Freedom's Slave Lib/E

Dark Caravan Cycle #3

by Heather Demetrios, Josh Hurley (Reading)

Freedom's Slave is the exhilarating end to Heather Demetrios's Dark Caravan Cycle--a modern jinni fantasy-adventure trilogy, which Publishers Weekly called "an intricate and smartly written story," perfect for fans of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone series and Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy. After three long years in exile, Nalia is ready to return to her homeland and sit on the throne that is rightfully hers. But the gods might have other plans. Forced to endure untold horrors on the journey to Arjinna, Nalia learns that it will take more than cutting down the tyrant Calar to get her crown. Meanwhile, Raif's return to Arjinna as the commander of the revolution against Calar and her army isn't as smooth as he'd hoped. Though he has more soldiers than ever before, his love for Nalia is losing him the trust of his comrades . . . and the war. But little does the resistance know that insurrection is brewing among Calar's own ranks--and from the one person she trusts the most. Is Nalia and Raif's enduring love enough to transform and rescue their homeland? Will they be willing to save the realm, no matter the cost?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Romance, Magic, Young Adult Fantasy, Paranormal

Audio CD

First published February 28, 2017

About the author

Heather Demetrios is a critically acclaimed author, writing coach, and certified meditation teacher. She has an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a recipient of the PEN America Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award for her debut novel, Something Real. Her novels include Little Universes, I’ll Meet You There, Bad Romance, as well as the Dark Caravan fantasy series: Exquisite Captive, Blood Passage, and Freedom’s Slave. Her non-fiction includes the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Code Name Badass: The True Story of Virginia Hall, and she is the editor of Dear Heartbreak: YA Authors and Teens on the Dark Side of Love. Her honors include books that have been named Bank Street Best Children’s Books, YALSA Best Fiction For Young Adults selections, a Goodreads Choice Nominee, a Kirkus Best Book, and a Barnes and Noble Best Book. Her work has appeared in LA Review of Books, Bustle, School Library Journal, and other fine outlets.

In addition to her writing, Heather is passionate about bringing words and mindfulness to women in the refugee community as well as "helping the helpers" on the ground through mindfulness and therapeutic writing. She works in communications and mindfulness outreach for Becky’s Bathhouse, a wellness center and safe space serving refugee women in Lesvos, Greece. Find out more about how you can support their work here.

Find out more about Heather and her books at heatherdemetrios.com.

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, heartbreaking, and utterly satisfying.


***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Freedom's Slave by Heather Demetrios
Book Three of the Dark Caravan Cycle series
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: February 28, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

An Empress Fighting for Her Crown
After three long years in exile, Nalia is ready to return to her homeland and sit on the throne that is rightfully hers. But the gods might have other plans. Forced to endure untold horrors on the journey to Arjinna, Nalia learns that it will take more than cutting down the tyrant Calar to get her crown.

An Army Fighting to Survive
Raif’s return to Arjinna as the commander of the revolution against Calar and her army isn’t as smooth as he’d hoped. Though he has more soldiers than ever before, his love for Nalia is losing him the trust of his comrades...and the war. But little does the resistance know that insurrection is brewing among Calar’s own ranks—and from the one person she trusts the most.

A Land Worth Fighting for
Arjinna is dying—Calar’s evil experiments with dark magic and the strength of her own psychic powers threaten to destroy the land of the jinn. Is Nalia and Raif’s enduring love enough to transform and rescue their homeland? Will they be willing to save the realm, no matter the cost?

What I Liked:

***SPOILER-FREE REVIEW***

This book... this book. I just finished it a few minutes ago and I'm pretty speechless. I liked Exquisite Captive and Blood Passage, but I think this book is Demetrios's best work. I loved this book, and I hated it a little too (you'll understand why, and it'll make you love/hate the book too), in the best of ways. The author took me on quite the emotional roller coaster, but the book was brilliant and stunning because of that roller coaster.

In this final novel of the Dark Caravan Cycle series, Nalia and Raif return to Arjinna. Raif must lead the dissenting tavrai, who begin to distrust him because of his faith in Nalia. He and the army of jinn find allies in unexpected places, as all of Arjinna looks to the fall of Calar. Meanwhile, Nalia must learn ways from the old empresses - on her own. She'll need to find her way back to the battle - to Raif - in order to claim her throne and bring peace to Arjinna. No one will be spared, from Calar, or from the gods.

I will do my very best to keep things as vague as possible! But bottom line - I really recommend this conclusion novel, especially if you've read Exquisite Captive and Blood Passage (or even just Exquisite Captive). This conclusion is nothing short of intriguing, mind-blowing, heartbreaking, terrifying, sexy, and satisfying.

This book had a bigger focus on Raif than it did on Nalia. In fact, I'll go as far as to say that Nalia is not physically present in the first half of the book. It was strange, her not being anywhere significant (in relation to Arjinna, Raif, and the others). BUT, she was somewhere she needed to be. And the story would not have been as complete with her glued to Raif's side (and the others). With Nalia's absence, there are a lot of chapters in the perspectives of other jinn - jinn are somewhat newly introduced in this book but play a very significant role in the story.

While Nalia isn't really in the first half of the story at all, she is extremely present in the second half of the story (like, reunited with Raif, etc.). She is every inch the warrior and survivor that we have known her to be - and then some. I love the completeness of her transformation into empress. In this book, she is confident and yet unsure of herself, protective and merciful, compassionate and yet merciless when it comes to the safety of those she loves. While I stand by my original statement (that this book focuses more on Raif than Nalia), Nalia is always the center of the trilogy's story. I loved seeing her reach her full potential and make her claim for the throne.

Raif... oh Raif. Raif, to me, is the most important character in this book. With Nalia not being by his side in the first 50% of the book (or thereabout), it's hard on him. He's lost at first, and it's so heartbreaking to see him try to fight a war and be separated from his rohifsa at the same time. I can't say too much about things, but I really, really felt for him. But Raif is the strongest character of this book, and series. He endures so much, and fights through so much pain (not the physical kind), and he is so strong and selfless and every bit the leader he has proven himself to be.

Two characters change the course of this story - Taz, the commander of the jinn army, and Kes, Calar's lover. When we're introduced to Kes, it's strange - why is the perspective of the lover of Calar (the story's villain) being presented? But Kes no longer stands with Calar, and wants her deposed. He secretly starts to support and meet with the resistance, and eventually, Raif and the tavrai. Kes's story is so heartbreaking and almost hopeless, and yet he finds his own hope and light. I didn't like him at first (for obvious reasons) but it wasn't before long that I absolutely loved him.

I love how Demetrios does that. She takes characters that you think you'll absolutely hate - Kes, Shirin, to an extent, Malek, and makes you feel for them. Well, Malek, no. I didn't like him at all, and never would have. We all read Blood Passage, right? Good riddance. He's not in this book.

Taz is the other really important secondary character that gets chapters from his perspective. He is several thousand years old and the commander of the jinn army that came through the Eye with Raif. He becomes a good friend to Raif, and a huge support for Raif when Raif was stuck (I'll leave it at that). Taz is a good man, and it's hard not to love him. My heart broke for him like my heart broke for Kes. But, like Kes, I loved how Taz found his hope and light.

As with the other books, I love the world-building of this book and series. The Middle Eastern touch, all of the jinn lore and myths and magic, and the Arjinnan setting of this book - Demetrios did an amazing job in crafting this world. Clearly she did her research, with all of the italicized words, the settings, the tales and lore. This is easily the best written and most researched jinn story/series in YA literature that I've ever read!

Okay fine, I'll talk about the romance. I mentioned that Raif and Nalia are separated for about 50% of the book. Let me (sort of) discuss that first. This separation - it's necessary on several levels, but it's something that you don't really realize is necessary until the story starts to move. Like at first you're like WHAT? Because the separation happens immediately as the story begins. But you will see how necessary it is (in my opinion). I hate separations like that (what is worse is the separations in which they don't know the state of the other). But I get why the author did it, AND in some ways it was good, because it opened the story to focus more on Raif, and give way to chapters from Taz's and Kes's perspectives.

But the romance is so strong, in this book. Even in the first half of the book, with them being separated, you can practically feel the strength of Raif and Nalia's love. Their bond is so strong and unshakable, and the distance doesn't hurt them at all. Their reunion, around the 50% mark, was so beautiful. And from that point on, the romance is sweet, sexy, and so heartwarming. I loved seeing Raif and Nalia back together! Like any couple, they have their arguments, their moments of doubt, and their slip-ups. Raif was definitely dealt the harsher end of the stick, in terms of, well, everything. But I love how powerful and unshakable the romance was. They endured quite a bit and yet they never stopped loving each other.

Yes, there are plenty of sexy times in this book. Demetrios does some fade-to-black but she also doesn't leave everything up to the imagination. Which I applaud!

One thing that I was a huge fan of - so I mentioned that Raif is more of the focus, in this book. And yet, it's really all about the empress (Nalia). I LOVE how Raif is so willing to cede everything to Nalia (all of his power and influence over the tavrai, for example). But what I love even more? Nalia does the same; she brings Raif to be her equal, at her side, and not behind her. If she is empress, she is emperor - that kind of thing. I love this.

I don't want to say anything about the battles and Calar and the ending, but I will say - this book is a whirlwind of action and death and scheming. There was never a dull moment in the book. I should also follow up on my comment about this book taking me on an emotional roller coaster. Um, yes, Demetrios really takes readers through every single emotion possible, in this book. And she does it so well. For example, Raif's defeat and anguish was so palpable, or Shirin's frustration, or Nalia's desperation, or Kes's disgust, or Taz's pain. Everything was so amplified, and I truly felt the characters' pain and joy and hope like it was my own.

In the end, this book was incredibly satisfying. It's full of nonstop action, life-or-death craziness, plagues, magic, heartbreak, hope, sexy romance, and love. Not every character gets a HEA (which is so sad!), but Raif and Nalia get a nice ending (yes, I will say that much, spoiler or not). After everything that Raif (Raif and Nalia, but Raif more so) was put through, he'd better get a nice ending with her! I think Demetrios wrapped up the series perfectly, and ended the story in a way that really fit and made things work. I loved this book, with all of its heartbreak and despair, its hopefulness and passion and love.

What I Did Not Like:

I already talked this to death, but my sole complaint would be something that is and isn't a complaint. I always hate long separations between the main couple, and the separation between Raif and Nalia was brutal. It was tough more so because it was so long (the duration of time, I won't say specifically), and they don't know how the other is doing, during this separation.

BUT AGAIN. I think the separation was necessary, in the end. When it first, errr, happened, it definitely didn't feel that way. But the story couldn't have gone in the direction that it did, without the separation. Still, I hate separations!

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book, if you're already somewhere in the series! This is an excellent and highly engrossing conclusion novel that will take you for a ride, make you feel every emotion possible, and keep you on your toes until the epilogue. In general, I recommend the series. It started off looking like there would be a crappy love triangle, but that wasn't the case. I love the culture and magic and lore behind this series, and the sweet and sexy romance between Raif and Nalia, and the gritty, bloody battle to reclaim Arjinna. Demetrios has masterfully written a powerful, epic fantasy series here!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. I'm rounded down but I really enjoyed this book. Demetrios makes up for all of the separation and heartbreak in the second half of the book, I promise. This is such a great conclusion novel! I wish more YA trilogies ended as well as this book - with a HEA, but also a realistic ending that doesn't have all of the problems magically fixed or gone. I'm excited to read more by this author, whether series or standalone! Bad Romance is next for me.




Pre-read squees:

Finished with Blood Passage . While it didn't on a cliffhanger (YAY!), I'm going to need Freedom's Slave RIGHT NOW. :D

[Léna]

Hum hum, I don't see any reference to my dear Malek in this synopsis (yes still hoping and in denial).....

(going back in my dark corner to mourn)

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat een fantastisch einde van de reeks! Van boek 1 waar we Nalia leren kennen als slaaf op aarde tot boek 3 waar ze teruggaat naar Arjinna om haar rijk te redden, deze reeks verveelt geen moment!

[Megan • Reading Books Like a Boss (book blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The message in this book is loud and clear: Never stop fighting for what you believe in no matter how bleak the circumstances might be. The characters' journeys and unrelenting fight will resonate with readers of today as our world faces pain, oppression, brokenness, and an innumerable amount of other issues—things that Raif, Nalia, Taz, and everyone else in FREEDOM'S SLAVE had to face.

FREEDOM'S SLAVE tops out at over 600 pages, which is admittedly a little intimidating and quite a commitment. But I'm happy to say that this book didn't feel like it was that long. Demetiros packs this book full of twists, turns, and believable action that kept me interested and engaged. Though, like in previous books, some of the novel did feel a bit long-winded in its descriptions and narrative.

We are reacquainted with characters from the previous two novels, like Nalia, Raif, and members of the newly freed Brass Army. But Demetrios also introduces us to new characters as the focus shifts from Solomon's sigil to the troubled land of Arjinna. The whole series has been leading to this moment—to when everyone is finally able to get back to the homeland.

The power of love is a constant theme throughout this novel. Strength, resilience, hope, and love are all characteristics that Nalia and Raif possess, which also makes them both brilliant leaders of the revolution and over a broken and oppressed people. Their love for each other and for their people was something Demetrios really crafted beautifully. I have to admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of Raif and Nalia as a couple but I liked who they came individually and together in this novel. Kudos!

Through her beautifully imagined fantasy world, Demetrios tackles real world issues that we face today, such as racism, sex trafficking, poverty, and power imbalances. These issues were woven delicately into the story and were recognized as things to overcome by our main characters. They weren't glossed over or minimized but handled straight on and dealt with, which was really refreshing. The book didn't feel like a giant public service announcement.

I liked this final installment, but I didn't love it. There was A LOT going on, almost too much at times—even though I liked the action. The Godsnight plot and the Calar plot were two big moments in the book. I felt like the Godsnight plot overshadowed the momentum from the Calar plot that was slowly building from the beginning. I also had some issues with some of the placement of the more romantic scenes; some of them felt misplaced in the midst of war and strife.

Overall, I thought this series was beautiful visually with strong inspirations from Middle Eastern culture, language, architecture, and history. Demetrios did a spectacular job with drawing the reader into this lush fantasy world, filled with captive jinni, a troubled people, and a boy turned man ready to save them all. I recommend this series to readers who want to experience a beautiful setting!

* Thanks to Balzter + Bray for providing me with an early copy for review (and for all the books in the series, for that matter)! Receiving this book for free did not affect my opinion.




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★★UPCOMING BOOK RELEASES★★
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[Zemira Warner]

Reading Freedom's Slave after Blood Passage (which ended up being an epic disappointment) was extremely hard for me because I didn't know whether or not if I should read it. Exquisite Captive is still one of my all-time favorite books and Malek is one of my favorite characters, ever. I was so upset about the development of his character in Blood Passage. I still am. I still hoped for the best but that didn't exactly work out.

I don't like Nalia and Raif's relationship. Everything happened too fast for me to believe it's real and genuine.

I might write a full review once the book comes out, but unlikely. I'm also not rating the book.

[Sara (A Gingerly Review) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great finale to a series I have really enjoyed.

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional ending to a jinn rebellion / revolution series.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

By now, you may know that I am a big fan of the Dark Caravan Cycle by Heater Demetrios. Exquisite Captive  is "a story of passion, of pain and ultimately of the power that can be found in freedom." and Blood Passage is filled with "precise detailing, inspiring character growth and absolutely gorgeous writing", making it an equally fabulous sequel. It's no wonder that I went into the final book in the trilogy with exceedingly high expectations. All I wanted was for Nalia and Raif to finally find happiness after sacrificing so much for their home and for their people. Over the first two books in this series, I'd become invested in the stories of these characters, their lives and their fight for survival.





II want to start off by saying how amazing it was to finally be in Arjinna. After spending "Exquisite Captive" in dark and sexy Los Angeles and "Blood Passage" in the stunning beauty of the Moroccan desert, it was so wonderful to finally be swept away to the magical land of Arjinna that I'd been hearing so much about. Demetrios created an enchanting and mysterious land that allowed me to really immerse myself in to the myth and legend of the world. From the Forest of Sighs and the Qaf Mountains, to the cauldron at Ithkar and the Ghan Aisouri Palace. There is so much to fall in love with in Arjinna...and I fell hard.

Freedom's Slave is the continuation and conclusion of Nalia's journey to discover her destiny and in this third book, I felt like she had finally come into her own and taken control of her future. This growth came with some serious sacrifice on her part and it's evident that she has taken the responsibility laid upon her as her true purpose in life. It was amazing to see Nalia transform into the person she was always meant to be.

It's so hard to get into a ton of detail without giving so much of this final book away, and to do that would completely ruin the reading experience. Suffice it to say, I loved everything about this series finale. The characters, the setting and the story all came together in a perfect union and even though this book is a little more than 600 pages, I couldn't get enough.
FINAL THOUGHTS…

Freedom's Slave is an amazing conclusion to an epic series that was absolutely perfect! I'm so sad to say goodbye to these characters but absolutely
love how it all ended.

This review was originally posted on what sarah read...

[!Aria! · Rating 3 out of 5]

REALLY GOOD!!!!! Nalia and Raif are amazing together. My favorite characters are Taz and Thatur. Thatur was strict but funny towards Nalia and Taz went through a lot and still didn't give up. All of the characters throughout the books were amazing. I like this book a lot. I look forward to reading more books about Jinn, love, happiness, and defeat......

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a trilogy where everyone fucking dies. I don't know why I love it so much after my heart being broken multiple times. Oh right, because it's beautiful. The world and characters are so vivid.
Highly underrated trilogy, which is a real tragedy.

[María Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

En este libro se me ha hecho mucho más creíble la historia entre Nalia y Raif.
Una muy buena manera de cerrar la historia y a sus personajes.

[Shelley]

*Synopsis to ADD*

Freedom’s Slave is the exhilarating final book in the Dark Caravan Cycle—a modern jinni fantasy-adventure trilogy from author Heather Demetrios, perfect for fans of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy.

An Empress Fighting for Her Crown
After three long years in exile, Nalia is ready to return to her homeland and sit on the throne that is rightfully hers. But the gods might have other plans. Forced to endure untold horrors on the journey to Arjinna, Nalia learns that it will take more than cutting down the tyrant Calar to get her crown.

An Army Fighting to Survive
Raif’s return to Arjinna as the commander of the revolution against Calar and her army isn’t as smooth as he’d hoped. Though he has more soldiers than ever before, his love for Nalia is losing him the trust of his comrades...and the war. But little does the resistance know that insurrection is brewing among Calar’s own ranks—and from the one person she trusts the most.

A Land Worth Fighting for
Arjinna is dying—Calar’s evil experiments with dark magic and the strength of her own psychic powers threaten to destroy the land of the jinn. Is Nalia and Raif’s enduring love enough to transform and rescue their homeland? Will they be willing to save the realm, no matter the cost?

[Aiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a stunning conclusion to an equally stunning series. Nalia was so regal and had such an empress like quality, and she had really grown up. Her stint in the Eye was almost necessary in proving how much love Raif and Nalia had for each other. This is one of my favorite series of all time and I hope you love it as much as I do.

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freedom's Slave is the dramatic conclusion to the Dark Caravan Cycle. There was a lot of great jinni magic, creative world building in Arjinna, epic battles, and clever escapes in this finale; however, it was probably 200 pages too long. I wanted to take all of these good parts and cut and paste them together to make one, more compact, thrilling conclusion. I didn't see the point in having Nalia get lost in the Eye, other than for us to spend 200 pages on relationship drama. There were other ways to establish what she learned within the Eye. The whole "one year later" thing really slowed down the plot for me. There was all this urgency built up with their return to Arjinna, and then all of a sudden they have to hang out for a whole year more in this state of atrocity. It put a halt on any sense of anticipation that was building and made the ending less climactic. I found the way it resolved interesting and unique, but it wasn't as impactful as it could have been. The formatting of the book could have been done better as well. Making all of the pages from Nalia's perspective in the Eye a different color told the reader from just a glance at the book, when exactly Nalia was going to be coming back into the story. So, once again, when you can clearly see that she is coming back and specifically when in the book it is going to happen, it makes all of the mourning and longing less poignant. This book should not be classified as young adult. There should probably be a content warning on this book or a trigger warning for pretty much everything. I could write it all out, but it is easier to say pretty much everything because realistically that is actually fairly accurate. Because of this I would not recommend this book to anyone who isn't at least over 20 years old. Even then, I would say that there were many things included that were not necessary and she could have painted the picture of the evil land or someone's evil character without having to cross over into mentioning some of the most vile acts people can commit. That being said she is not crass about it, but still, even the mention of certain acts was not necessary to get the same point across. Despite this it is a very fast read, and even though I was able to speed through it, at the end it still felt like a lot of the relationship drama was pointless and held the action back from being as enthralling as it could have been.

[Erin]

Initially, I wanted to give this book a 1-Star rating but then stopped myself and decided not to give it a rating at all. I actually finished this about a week ago, but have been trying to organize my thoughts as to how I felt about it (hence the hemming and hawing on the rating) - and, ultimately, I can sum it up in two words (one, I understand, is not technically a word) - heartbreakingly disappointing. I really, really enjoyed the first two books in this series and I absolutely love Heather Demetrios writing style. I was particularly affected by her latest contemporary novel, "Bad Romance." It spoke to me in ways I never thought possible and helped me work out a lot of my own baggage.

So it's with a heavy heart to say that this final book in the "Dark Caravan Cycle" was an absolute and utter mess. Don't get me wrong, I love me a good star-crossed romance, but by the end I found myself no longer rooting for Nalia and Raif because they became so completely obnoxious that I kept hoping someone would just put them both out of their misery. Additionally, the pacing of this book was terribly uneven - some things that didn't need so much air time were dragged out to the point where I just stopped caring (*cough* Nalia & Raif *cough*). While others were glossed over when I really could have used some more, well, anything (*cough* Taz & Kez *cough*). It's also important to note that this is by no means a small book, and considering its length it's hard to reconcile the fact that it feels like nothing really happens while simultaneously thinking that too much is happening (weird, I know).

Ultimately, I wish this would have been stretched out to another book. I think that may have helped the pacing and really would have allowed Demetrios to fully develop some of those plot lines that felt rushed and give some of her characters their proper due (*cough* Malek *cough* Calar *cough* Kez *cough* BASICALLY ANYONE WHO WASN'T NALIA OR RAIF!!!!!)

I still adore Heather Demetrios as an author. Her contemporary novels are brilliant and I really enjoyed the first two novels of this series. I think this final installment just tried to be too much for one book.

[Teenreadsdotcom · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I heard that I’d get to review FREEDOM’S SLAVE by Heather Demetrios, I was ecstatic! FREEDOM’S SLAVE is the final book in the Dark Caravan Cycle. I read the first book ages ago on a whim, and devoured it. I read an ARC of BLOOD PASSAGE in 2015, when it was supposed to come out that October, but got pushed back to Spring 2016. As a result, I ended up reading it almost two years before FREEDOM’S SLAVE came out, which was quite a wait!

I had to wait a while for FREEDOM’S SLAVE, but boy, was it worth it. It was 500+ pages of awesome. Admittedly, the beginning was slow at times, but it was worth it.

I was so excited to see what happened with Nalia and Raif in FREEDOM’S SLAVE, and the book did not disappoint. As always, the romance was amazing. I "ship" Nalia and Raif to the ends of the earth and back. No matter what stood in their way, Nalia and Raif could always be counted on to stick together.

We were also better acquainted with characters introduced in BLOOD CAPTIVE, as well as introduced to new characters. And trust me when I say there is a new romance that you do not want to miss!

While some books are more predictable than others, I did not see the end of FREEDOM’S SLAVE coming. The hits just kept coming, but somehow Nalia managed to roll with the punches. While Nalia had her supporters from the Brass Army, no one within Arjinna liked her very much. And so Nalia had to save her world, without the help of its people --- a little hard, to say the least.

The world building was amazing. Up until this point, the series has taken place in our world, with a few adjustments, of course. But Arjinna is a whole new place. Heather Demetrios expertly weaves a dazzling world that will leave readers wanting to explore it more.

This book, and series as a whole, is definitely for more mature readers. While never truly explicit, there are scenes that aren’t for a younger audience.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who’s a fan of THE WRATH AND THE DAWN by Renee Ahdieh or A THOUSAND NIGHTS by E.K. Johnston!

Reviewed by Isabel C., Teen Board Member

[Cassie James · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF @ 41%.

First of all, I really love this series. The story, the characters, the magic, the romance, the worlds, just everything about it. I read the first two books in three days and they are quite lengthy. I was excited to start this final part of the series and also kind of sad because that would mean leaving them behind. Freedom's Slave started with the POV of Calar's lover Kesmir. He's a very interesting character, and also the revelation of a person that was thought dead. Then it continued with where Blood Passage left off, the main characters and their army passing through the EYE (Weird dark place that magic/elements doesn't exist and ghouls live, it is also the border between Arjinna and Earth).
I kind of sped through the first 40% because everyone thought Nalia was dead and I couldn't for the life of me care about anything happening to other people when no one knew what happened to her. I missed most things that happened but I didn't care because reading them mourning Nalia was not fun. Maybe it's because so many sad things are happening in the world right now but I just can't stand the way everyone assumed Nalia dead for so long, it was dragged out too long and that kind of ruined this book for me.
I was going to endure and finish it but then I saw the part two began a year later and that was the last straw for me. This had the potential to be better but I have to say I'm terribly disappointed. While it's not my type, there are still those that will still manage to like it or at least endure it.

[Rebecca Veight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nalia disappears during the group's journey through the Eye of Iblis. Things ha be become immensely dangerous for the rest of the group so they are forced to continue to Arjinna without her. All roads lead to Arjinna & war.

The book starts with the POV of Kesmir, Calar's consort, reminding us that there are 2 sides to every story. I really really like this character.

It still took me quite some pages to get into the book, the first chapters were like incessant chatter, then I started to relax & enjoy the adventure.

Demetrios continues to flourish the surroundings with intricate detailing & the emotions they evoke. You can "see" the different parts of Arjinna which were imagined quite well. We witness the difference between true evil & being unwittingly on the wrong side. What you do about it is what defines you.

The being lost in the Eye parts weigh down & drag the 1st part of the book. It is like the author is biding her time till some big reveal. In this instance it would of been better if we'd been kept in the dark, more of an impact.

Starting from part 2 it becomes the finale I was hoping for. Battles, unexpected altercations & obstacles, Calar is deliciously evil & we have evolution from the events of book 2.

The inevitable showdown is not what you expect & then you realize it could be no other way.

Without the weak 1st part, a more condensed, no waste of time version would of made this a finale to remember.

[Cappacino Assasin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great end to a fantastic series. The first part of the book was a tad boring, especially Nalia's time in the Eye. But, after she left the Eye, the book came alive.

ROMANCE
At the heart of this series is the love story between Nalia and Raif, the empress and the revolutionary. Two people who would never have come together, the Ghan Aisouri and the Djan who would never have met each other before the war but whose love story would allow Arjinna to rise again. Their love story broke the traditions, the customs, the norms and everything that had been the bedrock of Arjinna and rewrote everything. I loved it. How Nalia and Raif balanced each other other. How they loved each other and with this love changed their country for the better. And some of the prose, especially in the romance scenes, is terrific.

The characters
A whole new set of characters are introduced to us, including Taz (who did appear in book 2), Kes and Shirin (whom we hear from for the first time). I loved the differing perspectives and the ability to look into the heads of everyone to see how they felt and what they were thinking. It was intriguing and made the story greater.

And so, magic and adventure combined with the above-mentioned elements to create an unforgettable story, one I know that I will likely keep returning to.

[Isis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This whole trilogy had potential so much more. The writing was sophisticated but not overly wordy and the character were diverse and interesting. I just feel that all the books could’ve been 300 pages each instead of 500-600 pages. There’s just so much of nothing happening in a lot of the books and so much unnecessary romance and drama. Like you’re trying to end a war please focus 💀 Because of this, it took me longer than usual to finish this series. In addition, I think the romance developed too quickly and not naturally enough with the characters’ background of being taught to hate each other. And not just like we hate you just because. No, it’s more like your caste enslaved mine so yeah should’ve probably taken longer to get over that. This was a good opportunity for an iconic slow burn romance but alas the time I actually want it I don’t get it. Overall, this trilogy was just fine. Read it if you have some extra time on your hands to read about jinnis, their castes and interesting magic.

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing series. The first book I was skeptical until about half way through the book and then the second and third book I was not able to put the book down. This book was majestically written in a way in which I was captivated, Nalia was in the Eye and lost in the darkness, found and became a warrior a leader and a wife, and then reborn into a slave of freedom and royalty. She is a true heroine and a feminist.
This book has underlying messages and awareness of race, oppression, and human trafficking. Also has messages woven into the story of environmental crisis and repairing the land. This message was made clear in the land of lava and ash as well as the Godsnight events.
The moral of the story is to be just and fair, nonjudgmental, and respect the land beautifully interwoven into a tale of warriors and undying love.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazingly whimsical, sensual and enthralling series. It was reminiscent of Alladin in how it incorporated the magical jinni elements and my notion of them, but it never became too stereotypical or expected so as to steer clear from becoming a ridiculous representation of jinni fiction. It was well written, action-packed, and I love how the main character and her love interest had this star-crossed lovers feel to them, ever since the beginning of this series. The message was also a very wholesome one: that good/love always prevails. It's a little too PG and I would have appreciated a more adult perspective on everything, but it was still a very solid read. I think it's also interesting how the refugee situation in the book now finds it parallel in our world.

[starryeyedjen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Heather Demetrios' contemporary novels immensely, and I even really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I should have stopped there. This book was too long by half and it suffers from the same horrible narrator as the previous book. So much happens and the reader is given little time to react before something else happens and the cycle starts anew. Also, the whole book focused on this person or that pining away for someone else, Nalia was a non-character for a big chunk of the book, and Raif was...not himself. Also, I miss Malek. I love a good redeemable villain and we should have had more page time with him. Rather a disappointment. I'm amazed I managed to finish...

[Chu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but this book was a mess. I gave up around 1/4 into the book. Too many points of views and Nalia was hardly in it (the 1/4 that i read). The story was a bleak mess that i could not wait to leave. I hate when the readers knows something that most of the characters in the book does not, and the author then drags out the reveal for the longest time, while we have to read through angst and excessive mourning. It is so annoying. It is a pity. The first two books were great. I rarely dismiss final books when i have enjoyed the prior books, but I just could not get into this one.

[Drucilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this book pulls a New Moon and Nalia disappears for half of it. Normally this would piss me off, but I think other stuff in the book makes up for it and it all works out okay. New and interesting characters are introduced, we see things from different perspectives, and I think the ending is a bit refreshing since the final battle is more survival from the gods' plagues than a one-on-one battle. Though the final one-on-one battle between Nalia and Calar was a little disappointing and left me with a number of questions that the epilogue does nothing to answer. A solid ending to a solid trilogy.

[Emma Andje · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half/third was great, and I was really excited to continue reading what I thought was going to be a fantastic end to the series. But, after that, the pacing, timeline, character development, and relationships felt too off or too forced for me to fully enjoy this.

I think this series’s timeline in all of the books could have been adjusted so that the wide gap in time didn’t exist in this last book.

Lastly, one of the things I loved about the previous books is how rich the characters’ personalities, development, and relationships were, but all of this fell flat in the final book.

Overall, a kind of disappointing and drawn out end to this series.

[Zoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I began reading this book with the expectation that I would enjoy it as I did the other two books in this series, but alas Freedom's Slave was terrible. My two main problems were that the plot was just so SLOW and I just couldn't connect to the characters or form any sympathy towards them. I honestly don't know how I managed to finish this book as the first half was basically Raif grieving for Nalia. I gave it two stars because despite it's MANY flaws, the book does a good jobs of closing the series and there were a few moments where I felt interested in it.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short review here but I finally got around to reading this book (been wanting to read this book for a while now) but unfortunately I was disappointed with it and if I'm being entirely honest here . . . I preferred the first two books over this one, especially the first one which will always be a favourite of mine. But overall I thought this book was a decent read but I think I've left too much time between reading the second book and this one and because of that I have forgotten some things which did not help when it came to reading this book.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5

I enjoyed this but it had been awhile since I read the other two so I kept feeling like I was missing something so that’s on me. However I also felt iffy on the ending as it included a trope I tend to have mixed feelings on.

Overall, though, the writing is beautiful and lyrical, and I did love the characters.

FYI in case you can’t tell from the book or series title... this is quite dark.

[Haze]

Did it get better? Nope. No, it did not. It got worse. Much worse.

It got so much worse, I couldn't even finish the book. It's a completely different story from what it started out as. Even the main character disappears for more than the first half of the book.

It is such a shame because the premise had such great potential and it just completely turned into... whatever this is.

Such a collosal disappointment.