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Reign of Secrets #3
Cage of Destiny
Destined from birth to be the next empress of Emperion, Allyssa grew up at court weighed down by the expectations of the crown. Kingdom and duty always came first.
Until now.
Having survived the brutal kingdom of Russek, she is given the choice to walk away and live a peaceful, quiet life. But it also means giving up everything she knows and everyone she loves. Before she decides, word reaches her about an assassination attempt. Donning her secret persona—that of a vigilante—she sets out to eliminate her enemy once and for all.
As Allyssa fights the demons of her past to save her future, she realizes she never had a choice. She can either embrace her destiny or be caged by it.
Until now.
Having survived the brutal kingdom of Russek, she is given the choice to walk away and live a peaceful, quiet life. But it also means giving up everything she knows and everyone she loves. Before she decides, word reaches her about an assassination attempt. Donning her secret persona—that of a vigilante—she sets out to eliminate her enemy once and for all.
As Allyssa fights the demons of her past to save her future, she realizes she never had a choice. She can either embrace her destiny or be caged by it.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2017
173 people are currently reading
827 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Anne Davis
27 books1,067 followersJennifer Anne Davis graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. She is currently a full-time writer. Jennifer is the recipient of the San Diego Book Awards Best Published Young Adult Novel (2013), winner of the Kindle Book Awards (2018), a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (2014), and a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards (2014).
Visit Jennifer online at:
www.JenniferAnneDavis.com
Visit Jennifer online at:
www.JenniferAnneDavis.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
May 6, 2018
Binge read (n.):
1) When you get so engrossed in a book that you read it in one sitting.
2) To read a book (usually for school) in the course of a day; most times when you were given a long period of time to read the book in the first place.
3) The impulse to finish Reign of Secrets without giving a darn about sleep, work, food and other nuisances, such as zombie apocalypse, alien invasion etc
So, let me be yourGandalf guide to this world of adventure and swoony romance!
What is this about?
Following her traumatic imprisonment and the horrors she faced in Russek, Alyssa has finally a choice: live her life as peasant, away from court and its politics that suffocate her, or resume her role as the crown princess of Emperion, whose stability and freedom is more precarious than ever with the Russek queen bent on destroying Alyssa's family. Alyssa is pondering on her options when a letter arrives, informing her that the person who broke her heart is in danger and needs her help. Now Alyssa will join aformer assassin, her father and prince Kerdan, who may seem like a brute but he is surprisingly kind, on a dangerous mission and a frantic attempt to keep her kingdom safe.
Is Cage of Destiny a worthy conclusion to Alyssa's storyline?
Hell yeah! This series is getting better and better; as soon as I finished Cage of Darkness (which, as the title suggests, was way darker that the first installment) I inhaled Cage of Destiny. The third novel of the Reign of Secrets series followed Alyssa's journey to healing, to making choices in accordance with her own will and needs. It was heart-pounding and nail-biting, featuring schemes, skirmishes, espionage and everything you expect in a YA fantasy adventure. Darmik's active role and his protective-father-scenes were a precious treat, and I couldn't help but reminisce about the wonderful moments I spent with him and Rema in the past.
Did Alyssa stop being reckless and acting without thinking?
Do donkeys fly? Alyssa's character evolution was tremendous throughout the series, but sadly that's a trait she didn't shed. Having said that, I admired her love and devotion to her people, I was mourning alongside her for the loss of innocence and her horrible experience in the hands of her tormentors, and her guilt for her first kill. All those emotions were perfectly depicted, they made her real a person you couldn't help but root for.
And now the million dollar question: Kerdan or Odar?
If you asked me a book ago, I wouldn't be sure. Now the answer is crystal clear: Kerdan *insert heart-eyes*. At first I begrudged Jennifer for the way she handled Odar's character, but gradually I saw the truth; the person we met in the first book was not the real Odar. His feelings were pure, but he was too scared to follow his heart, leading to a series of bad decisions. Kerdan, on the other hand, was a multi-layered character, with his lethal and agressive side co-existing with his kind, generous and tender one. He didn't try to stifle Alyssa, he was always supportive without ignoring her flaws, and he managed to win me over. His banters with Darmik had me cackling like a hen, and his moments with Alyssa were brimming with passion and affection, making my heart burst from my chest.
Do I recommend this series?
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Jennifer Anne Davis is an extremely talented author, her stories are a wonderful blend of action, politics, war and romance and definitely deserve more attention. Just give me Oath of Deception already!
Review also posted on Booknest
1) When you get so engrossed in a book that you read it in one sitting.
2) To read a book (usually for school) in the course of a day; most times when you were given a long period of time to read the book in the first place.
3) The impulse to finish Reign of Secrets without giving a darn about sleep, work, food and other nuisances, such as zombie apocalypse, alien invasion etc
So, let me be your
“I don't need to hear my mother's speech. I know what my destiny is, and I'm ready to face it.”
What is this about?
Following her traumatic imprisonment and the horrors she faced in Russek, Alyssa has finally a choice: live her life as peasant, away from court and its politics that suffocate her, or resume her role as the crown princess of Emperion, whose stability and freedom is more precarious than ever with the Russek queen bent on destroying Alyssa's family. Alyssa is pondering on her options when a letter arrives, informing her that the person who broke her heart is in danger and needs her help. Now Alyssa will join a
“For us to survive this tomorrow, I need you to be the fighter I know you can be. I need you to be you.”
Is Cage of Destiny a worthy conclusion to Alyssa's storyline?
Hell yeah! This series is getting better and better; as soon as I finished Cage of Darkness (which, as the title suggests, was way darker that the first installment) I inhaled Cage of Destiny. The third novel of the Reign of Secrets series followed Alyssa's journey to healing, to making choices in accordance with her own will and needs. It was heart-pounding and nail-biting, featuring schemes, skirmishes, espionage and everything you expect in a YA fantasy adventure. Darmik's active role and his protective-father-scenes were a precious treat, and I couldn't help but reminisce about the wonderful moments I spent with him and Rema in the past.
Did Alyssa stop being reckless and acting without thinking?
Do donkeys fly? Alyssa's character evolution was tremendous throughout the series, but sadly that's a trait she didn't shed. Having said that, I admired her love and devotion to her people, I was mourning alongside her for the loss of innocence and her horrible experience in the hands of her tormentors, and her guilt for her first kill. All those emotions were perfectly depicted, they made her real a person you couldn't help but root for.
And now the million dollar question: Kerdan or Odar?
If you asked me a book ago, I wouldn't be sure. Now the answer is crystal clear: Kerdan *insert heart-eyes*. At first I begrudged Jennifer for the way she handled Odar's character, but gradually I saw the truth; the person we met in the first book was not the real Odar. His feelings were pure, but he was too scared to follow his heart, leading to a series of bad decisions. Kerdan, on the other hand, was a multi-layered character, with his lethal and agressive side co-existing with his kind, generous and tender one. He didn't try to stifle Alyssa, he was always supportive without ignoring her flaws, and he managed to win me over. His banters with Darmik had me cackling like a hen, and his moments with Alyssa were brimming with passion and affection, making my heart burst from my chest.
“I swore never to trust anyone ever again. Then you come blazing into my life like a raging fire and burn down my resolve. And now, here we are.”
Do I recommend this series?
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Jennifer Anne Davis is an extremely talented author, her stories are a wonderful blend of action, politics, war and romance and definitely deserve more attention. Just give me Oath of Deception already!
Review also posted on Booknest
August 17, 2017
Though there were things about the previous book in the series that bothered me and awkward dialogue/description combos at the beginning of this one, I’m declaring this the author’s BEST BOOK EVER. I read this in a single day and that hasn’t happened in months. I WAS SO STOKED AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH OH MY GOSH.
The themes of balancing duty and love from the first series have carried over into Reign of Secrets. That’s probably my favorite thing about this series (tied with Kerdan’s existence, of course).
The plot:
Okay, so I admit I was resistant to what I thought this would be about, given the ending of book #2. But then the author brought back one of my favorite characters in the series and another favorite character and I AM IN LOVE.
The characters:
Allyssa has grown up so much. SO MUCH. Comparing her character from book #1 to the end of this is incredible. Her development was gradual by degree and painful (as growth is in real life). I feel the author’s portrayal was complex and layered, exactly as I would have asked.
I’m madly in love with Kerdan and still want to marry him. I am going to leave it at that because everything else I want to say IN ALL CAPS is a spoiler.
Darmik is hilarious as a dad, I’m just going to say. So is my Favorite Character of the original trilogy. <3
In short, I love this book. Geez, I’m grinning like an idiot just writing this review.
The themes of balancing duty and love from the first series have carried over into Reign of Secrets. That’s probably my favorite thing about this series (tied with Kerdan’s existence, of course).
The plot:
Okay, so I admit I was resistant to what I thought this would be about, given the ending of book #2. But then the author brought back one of my favorite characters in the series and another favorite character and I AM IN LOVE.
The characters:
Allyssa has grown up so much. SO MUCH. Comparing her character from book #1 to the end of this is incredible. Her development was gradual by degree and painful (as growth is in real life). I feel the author’s portrayal was complex and layered, exactly as I would have asked.
I’m madly in love with Kerdan and still want to marry him. I am going to leave it at that because everything else I want to say IN ALL CAPS is a spoiler.
Darmik is hilarious as a dad, I’m just going to say. So is my Favorite Character of the original trilogy. <3
In short, I love this book. Geez, I’m grinning like an idiot just writing this review.
March 13, 2021
Jennifer Anne Davis does it again with yet another amazing book! The sole reason that this book doesn't receive 5 stars is because of how incredibly infuriating Odar was throughout the entirety of this novel. As you can tell from all my updates, I really didn't like him. On the other hand, Nathenek was absolutely amazing. And Kerdan too for that matter. I loved the dialogue in this book, and the conversations between Allyssa and Nathenek were especially good (and hilarious).
Something else I noticed was that Darmik actually got a little character development in this book, which was a definite improvement from his presence in the True Reign series. I actually liked Darmik a lot in this book, whereas he wasn't necessarily my favorite in the previous series. He's certainly improved with age.
The ending to this book was incredible, and here is a list of all the things that I can't wait for in the next book:
Well, that's all for now I suppose. I loved this book tremendously and I'm so excited to start the next one!
Something else I noticed was that Darmik actually got a little character development in this book, which was a definite improvement from his presence in the True Reign series. I actually liked Darmik a lot in this book, whereas he wasn't necessarily my favorite in the previous series. He's certainly improved with age.
The ending to this book was incredible, and here is a list of all the things that I can't wait for in the next book:
Well, that's all for now I suppose. I loved this book tremendously and I'm so excited to start the next one!
August 13, 2017
I've been anxiously awaiting book 3 in this series. Book 2, Cage of Darkness was absolutely fantastic. I loved the dark turn it took. Book 3 picks up right where CoD left off. I was on the edge of my seat reading this book. Although it didn't have the darker tone that I love, I enjoyed the twists and turns! I look forward to reading anything Jennifer Anne Davis writes!
January 3, 2024
it's the 3 day of 2024 and I have read 3 books by now
it's because this series is SO BINGEABLE. It sort of reminds me of Scarlet Princess series, both in terms of high stakes, fast-paced plot, and the fact you can read it all in a few days and not even notice. Now that I think about it, there are other similarities as well - the main heroine being a badass but impulsive warrior, the main love interest, the way the romance develops...
Basically, it means I love reading the same story but "in a different font" 😂 I def recommend both series. The writing is just so easy to follow and there's not a single filler page. Everything is direct and has a point, which I appreciate.
In any case, I've enjoyed this series immensely and even though there are technically 2 more books in this series, I think I'm gonna stop here. The story has a nice ending and I feel there are no loose ends. The next two books aren't centered around Alyssa and to me feel like additional/ spin off stories which I don't need rn. Maybe I'll read them later, if I wish to return to this world. For now, I'm content the way it is.
Goodbye Kerdan, goodbye Alyssa, you were a wonderful experience ♥
it's because this series is SO BINGEABLE. It sort of reminds me of Scarlet Princess series, both in terms of high stakes, fast-paced plot, and the fact you can read it all in a few days and not even notice. Now that I think about it, there are other similarities as well - the main heroine being a badass but impulsive warrior, the main love interest, the way the romance develops...
Basically, it means I love reading the same story but "in a different font" 😂 I def recommend both series. The writing is just so easy to follow and there's not a single filler page. Everything is direct and has a point, which I appreciate.
In any case, I've enjoyed this series immensely and even though there are technically 2 more books in this series, I think I'm gonna stop here. The story has a nice ending and I feel there are no loose ends. The next two books aren't centered around Alyssa and to me feel like additional/ spin off stories which I don't need rn. Maybe I'll read them later, if I wish to return to this world. For now, I'm content the way it is.
Goodbye Kerdan, goodbye Alyssa, you were a wonderful experience ♥
August 23, 2017
Review:
Protagonist: I feel like I say this with all final installments, but Allyssa really has come a long way since the first book in this series. Once a girl caged by her responsibility, she now has the choice to live whatever life she chooses, and because of her character development throughout this series, she has everything she needs to make the choice that works best for her. Once a girl against marriage, especially one forced upon her, she wants to do what is best for her country, even if that's creating a political match. Allyssa still has a great amount of development in this book, she's haunted by the terrors she went through in Russek at the hands of Soma, she's still heartbroken after Odar severed their marriage contract, and she's not entirely sure what her future holds, but she can't rest until Jana is dealt with and the threat on her life no longer hangs over her head. Allyssa's development in this story is fantastic, some things she learns from other, some is learned through experience and growing up. Every step Allyssa takes feels natural and earned. She isn't perfect, but to be a realistic and believable character she shouldn't be.
Romance: I have to tread carefully here. At the end of the previous installment, Odar made the selfish decision to break off his relationship with Allyssa and Kerdan, the crown prince of Russek, had proposed a strategic marriage between the two. Even though I shipped Odar and Allyssa throughout (most) of Cage of Darkness, he definitely made a HUGE mistake and honestly, I wouldn't have minded Allyssa making a strategic match founded in friendship, especially with Kerdan. That's honestly all I can say with specifics, because how the author handles the romance in this story, and Allyssa's decision is phenomenal, but I'm afraid if I talk more specifics I'll ruin it. I'll just say that my heart swelled so many times throughout this book, and what Allyssa chooses in the end made me cry a little bit... a lot.
World Building: Davis is a master at world building, I swear. While we don't get to really see more kingdoms in this world, we do get to see another side to Russek. We get to learn more about their culture and who they are as people, not just the violent and brutal thugs we saw in the previous story. This book also felt like a bit of a love letter to the fans of the True Reign series, I won't quite say why, because of annoying spoilers, but there was something about this story that brought back a sort of nostalgic feeling for the previous series. Obviously, Nathenek's back and as badass and awesome as ever. His relationship with Allyssa is fantastic and how they bond and grow is very reminiscent of his relationship with Rema. Seriously, I'm trying to figure out more to say that won't be spoilery, but you just have to read this book, everything the author does to develop and flesh out this world, even more than it was, is incredible.
Predictability: So, after finishing the previous installment I thought I knew where the story would go next, I thought we'd get a more politically motivated story, but I was dead wrong. Even after reading the synopsis I thought I knew the outcome of mostly everything, and granted there are some things that I was able to predict, some things hinted at in the previous installment and some things that just felt inevitable. That being said though, there were things I was never 100% sure about with this book. In this book, the author seems to have had a lot of fun subverting tropes and kept me guessing. The way everything unfolds is incredible and the twists and turns in this book are mind blowingly amazing.
Ending: This is another section that I need to tread lightly on. The thing is, at the beginning of this book, before the story even starts there's a disclaimer that this is the third book in a series of an undisclosed number of books, which of course made me curious if the author changed her mind and this wasn't the end. As the final climax drew near, everything is fraught with tension, it's clear that something big is on the horizon, and the final climax of this book is everything I wanted and everything I didn't know I needed. The cooldown though, that's where things get tricky. There are definitely some things left unanswered and while I feel comfortable saying that this ends the arc started in Cage of Deceit, as for whether the author will return to this world, well we'll have to wait and see.
Rating:
It should come as no surprise that I think this book is exceptional. Seriously, though this book is EVERYTHING! I mean it, it's a little typical for people to love either the first or especially last, book in a series the most but here it just can't be beaten. I loved every second of it and I'm hoping it doesn't, but this book probably gave me the biggest book hangover ever.
Protagonist: I feel like I say this with all final installments, but Allyssa really has come a long way since the first book in this series. Once a girl caged by her responsibility, she now has the choice to live whatever life she chooses, and because of her character development throughout this series, she has everything she needs to make the choice that works best for her. Once a girl against marriage, especially one forced upon her, she wants to do what is best for her country, even if that's creating a political match. Allyssa still has a great amount of development in this book, she's haunted by the terrors she went through in Russek at the hands of Soma, she's still heartbroken after Odar severed their marriage contract, and she's not entirely sure what her future holds, but she can't rest until Jana is dealt with and the threat on her life no longer hangs over her head. Allyssa's development in this story is fantastic, some things she learns from other, some is learned through experience and growing up. Every step Allyssa takes feels natural and earned. She isn't perfect, but to be a realistic and believable character she shouldn't be.
Romance: I have to tread carefully here. At the end of the previous installment, Odar made the selfish decision to break off his relationship with Allyssa and Kerdan, the crown prince of Russek, had proposed a strategic marriage between the two. Even though I shipped Odar and Allyssa throughout (most) of Cage of Darkness, he definitely made a HUGE mistake and honestly, I wouldn't have minded Allyssa making a strategic match founded in friendship, especially with Kerdan. That's honestly all I can say with specifics, because how the author handles the romance in this story, and Allyssa's decision is phenomenal, but I'm afraid if I talk more specifics I'll ruin it. I'll just say that my heart swelled so many times throughout this book, and what Allyssa chooses in the end made me cry a little bit... a lot.
World Building: Davis is a master at world building, I swear. While we don't get to really see more kingdoms in this world, we do get to see another side to Russek. We get to learn more about their culture and who they are as people, not just the violent and brutal thugs we saw in the previous story. This book also felt like a bit of a love letter to the fans of the True Reign series, I won't quite say why, because of annoying spoilers, but there was something about this story that brought back a sort of nostalgic feeling for the previous series. Obviously, Nathenek's back and as badass and awesome as ever. His relationship with Allyssa is fantastic and how they bond and grow is very reminiscent of his relationship with Rema. Seriously, I'm trying to figure out more to say that won't be spoilery, but you just have to read this book, everything the author does to develop and flesh out this world, even more than it was, is incredible.
Predictability: So, after finishing the previous installment I thought I knew where the story would go next, I thought we'd get a more politically motivated story, but I was dead wrong. Even after reading the synopsis I thought I knew the outcome of mostly everything, and granted there are some things that I was able to predict, some things hinted at in the previous installment and some things that just felt inevitable. That being said though, there were things I was never 100% sure about with this book. In this book, the author seems to have had a lot of fun subverting tropes and kept me guessing. The way everything unfolds is incredible and the twists and turns in this book are mind blowingly amazing.
Ending: This is another section that I need to tread lightly on. The thing is, at the beginning of this book, before the story even starts there's a disclaimer that this is the third book in a series of an undisclosed number of books, which of course made me curious if the author changed her mind and this wasn't the end. As the final climax drew near, everything is fraught with tension, it's clear that something big is on the horizon, and the final climax of this book is everything I wanted and everything I didn't know I needed. The cooldown though, that's where things get tricky. There are definitely some things left unanswered and while I feel comfortable saying that this ends the arc started in Cage of Deceit, as for whether the author will return to this world, well we'll have to wait and see.
Rating:
It should come as no surprise that I think this book is exceptional. Seriously, though this book is EVERYTHING! I mean it, it's a little typical for people to love either the first or especially last, book in a series the most but here it just can't be beaten. I loved every second of it and I'm hoping it doesn't, but this book probably gave me the biggest book hangover ever.
August 21, 2017
I have really enjoyed this series. I can't really write anything about this book because I didn't really see what was coming until it hit me! I felt stupid that I didn't see it! But, it was perfect! Now, I want more and can't wait to see Savenek's story!
July 19, 2019
The author/publisher provided a free copy of the book for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a review copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore do not affect the opinion or content of the review.
I honestly forgot about writing a review for Cage of Destiny after reading it, so I am now fashionably late in the reviewing scheme of things.
My excuse: I've been trying to get both of my co-bloggers into reading this and it has not happened yet. My mission will continue. (Also Anelise’s library is cooler than mine because she says they have a copy of the first book.)
I honestly live for Davis’s introductions because they give me life. It's one of the rare things that never happen in books but it happened and I always look forward to reading it. Also it seems like there will be more books? Which means I might get more of one of my favorite bad-ass princess? My heart is overjoyed. *rolls into abyss of happiness*
Cage of Destiny starts right off from Cage of Darkness , when Allyssa is given the ultimate choice from her parents to walk away from her crown or continue the path of being empress of Emperion. This makes things a lot interesting since Cage of Deceit revealed Allyssa is a bad-ass princess who sneaks around the kingdom just to take down criminals in a disguise. And now she has a decision while taking down evil queen interested in kingdom domination!
To be a ruler, or not to be a ruler, that is the question.
And of course, there is a love triangle, which is kind of strange yet thrilling at the same time. Unlike most love triangles where the poor girl is playing “Pick a Boy” and us poor readers are fighting around with teams, there's only one side to this love triangle. The other guy is just there hanging on hopelessly, and my heart is happy because Davis isn't busy pulling around with my poor heartstrings and there is only one ship to this story.
Which basically leads me into some of the characters of book three. All of the major characters have been introduced in either the first or second book, so a lot of those characters are returning. In addition to that, there are some new characters as well, so maybe there's a book four? That is yet to be seen.
But let me take a moment to appreciate Kerdan, who got introduced in the previous book and will be playing a larger role than floating around and plotting and being all around mysterious prince warrior. Kerdan is basically the Kenji from Shatter Me - all funny personality with more page time than Kenji did, but also my favorite character other than Allyssa.
In fact, Kerdan probably brings out the funny side of Allyssa, which I will definitely not complain about.
Cage of Destiny brings a satisfying conclusion to one story with an unknown promise of future books - I'll be looking forward to future books regardless.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
I honestly forgot about writing a review for Cage of Destiny after reading it, so I am now fashionably late in the reviewing scheme of things.
My excuse: I've been trying to get both of my co-bloggers into reading this and it has not happened yet. My mission will continue. (Also Anelise’s library is cooler than mine because she says they have a copy of the first book.)
I honestly live for Davis’s introductions because they give me life. It's one of the rare things that never happen in books but it happened and I always look forward to reading it. Also it seems like there will be more books? Which means I might get more of one of my favorite bad-ass princess? My heart is overjoyed. *rolls into abyss of happiness*
Cage of Destiny starts right off from Cage of Darkness , when Allyssa is given the ultimate choice from her parents to walk away from her crown or continue the path of being empress of Emperion. This makes things a lot interesting since Cage of Deceit revealed Allyssa is a bad-ass princess who sneaks around the kingdom just to take down criminals in a disguise. And now she has a decision while taking down evil queen interested in kingdom domination!
To be a ruler, or not to be a ruler, that is the question.
And of course, there is a love triangle, which is kind of strange yet thrilling at the same time. Unlike most love triangles where the poor girl is playing “Pick a Boy” and us poor readers are fighting around with teams, there's only one side to this love triangle. The other guy is just there hanging on hopelessly, and my heart is happy because Davis isn't busy pulling around with my poor heartstrings and there is only one ship to this story.
Which basically leads me into some of the characters of book three. All of the major characters have been introduced in either the first or second book, so a lot of those characters are returning. In addition to that, there are some new characters as well, so maybe there's a book four? That is yet to be seen.
But let me take a moment to appreciate Kerdan, who got introduced in the previous book and will be playing a larger role than floating around and plotting and being all around mysterious prince warrior. Kerdan is basically the Kenji from Shatter Me - all funny personality with more page time than Kenji did, but also my favorite character other than Allyssa.
In fact, Kerdan probably brings out the funny side of Allyssa, which I will definitely not complain about.
Cage of Destiny brings a satisfying conclusion to one story with an unknown promise of future books - I'll be looking forward to future books regardless.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
August 23, 2017
I liked it and it's a satisfying conclusion to Allyssa's story but
October 18, 2017
Y'all.
This author!!
This series!!
I am CRAZY frustrated writing this review because I want to gush about it, but I will spoil the things that I am excited about! Everything that was amazing, emotional, and exciting, I have to keep my mouth shut about. AHHH!!
I will say that it's incredible, everything I wanted.... And more ;)
I am so so SOOOO so excited about the ending. When you read it (and you absolutely should.
) You'll understand what I mean!
Someone read this and then call me so we can fangirl together!!I
Still my most favorite series that I have ever read.
This author!!
This series!!
I am CRAZY frustrated writing this review because I want to gush about it, but I will spoil the things that I am excited about! Everything that was amazing, emotional, and exciting, I have to keep my mouth shut about. AHHH!!
I will say that it's incredible, everything I wanted.... And more ;)
I am so so SOOOO so excited about the ending. When you read it (and you absolutely should.
) You'll understand what I mean!
Someone read this and then call me so we can fangirl together!!I
Still my most favorite series that I have ever read.
December 15, 2017
best series ever! Review to come
August 21, 2017
Since the explosive ending for Cage of Deceit, I have been eagerly awaiting to see what would happen to Allyssa and her kingdom. I had absolutely no idea how she would resolve her heartache and everything she endured. While this one is not as action packed and intense as the first two books, I found Cage of Destiny to be a worthwhile and fitting ending to Allyssa’s story.
“You can’t live in fear of your future, of what may or may not come to pass.”
I admire how strong and courageous Allyssa has been throughout this series, and she picks up right where she left off. She also continues to grow as wise leader and not just a teen aged girl wanting to escape her duties. Her scenes with Darmik and Nathenek are easily my favorite moments. It was truly full circle for this amazing cast of characters.
“Love doesn’t make you weak, it makes you strong.”
I am not a fan of the romantic trope that developed in this series. Davis is a talented and unique writer, and I strongly believe she doesn’t need to be like countless other fantasies to stand out. Despite my dislike of the romance aspect, I still enjoyed this book and the series as a whole and hope the romance issue is fully resolved. I won’t hesitate to read the next installment or let my disdain of the trope stop me from loving the series.
I am looking forward to more books from this world. There are many questions yet to be answered and new plot lines to explore. I cannot wait to see where Davis takes these characters. I recommend True Reign and Reign of Secrets to any high fantasy fan.
“You can’t live in fear of your future, of what may or may not come to pass.”
I admire how strong and courageous Allyssa has been throughout this series, and she picks up right where she left off. She also continues to grow as wise leader and not just a teen aged girl wanting to escape her duties. Her scenes with Darmik and Nathenek are easily my favorite moments. It was truly full circle for this amazing cast of characters.
“Love doesn’t make you weak, it makes you strong.”
I am not a fan of the romantic trope that developed in this series. Davis is a talented and unique writer, and I strongly believe she doesn’t need to be like countless other fantasies to stand out. Despite my dislike of the romance aspect, I still enjoyed this book and the series as a whole and hope the romance issue is fully resolved. I won’t hesitate to read the next installment or let my disdain of the trope stop me from loving the series.
I am looking forward to more books from this world. There are many questions yet to be answered and new plot lines to explore. I cannot wait to see where Davis takes these characters. I recommend True Reign and Reign of Secrets to any high fantasy fan.
August 21, 2017
I loved this book so much. It was by far my favorite of the series. I love how this story played out. I love the choice Allyssa made for herself and her people. She was such a strong character. She was strong in the first book but she was also naive and young. I am just obsessed with her after this book. And Kerdan is the love of my life. He was perfection.
I loved the tie ins from Jennifer Anne Davis' True Reign series! Darmik is a funny dad.
I received an ecopy of this book from the author.
I loved the tie ins from Jennifer Anne Davis' True Reign series! Darmik is a funny dad.
I received an ecopy of this book from the author.
August 18, 2017
I absolutely loved this book, and the way Allyssa's story is wrapped up. Cage of Destiny kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it. When I finished it, I was tempted to re-read it again. I'm so glad there is much more to come with some of the characters in this book. I'm not ready to say goodbye to them all just yet. I highly recommend picking this book up!
FULL REVIEW https://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2017/...
FULL REVIEW https://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2017/...
August 21, 2017
Excellent book in this fantasy series. Many twists and turns to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Can't-put-it-down type of book full of good and bad Royals, kingdoms, heartbreak, love and family. A must read!
May 3, 2021
I think this one is one of the best in the series so far! Can't wait to read the next!!
June 6, 2018
I actually enjoyed this series very much. I tend to find most YA books written poorly with a predictable plot, ridiculous main characters, and the main characters fall in love too quickly. This series surprised me. The writing was decent aside from the occasional poorly chosen words ('doing her hair' and the main character's exclamations), and the main character focused on the wrong things at odd times. The main character slowly evolved over time, the plot was fairly action-packed and kept me interested.
April 26, 2024
4.5 stars
I wasn't expecting this series to have my favorite trope. It definitely made me love this book. The series is pretty interesting and I like the character development. The 'big twists' are all pretty obvious, but it didn't hurt my enjoyment of this series so far. I'm bummed that the POV switches after this book though. I like the FMC.
I wasn't expecting this series to have my favorite trope. It definitely made me love this book. The series is pretty interesting and I like the character development. The 'big twists' are all pretty obvious, but it didn't hurt my enjoyment of this series so far. I'm bummed that the POV switches after this book though. I like the FMC.
October 17, 2018
loving this series...sorry that Alyssa's story ended and wanted more of her and Kerdan, so hoping it comes together later. some much goes on that this book just keeps you going to find out more. great writing by the author.
August 22, 2017
Oh no!!! I want more more more. Please let this not be the last book, I want to get to know Kerdan and Savenek.
January 1, 2024
i loved this so much ♡
October 10, 2018
Wow. What to even say about this book. It was PERFECTION. It was a coming of age story about Allyssa. She grew so much as a person. She made some decisions that weren't necessarily expected, but showed her maturity as a character. I was utterly impressed. She was strong, brave, compassionate, determined and brilliant.
.."Instead of feeling caged by her future, excitement for the unknown coursed through her."
At the end of book 2, Odar broke Allyssa's heart. He claimed that he loved her too much and the breakup was for her own good and safety. At first I thought I kind of understood his choice.... but as time went on I realized (along with Allyssa) that he was a coward. As Darmik told her "nothing could have kept me away from your mother." Also can we just talk about how much I absolutely loved these male role models watching over Allyssa in this book? I mean, I love them. Their love and affection towards Allyssa. Their mission to protect her no matter what. It was admiring. And I was happy to see Nathanek around again. It made my heart swell with joy. The relationships in this book were perfection. It felt real. I teared up a few times when Rema was talking to Allyssa in the beginning of the book. And a few times throughout the book during her and Darmik's conversations. You can literally feel the love they all have for each other and it was beautiful. And I love the parents that they are. The entire family dynamic was wonderful. It truly made this book.
**This part may contain minor spoilers about the love interests**
Now let's talk about Kerdan and Odar. *wiggles eyebrows" Odar was her first love. He turned out to not be what she thought he was. I loved this because how easy is that to relate to?? How many of us look back at our first love (especially at the age of 16 or 17) and think you know, he really wasn't right for me -even though you know that a part of you will always love him. This was how Allyssa felt with Odar. I loved the way that Jennifer handled it (although at first I was a little crushed- luckily she sent Kerdar to mend that broken heart... ) He didn't deserve her and she came to realize that. He didn't really want her back until he saw her with Kerdan (again, how many of us have been through that??) But Allyssa grew so much as a person that she knew Odar couldn't possibly make her happy. He was not the man she needed him to be. And he would never allow her to be who she wanted to be. Also- good riddance because Fren seemed like a wimpy country with their sexist ways. I loved him as Jarvik and felt the pain for Allyssa going through the break up and realizing the person she loved didn't actually exist. Good for her for realizing it.
Moving on to Kerdan. I wasn't sure how I felt about him, but I ended up loving him and realizing he really was the perfect choice for Allyssa.
“All my mother wanted was for me to find someone like you. I thought she was a dreamer. Then, when she died, the dream died with her. So when you came barreling into my world, you changed everything. You saved me.”
*sigh* I mean... the way that he admired Allyssa, respected her choices and saw her as his strength instead of his weakness... I mean THAT is real. Kerdan made her feel strong, secure, valued, respected... and all of those things were so much more important that the butterflies she felt with Jarvik on the rooftop in that first book. I admire Jennifer for making this love story into something that wasn't "instalove" that was a slow burn of two people who were friends and built their relationship on trust and respect.. (not that there weren't some steamy moments... ;) Two people who saved each other.
I just have so many emotions. I LOVED these books and have the worst book hangover right now. Hopefully jumping into Savenek's story will relieve some of the pain!
.."Instead of feeling caged by her future, excitement for the unknown coursed through her."
At the end of book 2, Odar broke Allyssa's heart. He claimed that he loved her too much and the breakup was for her own good and safety. At first I thought I kind of understood his choice.... but as time went on I realized (along with Allyssa) that he was a coward. As Darmik told her "nothing could have kept me away from your mother." Also can we just talk about how much I absolutely loved these male role models watching over Allyssa in this book? I mean, I love them. Their love and affection towards Allyssa. Their mission to protect her no matter what. It was admiring. And I was happy to see Nathanek around again. It made my heart swell with joy. The relationships in this book were perfection. It felt real. I teared up a few times when Rema was talking to Allyssa in the beginning of the book. And a few times throughout the book during her and Darmik's conversations. You can literally feel the love they all have for each other and it was beautiful. And I love the parents that they are. The entire family dynamic was wonderful. It truly made this book.
**This part may contain minor spoilers about the love interests**
Now let's talk about Kerdan and Odar. *wiggles eyebrows" Odar was her first love. He turned out to not be what she thought he was. I loved this because how easy is that to relate to?? How many of us look back at our first love (especially at the age of 16 or 17) and think you know, he really wasn't right for me -even though you know that a part of you will always love him. This was how Allyssa felt with Odar. I loved the way that Jennifer handled it (although at first I was a little crushed- luckily she sent Kerdar to mend that broken heart... ) He didn't deserve her and she came to realize that. He didn't really want her back until he saw her with Kerdan (again, how many of us have been through that??) But Allyssa grew so much as a person that she knew Odar couldn't possibly make her happy. He was not the man she needed him to be. And he would never allow her to be who she wanted to be. Also- good riddance because Fren seemed like a wimpy country with their sexist ways. I loved him as Jarvik and felt the pain for Allyssa going through the break up and realizing the person she loved didn't actually exist. Good for her for realizing it.
Moving on to Kerdan. I wasn't sure how I felt about him, but I ended up loving him and realizing he really was the perfect choice for Allyssa.
“All my mother wanted was for me to find someone like you. I thought she was a dreamer. Then, when she died, the dream died with her. So when you came barreling into my world, you changed everything. You saved me.”
*sigh* I mean... the way that he admired Allyssa, respected her choices and saw her as his strength instead of his weakness... I mean THAT is real. Kerdan made her feel strong, secure, valued, respected... and all of those things were so much more important that the butterflies she felt with Jarvik on the rooftop in that first book. I admire Jennifer for making this love story into something that wasn't "instalove" that was a slow burn of two people who were friends and built their relationship on trust and respect.. (not that there weren't some steamy moments... ;) Two people who saved each other.
I just have so many emotions. I LOVED these books and have the worst book hangover right now. Hopefully jumping into Savenek's story will relieve some of the pain!
August 22, 2017
Wow! This was swoonworthy! I devoured it all over a couple of hours. I'm so glad we didn't need to wait a year after the release of the previous book.
Looking forward to the next part of the series!
Looking forward to the next part of the series!
August 30, 2018
While I usually always write my own summaries for books I'm reviewing, there's one line from the publisher-provided summary that I absolutely adore:
'She can either embrace her destiny or be caged by it.'
No sentiment could be more perfect for this book.
Summary:
Allyssa is a survivor. After the horrors of Russek and nursing a broken heart, she is at last given a choice: She doesn't have to come home.
The decision to walk away and lead a normal life is a tempting one, though it means leaving behind everyone and everything she has ever known or loved. Unfortunately, Allyssa is hardly given time to consider it before her past crashes into her present once more.
Now, everything she has left behind is everything she must run back to if she hopes to eliminate her enemy once and for all.
If the choice is between saving her kingdom and saving herself, Allyssa will never have to choose.
Review:
It is always hardest to review books that you like. This is because your first response is to tell everyone everything that happens. Which, in a review, is probably the rudest thing you could do. So I will refrain as much as I can from the gushing.
That being said...
This was perfect!
It is as character-driven as the rest, and it puts a lot of things into perspective. (For Allyssa and the reader.) This is Allyssa's "I'm figuring shit out for myself" book. She knows who she wants to be as a person and leader, and she's figuring out how to become that person. It's a wonderful transformation to watch as she puts her priorities in order and goes about figuring out the rest. She is every inch her mother's daughter, and I adore her for it.
Since I don't want to spoil anything, I'm just going to drop some tiny little hints:
Kerdan is back.
Odar is back.
Darmik and Neco are back with their epic bromance!
Nathenek is back to his sneaky, sneaky ways.
Probably the best cast of all the books, to be honest. It's a good time. You should read it. *wink, wink*
Okay, I digress. (But seriously, go read it.)
'She can either embrace her destiny or be caged by it.'
No sentiment could be more perfect for this book.
Summary:
Allyssa is a survivor. After the horrors of Russek and nursing a broken heart, she is at last given a choice: She doesn't have to come home.
The decision to walk away and lead a normal life is a tempting one, though it means leaving behind everyone and everything she has ever known or loved. Unfortunately, Allyssa is hardly given time to consider it before her past crashes into her present once more.
Now, everything she has left behind is everything she must run back to if she hopes to eliminate her enemy once and for all.
If the choice is between saving her kingdom and saving herself, Allyssa will never have to choose.
Review:
It is always hardest to review books that you like. This is because your first response is to tell everyone everything that happens. Which, in a review, is probably the rudest thing you could do. So I will refrain as much as I can from the gushing.
That being said...
This was perfect!
It is as character-driven as the rest, and it puts a lot of things into perspective. (For Allyssa and the reader.) This is Allyssa's "I'm figuring shit out for myself" book. She knows who she wants to be as a person and leader, and she's figuring out how to become that person. It's a wonderful transformation to watch as she puts her priorities in order and goes about figuring out the rest. She is every inch her mother's daughter, and I adore her for it.
Since I don't want to spoil anything, I'm just going to drop some tiny little hints:
Kerdan is back.
Odar is back.
Darmik and Neco are back with their epic bromance!
Nathenek is back to his sneaky, sneaky ways.
Probably the best cast of all the books, to be honest. It's a good time. You should read it. *wink, wink*
Okay, I digress. (But seriously, go read it.)
May 17, 2019
The conclusion to the trilogy! Well, there are two more books in the series, but they're not the same story or told from Allyssa's pov, as I understand it. All in all, it was a satisfying conclusion; and although I wouldn't rate either the conclusion or the series as a whole among my a favorites, it was an entertaining read.
The plot was paced slower than the previous two books, but I still found myself engaged in the story. I didn't ever get bored with it, despite the fewer life and death pinches. There was less tension, less political intrigue, and a lot of focus on completing the vengeance mission. It felt like the whole thing was tying up previous ends, so to speak. On a bit of a random note, I'm still not quite sure how stealing tangerines prepared Allyssa for her "final battle." I mean, I see that she sees how Nathenek's training better prepared her, but I didn't see how it helped. The idea didn't follow through. It was what the author told me, not what I witnessed myself. In that regard, and a few others as we'll talk about, I wish the novel had more depth.
The best part of the book may be the characters. I liked them. I liked seeing how they interacted with each other. Some of them did feel a little one-dimensional at times, though Allyssa didn't. They sort of served their purpose and only their purpose. Darmik, probably my favorite, felt rounder, more complex than most of the others. So did Kerdan. I suppose the MCs felt more real than some of the side characters like Nathenek, Rema, or Omar did. Kerdan respects Allyssa. He allows her to make her own decisions and choices, regardless of how he feels. Odar wasn't a wimp in this one like the last one, but he was pretty pompous. His true colors weren't pretty. He said he loved Allyssa, but his actions clearly said otherwise. Maybe he loved her in the only way he knew how, looking at how he grew up. But he never made an attempt to change that, to learn or grow. Nathenek and Savenek intrigued me to no end. I wanted to know more of their story. I wanted to see more of how Nathenek worked with Allyssa, and I would like to see how Saveneck works with Allyssa in the future. The end alluded to that, but the synopsis of next book doesn't make me think I'll see much of that or of his backstory prior to this trilogy. I liked getting to know Natheneck, well as much as we could, again, he wasn't as deep as I would have liked, though I'm sure there's plenty to tell. I loved Darmik's part in the story and would say his role was my favorite. I loved reading a story with the father-daughter dynamic that this one had. So many stories don't include the parents or write them off as useless, incompetent, or just wrong. This one was different, and I thought that was special. I loved how protective he was of her, how much he loved her, and how he did grow and change the way he showed her that love.
There was a lot of travel in this one, a little bit of a new town, and Nathenek's home, but not much else in way of setting. We saw a little more of Russek, but again, not much else. The setting wasn't too in depth. Even the cultures were not as deep as I would have liked. The author made a point, I think, to show that Allyssa's (and others' I'm sure) fear of and disgust with Russek was largely due to ignorance of their culture. However, though she addressed that idea I, as the reader, never felt like I learned what their culture was. This was something I found slightly disappointing. By the end, Allyssa "understands" the Russek's better, but I don't. The short scene in a bar is like a revelation for Allyssa later on, but I never figured out exactly what was going on or how that was the key to understanding the Russek people. There wasn't enough followthrough with the different cultures, either in Russek or other countries. Kerdan talked about making changes, theorized that the army reflected his father's brutality, but what kind of changes would he make? I wanted Davis to dive deeper here, to expand on the cultures instead of just telling me they were barbaric or not barbaric or feminist or not feminist. There was more potential for the setting, for the world, than was expanded upon, in my opinion.
Speaking of feminism, I thought that kind of soured the ending just a little for me. Well, it kind of soured more than just the ending, but it wasn't as prevalent as it was in the previous book. I've already made my sentiments known in my previous review, but as a quick recap for this one: I felt Allyssa was very blatant in her opinions, and not in a personality kind of way, in a the-author-is-pushing-an-agenda, stiff-jolting-the-reader-out-of-the-story kind of way. Again, it wasn't as in your face and preachy in this one as the last, but it still made me roll my eyes. Otherwise, I thought the ending was pretty well-balanced. It acknowledged the painful past, the changes that the characters had gone through, and yet still made love, family, hope, and the future important. It left off on a good note, and I enjoyed that.
Content: Some say this book wasn't as dark as the previous one, and I'm not sure I wholly agree. Yes, the second book dealt more with captivity and prisoners of war, torture, and such, but this one had some subliminally dark themes that were kind of disturbing to me. The last book led into these themes, but this one really exposed the heart of them. So, book 2 was darker outright perhaps, but this one still held a dark tone, too.
The idea that people can't be forgiven, the theme of revenge and vengeance, and the persistence of murder were all prevalent themes. I don't believe anyone can be unforgivable or that anything is unforgivable, but this novel holds more than one character in that category, which kind of breaks my heart honestly. I hate the idea that anyone would feel so far gone that they cannot be redeemed. It isn't true. Now, some people never choose redemption, that's true, but it doesn't mean that they aren't redeemable at all. Furthermore, though Allyssa struggles with the trauma of book 2, both by the hands of others and by her own, I felt the book had an unhealthy focus on revenge/vengeance. They wouldn't let the idea go, they wouldn't consider anything else (though, admittedly, they had in the past), I still think there would have been ways around blatantly premeditated murder. War is a nasty business; I get that. People die. People are brutally murdered, ruthless, and downright unkind. Not everyone will hold the same values and ideals that I do, but I sort of expected the hero to. The "good guy" should have cared more for life in the end, in my opinion.
Lastly, the violence wasn't extremely graphic, but it wasn't mild either. The book does deal with vengeance, murder, and war, so take that into account. There was no more torture in this one, but there is a character clearly affected by it. Some mild swearing, though mostly infrequent. The romance was well done, nothing more serious than a fiery kiss and a caress, though there is allusion to more. I'd probably say late teens and up for this one.
The plot was paced slower than the previous two books, but I still found myself engaged in the story. I didn't ever get bored with it, despite the fewer life and death pinches. There was less tension, less political intrigue, and a lot of focus on completing the vengeance mission. It felt like the whole thing was tying up previous ends, so to speak. On a bit of a random note, I'm still not quite sure how stealing tangerines prepared Allyssa for her "final battle." I mean, I see that she sees how Nathenek's training better prepared her, but I didn't see how it helped. The idea didn't follow through. It was what the author told me, not what I witnessed myself. In that regard, and a few others as we'll talk about, I wish the novel had more depth.
The best part of the book may be the characters. I liked them. I liked seeing how they interacted with each other. Some of them did feel a little one-dimensional at times, though Allyssa didn't. They sort of served their purpose and only their purpose. Darmik, probably my favorite, felt rounder, more complex than most of the others. So did Kerdan. I suppose the MCs felt more real than some of the side characters like Nathenek, Rema, or Omar did. Kerdan respects Allyssa. He allows her to make her own decisions and choices, regardless of how he feels. Odar wasn't a wimp in this one like the last one, but he was pretty pompous. His true colors weren't pretty. He said he loved Allyssa, but his actions clearly said otherwise. Maybe he loved her in the only way he knew how, looking at how he grew up. But he never made an attempt to change that, to learn or grow. Nathenek and Savenek intrigued me to no end. I wanted to know more of their story. I wanted to see more of how Nathenek worked with Allyssa, and I would like to see how Saveneck works with Allyssa in the future. The end alluded to that, but the synopsis of next book doesn't make me think I'll see much of that or of his backstory prior to this trilogy. I liked getting to know Natheneck, well as much as we could, again, he wasn't as deep as I would have liked, though I'm sure there's plenty to tell. I loved Darmik's part in the story and would say his role was my favorite. I loved reading a story with the father-daughter dynamic that this one had. So many stories don't include the parents or write them off as useless, incompetent, or just wrong. This one was different, and I thought that was special. I loved how protective he was of her, how much he loved her, and how he did grow and change the way he showed her that love.
There was a lot of travel in this one, a little bit of a new town, and Nathenek's home, but not much else in way of setting. We saw a little more of Russek, but again, not much else. The setting wasn't too in depth. Even the cultures were not as deep as I would have liked. The author made a point, I think, to show that Allyssa's (and others' I'm sure) fear of and disgust with Russek was largely due to ignorance of their culture. However, though she addressed that idea I, as the reader, never felt like I learned what their culture was. This was something I found slightly disappointing. By the end, Allyssa "understands" the Russek's better, but I don't. The short scene in a bar is like a revelation for Allyssa later on, but I never figured out exactly what was going on or how that was the key to understanding the Russek people. There wasn't enough followthrough with the different cultures, either in Russek or other countries. Kerdan talked about making changes, theorized that the army reflected his father's brutality, but what kind of changes would he make? I wanted Davis to dive deeper here, to expand on the cultures instead of just telling me they were barbaric or not barbaric or feminist or not feminist. There was more potential for the setting, for the world, than was expanded upon, in my opinion.
Speaking of feminism, I thought that kind of soured the ending just a little for me. Well, it kind of soured more than just the ending, but it wasn't as prevalent as it was in the previous book. I've already made my sentiments known in my previous review, but as a quick recap for this one: I felt Allyssa was very blatant in her opinions, and not in a personality kind of way, in a the-author-is-pushing-an-agenda, stiff-jolting-the-reader-out-of-the-story kind of way. Again, it wasn't as in your face and preachy in this one as the last, but it still made me roll my eyes. Otherwise, I thought the ending was pretty well-balanced. It acknowledged the painful past, the changes that the characters had gone through, and yet still made love, family, hope, and the future important. It left off on a good note, and I enjoyed that.
Content: Some say this book wasn't as dark as the previous one, and I'm not sure I wholly agree. Yes, the second book dealt more with captivity and prisoners of war, torture, and such, but this one had some subliminally dark themes that were kind of disturbing to me. The last book led into these themes, but this one really exposed the heart of them. So, book 2 was darker outright perhaps, but this one still held a dark tone, too.
The idea that people can't be forgiven, the theme of revenge and vengeance, and the persistence of murder were all prevalent themes. I don't believe anyone can be unforgivable or that anything is unforgivable, but this novel holds more than one character in that category, which kind of breaks my heart honestly. I hate the idea that anyone would feel so far gone that they cannot be redeemed. It isn't true. Now, some people never choose redemption, that's true, but it doesn't mean that they aren't redeemable at all. Furthermore, though Allyssa struggles with the trauma of book 2, both by the hands of others and by her own, I felt the book had an unhealthy focus on revenge/vengeance. They wouldn't let the idea go, they wouldn't consider anything else (though, admittedly, they had in the past), I still think there would have been ways around blatantly premeditated murder. War is a nasty business; I get that. People die. People are brutally murdered, ruthless, and downright unkind. Not everyone will hold the same values and ideals that I do, but I sort of expected the hero to. The "good guy" should have cared more for life in the end, in my opinion.
Lastly, the violence wasn't extremely graphic, but it wasn't mild either. The book does deal with vengeance, murder, and war, so take that into account. There was no more torture in this one, but there is a character clearly affected by it. Some mild swearing, though mostly infrequent. The romance was well done, nothing more serious than a fiery kiss and a caress, though there is allusion to more. I'd probably say late teens and up for this one.
August 18, 2017
This is the final book in this amazing spin off series from Jennifer Anne Davis True Reign series. It does not disappoint yes this series has a darker tone to it overall but it truly needs it. This is the battle for Allyssa future free of being pursured by Queen Jana and determining the future she wants to have weather it one as the Queen or something else.
I really think Jennifer gave us everything we expected to find hidden within the pages of this novel. I was on the edge of my seat as we travel to final pages and what will is a most fitting conclusion i don't want to spoil anything for anyone who has yet to read it. I love the person Allyssa becomes through this whole series, she faces torture, killing enemies and losing love. Jennifer Anne Davis never fails to disappoint.
I really think Jennifer gave us everything we expected to find hidden within the pages of this novel. I was on the edge of my seat as we travel to final pages and what will is a most fitting conclusion i don't want to spoil anything for anyone who has yet to read it. I love the person Allyssa becomes through this whole series, she faces torture, killing enemies and losing love. Jennifer Anne Davis never fails to disappoint.
November 25, 2017
Contains spoilers!!
....
This book seriers keep getting better!! Loved how we got to see some of the old characters from True reign in this book! And getting to know Kerdan better, and see him and Allyssa get together, was AMAZING!! Loved that so much! Still having Jarvik watch the whole thing was painfull, and i felt so bad for him over and over again, god he really did deserve better than this, damn you Jennifer!
The way Kerdan opened up doing this book, was amazing, and the ending, god i'm dying a little now that he is out of my life :( Hope that she write Saveneks story as well, and that we will get to see some of Kerdan and Allyssa's marriage evolve!
Reading about Savenek's story took me back to the "real" Savenek from true reign, and I hope that she writes a book, and will honer his memory in some way!!
....
This book seriers keep getting better!! Loved how we got to see some of the old characters from True reign in this book! And getting to know Kerdan better, and see him and Allyssa get together, was AMAZING!! Loved that so much! Still having Jarvik watch the whole thing was painfull, and i felt so bad for him over and over again, god he really did deserve better than this, damn you Jennifer!
The way Kerdan opened up doing this book, was amazing, and the ending, god i'm dying a little now that he is out of my life :( Hope that she write Saveneks story as well, and that we will get to see some of Kerdan and Allyssa's marriage evolve!
Reading about Savenek's story took me back to the "real" Savenek from true reign, and I hope that she writes a book, and will honer his memory in some way!!
June 11, 2020
I read all three of Reign of Secrets so far and they are all incredible. But like everyone says, this is the best one.
At first, I was put off by the cover and thought it would be another one of those twilightesque stories. What do I mean by twilightesque? Stories that use romance/love triangles to lure you in and become unhealthily obsessed. And when you really think about the romance is quite abusive.
However, what was so refreshing was the romance was complex, believable, and not the manipulative kind. Moreover, the main character's romance was informed by so much, politics, independence, identity, culture clash, family, friends, and advisors. And if the romantic interest was slightly toxic, the character had enough wisdom/advice given to her from her community and self-worth produced by character development to firmly say no to it - ya! What a miraculous thing in a YA series for young girls. That was so incredible. Alyssa the main character is a great role model.
Therefore these stories, though addictive, don't leave you with that bad taste in your mouth where you feel like you've been manipulated by romance just to be addicted to it, like so many horrible YA and middlegrade series for girls and women. Does that make sense?
I do think without the cover, boys, young men would then check Reign of Secrets out and actually enjoy them because of how well-written they are. It's so well-written, it shouldn't be marketed to just women. This series was action-packed, incredibly strategic, rich with medieval/feudal political intrigue, and filled with crime-fighting heroic shenanigans. The characters were so complex and I loved the writing style. It wasn't melodramatic or heavy-handed and it had excellent character development.
So why I love this series so much? Love the writing style, deep characters, great character development, great plot, complex romance (not cheap or manipulative romance), addictive and thrilling action.
I do want to say if my review does anything, it is I hope that boys and young men will read this series too. I really think they will enjoy it because of the duals, sparring, wars, espionage and fights. Also the male characters are one of the most well-written in this genre - feudal medieval. If it doesn't do that, I hope the author or the marketing team will change the cover so that the greatness of the series will actually be reflected. And it is great because the series is for everyone, not just the stereotypical women the book market think we are - love-addicted simpletons.
Also, I think this could be a great TV series! And since it is suggested that the main character has darker skin tone (not shown in the book covers though), I hope it will be another great show that has a POC princess!
At first, I was put off by the cover and thought it would be another one of those twilightesque stories. What do I mean by twilightesque? Stories that use romance/love triangles to lure you in and become unhealthily obsessed. And when you really think about the romance is quite abusive.
However, what was so refreshing was the romance was complex, believable, and not the manipulative kind. Moreover, the main character's romance was informed by so much, politics, independence, identity, culture clash, family, friends, and advisors. And if the romantic interest was slightly toxic, the character had enough wisdom/advice given to her from her community and self-worth produced by character development to firmly say no to it - ya! What a miraculous thing in a YA series for young girls. That was so incredible. Alyssa the main character is a great role model.
Therefore these stories, though addictive, don't leave you with that bad taste in your mouth where you feel like you've been manipulated by romance just to be addicted to it, like so many horrible YA and middlegrade series for girls and women. Does that make sense?
I do think without the cover, boys, young men would then check Reign of Secrets out and actually enjoy them because of how well-written they are. It's so well-written, it shouldn't be marketed to just women. This series was action-packed, incredibly strategic, rich with medieval/feudal political intrigue, and filled with crime-fighting heroic shenanigans. The characters were so complex and I loved the writing style. It wasn't melodramatic or heavy-handed and it had excellent character development.
So why I love this series so much? Love the writing style, deep characters, great character development, great plot, complex romance (not cheap or manipulative romance), addictive and thrilling action.
I do want to say if my review does anything, it is I hope that boys and young men will read this series too. I really think they will enjoy it because of the duals, sparring, wars, espionage and fights. Also the male characters are one of the most well-written in this genre - feudal medieval. If it doesn't do that, I hope the author or the marketing team will change the cover so that the greatness of the series will actually be reflected. And it is great because the series is for everyone, not just the stereotypical women the book market think we are - love-addicted simpletons.
Also, I think this could be a great TV series! And since it is suggested that the main character has darker skin tone (not shown in the book covers though), I hope it will be another great show that has a POC princess!
February 16, 2024
The first two books of this series were dumb but fun. They were incredibly easy reads.
But holy crap, this one is terrible. All the faults of the previous books are amplified. The lack of understanding of the most basic and google-able facts is astounding. The way the author treats Russek people irks me in the worst way possible.
I don't feel like going point by point about the things that annoyed me because I have already wasted too much of my time on this book. So here in no specific order are a couple things that annoyed me:
- it took me idk a month or so to read 200 pages and the last 80 I was pushing myself for the sake of completing it.
- Once I reached Allysa's long and dumb letter I checked out. It was idiotic and made no sense. How many times has the tall and handsome prince told her that he was into her? How many times has Allyssa been freaking assured in his interest? Why would she not tell him in person that yes, she would like to marry him but they can wait a bit and he can come to Empirion to meet the rest of her family??? Why did she write that dumb letter.
- Really Jennifer Anne Davis? Poor Russek people can make a cold resistant house? Jesus, it made me so annoyed when Allyssa passed multiple house which looked like they couldn't handle the cold. As someone from a cold country I am flabbergasted. That's the most basic thing that people figured out earlier than written word.
- I can really deal with dumb stuff, I really can. I managed to read two books and completely let go of the idea of the dumbest country names I have ever seen (really Russek and Empirion?) But I cannot deal with the fact that Odar decided to leave her like trash just so that she could be available for the tall handsome and mysterious prince. Holy shit. That was idiotic. I can somehow ignore the dumbness of two heirs marrying each other. Sure, there can be a reason for the two to marry and the Russek threat is enough of a reason to make me believe it kinda makes sense. However, making her fall for another heir to the throne? No. No. No. It's idiotic.
- there's more but I don't feel like writing more.
But holy crap, this one is terrible. All the faults of the previous books are amplified. The lack of understanding of the most basic and google-able facts is astounding. The way the author treats Russek people irks me in the worst way possible.
I don't feel like going point by point about the things that annoyed me because I have already wasted too much of my time on this book. So here in no specific order are a couple things that annoyed me:
- it took me idk a month or so to read 200 pages and the last 80 I was pushing myself for the sake of completing it.
- Once I reached Allysa's long and dumb letter I checked out. It was idiotic and made no sense. How many times has the tall and handsome prince told her that he was into her? How many times has Allyssa been freaking assured in his interest? Why would she not tell him in person that yes, she would like to marry him but they can wait a bit and he can come to Empirion to meet the rest of her family??? Why did she write that dumb letter.
- Really Jennifer Anne Davis? Poor Russek people can make a cold resistant house? Jesus, it made me so annoyed when Allyssa passed multiple house which looked like they couldn't handle the cold. As someone from a cold country I am flabbergasted. That's the most basic thing that people figured out earlier than written word.
- I can really deal with dumb stuff, I really can. I managed to read two books and completely let go of the idea of the dumbest country names I have ever seen (really Russek and Empirion?) But I cannot deal with the fact that Odar decided to leave her like trash just so that she could be available for the tall handsome and mysterious prince. Holy shit. That was idiotic. I can somehow ignore the dumbness of two heirs marrying each other. Sure, there can be a reason for the two to marry and the Russek threat is enough of a reason to make me believe it kinda makes sense. However, making her fall for another heir to the throne? No. No. No. It's idiotic.
- there's more but I don't feel like writing more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2018
This was a great end to Allyssa's story-- though I look forward to reading more from another point of view!
Allyssa is finally home-- sort of. I loved that she was not immediately swept back into the life of the royal heir-- her parents gave her time to recover from her imprisonment and torture, to reflect and decide how to proceed and whether she would like to come back to court at all. It was also nice to see that she didn't just get over all the horrible things that happened to her. She showed signs of PTSD which is only natural after all she endured.
It was also nice to see her mature in her outlook on love-- as many of us do, she learned to evaluate her love for Odar and see where she might have overlooked their differences. She reconsiders what she needs in a husband and partner. Continually throughout this series I was impressed by Allyssa's relationship with her parents. They love her unconditionally, give her space to know her own mind, and above all want her to be happy, even if it means making things more difficult in the political sense.
I wondered at how much was left out about Allyssa's brother, but realized in the end that there will be more books from his point of view. I'm eager to "meet" him on the page and hear the story from his point of view. This book did a nice job of wrapping up the major loose ends and bringing closure, while still teasing us with more to come.
Allyssa is finally home-- sort of. I loved that she was not immediately swept back into the life of the royal heir-- her parents gave her time to recover from her imprisonment and torture, to reflect and decide how to proceed and whether she would like to come back to court at all. It was also nice to see that she didn't just get over all the horrible things that happened to her. She showed signs of PTSD which is only natural after all she endured.
It was also nice to see her mature in her outlook on love-- as many of us do, she learned to evaluate her love for Odar and see where she might have overlooked their differences. She reconsiders what she needs in a husband and partner. Continually throughout this series I was impressed by Allyssa's relationship with her parents. They love her unconditionally, give her space to know her own mind, and above all want her to be happy, even if it means making things more difficult in the political sense.
I wondered at how much was left out about Allyssa's brother, but realized in the end that there will be more books from his point of view. I'm eager to "meet" him on the page and hear the story from his point of view. This book did a nice job of wrapping up the major loose ends and bringing closure, while still teasing us with more to come.
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