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The Witch King's Crown #3
Blackbird Crowned
The final battle begins…
Gwen De Montfort’s greatest fears have now come true. Her brother Max has not only claimed the sword in the stone, but is working with Darkside in order to destroy the royal family and claim the throne for himself.
But does he hold the true Witch King’s Sword? Or is the sword he drew a powerful fake?
With the attacks on them intensifying, Gwen, her grandmother Moscelyne, and Luc Durant—a sword-bearing warrior from an ancient order of knights—race to not only uncover the truth but find a means of stopping Max before his plans can come to bloody fruition.
As an old goddess’s prophecies come true and new powers rise, the dark gates are opened and London comes under attack.
But the final battle will not be for the throne or the crown but rather a life, and might well result in Gwen having to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Gwen De Montfort’s greatest fears have now come true. Her brother Max has not only claimed the sword in the stone, but is working with Darkside in order to destroy the royal family and claim the throne for himself.
But does he hold the true Witch King’s Sword? Or is the sword he drew a powerful fake?
With the attacks on them intensifying, Gwen, her grandmother Moscelyne, and Luc Durant—a sword-bearing warrior from an ancient order of knights—race to not only uncover the truth but find a means of stopping Max before his plans can come to bloody fruition.
As an old goddess’s prophecies come true and new powers rise, the dark gates are opened and London comes under attack.
But the final battle will not be for the throne or the crown but rather a life, and might well result in Gwen having to make the ultimate sacrifice.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 22, 2021
51 people are currently reading
464 people want to read
About the author
Keri Arthur
102 books6,008 followersKeri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson, Guardian series, has now written more than 25 books. She's received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards, and recently won RT's Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives in Melbourne with her daughter and two crazy dogs
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
November 1, 2021
I am a huge fan of
Keri Arthur
and it's no wonder with the fantastic books she writes and The Witch King's Crown trilogy is as amazing as the rest of her series.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
June 25, 2021
A confusing mess, enjoyable but confusing. You need to read book two just before the third or you need a very good memory for details. I didn’t nor have so at the beginning I got lost.
Then I had to rush along with Gwen never really understanding much either plot or world building.
Nor the romance come to think about it. A lot of threads were left either hanging or went nowhere.
Both Luc and Max were pale characters and given that they were the only in depth ones except for Mo and Gwen… We have lots of props, Mia, Winter, etc but no other real people. I am not sure I understand Gwen either.
As I said a confusing mess. Overall this last book brings down a notch the full series as it never fulfilled its promise.
Then I had to rush along with Gwen never really understanding much either plot or world building.
Nor the romance come to think about it. A lot of threads were left either hanging or went nowhere.
Both Luc and Max were pale characters and given that they were the only in depth ones except for Mo and Gwen… We have lots of props, Mia, Winter, etc but no other real people. I am not sure I understand Gwen either.
As I said a confusing mess. Overall this last book brings down a notch the full series as it never fulfilled its promise.
July 22, 2021
This is the final installment and you need to read all the books in order to be able to follow the action and the background. And you had to do it one after the other because otherwise would be too complicated because you'll overlook something important that in the previous books seemed like a small detail!
So, in the end the confrontation and the end are inevitable...
The ending is somewhat abrupt... To me it seemed that KA left it that way to leave open the possibility of sequel...
I would have like to know more about what happened after.
Still a nice series!
So, in the end the confrontation and the end are inevitable...
The ending is somewhat abrupt... To me it seemed that KA left it that way to leave open the possibility of sequel...
I would have like to know more about what happened after.
Still a nice series!
July 2, 2021
I'm not sure what I feel about this conclusion.
It was very action packed and even enjoyable in many places. It was honestly fine and the writing was okay, but that's the problem. The conclusion to a trilogy shouldn't be "just fine" or "okay", it should be a show stopper, it should have so many bells and whistles and fireworks going off that you hope the local fire station has been notified because something is about to catch on fire!
There's two and a half books of build-up involving centuries of prophecy, curses, fateful encounters, plans within plans, spies, traitors, conspiracy, and Max and Darkside always being one step ahead. Yet all that collapses with nary a trace, and there are so many threads left hanging and unexplained by the end that I couldn't help but be disappointed.
We never get to know what the real deal with Max and Darkside was or how he thought he could make that work.
Luc's character arc is never actually completed.
We don't even get to know what happens to all of the characters we meet. Barring Gwen and Mo the rest seem to be pushed so far in to the background they became flat or fall out of the story completely. Even Luc only seems to be here because he's the "fated mate" and Max because he's the villain. Neither really seem to do much or spend long "on screen".
The epilogue doesn't do anything to bring closure to the story either. It takes place right after the events in the book so we don't see any of the fallout, or recovery, or how things turn out for anyone. Even the final line is a bit of a downer if you stop to think about it.
So yeah... Despite me sounding negative here, it really was an "okay" read. I think my dissatisfaction is down to liking the characters and setting a lot and wanting and needing more clear cut and defined answers to be personally satisfied. I'm absolutely sure this author can deliver that, so I'm confused why she held back and didn't do go all out like I hoped she would.
It was very action packed and even enjoyable in many places. It was honestly fine and the writing was okay, but that's the problem. The conclusion to a trilogy shouldn't be "just fine" or "okay", it should be a show stopper, it should have so many bells and whistles and fireworks going off that you hope the local fire station has been notified because something is about to catch on fire!
There's two and a half books of build-up involving centuries of prophecy, curses, fateful encounters, plans within plans, spies, traitors, conspiracy, and Max and Darkside always being one step ahead. Yet all that collapses with nary a trace, and there are so many threads left hanging and unexplained by the end that I couldn't help but be disappointed.
We never get to know what the real deal with Max and Darkside was or how he thought he could make that work.
Luc's character arc is never actually completed.
We don't even get to know what happens to all of the characters we meet. Barring Gwen and Mo the rest seem to be pushed so far in to the background they became flat or fall out of the story completely. Even Luc only seems to be here because he's the "fated mate" and Max because he's the villain. Neither really seem to do much or spend long "on screen".
The epilogue doesn't do anything to bring closure to the story either. It takes place right after the events in the book so we don't see any of the fallout, or recovery, or how things turn out for anyone. Even the final line is a bit of a downer if you stop to think about it.
So yeah... Despite me sounding negative here, it really was an "okay" read. I think my dissatisfaction is down to liking the characters and setting a lot and wanting and needing more clear cut and defined answers to be personally satisfied. I'm absolutely sure this author can deliver that, so I'm confused why she held back and didn't do go all out like I hoped she would.
February 23, 2023
3.5/5.0
The action is awesome! The character depth and relationships very surface. The romantic aspect is pretty much nonexistent throughout the trilogy. Lot of references but nothing to show an actual growing relationship emotionally or physically.
The action is awesome! The character depth and relationships very surface. The romantic aspect is pretty much nonexistent throughout the trilogy. Lot of references but nothing to show an actual growing relationship emotionally or physically.
June 25, 2021
This book feels like it's the end of things for this series. Things really come to a head, Gwen has to face that her twin brother really is evil and needs to be stopped. It's a hard thing to even think of, let alone do. It's great that Gwen has the support of Mo, who's knowledge is such that as they learn new things about Gwen it doesn't freak her out.
When the big confrontation comes at the end you really don't want Gwen to do what she has to, it's a tough thing, but with the world hanging in the balance you know Gwen can and will step up to do what needs to be done.
In the aftermath I'm glad that Gwen has something to look forward to in finally starting something serious with Luc, they deserve all the happiness they can find.
When the big confrontation comes at the end you really don't want Gwen to do what she has to, it's a tough thing, but with the world hanging in the balance you know Gwen can and will step up to do what needs to be done.
In the aftermath I'm glad that Gwen has something to look forward to in finally starting something serious with Luc, they deserve all the happiness they can find.
December 18, 2021
I will have to reread the trilogy soon now that the last one is out.
July 1, 2021
I have to start by saying that I did like the book not on a whole but certain areas I guess. But I did feel like the ending was a little rushed and a lot of questions were left unanswered:
*spoiler*
What happened to Max’s twins? What happened to the last winter? How did Mo get captured? How did Max counter Gwens lightning? What about Mary, did she fight? What happened to Luc’s sister? The girl who went with her on the mission? What exactly happened then that they were called to go on said mission without Jason knowing? How about the rest of the wraith possessed? Whatever happed to the way stations? Did they ever find a gate matching Riona’s description? Did Gwen inherit Mo’s slow aging? Did she have to watch Luc and her children grow old and die? What about the third mage -it was mentioned in book 2 I think that she was heading Londons way- did she arrive? What about Mryddin? Did he ever come out? How bout when Max set that trap near the main gate. What exactly was he waiting for? Who called him? Was it Mo that showed up, that shadow? Did she fight them but fail? How did Mo know where to find Gwen after she was captured? What type of demons tortured Gwen? What exactly were they doing to her?
Pretty sure there’s a lot more questions I can come up with but I think those twenty or more are enough to get my point across. It was an unsatisfactory ending. While I don’t mind The final showdown between Max and Gwen not being grandiose, I truly was expecting a little more pzzazz. I was also sort of disappointed with the whole Luc: Love vs Duty finale. It wasn’t the spectacle I was expecting. I honestly thought when he said he’d protect the human Queen over Gwen that the series was stretching towards a book four and got excited. Alas that wasn’t the case.
I just feel underwhelmed is all. I was expecting something explosive, something catastrophic, groundbreaking, dynamite. It wasn’t delivered though and that’s what’s sad. Could’ve been an awesome series but now I’d say if I had to categorize The witch king’s crown, I’d put it in my ‘enjoyed reading but probably won’t read again’ shelf.
*spoiler*
What happened to Max’s twins? What happened to the last winter? How did Mo get captured? How did Max counter Gwens lightning? What about Mary, did she fight? What happened to Luc’s sister? The girl who went with her on the mission? What exactly happened then that they were called to go on said mission without Jason knowing? How about the rest of the wraith possessed? Whatever happed to the way stations? Did they ever find a gate matching Riona’s description? Did Gwen inherit Mo’s slow aging? Did she have to watch Luc and her children grow old and die? What about the third mage -it was mentioned in book 2 I think that she was heading Londons way- did she arrive? What about Mryddin? Did he ever come out? How bout when Max set that trap near the main gate. What exactly was he waiting for? Who called him? Was it Mo that showed up, that shadow? Did she fight them but fail? How did Mo know where to find Gwen after she was captured? What type of demons tortured Gwen? What exactly were they doing to her?
Pretty sure there’s a lot more questions I can come up with but I think those twenty or more are enough to get my point across. It was an unsatisfactory ending. While I don’t mind The final showdown between Max and Gwen not being grandiose, I truly was expecting a little more pzzazz. I was also sort of disappointed with the whole Luc: Love vs Duty finale. It wasn’t the spectacle I was expecting. I honestly thought when he said he’d protect the human Queen over Gwen that the series was stretching towards a book four and got excited. Alas that wasn’t the case.
I just feel underwhelmed is all. I was expecting something explosive, something catastrophic, groundbreaking, dynamite. It wasn’t delivered though and that’s what’s sad. Could’ve been an awesome series but now I’d say if I had to categorize The witch king’s crown, I’d put it in my ‘enjoyed reading but probably won’t read again’ shelf.
June 24, 2021
Is that it?
I was a little disappointed. This series is different than anything I have read from Keri Arthur and I enjoyed it and hope to see more it from her. It was one I looked forward to. I am going to read the whole series back to back again to see if it changes my rating. I was expecting a bit more altogether but mainly from the final fight. It felt like things were a bit convoluted right before with the storyline going in different directions. And when we got to the fight i thought we would get more. Came across a bit disjointed.
I liked that Keri Arthur isn't leading us on and dragging this storyline out. We got a good conclusion. One that I think any fan of the story or hers would be happy with. It just felt a little muddled. And I'm not sure if maybe it's because so much was being thrown at us or if it was the time between books. There were some parts I skimmed because things dragged some. And I hate to say that. Overall Gwen kicks ass, there were points where she was crossing from stubbornness stupid but I know it was supposed to tie into her love for her brother. Rather than discuss the fact that Gwen might be falling for Luc, the constant reminder that they were missing out on sex together got a tad bit annoying.
Mini spoiler
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For 2 books we have been building up to what may or may not happen with Luc and Gwen. It was constantly beaten over our heads here abt them joining together. Yet when the dust settled and there is an opportunity to write abt it..nada. I'm not saying give us smut, lol, but we deserved more than they rode into the bloody sunset on Luc's motorbike. Although I did love to read that Mo got her granbairns.
I was a little disappointed. This series is different than anything I have read from Keri Arthur and I enjoyed it and hope to see more it from her. It was one I looked forward to. I am going to read the whole series back to back again to see if it changes my rating. I was expecting a bit more altogether but mainly from the final fight. It felt like things were a bit convoluted right before with the storyline going in different directions. And when we got to the fight i thought we would get more. Came across a bit disjointed.
I liked that Keri Arthur isn't leading us on and dragging this storyline out. We got a good conclusion. One that I think any fan of the story or hers would be happy with. It just felt a little muddled. And I'm not sure if maybe it's because so much was being thrown at us or if it was the time between books. There were some parts I skimmed because things dragged some. And I hate to say that. Overall Gwen kicks ass, there were points where she was crossing from stubbornness stupid but I know it was supposed to tie into her love for her brother. Rather than discuss the fact that Gwen might be falling for Luc, the constant reminder that they were missing out on sex together got a tad bit annoying.
Mini spoiler
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
For 2 books we have been building up to what may or may not happen with Luc and Gwen. It was constantly beaten over our heads here abt them joining together. Yet when the dust settled and there is an opportunity to write abt it..nada. I'm not saying give us smut, lol, but we deserved more than they rode into the bloody sunset on Luc's motorbike. Although I did love to read that Mo got her granbairns.
June 23, 2021
A little disappointing
I was looking forward to this having read the previous two books. However I felt it dragged and not much happened until the end. And then the epilogue of and they all lived happily ever after is just as cop out.
I was looking forward to this having read the previous two books. However I felt it dragged and not much happened until the end. And then the epilogue of and they all lived happily ever after is just as cop out.
July 1, 2021
It feels weird to be both sad that a story has ended but satisfied with the ending. Another incredible book from Keri Arthur that I binged in a very short space of time.
June 23, 2021
Blackbird Crowned is the last book in the The Witch King's Crown trilogy by Keri Arthur - I have only jumped into this series in mid-April which means that I didn't have to wait too long for the conclusion. Which is nice 😉
All the big bad players (meaning villains) have laid all their cards in the previous book. And Gwen retrieves the true King's sword, Elysian, quite early in this one. Since she already has the triad items: ring, crown, and now sword, Blackbird Crowned is basically one fight after another between Gwen/Mo/Luc (and all the good guys) vs. Max/Winter/Dark Elves and all the bad guys.
It sure makes Blackbird Crowned a fast-paced read!! Keri Arthur manages to put sufficient excitement with the threats -- and introduces a couple of other knowledge, like, a map that shows all the gates to the Darkside. I may wish that there's another layer to Max being the bad guy, since he's Gwen's twin and all ... but his motivation is thirst for power, pure and simple.
The final battle feels a little bit too short to my liking, though.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable urban fantasy series for me.
All the big bad players (meaning villains) have laid all their cards in the previous book. And Gwen retrieves the true King's sword, Elysian, quite early in this one. Since she already has the triad items: ring, crown, and now sword, Blackbird Crowned is basically one fight after another between Gwen/Mo/Luc (and all the good guys) vs. Max/Winter/Dark Elves and all the bad guys.
It sure makes Blackbird Crowned a fast-paced read!! Keri Arthur manages to put sufficient excitement with the threats -- and introduces a couple of other knowledge, like, a map that shows all the gates to the Darkside. I may wish that there's another layer to Max being the bad guy, since he's Gwen's twin and all ... but his motivation is thirst for power, pure and simple.
The final battle feels a little bit too short to my liking, though.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable urban fantasy series for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2021
It's here! The third and final novel in The Witch King's Crown series is here! Blackbird Crowned is the final novel in this series, written by Keri Arthur. While I will be sad to see the series go, I am so very happy to see how it ends.
Gwen De Montfort's whole life has been flipped upside down in recent weeks. Everything she had never even known to fear has come to life. Her brother is a traitor, stealing the sword her family has spent generations protecting. All while working with dark forces to tear apart the royal family and life as we know it.
Yet, that is only the beginning. Gwen's part in this tale is not a bit role, despite what legend might have people assuming. People like her brother, who just made a huge mistake by underestimating her.
“My brother – my twin – was a traitor.”
I can't believe we're already at the end of this series. But, honestly, I'm not sure if I'm ready to let go. I've really enjoyed Keri Arthur's spin on Arthurian legend – it's totally unique and has been such a delight to read.
Frankly, I've really enjoyed Gwen's story and all of the complications that came with it. Each novel leading up to this point has successfully upped the ante. So naturally, that means Blackbird Crowned starts right in the thick of things.
It hardly slows down from that point onward. Gwen is constantly running around, battling darkness and trying desperately to thwart her brother in a way that doesn't result in him being dead. He is her brother, and her twin, after all. So I can't really blame here there.
It did feel like, at times, Luc's character took a backseat. I didn't mind that so much, believe it or not, but it does mean that the romantic subplot got shunted to the side a bit more than expected, especially for the final novel in the series.
I won't go into the details there for obvious reasons. But I will say that I would have appreciated another chapter or two to fully wrap up that plot arc. As well as several other plot arcs, for that matter. It did feel like a few details were left in the air. That is the main reason why I'm giving a four instead of a five-star rating.
Other than those bits, I really enjoyed how the series concluded. It was epic and so grand in scale, and yet it all made a sort of twisted sense when you stop to think about it. So much of it felt like it was coming full circle, which is a subtle theme for the series. That helped increase the dramatics quite a bit, as did the action, of course.
The Witch King's Crown was a fantastic series and one I'm going to miss. The last couple of years have been great, even when I was simply waiting for the next installment to drop. Still, I wonder what Keri Arthur will come up with next?
Read more reviews at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Gwen De Montfort's whole life has been flipped upside down in recent weeks. Everything she had never even known to fear has come to life. Her brother is a traitor, stealing the sword her family has spent generations protecting. All while working with dark forces to tear apart the royal family and life as we know it.
Yet, that is only the beginning. Gwen's part in this tale is not a bit role, despite what legend might have people assuming. People like her brother, who just made a huge mistake by underestimating her.
“My brother – my twin – was a traitor.”
I can't believe we're already at the end of this series. But, honestly, I'm not sure if I'm ready to let go. I've really enjoyed Keri Arthur's spin on Arthurian legend – it's totally unique and has been such a delight to read.
Frankly, I've really enjoyed Gwen's story and all of the complications that came with it. Each novel leading up to this point has successfully upped the ante. So naturally, that means Blackbird Crowned starts right in the thick of things.
It hardly slows down from that point onward. Gwen is constantly running around, battling darkness and trying desperately to thwart her brother in a way that doesn't result in him being dead. He is her brother, and her twin, after all. So I can't really blame here there.
It did feel like, at times, Luc's character took a backseat. I didn't mind that so much, believe it or not, but it does mean that the romantic subplot got shunted to the side a bit more than expected, especially for the final novel in the series.
I won't go into the details there for obvious reasons. But I will say that I would have appreciated another chapter or two to fully wrap up that plot arc. As well as several other plot arcs, for that matter. It did feel like a few details were left in the air. That is the main reason why I'm giving a four instead of a five-star rating.
Other than those bits, I really enjoyed how the series concluded. It was epic and so grand in scale, and yet it all made a sort of twisted sense when you stop to think about it. So much of it felt like it was coming full circle, which is a subtle theme for the series. That helped increase the dramatics quite a bit, as did the action, of course.
The Witch King's Crown was a fantastic series and one I'm going to miss. The last couple of years have been great, even when I was simply waiting for the next installment to drop. Still, I wonder what Keri Arthur will come up with next?
Read more reviews at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
July 1, 2021
Oh my goodness, what a fantastic finish to The Witch King’s Crown series. There are lots of revelations about Gwen in this story, her power is growing, and she must deal with that fact that her brother Max must be stopped, even if it means losing her twin to save the witches and humans under peril from the Darkside. With the help of her grandmother Mo and Luc Durant, Gwen searches for what she needs, fighting demons and dark elves, and trying to find a way to stop Max before he can fulfill his plans. It was a non-stop rollercoaster of a story, sweeping me along to the very satisfying finale, with a lovely epilogue to wrap things up. I love Keri Arthur’s work and this was one more wonderful series I enjoyed very much.
June 25, 2021
This was a pretty satisfying ending to the Witch King's Crown series. Gwen was a great character, and I loved watching her deal with all the changes in her life without whining, or denying what needed to be done. I felt terrible for both her and Mo when they had to deal with who the bad guy was... but in spite of how difficult it was for both of them, they didn't make excuses continuously, until something happened that couldn't be taken back.
The story and the series were well written, and full of action. It was definitely a good read!
The story and the series were well written, and full of action. It was definitely a good read!
June 24, 2021
I always think Keri Arthur must has the patience of a saint, because she draws out so many storylines (I'm saying this in a positive way by the way) that I think I would have felt the urge to get to the pinnacle of quicker! For example Gwen and Luc gahhhhhh! Anywhoooo another solid book, not my favourite so far of all Keri's series' but still very enjoyable and still exceptionally better then many other books I have read in this genre and always consistently so!
June 22, 2021
Beautiful end to the trilogy
Oh my, it was certainly worth the wait to get to this book. Keri Arthur has certainly not disappointed me (not that she she really has).
Gwen’s journey through these books has been long and hard and I’m glad I got to watch her as she learnt to be as amazing as she can be and obstacles she’s had to overcome.
Oh my, it was certainly worth the wait to get to this book. Keri Arthur has certainly not disappointed me (not that she she really has).
Gwen’s journey through these books has been long and hard and I’m glad I got to watch her as she learnt to be as amazing as she can be and obstacles she’s had to overcome.
June 28, 2021
A very unsatisfying end to the series. Many threads left open, many of questions unanswered.
August 16, 2021
So overall I was really pleased to read the book. I wouldn't say I was disappointed by the ending, but it seriously lacked closure.
It left me with far too many questions, like things had been forgotten about.
What happened with the halfway stations? They got mentioned, they asked Riona the question and nothing came of it. Do they exist, did they find the gate she spoke of?
What was going on with the map? Why was it hidden and forgotten about when it was seriously helpful?
Was Noelle OK? What happened to the other girl she went on the mission with?
What happened to Reign and Riona, who looked after them after it all finished?
Was Gwen a mage after all? Did she outlive poor Luc after all that?
What happened at the end with Mo and Winter, how did it go so wrong she was captured?
Some of the wording in the book got to me. "Dry voice", "horror", "glint of amusement" were repeatedly used. Which is probably more noticeable since I read it within a day.
What was going on with Max! I would have loved to have more of a backstory, why did he change? How did it come about? The same with Luc, I wanted him in it more and more detail added to his storyline.
Myrddin was mentioned quite a lot in the series for someone who never even bothered turning up, I am not sure if it was worth even bringing them into the story.
Mo needed Winter's hair because of his DNA for the tracking spell, but cut his hair instead of pulling it at the root?
I felt sorry for Riona and Reign. Mo kept going on about grandbairns, she was repeatedly reminded she already had two but it didn't seem to matter. They just didn't seem important to her.
The constant mention of sex. Gwen was genuinely obsessed. I felt sorry for Luc being constantly told he would make great husband material and that he needed to make grandbairns. He seemed to take it in stride but from the start he said he wanted to survive first before exploring a relationship and it almost became pushy instead of natural.
The epilogue could have been fleshed out. What happened towards the end? I would have loved more information about their children, their names. After all that build up there was just no romance!
I did love Mo though, she was a sassy lady that did not care. She said what she thought, she was protective, loving and a great teacher.
The twist with Winter I did not see coming, it added depth to his character and I would like to know where the clones came from.
It was a really quick and enjoyable read, I read it in less than 24 hours. It was paced well and it flowed.
I am glad the crown and ring were used more in this book, giving them being found more purpose.
I love the concept, I am a big King Arthur fan so this brings a new and exciting concept to it.
It was nice power came with learning. You see a lot of main characters gain power and weild it with no problem. In this, Gwen had no clue and she had to learn like any other mere mortal.
The twist that Gwen was a mage, it really helped win the day and it fits with Vivienne's plan. She had planned this for a long time so no doubt she thought about Mo and adding a Mage line to the Witch King's line to make the bloodline stronger to do what needed to be done.
Overall I really enjoyed it, some questions answered would have been nice but I would happily read it again.
It left me with far too many questions, like things had been forgotten about.
What happened with the halfway stations? They got mentioned, they asked Riona the question and nothing came of it. Do they exist, did they find the gate she spoke of?
What was going on with the map? Why was it hidden and forgotten about when it was seriously helpful?
Was Noelle OK? What happened to the other girl she went on the mission with?
What happened to Reign and Riona, who looked after them after it all finished?
Was Gwen a mage after all? Did she outlive poor Luc after all that?
What happened at the end with Mo and Winter, how did it go so wrong she was captured?
Some of the wording in the book got to me. "Dry voice", "horror", "glint of amusement" were repeatedly used. Which is probably more noticeable since I read it within a day.
What was going on with Max! I would have loved to have more of a backstory, why did he change? How did it come about? The same with Luc, I wanted him in it more and more detail added to his storyline.
Myrddin was mentioned quite a lot in the series for someone who never even bothered turning up, I am not sure if it was worth even bringing them into the story.
Mo needed Winter's hair because of his DNA for the tracking spell, but cut his hair instead of pulling it at the root?
I felt sorry for Riona and Reign. Mo kept going on about grandbairns, she was repeatedly reminded she already had two but it didn't seem to matter. They just didn't seem important to her.
The constant mention of sex. Gwen was genuinely obsessed. I felt sorry for Luc being constantly told he would make great husband material and that he needed to make grandbairns. He seemed to take it in stride but from the start he said he wanted to survive first before exploring a relationship and it almost became pushy instead of natural.
The epilogue could have been fleshed out. What happened towards the end? I would have loved more information about their children, their names. After all that build up there was just no romance!
I did love Mo though, she was a sassy lady that did not care. She said what she thought, she was protective, loving and a great teacher.
The twist with Winter I did not see coming, it added depth to his character and I would like to know where the clones came from.
It was a really quick and enjoyable read, I read it in less than 24 hours. It was paced well and it flowed.
I am glad the crown and ring were used more in this book, giving them being found more purpose.
I love the concept, I am a big King Arthur fan so this brings a new and exciting concept to it.
It was nice power came with learning. You see a lot of main characters gain power and weild it with no problem. In this, Gwen had no clue and she had to learn like any other mere mortal.
The twist that Gwen was a mage, it really helped win the day and it fits with Vivienne's plan. She had planned this for a long time so no doubt she thought about Mo and adding a Mage line to the Witch King's line to make the bloodline stronger to do what needed to be done.
Overall I really enjoyed it, some questions answered would have been nice but I would happily read it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2024
Overall, enjoyable enough but I think the series probably didn't need three books. The pattern of Sudden Attack, Recuperate, Brief moment of Respite while Investigation is happening only to be attacked again got tedious after a while.
I felt nothing for Gwen and Luke. The author did a clever enough thing with the soul connection, I guess. It saved her having to build up a relationship between them, but I personally felt their romance just seemed flat as an end result instead. Their main point of bonding over the books was food, and primarily how he was good at anticipating what kind of food Gwen would want after draining herself magically.
Overall, I bought Gwen's relationship with Mo more than I bought the one with Luke. It was also Gwen and Mo who did most of the work, while most of Luke's work was offscreen. I would've liked to see him be part of the action more, but that was difficult when Gwen and Mo could fly all over England while he had to follow in a car. I think he spent most of this book just catching up to them, only for them to fly off again a few hours later and he had to catch up again.
Oh well. The series was entertaining enough. I won't revisit it, however.
I felt nothing for Gwen and Luke. The author did a clever enough thing with the soul connection, I guess. It saved her having to build up a relationship between them, but I personally felt their romance just seemed flat as an end result instead. Their main point of bonding over the books was food, and primarily how he was good at anticipating what kind of food Gwen would want after draining herself magically.
Overall, I bought Gwen's relationship with Mo more than I bought the one with Luke. It was also Gwen and Mo who did most of the work, while most of Luke's work was offscreen. I would've liked to see him be part of the action more, but that was difficult when Gwen and Mo could fly all over England while he had to follow in a car. I think he spent most of this book just catching up to them, only for them to fly off again a few hours later and he had to catch up again.
Oh well. The series was entertaining enough. I won't revisit it, however.
February 8, 2024
This is the last book of the Witch King's Crown trilogy by Keri Arthur. This is not a free standing story and you do need to read the other books in the trilogy in order to make sense of this book.
That said this is basically an action thriller with Gwen deMontfort as the main protagonist. The story is an updating of the Athurian legends to alternate contemporary Britain where witchcraft is normal and accepted minority talent. They may be in the minority but that does not mean they are not powerful. Once there was a Witch King in power over Britain with a human royal line as well. Then they were united. Now many in the magical population believe that the time of the Witch King should be reinstated. Which might be fine if they hadn't allied with the Dark. The Dark is another plane that mirrors earth except for the constant burning, torture, death and destruction. For want of more victims, the Dark needs to attack the Earth, as it has in the past, to find and destroy more victims.
For a possible future Witch King to ally with the Dark is unspeakable and must be battled against. Gwen, the real Witch King, her grandmother, Mo, her future/past lover, Luc, and their allies must come together to battle and beat Gwen's twin, Max, who mistakenly believes he is the Witch King and allies with the Dark to overcome all.
A great action story. I was riveted and read through all three books in two days.
Recommended.
That said this is basically an action thriller with Gwen deMontfort as the main protagonist. The story is an updating of the Athurian legends to alternate contemporary Britain where witchcraft is normal and accepted minority talent. They may be in the minority but that does not mean they are not powerful. Once there was a Witch King in power over Britain with a human royal line as well. Then they were united. Now many in the magical population believe that the time of the Witch King should be reinstated. Which might be fine if they hadn't allied with the Dark. The Dark is another plane that mirrors earth except for the constant burning, torture, death and destruction. For want of more victims, the Dark needs to attack the Earth, as it has in the past, to find and destroy more victims.
For a possible future Witch King to ally with the Dark is unspeakable and must be battled against. Gwen, the real Witch King, her grandmother, Mo, her future/past lover, Luc, and their allies must come together to battle and beat Gwen's twin, Max, who mistakenly believes he is the Witch King and allies with the Dark to overcome all.
A great action story. I was riveted and read through all three books in two days.
Recommended.
March 8, 2024
And we get all the answers to the sword, crown, ring, and more in this book. Gwen, Mo, and Luc are finding new secrets as well. Secrets from a time long forgotten and hidden that could help with the war that's about to break out.
Oh Gwen. I feel for her. Her twin brother proves where his loyalties are, and that's a hard one to see. She knows what it's all going to come to, but will she be able to do what she needs to do to save so many more lives...
There's lots of battles leading up to the finally. And there's lots of information shared about who's the heir, about the crown, and how the past Witch Kings dealt with the demons, gates along with with yielding Elysian.
Gwen, Mo, and Luc are all in dangerous moments. Moments they may not make it out of. And moments that Gwen doesn't want to say good bye just yet. The sexual tension between Gwen and Luc carries on through this book. And Luc is a man of his word. But Luc also has a big decision he needs to make...that can make or break how things play out.
I very much enjoyed all that we learned still of the world in this final book.
Oh Gwen. I feel for her. Her twin brother proves where his loyalties are, and that's a hard one to see. She knows what it's all going to come to, but will she be able to do what she needs to do to save so many more lives...
There's lots of battles leading up to the finally. And there's lots of information shared about who's the heir, about the crown, and how the past Witch Kings dealt with the demons, gates along with with yielding Elysian.
Gwen, Mo, and Luc are all in dangerous moments. Moments they may not make it out of. And moments that Gwen doesn't want to say good bye just yet. The sexual tension between Gwen and Luc carries on through this book. And Luc is a man of his word. But Luc also has a big decision he needs to make...that can make or break how things play out.
I very much enjoyed all that we learned still of the world in this final book.
October 17, 2021
this was only 248 pages, not 342.
-4 stars. end of the trilogy.
"at least i don't have to worry so much about you being torn apart by the lightning."
"no, you just have to worry about me being erased by dark elves, demons, elysian, and my brother."
"i'll ask you not to destroy my brief moment of respite, young lady."
"she can ask when he's going to get his lazy butt into gear and join the fray."
"his lazy butt will only move if he feels his presence is necessary. and his definition of necessary has always been quite different to everyone else's."
"myrddin takes about as much notice of other people's opinions as a duck does rain."
"crazy men with ultra sharp daggers were no hacking away at my brain."
"not to be rude or anything, but you look like shit."
"a common state of affairs when it come to me and lack of sleep."
"do you even know how to use a gun?"
"no, but i figured that if the worse came to the worst, i could beat you over the head with it."
-4 stars. end of the trilogy.
"at least i don't have to worry so much about you being torn apart by the lightning."
"no, you just have to worry about me being erased by dark elves, demons, elysian, and my brother."
"i'll ask you not to destroy my brief moment of respite, young lady."
"she can ask when he's going to get his lazy butt into gear and join the fray."
"his lazy butt will only move if he feels his presence is necessary. and his definition of necessary has always been quite different to everyone else's."
"myrddin takes about as much notice of other people's opinions as a duck does rain."
"crazy men with ultra sharp daggers were no hacking away at my brain."
"not to be rude or anything, but you look like shit."
"a common state of affairs when it come to me and lack of sleep."
"do you even know how to use a gun?"
"no, but i figured that if the worse came to the worst, i could beat you over the head with it."
December 12, 2024
This book series had no business being three books. The tension between the love interests was non existent, as they basically planned their lives out together with the caveat that it would just wait til after the big world ending catastrophe was averted. Which is the only option?
The pay off of the main character being the heir to the sword never happened; besides giving her powers a boost, this fact seemed to only serve the point of preventing her brother from handling it. Which is great, but a bad main plot point for a three book series.
Also literally saying "we're going to fuck later" in the same room as your grandmother doesn't build sexual tension. And when I say that's what the majority of this book was (interchanged with the GRANDMOTHER saying y'all need to fuck), I am not exaggerating. The main characters' entire personality was "I'm horny but not even in a fun way and also I like chocolate".
The pay off of the main character being the heir to the sword never happened; besides giving her powers a boost, this fact seemed to only serve the point of preventing her brother from handling it. Which is great, but a bad main plot point for a three book series.
Also literally saying "we're going to fuck later" in the same room as your grandmother doesn't build sexual tension. And when I say that's what the majority of this book was (interchanged with the GRANDMOTHER saying y'all need to fuck), I am not exaggerating. The main characters' entire personality was "I'm horny but not even in a fun way and also I like chocolate".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2021
Firstly, let me explain I am an great fan & reader of Keri Arthur books and have read them all. So it was a great disappointment to me that I could only give this book 3 stars. The first 2 books in the series were fabulous & I eagerly awaited the third. I ended up very confused & quite lost trying to follow who said what & where people were going & what plans were being made, especially when Gwen flew to Buckingham Palace. This planning went on so long throughout the book, the relationship between Gwen & Luc that had been talked about all through the series was literally given 6 measly lines at the end of the book ..... Where was the passionate get together!!? Sorry guys but this one was not for me 😭😭😭🥱
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2022
Good storyline..
This is a rating and review on the series as a whole. The 1st book was a little slow in the beginning and took a little time to get going but it does get going. You won't regret being patient. Although there are a couple of slow periods throughout the rest of the series but I think the same could be said for most books. The storyline was interesting and wasn't the same old plot you see in so many sci-fi fantasy series. The characters were very likable. I have to say that the whole thing between Gwen and Luc definitely added to the story but after awhile it got pretty old that they (Luc) were putting off their relationship until darkside was defeated. The series overall was good and worth the read.
This is a rating and review on the series as a whole. The 1st book was a little slow in the beginning and took a little time to get going but it does get going. You won't regret being patient. Although there are a couple of slow periods throughout the rest of the series but I think the same could be said for most books. The storyline was interesting and wasn't the same old plot you see in so many sci-fi fantasy series. The characters were very likable. I have to say that the whole thing between Gwen and Luc definitely added to the story but after awhile it got pretty old that they (Luc) were putting off their relationship until darkside was defeated. The series overall was good and worth the read.
October 15, 2021
Not my favourite Keri Arthur by a long shot. I seem to be left with more questions than answers on a book with very definite ending. I honestly expected it to twist as it was so predictable but it didn't. I thought Lucy would turn out to be on Maxs side or something. What happened to Riona and her brother? More explanation about Gwens powers would have been good and why she went from nothing to more powerful that even Mo, having the sword and knives just isn't answer enough. Luc could have been more included too, in this book he almost seemed redundant and hidden, and I think Ginny and Mia could have been more too. Overall pretty underwhelmed with this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2024
Well told conclusion to the trilogy
Another action packed book in the series. I would have preferred to be able to give this one four and a half stars as I did have a little trouble with the amount of power, the main character was able to wield in this story. I really would have liked to have had more in the series about the arch villain's descent into darkness. It is a stretch for me to have that level of self-centeredness come from a family with such a strong background of service. But I was up all night finishing reading it, so I can't deny it kept me drawn in and wanting to read the conclusion.
Another action packed book in the series. I would have preferred to be able to give this one four and a half stars as I did have a little trouble with the amount of power, the main character was able to wield in this story. I really would have liked to have had more in the series about the arch villain's descent into darkness. It is a stretch for me to have that level of self-centeredness come from a family with such a strong background of service. But I was up all night finishing reading it, so I can't deny it kept me drawn in and wanting to read the conclusion.
April 30, 2024
3 books in 3 days, Yup I finished this trilogy in no time. It was so good.
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I love Keri's writing style; I adore the way she writes her characters and gives them so much life and feeling. I always feel a connection to them.
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If you want to have a go at some of Keri's work, I recommend this trilogy. It gives you a look into Keri's writing style and the way she builds her characters and their relationships. Keri's work is very character-orientated but also has amazing world-building and plots.
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I loved the Arthurian feel of this series, the shapeshifting aspect and the war with the demons, the fight for the swords, and staying true to the story this series is based in London.
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I love Keri's writing style; I adore the way she writes her characters and gives them so much life and feeling. I always feel a connection to them.
.
If you want to have a go at some of Keri's work, I recommend this trilogy. It gives you a look into Keri's writing style and the way she builds her characters and their relationships. Keri's work is very character-orientated but also has amazing world-building and plots.
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I loved the Arthurian feel of this series, the shapeshifting aspect and the war with the demons, the fight for the swords, and staying true to the story this series is based in London.
October 23, 2021
Definitely more entertaining than book #2 but it did leave questions. For example, in book #2 they talked about a burned bible that never materialized after it was brought up. There was never an update on Riona and Reign and how they fared mentally, where they went, etc.. Also, never a solid finale on Luc's sister that was possessed by a wraith (there are more, but you get the idea). Then it seemed to end a bit abruptly...they defeated darkness, Luc and her had babies....THE END. Still a very good story, just lacked a bit on details.
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