What do you think?
The Girl Who Cracked the Sky
Sometimes your greatest weakness is your greatest strength.
Princess Derya has returned from her quest a failure. Not only is she without the crown of Cetus, but she’s suffered a devastating injury from which she may never recover. Then there are the rumors that her father is about to name another heir…
Support from the emperor was too much to hope for. Instead, he commands Derya to work under her cousin Yildiz—one of her rivals for the throne—to fend off an invasion from the east. Derya suspects this might be an assignment she’s not supposed to return from.
With Cetus and his horde of monsters advancing from the west, Derya knows that following her father’s orders could deliver the entire continent into the hands of the evil sorcerer. But she cannot find Cetus’s crown, or defeat him, alone.
Defying the emperor is treason. Obeying him could doom them all.
The Girl Who Cracked the Sky is the final installment of the Royal Mages series.
Princess Derya has returned from her quest a failure. Not only is she without the crown of Cetus, but she’s suffered a devastating injury from which she may never recover. Then there are the rumors that her father is about to name another heir…
Support from the emperor was too much to hope for. Instead, he commands Derya to work under her cousin Yildiz—one of her rivals for the throne—to fend off an invasion from the east. Derya suspects this might be an assignment she’s not supposed to return from.
With Cetus and his horde of monsters advancing from the west, Derya knows that following her father’s orders could deliver the entire continent into the hands of the evil sorcerer. But she cannot find Cetus’s crown, or defeat him, alone.
Defying the emperor is treason. Obeying him could doom them all.
The Girl Who Cracked the Sky is the final installment of the Royal Mages series.
502 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2026
About the author
Evelyn Puerto
12 books37 followersEvelyn Puerto reads just about anything and writes in multiple genres. When she married, she inherited three stepdaughters, a pair of step-grandsons, and a psychotic cat. Currently she writes from South Carolina. Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.evelynpuerto.com/ for news of new releases and book recommendations. Or follow her on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/evely...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
[Spoiler-free review]
The last entry of the Royal Mages Series is as satisfying as endings can be. All the plot points that have been built come to their utmost climax. It is with a smile and a fluttering heart that I finish this incredible story.
The story picks up immediately after the events of The Girl Who Shattered the Sea, with Dreya living with the consequences of the risks she took during her adventures, which I won't spoil. If it's been a while since you read the last entry, don't worry; the book starts with a thorough summary of the adventure so far, which is mostly appreciated and extremely convenient.
The main event of this book is the final confrontation with Cetus, where all heroines and heroes must join together (quite literally) to face the overwhelming threat the evil sorcerer poses. The deeper story here the call for power, and how easily other powerful mages might succumb to it and be corrupted by it.
As always, Puerto wonderfully balances political intrigue, action-packed and heart-wrenching scenes, all made all the more fascinating by the magic each mage wields, and how they use it creatively to their advantage. But perhaps they are enjoying the violence and the power more than they should...
Finally, the heart-warming romances woven between the more tense moments are a much needed reprieve. They never distract from the plot. In fact, they add a raw humanity to it, raising the stakes, showing exactly what each mage personally stands to lose should they fail.
All in all, I'm both happy and sad to have finished this story. It's been such a wonderful ride and I'm sure the characters and their plights will stay with me for a long time. I heartily recommend this book and the series to all fans of fantasy!
The last entry of the Royal Mages Series is as satisfying as endings can be. All the plot points that have been built come to their utmost climax. It is with a smile and a fluttering heart that I finish this incredible story.
The story picks up immediately after the events of The Girl Who Shattered the Sea, with Dreya living with the consequences of the risks she took during her adventures, which I won't spoil. If it's been a while since you read the last entry, don't worry; the book starts with a thorough summary of the adventure so far, which is mostly appreciated and extremely convenient.
The main event of this book is the final confrontation with Cetus, where all heroines and heroes must join together (quite literally) to face the overwhelming threat the evil sorcerer poses. The deeper story here the call for power, and how easily other powerful mages might succumb to it and be corrupted by it.
As always, Puerto wonderfully balances political intrigue, action-packed and heart-wrenching scenes, all made all the more fascinating by the magic each mage wields, and how they use it creatively to their advantage. But perhaps they are enjoying the violence and the power more than they should...
Finally, the heart-warming romances woven between the more tense moments are a much needed reprieve. They never distract from the plot. In fact, they add a raw humanity to it, raising the stakes, showing exactly what each mage personally stands to lose should they fail.
All in all, I'm both happy and sad to have finished this story. It's been such a wonderful ride and I'm sure the characters and their plights will stay with me for a long time. I heartily recommend this book and the series to all fans of fantasy!
Review of advance copy received from Author
**** Received as an ARC ****
The fourth and final book in the Royal Mages series.
What a ride, like I said for the third book in the series, I found the recap at the start rather useful, especially when I was on a time cap to finish and review and had read #3 a while ago. :).
The book itself, it picks up where #3 left off, with our two main characters of the story in very separate locations, at a bit of a loss for next steps, and the threat of Invasion very imminent.
What follows is a thrilling conclusion to the series as a whole. There are a few time jumps in there, but it doesn't feel like a loss to the story, and enough is said about the times skipped that it covers the time efficiently and allow the struggle to be felt.
The tension keeps rising throughout that I was very enthralled to see how it would end. Although that being said, there was a little bit after where I thought it would wrap up, that finished the story well and it was a nice surprise to have more to this amazing world Evelyn Puerto has created. I was happy to spend an hour more with these characters.
Overall, a wonderful series worth the time, with a lot of adventure and a nice swirl of romance in the mix.
The fourth and final book in the Royal Mages series.
What a ride, like I said for the third book in the series, I found the recap at the start rather useful, especially when I was on a time cap to finish and review and had read #3 a while ago. :).
The book itself, it picks up where #3 left off, with our two main characters of the story in very separate locations, at a bit of a loss for next steps, and the threat of Invasion very imminent.
What follows is a thrilling conclusion to the series as a whole. There are a few time jumps in there, but it doesn't feel like a loss to the story, and enough is said about the times skipped that it covers the time efficiently and allow the struggle to be felt.
The tension keeps rising throughout that I was very enthralled to see how it would end. Although that being said, there was a little bit after where I thought it would wrap up, that finished the story well and it was a nice surprise to have more to this amazing world Evelyn Puerto has created. I was happy to spend an hour more with these characters.
Overall, a wonderful series worth the time, with a lot of adventure and a nice swirl of romance in the mix.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.75 stars
This was a really enjoyable series. I initially picked it up because it was labelled as a Sleeping Beauty retelling, but it was so much more. There was political intrigue, both fast- and slow-burn romances, well-written friendships. the navigation of betrayal and trauma, death and gore, and other interesting elements. I love the characters Evelyn Puerto writes; I found myself attached to all of them. I will miss hearing their stories.
I knocked a bit off my rating because of pacing. There were some parts that felt like they were dragging, and I found them a bit difficult to push through. But, I stuck it through (and I am glad I did!). I loved seeing Derya and her unlikely crew develop strong bonds with each other, and I especially enjoyed watching Derya and Stigandr's love story unfold. I'm glad all of our girls got their version of a mostly happy ending.
It was a solid series, and I look forward to seeing more of Puerto's work.
A big thank you to the author for sending me an advanced copy; I don't think I could have waited for September!!
This was a really enjoyable series. I initially picked it up because it was labelled as a Sleeping Beauty retelling, but it was so much more. There was political intrigue, both fast- and slow-burn romances, well-written friendships. the navigation of betrayal and trauma, death and gore, and other interesting elements. I love the characters Evelyn Puerto writes; I found myself attached to all of them. I will miss hearing their stories.
I knocked a bit off my rating because of pacing. There were some parts that felt like they were dragging, and I found them a bit difficult to push through. But, I stuck it through (and I am glad I did!). I loved seeing Derya and her unlikely crew develop strong bonds with each other, and I especially enjoyed watching Derya and Stigandr's love story unfold. I'm glad all of our girls got their version of a mostly happy ending.
It was a solid series, and I look forward to seeing more of Puerto's work.
A big thank you to the author for sending me an advanced copy; I don't think I could have waited for September!!
September 7, 2026
Thank you to the author for the ARC copy of this book. I had read the first book in the series but not the following two. Fortunately, the book had a summary of those two books so I felt like I was caught up with what had happened before.
This was a well written culmination of the story, with the story happening from several different perspectives but mainly Derya. I felt her story arc was well done, especially dealing with life as a serious injury and having been raised to believe any sort of imperfection meant that she couldn’t be the ruler of her country. She had a number of struggles during the book, mental and physical, and grew as a leader because of them.
I did feel that the final battle was over a bit quickly for all the build-up beforehand though. And there were times I struggled with some of the place names, but that’s a minor thing. Overall, I liked this story and should probably go back and read the middle two books!
This was a well written culmination of the story, with the story happening from several different perspectives but mainly Derya. I felt her story arc was well done, especially dealing with life as a serious injury and having been raised to believe any sort of imperfection meant that she couldn’t be the ruler of her country. She had a number of struggles during the book, mental and physical, and grew as a leader because of them.
I did feel that the final battle was over a bit quickly for all the build-up beforehand though. And there were times I struggled with some of the place names, but that’s a minor thing. Overall, I liked this story and should probably go back and read the middle two books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2026
A Fulfilling Ending for an Engaging Series
The first book in this series gripped me, and the author held me immersed throughout. With each book, my fondness for her characters grew, making each story a reunion of sorts. It was exciting to watch Derya and Eliana first develop their magical abilities. From then on, their skills magnified until they faced the final battle with the most formidable antagonist of all. A meaningful theme--fighting for freedom--was woven throughout the stories. Power itself was also an antagonist, tempting whoever wielded it. Each character faced the challenge of putting their subjects' well being above the intoxicating temptation of power. This last book was an excellent culmination for the whole series. The author tied up all the loose ends. It was very satisfying.
The first book in this series gripped me, and the author held me immersed throughout. With each book, my fondness for her characters grew, making each story a reunion of sorts. It was exciting to watch Derya and Eliana first develop their magical abilities. From then on, their skills magnified until they faced the final battle with the most formidable antagonist of all. A meaningful theme--fighting for freedom--was woven throughout the stories. Power itself was also an antagonist, tempting whoever wielded it. Each character faced the challenge of putting their subjects' well being above the intoxicating temptation of power. This last book was an excellent culmination for the whole series. The author tied up all the loose ends. It was very satisfying.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The fourth and final book of the Royal Mages series did not disappoint. A short review is given in the beginning to remind readers of the previous books’ plot points and characters. Derya, the heir of Cinar, is the main point of view character. Her reunion with Elaina is heart-warming. Tension bubbles over in her interactions with Stigandr the barbarian. After repeated assassination attempts, she doesn’t know who she can trust. Cetus, the power-hungry wizard, becomes stronger and bolder. His monster creations wreak havoc on communities. Derya and her friends use their magical powers to fight Cetus. Will their combined magical powers be enough to defeat Cetus for good, and will they all survive to tell the tale?
September 1, 2026
Reviewed an advance reader copy of the book provided by the author.
Evelyn does it again! The denouement of this saga continues with the same level of excitement as the previous three. Follow the adventures of Derya, Eliana, Adakizh, Stigandr, Nazif and Garzuli as they battle Cetus and his hoard of strange creations. All I can say is that the surprises continue and the action is unabated! In a world where increasingly the strong are oppressing the weak it is refreshing to read about a more hopeful vision where national leaders can learn to trust each other and collaborate to address common issues. It is high time we elevate more women to leadership roles and see what they can do. I had the pleasure of being part of Evelyn’s cadre of advance readers.
Evelyn does it again! The denouement of this saga continues with the same level of excitement as the previous three. Follow the adventures of Derya, Eliana, Adakizh, Stigandr, Nazif and Garzuli as they battle Cetus and his hoard of strange creations. All I can say is that the surprises continue and the action is unabated! In a world where increasingly the strong are oppressing the weak it is refreshing to read about a more hopeful vision where national leaders can learn to trust each other and collaborate to address common issues. It is high time we elevate more women to leadership roles and see what they can do. I had the pleasure of being part of Evelyn’s cadre of advance readers.
August 15, 2026
Fantastic conclusion to a great series! Ive enjoyed the whole series. The adventure, the character growth and the incredible magical world are just a few things i loved about this series. The strong female cast is another.
My absolute love of Derya and Stigandr’s relationship, made this book my favorite of all four books, probably my top favorite thing in the whole series. No spoliers but i did cry happy tears at a certain point in the story. They are just so perfect.
The story just kept me turning the pages. The rhythm of the writing and descriptions of the world pulled me in. Absolutely recommend this series! And if you haven’t read the Outlawed Myth Series definitely check that out too!
My absolute love of Derya and Stigandr’s relationship, made this book my favorite of all four books, probably my top favorite thing in the whole series. No spoliers but i did cry happy tears at a certain point in the story. They are just so perfect.
The story just kept me turning the pages. The rhythm of the writing and descriptions of the world pulled me in. Absolutely recommend this series! And if you haven’t read the Outlawed Myth Series definitely check that out too!
September 3, 2026
The Girl Who Cracked the Sky is the 4th and final book in the Royal Mages series. The book picks up where book 3 ends with the two main characters being in different areas unsure of where to go from there.
This is a great series and us definitely worth reading. It's packed with enough tension and adventure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
This is a great series and us definitely worth reading. It's packed with enough tension and adventure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Omg I have loved reading the full series, following Derya and Elian's story. I highly recommend this book series.
September 8, 2026
Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews