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The Five Queendoms #3
Sestia
Return to The Five Queendoms series with the final book in this “ambitious and engaging” (Rebecca Roanhorse) epic fantasy trilogy, in which a centuries-long peace is shattered in a matriarchal society when a decade passes without a single girl being born.
While a fragile peace has begun to settle across the Five Queendoms of the known world, trouble brews beneath the smooth façade. The first gate between the Underlands, where Eresh rules over the shades of the dead, has already been opened—and the scheming shade of a dead sorcerer has evil plans he hopes to unleash on the world. In the world Above, the Scorpicae struggle to find a path forward in defeat, the embattled regent of Paxim gets more than she bargained for, and a young woman who barely survived the Sun Rites finds herself the indispensable right hand of a priest-queen whose sanity appears to be slipping away.
As living women across the Queendoms take desperate action to stay alive, and dead women plot to regain what they’ve lost, the time for the next Sun Rites nears. When five queens gather in the Holy City of Sestia for the most important ritual of their lives, who will be left standing?
While a fragile peace has begun to settle across the Five Queendoms of the known world, trouble brews beneath the smooth façade. The first gate between the Underlands, where Eresh rules over the shades of the dead, has already been opened—and the scheming shade of a dead sorcerer has evil plans he hopes to unleash on the world. In the world Above, the Scorpicae struggle to find a path forward in defeat, the embattled regent of Paxim gets more than she bargained for, and a young woman who barely survived the Sun Rites finds herself the indispensable right hand of a priest-queen whose sanity appears to be slipping away.
As living women across the Queendoms take desperate action to stay alive, and dead women plot to regain what they’ve lost, the time for the next Sun Rites nears. When five queens gather in the Holy City of Sestia for the most important ritual of their lives, who will be left standing?
496 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 11, 2025
If the Five Queendoms series ends here, it will be a satisfying and fitting finish...but I hope SO much that it doesn't end! Please give us a full five for the full five Queendoms, and let us have PAXIM and THE BASTION to round out the series!
May 22, 2025
I’ve been hooked on G.R. Macallister’s Five Queendoms series from the beginning, but Sestia absolutely blew me away. It’s the culmination of everything I’ve loved about this world: fierce women, intricate political games, deep-rooted magic, and an unflinching look at power and legacy. Macallister doesn’t just build a world—she architects an entire ecosystem of culture, language, and belief, and in Sestia, she brings it all to a brilliant, gut-wrenching, and deeply satisfying crescendo. These books have redefined what epic fantasy can be, and Sestia is the crown jewel.
September 8, 2025
4.5 🌟
Mostly docked down a 1/2 star because my memory is trash and it took me a bit to remember everything that happened in the first 2 books, so I am requesting a recap chapter. But also, why is this only a trilogy for 5 queendoms?! I’m not ready to be done!
Absolutely loved everything about this series. From the intricate world building and magic system, to the cover art and character building; every scene was well thought out and cohesive to the plot in its’ entirety. I’m so glad this author took a stab at fantasy and made it her own.
Additional shout out for building a matriarchal world full of badass women that may be comparative, but better, than Game of Thrones 😘
Mostly docked down a 1/2 star because my memory is trash and it took me a bit to remember everything that happened in the first 2 books, so I am requesting a recap chapter. But also, why is this only a trilogy for 5 queendoms?! I’m not ready to be done!
Absolutely loved everything about this series. From the intricate world building and magic system, to the cover art and character building; every scene was well thought out and cohesive to the plot in its’ entirety. I’m so glad this author took a stab at fantasy and made it her own.
Additional shout out for building a matriarchal world full of badass women that may be comparative, but better, than Game of Thrones 😘
June 7, 2025
G.R. Macallister has a way of writing that is very mature and foreboding, set in realism, yet fantastical and hopeful at the same time. It really spoke to me and kept me engaged the whole time reading.
The first book in the series, Scorpica, caught me much in the same way. I have looked forward to each installment in the Five Queendoms since. After Arca, Sestia was no exception. Each feels intertwined while adding on to the wonderfully created lore. Sestia starts when the previous two books were happening, but from the High Xera (similar to a pope) of the Queendom of Sestia's point of view. It quickly catches up to alternate between the newly expanded upon characters and some already established.
Sessadon's destruction and drought isn't exactly over. She's become a shade in the underworld and has a michevious plan to open the 5 gates that will allow her to unleash the spirits of the dead upon the above world. This is totally within her character, and a part of me wanted her to succeed.
While she is plotting, queens are figuring out how to vye for peace within nations used to harsh, unforgiving conditions.
The story felt like a champion for motherhood and human connection. Not every nation requiring the same sort of love, but nurturing care that only the right type of mother for each Queendom to bring prosperity. I very much enjoyed this perspective. It made the characters feel real. Contemplating and problem solving each unique situation. It felt grand and beyond one character as well. Where one was important, they only played a small part elsewhere, but effected another character's decisions nonetheless.
I wanted more story, not because there isn't enough, but because I wanted more of the characters and their grand plans. The series has been harrowing, full of heart, and fun to read. I very much love the characters. Either rooting for or against. I thought that the series was going to have at least 2 more books, but I believe Sestia is the conclusion. It tied all previous grief up into sweet little bows. It ends on a much happier, sweeter note than the previous two books.
The first book in the series, Scorpica, caught me much in the same way. I have looked forward to each installment in the Five Queendoms since. After Arca, Sestia was no exception. Each feels intertwined while adding on to the wonderfully created lore. Sestia starts when the previous two books were happening, but from the High Xera (similar to a pope) of the Queendom of Sestia's point of view. It quickly catches up to alternate between the newly expanded upon characters and some already established.
Sessadon's destruction and drought isn't exactly over. She's become a shade in the underworld and has a michevious plan to open the 5 gates that will allow her to unleash the spirits of the dead upon the above world. This is totally within her character, and a part of me wanted her to succeed.
While she is plotting, queens are figuring out how to vye for peace within nations used to harsh, unforgiving conditions.
The story felt like a champion for motherhood and human connection. Not every nation requiring the same sort of love, but nurturing care that only the right type of mother for each Queendom to bring prosperity. I very much enjoyed this perspective. It made the characters feel real. Contemplating and problem solving each unique situation. It felt grand and beyond one character as well. Where one was important, they only played a small part elsewhere, but effected another character's decisions nonetheless.
I wanted more story, not because there isn't enough, but because I wanted more of the characters and their grand plans. The series has been harrowing, full of heart, and fun to read. I very much love the characters. Either rooting for or against. I thought that the series was going to have at least 2 more books, but I believe Sestia is the conclusion. It tied all previous grief up into sweet little bows. It ends on a much happier, sweeter note than the previous two books.
May 16, 2025
Such a great conclusion to The Five Queendoms trilogy! Things that were set up in Scorpica come to fruition in Sestia. The threads that Macallister has been weaving since book 1 have created a beautiful tapestry of epic fantasy here. At the start of both Scorpica and Arca I felt that things were so disconnected at the start but came together so well. I never felt that in this book. Things were always so interconnected, showing just how well this world works.
I love how open, queer-normative, and feminist this matriarchal society is and how cutthroat and competitive the rulers are. The main tension as a reader was the underlands plotline, but it resolved way too easily for me. Yet I still enjoyed my time spent in the Underlands and across The Five Queendoms. It was an epic journey worth every second.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to @sagapressbooks and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
I love how open, queer-normative, and feminist this matriarchal society is and how cutthroat and competitive the rulers are. The main tension as a reader was the underlands plotline, but it resolved way too easily for me. Yet I still enjoyed my time spent in the Underlands and across The Five Queendoms. It was an epic journey worth every second.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to @sagapressbooks and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
July 25, 2025
Well, damn. What an excellent finale to an engrossing and expertly crafted series. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the author wove the storylines together to end in such a satisfyingly bittersweet way. Please read these books!
May 5, 2025
Sestia is the third book in The Five Queendoms series, which release on May 13! It follows (as the name implies) five matriarchies. It gives Game of Thrones-vibes but swap all the men in power with women. I read it while on a trip to Las Vegas, and the palm trees matched the book perfectly. 🌴
This series has been such an enjoyable one for me, but don't go into it expecting a romantasy. It is an epic fantasy with romance, politics, traditions, betrayal, mysteries, gods, and intrigue.
We get to follow multiple characters as their storylines weave together, including old friends from first two books as well as a few new ones. There's not necessarily one central conflict, but many different conflicts and complex choices that each character needs to make.
It was really satisfying to see the growth of characters in the story after following them for three books. I love how each character has flaws and strengths, and they are required to make difficult choices where there's no clear right or wrong. One of my favorite lines from this book: "Any story could have a happy ending depending on where you decided to end it."
**Slight spoilers for the first two books below**
I wasn't sure how I would feel about the Underlands storyline. I will admit, they were my least favorite chapters in this book, but I enjoyed them a lot more than I thought I would. One part of the ending of this plotline I absolutely loved, while the other I was kind of mad about. 😆 But that is a very minor critique in a series I really loved.
Thanks to Saga Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This series has been such an enjoyable one for me, but don't go into it expecting a romantasy. It is an epic fantasy with romance, politics, traditions, betrayal, mysteries, gods, and intrigue.
We get to follow multiple characters as their storylines weave together, including old friends from first two books as well as a few new ones. There's not necessarily one central conflict, but many different conflicts and complex choices that each character needs to make.
It was really satisfying to see the growth of characters in the story after following them for three books. I love how each character has flaws and strengths, and they are required to make difficult choices where there's no clear right or wrong. One of my favorite lines from this book: "Any story could have a happy ending depending on where you decided to end it."
**Slight spoilers for the first two books below**
I wasn't sure how I would feel about the Underlands storyline. I will admit, they were my least favorite chapters in this book, but I enjoyed them a lot more than I thought I would. One part of the ending of this plotline I absolutely loved, while the other I was kind of mad about. 😆 But that is a very minor critique in a series I really loved.
Thanks to Saga Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 13, 2025
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Overall, the Five Queendoms trilogy is well written and the storyline really interesting, with strong worldbuilding and unique characters. I enjoyed this final installment in the Five Queendoms trilogy, which involved more interaction from the afterlife than I expected. The writing quality is very good, and we follow a number of characters we hadn't really spent much time with in the previous two books in the series.
I will admit, the ending sort of sneaks up on you as there's not a lot of clues we've come round to the end of our story. But I imagine finding a place to conclude the Five Queendoms trilogy would have likely been difficult. Overall this trilogy was ingenious in its portrayal of a matriarchal culture and a society so established around the role of women as power brokers, that it is sort of unraveled by the 15 year "Drought of Girls". But I also feel like there could have been some deeper developments around the ways the roles of men could have been changed due to the calamity and how this effected each of the Queendoms individually. I find it a little hard to believe there would have been only a couple of minor male-dominated rebellion efforts, and that the male characters would have remained as "docile" as they seemed throughout the series as a whole.
Another oddity is that there's one of the Queendoms that doesn't really get much engagement in the series, the Bastion. I think there was plenty more story to tell there, as we barely got to know anything about it, and when we leave our characters in Sestia -- there's still a well known scribe being held in the Bastion (which is a thread without a resolution in the novel). I imagine this means there could be further novels, but the thread is sort of just left hanging for the reader after we had spent a lot of time with this scribe in earlier portions of the 2nd & 3rd novels in the series.
Hopefully there will be future installments in the Five Queendoms world, that will deepen our knowledge about this unique place, and perhaps more will be learned about the Bastion.
I will admit, the ending sort of sneaks up on you as there's not a lot of clues we've come round to the end of our story. But I imagine finding a place to conclude the Five Queendoms trilogy would have likely been difficult. Overall this trilogy was ingenious in its portrayal of a matriarchal culture and a society so established around the role of women as power brokers, that it is sort of unraveled by the 15 year "Drought of Girls". But I also feel like there could have been some deeper developments around the ways the roles of men could have been changed due to the calamity and how this effected each of the Queendoms individually. I find it a little hard to believe there would have been only a couple of minor male-dominated rebellion efforts, and that the male characters would have remained as "docile" as they seemed throughout the series as a whole.
Another oddity is that there's one of the Queendoms that doesn't really get much engagement in the series, the Bastion. I think there was plenty more story to tell there, as we barely got to know anything about it, and when we leave our characters in Sestia -- there's still a well known scribe being held in the Bastion (which is a thread without a resolution in the novel). I imagine this means there could be further novels, but the thread is sort of just left hanging for the reader after we had spent a lot of time with this scribe in earlier portions of the 2nd & 3rd novels in the series.
Hopefully there will be future installments in the Five Queendoms world, that will deepen our knowledge about this unique place, and perhaps more will be learned about the Bastion.
May 15, 2025
4,5/5
The Five Queendoms is one of the best fantasy series I've read over the last year. First because the setting is quite unique: this is a matriarchal world. And a real one. Women occupies all positions of power, from warriors to politicians, and it's never really addressed or challenged. No moralistic undertones, it's just like that.
The world is incredibly rich and complex. Most subplots were resolved in a satisfactory way, even if the resolution of two of them felt rushed.
Apparently, this is the last book in the series, which is sad because I would have liked more! Especially since the series got better with each installment.
If you like complex women and power struggles, this is for you!!
The Five Queendoms is one of the best fantasy series I've read over the last year. First because the setting is quite unique: this is a matriarchal world. And a real one. Women occupies all positions of power, from warriors to politicians, and it's never really addressed or challenged. No moralistic undertones, it's just like that.
The world is incredibly rich and complex. Most subplots were resolved in a satisfactory way, even if the resolution of two of them felt rushed.
Apparently, this is the last book in the series, which is sad because I would have liked more! Especially since the series got better with each installment.
If you like complex women and power struggles, this is for you!!
May 7, 2025
Sestia was a satisfying conclusion to The Five Queendoms trilogy! It's an epic fantasy that blends court politics, dark magic, and fierce female leadership and explores the costs of power and the balance between life and death. Macallister's world building remains one of my favorite parts, it's wonderful! I absolutely love that the series has been centered on women! The pacing is taut, the stakes high, and the character arcs deeply satisfying, especially as long-simmering conflicts come to a head. If you haven't started this series yet then you are totally missing out on a fantastic read! Thank you Saga Press and G.R. Macallister for sharing this book with me!
June 3, 2025
Five stars for the series, 4 for this book.
This trilogy is marvelous and ambitious. It portrays five different matriarchal cultures with complexity and nuance (although I could have used more about Bastion). None is a paradise, all are fascinating.
The book weaves together multiple characters without getting lost or losing the flow of the book. As the author sought to tie up the loose ends, some of the characters' individuality was lost, but not in a way that negatively affected the story.
All in all, I'm a big fan. I wish there were more stories in which complex women, good men, and fully realized nonbinary folx lead complex, epic lives.
This trilogy is marvelous and ambitious. It portrays five different matriarchal cultures with complexity and nuance (although I could have used more about Bastion). None is a paradise, all are fascinating.
The book weaves together multiple characters without getting lost or losing the flow of the book. As the author sought to tie up the loose ends, some of the characters' individuality was lost, but not in a way that negatively affected the story.
All in all, I'm a big fan. I wish there were more stories in which complex women, good men, and fully realized nonbinary folx lead complex, epic lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2025
After loving the first two books, I was excited to get the third and last book in this trilogy. Now that the girl drought has ended, things begin to happen that change how life was looked at. The Underworlds play a big role in this story and Sessadon, the deceased sorcerer, has some nepharous plans that help add tension to the plot. All of the lands in the Queendom and their peoples emerge in this story as a fragile peace begin. There are a lot of characters in this story and there is a list of characters at the beginning that help make sense of it all until you learn about each character within the story. I liked that some of my favorite characters in the other books made appearances here, such as Fasiq, the giant. As the last book in trilogy, the author does a nice job tying up loose ends and provides some closure to storylines.
The author does a fantastic job of describing this fictitious lands and royal houses. I could picture the walls, rooms, and Underworld which is so important in a fantasy book. The characters were well developed with some you love and some you love to hate.
If you are looking for an immersive fantasy series, I highly recommend Scorpica, Arca, and now Sestia!
#Sestia
Thank you Saga Press and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
The author does a fantastic job of describing this fictitious lands and royal houses. I could picture the walls, rooms, and Underworld which is so important in a fantasy book. The characters were well developed with some you love and some you love to hate.
If you are looking for an immersive fantasy series, I highly recommend Scorpica, Arca, and now Sestia!
#Sestia
Thank you Saga Press and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 21, 2025
4.5 stars
Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy to review.
Somehow I was unaware this was the final book in the series and that makes me feel so sad. Definitely was not ready to say goodbye to this series. That being said, as far as final books go this was a good one. I was instantly sucked into the story and rooting for all of my favorite characters. I think the ending was a perfect little bow tied on top. Magnificent series and everyone should check it out!
Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy to review.
Somehow I was unaware this was the final book in the series and that makes me feel so sad. Definitely was not ready to say goodbye to this series. That being said, as far as final books go this was a good one. I was instantly sucked into the story and rooting for all of my favorite characters. I think the ending was a perfect little bow tied on top. Magnificent series and everyone should check it out!
August 13, 2025
Sestia was a good wrap up of this trilogy. The writing and plot improved throughout the series. I wish that the first book was up to the caliber of the last. I do recommend reading if you have made it through books 1 and 2.
Unfortunately, there was nothing too memorable for me about this trilogy. There was an interesting magic system. I did enjoy the matriarchal societies/kingdoms that ruled the lands, and the political intrigue.
Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, there was nothing too memorable for me about this trilogy. There was an interesting magic system. I did enjoy the matriarchal societies/kingdoms that ruled the lands, and the political intrigue.
Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2025
This series is fairly large in scope, spanning years and countries and POVs. So coming into book three a couple of years after reading the second book had some challenges in itself and I probably should have reread, but I was too eager to see how this saga would wrap up.
And it's a very satisfying wrap-up. There is so much backstory and character development throughout this whole book, I loved it. The whole series is like a complex chessboard (I don't play chess) - pieces fell into place, but there were stakes.
This was a bit of an odd book in the sense that it felt like just a lot of moving pieces and a lot of wrap-up. There wasn't a climax in a traditional sense; I remember when I had less than 50 pages left and wondering how it could possibly go to shit, such as the gates in the underworld, and then resolve in 50 pages. The answer? It doesn't really go to shit. So that was a bit of an odd structural choice, especially for the conclusion of the trilogy, but I loved the politics and the vastness of the story too much to care too much about that.
Overall, a very well-done epic trilogy that I know I'll reread down the road.
Thank you to the publisher, S&S/Saga Press, and to NetGalley for the ARC.
And it's a very satisfying wrap-up. There is so much backstory and character development throughout this whole book, I loved it. The whole series is like a complex chessboard (I don't play chess) - pieces fell into place, but there were stakes.
This was a bit of an odd book in the sense that it felt like just a lot of moving pieces and a lot of wrap-up. There wasn't a climax in a traditional sense; I remember when I had less than 50 pages left and wondering how it could possibly go to shit, such as the gates in the underworld, and then resolve in 50 pages. The answer? It doesn't really go to shit. So that was a bit of an odd structural choice, especially for the conclusion of the trilogy, but I loved the politics and the vastness of the story too much to care too much about that.
Overall, a very well-done epic trilogy that I know I'll reread down the road.
Thank you to the publisher, S&S/Saga Press, and to NetGalley for the ARC.
November 5, 2025
Only to Part II but already obsessed. This series is my favorite in a long time. I’ve been blown away the entire time about the world building, the characters, the story, and the way the author tells it as if it’s a historical fiction. I can’t say enough good things about this series, and I’ll be reading them all again in the future.
April 17, 2025
An absolutely intense and incredible third installment that is so hard to put down even when your e-reader is low on power. I hope one of the streaming channels picks this up as a series! And I can’t wait for the next book! I want more now!
May 26, 2025
Went slow most the way through, but I enjoyed the story wrap up.
May 30, 2025
what... happened to
June 6, 2025
I liked this ending a lot.
June 7, 2025
This was a fantastic read! I loved the first and second books in this series so much, and this one didnt disappoint. The fact that this world exists where women dominant is complex and so intriguing.
August 16, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted arc copy.
An awesome conclusion to an epic trilogy. This pace of their story was awesome, and I loved meeting to know all of these women while they navigated their kingdoms, obstacles, and found their own leadership styles. These women were fierce and multifaceted. I loved the multigenerational aspect of the story and loved seeing how each character evolved throughout the years. There were many many POVs as the author unraveled the great worldbuilding to include each kingdom, the underworld, and even the gods. I would read more about this world should the author ever choose to come back to it.
An awesome conclusion to an epic trilogy. This pace of their story was awesome, and I loved meeting to know all of these women while they navigated their kingdoms, obstacles, and found their own leadership styles. These women were fierce and multifaceted. I loved the multigenerational aspect of the story and loved seeing how each character evolved throughout the years. There were many many POVs as the author unraveled the great worldbuilding to include each kingdom, the underworld, and even the gods. I would read more about this world should the author ever choose to come back to it.
March 25, 2025
I didn’t realize this was only going to be a trilogy, for some reason I thought 5 queendoms, 5 book. Silly me. This was a good ending to the trilogy. I greatly loved the characters who stepped up and how everything finished. It flowed well with the previous two books and I felt myself more connected with some of the characters in this book than the other two.
The pacing was well, the story was intricate. It was well done.
Thank you NetGalley and thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this earc.
The pacing was well, the story was intricate. It was well done.
Thank you NetGalley and thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this earc.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews