What do you think?
Rate this book
Heart of Thorns #3
Soul of Cinder
The Twisted Sisters are coming home.
Prince Quin has returned to the river kingdom, ready to spearhead a rebellion and reclaim the throne. He vows to destroy Mia, Pilar, and Angelyne if they oppose him—even if he must use his newfound magic to set the world aflame.
Across the four kingdoms, the elements have been tipped askew. Volcanoes erupt, glaciers collapse, and cities sink into the western sands. After losing Angie, Mia and Pilar journey to the glass kingdom to seek help, though soon their fragile bonds of sisterhood begin to fray. Mia’s sensations are creeping back, and with them, a deep and searing grief. Pilar, terrified of being broken, once again seeks comfort in her fists. But when they hear rumors of a misty island that promises to erase all pain, they suddenly find themselves with an answer—if they are willing to pay the cost.
As tensions mount, the sisters are drawn back to the river kingdom for a final reckoning with the boy they each loved. The shattering conclusion to Bree Barton’s Heart of Thorns trilogy challenges why we grieve, whom we love—and how to mend a broken heart.
Prince Quin has returned to the river kingdom, ready to spearhead a rebellion and reclaim the throne. He vows to destroy Mia, Pilar, and Angelyne if they oppose him—even if he must use his newfound magic to set the world aflame.
Across the four kingdoms, the elements have been tipped askew. Volcanoes erupt, glaciers collapse, and cities sink into the western sands. After losing Angie, Mia and Pilar journey to the glass kingdom to seek help, though soon their fragile bonds of sisterhood begin to fray. Mia’s sensations are creeping back, and with them, a deep and searing grief. Pilar, terrified of being broken, once again seeks comfort in her fists. But when they hear rumors of a misty island that promises to erase all pain, they suddenly find themselves with an answer—if they are willing to pay the cost.
As tensions mount, the sisters are drawn back to the river kingdom for a final reckoning with the boy they each loved. The shattering conclusion to Bree Barton’s Heart of Thorns trilogy challenges why we grieve, whom we love—and how to mend a broken heart.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published January 12, 2021
38 people are currently reading
2644 people want to read
About the author
Bree Barton
4 books508 followersBree is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and mental health advocate who believes stories have the power to heal. She’s written four novels (HarperCollins, Viking/Penguin Random House) translated into six languages and published in nine countries.
As a seasoned speaker and workshop leader, Bree has worked with 30+ schools, colleges, and nonprofits nationwide, creating safe spaces where people of all ages can share their own stories of resilience and survival. She has collaborated with NAMI, United Way, Family & Children's Services, and other social service organizations to expand mental healthcare accessibility.
Through her advocacy and essays in Slate, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, Bree uses authentic storytelling to destigmatize sticky subjects like mental illness. She’s also the founder of Rock 'n' Write, a dance-and-writing program for young folx—because sometimes you need to move your body before you can move your pen.
I N S T A G R A M: instagram.com/speakbreely
Y O U T U B E: youtube.com/breebarton
As a seasoned speaker and workshop leader, Bree has worked with 30+ schools, colleges, and nonprofits nationwide, creating safe spaces where people of all ages can share their own stories of resilience and survival. She has collaborated with NAMI, United Way, Family & Children's Services, and other social service organizations to expand mental healthcare accessibility.
Through her advocacy and essays in Slate, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, Bree uses authentic storytelling to destigmatize sticky subjects like mental illness. She’s also the founder of Rock 'n' Write, a dance-and-writing program for young folx—because sometimes you need to move your body before you can move your pen.
I N S T A G R A M: instagram.com/speakbreely
Y O U T U B E: youtube.com/breebarton
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
December 20, 2025
**3.5-stars**
Soul of Cinder is the final book in Bree Barton's Feminist-infused, YA-Fantasy trilogy, Heart of Thorns.
Following the world-shattering events of the second book, Tears of Frost, we find most of our characters separated and unaware of who amongst them has survived.
After slightly bonding, Mia and Pilar, newfound allies, seem to be at one another's throats once again. Together with the indefatigable, Nelladine, the girls are one their way, via sea voyage, to Pembuk in search of the Shadowess.
Prince Quin, unbeknowst to the ladies, has also survived and he is making his way home to reclaim his kingdom. He blames the lot of them for his current circumstances and is hellbent on revenge.
And what of Angelyne; Mia's younger sister? Some would say she's the impetus of these events, but where is she now?
I enjoyed this. I enjoyed this whole trilogy, although I won't be memorializing it as a new favorite, I can appreciate it for what it did.
This entire trilogy is a beautiful examination of trauma, recovery and growth. Barton really did an exceptional job of exploring those topics and showing that everyone's journey will be different. There is no single, correct way to heal.
I also appreciate the feminist-underpinnings woven throughout these three books. Autonomy, choice, the right to kick some butt, it's all in here. It was substantive; definitely well done in that regard.
I think this is a great series for Readers just starting out in the YA-Fantasy space. I sort of feel like, for me, I may have enjoyed this more had I read it three or four years ago.
I think as far as content goes, plot-wise, I have just moved past this point in my YA-Fantasy journey.
With that being said, this is a solid series, start-to-finish. Great characters, a lot of action and the examination of some fairly serious topics.
I will be donating my hard copies of this entire trilogy to my local high school library, where I know it will be enjoyed for years to come!
Soul of Cinder is the final book in Bree Barton's Feminist-infused, YA-Fantasy trilogy, Heart of Thorns.
Following the world-shattering events of the second book, Tears of Frost, we find most of our characters separated and unaware of who amongst them has survived.
After slightly bonding, Mia and Pilar, newfound allies, seem to be at one another's throats once again. Together with the indefatigable, Nelladine, the girls are one their way, via sea voyage, to Pembuk in search of the Shadowess.
Prince Quin, unbeknowst to the ladies, has also survived and he is making his way home to reclaim his kingdom. He blames the lot of them for his current circumstances and is hellbent on revenge.
And what of Angelyne; Mia's younger sister? Some would say she's the impetus of these events, but where is she now?
I enjoyed this. I enjoyed this whole trilogy, although I won't be memorializing it as a new favorite, I can appreciate it for what it did.
This entire trilogy is a beautiful examination of trauma, recovery and growth. Barton really did an exceptional job of exploring those topics and showing that everyone's journey will be different. There is no single, correct way to heal.
I also appreciate the feminist-underpinnings woven throughout these three books. Autonomy, choice, the right to kick some butt, it's all in here. It was substantive; definitely well done in that regard.
I think this is a great series for Readers just starting out in the YA-Fantasy space. I sort of feel like, for me, I may have enjoyed this more had I read it three or four years ago.
I think as far as content goes, plot-wise, I have just moved past this point in my YA-Fantasy journey.
With that being said, this is a solid series, start-to-finish. Great characters, a lot of action and the examination of some fairly serious topics.
I will be donating my hard copies of this entire trilogy to my local high school library, where I know it will be enjoyed for years to come!
February 23, 2022
3.25/5⭐️
Pomimo, że ta część mi się mocno dłużyła, ostatnie 100 stron mi się podobało, zakończenie zdecydowanie mnie usatysfakcjonowało i jestem szczęśliwa z tego jak ostatecznie potoczyły się losy wszystkich bohaterów.
Książka porusza ważne tematy, takie jak depresja, odczuwanie i radzenie sobie z emocjami, uczucia towarzyszące rożnym wydarzeniom i radzenie sobie z traumami.
Mimo, iż nie była to najlepsza trylogia jaką czytałam i czegoś mi zabrakło jeśli chodzi o fabułe, to zapamiętam tą historie i przekaz jaki ze sobą niesie na długo.
Pomimo, że ta część mi się mocno dłużyła, ostatnie 100 stron mi się podobało, zakończenie zdecydowanie mnie usatysfakcjonowało i jestem szczęśliwa z tego jak ostatecznie potoczyły się losy wszystkich bohaterów.
Książka porusza ważne tematy, takie jak depresja, odczuwanie i radzenie sobie z emocjami, uczucia towarzyszące rożnym wydarzeniom i radzenie sobie z traumami.
Mimo, iż nie była to najlepsza trylogia jaką czytałam i czegoś mi zabrakło jeśli chodzi o fabułe, to zapamiętam tą historie i przekaz jaki ze sobą niesie na długo.
January 12, 2021
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
Immediately following the explosive events of Tears of Frost, our cast of characters are recovering in their own ways. For Mia and Pilar, they are getting to grips with being half-sisters, and travelling with Nelladine to Pembuk, the glass kingdom, in order to speak with the Shadowess, and discover if Mia can regain her feelings and sensations, and for Pilar to come to terms with the horrific suffering she has faced. Unbeknown to them, Quin also survived, and after being broken by both love and pain, he's turned into someone wholly different to what you might expect. Blaming the Twisted Sisters for everything, he's discovered he now has magic, and is ready to take back his kingdom, come hell or high water, and he doesn't care who he hurts along the way. While the three main characters are all journeying to their destinations, it seems that the world they know is imploding: volqanoes are erupting, the river kingdom is on fire, the glass cities are sinking, and glaciers are collapsing in Luumia. Even when they discover themselves, will there be a world left for them?
I have somewhat mixed feelings for this book, and series. I loved Heart of Thorns, but Tears of Frost had moments that annoyed me, which was the same here too. This time, we have three points of view - Mia, Pilar, and Quin - and while I liked that, they changed too often for me, and the characters had changed so much too, which felt like a complete 180 to where they were in book 1. Mia, I still love. She's rediscovering her feelings, little by little, and wants to care for anyone and help those suffering, though this doesn't always turn out well for her. There were moments she was a little naive, and I wanted to shake my head at her, but all in all, I liked her chapters. For Pilar, yet again, I was annoyed. Yes, I feel so sorry for what she has suffered, but she was too abrupt and abrasive at times. People around her, like Mia, Stone, Shay, etc., wanted to help her, and just be there for her, and she pushed them away - going nearly too far in one case. Quin was a complete 180 - he was twisted and turning into a tyrant just like his father before him, and I couldn't believe how much his characterisation had been ruined. In the end, he does change back to more of the Quin we all know and love, but still, I think this is part of the reason I'm giving Soul of Cinder 4 stars.
Obviously with the characters apart from each other for the majority of the book, there's little to no romance, but I did love the ending, all being said. Mia and Quin deserve each other, and have done from the start of their story, and I did appreciate the full circle their story had gone in, to allow them to be in a perfect position at the end. Mia also got some closure from her feelings with her family - especially with Angelyne, and Angelyne's own redemption on the Isle of Forgetting. Without that section of the book, I do think there would've been unanswered questions left on the final page, but thinking back to the series as a whole, I think everything has been tied up together quite well. Maybe I would've wanted something a bit more for Quin and Pilar, but all in all, a good ending to the series.
Immediately following the explosive events of Tears of Frost, our cast of characters are recovering in their own ways. For Mia and Pilar, they are getting to grips with being half-sisters, and travelling with Nelladine to Pembuk, the glass kingdom, in order to speak with the Shadowess, and discover if Mia can regain her feelings and sensations, and for Pilar to come to terms with the horrific suffering she has faced. Unbeknown to them, Quin also survived, and after being broken by both love and pain, he's turned into someone wholly different to what you might expect. Blaming the Twisted Sisters for everything, he's discovered he now has magic, and is ready to take back his kingdom, come hell or high water, and he doesn't care who he hurts along the way. While the three main characters are all journeying to their destinations, it seems that the world they know is imploding: volqanoes are erupting, the river kingdom is on fire, the glass cities are sinking, and glaciers are collapsing in Luumia. Even when they discover themselves, will there be a world left for them?
I have somewhat mixed feelings for this book, and series. I loved Heart of Thorns, but Tears of Frost had moments that annoyed me, which was the same here too. This time, we have three points of view - Mia, Pilar, and Quin - and while I liked that, they changed too often for me, and the characters had changed so much too, which felt like a complete 180 to where they were in book 1. Mia, I still love. She's rediscovering her feelings, little by little, and wants to care for anyone and help those suffering, though this doesn't always turn out well for her. There were moments she was a little naive, and I wanted to shake my head at her, but all in all, I liked her chapters. For Pilar, yet again, I was annoyed. Yes, I feel so sorry for what she has suffered, but she was too abrupt and abrasive at times. People around her, like Mia, Stone, Shay, etc., wanted to help her, and just be there for her, and she pushed them away - going nearly too far in one case. Quin was a complete 180 - he was twisted and turning into a tyrant just like his father before him, and I couldn't believe how much his characterisation had been ruined. In the end, he does change back to more of the Quin we all know and love, but still, I think this is part of the reason I'm giving Soul of Cinder 4 stars.
Obviously with the characters apart from each other for the majority of the book, there's little to no romance, but I did love the ending, all being said. Mia and Quin deserve each other, and have done from the start of their story, and I did appreciate the full circle their story had gone in, to allow them to be in a perfect position at the end. Mia also got some closure from her feelings with her family - especially with Angelyne, and Angelyne's own redemption on the Isle of Forgetting. Without that section of the book, I do think there would've been unanswered questions left on the final page, but thinking back to the series as a whole, I think everything has been tied up together quite well. Maybe I would've wanted something a bit more for Quin and Pilar, but all in all, a good ending to the series.
January 22, 2021
A deeply emotional, personal, and beautiful finale to a series that focused on character growth and the complexities of being human. The story is grim and heavy but also important and offers a satisfying conclusion.
All of the characters go through a tremendous amount of growth and self-discovery to reach the end of their arc. The journey is hard and painful, but also rewarding for Mia, Pilar, and Quin. Pilar's journey struck me the hardest. I rooted for her the whole time and was so pleased with how her story turned out. Mia and Quin also had amazing journeys, and I have to give some love to Stone, one of my new favourite characters.
There is little by way of plot or action, but again, this is a story clearly dear to the author's heart and I do think it will be tremendously important to readers who struggle with mental health and past traumas. It's beautifully written and tragic and one story I am so glad to have finished. The subject matter is heavy, but I definitely recommend it to all readers who want to learn and watch three young people grow.
All of the characters go through a tremendous amount of growth and self-discovery to reach the end of their arc. The journey is hard and painful, but also rewarding for Mia, Pilar, and Quin. Pilar's journey struck me the hardest. I rooted for her the whole time and was so pleased with how her story turned out. Mia and Quin also had amazing journeys, and I have to give some love to Stone, one of my new favourite characters.
There is little by way of plot or action, but again, this is a story clearly dear to the author's heart and I do think it will be tremendously important to readers who struggle with mental health and past traumas. It's beautifully written and tragic and one story I am so glad to have finished. The subject matter is heavy, but I definitely recommend it to all readers who want to learn and watch three young people grow.
January 13, 2021
Soul of Cinder is the third and final installment in the Heart of Thorns trilogy. I have mixed feelings about this trilogy but as a whole, I really enjoyed following this feminist story about magic and woman wanting to stop the abuse that kept happening to them over decades. I really loved the concept and how magic was only something women could have. What I did not expect was how dark this trilogy came to be. It deals with a lot of important issues such as colonialism, sexual assault, rape, and abuse. We see our characters go through trauma and loss. We also see them go into this healing journey but it takes time to get there. Since my review is about the third book and I don’t want to spoil you all, I’ll have to be brief.
The sister bond was messy, complicated, and heartbreaking but it makes it more realistic that way. It was very intriguing to see Pilar & Mia Rose's relationship evolve throughout the entire trilogy. I loved how dark this trilogy went. Seeing those characters mess up and go in a complete direction than I thought kept me entertained. This trilogy is filled with so many twists and turns you don’t have time to take a breath. I really think that the character's development was really well done. It was not easy to follow them through everything. The world-building was good, it was really nice to visit all 4 kingdoms and learn about their people and traditions. The romance in this book is very tricky, to say the least. When you read book 1, you think you know how this is going to end but end up being surprised with each turn of events. I think Soul of Cinder is a great conclusion to this trilogy. It came full circle with our main characters and I liked seeing them go through this journey of healing and accepting their own broken self. I think my favorite POV’s in this book was definitely Quinn’s. He was introduced to us as this ice-cold prince forced into a marriage with Mia Rose but as the story goes we discover this bi-sexual guy who loves to play piano and never wants to use violence as a means to rule a kingdom. He doesn’t even want to take the throne and prefers to spend his time in the kitchen with the servants and learn how to cook. His character goes through a lot of abuse throughout the trilogy. I really enjoyed seeing his journey in the final book and him finally taking the space he deserves.
Rating: 3,5/5✨
The sister bond was messy, complicated, and heartbreaking but it makes it more realistic that way. It was very intriguing to see Pilar & Mia Rose's relationship evolve throughout the entire trilogy. I loved how dark this trilogy went. Seeing those characters mess up and go in a complete direction than I thought kept me entertained. This trilogy is filled with so many twists and turns you don’t have time to take a breath. I really think that the character's development was really well done. It was not easy to follow them through everything. The world-building was good, it was really nice to visit all 4 kingdoms and learn about their people and traditions. The romance in this book is very tricky, to say the least. When you read book 1, you think you know how this is going to end but end up being surprised with each turn of events. I think Soul of Cinder is a great conclusion to this trilogy. It came full circle with our main characters and I liked seeing them go through this journey of healing and accepting their own broken self. I think my favorite POV’s in this book was definitely Quinn’s. He was introduced to us as this ice-cold prince forced into a marriage with Mia Rose but as the story goes we discover this bi-sexual guy who loves to play piano and never wants to use violence as a means to rule a kingdom. He doesn’t even want to take the throne and prefers to spend his time in the kitchen with the servants and learn how to cook. His character goes through a lot of abuse throughout the trilogy. I really enjoyed seeing his journey in the final book and him finally taking the space he deserves.
Rating: 3,5/5✨
March 9, 2021
After loving Heart of Thorns I had high hopes for this series but Tears of Frost disappointed me and Soul of Cinder turned out to be even worse.
The book deals with the characters' trauma and focuses on their individual healing stories which was interesting for a few chapters. But aside from that nothing happens. NOTHING. The story turned from thrilling (in book 1) to absolutely boring and the magical worldbuilding I loved to explore in Heart of Thorns now seemed dull and uninspired. Even Quins attempt at being a villain was over before it really began.
This book was a boring 400+ pages epilogue I didn't need.
The book deals with the characters' trauma and focuses on their individual healing stories which was interesting for a few chapters. But aside from that nothing happens. NOTHING. The story turned from thrilling (in book 1) to absolutely boring and the magical worldbuilding I loved to explore in Heart of Thorns now seemed dull and uninspired. Even Quins attempt at being a villain was over before it really began.
This book was a boring 400+ pages epilogue I didn't need.
March 1, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this series, book one I loved book 2 not so much and book 3 Soul of Cinder i actually ended up quite enjoying, although I still had issues with it.
As this is book 3 I won't say to much about it as I wouldn't want to spoil anything, but this one again follows Mia, Quin and Pillar on their journey of healing really.
Mia is still suffering from loss of feeling after the events of book 1/2 and is desperate to feel something again, pillar is still trying to deal with what's happened to her in the past and Quin in this starts out really with wanting revenge on anyone who's ever hurt him.
At one point in here I hated all of them they were all being so bloody horrible but as the story slowly unfolds they all begin to change and heal and I really ended up liking Quin the most, no surprise there as he was my favourite in the first book. But his journey in this book was the most satisfying story line for me seeing him become something he wasn't and trying to turn the tide was really good. Probably most surprising was how much I enjoyed Pillars ending as I haven't much liked pillar in these books but I was super happy with her outcome.
I did like the ending and was happy about it but I wish there has been more romance through this series as a whole. Book one for me smashed it with the romance and with that completely gone in book 2 it missed the mark for me and in this one while it is slightly there and only slightly at the end I just wanted it more present it would have made the ending all the more satisfying. I also wish they had been together sooner i think they're split in this book way to much I understand why but I wanted more romance.
Thank you so much to the publishers and terminal tours for asking me to be part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
As this is book 3 I won't say to much about it as I wouldn't want to spoil anything, but this one again follows Mia, Quin and Pillar on their journey of healing really.
Mia is still suffering from loss of feeling after the events of book 1/2 and is desperate to feel something again, pillar is still trying to deal with what's happened to her in the past and Quin in this starts out really with wanting revenge on anyone who's ever hurt him.
At one point in here I hated all of them they were all being so bloody horrible but as the story slowly unfolds they all begin to change and heal and I really ended up liking Quin the most, no surprise there as he was my favourite in the first book. But his journey in this book was the most satisfying story line for me seeing him become something he wasn't and trying to turn the tide was really good. Probably most surprising was how much I enjoyed Pillars ending as I haven't much liked pillar in these books but I was super happy with her outcome.
I did like the ending and was happy about it but I wish there has been more romance through this series as a whole. Book one for me smashed it with the romance and with that completely gone in book 2 it missed the mark for me and in this one while it is slightly there and only slightly at the end I just wanted it more present it would have made the ending all the more satisfying. I also wish they had been together sooner i think they're split in this book way to much I understand why but I wanted more romance.
Thank you so much to the publishers and terminal tours for asking me to be part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2021
*Source* Library
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
"Perhaps, in the end, the greatest love stories are not about our lovers. They are the stories of how we learned to love ourselves."
Soul of Cinder, by author Bree Barton, is the third and final installment in the authors' Heart of Thorns trilogy. This story revolves around three key characters: Mia Rose, Pilar d'Aqila, and Quin Killian. The final book brings readers to new worlds—the glass kingdom, the House of Shadows, an island called a “final resting place,” but after all the journeying, Mia, Pilar, and Quin, will return to the river kingdom, where it all began in Heart of Thorns, for a final showdown in home territory.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
"Perhaps, in the end, the greatest love stories are not about our lovers. They are the stories of how we learned to love ourselves."
Soul of Cinder, by author Bree Barton, is the third and final installment in the authors' Heart of Thorns trilogy. This story revolves around three key characters: Mia Rose, Pilar d'Aqila, and Quin Killian. The final book brings readers to new worlds—the glass kingdom, the House of Shadows, an island called a “final resting place,” but after all the journeying, Mia, Pilar, and Quin, will return to the river kingdom, where it all began in Heart of Thorns, for a final showdown in home territory.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
April 1, 2022
The most satisfying conclusion to the Heart of Thorns series I could ask for. Barton’s masterful storytelling talent is nothing but exemplified in Soul of Cinder— not just within the realm of character arcs or plot, but Barton’s own writing. Being Barton’s debut series (as far as I know), Heart of Thorns and Tears of Frost were not without their flaws, but each volume steadily improved, and I could not be more impressed with this gripping finale. It takes a lot for me to be moved by a book, but Soul of Cinder had done just that.
Though this could be applied to the series as a whole, something else that struck me were the long, personal author’s notes at the beginning of each book. They were compassionate on a level I hadn’t seen before; a pleasant surprise.
Though this could be applied to the series as a whole, something else that struck me were the long, personal author’s notes at the beginning of each book. They were compassionate on a level I hadn’t seen before; a pleasant surprise.
January 19, 2021
This is the book that I really enjoyed the most! The pacing was fantastic, and the whole book had this atmosphere of everything finally unravelling and coming to an end.
I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. You know how sometimes you imagine how a book might end? I didn't imagine it would be like this, and it was definitely better than what my imagination conjured up.
As you progress through the story, you feel the characters are finally resolving their deeply-rooted issues and getting some closure.
The author managed to beautifully craft a conclusion. I felt like each of the characters went through the necessary growth to finally be what I thought they would or could be. This just felt right.
I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. You know how sometimes you imagine how a book might end? I didn't imagine it would be like this, and it was definitely better than what my imagination conjured up.
As you progress through the story, you feel the characters are finally resolving their deeply-rooted issues and getting some closure.
The author managed to beautifully craft a conclusion. I felt like each of the characters went through the necessary growth to finally be what I thought they would or could be. This just felt right.
May 21, 2021
Terrible. That's all
February 18, 2021
I feel like this book is sorely needed in the YA community.
Why can’t we have a book about healing? Why can’t we see characters survive and grow after trauma?
I’ve read reviews stating that this is what ruined the book for them. Fair. Your opinion is your opinion.
But not every story needs a big boss battle; some stories (in books and real life) needs their characters to not physically fight their way out, but to heal.
So, I’m proud to be a fan of these novels. I think Bree has done a fabulous job at making so many people, who prefer to fight and heal quietly, feel seen.
I think these books are needed.
EDIT: It seems my review has triggered some people to criticise my opinion and then delete their view. But not to worry, I saw it. I wasn’t aware that there was a strict definition of what fantasy could include - I’ve read plenty of fantasy that talks about “how to heal from rape” as it was so nicely put in aforementioned deleted comment. Funnily enough, discussing trauma isn’t confined to self help or contemporary fiction novels - fantasy can do that too. Fantasy is a fictional world based around myth and folklore. Why can’t these fictional worlds teach and encourage healing? There doesn’t always need to be a big glorious physical battle - because healing from trauma already is one!
Like I said, fair enough if you didn’t like the story, but fantasy is fluid. Let people take what they want from these books. Last I checked, storytelling isn’t confined by rules.
Why can’t we have a book about healing? Why can’t we see characters survive and grow after trauma?
I’ve read reviews stating that this is what ruined the book for them. Fair. Your opinion is your opinion.
But not every story needs a big boss battle; some stories (in books and real life) needs their characters to not physically fight their way out, but to heal.
So, I’m proud to be a fan of these novels. I think Bree has done a fabulous job at making so many people, who prefer to fight and heal quietly, feel seen.
I think these books are needed.
EDIT: It seems my review has triggered some people to criticise my opinion and then delete their view. But not to worry, I saw it. I wasn’t aware that there was a strict definition of what fantasy could include - I’ve read plenty of fantasy that talks about “how to heal from rape” as it was so nicely put in aforementioned deleted comment. Funnily enough, discussing trauma isn’t confined to self help or contemporary fiction novels - fantasy can do that too. Fantasy is a fictional world based around myth and folklore. Why can’t these fictional worlds teach and encourage healing? There doesn’t always need to be a big glorious physical battle - because healing from trauma already is one!
Like I said, fair enough if you didn’t like the story, but fantasy is fluid. Let people take what they want from these books. Last I checked, storytelling isn’t confined by rules.
January 6, 2023
Actual rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Wow! What a great ending to a splendid series. I really loved this book from the first page to the last.
All characters grew a lot in this book and I really enjoyed following all of their separate journeys. The world building in this book is really good and I truly enjoyed that the love in this book wasn’t only focused on the romantic kind of love. Instead it focused on selflove, love between siblings, friends and family!
Wow! What a great ending to a splendid series. I really loved this book from the first page to the last.
All characters grew a lot in this book and I really enjoyed following all of their separate journeys. The world building in this book is really good and I truly enjoyed that the love in this book wasn’t only focused on the romantic kind of love. Instead it focused on selflove, love between siblings, friends and family!
March 28, 2021
At the heart, this is a series of broken people healing, and generally going about it the wrong way. Everyone is prickly, defensive, self-destructive, and make heaps of bad decisions. As such, it is not really an 'enjoyable' book to read, but I did still enjoy the journey the sisters and Quinn went through.
May 25, 2021
TW (for this book and the whole series):
Overall rating for the whole series: 3 stars
It's a solid series with some fun bits and very tough bits, but overall pretty good. The magic and fantasy elements were well done and the characters are okay.
'Soul of Cinder' picks up immediately where 'Tears of Frost' left off; Mia, Pilar, and Nell are leaving the ruins of Luumia and are heading to Pembuk for answers. Long, long story short, this is a book about healing and learning from mistakes. Everyone; Mia, Pilar, Quin, Angie, even Nell, has made mistakes and been so selfish and they learn to look outward rather than inward.
I remember hating everyone at some point in book 2. I hated that Mia was so selfish, Pilar never accepted help, Quin was stubborn and so insistent that he is a victim in all this, Angie is convinced that she knows best. They all have come so far. I think they all hit rock bottom and were faced with a choice; to be better or to be worse. They used to chose worse, but they finally start to see better.
The tone of this one is of hope and healing. And it worked. They learned from their continual mistakes and keep trying to be better until they actually are. I loved that the end was full of hope; for everyone. I would love a cute, fluffy epilogue but I liked how we ended also.
All in all, this series is one of major self discovery and learning. To be strong and heal. To take your past trauma and face it and overcome it. This is a hard series to read at times, but also important for some to hear.
Overall rating for the whole series: 3 stars
It's a solid series with some fun bits and very tough bits, but overall pretty good. The magic and fantasy elements were well done and the characters are okay.
'Soul of Cinder' picks up immediately where 'Tears of Frost' left off; Mia, Pilar, and Nell are leaving the ruins of Luumia and are heading to Pembuk for answers. Long, long story short, this is a book about healing and learning from mistakes. Everyone; Mia, Pilar, Quin, Angie, even Nell, has made mistakes and been so selfish and they learn to look outward rather than inward.
I remember hating everyone at some point in book 2. I hated that Mia was so selfish, Pilar never accepted help, Quin was stubborn and so insistent that he is a victim in all this, Angie is convinced that she knows best. They all have come so far. I think they all hit rock bottom and were faced with a choice; to be better or to be worse. They used to chose worse, but they finally start to see better.
The tone of this one is of hope and healing. And it worked. They learned from their continual mistakes and keep trying to be better until they actually are. I loved that the end was full of hope; for everyone. I would love a cute, fluffy epilogue but I liked how we ended also.
All in all, this series is one of major self discovery and learning. To be strong and heal. To take your past trauma and face it and overcome it. This is a hard series to read at times, but also important for some to hear.
November 3, 2021
It took me a long time to get properly started on this book but that’s not because it wasn’t good. I took the advice of the authors note and took some time away and waited for the right time to continue it.
I wholeheartedly love this book and the trilogy as a whole. It’s refreshing and doesn’t follow the usual predictable tropes. It’s discussions of the effects of different kinds of trauma and abuses of power are well done.
The only niggle I have is that there’s a wee bit of an emphasis on there only being two genders and for a world as otherwise varied and rich it’s odd that it’s there. I don’t at all think it’s intentional and maybe something an editor or sensitivity readers should have picked up on.
Otherwise I loved returning to these characters and this world.
I wholeheartedly love this book and the trilogy as a whole. It’s refreshing and doesn’t follow the usual predictable tropes. It’s discussions of the effects of different kinds of trauma and abuses of power are well done.
The only niggle I have is that there’s a wee bit of an emphasis on there only being two genders and for a world as otherwise varied and rich it’s odd that it’s there. I don’t at all think it’s intentional and maybe something an editor or sensitivity readers should have picked up on.
Otherwise I loved returning to these characters and this world.
March 27, 2021
It pains me to give this such a low rating. I absolutely LOVED Heart of Thorns. It was so addictive and I remember finishing it in a short span of time.
The second book, Tears of Frost wasn't as good but I still enjoyed it and couldn't wait for this one.
Ohh... *sigh* I did not like this book. It started off super slow, but I still had hope. Thinking it would get better, only it didn't. Almost nothing happens and this book doesn't even hold any of the same consistencies as the other two.
The second book, Tears of Frost wasn't as good but I still enjoyed it and couldn't wait for this one.
Ohh... *sigh* I did not like this book. It started off super slow, but I still had hope. Thinking it would get better, only it didn't. Almost nothing happens and this book doesn't even hold any of the same consistencies as the other two.
April 6, 2021
Book 84 towards my goal of 285! 5/5 stars for this trilogy ender. Since it is the last book, I don't want to give too much away. I will say it's a fantastic fantasy series that delves into some tough topics, and its female main characters have to figure out how to navigate their ways through life. Cannot recommend these books enough!
May 26, 2024
i have to admit this series as a whole was probably one of my least favorite series i’ve read. i did read all of the books but it was so hard for me to get through or to actually want to read. i truly just didn’t care for a single character in the book and i felt like there was a whole lot of nothing going on.
January 9, 2021
Official review to come on my blog 12th Jan 2020.
February 26, 2021
3.5
"Once upon a time, a girl chose to live."
"Once upon a time, a girl chose to live."
January 24, 2025
I was disappointed in this series. The ending was cute but for the most part it wasn’t worth it.
December 31, 2021
Soul of Cinder is the last installment in the Heart of Thorns Trilogy and it follows Quin first as he makes his way to River Kingdom and reclaim his throne. It's a story about hurt, healing and finding the best among very little. It's a bit of a rant, so it has some spoilers in it. Please don't read it if you don't want spoilers.
.
First, I was really intruigued by Quin's return and his thoughts towards the Twisted sisters. He is determined to be better and I think he will be because of his new found magic and how it behaves wrt his true intentions. I really loved his Character arc in this book. The relationship between Mia and Pilar was really good and complicated and messy and I really liked that. Although the concept with Shadowess was a bit much at times, I think it was a good inclusion. Second, I think I liked the conflicting enotions Quin had when it came to his kingdom. Embers and River kingdom gave him something to concentrate on other than revenge and his thought process was really good to read about. The Characters were broken in their own way, and their Journey towards accepting themselves and finding their balance after so much loss was really good to read about.
.
Coming to the Character arc and story development, I think Quin and Mia had good arc separately as Characters. I say that because I wasn't a fan of their relationship from the start. I know it started off really awkward and it progressed into something stable as they cane to know about each other, but it still lacked the chemistry and the bond between them was okay at best. So I wasn't excited for them to meet in this book. But Mia gaining her senses back and her conversations with Pilar were one of my favorites in this book. The riot in the River Kingdom wrt Embers were the action packed part and I loved it. Okay, now that it's out of the way, I was really looking forward to reading the budding romnace between certain Characters and they just stopped appearing suddenly in the book. And then when that is nding came, all was alright and they get their ending?? I was already skeptical with the starting of this book, and this just made me mad. There were no development per se and it was a disappointment. I didn't think Quin will just kill the sisters for their betrayal when he couldn't kill Tristian, but I wanted him to do something.
.
Well, since I binged the whole series together for this book review, I haven't thought about separate ratings for all the book, but this Series as a whole gets a 3 star. It had some good moments and scenes I really liked and scenes I wanted nothing to do with. It was a solid series, but it could have been so much better.
.
Thank you so much FavouritePagesClub for the review copy. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
.
Kindle/ Arc/ January 2021/ Book 001
.
First, I was really intruigued by Quin's return and his thoughts towards the Twisted sisters. He is determined to be better and I think he will be because of his new found magic and how it behaves wrt his true intentions. I really loved his Character arc in this book. The relationship between Mia and Pilar was really good and complicated and messy and I really liked that. Although the concept with Shadowess was a bit much at times, I think it was a good inclusion. Second, I think I liked the conflicting enotions Quin had when it came to his kingdom. Embers and River kingdom gave him something to concentrate on other than revenge and his thought process was really good to read about. The Characters were broken in their own way, and their Journey towards accepting themselves and finding their balance after so much loss was really good to read about.
.
Coming to the Character arc and story development, I think Quin and Mia had good arc separately as Characters. I say that because I wasn't a fan of their relationship from the start. I know it started off really awkward and it progressed into something stable as they cane to know about each other, but it still lacked the chemistry and the bond between them was okay at best. So I wasn't excited for them to meet in this book. But Mia gaining her senses back and her conversations with Pilar were one of my favorites in this book. The riot in the River Kingdom wrt Embers were the action packed part and I loved it. Okay, now that it's out of the way, I was really looking forward to reading the budding romnace between certain Characters and they just stopped appearing suddenly in the book. And then when that is nding came, all was alright and they get their ending?? I was already skeptical with the starting of this book, and this just made me mad. There were no development per se and it was a disappointment. I didn't think Quin will just kill the sisters for their betrayal when he couldn't kill Tristian, but I wanted him to do something.
.
Well, since I binged the whole series together for this book review, I haven't thought about separate ratings for all the book, but this Series as a whole gets a 3 star. It had some good moments and scenes I really liked and scenes I wanted nothing to do with. It was a solid series, but it could have been so much better.
.
Thank you so much FavouritePagesClub for the review copy. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
.
Kindle/ Arc/ January 2021/ Book 001
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2023
Po prostu ok.
May 16, 2023
Cała ta trylogia to dla mnie najbardziej niedoceniona fantastyka - „Serce z cierni” zasługuje na zdecydowanie więcej rozgłosu. Akcja jest tu świetnie poprowadzona, lecz dla mnie nie gra tu ona głównej roli. To przemiany wewnętrzne i rozterki głównych bohaterów zrobiły na mnie największe wrażenie. Na przestrzeni tych trzech tomów każde z nich przeszło wiele trudnych chwil, radząc sobie z traumami na lepsze i gorsze sposoby, a także odkrywając siebie. Autorka łamie wiele tabu, tworząc różnorodną, emocjonalną historię.
Losy Mii, Pilar i Quina to opowieść o uzdrowieniu, piękna i bolesna. Bohaterowie popełniają błędy, uczą się i po prostu żyją. Niesamowicie polecam Wam „Serce z cierni” ❤️🩹
Losy Mii, Pilar i Quina to opowieść o uzdrowieniu, piękna i bolesna. Bohaterowie popełniają błędy, uczą się i po prostu żyją. Niesamowicie polecam Wam „Serce z cierni” ❤️🩹
September 12, 2021
I liked this one slightly better than the previous book. I liked how the book ended but there was a lot in between that I didn't like so much. Quin was a big part of that. But also the pace of the story. This series didn't really turn out how I expected it to. Which is a shame, because I really loved the first book.
January 20, 2022
I actually really love this series. It is deeply, deeply emotional. And it is just SO GOOD.
December 31, 2020
SOUL OF CINDER is an intriguing conclusion to a dark YA fantasy trilogy. While in the first book we witnessed Mia's point-of-view and that was augmented with Pilar's point-of-view in the second, in this final book, we bear witness to Mia, Pilar, and Quin. Mia and Pilar have left behind the snow kingdom in ruins and have traveled to a place in the glass kingdom that promises healing as wanderers are often on their way to the island of forgetting.
Mia and Pilar feel broken by life, the tough decisions they've made, and the loved ones they have lost along the way. Quin is equally as broken, the powerlessness he has felt exploding out of him. In a world where the imbalance of power and pain creates magic, their abilities are manifestations of their suffering. Each is on a course to destruction or healing without really knowing where they will land.
What I loved: This finale is highly readable, and I loved the new characters and situations that provide more thought-provoking questions about morality. Each of the main characters is on the precipice of discovering who they will be and what they want to be - sometimes filled with the lies they have told themselves. I found these journeys to self-discovery to be quite meaningful, particularly the lessons learned along the way. It gets pretty dark at times, but so are the events that have led them to this point. There are a lot of scenes that would make this an excellent book for a group to discuss - there are a lot of layers and intriguing themes toward these powerful self-actualizations.
What left me wanting more: There are some characters from earlier books that just disappear, and it seemed odd to completely forget them here (maybe they likely met their end at the conclusion of the second book). There has been fluctuating romances throughout the books in a way that made them seem surface-level, but then they suddenly reappear at the end of this book, and I found it confusing. I would have wanted more of the continued connections to buy into the way it came together - it felt sudden and a bit like placing a conclusion bow on the end that didn't need to be there.
Final verdict: SOUL OF CINDER is a solid conclusion to a thought-provoking, dark YA fantasy. Recommend for fans of THE GRACE YEAR, ASH PRINCESS, and/or GRACE AND FURY.
Please note that I received an eARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Mia and Pilar feel broken by life, the tough decisions they've made, and the loved ones they have lost along the way. Quin is equally as broken, the powerlessness he has felt exploding out of him. In a world where the imbalance of power and pain creates magic, their abilities are manifestations of their suffering. Each is on a course to destruction or healing without really knowing where they will land.
What I loved: This finale is highly readable, and I loved the new characters and situations that provide more thought-provoking questions about morality. Each of the main characters is on the precipice of discovering who they will be and what they want to be - sometimes filled with the lies they have told themselves. I found these journeys to self-discovery to be quite meaningful, particularly the lessons learned along the way. It gets pretty dark at times, but so are the events that have led them to this point. There are a lot of scenes that would make this an excellent book for a group to discuss - there are a lot of layers and intriguing themes toward these powerful self-actualizations.
What left me wanting more: There are some characters from earlier books that just disappear, and it seemed odd to completely forget them here (maybe they likely met their end at the conclusion of the second book). There has been fluctuating romances throughout the books in a way that made them seem surface-level, but then they suddenly reappear at the end of this book, and I found it confusing. I would have wanted more of the continued connections to buy into the way it came together - it felt sudden and a bit like placing a conclusion bow on the end that didn't need to be there.
Final verdict: SOUL OF CINDER is a solid conclusion to a thought-provoking, dark YA fantasy. Recommend for fans of THE GRACE YEAR, ASH PRINCESS, and/or GRACE AND FURY.
Please note that I received an eARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
February 26, 2021
I had an interesting week finishing up several book series altogether. Soul of Cinder is one of these books which concludes a series that I've started a while ago. Soul of Cinder is story about healing and finding self-compassion after experiencing trauma. Narrated from three characters: Mia, Pilar, and Quin - this is an emotionally touching tale of reclaiming your sense of self and opening up your hearts again, after someone had wrong you to many levels.
I think Mia's narrative and character development is the strongest out of the three narratives in the book. Through the chapters from her perspectives, she became more emotionally resilient, compassionate, and better at setting boundaries against energy vampires. I think her growth would resonate with many people who had been in toxic relationships. That it's not our responsibility to fix other people.
On the flipside, I also have some concerns with the alternating perspectives. While Mia's chapters emotionally gripped me, I felt less sold with Quin's narrative. I feel like out of the three perspectives in the books, Quin's story of healing isn't as well fleshed out and it also felt quite redundant. I think if several Quin chapters are trimmed, that would also speed up the sluggish pacing. So if there are a few places that I think didn't stick really well in Soul of Cinder, I think it's due to the overstretched effort to include Quin's narrative in the book when I think Soul of Cinder already worked really well with Mia's and Pilar's personal narratives.
Despite my concerns with the pacing, I think Soul of Cinder excelled at the messaging on healing and is an emotionally touching conclusion to the Heart of Thorns series.
N.B. This book contains following content triggers: abuse, trauma, loss of loved ones, accidents, and abandonment
(3.5 stars out of 5)
I think Mia's narrative and character development is the strongest out of the three narratives in the book. Through the chapters from her perspectives, she became more emotionally resilient, compassionate, and better at setting boundaries against energy vampires. I think her growth would resonate with many people who had been in toxic relationships. That it's not our responsibility to fix other people.
On the flipside, I also have some concerns with the alternating perspectives. While Mia's chapters emotionally gripped me, I felt less sold with Quin's narrative. I feel like out of the three perspectives in the books, Quin's story of healing isn't as well fleshed out and it also felt quite redundant. I think if several Quin chapters are trimmed, that would also speed up the sluggish pacing. So if there are a few places that I think didn't stick really well in Soul of Cinder, I think it's due to the overstretched effort to include Quin's narrative in the book when I think Soul of Cinder already worked really well with Mia's and Pilar's personal narratives.
Despite my concerns with the pacing, I think Soul of Cinder excelled at the messaging on healing and is an emotionally touching conclusion to the Heart of Thorns series.
N.B. This book contains following content triggers: abuse, trauma, loss of loved ones, accidents, and abandonment
(3.5 stars out of 5)
August 1, 2024
I read the first two books a year ago. I recently finally decided to finish the series. My sister read it and told me it was something, she made it sound more negative so I was scared to read it. Hence why it took me so long. And honestly at the beginning I was bored and I had to push through to finish the book. Honestly I didn't really like Pilar nor Mia in the beginning, I never really liked either character throughout the three books. I started liking Pilar before I liked Mia, I found it more interesting to read about Pilar at the house of shadows trying to figure her place there. While Mia, it took a while till she got likable, only till the end when she realized her flaws. Quin is another story though, I liked him since the beginning, though his story was also sorta boring but it was at the same time not. I didn't really remember what happened in the second book but either way I just kinda understood.
The end was another story, I liked how Mia talked with Pilar, when they both understood what they had been doing that didn't make conversing easier. And the fact that The Shadowess offered the spot of keeper to Pilar, I sorta just imagined it, not saying it was bad or expected. Finally the ending scene in the book, where Quin and Mia bond, or re-bond. Personally I felt it was like awkward, that's not the exact word for it but yk. Like it's more of the talk, how he brought up the hall of hands, also the kiss just seemed a bit out of place.
But this is all my thoughts and reviews, this book exceeded my expectations, while at the same time I didn't. Again not that it was bad but it was just something else. This has been a good book to read.
The end was another story, I liked how Mia talked with Pilar, when they both understood what they had been doing that didn't make conversing easier. And the fact that The Shadowess offered the spot of keeper to Pilar, I sorta just imagined it, not saying it was bad or expected. Finally the ending scene in the book, where Quin and Mia bond, or re-bond. Personally I felt it was like awkward, that's not the exact word for it but yk. Like it's more of the talk, how he brought up the hall of hands, also the kiss just seemed a bit out of place.
But this is all my thoughts and reviews, this book exceeded my expectations, while at the same time I didn't. Again not that it was bad but it was just something else. This has been a good book to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews