!)
The plot had plenty of layers, action and fighting, and multiple pov.
Athena, Ivory and Elora were tough characters, feisty, prepared and ready to battle and strong willed.
The male characters were interesting and forceful, some more and others less, and were instantly attracted to their female partners accordingly.
I can’t describe it romantic, yet there was a lot of lust, chemistry and sex. Especially the second part 🐇💓🐇 where Huntley’s d**k was mostly of the story shoved inside Ivory and every time her eyes teared.🤦🏻♀️
I am definitely not an expert in fantasy/pnr reads, but the language used was very contemporary and out of character for that period, and that element gave my interest a hard time.
I am sorry-not-sorry to say that my eyes were rolling every time Huntley called Ivory “baby”, or when I was met with words like pain in the ass, psychopath, Christmas!!!, electricity!!!, party and so many others.
In the last part there was a scene of forgiveness between Huntley and Ivory that I found it hideous and tbh the plot was a little messy and rushed at some points (especially towards the end).
Overall, I enjoyed it despite my issues and if the author releases another fantasy story I will give it a chance.
3,5 🔥💥🐉 ⭐️s❗️
The author’s first fantasy attempt was up to par.
Her vision was broad and glorious and I enjoyed a lot the world that she built.
I was intrigued by the characters, the creatures, the elements, politics and dynamics. (Dragons Pery and Storm were amazing!!)
The plot had plenty of layers, action and fighting, and multiple pov.
Athena, Ivory and Elora were tough characters, feisty, prepared and ready to battle and strong willed.
The male characters were interesting and forceful, some more and others less, and were instantly attracted to their female partners accordingly.
I can’t describe it romantic, yet there was a lot of lust, chemistry and sex. Especially the second part 🐇💓🐇 where Huntley’s d**k was mostly of the story shoved inside Ivory and every time her eyes teared.🤦🏻♀️
I am definitely not an expert in fantasy/pnr reads, but the language used was very contemporary and out of character for that period, and that element gave my interest a hard time.
I am sorry-not-sorry to say that my eyes were rolling every time Huntley called Ivory “baby”, or when I was met with words like pain in the ass, psychopath, Christmas!!!, electricity!!!, party and so many others.
In the last part there was a scene of forgiveness between Huntley and Ivory that I found it hideous and tbh the plot was a little messy and rushed at some points (especially towards the end).
Overall, I enjoyed it despite my issues and if the author releases another fantasy story I will give it a chance.
December 12, 2023
So...
1.) I knew I was going to be disappointed in the way Ivory forgave Huntley, and boy, was I not disappointed. Or... I was. Discovering the true extent of her father's crimes doesn't negate Huntley's. It's been a while since I've read a book where the MMC screwed up so badly. But once Faron's truth is revealed, Huntley commands Ivory to kneel and apologize TO HIM. I wanted to throw my phone when she did. He orders her to forgive him. She does. So disappointing and so degrading. Oh, speaking of degrading... “This is how a king f*cks his queen.” Really? There's a difference between alphas and a-holes, my dude, and that put you firmly with the latter. I was okay with that scene -- all for it, even -- but then he had to go an open his big, fat, *stupid* mouth. If he had said that at literally any other time, it would have been acceptable. But then, after pushing her to her knees? Nah. Not a good look.
2.) An entire chapter is misplaced. Chapter 38 should have been the final one before the epilogue, so it was jarring to go from reading about an impending invasion to Huntley and Ivory lounging around. That needs to be fixed.
3.) There was some definite rushing going on at the end, what with them zooming between cities and easily conquering them. Nothing ever seemed particularly difficult, despite them all pretending their deaths were imminent. Elora and Bastian's relationship needed more time to mature, but it was okay. It would have been more satisfying if Bastian had put up more of a fight. I did enjoy Elora's cockiness, though. Not something you see in female characters all too often. Ryker and Effie felt a little rushed too, only because their relationship unfolded in the previous book and you barely see them interact here.
4.) Queen Rolfe is one badass b*tch made even badder after eating a slice of humble pie. Throughout the series, she grew the most a person. Huntley and Ivory were the same people at the end as they were at the end, just with a few additional life experiences. Ian and Ryker grew a little bit, Elora a little less, but Athena outdid them all. As the oldest, that was a little unusual.
5.) Still too many damn "baby"s for me.
1.) I knew I was going to be disappointed in the way Ivory forgave Huntley, and boy, was I not disappointed. Or... I was. Discovering the true extent of her father's crimes doesn't negate Huntley's. It's been a while since I've read a book where the MMC screwed up so badly. But once Faron's truth is revealed, Huntley commands Ivory to kneel and apologize TO HIM. I wanted to throw my phone when she did. He orders her to forgive him. She does. So disappointing and so degrading. Oh, speaking of degrading... “This is how a king f*cks his queen.” Really? There's a difference between alphas and a-holes, my dude, and that put you firmly with the latter. I was okay with that scene -- all for it, even -- but then he had to go an open his big, fat, *stupid* mouth. If he had said that at literally any other time, it would have been acceptable. But then, after pushing her to her knees? Nah. Not a good look.
2.) An entire chapter is misplaced. Chapter 38 should have been the final one before the epilogue, so it was jarring to go from reading about an impending invasion to Huntley and Ivory lounging around. That needs to be fixed.
3.) There was some definite rushing going on at the end, what with them zooming between cities and easily conquering them. Nothing ever seemed particularly difficult, despite them all pretending their deaths were imminent. Elora and Bastian's relationship needed more time to mature, but it was okay. It would have been more satisfying if Bastian had put up more of a fight. I did enjoy Elora's cockiness, though. Not something you see in female characters all too often. Ryker and Effie felt a little rushed too, only because their relationship unfolded in the previous book and you barely see them interact here.
4.) Queen Rolfe is one badass b*tch made even badder after eating a slice of humble pie. Throughout the series, she grew the most a person. Huntley and Ivory were the same people at the end as they were at the end, just with a few additional life experiences. Ian and Ryker grew a little bit, Elora a little less, but Athena outdid them all. As the oldest, that was a little unusual.
5.) Still too many damn "baby"s for me.
February 19, 2022
You know that there is something wrong with a final book when you end up disliking the hero. Huntley seemed to have a regression. In the first book he is the most open character towards Ivory, understanding that she shouldn't be blamed for her father's crime... Later, I despised how he treated Ivory. First, by betraying her and not honoring his promise and then by forcing her to kneel and beg for forgiveness after discovering her father's final involvement with the enemy. Terrible, this didn't make sense at all. Ivory deserved a better partner and more recognition. I'm very disappointed with how this last book treated the heroine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2022
So disappointing. Huntley’s character completely devolved. How do you end up completely hating the main male lead even when you supposedly get a HEA?? This book - he’s an absolute POS and not even the “alpha hole” label can excuse him. Ivory took a backseat and she deserved SO MUCH BETTER. What the hell happened to her?? She had so much to offer, and she ends up a total doormat. Her father’s involvement in all their dirty history does not justify Huntley’s treatment of her. AT. ALL. Say it louder for the people in the back!! SHE DIDN’T DESERVE THIS SHIT!!!
And this…my god…THIS:
Huntley: “this is how a king fucks his queen”
Ivory: …he fucked me like a common whore.
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Would’ve rated this NO stars but I’ll give one for the Elora/Bastian arc. I’ll take a whole series on just them, please!
And this…my god…THIS:
Huntley: “this is how a king fucks his queen”
Ivory: …he fucked me like a common whore.
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Would’ve rated this NO stars but I’ll give one for the Elora/Bastian arc. I’ll take a whole series on just them, please!
August 10, 2022
Okay so not only do I hate Queen Rolfe, but this author has successfully made me hate Huntley and the heroine Ivory too.
Firstly, Huntley made a promise that he broke. The promise was a condition to his marriage to Ivory. The better resolution to this would be as Ian suggested, Ivory take over the kingdoms because she is a much better person than Huntley and his mother and because a King who can't keep his word is not a King who deserves a throne.
But no, what happens? Ivory gives in because she is weak and the sex is too good. Secondly, the whole revelation about Ivory's father doesn't justify Huntley breaking his word. Huntley didn't know what Ivory's father had done at the time, Ivory didn't know either. Instead he asks her to kneel and beg for his forgiveness. He's a fucking scum who shouldn't have been fit to have wiped the mud from her shoes. What Ivory's dad did does not negate the fact that he broke his promise to her. It does not negate that fact.
Why is the author skimming over issues like this. She skimmed over the fact that Queen Rolfe tried to get the heroine raped and murdered multiple times - there is no justice for the heinous acts Queen Rolfe committed. Let's put this into perspective, ok? In Australia and many other jurisdictions around the world, an attempt to rape is treated as seriously as rape and a person who is accused of an attempt to rape may face the same time as he or she would if they had actually committed the rape. Just because the rape wasn't committed doesn't mean the act is any less heinous. The intention is there. In Queen Rolfe's situation, the only reason why the rape didn't occur was because of pure luck (ie the Teeth didn't actually want to rape her, just feed from her) and because her son intervened. Not because she actually pulled back of her own accord or an attack of conscience. This woman needs to rot in jail. The fact that she was raped in the past doesn't justify and doesn't give her the right to mete this out to someone else.
If Ivory was still the same strong independent character that readers fell in love with from the beginning of Book 1, she would have made him kneel and beg for her forgiveness. She didn't do anything wrong. She isn't the one who made a promise, a condition to the marriage and then broke it.
Also, what on earth is wrong with this book. Huntley goes around roaring look at me, I am the alpha male, the King of all. But none of that would have been possible without Ivory. If anything Ivory should have been the Queen of everyone and Huntley the man who begged for scraps from her.
Honestly, reading this trilogy made me wish I could scrub my brains out of the words I have just read. If I had bought paperback versions of these books, they would have been going straight into a recycling bin.
Firstly, Huntley made a promise that he broke. The promise was a condition to his marriage to Ivory. The better resolution to this would be as Ian suggested, Ivory take over the kingdoms because she is a much better person than Huntley and his mother and because a King who can't keep his word is not a King who deserves a throne.
But no, what happens? Ivory gives in because she is weak and the sex is too good. Secondly, the whole revelation about Ivory's father doesn't justify Huntley breaking his word. Huntley didn't know what Ivory's father had done at the time, Ivory didn't know either. Instead he asks her to kneel and beg for his forgiveness. He's a fucking scum who shouldn't have been fit to have wiped the mud from her shoes. What Ivory's dad did does not negate the fact that he broke his promise to her. It does not negate that fact.
Why is the author skimming over issues like this. She skimmed over the fact that Queen Rolfe tried to get the heroine raped and murdered multiple times - there is no justice for the heinous acts Queen Rolfe committed. Let's put this into perspective, ok? In Australia and many other jurisdictions around the world, an attempt to rape is treated as seriously as rape and a person who is accused of an attempt to rape may face the same time as he or she would if they had actually committed the rape. Just because the rape wasn't committed doesn't mean the act is any less heinous. The intention is there. In Queen Rolfe's situation, the only reason why the rape didn't occur was because of pure luck (ie the Teeth didn't actually want to rape her, just feed from her) and because her son intervened. Not because she actually pulled back of her own accord or an attack of conscience. This woman needs to rot in jail. The fact that she was raped in the past doesn't justify and doesn't give her the right to mete this out to someone else.
If Ivory was still the same strong independent character that readers fell in love with from the beginning of Book 1, she would have made him kneel and beg for her forgiveness. She didn't do anything wrong. She isn't the one who made a promise, a condition to the marriage and then broke it.
Also, what on earth is wrong with this book. Huntley goes around roaring look at me, I am the alpha male, the King of all. But none of that would have been possible without Ivory. If anything Ivory should have been the Queen of everyone and Huntley the man who begged for scraps from her.
Honestly, reading this trilogy made me wish I could scrub my brains out of the words I have just read. If I had bought paperback versions of these books, they would have been going straight into a recycling bin.
October 22, 2022
DNF @ 14%. Absolutely fvcking not. I have never been so dejected by a book. Fvck the toxic masculinity. Fvck the coercion of sex.
“I’m not having sex with you—”
“You bet your ass you are.”
You just killed her FATHER AFTER PROMISING YOU WOULDN’T. And then Ivory just LET’S HIM WALK ALL OVER HER? Nauseating. Absurd. Unbelievable. Disgusting. I’ve never felt so violently angry at a book. I cannot put into words how angry I am. If I could vomit on every single one of these books that has ever been published I would.
“I’m not having sex with you—”
“You bet your ass you are.”
You just killed her FATHER AFTER PROMISING YOU WOULDN’T. And then Ivory just LET’S HIM WALK ALL OVER HER? Nauseating. Absurd. Unbelievable. Disgusting. I’ve never felt so violently angry at a book. I cannot put into words how angry I am. If I could vomit on every single one of these books that has ever been published I would.
April 14, 2022
“How remarkable can a woman be if she’s a pushover? If she accepts less than what she deserves?
These were the expectations I had for the FMC in this book as set by the previous books but as I read I found her character (which I really liked slowly disappearing from the pages).
I LOVED the last two books and was really looking forward to seeing the other characters finally realize how much Ivory mattered and did not deserve their abuse and ridicule. That their real strength came from her ALONE (sorry Huntley but youre a dumb meatshield for the most part). Yet, I just found this overall very disappointing. So much great set up
I might come back and add or change this but I'll be honest I feel almost very let down by this series. It was the salve to my GoT season 8 wounds but alas I was again disappointed by the landing.
below some spoilers
And Huntley, YES YOU HUNTLEY...
These were the expectations I had for the FMC in this book as set by the previous books but as I read I found her character (which I really liked slowly disappearing from the pages).
I LOVED the last two books and was really looking forward to seeing the other characters finally realize how much Ivory mattered and did not deserve their abuse and ridicule. That their real strength came from her ALONE (sorry Huntley but youre a dumb meatshield for the most part). Yet, I just found this overall very disappointing. So much great set up
I might come back and add or change this but I'll be honest I feel almost very let down by this series. It was the salve to my GoT season 8 wounds but alas I was again disappointed by the landing.
below some spoilers
And Huntley, YES YOU HUNTLEY...
February 6, 2024
Anyone else DNF at 39% when Huntley made Ivory get on her knees and beg forgiveness?? It doesn’t matter what they found out about her father because the information they both had at the time Huntley decided to murder him was the same. He promised he wouldn’t. He did it anyway. This bullshit forgiveness scene is an absolute atrocity.
February 21, 2022
▪ "There's nothing in this world that's worth losing you, Huntley." He inhaled a deep breath, and his eyes tightened in pain, as if my words were an arrow to his heart. He was the one to look away, to sever the contact too painfull to sustain. "I thought you felt the same." ▪
When I read this, I cried my eyes out. Their emotion and their love for eachother was coming out through the book.
Oh boy, how disappointed I was. After that, it was just downhill. The first two books were absolutely amazing! Ivory was a badass who wasn't afraid to go against Huntley, Huntley was arrogant but who would give everything for Ivory. In this book he was just arrogant, who still give everything for Ivory but it really has to go his way. For some reason both of them changed so much in this book, and not in a good way. She changed to way too mellow. I expected fights, more heartbreak, crawling back to eachother antics. Instead they forgave eachother in an instance and Huntley changed into someone I just couldn't like. Such a shame, as it had so much potential!
& that ending, it just didn't add up, it was rushed and out of order. They were conquering the world but it looked so easy. Yeahh, this one didn't do it for me unfortunately. 😔 •
When I read this, I cried my eyes out. Their emotion and their love for eachother was coming out through the book.
Oh boy, how disappointed I was. After that, it was just downhill. The first two books were absolutely amazing! Ivory was a badass who wasn't afraid to go against Huntley, Huntley was arrogant but who would give everything for Ivory. In this book he was just arrogant, who still give everything for Ivory but it really has to go his way. For some reason both of them changed so much in this book, and not in a good way. She changed to way too mellow. I expected fights, more heartbreak, crawling back to eachother antics. Instead they forgave eachother in an instance and Huntley changed into someone I just couldn't like. Such a shame, as it had so much potential!
& that ending, it just didn't add up, it was rushed and out of order. They were conquering the world but it looked so easy. Yeahh, this one didn't do it for me unfortunately. 😔 •
May 4, 2024
Omg!! To believe that this book was one of the most promising series I've read. I started to dislike Huntley in the last book but now I'm 30% through the book and I literally hate him to the point that I can't finish the book.
We all know that Ivory's father wasn't a Saint but that doesn't mean Huntley can treat her like shit and guess what? HE FREAKING TOLD HER TO APPOLOGISE WHEN IT WAS HIS FREAKING FAULT and not only that but to KNEEL ugh. I just can't continue reading this,it's freaking disgusting and with all my respect to the author, she messed up with this one so freaking bad. I would have continued reading if Ivory was angry or if she decided to no longer stay with him but she apologized and this was the end for me. I couldn't make myself read more. Maybe people who like macho men who don't keep their promises and disrespect their spouses can like this book, but definitely not me. There were many red flags before in the last books but I've never thought it would reach this point. Had I known, I would have stopped at the first book.
Characters like Athena (wich I hated before), Ian, Ryker, Elora and Bastien were good characters however.
We all know that Ivory's father wasn't a Saint but that doesn't mean Huntley can treat her like shit and guess what? HE FREAKING TOLD HER TO APPOLOGISE WHEN IT WAS HIS FREAKING FAULT and not only that but to KNEEL ugh. I just can't continue reading this,it's freaking disgusting and with all my respect to the author, she messed up with this one so freaking bad. I would have continued reading if Ivory was angry or if she decided to no longer stay with him but she apologized and this was the end for me. I couldn't make myself read more. Maybe people who like macho men who don't keep their promises and disrespect their spouses can like this book, but definitely not me. There were many red flags before in the last books but I've never thought it would reach this point. Had I known, I would have stopped at the first book.
Characters like Athena (wich I hated before), Ian, Ryker, Elora and Bastien were good characters however.
April 7, 2022
So I DNF’d this book at 45%. I really did try as I felt I had already invested a lot of time into this series. But my issues with the previous books (outlined in my review for book 2) just kept getting worse.
I’ll try not to be too specific because I don’t want to put this behind a spoiler wall. I feel like the H treated the h like shit most of the time. He orders her around, doesn’t ask for or take her advice 75% of the time despite them being a “power” couple. You cannot let your characters treat each other like this and then try to make up for it with very hot scenes in bed. It doesn’t work. I like romance, I like erotica, I like stories with Alpha male types that are a little domineering in bed. But if your H is going to be an a**hole so much that he’s called an a**hole ALOT by the woman he loves then you’ve done something wrong.
I’ll try not to be too specific because I don’t want to put this behind a spoiler wall. I feel like the H treated the h like shit most of the time. He orders her around, doesn’t ask for or take her advice 75% of the time despite them being a “power” couple. You cannot let your characters treat each other like this and then try to make up for it with very hot scenes in bed. It doesn’t work. I like romance, I like erotica, I like stories with Alpha male types that are a little domineering in bed. But if your H is going to be an a**hole so much that he’s called an a**hole ALOT by the woman he loves then you’ve done something wrong.
July 27, 2022
I absolutely fell in love with books 1 and 2 of the forsaken series, and this book was a good wrap up. However, the pacing of the book seemed rushed and a little bit all over the place. I was not a big fan of how quick Ivory forgave Huntley, especially how he forced her to kneel and apologize - (which was a big AH move). There is also a misplaced chapter in the book (Chapter 38 should have been the last chapter). All in all, I loved the characters in the series but I feel like there was no real struggle in this book - at no point did I feel like the main characters would lose or die and a HEA was all but guaranteed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2022
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS
Star Rating : 4.5/5 Stars
POV : Multiple
Cliffhanger : None
Hero : Huntley
Heroine : Ivory
Pace of the story : Moderate
Angst Rating : 6/10
Heat Rating : 7/10
Triggers Involved : Past Trauma
Plot Summary :
Ivory never knew that she would pay such a huge price for trusting the man she loved. Her husband. The one who broke his promise to her and destroyed her in the way. The one she will now leave. Her life has never been easy but all she wanted was to try and save the one family she had and he took that from her. But no more. She is done being a prey in his and his family's game.
Huntley knew that his actions would have consequences but he never realized how much it would hurt his wife. She was the one good thing in his life and now when she looks at him with hate, he knows there is no forgiveness for him. Does not mean he will not try. They are meant for each other and he will remind her of that no matter how many times she disagrees. Because war was upon them. If they were divided, they would be dead. There was no other solution.
Overall Opinion :
Reading this book, I can assure you that you believe that this series is this author's first fantasy romance ever. She literally killed it. Like legit killing it. I was hooked right from the first to the very end. My eyes were glued to every single sentence, making me eager to read and know it all and never miss a single detail. It's that addictive.
Not only Huntley and Ivory who are the main leads, we get to see the story from the perspective of other people as well which was honestly the BEST part of this series because all those stories woven together created one hell of an amazing novel. I loved it so much!
Definitely recommending this book to all those fantasy and paranormal romance lovers out there. I know you guys will totally dig this one and love it so don't hesitate to start this trilogy, it's HEA for all the couples as well.
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January 11, 2024
Read this series if you want to read a gripping story that progressively gets worse throughout each book. A super rushed ending…. And you somehow end up disliking the hero in the end (which is not on purpose btw). Do you like the nickname “baby”? If so, you’ll read it 1000 times. Or just accidentally forgetting the time period we’re in. For example, the characters mentioning they want to shower…but showers don’t exist.
Don’t get me wrong. I read the whole thing because I was thoroughly hooked…. So if you like the above, go for it.
Don’t get me wrong. I read the whole thing because I was thoroughly hooked…. So if you like the above, go for it.
December 21, 2023
4.5 Stars
I had a few moments of contemplation before I started this book. I have talked before about how I am torn between whether it is a good thing or a bad thing to look at reviews beforehand. Especially on a series that I have been enjoying the heck out of. Well, I looked. And I was really shocked at the number of reviews that were so critical of the events in the third book. Comments saying that it ruined everything, and that Huntley completely changed as a character. I did have a moment of thinking, should I stop at book 2? But then I was seriously so enamored by this story that I did not want to stop. I wanted to find out what was going to happen. I was INVESTED darn it.
So, what did I think? Honestly? I loved this series.
Yes, there is a part in this book that Huntley reacts badly. He does have a moment where he makes Ivory get on her knees and apologize for doubting him. She is basically apologizing for not realizing what a monster her father was. Yes, she shouldn't have had to do that (and she truly had no idea about ANY of it), and it was completely out of character for Huntley to make her do that. But seriously, these kids had been on a high-pressure adventure that was nonstop terror, war, treachery, betrayal....I mean, who wouldn't be on the verge of lashing out? He had also just been on the verge of losing her because of HIS mistake and this was a way of releasing the valve of pressure buildup. Was it right? No, but they ARE human. In a way, I'm sorry I read the reviews and wondered if I would have even thought twice about that sequence if I hadn't read about it advance. I guess we will never know.
This is the last book in the trilogy and boy is it a doozy. Yes, certain events felt a bit rushed, but a heck of a lot had to happen for things to be settled. We have more characters that we get to meet and like. And DRAGONS....wonderful, amazing, awesome dragons!
I especially loved the epilogue because we got to see a little bit into the future and that made me happy. This family -actually these families - fought through awful circumstances and came out on the other end in a good place. It WAS a fight, but there were a heck of a lot of HEA's to go around.
Want more specific info? Read the series :)
I had a few moments of contemplation before I started this book. I have talked before about how I am torn between whether it is a good thing or a bad thing to look at reviews beforehand. Especially on a series that I have been enjoying the heck out of. Well, I looked. And I was really shocked at the number of reviews that were so critical of the events in the third book. Comments saying that it ruined everything, and that Huntley completely changed as a character. I did have a moment of thinking, should I stop at book 2? But then I was seriously so enamored by this story that I did not want to stop. I wanted to find out what was going to happen. I was INVESTED darn it.
So, what did I think? Honestly? I loved this series.
Yes, there is a part in this book that Huntley reacts badly. He does have a moment where he makes Ivory get on her knees and apologize for doubting him. She is basically apologizing for not realizing what a monster her father was. Yes, she shouldn't have had to do that (and she truly had no idea about ANY of it), and it was completely out of character for Huntley to make her do that. But seriously, these kids had been on a high-pressure adventure that was nonstop terror, war, treachery, betrayal....I mean, who wouldn't be on the verge of lashing out? He had also just been on the verge of losing her because of HIS mistake and this was a way of releasing the valve of pressure buildup. Was it right? No, but they ARE human. In a way, I'm sorry I read the reviews and wondered if I would have even thought twice about that sequence if I hadn't read about it advance. I guess we will never know.
This is the last book in the trilogy and boy is it a doozy. Yes, certain events felt a bit rushed, but a heck of a lot had to happen for things to be settled. We have more characters that we get to meet and like. And DRAGONS....wonderful, amazing, awesome dragons!
I especially loved the epilogue because we got to see a little bit into the future and that made me happy. This family -actually these families - fought through awful circumstances and came out on the other end in a good place. It WAS a fight, but there were a heck of a lot of HEA's to go around.
Want more specific info? Read the series :)
May 22, 2024
Lol remember when I wondered how many books it would take to finish all these storylines?
Apparently only three. This book gave me whiplash it moved through storylines so quickly. They legit fight 3 wars in the span of like 2 weeks. 90% of the time series and books are too long but this is the exception. It made for a rushed story that had no surprises and no lasting consequences. Everything is hunky dory at the end.
And lordy did the sex scenes start to drive me crazy. They were getting boring in book 2 but omg we get a play by play of every night and morning romp between Huntley and Ivory. I had to start skimming.
I thought the three kings living amongst humans could have been really interesting. It could have been Ryker trying to figure out which political figures were necrosis. But instead, he learns who they are in the first meeting with the king. Bastian could have been really interesting too but his hunger seemed easily manageable.
Other things that bugged me - Their mother has a complete 180 from book 1 and all of a sudden is declaring her equal love for Ian, her love for Ivory, and making strides with Elora.
Bastian and Elora were insta-love. Elora was pretty obnoxious. She brushes off Bastian and everyone's concerns in two seconds.
I didn't care for Huntley in this book. He came off really power obsessed and kept declaring himself the rightful ruler. And when he made Ivory apologize?! Dead to me.
Also, I was annoyed they kept revering the dead king. We established he wasn't perfect. He knew about necrosis and didn't save anyone at the bottom of the cliffs, and he turned away the dukes whole family when they asked for sanctuary.
Apparently only three. This book gave me whiplash it moved through storylines so quickly. They legit fight 3 wars in the span of like 2 weeks. 90% of the time series and books are too long but this is the exception. It made for a rushed story that had no surprises and no lasting consequences. Everything is hunky dory at the end.
And lordy did the sex scenes start to drive me crazy. They were getting boring in book 2 but omg we get a play by play of every night and morning romp between Huntley and Ivory. I had to start skimming.
I thought the three kings living amongst humans could have been really interesting. It could have been Ryker trying to figure out which political figures were necrosis. But instead, he learns who they are in the first meeting with the king. Bastian could have been really interesting too but his hunger seemed easily manageable.
Other things that bugged me - Their mother has a complete 180 from book 1 and all of a sudden is declaring her equal love for Ian, her love for Ivory, and making strides with Elora.
Bastian and Elora were insta-love. Elora was pretty obnoxious. She brushes off Bastian and everyone's concerns in two seconds.
I didn't care for Huntley in this book. He came off really power obsessed and kept declaring himself the rightful ruler. And when he made Ivory apologize?! Dead to me.
Also, I was annoyed they kept revering the dead king. We established he wasn't perfect. He knew about necrosis and didn't save anyone at the bottom of the cliffs, and he turned away the dukes whole family when they asked for sanctuary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
Creo que fue error de maquetación, pero pusieron el final como 3-4 capítulos antes... Que alguien les informe. 👀
Elora y Bastian 😍
Aunque me hubiera gustado leer más de ellos.
Ryker y Effie sentí que casi no aparecieron.🥴
Aplausos a la reina Athena 👏🏻
Nada como una o dos sacudidas de realidad.
Pyre y Storm son geniales.🤩
Y por último...
Huntley, te mereces 3 cachetadas bien dadas (y a Ivory 1 por hacerle caso)
Mira que hacerte el ofendido después de tus errores. Te merecías más sufrimiento maldito.😤
_
“A man who doesn’t keep his promises isn’t a man at all. And a man who has no intention of keeping a promise as he makes it is something even worse.”
_
“I didn’t save you before…and I’ve regretted that every day since.”
_
“It’s hard, to love the child that you were forced to have. It’s hard to look in their eyes and see someone you don’t love.”
Elora y Bastian 😍
Aunque me hubiera gustado leer más de ellos.
Ryker y Effie sentí que casi no aparecieron.🥴
Aplausos a la reina Athena 👏🏻
Nada como una o dos sacudidas de realidad.
Pyre y Storm son geniales.🤩
Y por último...
Huntley, te mereces 3 cachetadas bien dadas (y a Ivory 1 por hacerle caso)
Mira que hacerte el ofendido después de tus errores. Te merecías más sufrimiento maldito.😤
_
“A man who doesn’t keep his promises isn’t a man at all. And a man who has no intention of keeping a promise as he makes it is something even worse.”
_
“I didn’t save you before…and I’ve regretted that every day since.”
_
“It’s hard, to love the child that you were forced to have. It’s hard to look in their eyes and see someone you don’t love.”
February 23, 2022
It picked up right where The Broken Queen ended.
Huntley was able to take their kingdom back. Revenged his father's death, but broke his promise to Ivory. Necrosis were moving in to takeover all the kingdoms. A lot of actions. Definitely more actions than the first two. I totally devoured the book though. I couldn't put it down. Got sucked right back into the world, and don't want to leave.
Huntley and Ivory are one of the couples that they're both strong in their own ways, but together, they're even stronger. Love them so much. I'm so glad that we got the other POVs also. It makes us see the complexity of the world.
This book should probably have been divided into two books because a lot of things was rushed. At times, it looks like it was too easy when they win in the war. Besides that, I LOVE it. I would love more books for this world. Highly recommend it.
Huntley was able to take their kingdom back. Revenged his father's death, but broke his promise to Ivory. Necrosis were moving in to takeover all the kingdoms. A lot of actions. Definitely more actions than the first two. I totally devoured the book though. I couldn't put it down. Got sucked right back into the world, and don't want to leave.
Huntley and Ivory are one of the couples that they're both strong in their own ways, but together, they're even stronger. Love them so much. I'm so glad that we got the other POVs also. It makes us see the complexity of the world.
This book should probably have been divided into two books because a lot of things was rushed. At times, it looks like it was too easy when they win in the war. Besides that, I LOVE it. I would love more books for this world. Highly recommend it.
April 15, 2023
Wow, i could not be more disappointed even if i tried. How do you take a character-Ivory and ruin it like that? As for Huntley...i had no expectations. I saw what an ass he was slowly becoming the last book so yeah...No surprise now. BUT.THIS???
"You owe me an apology [...]
Ivory.
My eyes flicked up again.
On your fucking knees."
THE AUDACITY of this man. I..i am baffled. Someone take his ass out of my sight.
And when she brings her opinions to the table he gives her a "This discussion is over"???? Umm, no sir, the only one who is over is you. And he really thinks he deserves to be king because it's his "birthright". Oh, cry me a river you whiny ass.
We all already know what's gonna happen in this book: lots of battles over a kingdom. But I swear they were fighting nonstop in all the parts of the world in a span of 2 weeks. Like..where is the rest, how the hell y'all moving so quickly? Idk, man, i give up.
Obvs, i did not let you down and i researched in this book too: 40 counts of "baby". Yep, it's that bad.
Queen Athena Rolfe. Damn, she really came through. I started this series disliking her only to end with her as the only character that pulled me through the darkness of this book. Look at this:
“I’m sorry if I’ve ever made you feel lesser than. If I’ve ever shown your brother preference, it’s because he shares your father’s likeness. I’ve never remarried, and that’s because he’s my one and only. Looking at your brother’s face is like a breath of fresh air. It gives me courage when I have none. It gives me peace in war.”
“I can’t love you like a daughter, not the way I love Huntley and Ian. I won’t give you false hope. I won’t make promises that I can’t keep. But I could love you in your own way, perhaps like a niece. Would that be okay?”
“I don’t know, Elora. Once I’d felt life in my womb, I’m not sure if I would have had the ability to snuff it out. After you were born, I took a look at your green eyes and knew exactly what you were. I'd prayed that I’d had one final gift from my husband, another son or a daughter that I could love. But you weren’t, so…I was devastated. I put the blame on you—the person who wasn’t responsible.”
Gods, i love her.
That's all. I am not even going to talk about the butchering of Ivory's character, or the extra love lines between different side characters because they had no sense and they happened so quickly I had no time to get used to them. Pass. The dragons were cute. Only them.
"You owe me an apology [...]
Ivory.
My eyes flicked up again.
On your fucking knees."
THE AUDACITY of this man. I..i am baffled. Someone take his ass out of my sight.
And when she brings her opinions to the table he gives her a "This discussion is over"???? Umm, no sir, the only one who is over is you. And he really thinks he deserves to be king because it's his "birthright". Oh, cry me a river you whiny ass.
We all already know what's gonna happen in this book: lots of battles over a kingdom. But I swear they were fighting nonstop in all the parts of the world in a span of 2 weeks. Like..where is the rest, how the hell y'all moving so quickly? Idk, man, i give up.
Obvs, i did not let you down and i researched in this book too: 40 counts of "baby". Yep, it's that bad.
Queen Athena Rolfe. Damn, she really came through. I started this series disliking her only to end with her as the only character that pulled me through the darkness of this book. Look at this:
“I’m sorry if I’ve ever made you feel lesser than. If I’ve ever shown your brother preference, it’s because he shares your father’s likeness. I’ve never remarried, and that’s because he’s my one and only. Looking at your brother’s face is like a breath of fresh air. It gives me courage when I have none. It gives me peace in war.”
“I can’t love you like a daughter, not the way I love Huntley and Ian. I won’t give you false hope. I won’t make promises that I can’t keep. But I could love you in your own way, perhaps like a niece. Would that be okay?”
“I don’t know, Elora. Once I’d felt life in my womb, I’m not sure if I would have had the ability to snuff it out. After you were born, I took a look at your green eyes and knew exactly what you were. I'd prayed that I’d had one final gift from my husband, another son or a daughter that I could love. But you weren’t, so…I was devastated. I put the blame on you—the person who wasn’t responsible.”
Gods, i love her.
That's all. I am not even going to talk about the butchering of Ivory's character, or the extra love lines between different side characters because they had no sense and they happened so quickly I had no time to get used to them. Pass. The dragons were cute. Only them.
February 5, 2023
It was fiiiine. A lot less lame smut, which I was fine with, elora and bastians relationship was the most interesting of the entire series, it all ended very wrapped up in a nice little bow. I would just say the entire book felt RUSHED, like after two other books of EVERYONE and their mother saying how impossible and intimidating eliminating necrosis would be and how everyone was sure that even uniting everyone together and fighting them together wouldn’t even destroy them… it was literally over in a chapter. There was a lot that needed to happen in this book, and it just felt like the author was determined to have the book be short so everything was accomplished so insanely easily. Like, there was maybe one hiccup, but everyone was so strong and so smart and so powerful that they defeated everyone in like five minutes.
I guess my expectations for a checklist of battles that needed to happen and things that needed to be accomplished I was wanting something more along the lines of SJM Kingdom of ash, but the whole book just felt like everything happened too easy.
OOOOO AND WHEN FREAJING HUNTLEY made ivory KNEEL in front of him to GROVEL and beg for his forgiveness… for being mad… he broke his word… because new information came up…. MAN I’ve never been more livid and hated a main love interest more. Huntley was completely boring and square in this book. But what do you expect from a man that doesn’t believe in any form of foreplay in any of the three books. So, screw him.
In summary, glad everyone got a happy ending, but overall boring. Like, come on, you could’ve killed off at least one character. But whatever.
I guess my expectations for a checklist of battles that needed to happen and things that needed to be accomplished I was wanting something more along the lines of SJM Kingdom of ash, but the whole book just felt like everything happened too easy.
OOOOO AND WHEN FREAJING HUNTLEY made ivory KNEEL in front of him to GROVEL and beg for his forgiveness… for being mad… he broke his word… because new information came up…. MAN I’ve never been more livid and hated a main love interest more. Huntley was completely boring and square in this book. But what do you expect from a man that doesn’t believe in any form of foreplay in any of the three books. So, screw him.
In summary, glad everyone got a happy ending, but overall boring. Like, come on, you could’ve killed off at least one character. But whatever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2022
The only reason this is a two star and not a one star is because of Elora and Bastian. That’s all.
June 29, 2022
This trilogy was amazing. These weren't short books at all but I flew through them quickly. That's what a great story does for you. Ivory was working my nerves in the beginning. Her father wasn't a good parent to her nor her brother. Mostly towards her because she was a girl instead of a boy. He never abused her but he didn't bother to interact with her the way a parent should. Not to mention this man was a rapist. Her being pissed at Huntley for breaking his promise and killing her father was dumb af. She was really naive and idealistic when it came to some things. I didn't feel bad when her dad died because he deserved it. He was a rapist and I'll never feel bad about one dying. Eventually they move past that thankfully because that portion of the story was annoying. Huntley should've never made that promise or he should've let his mother kill him sense she was done the most damage. However, he deserved death so I was glad for it either way. There was a lot of action in this final book. A war was happening not to mention the reclaiming of land and the crown. The action scenes in this story was great. I'm also glad for character growth in here. Queen Rolfe finally accepted Ivory as Huntley's wife and queen. Not to mention apologizing to Ian for making him he wasn't as loved as his brother, Huntley. She also apologized to Elora for not being able to love her like a mother. Which was understandable seeing as Elora was conceived by rape and looked like him. Elora also showed growth by accepting Ivory as her sister in law. She'll never see her as a half- sister but she has accepted her. The romantic relationships were also well written. Obviously we've had Huntley and Ivory since book 1 seeing as this is their story. It was good to see Ryker, Ivory's brother find love. Him and Effie complemented each other well. Same as Elora and Bastian. At the end we have a possible burgeoning relationship Ian, Huntley's brother and Avice, Bastian's sister. I don't know if they'll get a story but hopefully so. The only thing I had a issue with in yhis series is the sex scenes. They were too mechanical. There was no foreplay or oral sex. Just straight to the action. I didn't like that. It made the scenes boring. Besides that this series was really good. 4/5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2025
Ok, what the actually fuhhhh???? I have never written a book review let alone a negative one but this needs to be addressed.
1. Why is Ivory suddenly so sheepish and weak? I genuinely think the author forgot who her characters are because these were not the characters I enjoyed reading in the previous books.
2. The continuous use of “baby”. I know this isn’t that serious but it was a constant cringe.
3. Huntley is an absolute scumbag and not “swoon-worthy” in the slightest. Yuck. It was hard for me to see chemistry between him and Ivory bc of how obnoxious and dismissive Huntley is towards Ivory. The fact that Ivory forgave him so quickly was completely unbelievable to me. It still pisses me off thinking about it.
4. I DNF this book after Huntley confronts Ivory with the letter from Ian. Are you KIDDING ME?!!?!? I wanted to rip my hair out of my head. Making Ivory get on her knees and demand her forgiveness? After he killed her father and manipulated her into an eternal bond? GOODBYE. Huntley is not it.
Side note: Queen Rolfe thinking no one has ever suffered but her…. it got old after the first book. Let’s not ignore her ordering the SA of Ivory twice. To be a survivor and wish that upon a stranger because of who they are related to is extremely disturbing. I stuck with the series because I really enjoyed Ivory’s character. This book ruined her.
1. Why is Ivory suddenly so sheepish and weak? I genuinely think the author forgot who her characters are because these were not the characters I enjoyed reading in the previous books.
2. The continuous use of “baby”. I know this isn’t that serious but it was a constant cringe.
3. Huntley is an absolute scumbag and not “swoon-worthy” in the slightest. Yuck. It was hard for me to see chemistry between him and Ivory bc of how obnoxious and dismissive Huntley is towards Ivory. The fact that Ivory forgave him so quickly was completely unbelievable to me. It still pisses me off thinking about it.
4. I DNF this book after Huntley confronts Ivory with the letter from Ian. Are you KIDDING ME?!!?!? I wanted to rip my hair out of my head. Making Ivory get on her knees and demand her forgiveness? After he killed her father and manipulated her into an eternal bond? GOODBYE. Huntley is not it.
Side note: Queen Rolfe thinking no one has ever suffered but her…. it got old after the first book. Let’s not ignore her ordering the SA of Ivory twice. To be a survivor and wish that upon a stranger because of who they are related to is extremely disturbing. I stuck with the series because I really enjoyed Ivory’s character. This book ruined her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2022
What a fantastic series. Honestly I'm kind of sad that the series has come to end. Even though we have been taken on the wonderful fantasy ride I was kind of disappointed on how things transpire between Ivory and Huntley In regards to her father death. I didn't like the fact that he betrayed her and not honoring his promise for one. Two I simply didn't like that she forgave him so quickly she needed to make him beg grovel even for her forgiveness. I definitely despise how he treated her by forcing her to kneel and beg for forgiveness after discovering her father's final involvement with enemy liked seriously!! I was like how dare he feels he gets a pass on what he did to her father. In the previous book he was more opened minded towards Ivory understand even. Knowing that she shouldn't be blamed for her father's crime. I kinda felt bad for her and it just seem like she deserve better. Besides that I really loved this book. So now I'm wondering about Ian. Will he get his own book?? What about Elora and Bastian. As always my reviews are totally voluntarily and no monetary compensation was received and the opinions I have expressed are completely my own.
March 20, 2022
4 stars
While I liked this conclusion, it felt more than a little rushed. There were many different stories going on at once(Huntley and Ivory, Elora and Bastian, Ryker and Effie, and even Ian and his interest) that it diminished the overall investment I had in the characters themselves. Sure, I wanted to see this world and its many factions achieve peace but it felt diluted. Add in a super quick ending and it felt meh...
I still love this world though and am really happy that I discovered it. I hope the hint that the Bone Witch foresaw pans out, although not against these characters, but rather as an introduction into a new spin-off.
While I liked this conclusion, it felt more than a little rushed. There were many different stories going on at once(Huntley and Ivory, Elora and Bastian, Ryker and Effie, and even Ian and his interest) that it diminished the overall investment I had in the characters themselves. Sure, I wanted to see this world and its many factions achieve peace but it felt diluted. Add in a super quick ending and it felt meh...
I still love this world though and am really happy that I discovered it. I hope the hint that the Bone Witch foresaw pans out, although not against these characters, but rather as an introduction into a new spin-off.
January 28, 2025
A solid conclusion
So much happened in this final installment. I really appreciated the way the massive reclaiming of the continent was handled. All in all, the story was well executed.
So what kept me from 5 stars? Something about the characters just nagged at me. I knew Ivory was bound to forgive Huntley, but when it happened it felt flat to me. “Oh… so turns out my dad was a bigger @$$hat than we thought. Okay.” And Ivory was suddenly over it, as if Huntley’s broken promise was no more than a broken dinner plate, of little consequence. I couldn’t get past it.
All in all, it’s still an engrossing read and a well developed fantasy world.
So much happened in this final installment. I really appreciated the way the massive reclaiming of the continent was handled. All in all, the story was well executed.
So what kept me from 5 stars? Something about the characters just nagged at me. I knew Ivory was bound to forgive Huntley, but when it happened it felt flat to me. “Oh… so turns out my dad was a bigger @$$hat than we thought. Okay.” And Ivory was suddenly over it, as if Huntley’s broken promise was no more than a broken dinner plate, of little consequence. I couldn’t get past it.
All in all, it’s still an engrossing read and a well developed fantasy world.
May 21, 2022
This book/trilogy was recommended in one of my FB groups and I have to say, I’m glad I took the suggestion and read it. Great fantasy type read….I mean Dragons…yes Dragons were in books 2&3. There were times I didn’t like the MMC, especially toward the end of the trilogy….power went a bit to his head and the MFC started out so strong in book 1 turned into a little bit of a pushover when it came to him.
Overall a really good read. I hope we see a bit more of the side characters in future books.
Overall a really good read. I hope we see a bit more of the side characters in future books.
February 20, 2022
Omgggg after the ending on book 2 I was desperate to read the final book and what was going to happen.
I honestly didn’t think you could really love Huntley and then what he does to Ivory and how he treats her to really dislike him.
You do need to read books 1&2 to understand the story but you won’t be disappointed.
I was really surprised how I enjoyed this series as I’m not for one on fantasy and set in historic times. But the way Penelope writes you just feel you are in the story.
Another great book, but wish there could be a 4th to tie up the endings a bit more.
I honestly didn’t think you could really love Huntley and then what he does to Ivory and how he treats her to really dislike him.
You do need to read books 1&2 to understand the story but you won’t be disappointed.
I was really surprised how I enjoyed this series as I’m not for one on fantasy and set in historic times. But the way Penelope writes you just feel you are in the story.
Another great book, but wish there could be a 4th to tie up the endings a bit more.
April 3, 2022
This book was the perfect conclusion to this series. It was fast paced with constant action and battles. I do think that most of the conflicts resolved way too quickly. But overall I enjoyed reading this series. It wasn't perfect but it was certainly entertaining and addicting enough to make me binge read it.
May 19, 2023
Amazing fantasy series.
Great story, great characters and great spice.
I love pyre the dragon.
Now that it’s over I don’t know what to do with myself.
It’s kinda hard to go back to reality.
Sigh…
Great story, great characters and great spice.
I love pyre the dragon.
Now that it’s over I don’t know what to do with myself.
It’s kinda hard to go back to reality.
Sigh…
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