What do you think?
Rate this book
The Order #4
Rise of the New Empire
In the highly anticipated fourth book of “The Order Series," Forest stands at the edge of her greatest challenge yet. A dangerous secret weighs heavy on her shoulders as she navigates dangerous waters, bracing herself for a battle that could reshape her world.
With tensions soaring and alliances shifting, Forest confronts her deepest fears head-on. Despite their differences, Xavier and his sworn enemy are compelled to join forces, knowing the looming threat could shatter everything they hold dear.
As they prepare for the imminent war, new adversaries emerge from the shadows, wielding formidable power, leading Forest and her comrades to realize they're not just fighting for survival but for the very future of their world.
In this climactic conclusion to the prequels of the "Order" series, hearts will be shattered, and sacrifices made. Yet, amidst the turmoil, a glimmer of hope persists, guiding Forest and her allies toward an unforeseen destiny. As the battle intensifies, they must summon every ounce of courage and strength, for this marks only the beginning of their legacy.
With tensions soaring and alliances shifting, Forest confronts her deepest fears head-on. Despite their differences, Xavier and his sworn enemy are compelled to join forces, knowing the looming threat could shatter everything they hold dear.
As they prepare for the imminent war, new adversaries emerge from the shadows, wielding formidable power, leading Forest and her comrades to realize they're not just fighting for survival but for the very future of their world.
In this climactic conclusion to the prequels of the "Order" series, hearts will be shattered, and sacrifices made. Yet, amidst the turmoil, a glimmer of hope persists, guiding Forest and her allies toward an unforeseen destiny. As the battle intensifies, they must summon every ounce of courage and strength, for this marks only the beginning of their legacy.
355 pages, Paperback
Published December 30, 2024
73 people are currently reading
2247 people want to read
About the author
Katerina St. Clair
7 books837 followersKaterina St Clair is an international best-selling author of fantasy, dark romance, and dystopian stories. She loves creating rich, immersive worlds where her readers can get lost in adventure, drama, and intrigue. Her books are filled with unforgettable characters, gripping twists, and the kind of storytelling that keeps fans coming back for more. Writing is her way of bringing new worlds to life and sharing them with readers who love finding an escape.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
May 9, 2025
I've been staring at the wall for what feels like forever since finishing this book..
Katerina St Clair, ma'am… You said at the start to send the therapy bills your way? Well, expect them in the mail because I am absolutely shattered.
There are books that leave a mark, and then there are books that completely wreck you. This one did both and I still don’t have the words to fully describe how I felt reading it..
This series was everything and more.
Katerina St Clair, ma'am… You said at the start to send the therapy bills your way? Well, expect them in the mail because I am absolutely shattered.
There are books that leave a mark, and then there are books that completely wreck you. This one did both and I still don’t have the words to fully describe how I felt reading it..
This series was everything and more.
January 2, 2025
This book was infuriating. The selection of the final villain is blatantly hypocritical, and I’ve never felt more let down by an author’s character decisions. It seems like she deliberately provokes readers. While I won’t advise against reading it, I do hope others become as enraged as I was by this series.
January 2, 2025
I think I need therapy. That ending was NOT what I was expecting at all!!!!???? How can you do that to me?!
Gosh. I don’t think any more tears can be shed.
This series has me in a series chokehold & has made the top of the leaderboard. I can’t get enough.
BEST DYSTOPIAN WORLD OUT THERE. I really didn’t want this to end. These characters will forever hold a special place in my heart. I need the next series like NOW please. I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS.
One thing I will say is be prepared for many more multiple POV’s in this book. It frequently changes so quickly chapter after chapter but being so invested into the story for me it didn’t affect my reading.
I don’t really know what else to say. This series has consumed me & i’m not sure if I’ll ever read something like this again.
‘Live for me.’
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
Gosh. I don’t think any more tears can be shed.
This series has me in a series chokehold & has made the top of the leaderboard. I can’t get enough.
BEST DYSTOPIAN WORLD OUT THERE. I really didn’t want this to end. These characters will forever hold a special place in my heart. I need the next series like NOW please. I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS.
One thing I will say is be prepared for many more multiple POV’s in this book. It frequently changes so quickly chapter after chapter but being so invested into the story for me it didn’t affect my reading.
I don’t really know what else to say. This series has consumed me & i’m not sure if I’ll ever read something like this again.
‘Live for me.’
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
July 19, 2025
Ive been staring into space for over half an hour now because WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK. This series is a prequel and there is nothing else yet and I’m literally going to spiral to an entire new dimension over how good this was and what went down and the writing. Omg. OMGGGGG.
Genuinely never been so unsure of how things will go and felt so absolutely shocked (never ever ever expected majority of things that happen to happen) reading a series I think in my entire life.
Dystopian perfection, like actually what you dream a book could be
(sure the entire series could use a good edit but I don’t even care, not even a little bc it’s that good)
Genuinely never been so unsure of how things will go and felt so absolutely shocked (never ever ever expected majority of things that happen to happen) reading a series I think in my entire life.
Dystopian perfection, like actually what you dream a book could be
(sure the entire series could use a good edit but I don’t even care, not even a little bc it’s that good)
July 29, 2025
So this book was so bad I didn't even want to a write a review for it since I would relive this but here I am to warn you!
This book (and the whole series) always worded things oddly and like AI wrote the whole thing, especially since all four books were written in under ONE year. Also how everyone magically knows everything about every situation and person. like no learning with the characters or blossoming plots here. Things were too inconsistant, like Xavier's current hair color being a good example. Certain plot twists, like Fallan's ashes, would have been cool if there wasn't a plot twist on every single page. Why was Fallan not imprisoned or killed by the others? Like they were acting like someone was stopping them but no one was so his character just didn't make any sense in the plot. The "new city" and the other plot points feel like the author stole the ideas from movies and books. I have when pregnancy is used to keep things interesting and especially when the women is playing dumb and a man has to tell her she is. Also that baby could handle a toxic smoothie but not the outside world? I think Xavier killed her though because he felt a crunch while holding her over his dying wife's body. Back to the AI thing, tell me this doesn't sound AI, "Highest production qualities of produce". This sentence should tell you how this book will be. Elyon is the weirdest dad I have ever met and asking your ex "do you hate me?" while giving birth to your husband's child is wild Jerry Springer stuff. Xavier looks like a knock-off phantom of the opera and I will never read from this author ever again.
This book (and the whole series) always worded things oddly and like AI wrote the whole thing, especially since all four books were written in under ONE year. Also how everyone magically knows everything about every situation and person. like no learning with the characters or blossoming plots here. Things were too inconsistant, like Xavier's current hair color being a good example. Certain plot twists, like Fallan's ashes, would have been cool if there wasn't a plot twist on every single page. Why was Fallan not imprisoned or killed by the others? Like they were acting like someone was stopping them but no one was so his character just didn't make any sense in the plot. The "new city" and the other plot points feel like the author stole the ideas from movies and books. I have when pregnancy is used to keep things interesting and especially when the women is playing dumb and a man has to tell her she is. Also that baby could handle a toxic smoothie but not the outside world? I think Xavier killed her though because he felt a crunch while holding her over his dying wife's body. Back to the AI thing, tell me this doesn't sound AI, "Highest production qualities of produce". This sentence should tell you how this book will be. Elyon is the weirdest dad I have ever met and asking your ex "do you hate me?" while giving birth to your husband's child is wild Jerry Springer stuff. Xavier looks like a knock-off phantom of the opera and I will never read from this author ever again.
January 9, 2025
Honestly what the f*** is all I can really say. I feel as though I have whiplash from this story and the way it went. People showing up out of nowhere, conversations, I mean the first three books were great and I had high expectations for the fourth, but the way the fourth book has ended has left me disgusted and honestly wtf. I’m not even mad that certain people aren’t alive anymore but it was in no way a good scene. Honestly I read this in 8 hours and I really wish I could take them back. It’s missing so much, it needs a rewrite.
January 10, 2025
I am so disappointed in how this last book went. I loved the first 3 books so much. The world building and character development was absolutely fantastic in the first 3 to all the sudden get an extremely rushed story, 7 different POV’s, and just a whole lot of random add ins. The ending was a shock and I believe it was a fantastic idea of an ending, the book just felt poorly executed.
January 6, 2025
Absolutely terrible. What a waste of 4 books worth of character building. What a waste of 4 books worth of my time. Absolutely the worst series prequel I've ever read. I could care less about who dies. It's the on and on and on of the same events happening to just get nowhere in the end. Jfc.
January 4, 2025
Ripped my heart out, but I would read it all over again. Ready for the main series!!
March 4, 2025
I’m completely at ahh right now. This book has put me through the wringer and the END omfg. I’m crying in the club right now😭
July 24, 2025
I would say the plot holes are insane but that would require there to actually be a plot. You’d have better luck trying to read a piece of Swiss cheese. Doesn’t make sense? Neither did this series. I’m convinced this Frankenseries was the hate-child of divergent, shatter me, the hunger games, uglies, and a dash of the 100, (also somewhat vampires?), all wrapped up in a pretty cover to hide the fact that it’s just bad wattpad fanfic (emphasis on bad). I read the entirety hoping it would get better and I would get some answers to what (and why) tf was happening. I didn’t. I’ll never get the hours back but at least it counts toward my reading goal. 🫡
Booktok, you’re on my shitlist for this one…
P.S. A few well written lines of romance, do not, a good story make.
Booktok, you’re on my shitlist for this one…
P.S. A few well written lines of romance, do not, a good story make.
January 5, 2025
5 ⭐️/5… my chest hurts. Like seriously the ending ruined me and my hearts in pieces. I took so long to finish this because I think deep down I knew it was going to emotionally wreck me. This was the ending to the prequel series, therefore, the reason the villain came to be. I can’t say anything else without spoilers but like the author said… I’m sending her my therapy bill.
July 27, 2024
Already know this will be a 5 star read! Very original! Great for the millennials that grew up with other dystopian fantasies like Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and Divergent! I love this world she’s building.
April 25, 2025
The warning at the start of this book…. I thought it prepared me…. It absolutely did not.
I am so heart broken. I have no words…..
if you are looking for a book with a happy ending… look somewhere else 😭
I am so heart broken. I have no words…..
if you are looking for a book with a happy ending… look somewhere else 😭
January 1, 2025
Ok girl, just rip me to pieces why don’t you
January 25, 2025
I am completely and utterly broken…
March 19, 2025
THIS BOOK ENDING DESTROYED ME……. I need the main series now !!
January 7, 2025
My heart and soul are shattered and I cannot stop crying. It was an ending I knew was coming, but hit me far harder than I could have expected. What a tragic ending, but an incredibly build up for a backstory of a villain. I am so ready for the main series—but I will be sending my therapy bills for the heartache the last book put me through
February 6, 2025
No happy ending here.
June 14, 2025
5⭐️ 💔💔💔💔 i don’t even want to read the actual series bc im too hung up on xavier and forest’s story 💔💔💔
their backstory, the foreshadowing, all the things that could’ve gone wrong went horribly wrong.. makes me want to combine certain aspects of book 1,3&4 together to make the perfect book 🥲
but aside from that, seriously one of the best series’ i’ve read!!!
their backstory, the foreshadowing, all the things that could’ve gone wrong went horribly wrong.. makes me want to combine certain aspects of book 1,3&4 together to make the perfect book 🥲
but aside from that, seriously one of the best series’ i’ve read!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2025
I’m wtf was that ending!! Both of them die after all that work to save the baby Xavier accidentally ends up crushing his daughter’s lungs out of fear an anger. Bro that’s so fucked 😭😭😭😭 I seen it coming with Xavier being the villain at the end but damn I figured his daughter would live😭😭😭 poor Fallen I feel for that poor man losing his eyes for something he had no control over bc he was literally binded to do it by forest I just want him to have a happy end an can we please get his baby blues back or can he get my visions now that he don’t have eyes give him something man😭😭😭😭 I blame mason for the baby dying bc Rowan was supposed to keep her safe an he made Rowan give her to Xavier knowing his state of mind wasn’t in the right place. An no one could save the baby with some blood? Like the baby is a powerful marked an couldn’t heal its self of a broken rib puncturing the lung???? Made no sense an for the love of god please give Kai a happy ending with Aaron I don’t want to see my baby Kai die a villain when he deserves to be happy 😭😭😭😭 Rowan accidentally misinterpreting the vision she’s seeing an ultimately helping bring it to fruition is crazy an then that last chapter 10 years she’s been on the run from Xavier the next book better be fucking good or I’m gonna be pissed off
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
The Order:Rise of the new empire 👏Incredible book!❤🔥😍
Oh!my!God! What an incredible book👏📖!!!! I love all the characters! Well except Xavier😏and the creepy old guy that claims to be Forest father. Did I mention my dislike for Xavier! Ah! My Fallan now he is my favorite character❤🔥♥! I found myself so drawn into the book that I read through the night just to see how it would end but oh my! I was so excited 🎉knowing that there will be a book 5! I hope my dearest Fallan gets rescued! The best book series!❤❤❤❤❤🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥👏📖💓💓💓💓💓
Oh!my!God! What an incredible book👏📖!!!! I love all the characters! Well except Xavier😏and the creepy old guy that claims to be Forest father. Did I mention my dislike for Xavier! Ah! My Fallan now he is my favorite character❤🔥♥! I found myself so drawn into the book that I read through the night just to see how it would end but oh my! I was so excited 🎉knowing that there will be a book 5! I hope my dearest Fallan gets rescued! The best book series!❤❤❤❤❤🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥👏📖💓💓💓💓💓
December 9, 2024
Everything about this book was perfect. I don't have a single critique for Katerina with this one. She knows exactly how to immerse you in the story and feel the pain of each character. She takes you on an emotional rollercoaster of the course of the entire series, but this book destroyed me. I've never loved a series this much. If you love dystopian, but want some extra spice, the order is perfect for you. I will preach this book for the rest of my life
August 27, 2025
The end of an Era ✨ Book four in The Order (prequel) series has come and gone and I will forever cherish the impact it’s had on my love for the dystopian genre. It’s truly no surprise that this book gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it’s THAT good. The storyline, the twists and turns, these characters!!!! AHHHHHH I can’t give too much away because I don’t want to spoil it but….holy hell.
December 31, 2024
therapy session is needed.
Damn, what a crazy ending to the prequels. Xavier lost everything. Poor man. He just wanted a peaceful life. As for me: I will be crying for the rest of the night.
Damn, what a crazy ending to the prequels. Xavier lost everything. Poor man. He just wanted a peaceful life. As for me: I will be crying for the rest of the night.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2025
Idk how, but they better be alive
October 4, 2025
This… this was painful, to know Forest knows she must fall for the prophet to fall. She did as many arrangements as possible for their babe for nothing. To know she met her soulmate as a subjects in a lab, that they waited their whole lives to be to together in peace… constantly losing each other to meet an awful end. I FUCKING HATES SAD ENDINGS. “Until my last breath” love like this is, all consuming and irrational, their contact need to protect each other… (I’m sorry I made fun of her name)
Kai cant never recover from losing his entire family.
Xavier is dead inside losing his family 3 times over actually accidentally killing his babe.
Forest left their world thinking things would be okay.
Fallan lost the woman that would’ve died for him and helped kill her.
Lilly died twice.
I hated this, I did! it was too much sadness. This wasn’t reading for fun. Xavier! dude, to have your mate and child die and losing everyone you cared for was fucked to read. I feel like this was for the shock value but I can’t man. It was a good series but this also fucking sucked
This was 6/10 levels of hell.
Full recap forest was a normal girl but she wasn’t she was a marked one. She met Xavier when they were kids, they kept losing and finding each other, but Fallan happened. But forest always knew her path and her path was death. Their love was life, in a world that hates individually and self awareness. They gave it all but he lost everything that mattered. She died for her people leaving the love of her life and a child who died knowing her male would never want to live without them.
I will cry In the shower with wine
This series doesn’t have a comprehensive review but for those who can’t stand a depressing ending this isn’t for you or me for that matter. Having your main character die is a wild experience, and not something I want ever in a book unless they had a nice life. But no this isn’t that. I get Xavier man and I hope he burns the whole world down idc. Rowan was so sure about this and Forest as a lovable idiot did her best, just wanting her babe to live. Honestly Xavier can’t do no harm after that.
Problems with this series:
The blood thing
The budget for segregation
The why of all the plot holes
The did we need a baby to die?!
The how he let them run
The why kill forest man… she was cool
The crazy thing about keeping them apart
The did I mentioned the death of a babe?
The man, the woman
I’m sorry but this was low key almost as depressing as manacled. I mean close enough. I’ve never read a series where the protagonist dies 4 books in. And I sure I as shit won’t be again. And her freaking babe!!!
Plus: read it from 9pm to 4am you do the math. Compared to the other books this was short and ooooh the writer can my suck All my of dirty socks. I hate this for me. I highly recommend you find another series. Yes 4 stars! it still can burn itself out of my brain.
Kai cant never recover from losing his entire family.
Xavier is dead inside losing his family 3 times over actually accidentally killing his babe.
Forest left their world thinking things would be okay.
Fallan lost the woman that would’ve died for him and helped kill her.
Lilly died twice.
I hated this, I did! it was too much sadness. This wasn’t reading for fun. Xavier! dude, to have your mate and child die and losing everyone you cared for was fucked to read. I feel like this was for the shock value but I can’t man. It was a good series but this also fucking sucked
This was 6/10 levels of hell.
Full recap forest was a normal girl but she wasn’t she was a marked one. She met Xavier when they were kids, they kept losing and finding each other, but Fallan happened. But forest always knew her path and her path was death. Their love was life, in a world that hates individually and self awareness. They gave it all but he lost everything that mattered. She died for her people leaving the love of her life and a child who died knowing her male would never want to live without them.
I will cry In the shower with wine
This series doesn’t have a comprehensive review but for those who can’t stand a depressing ending this isn’t for you or me for that matter. Having your main character die is a wild experience, and not something I want ever in a book unless they had a nice life. But no this isn’t that. I get Xavier man and I hope he burns the whole world down idc. Rowan was so sure about this and Forest as a lovable idiot did her best, just wanting her babe to live. Honestly Xavier can’t do no harm after that.
Problems with this series:
The blood thing
The budget for segregation
The why of all the plot holes
The did we need a baby to die?!
The how he let them run
The why kill forest man… she was cool
The crazy thing about keeping them apart
The did I mentioned the death of a babe?
The man, the woman
I’m sorry but this was low key almost as depressing as manacled. I mean close enough. I’ve never read a series where the protagonist dies 4 books in. And I sure I as shit won’t be again. And her freaking babe!!!
Plus: read it from 9pm to 4am you do the math. Compared to the other books this was short and ooooh the writer can my suck All my of dirty socks. I hate this for me. I highly recommend you find another series. Yes 4 stars! it still can burn itself out of my brain.
May 5, 2025
UPSETTI SPAGHETTI 😭
I DID NOT EXPECT THIS. And honestly? I don’t like it. Not because it was badly written—oh no—but because it hurt me personally and I am not emotionally equipped for this level of betrayal.
I just wanted a little hope, a little satisfaction, maybe a chance to breathe? NOPE. Instead, I got an ending that sucker-punched me straight in the gut and a villain origin story that makes me want to lie down on the floor and cry.
Final thoughts:
✅ Pain. Lots of it.
✅ Did I enjoy it? Debatable.
✅ Do I respect it? Unfortunately, yes (but no).
❌ Do I like where this is going? NO.
❌ Am I going to read the rest anyway? …Yes. Begrudgingly.
Katerina St. Clair, I just want to talk. 🥲
MY THOUGHTS ON THE ORDER PREQUEL SERIES AS WHOLE
⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: Read at your own risk!
⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: Read at your own risk!
⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: Read at your own risk!
This series had me hooked, confused, enraged, and emotionally wrecked all at once. It’s one of those books where you sit there after finishing, just staring at the wall, trying to process what you just read. And not always in a good way.
There’s a lot I loved about this series—the world-building, the constant feeling of not knowing what the hell is going on but needing to keep reading anyway, and the characters that I got way too attached to (only for them to make questionable decisions that made me want to throw my Kindle across the room).
FALLEN. WHAT EVEN HAPPENED HERE?
I was not expecting Fallen’s arc to turn out the way it did, and honestly? It had so much potential. The whole back and forth—was he bad? Was he good? Was he just pretending to love Forest?—was brilliant in the beginning. I loved that it was reviewed that he started with the intention of using her, only to actually fall for her, but then he betrayed her AGAIN, only to maybe come back around? And then—??
That’s the issue. It got messy.
By the third book, we find out he’s back working with the Prophet, which was a jaw-drop moment. So then, it felt like he might have been playing the long game as a double agent, working from within the Prophet’s ranks to bring him down, but instead, it turned into constant back-and-forth betrayal, which makes his arc feel messy rather than intentional. If it had been revealed that he was playing the Prophet, maybe not from the start but switched to the good guys team, it could have been such a chef’s kiss twist. But instead, it was just endless whiplash of “Is he bad? Is he good? Wait, no, he’s bad again—oh wait, maybe not?” with no clear resolution. I mean in book four, suddenly, he’s just… there? Acting like everything is fine? No real clarity on the endgame of Fallen? Sir, explain yourself.
I wanted more from his arc—more resolution, more depth to his final choices. I don’t mind morally gray characters (love them, actually), but I need to understand why they do what they do. And Fallen? His motivations became a puzzle where half the pieces were missing.
XAVIER’S ENDING: WHY DO I FEEL LIKE I GOT SLAPPED?
I loved the slow-burn reveal of Xavier’s past—the way Forest didn’t remember him, the way we thought he was the villain, only for it to flip and show that he had always been on her side. That was chef’s kiss storytelling. But his actual ending?
Him becoming the villain? Kinda unexpected…
If the man lost Forest, yes I expected him to become a villain. I was READY for it (if necessary). I was seated, popcorn in hand, waiting for Xavier to go absolutely feral in a way that was uniquely his own—i.e., burning everything down in the name of vengeance—I would have eaten that up. But the fact that his conclusion was literally mirroring the Prophet’s actions, just with a different excuse—I don’t know, it felt… weirdly off. It’s not that I don’t buy his villain arc; it’s that I wish it had unfolded differently.
AND THEN THERES FOREST
I love Forest, she’s pretty freakin cool. BUUUUT, I would have liked to see more consequences or explanations for what she did or why, especially because us readers were kept in the dark for so long. It felt like her arc was leading somewhere big and it did, but I think that maybe because of some plot holes (maybe???) or the endless mind whipping, instead, we were left guessing about what was real, what wasn’t, and what the point even was.
ELYON, THE PROPHET: UNCHECKED POWER IS MY VILLAIN ORIGIN STORY.
One thing I struggle with in books is unchecked power in magic systems—when a character is always five steps ahead, always winning, always untouchable. That was Elyon. Like, sure, I get that he’s supposed to be this all-powerful prophet, but man just never lost?? It started to feel like the only way to beat him was to break the laws of the universe, which is exactly what happened when Forest sacrificed herself.
I get that Forrest was created for this purpose. I get why it had to be her. But it still felt like the only way to take him out was to literally rewrite the rules, and that can be frustrating when the antagonist doesn’t feel like they have real weaknesses.
BUT THEN THE ENDING.
I just— why? The choices made in the final book gutted me but not in the cathartic way I love from my favorite books.
Overall, some of it felt repetitive (how many times are we going to rely on mind-wiping as a plot device?), some character arcs felt abrupt (Xavier, babe, why are you like this?), and some of the final twists just did not sit right with me.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
✅ The creativity in this series? Insane. This story is truly unique, and I admire how much depth and detail went into crafting it.
✅ The characters? So well done. I love that they weren’t predictable, even when their arcs frustrated me.
✅ The author’s storytelling? Incredible. Especially for an indie debut—if this ever gets a traditional publishing edit, I could see some of the rougher edges being smoothed out beautifully.
❌ Too many mind-wipe moments. At a certain point, it felt like a crutch to keep plot twists going.
❌ Fallen’s arc lost clarity. Loved his premise, but his actions in the later books left me confused.
❌ Xavier’s villain arc could have hit harder. It was good, but it could have been GREAT.
❌ Elyon’s unchecked power felt frustrating at times. He was always ahead, and the final resolution felt almost inevitable.
DO I LOVE THIS SERIES? YES.
Even with these critiques, I genuinely love this story. It’s unique, compelling, and so different from anything I’ve read before. I’m hopefully that some of my issues might be resolved once the full series is out (since this is just the prequel). But right now? I’m just sitting here, head spinning, trying to piece it all together.
Am I confused? Yes.
Did I enjoy it? Absolutely.
Would I read five more books of this? No question.
I DID NOT EXPECT THIS. And honestly? I don’t like it. Not because it was badly written—oh no—but because it hurt me personally and I am not emotionally equipped for this level of betrayal.
I just wanted a little hope, a little satisfaction, maybe a chance to breathe? NOPE. Instead, I got an ending that sucker-punched me straight in the gut and a villain origin story that makes me want to lie down on the floor and cry.
Final thoughts:
✅ Pain. Lots of it.
✅ Did I enjoy it? Debatable.
✅ Do I respect it? Unfortunately, yes (but no).
❌ Do I like where this is going? NO.
❌ Am I going to read the rest anyway? …Yes. Begrudgingly.
Katerina St. Clair, I just want to talk. 🥲
MY THOUGHTS ON THE ORDER PREQUEL SERIES AS WHOLE
⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: Read at your own risk!
⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: Read at your own risk!
⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: Read at your own risk!
This series had me hooked, confused, enraged, and emotionally wrecked all at once. It’s one of those books where you sit there after finishing, just staring at the wall, trying to process what you just read. And not always in a good way.
There’s a lot I loved about this series—the world-building, the constant feeling of not knowing what the hell is going on but needing to keep reading anyway, and the characters that I got way too attached to (only for them to make questionable decisions that made me want to throw my Kindle across the room).
FALLEN. WHAT EVEN HAPPENED HERE?
I was not expecting Fallen’s arc to turn out the way it did, and honestly? It had so much potential. The whole back and forth—was he bad? Was he good? Was he just pretending to love Forest?—was brilliant in the beginning. I loved that it was reviewed that he started with the intention of using her, only to actually fall for her, but then he betrayed her AGAIN, only to maybe come back around? And then—??
That’s the issue. It got messy.
By the third book, we find out he’s back working with the Prophet, which was a jaw-drop moment. So then, it felt like he might have been playing the long game as a double agent, working from within the Prophet’s ranks to bring him down, but instead, it turned into constant back-and-forth betrayal, which makes his arc feel messy rather than intentional. If it had been revealed that he was playing the Prophet, maybe not from the start but switched to the good guys team, it could have been such a chef’s kiss twist. But instead, it was just endless whiplash of “Is he bad? Is he good? Wait, no, he’s bad again—oh wait, maybe not?” with no clear resolution. I mean in book four, suddenly, he’s just… there? Acting like everything is fine? No real clarity on the endgame of Fallen? Sir, explain yourself.
I wanted more from his arc—more resolution, more depth to his final choices. I don’t mind morally gray characters (love them, actually), but I need to understand why they do what they do. And Fallen? His motivations became a puzzle where half the pieces were missing.
XAVIER’S ENDING: WHY DO I FEEL LIKE I GOT SLAPPED?
I loved the slow-burn reveal of Xavier’s past—the way Forest didn’t remember him, the way we thought he was the villain, only for it to flip and show that he had always been on her side. That was chef’s kiss storytelling. But his actual ending?
Him becoming the villain? Kinda unexpected…
If the man lost Forest, yes I expected him to become a villain. I was READY for it (if necessary). I was seated, popcorn in hand, waiting for Xavier to go absolutely feral in a way that was uniquely his own—i.e., burning everything down in the name of vengeance—I would have eaten that up. But the fact that his conclusion was literally mirroring the Prophet’s actions, just with a different excuse—I don’t know, it felt… weirdly off. It’s not that I don’t buy his villain arc; it’s that I wish it had unfolded differently.
AND THEN THERES FOREST
I love Forest, she’s pretty freakin cool. BUUUUT, I would have liked to see more consequences or explanations for what she did or why, especially because us readers were kept in the dark for so long. It felt like her arc was leading somewhere big and it did, but I think that maybe because of some plot holes (maybe???) or the endless mind whipping, instead, we were left guessing about what was real, what wasn’t, and what the point even was.
ELYON, THE PROPHET: UNCHECKED POWER IS MY VILLAIN ORIGIN STORY.
One thing I struggle with in books is unchecked power in magic systems—when a character is always five steps ahead, always winning, always untouchable. That was Elyon. Like, sure, I get that he’s supposed to be this all-powerful prophet, but man just never lost?? It started to feel like the only way to beat him was to break the laws of the universe, which is exactly what happened when Forest sacrificed herself.
I get that Forrest was created for this purpose. I get why it had to be her. But it still felt like the only way to take him out was to literally rewrite the rules, and that can be frustrating when the antagonist doesn’t feel like they have real weaknesses.
BUT THEN THE ENDING.
I just— why? The choices made in the final book gutted me but not in the cathartic way I love from my favorite books.
Overall, some of it felt repetitive (how many times are we going to rely on mind-wiping as a plot device?), some character arcs felt abrupt (Xavier, babe, why are you like this?), and some of the final twists just did not sit right with me.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
✅ The creativity in this series? Insane. This story is truly unique, and I admire how much depth and detail went into crafting it.
✅ The characters? So well done. I love that they weren’t predictable, even when their arcs frustrated me.
✅ The author’s storytelling? Incredible. Especially for an indie debut—if this ever gets a traditional publishing edit, I could see some of the rougher edges being smoothed out beautifully.
❌ Too many mind-wipe moments. At a certain point, it felt like a crutch to keep plot twists going.
❌ Fallen’s arc lost clarity. Loved his premise, but his actions in the later books left me confused.
❌ Xavier’s villain arc could have hit harder. It was good, but it could have been GREAT.
❌ Elyon’s unchecked power felt frustrating at times. He was always ahead, and the final resolution felt almost inevitable.
DO I LOVE THIS SERIES? YES.
Even with these critiques, I genuinely love this story. It’s unique, compelling, and so different from anything I’ve read before. I’m hopefully that some of my issues might be resolved once the full series is out (since this is just the prequel). But right now? I’m just sitting here, head spinning, trying to piece it all together.
Am I confused? Yes.
Did I enjoy it? Absolutely.
Would I read five more books of this? No question.
October 17, 2025
This book was a masterpiece that will leave you breathless, broken, and utterly captivated. This fourth instalment in the series delves deep into the complexities of love, loss, and the harrowing choices that define us.
Forest's journey is nothing short of tragic. Her sacrifices, her pain, and her unwavering strength are portrayed with such raw emotion that you can't help but feel every ounce of her suffering. The weight of her decisions, especially those made in the name of love, will haunt you long after you've turned the last page.
Xavier's transformation into the villain is both heartbreaking and inevitable. The depth of his grief and the darkness it births are explored with haunting precision. His descent into vengeance is a testament to the author's ability to craft a character whose pain is palpable and whose actions are both tragic and terrifying.
The plot twists are gut-wrenching. Each revelation feels like a punch to the heart, leaving you gasping for breath and questioning everything you thought you knew. The emotional depth of this book is unparalleled, and the author's storytelling prowess shines through in every chapter.
In short, if you're looking for a book that will make you feel all the feels : joy, sorrow, anger, and everything in between The Order: Rise of the New Empire is your next read. Just make sure you have a box of tissues and a strong drink nearby. Kat has outdone herself, and you're in for one hell of a ride.
Forest's journey is nothing short of tragic. Her sacrifices, her pain, and her unwavering strength are portrayed with such raw emotion that you can't help but feel every ounce of her suffering. The weight of her decisions, especially those made in the name of love, will haunt you long after you've turned the last page.
Xavier's transformation into the villain is both heartbreaking and inevitable. The depth of his grief and the darkness it births are explored with haunting precision. His descent into vengeance is a testament to the author's ability to craft a character whose pain is palpable and whose actions are both tragic and terrifying.
The plot twists are gut-wrenching. Each revelation feels like a punch to the heart, leaving you gasping for breath and questioning everything you thought you knew. The emotional depth of this book is unparalleled, and the author's storytelling prowess shines through in every chapter.
In short, if you're looking for a book that will make you feel all the feels : joy, sorrow, anger, and everything in between The Order: Rise of the New Empire is your next read. Just make sure you have a box of tissues and a strong drink nearby. Kat has outdone herself, and you're in for one hell of a ride.
December 20, 2025
REALLY! 😵💫 Do yourself a favor and check this series out.
I am upset I thought this was the final book and we would not have another Cliffhanger. But guess what... book 4 is a cliffhanger! As upset as I am, I will say I am more excited that we will get more for this world and characters we have been following in this series. That last twist!!! WTF! I know I said this already... I did not see that coming. I also found there were a few questions I still have but I did the audio version of this series and maybe I just missed something. I was doing work around the house so it is possible I missed some things.
I love the concept of this series. A lot of plot twists many I didn't see coming. That doesn't happen too often. I believe I said in a past review on this series the writing was a little lacking or seemed like a very new writer. But that did not take away from the plot. I also will not take away from the review for that because the Author has a great talent on developing this series and she has followed her passion. She did it, she is publishing.. I have also read that there were some problems and the editing had to be rushed so to a scam towards a new author. I will be continuing to follow Katerina St Clair's work. Plus question often on her Social when the continuous of this word will come out!! I need to know!!
I am upset I thought this was the final book and we would not have another Cliffhanger. But guess what... book 4 is a cliffhanger! As upset as I am, I will say I am more excited that we will get more for this world and characters we have been following in this series. That last twist!!! WTF! I know I said this already... I did not see that coming. I also found there were a few questions I still have but I did the audio version of this series and maybe I just missed something. I was doing work around the house so it is possible I missed some things.
I love the concept of this series. A lot of plot twists many I didn't see coming. That doesn't happen too often. I believe I said in a past review on this series the writing was a little lacking or seemed like a very new writer. But that did not take away from the plot. I also will not take away from the review for that because the Author has a great talent on developing this series and she has followed her passion. She did it, she is publishing.. I have also read that there were some problems and the editing had to be rushed so to a scam towards a new author. I will be continuing to follow Katerina St Clair's work. Plus question often on her Social when the continuous of this word will come out!! I need to know!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews