Impostor

The Cursed Bloodstone #3

by Lianne Kay

Sol needs to renew herself so she can stop the Bloodstone from ruling. But she is stuck in the past, and her dark magic is consuming her.

When she finds her family, they send her back to steal ancient relics to use against the Bloodstone. Though, her loyalties are torn when she faces the man she left—the one who has spent weeks searching for her. He’ll do anything to keep her near him this time.

As war looms between the tribes, she must embrace her magic and choose a side. Even if it means betraying her heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Marriage Of Convenience, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Ebooks, Dark Romance

318 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2023

About the author

LiAnne Kay lives in Northern Indiana with her husband, six children, and five cats. She’s a plant mom, a part time ninja, and a black belt. (Actually, only one of those is true.)

LiAnne Kay has been writing since she was a child. In her free time, she enjoys long, scenic hikes, snow, (yes, snow!) photography, coffee, and anything Pride and Prejudice.

Reviews

[Thebrokebibliophile Hafsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

"I don't exist without you, Sol."

First of all, wow. Second of all, wow indeed.

Imposter picks off after captive, following Sol on her journey to renew herself and getting back to her beloved (so very beloved) husband, who was also once her captor, Hector. On this journey, she comes to accept herself and the magic in her veins that she so hated.

Everything just felt a little rushed, the book being on the shorter side. As compared to Betrayer and Captive, Imposter was really short and I felt like we didn't get a chance to truly immerse ourselves in the characters. Despite that still, Lianne Kay did a wonderful job with Sol's journey and making us feel immersed in every moment.

It was still the perfect ending to Sol and Hector's story. They are both so adorable and just so in love(as am I). I am just sad I didn't get more time with them *quietly sobbing*.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this series as a whole and gobbled up each book in only a matter of few hours. I would loveeee to read more about our characters, which I suspect we would get to in Everly's upcoming story.

Don't walk, RUN! and get your hands on this amazing series!!! It will not disappoint!

[dilan · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Imposter* brings the series to a close and, while it serves as a solid conclusion, I found that it didn’t quite measure up to the high bar set by the first book, *Betrayer*. The ending wrapped things up nicely, but I struggled with a few aspects of this installment. The pacing felt uneven at times, with some sections dragging on while others were rushed. Additionally, certain character arcs seemed to lose their depth, and some plot twists felt predictable compared to the earlier books. Overall, it was a decent read and a fitting end to the series, but for me, none of the sequels managed to capture the magic of the first book.

[Lorraine · Rating 2 out of 5]

cliched and plotless

Full of awful cliches and if there was a plot them it completely passed me by. After a fairly promising first book the author clearly ran out of ideas and created this waste of time. Save yourself the effort.

[Sharingtheadventure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow burn epic fantasy trilogy
I'm so in love with this series

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is good and has a happy ending with a good amount of spice. Overall, I liked it quite a bit!

[Logan Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review:
Giving this one a 4.5 ⭐️

While this book was shorter than I personally would’ve liked (I like big books and I cannot lie…and I wasn’t ready for Sol’s story to be finished), it really was the near perfect cherry on top of a fantastic trilogy! Sol and Hector are just adorable, but I really appreciated that we got to see more of Sol’s solo journey in this book.

As it does with most books of this length, things did feel a bit rushed and we, the readers, weren’t fully able to sit with the characters in the moments they were having and the feelings they were experiencing. While yes, I absolutely devoured this book and finished it in a couple of hours, I would’ve liked more opportunities to sit more with the characters in a way that didn’t involve me needing to read slower.

While the speed and length of this story wasn’t what I was hoping for, I still thought that LiAnne did a great job of bringing Sol’s story full circle and allowing readers to really feel like they were on that journey with her. LiAnne does a phenomenal job of writing characters that are real, and relatable. Even when Sol was doing her thing with her knives 😉, I was still finding ways to connect with her soul (pun slightly intended) and character.

I am going to miss them!

We got to see Jasce in this one…which I loved. Made me super excited to catch back up with his story in the sequel to “A Reflection of Silver and Crimson.” If you haven’t picked up that one, I highly recommend that you do ASAP!

[Wishy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Imposter
Author: LiAnne Kay
Genre: Fantasy
Spice: 🥵 yes
Series: The Cursed Bloodstone, book 3

Thoughts - ughhhhh Hector!!! He is the good, the bad and the ugly, but wow does Hector still know how to dominate the room. I loved that their relationship continued to be full of tension, wanting and sheer need for each other. The world building was spot on and allowed me to easily follow each tribe and their magic. And then the last third, I was on tender hooks with all the loose threads coming together. Special mention for the secret!! Obviously I’m not telling but I like how it weaves through a lot of the scenes until it’s reveal. Definitely series recommend !!!

Plot - Sol MFC is struggling to control the darkness. She needs to get to the healing pool to be renew herself, but at what cost? Will Hector MMC forgive her for leaving the way she did, and will her secretary them apart or bring them together.

* Touch her and die
* Action and adventure
* Soulmates/prophecy
* World building
* Magic

“Beg,” - say less 🫠🫠🫠

*ARC

[cyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars ish

in my opinion? the worst out of the three. i did like how everything wrapped up nicely, and her having kids was a lovely touch and was very much expected.

but as for the first 2 thirds of the book, i just skimmed past it, i really didnt find it too entertaining. however i have thoroughly enjoyed this series, and the way it ended was perfect so im sorry to have left a low review

[Dianelys Blanco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this before the date of it comes out. And as the rest of series it was amazing.
I wanted more of Hector/Gabriel and Sol, but it was perfect. I enjoyed it a lot

[Malak Fahmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god this book was amazing I am heart broken that this series ended hector and sol will always have a place in my heart I wish this author would get the recognition she deserves her writing style just captures you I am obsessed

[Arctic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do you like cheese cuz it's in here.
Do you want to hear Sol complain and plead for Hector to bed her? Yeah it's got that too.
Do you need a good plot? Too bad we don't know her here.

Here's a very spoilery review for you.

Everly can go back in time so she made a portal that took her and Sol back in time but they become separated. Sol is still full of her usual anger. I don't understand the point of her going back in time as it does nothing but prevent the death of Praxis. Then they come back but now it's to the future and the Hematite chieftain makes Sol get him a relic from Mildred and she ends up not getting it fast enough so he takes Everly. Sol finds out her dad isn't even her dad and she was kidnapped.
If you're reading this and you're confused just imagine how I feel reading it.
Convenient things just happen.
Sol now wants to get back to Hector and feels bad for leaving him. She's done a whole 180. None of this book makes any fucking sense.
Oh and Sol's mystery bio family. It's Everly! Oh And they're twins.... oh and Sol is pregnant...

What in the everloving fever dream is this shitshow. I just can't

[Toshita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hands down the worst book of the series. First of all, I hate time travel with a passion. It's literally one of the worst plot device of all time. There is never a good enough explanation for how it works and how it doesn't mess up the events that have already occurred, whole time loop vs linear line vs branches. It just sucks and I honestly feel like it's a quick and easy way to write yourself out of sticky situations especially in fantasy books. I might be more inclined to accept time travel in a space odyssey/sci-fi but I don't really like time travel. I just hate it. So that made me not like this book and then it all wrapped up very quickly. The main conflict/war of the book wasn't even explained that well. Ending was super rushed and I just didn't like it.

[Add · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everly and Sol being twins was very random

[Thao · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sweetest ending to one of my favorite couples (even if I'm not ready to let them go). The book was a lot shorter than I expected with everything that was going on, but it was well paced and tied the whole trilogy together. I absolutely adored all the relationshipships that Sol has with all of the characters (both new and old), while finally accepting her own identity and powers. And of course, it wouldn't be Sol without a few skirmishes here and there.

Since it was a shorter novel, things felt a bit rushed and the reader doesn't get to fully immerse themselves in the characters or the scene before having to move on. Imposter is the "heaviest" in the trilogy when it comes to tragedy and action, so it would have been nice to slow down and take a moment with the characters. With that being said, the worldbuilding is vivid and you can't help but be swept away with Sol's journey.

ARC review.

[ShaCrista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series

I truly enjoyed this series. Although, it took me until about halfway through book one to get into it, I found that I couldn’t put it down. I went straight into the next book after I finished them. While there’s war and death, there was still the underlying softness of a romance fought for and curated. The characters developed in a natural way; it didn’t feel forced. The main characters’ emotions towards each other took me on a wild ride and I had to ignore the intense feelings it created in me while reading. And that is exactly what kept me going! I couldn’t wait to see if their relationship would grow or become strained. It was moderately spicy and completely appropriate for the story in my eyes. I would definitely recommend reading the series as they are all connected with books 1 and 2 ending in cliffhangers while everything is resolved in book 3. I’d love to read about Everly and Cenric too. Great book/series!

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised to find not many people enjoyed the ending of this book because I loved it! I would say this book was more sweet and positive than the rest but I feel like I needed that after all the darkness of the second book. I felt like the characters for their happily ever ending. However there were still some unanswered questions. There were a few loose ends and questions she never answered. She may plan to write more books for the side characters but there are still a few things I felt were just forgotten about. My biggest issue with this book though, was the time travel! I felt like that was confusing, especially that she met Hector in the past. So was that why he was so reluctant to be with her because he knew she’d eventually leave since he met her before he ever met her? Im just not sure, it was never answered. Overall though, those were just minor things and I still give it 5 stars because I really enjoyed it and read it in one day.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explosive, Emotional, and Everything I Wanted

What. A. Ride. 🔥
Imposter is the perfect finale to The Cursed Bloodstone series. Book 3 absolutely delivered. The stakes were higher, the tension was thicker, and the spice? Let’s just say it earned every one of those (about 3.5 to 4🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️)
I was completely hooked from page one. The action scenes were intense, the plot twists kept me guessing, and the chemistry between the characters was chef’s kiss. LiAnne Kay gave us a satisfying, emotional, and explosive ending that felt so earned.
If you've been following this series, you won't be disappointed. Highly recommend to fantasy romance lovers who enjoy fierce characters, steamy moments, and epic conclusions. 💥✨ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[P.J.’s Top Picks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good series, and The Cursed Bloodstone did not disappoint!
Just in time for the holiday season, this third and final book, Impostor, wrapped up The Cursed Bloodstone series in a neat little bow, and gifted Sol (and me) the HEA she deserves.

I love the inclusion of the map and the list of name pronunciations, organized by tribes.

Lianne Kay is gifted in developing worlds and characters that readers love. Yet again, the passion between this married couple is palpable.
I’m so thankful there are spin-offs! I look forward to devouring those (and anything else LiAnne Kay writes) in the new year!

[Michelina S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always good to continue and complete a series that you enjoy and that is what this book accomplished.

This is slow burn as the characters are apart for a portion of the story. More spice towards the end but only a few scenes, and it is mildly graphic.

Overall the story felt rushed, anticlimactic and that there could have been more story.

But I still enjoyed the story and characters and I would like to try-read it again from the beginning without the interruption of waiting for the next book in the series.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book I read, just to be able to say I finished this series without skipping any of it.
Plot was just a bundle of confusion and I had no clue as to why Sol reached out to Hector when she was back in time, except that she was horny for him even before he knew who she was.
The whole time travel concept could have been nice but the struggle at the beginning felt unnecessary and like the whole thing could have just been planned out better by the female protagonist.
Sister reveal was a nice touch though, I guess.

[MooDolphin · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWWWW. i loved it. like a lot. really good plot and execution, i do however think the ending was a little rushed and that there could have been more books. Like it could have done like 2 more books to properly delve into the bonding with her family and them uniting the whole land or smt. But besides that it was perfection. The classical fantasy undertones were really refreshing to find in a recently published book. It was cute and yeah

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

I did like this book but I can’t quite say I really liked it. There were things I wish were fleshed out more, but I was pleased to have been surprised about one or two things. I’m SO glad that Sol was more mature about allowing Hector the time he needed, and I feel like he deserved more than he did get.

I’m glad I tried the series!

[Janine Kupko · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really dissatisfied with the writing, plot and pace

After devouring the first 2 books, this book felt like no effort was made. Important characters got no time. I totally forgot Hector had a brother....just really a sloppy ending to a good series. I am a little mad, actually....I dislike when authors waste my time after I invested so much time reading their series.

[Arabela Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am overwhelmed after reading the third book in a matter of days. These stories opened a new world for me, and I enjoyed being part of Sol's journey as she narrated the tapestry of her life and those who surrounded her.

[Foxyfairy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly I dont like this book. This book has many jump-hole and a bit not make sense. How could FL was Evie's twin sister? How could Praxis is still alive. Anyway, I dont really this book but has a good time reading this whole trilogy.

[Eva Ballacci · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half is a pain but it gets better, more wholesome. The ending is very fast and overwhelming. compared to the first and second book it’s shorter so they could have added more details of the conquests of the other parts of Tarobane.

[Malinda Zaccagnino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this trilogy. It had all my favorite tropes. Enemies to lovers. Slow burn love with just enough tension. Romantasy perfection. *chefs kiss* I enjoyed the characters, the world and magic they lived in.

[Anna Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just a mess. So many plot holes and what is going on and just ugh. Pushed through to the end so it wasn’t unfinished but God it was a struggle. I had hopes after the first book that got squashed in the second and died during the third.

[Lburt · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF this one. I enjoyed the first two books but this book is written all over the place. There are scenes that don’t make sense or are out of character. Plot is lacking and more of the same with the “I can’t trust you” so I can sleep with you stuff that they had already gotten over.

[Olivia Huff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give the storyline 4 or maybe 4.5 stars. But execution 2.5 stars. The writing style was very abrupt and choppy. Very little detail given to any of the characters and storylines. All just big picture stuff that got a little repetitive.