Crowned

Beholder #4

by Christina Bauer

"Trust Christina Bauer to deliver a super bad-ass heroine and majorly page-turning plot line. This series is definitely a must read for you guys who love paranormal romance or urban fantasy." – The Four Eyed Cat Reviews

At last, Elea has found the love of her life. Unfortunately, the evil Tsar Viktor is about to unleash an army of twisted mages bent on killing everyone Elea cares about… including the man who’s stolen her heart.

So what’s a powerful witch to do? Why, fight back, of course!

Elea goes on a mission to find the Sword of Theodora, the only weapon that can destroy Viktor. That’s challenge enough, but on the eve of battle, Elea realizes that her true enemies may be far more powerful than even Viktor: The deities Oni and Yuri could be out to destroy her as well. With major battles brewing on two fronts, Elea’s not sure that she’ll win, but with true love to inspire her, she’s certainly ready to fight.

"This is the kind of series installment that you wait for."- The Genre Minx

Perfect for readers who love sword and sorcery filled with magic, necromancy, witches and wizards. This series combines fierce females, paranormal romance and epic fantasy. Enjoy!

BEHOLDER series order
1. Cursed
2. Concealed
3. Cherished
4. Crowned
5. Cradled

Read all the series from author Christina Bauer:
- Angelbound Origins (YA Dark Fantasy)
- Angelbound Offspring (YA Dark Fantasy)
- Angelbound Worlds (YA Dark Fantasy)
- Beholder (YA Dark Fantasy)
- Dimension Drift (YA Urban Fantasy )
- Fairy Tales of the Magicorum (YA Urban Fantasy)

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2017

About the author

Christina 'CEE BEE' Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes young adult romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby. She loves to connect with her fans at ChristinaBauerAuthor.com.

ANGELBOUND ORIGINS
About a quasi (part demon and part human) girl who loves kicking butt in Purgatory's Arena
1. Angel bound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon
8. Quasi Redux
9. Clockwork Igni
10. Lady Reaper
11. Reaper Games
12. Angry Gods

ANGELBOUND OFFSPRING
The next generation takes on Heaven, Hell, and everything in between
1. Maxon
2. Portia
3. Zinnia
4. Rhodes
5. Kaps
6. Mack
7. Huntress
8. Gage
*This is a finished series

ANGELBOUND LINCOLN
Events of Angelbound from Lincoln's POV
1. Duty Bound
2. Lincoln
3. Trickster
4. Baculum
5. Angelfire

ANGELBOUND XAVIER TRILOGY
The story of the Archangel Xavier
1. Archenemy
2. Archnemesis
3. Archangel

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM
Modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance
1. Wolves And Roses

2. Moonlight And Midtown

3. Slippers And Thieves

4. Shifters And Glyphs

5. Bandits And Ball Gowns

6. Fire And Cinder

7. Fairies And Frosting

8. Towers And Tithes
9. Mirrors And Mysteries
10. Rapunzels And Powers

DIMENSION DRIFT
Dystopian adventures with science, snark, and hot aliens
1. Scythe
2. Umbra
3. Alien Minds
4. ECHO Academy
*This is a completed series

PIXIELAND DIARIES
The story of sassy pixie, Calla, and her elf crush, Dare
1. Pixieland Diaries
2. Calla
3. Dare
*This is a completed series

BEHOLDER
Where a medieval farm girl discovers necromancy and true love
1. Cursed
2. Concealed
3. Cherished
4. Crowned
5. Cradled
*This is a completed series

VAMPIRES OF THE DAEMONVERSE
Adult fantasy written under my pen name, CEE BEE
1. Violins and Vampires
2. Veils and Vampires
3. Vixens and Vampires
4. Valor and Vampires

Reviews

[Jen (jenslostinthepages) ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crowned was a fabulous conclusion to the Beholder Series! Here are some of my favorite reasons why I absolutely adored this series -

✮A story filled with action and intrigue -

Perhaps this would be the time my law-breaking tendencies caught up with me.

I loved how much action was found in the pages. And even during the slower moments, there was still so much going on. It made the books fly by quickly and I always felt as though I had to know what was going to happen next for Elea and Rowan. But behind everything was a story that was rich, full and came to life. It was definitely a ton of fun!

✮A strong love story -

In the process, I might lose my heart, but too many people were relying on me across numerous worlds. I couldn’t fail them now.

At the heart of this, was a beautiful love story between Elea and Rowan. Their strength, love and devotion to one another was breathtaking. And I loved how they started out as just two people trying to work towards the same goal. To take down an evil tyrant. And through their trials and tribulations a beautiful friendship was formed. And that friendship turned into something more. Aw, I loved watching how their relationship progressed throughout this series.

✮Side characters that meant the world to me -

I closed in on the glowing orange gateway with one thought on my mind: this simply had to work. For all of us.

Nan, Ada, Amelia, Jicho and so many others played such important roles in these book. Every single character, no matter how big or small their part, stood strong by themselves and were so multi-faceted. I found myself caring for so many of them. But in this final book, I loved what a huge role Jicho played. He was so adorable and I always loved his antics!

I didn’t have any plan yet, but I knew I wasn’t going to simply bow down to this death. “I refuse.”

The Beholder Series was filled with a strong heroine, a book boyfriend that I desperately loved, and a story that had me flying through the pages. I'm so glad I binge read this series! The only thing I could have wished for would have been an epilogue. Maybe there will be a follow-up Novella? *begs...please, please, pleeeeaaaaseeeee* lol Oh I can wish! I just can't ever get enough of Elea and Rowan and I'd love a look into their future, especially because of how this book played out and their time together. But regardless of my wishes, I'm definitely looking forward to all of Christina Bauer's future books!

**ARC kindly provided by Monster House Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Viktor is still after Elea and wants her dead and everyone she loves. Elea is a very strong girl and will do everything in her power to prevent this from happening. Viktor must be stopped at all cost.

Elea has a little talk with these trickster gods who has promised to help her find a way to stop Viktor but can they be trusted? They tell Elea that she needs to find this sword to stop Viktor with. But before they will help Elea they make a deal with her. Elea is a very smart girl and listens very closely to this deal that the tricksters are trying to get her to make but they are not called tricksters for nothing. If she doesn’t listen closely to what the gods are saying it could cost something very close and dear to her heart.

Elea goes on a little trip with her soul mate Rowan’s little brother Jicho, a nine year seer to find this sword so she can save all the people she loves and cares about. Elea and Jicho meet a lot of different people on this trip of theirs. Some good and some not so good. Elea has a few battles that she must face on her journey to finding this sword the Sword of Theodora. The Sword of Theodora is the only thing that can help Elea save not only her own life but the life of the people she loves.

Crowned is the fourth and final book in the Beholder series and I am sad to see it ending. I have come to love the characters in the Beholder series. I have loved following along with them on their journeys and all the battles they have faced.

Come join Elea on this magical journey to saving the ones she loves. Join her from the start with Cursed then on to Concealed and after that is Cherished and for her last journey there is Crowned. Let Elea take you on the most amazing magical journey of a lifetime.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth and concluding title in the Beholder series. Elea is finally at a good place with Rowan, but she still has to deal with the prophecy that says she must die to regenerate the magic in the gateways. However, there are other things brewing that might take her life, and it may also take her love with Rowan. I am sad to see this series go! It has been a pleasure from the beginning, and this last book is no different. Ms. Bauer weaves words and scenes so well, you actually feel you are there with the characters, experiencing every moment. I have really enjoyed the plots of each installment, and I really liked all the unique characters in all. The only thing I was hesitant about in this book was I wish we had seen Rowan a little more in this book, but with the plot, that wouldn’t have worked. I can’t say too much about this as it would spoil things. As a concluding book, I was very satisfied with how it ended with everything tied up nice and neat. If you are fan of this series, you will be completely satisfied in how it ends. If you haven’t read the series yet, grab the first one and enjoy the ride! Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and Monster House Books LLC for the e-copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crowned is the fourth book in the Beholder series, and it does need to be read in order to get the full enjoyment from the storylines.

Elea and Rowan are true mates, and have shared their magick, creating hybrid magick. When the Casters throw the 'greatest celebration ever', Elea is chosen to speak with two trickster gods. They agree to help her end the tyranny of the Sire and the Lady, but at a cost. Elea doesn't realise the true cost of their help until it is too late.

This is a fast-paced book, with action on more fronts than Elea would like. Not only does she have to fight to find the Sword of Theodora, she learns more about her history, which is a shock in itself. Also, something has happened to Rowan, so she is fighting for their bond too. However, old friends that she thought gone for good show up, and help her along the way. And Jicho is also there, helping however he can.

Well written, this book has smooth pacing, and a storyline that will keep you turning the pages.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

[Cheryl Whitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on Behalf of http://bookaddict.live,
I don’t know how Christina Bauer manages to do it, I have been hooked on the Angelbound Series, and then I discovered this series. It seems I’ve waiting ages for this book I just couldn’t see how it was going to be resolved. As always nothing is ever easy for our kickass heroine. I thought she had Rowan and the casters now, that’s too easy for Elea.
As always they have a great cast of characters that have appeared through the books in the Series. Also a visit from vindictive Victor put in his usual appearance trying to take over the worlds.
I did love Rowan’s little brother Jicho, and his magic ship. This book was a compelling read, if you have never read this series, I really recommend it, as Christina always develops such rich worlds with great characters. Even the baddies are inventive with their schemes. I was very happy with the outcome, and we ended on a happy note. As always it was feast for the brain, and gives the imagination at a FIVE Star work out.

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crowned Beholder, #4 . . . I believe that I finally have the one that takes me over the top. This time Elea may have to battle with not one, not two but possibly three entities trying to get rid of her. She’s powerful, smart, strong, and have friends beside her. But her power may not be enough to take on the force(s) coming at her. We get more action, drama, intensity, magic, adventure, and Rowan.

Elea must once again fight for her very life. Viktor wants her dead and gone. We get appearances from more characters to love and a few you want to hate. Then there are the deities, Oni and Yuri, that may or may not want to cause harm to Elea. She had her friends, her magic, and the timely arrival of the right spell or two. She finds this time around she will need to find one Sword of Theodora. She will also need help. The help comes in the form of little Jicho. He was just too cute.

Elea finds this journey will not be easy or safe. She must use a lot of what she had learned and some she just figure out along the way. The two of them (Elea and Jicho) find themselves meeting many a new people. The hunt for the Sword of Theodora proves to be more than just searching for a sword.

I find that this was an encompassing journey of action/adventure, truth, light, good vs evil, love, friendship, good choice, betrayal, loss and so much more. To truly enjoy the entire read I highly recommend that you start at the beginning and take this ride with great care. There was much to be had within the pages of this series from the start of book one right up to this last installment.

[Majanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the last installment in Christina Bauer’s ‘Beholder’ series, Crowned, main character Elea is on a quest to find the one item that can destroy her nemesis, Viktor: the Sword of Theodora.

As the final battle draws closer, Elea discovers that her real enemies might be far more powerful than Viktor, and with enemies stalking her from both sides, the stakes are higher than ever before.

In this action-filled, intriguing fantasy story, with unique and complicated characters, and a rich fantasy setting, the core of the story is still romance; and what an epic romance it is. Elea and Rowan have a really strong connection that can’t be broken by anything, and an enormous amount of chemistry between them.

Fans of fantasy series simply can’t pass on the Beholder series – it’s a must read.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy via netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Unfortunately although there was magic, adventure and romance in abundance I really struggled with the story.
It just seemed to slow at the start, struggling to keep me involved.
I am a real fan of Christina Bauer but she has written far better stories.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://functioninginsanity.blogspot....


I was able to curl up and cuddle with my cat and finish a new release that has been on my anticipated release list for some time. It is the final book in the Beholder series by Christina Bauer, Crowned.

Rating: 5 Stars

So when we left off Elea and Rowan are together with a goal to save the world by preventing Viktor’s invasion. That means finding the Sword of Theodora, the only weapon that will kill Viktor without killing herself. Though on the eve of battle Elea begins to realize that her enemies may be far more powerful than him, but the Sire and the Lady as well. With the battle coming at her on all sides she must fight and with her mate and others she loves she is ready to give it her all.

This is what it has all been building towards. We know the gateways need power and everyone seems to think that means Elea. Petra sure is determined that she will be the one to die for the recharging and is willing to do anything to convince her of this. So what do you do when you have many questions and a limited amount of time to figure things out? You use what you got. In this case you ask the trickster gods for help during a celebration and hope they grant your boon. Still even if they do, they are tricksters and they don’t do anything for free.

I was nervous going in worried how things would end for my Elea and Rowan because something always seems to come between them and their happy ending. I also on principle never trust deals made as there are always loopholes. So dealing with tricksters I knew something would go wrong and I was right. I was even so proud of her for her attention to detail but sigh the tricksters are good at tricks. Their tricks though about broke my heart many times over. As I read I just couldn’t believe it and kept reading until I got to the next page.

Things happen real fast and you never lose the momentum. It is a constant rollercoaster of action and suspense as you unravel the secrets and mysteries surrounding this comment and the gates. Nothing is easy and hard decisions are plentiful. Everyone has really come a long way in the series and I am sad to see it end. We got to meet new characters, learn about a whole new people and of course work to save the world. Crowned worked to resolve many open storylines as well as giving up more to feast on. I was very happy with the end of this book and this series, if only that I was sad to see the end. I also wish there was a bit more to the end as I am sure some of the after effects would have been interesting to watch. That said I have recently seen there is going to be an epilogue novella so yay! That said even with the upcoming epilogue these four books are very satisfying and I would highly recommend them for a marathon they are set up perfectly for that!

[Hetal · Rating 4 out of 5]

To see more reviews, considering taking a peek at my first in series YA book blog here

3.5 stars

Crowned is the final chapter in the vastly entertaining series that is Beholder. We follow Elia as she begins to truly put her trust in Rowan and believe that everything is better talked through. She doesn't make stupid decisions for her mate as I have come to expect out of the YA genre. She thinks things through and talks things out with Rowan when things get tricky. He is her support and it's all well and good till Elia is conned into a deal that makes him forget who she is. All the while, a comet is heading to Earth, threatening to kill everyone unless the strongest necromancer (aka Elia or Victor) sacrifices themselves and their power. Elia is forced to escape her Caster to both save the lives of herself and everyone alive.

Crowned was entertaining. We see a completely different side of Rowan than the sweet supporting person he's always been to Elia. We also get to see The Lady and Sire in a completely new light that is not entirely unexpected but not what I would have assumed. Many of the reasons behind their decisions in the series hitherto are revealed in Crowned.

The book does get a little weird with some events that really just don't make a lot of sense (read: dolly-mechs) and to be honest just creep me out in not an exciting way. Finally, what really did it for me was the horrid editing. Almost every 3 pages there was a blurring mistake, with some that I couldn't even figure out what the author was trying to say. I get it, publishing books is hard, but this one was just a disgrace in terms of editing. Finally, I would have loved to see Elia and Rowan put up a strong front and face things together FINALLY in one last book, instead of having them pitted against each other and full of mistrust for a large portion. That was just unnecessary in my opinion for a last book in series.

Overall a fun series if you can get past the blaring errors. Admittedly I enjoyed the first 3 books much more, but by no means was Crowned a bad book. I still sat myself down and couldn't stop reading it.

[Ashley Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series. Elea has been my favorite from the start. She is so strong and determined, not to mention she has a good heart. She wants to help people. Not just HER people but everyone. She is more than willing to kill but only for the greater good or if being attacked.
Rowan is just hot. I loved how the book started but then it just broke my heart! I loved/hated it. I was really glad to see more of Rowan's little brother, he is a favorite of mine. The story was really good and there was action. I loved how the author ended everything and answered a lot of questions I had. That being said, I'm sad that the series is over.
It was a 4/5 for me. A really strong ending to a beloved series. This one will be a series I go back and reread.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

[Sairaika · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intense read!

Evil gods...
Trickery...
And a mission to save the world...

I fell in love with this series right from the beginning, from the first book, and I cannot believe it is finished! Sure, there is going to be a short epilogue novella but still - this book is everything to me.

So beautifully written and so heartfelt and intense. Wow, the things that happens in this book will make your head spin. This author seriously knows how to screw your mind up AND I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT!

The descriptions were thought out and spoken about so stunningly I had vivid images of the scenes and so on - absolutely so grateful to expereince what I did with these characters and their journey.

This story and characters will be sticking close to my heart for quite a while.

Full of necromancers, mages, gods, trickery, evil, action, adventure, seers, magic, danger, enemies, bonds, trust and romance.

Perfect for readers of dark fantasy romance.

[Lovely Loveday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crowned is the fourth book in the Beholder Book Series and can easily be read as a standalone novel. I enjoyed reading this fast-paced novel that is full of action and lots of drama. Bauer has written a story that flows seamlessly meshing the characters from previous novels and current ones with the story line making you want to turn the pages quickly to find out what happens next. The perfect ending to an intriguing book series that is perfect for anyone who loves a good young adult paranormal fantasy novel.

[Genevieve Eldredge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced, fun, and action-packed ending to the Beholder series! Without spoiling anything, I'll say that this was a truly satisfying wrap-up where all the mysteries about Elea, her past, and her battles with Viktor are revealed. A solid romantic arc adds an extra layer of awesome as Elea fights for her happily ever after with Rowan. You won't be disappointed!

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 4 in the Beholder series and finds Elea and Rowen fighting for their lives. With several factions after them and a series of misunderstanding they face the challenge of their lives. This story ends the series with a satisfying conclusion the ties up all lose ends. Can be read as a stand alone book but I'd recommend reading the previous books.

[Camilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fun series features necromancy and animal magic and all manner of adventuring. At times it feels a little rote, and I still can't figure out how Elea can be such a powerful necromancer but so darn easy to trick all the time (and her rings don't seem to do her much good), but the series is enjoyable.

[Arlene Arredondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars!
This installment is full of adventure and is packed with wit and humor.
Here, all the pieces come to place and we can understand in full the story plot.
A great tale with a great ending.

Note: I received an ARC for review and an honest and unbiased opinion.

[debra morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writing. I thoroughly enjoyed all four books in this series. I read them back to back

Read all 4 in a row! Nicely done Christina! I want to read more of these greatly interwoven tales. Thank you. Debra

[Monster House Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending you've waited for... with more twists than you can imagine! A great ride and lots of face time for everyone's favorite character, Jicho. An awesome ending!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging, original, fast paced and enjoyable.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had an unexpected twist from close to the beginning of of the book with many twists and turns. I loved how this story ended. I always love happy ending, because they are uplifting.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again a good read but laced with many grammatical errors.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Tanya T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realized this was the fourth of a series until I got approved for it. I don't really think I'm interested in reading the other three in order to read this one so I don't think I"m going to read it.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t read the previous books in the series and it was a bit confusing at the beginning - it would have definitely helped to have the knowledge from the other books but it still worked. I liked the book but I’m not sure if I liked I enough to go back and read the rest of the series.

[Arlene Arredondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars!
This installment is full of adventure and is packed with wit and humor.
Here, all the pieces come to place and we can understand in full the story plot.
A great tale with a great ending.