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Shadow Fall #3
Shadow Ruin
The long-awaited epic conclusion to the award-winning Shadow Fall series is finally here!
My name is Maia Graystone: soldier, commander of the rebel army . . . and the Emperor’s worst nightmare.
After going from scorned traitor to leader of the rebel army overnight, I’m now the most powerful girl in the empire.
But power always comes with a price.
My mother questions my position at every turn, my enemies wait for the right moment to strike, and the burden of leadership threatens my relationship with Riser.
When the Empire kidnaps someone I love, I’m faced with the impossible—sneak onto Hyperion, the Emperor’s highly-guarded palace in the sky.
I’ve survived the Shadow Trials. I’ve survived the violent Blood Courts. But surviving this final mission means deciding once and for all who to trust—the golden prince from my past or the dark soldier from my future.
With Pandora’s wrath only days away, I’ll enter one final twisted game of treachery, secrets, and deceit.
Winner takes all . . . let the games begin.
Dare to enter the gritty world of Shadow Fall where tyrants rule, misfits reign, and anti-heroes are tasked with saving the world. If you like enemies-to-lovers romance, high-octane action, and epic themes of good versus evil, you’ll binge this rollercoaster of emotions late into the night!
My name is Maia Graystone: soldier, commander of the rebel army . . . and the Emperor’s worst nightmare.
After going from scorned traitor to leader of the rebel army overnight, I’m now the most powerful girl in the empire.
But power always comes with a price.
My mother questions my position at every turn, my enemies wait for the right moment to strike, and the burden of leadership threatens my relationship with Riser.
When the Empire kidnaps someone I love, I’m faced with the impossible—sneak onto Hyperion, the Emperor’s highly-guarded palace in the sky.
I’ve survived the Shadow Trials. I’ve survived the violent Blood Courts. But surviving this final mission means deciding once and for all who to trust—the golden prince from my past or the dark soldier from my future.
With Pandora’s wrath only days away, I’ll enter one final twisted game of treachery, secrets, and deceit.
Winner takes all . . . let the games begin.
Dare to enter the gritty world of Shadow Fall where tyrants rule, misfits reign, and anti-heroes are tasked with saving the world. If you like enemies-to-lovers romance, high-octane action, and epic themes of good versus evil, you’ll binge this rollercoaster of emotions late into the night!
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 25, 2020
207 people are currently reading
785 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
July 6, 2021
4.5 Stars
Wow! What a fantastic ending to this story! I know we had a rocky start...and then a filler...but it all came together seamlessly. So much action and heartbreak in this finale!
Wow! What a fantastic ending to this story! I know we had a rocky start...and then a filler...but it all came together seamlessly. So much action and heartbreak in this finale!
January 20, 2023
I finally read the last book! (It had been a while, I had to reread the previous ones to refresh my memory.)
– I found this whole series to be fairly unpredictable. Most books have predictable elements, these included, but in general I found myself never really knowing where the plot was going to go. And throughout, there were some elements that I wasn’t entirely sure how they’d turn out.
– This one in particular made me feel.
– There was a lot with the tech stuff that you just had to suspend disbelief for because it didn’t make a whole lot of sense.
– There were some things that happened in a way that was just weirdly perfect, a little too coincidental in ways that also didn’t entirely make sense.
– *MAJOR SPOILER* *END SPOILER*
– *ROMANCE SPOILER* *END SPOILER*
Although YA dystopian doesn’t really seem to be my thing anymore, I feel like this deserves credit for being a good series overall and good finale. I had some suspension of disbelief issues for a lot of the technology and things like that, but I enjoyed these characters and was gripped by their violent and unpredictable story.
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Fans of Books 1 and 2 in Audrey Grey's Shadow Fall series. Anyone who likes YA dystopian, violence with all the gruesome details, characters who can be feral or cold but also sweet and compassionate, and a bit of romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
– I found this whole series to be fairly unpredictable. Most books have predictable elements, these included, but in general I found myself never really knowing where the plot was going to go. And throughout, there were some elements that I wasn’t entirely sure how they’d turn out.
– This one in particular made me feel.
– There was a lot with the tech stuff that you just had to suspend disbelief for because it didn’t make a whole lot of sense.
– There were some things that happened in a way that was just weirdly perfect, a little too coincidental in ways that also didn’t entirely make sense.
– *MAJOR SPOILER* *END SPOILER*
– *ROMANCE SPOILER* *END SPOILER*
Although YA dystopian doesn’t really seem to be my thing anymore, I feel like this deserves credit for being a good series overall and good finale. I had some suspension of disbelief issues for a lot of the technology and things like that, but I enjoyed these characters and was gripped by their violent and unpredictable story.
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Fans of Books 1 and 2 in Audrey Grey's Shadow Fall series. Anyone who likes YA dystopian, violence with all the gruesome details, characters who can be feral or cold but also sweet and compassionate, and a bit of romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 12, 2022
4,5 stars!
This was as thrilling a read as the previous two books were. A very satisfying conclusion book to an overall pretty awesome ya dystopian/sci-fi trilogy that definitely needs more attention if you ask me.
Ive enjoyed reading this trilogy incredibly much and this third book lived up to my expectations, which I’m very happy about. From beginning ‘till end it was such a fluent, engaging read again and I finished it within a day.
For all the Katniss Everdeen fans out there… you don’t want to miss out on Maia Greystone’s story! It’s just as epic!
Shields up, daggers out, head high.”
This was as thrilling a read as the previous two books were. A very satisfying conclusion book to an overall pretty awesome ya dystopian/sci-fi trilogy that definitely needs more attention if you ask me.
Ive enjoyed reading this trilogy incredibly much and this third book lived up to my expectations, which I’m very happy about. From beginning ‘till end it was such a fluent, engaging read again and I finished it within a day.
For all the Katniss Everdeen fans out there… you don’t want to miss out on Maia Greystone’s story! It’s just as epic!
July 8, 2021
A satisfactory conclusion to this YA Dystopian Saga.
This series would have been one of my favourite dystopians if the love triangle was eliminated from the story either in books 1 or 2, but the plot and story was a great one nonetheless. I'm looking forward to reading more from Audrey Grey in the future :)
This series would have been one of my favourite dystopians if the love triangle was eliminated from the story either in books 1 or 2, but the plot and story was a great one nonetheless. I'm looking forward to reading more from Audrey Grey in the future :)
May 26, 2020
I have loved this series from the very first book! It was an epic conclusion to a fascinating series full of adventure and excitement! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!
April 18, 2024
This was a very solid conclusion, and it was the best book in the trilogy.
This book built well. The pacing and the conflict was well balanced, and I even grew to care for some of the chapters (something I really hadn’t through the previous 2 books). This book has some good twists, and it really had heart. I felt like the wrap up chapters were the best chapters of the series.
This book built well. The pacing and the conflict was well balanced, and I even grew to care for some of the chapters (something I really hadn’t through the previous 2 books). This book has some good twists, and it really had heart. I felt like the wrap up chapters were the best chapters of the series.
May 28, 2020
"Shields up, daggers out, head high"
To sum it up in one word. WOW!
I am struggling to put into words how great the last installment of this trilogy is. The story did not let up from the first page. The pace, the twists, the heart-wrenching emotions, and how beautifully everything unraveled at the end. The character arcs were perfect and came a full circle. Audrey Grey did not leave any stone unturned, and once again, I am awed how maturely and beautifully, she spins her stories. She and her stories are underrated, and part of me wants to keep it this way because not all will be able to understand/appreciate it. The story felt real, and the way the characters grew was TOO real. Even though ultimately there was light at the end of the tunnel, Digger girl and Pit boy had to be broken down to fit through every crevice, shed parts of themselves behind to claw their way out.
The story begins right where it left off in the second book. The fate of everyone on Earth depends on the successful infiltration of the castle on Emerald Island, locating and activating the Mercurian to deal with the asteroid about to plummet on the planet. A part of the plan goes horribly wrong, and now Digger girl with her group of misfits needs to take a detour to Hyperion, the castle in space. All the while, the clock continues ticking because of the window within which the asteroid can be "safely" disintegrated. As the story proceeds, it revolves around several characters, some of them come to terms with themselves and own their responsibilities, which will gut you.
To sum it up in one word. WOW!
I am struggling to put into words how great the last installment of this trilogy is. The story did not let up from the first page. The pace, the twists, the heart-wrenching emotions, and how beautifully everything unraveled at the end. The character arcs were perfect and came a full circle. Audrey Grey did not leave any stone unturned, and once again, I am awed how maturely and beautifully, she spins her stories. She and her stories are underrated, and part of me wants to keep it this way because not all will be able to understand/appreciate it. The story felt real, and the way the characters grew was TOO real. Even though ultimately there was light at the end of the tunnel, Digger girl and Pit boy had to be broken down to fit through every crevice, shed parts of themselves behind to claw their way out.
The story begins right where it left off in the second book. The fate of everyone on Earth depends on the successful infiltration of the castle on Emerald Island, locating and activating the Mercurian to deal with the asteroid about to plummet on the planet. A part of the plan goes horribly wrong, and now Digger girl with her group of misfits needs to take a detour to Hyperion, the castle in space. All the while, the clock continues ticking because of the window within which the asteroid can be "safely" disintegrated. As the story proceeds, it revolves around several characters, some of them come to terms with themselves and own their responsibilities, which will gut you.
May 1, 2020
Audrey Grey has done it again. She made me bawl my eyes out. AGAIN. Not many authors have that sort of raw talent to seriously yank readers heartstrings and leave them in ruin.
This finale was pure and utter perfection. It was worth the wait. So. Worth. The. Wait.
And I FLOVE the new covers so so so much. I can't even measure the extent of how much I fricken love the new covers. Have you seen them????? THEY'RE TO DIE FOR.
You guys... Seriously. Start this series. Yes, it's super dark and edgy, but it's such a beautifully written trilogy that leaves you wanting more.
This finale was pure and utter perfection. It was worth the wait. So. Worth. The. Wait.
And I FLOVE the new covers so so so much. I can't even measure the extent of how much I fricken love the new covers. Have you seen them????? THEY'RE TO DIE FOR.
You guys... Seriously. Start this series. Yes, it's super dark and edgy, but it's such a beautifully written trilogy that leaves you wanting more.
June 13, 2021
"Shields up, daggers out, head high."
THIS BOOK IS BEYOND AMAZING. I just.........damn. I never wrote any reviews before but i just cant ignore this series. I am not a sensitive person yet i keep sobbing, laughing, smiling and find myself become emotionally entangled with this series and all of the characters in it. All of the plot twist, the romance, and maia....she is amazing. For real tho, i cannot sums up how amazing this book is with only words.
You. All. Have. To. Read. This!!!!
THIS BOOK IS BEYOND AMAZING. I just.........damn. I never wrote any reviews before but i just cant ignore this series. I am not a sensitive person yet i keep sobbing, laughing, smiling and find myself become emotionally entangled with this series and all of the characters in it. All of the plot twist, the romance, and maia....she is amazing. For real tho, i cannot sums up how amazing this book is with only words.
You. All. Have. To. Read. This!!!!
March 2, 2022
Personal Opinion : Look, I don't want to sound harsh but the ending took me off guard in a bad way.
I'm not gonna lie, I fell in love with the description. It was so good and I was captivated by it. I remember telling myself : "This is it! This is going to be my next favorite series!" And yeah, turns out it sorta didn't fall into my fav category in the end, and I'll like to tell you why.
First and foremost. I am truly disappointed as to how.... simple the writing was. Especially in terms of description. Hey, it is a science-fiction-fantasy Ya book. I expect more details about the places that were introduced throughout the plot. (For instance, the Island that I was kept reminded of? About how fascinating the place was, how glamorous?) Well honestly, I didn't get that feeling. This book has left me many blanks to fill in with my own imagination. (And that's probably fine with some people, but to me, frankly I think it's incomplete.) I just wished there were more descriptions.
But of course, to balance that lack of background description, there were lots of monologues from Maia that really got me to be able to relate to her. For example in the second book, everyone turned against her and there was one part where she thought to herself since no one took her word for the truth and tried to believe her, she decided to become the villain whom everyone kinda just expects she is. That reminded me of the Darkling from Shadow and Bones where he said one line that will be forever etched in my mind : "Fine. Make me your villain." It was on that spur of the moment, where I actually felt sympathy for Maia, where my heart would really break for her and for all the things that she'd been through. Because she's tough, and she's proved it.
Next, Maia. How do I put this? Just explain to me, how could you fall in love with a character in the first and second book, only to want to ditch the third because of how let-down she or he turned out to be? Yes, I used to love Maia, mainly in the first book. She gave me the feeling of being stubborn but not too stubborn, brave at some point but know when to cower. She's not like a boring heroine where she thinks she's the law. And it was truly enjoyable to read about her. I like in particular where she spilled out her past to Rise. It was sad but moving. She was....sad, mad, in some way.
Yet at some point in the third book, I was shocked at how much she changed! And it was out of the blue. I do recognize at the point, she was the face of the rebellion against the emperor and cause of the survival of humanity. Yet... I felt like there's too much romance getting in the way of the third book that completely made me think that Maia has some serious if not worrisome trust issues about Riser. In short, I just don't think she's putting her head in the game. You know? Basically about actually finding where her father stashed his precious creation? I honestly felt that she was being childish, if not irksome. She's just not a leader I would imagine putting my faith into when I'm practically in the middle of a major crisis between life and death.
Furthermore. What is with the love-triangle between the Gold prince, Dark prince and Maia? I get why Riser and Maia fell in love with each other (not really) after all they've been through. But what does the Caspian have to do with this romance, if not other than to create distance between Riser and Maia? I mean, for heaven's sake! He's never met her! And their first contact was only through a bloody letter. So suddenly after reading what Maia has to say, he's all over the heels of her. It began so suddenly and ended so quickly. That is correct, I meant that Caspian actually sacrificed his life for "the greater good." And I don't think anybody really wept for him. Well it was understandable cause doomsday still looms ahead of them, I don't suppose how anybody's gonna spare some time to cry over him.
Finally, which might sound weird when I bring it out. And that'll be the timeline of the entire story. How many of you agree that the time flow of this story is considerably confusing? From the very beginning, we know that Maia has 552 hours which I think in the book, mentioned less than 3 weeks left. (So about 2 weeks and a half) I just can't imagine how the entire plot was fitted into these remaining days.
First, they've gotta prepare for the assassination which is what the entire first book talked about. Then at the ending, Maia was imprisoned by the emperor because her assassination attempt failed. Right from the start of the second book, we know that Maia has been tortured. I don't recall it mentioning how long she has been in a bad state, but the impression it gave me was at least a week. Otherwise, I couldn't see how exactly tragic Maia was under the hands of her torturer. Keep Up, now the following plot includes how she escaped, how she squeezed herself into the rebel's camp and how she managed to win the Blood Trails. (Pardon me, I don't remember what it's called) And that was only the plot of the second book.
See what I mean there? I don't understand if it's just me who doesn't have a good grip of the time and it's concept or the book is just doing a terrible job trying to bombard all the details in a short span of time.
To sum up, it was not all bad. But it surely wasn't what I was anticipating. Not enough thrills. Not nearly exciting enough. And the romance (or love-triangle if you put Caspian in the picture) was more or less one in the eye for me. Nevertheless, these are all my personal thoughts and everybody has a different perspective.
I'm not gonna lie, I fell in love with the description. It was so good and I was captivated by it. I remember telling myself : "This is it! This is going to be my next favorite series!" And yeah, turns out it sorta didn't fall into my fav category in the end, and I'll like to tell you why.
First and foremost. I am truly disappointed as to how.... simple the writing was. Especially in terms of description. Hey, it is a science-fiction-fantasy Ya book. I expect more details about the places that were introduced throughout the plot. (For instance, the Island that I was kept reminded of? About how fascinating the place was, how glamorous?) Well honestly, I didn't get that feeling. This book has left me many blanks to fill in with my own imagination. (And that's probably fine with some people, but to me, frankly I think it's incomplete.) I just wished there were more descriptions.
But of course, to balance that lack of background description, there were lots of monologues from Maia that really got me to be able to relate to her. For example in the second book, everyone turned against her and there was one part where she thought to herself since no one took her word for the truth and tried to believe her, she decided to become the villain whom everyone kinda just expects she is. That reminded me of the Darkling from Shadow and Bones where he said one line that will be forever etched in my mind : "Fine. Make me your villain." It was on that spur of the moment, where I actually felt sympathy for Maia, where my heart would really break for her and for all the things that she'd been through. Because she's tough, and she's proved it.
Next, Maia. How do I put this? Just explain to me, how could you fall in love with a character in the first and second book, only to want to ditch the third because of how let-down she or he turned out to be? Yes, I used to love Maia, mainly in the first book. She gave me the feeling of being stubborn but not too stubborn, brave at some point but know when to cower. She's not like a boring heroine where she thinks she's the law. And it was truly enjoyable to read about her. I like in particular where she spilled out her past to Rise. It was sad but moving. She was....sad, mad, in some way.
Yet at some point in the third book, I was shocked at how much she changed! And it was out of the blue. I do recognize at the point, she was the face of the rebellion against the emperor and cause of the survival of humanity. Yet... I felt like there's too much romance getting in the way of the third book that completely made me think that Maia has some serious if not worrisome trust issues about Riser. In short, I just don't think she's putting her head in the game. You know? Basically about actually finding where her father stashed his precious creation? I honestly felt that she was being childish, if not irksome. She's just not a leader I would imagine putting my faith into when I'm practically in the middle of a major crisis between life and death.
Furthermore. What is with the love-triangle between the Gold prince, Dark prince and Maia? I get why Riser and Maia fell in love with each other (not really) after all they've been through. But what does the Caspian have to do with this romance, if not other than to create distance between Riser and Maia? I mean, for heaven's sake! He's never met her! And their first contact was only through a bloody letter. So suddenly after reading what Maia has to say, he's all over the heels of her. It began so suddenly and ended so quickly. That is correct, I meant that Caspian actually sacrificed his life for "the greater good." And I don't think anybody really wept for him. Well it was understandable cause doomsday still looms ahead of them, I don't suppose how anybody's gonna spare some time to cry over him.
Finally, which might sound weird when I bring it out. And that'll be the timeline of the entire story. How many of you agree that the time flow of this story is considerably confusing? From the very beginning, we know that Maia has 552 hours which I think in the book, mentioned less than 3 weeks left. (So about 2 weeks and a half) I just can't imagine how the entire plot was fitted into these remaining days.
First, they've gotta prepare for the assassination which is what the entire first book talked about. Then at the ending, Maia was imprisoned by the emperor because her assassination attempt failed. Right from the start of the second book, we know that Maia has been tortured. I don't recall it mentioning how long she has been in a bad state, but the impression it gave me was at least a week. Otherwise, I couldn't see how exactly tragic Maia was under the hands of her torturer. Keep Up, now the following plot includes how she escaped, how she squeezed herself into the rebel's camp and how she managed to win the Blood Trails. (Pardon me, I don't remember what it's called) And that was only the plot of the second book.
See what I mean there? I don't understand if it's just me who doesn't have a good grip of the time and it's concept or the book is just doing a terrible job trying to bombard all the details in a short span of time.
To sum up, it was not all bad. But it surely wasn't what I was anticipating. Not enough thrills. Not nearly exciting enough. And the romance (or love-triangle if you put Caspian in the picture) was more or less one in the eye for me. Nevertheless, these are all my personal thoughts and everybody has a different perspective.
January 17, 2026
Shadow Ruin is the third and final novel in Audrey Grey’s Shadow Falls trilogy and is a riveting and edge of your seat conclusion to what has been a brilliant series from beginning to end.
Maia Greystone has been to hell and back. First she is participated in a series of brutal and violent trials to prove her worth and then she was held prisoner and tortured by the psychopathic Archduchess. Now the leader of the rebel army, Maia and her associates plans to destroy the Empower’s power once and for all before he allows the planet to be destroyed by an approaching asteroid. If Pandora reaches Earth, everything will be lost and with the Emperor and his fellow Gold’s safe on a spaceship, the rebels only option is to locate a hidden weapon with the ability to destroy the asteroid before it reaches Earth.... a weapon that the Emperor is determined to keep hidden. Thanks to a map long ago planted by her father, Maia, Riser and their comrades race against the clock before they fall to Pandora’s wrath but with secrets, treachery and betrayals at every turn, will they manage to succeed in time? Or will the Emperor outsmart them when it really matters?
I first fell in love with this series after reading Shadow Fall as Audrey Grey’s debut novel when it first released and have been in love with Maia and Riser’s story ever since. Though I’m very sad to see their story come to a close, Shadow Ruin was an entrancing and exciting way to bring the series to and end.
Audrey Grey has utilised all the best elements of fantasy to bring this series to life. Told through the eyes of heroine Maia, Shadow Fall is Hunger Games meets Divergent with a bit of Maze Runner thrown in for good measure and draws readers into a dystopian world where society is made up of classes—Bronze, Silver, Gold—-and an asteroid is on a collision course with Earth. I’ve enjoyed discovering the characters in this series and the world in which they live.
Protagonist Maia has come such a long way since the first novel from the hopeless young woman she was to the strong leader prepared to make tough choices and sacrifices for the people. She is a stronger version of the genuine and caring woman we first met and I feel honoured to have witnessed her develop throughout the series. She has been a likeable and effortless to follow main character and I think Audrey Grey wrote her perfectly.
Maia faced two love interests throughout the series in the forms of Riser and Caspian. As lovely as Caspian was as far as I’m concerned Riser was always the one for Maia and I’m glad she felt the same way too. I loved the way their relationship built and the chemistry between them. Their attraction developed over time and I enjoyed every kiss, touch and embrace they shared as they fell for one another despite those who thought they were not suitable for one another.
Building to a climactic ending with lives on the line and losses unavoidable, Shadow Ruin brings Audrey Grey’s Shadow Fall trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. Though I’m saddened to be finished with the series Maia and Riser’s story is one I will read again and again as it is simply that good!
Maia Greystone has been to hell and back. First she is participated in a series of brutal and violent trials to prove her worth and then she was held prisoner and tortured by the psychopathic Archduchess. Now the leader of the rebel army, Maia and her associates plans to destroy the Empower’s power once and for all before he allows the planet to be destroyed by an approaching asteroid. If Pandora reaches Earth, everything will be lost and with the Emperor and his fellow Gold’s safe on a spaceship, the rebels only option is to locate a hidden weapon with the ability to destroy the asteroid before it reaches Earth.... a weapon that the Emperor is determined to keep hidden. Thanks to a map long ago planted by her father, Maia, Riser and their comrades race against the clock before they fall to Pandora’s wrath but with secrets, treachery and betrayals at every turn, will they manage to succeed in time? Or will the Emperor outsmart them when it really matters?
I first fell in love with this series after reading Shadow Fall as Audrey Grey’s debut novel when it first released and have been in love with Maia and Riser’s story ever since. Though I’m very sad to see their story come to a close, Shadow Ruin was an entrancing and exciting way to bring the series to and end.
Audrey Grey has utilised all the best elements of fantasy to bring this series to life. Told through the eyes of heroine Maia, Shadow Fall is Hunger Games meets Divergent with a bit of Maze Runner thrown in for good measure and draws readers into a dystopian world where society is made up of classes—Bronze, Silver, Gold—-and an asteroid is on a collision course with Earth. I’ve enjoyed discovering the characters in this series and the world in which they live.
Protagonist Maia has come such a long way since the first novel from the hopeless young woman she was to the strong leader prepared to make tough choices and sacrifices for the people. She is a stronger version of the genuine and caring woman we first met and I feel honoured to have witnessed her develop throughout the series. She has been a likeable and effortless to follow main character and I think Audrey Grey wrote her perfectly.
Maia faced two love interests throughout the series in the forms of Riser and Caspian. As lovely as Caspian was as far as I’m concerned Riser was always the one for Maia and I’m glad she felt the same way too. I loved the way their relationship built and the chemistry between them. Their attraction developed over time and I enjoyed every kiss, touch and embrace they shared as they fell for one another despite those who thought they were not suitable for one another.
Building to a climactic ending with lives on the line and losses unavoidable, Shadow Ruin brings Audrey Grey’s Shadow Fall trilogy to a satisfying conclusion. Though I’m saddened to be finished with the series Maia and Riser’s story is one I will read again and again as it is simply that good!
May 30, 2020
The most satisfying ending I've ever encountered was found in this book. I'm definitely not ready to say goodbye to this crew of characters, but my heart is happy knowing that they all ended up where they were supposed to be.
Maia takes her ragtag army to try to fight the empire. Nicolai throws a wrench in her plan as always and the battle ended before it ever really had a chance to start. The psychopath Archduchess kidnaps Max and Maia is forced to choose between finding the Mercurian so she can save the planet or saving her brother.
The plan is to follow them to Hyperion, steal Max back and head back to save the world. But that doesn't work out either. I left Hyperion with a broken heart 💔 They, however, left Hyperion with the hope that they still have time to accomplish both goals.
Will she find the Mercurian? Will they be able to save Max and Earth? Will Lash ever be humbled? 😂 I freaking love these characters! Lash, Flame, Teagan, Brogue, BRAMBLE... all such epic characters and I absolutely love them!
Fave quotes:
Shields up, daggers out, head high.
Sometimes, hope is the only thing left. The only thing that keeps the all-consuming darkness at bay.
Maybe that's what love is- dropping your armor and letting someone in knowing they'll eventually injure you. That they can't help it. That we're porcupines, all of us carrying these quills of anger and pain, and whenever someone gets too close we can't help but stab them.
Maia takes her ragtag army to try to fight the empire. Nicolai throws a wrench in her plan as always and the battle ended before it ever really had a chance to start. The psychopath Archduchess kidnaps Max and Maia is forced to choose between finding the Mercurian so she can save the planet or saving her brother.
The plan is to follow them to Hyperion, steal Max back and head back to save the world. But that doesn't work out either. I left Hyperion with a broken heart 💔 They, however, left Hyperion with the hope that they still have time to accomplish both goals.
Will she find the Mercurian? Will they be able to save Max and Earth? Will Lash ever be humbled? 😂 I freaking love these characters! Lash, Flame, Teagan, Brogue, BRAMBLE... all such epic characters and I absolutely love them!
Fave quotes:
Shields up, daggers out, head high.
Sometimes, hope is the only thing left. The only thing that keeps the all-consuming darkness at bay.
Maybe that's what love is- dropping your armor and letting someone in knowing they'll eventually injure you. That they can't help it. That we're porcupines, all of us carrying these quills of anger and pain, and whenever someone gets too close we can't help but stab them.
June 2, 2020
The third installment of this series did not disappoint! As the sleepers awake and march to the rebel camp to follow Maia, she is enabled to face her destiny and destroy Pandora through the mecurian... Now to infiltrate the castle and find it first.
This novel continued the love triangle between Caspian, Maia, and Riser. A part of me loved it and wanted more action between all parties, a part of me could have done without it. I did however thoroughly love the character development of Caspian. I enjoyed peeking behind the curtain and seeing his insecurities, the things that make him fear he'll end up like his father.
I found Maia's mother easy to dislike (isn't that the point), but loved the story of redemption! Speaking of redemption, IF YOU WANT A MASSIVE TWIST THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. Not to spoil anything, but I definitely did not see it coming and loved every tear filled minute of it!
This novel continued the love triangle between Caspian, Maia, and Riser. A part of me loved it and wanted more action between all parties, a part of me could have done without it. I did however thoroughly love the character development of Caspian. I enjoyed peeking behind the curtain and seeing his insecurities, the things that make him fear he'll end up like his father.
I found Maia's mother easy to dislike (isn't that the point), but loved the story of redemption! Speaking of redemption, IF YOU WANT A MASSIVE TWIST THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. Not to spoil anything, but I definitely did not see it coming and loved every tear filled minute of it!
March 14, 2021
“True, she cast a shadow on our world, but we were the ones to forget that darkness can only exist in the presence of light.”
Wow. At the end of this series I am left speechless with tear-stained cheeks and a powerful feeling of hope. These characters were all wonderfully real, tragically broken, and powerfully motivated. The impending distraction of Pandora was nothing to the evilness of mankind. Maia was such an amazing character to follow. She was so strong yet fragile, talented yet weak, and all around amazing. This series had me feeling things I wasn’t prepared for. The power to live peacefully and happily lies with us. We are the ones who destroy it time and again throughout history. This series is a powerful reminder of all that has been fought to save humanity (fiction or no) and all that needs to continue to be fought to save and protect it. Beautiful story! Thank you!
Wow. At the end of this series I am left speechless with tear-stained cheeks and a powerful feeling of hope. These characters were all wonderfully real, tragically broken, and powerfully motivated. The impending distraction of Pandora was nothing to the evilness of mankind. Maia was such an amazing character to follow. She was so strong yet fragile, talented yet weak, and all around amazing. This series had me feeling things I wasn’t prepared for. The power to live peacefully and happily lies with us. We are the ones who destroy it time and again throughout history. This series is a powerful reminder of all that has been fought to save humanity (fiction or no) and all that needs to continue to be fought to save and protect it. Beautiful story! Thank you!
May 17, 2020
Audrey Grey has done it again and I am seriously speechless, this author has that talent that pulls you in with her work and makes it almost impossible to stop reading. This trilogy is one of the most beautifully written series I have ever read. It’s dark and edgy but also unique and fascinating, it hooked me from page one and never let go. This final book was definitely worth the wait and I am so sad to see this series come to an end. We pick up right from where book 2 ended and it is straight action from there. I laughed and I ugly cried (chapter 33 broke my heart) and experienced every emotion possible. I am so sad to say goodbye to these characters and will definitely be revisiting this series again soon. Thank you for providing me this ARC for an honest review!
May 20, 2020
This book was everything I could have possibly wanted in an ending. Suspenseful. Twists and turns I couldn't see coming. Character arcs coming to fruition with action and intrigue. Plus... RISER! #swoonsforever The redemption and courage is off the charts. The villains are ones that you love to hate. And my all time favorite side character, Bramble, is the best ever! Is it weird that I want a side story from a tiny robotic creature that speaks in chirps and vibrations? Cause I loooove him! He makes this story so much richer, and if you can't possibly see how that could happen, you'll have to trust me and read it. This series is in my top 5 favorite of all time, and will forever be my favorite of Audrey Grey's!
June 7, 2020
I’ve been a fan of Audrey’s writing since ShadowFall released. I’ve been a sucker for her books, her stories and devulged in everything. This conclusion to one of my favorite series was everything I hoped for. I love the twists and turns Audrey took us on and am in awe how she manages to make us feel safe just to throw us another curveball. i’ve been a Riser fan this whole time and this hasn’t changed at all. His character, as well as all the others, are just so likeable, you just want the, to be your friend/sidekick. The world, the story, it’s incredibly well thought out and just takes you on a journey you don’t wanna get off. Audrey, I love you!!!!
November 9, 2020
What a ride!
Oh wow where to even start..... I have laughed, cried, I've been furious and heartbroken reading this series. It's not a beautiful love story. It's a raw, gritty dark story....and it was beautiful. It's about love, friendship, forgiveness, strength, family and hope in mankind. It's not a story that you'll forget anytime soon and that's exactly the kind of stories Grey delivers. I came out of this feeling like these were real characters and I was an observer in their life. I love these characters!!! One word.......BRAMBLE!!! Read to find out just what that means. This series you're not going to want to miss....
Oh wow where to even start..... I have laughed, cried, I've been furious and heartbroken reading this series. It's not a beautiful love story. It's a raw, gritty dark story....and it was beautiful. It's about love, friendship, forgiveness, strength, family and hope in mankind. It's not a story that you'll forget anytime soon and that's exactly the kind of stories Grey delivers. I came out of this feeling like these were real characters and I was an observer in their life. I love these characters!!! One word.......BRAMBLE!!! Read to find out just what that means. This series you're not going to want to miss....
May 28, 2020
Such an awesome ending to an amazing series!
I have loved reading this story from the very first book to finish. This last book was everything and more. It made me cry so much and pulled at my Heart strings. It was perfect. Made my heart break for certain characters. And rejoice at the deaths of other characters. It was definitely EPIC. I highly highly highly recommend this series as a MUST read. I’m sad to see it come to an end but happy the way it ended. Thank you Author Audrey Grey for writing such an awesome story!
I have loved reading this story from the very first book to finish. This last book was everything and more. It made me cry so much and pulled at my Heart strings. It was perfect. Made my heart break for certain characters. And rejoice at the deaths of other characters. It was definitely EPIC. I highly highly highly recommend this series as a MUST read. I’m sad to see it come to an end but happy the way it ended. Thank you Author Audrey Grey for writing such an awesome story!
May 31, 2020
A Must Read
Audrey Grey has done it again, capturing a riveting story that transports you to another world. A world that will leave you speechless as you cheer on Maia and her friends, boo the Archduchess, and scream as the story unfolds. She takes you on a journey of twists and turns that will leave you not wanting but NEEDING to know what happens and how it all ends. Just when you think Maia’s story could not get more intense, it does. If you think you have everyone figured out - hang on tightly - because that’s far from the truth.
Audrey Grey has done it again, capturing a riveting story that transports you to another world. A world that will leave you speechless as you cheer on Maia and her friends, boo the Archduchess, and scream as the story unfolds. She takes you on a journey of twists and turns that will leave you not wanting but NEEDING to know what happens and how it all ends. Just when you think Maia’s story could not get more intense, it does. If you think you have everyone figured out - hang on tightly - because that’s far from the truth.
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July 6, 2021What an intense story. Book one is a great adventure & we'll written. Book 2 was a bit boring in some places but necessary for the story to progress. I found myself having to put the 3rd book in this series away for a few hours cause my shoulders where around my ears I was so tense waiting to see what happens to Maia and Riser.
If you find yourself struggling to get through book 2 just keep going it is worth the read.
I enjoyed this writing style but Kingdom of Runes is definitely my favourite series from this author.
If you find yourself struggling to get through book 2 just keep going it is worth the read.
I enjoyed this writing style but Kingdom of Runes is definitely my favourite series from this author.
March 10, 2023
Where has this series been hiding??
OMG! When I tell you I devoured this series one book everyday. It was that good. The character arcs, the world building, the storyline, I loved absolutely everything about this entire series.
It had it all:
Enemies to lovers
Touch her and die
Love triangle
Found Family
Dystopian World
Intrigue
Action
Strong Characters
Excellent Storyline (that kept you on your toes)
Slow burn
Also one word Riser..... 🔥 🔥 🔥
If you love great storytelling this entire series is for you.
OMG! When I tell you I devoured this series one book everyday. It was that good. The character arcs, the world building, the storyline, I loved absolutely everything about this entire series.
It had it all:
Enemies to lovers
Touch her and die
Love triangle
Found Family
Dystopian World
Intrigue
Action
Strong Characters
Excellent Storyline (that kept you on your toes)
Slow burn
Also one word Riser..... 🔥 🔥 🔥
If you love great storytelling this entire series is for you.
September 8, 2024
Now it's finally over. Maia saved the world. Within what felt like 2 weeks, she was taken out of the pit, turned into a swan, won the love of 2 princes, was tortured, captured by rebels, took over the rebels, flew into space, overthrew the emperor and then stopped a meteorite back on Earth.
Fantastic performance from someone who doesn't understand the simplest plot connections. I mean, it wasn't actually that difficult to figure out who Nikolai or Brogue was.
I was surprised by the comedy of errors in space. I was almost ready to shed a tear.
Fantastic performance from someone who doesn't understand the simplest plot connections. I mean, it wasn't actually that difficult to figure out who Nikolai or Brogue was.
I was surprised by the comedy of errors in space. I was almost ready to shed a tear.
May 28, 2020
I was gifted this book by the author for my free honest opinion. This book gave me so many feels. I cried and that barely ever happens with books. Why Caspian why? The saddest part. This series was amazing. The ending had me in so many tears when she and Max watched the video and she finally realized her mother loved her all along. It was so beautiful. Great book. Great series. Highly recommended.
May 30, 2020
Wow! Audrey Grey is one of my favourite authors. She writes such amazing stories!
Out of the 3 books Shadow Ruin is by far my favourite out of the series.
There were many scenes that I had to go back and reread as they were written so well. The story just kept in getting better and better!!!Especially in last part of story. So many reveals...some were heartbreaking to read but all were beautiful!
Such a great series!
Out of the 3 books Shadow Ruin is by far my favourite out of the series.
There were many scenes that I had to go back and reread as they were written so well. The story just kept in getting better and better!!!Especially in last part of story. So many reveals...some were heartbreaking to read but all were beautiful!
Such a great series!
June 25, 2020
I'm not gonna lie, a lot of the ending was predictable (with a few surprises though). But I'm the type of person that doesn't care about that. I still considered it a well told ending to a good story. The ending did leave me with a slightly unfulfilled feeling, but 90% felt good about it, 10% unfulfilled. And no one likes to see good stories end, so that may just be me and my opinion.
Overall good end to the series.
Overall good end to the series.
September 7, 2020
Lash stole my heart, but I think it will always belong to Riser.
I loved the premise of this story and the way Grey brought in astronomy to a story about emperors and court life. Impressive technology, clear-cut class distinctions, and beautiful writing. The first book took a little long to finally get to the action, but once the ball was rolling we were flying through space and straight to the stars.
One of my new favorites.
I loved the premise of this story and the way Grey brought in astronomy to a story about emperors and court life. Impressive technology, clear-cut class distinctions, and beautiful writing. The first book took a little long to finally get to the action, but once the ball was rolling we were flying through space and straight to the stars.
One of my new favorites.
January 12, 2021
Good book, ending was a bit
The ending seemed like a bit of a letdown somehow. I didn’t get how the upload or waking of the sleepers worked. The sleepers just kind of showed ip. The pacing of the Romance was alright, but seemed tired at the end. It was odd to have such a happy ending (ie your parents really did love you) after such an otherwise dark book filled with not just one, not just two, but three villainous psychopaths.
The ending seemed like a bit of a letdown somehow. I didn’t get how the upload or waking of the sleepers worked. The sleepers just kind of showed ip. The pacing of the Romance was alright, but seemed tired at the end. It was odd to have such a happy ending (ie your parents really did love you) after such an otherwise dark book filled with not just one, not just two, but three villainous psychopaths.
July 15, 2022
This book, similarly and yet even more so than the previous two, is ridiculously overwritten. It needs an editor worth their brass - and if it had one, the book itself would likely be half its length.
The writing is distracting. The dialogue is cringeworthy. The concept of time seems out of whack and not realistic.
3 stars because in spite of all of that, I was into the story enough to finish the trilogy, and the ending itself was well done.
The writing is distracting. The dialogue is cringeworthy. The concept of time seems out of whack and not realistic.
3 stars because in spite of all of that, I was into the story enough to finish the trilogy, and the ending itself was well done.
May 28, 2020
This series blew my mind!!!! The character growth, the surprises, the love triangle all continue to make this story an epic read that keeps you on your toes. While I hate the royalist sand I hate the emperors men, I really hate mom.... even when she works hard to redeem herself (most likely due to my own mommy issues but hey!) lol. This story couldn’t have ended any better in my point of view and I am so very sad to have this be the end of this amazing story but it... it was perfect.
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