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Third Winter's War
The king is dead. Glennerdells has burned. The survivors sail across the sea to Bellica to face the enemy--Rex Bellum, who uses elements as weapons and snaps minds to his will.
Gideon Black, the rightful king of Glennerdells, suffers under the mind control, forced to work as Bellum's puppet until it drove him mad. But Elowyn believes that the words of a forgotten prophecy refer to him—and can bring him back.
Nations clash and fate rests in the hands of the boy who started it all in the epic conclusion to the Seventh Realm trilogy.
Gideon Black, the rightful king of Glennerdells, suffers under the mind control, forced to work as Bellum's puppet until it drove him mad. But Elowyn believes that the words of a forgotten prophecy refer to him—and can bring him back.
Nations clash and fate rests in the hands of the boy who started it all in the epic conclusion to the Seventh Realm trilogy.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
329 pages, Paperback
Published August 26, 2021
6 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Little
13 books47 followersM.L. Little is a neurodivergent author of YA fantasy full of hope and humor in the face of horrific circumstances. The Book of Secrets, the first novel of The Seventh Realm trilogy and runner-up of the 2019 Indie Book Awards, is re-releasing soon with Inclusive Ink Books.
M.L. Little traded her home in the woods for a micro homestead that she shares with her partner (also an author), a three-legged rabbit and his bunwife, a disabled bird, two hermit crabs, and a worm farm.
M.L. Little traded her home in the woods for a micro homestead that she shares with her partner (also an author), a three-legged rabbit and his bunwife, a disabled bird, two hermit crabs, and a worm farm.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 25, 2021
This third book continues in the Seventh Realm to bring us more of what every reader is likely to adore from the first two including a large cast of colorful characters and an intriguing plot with expert world building. It begins where the last book left off and shapes into a culminating encapsulation of the themes the series tackles on both a social and intimate, personal scale.
In some ways making use of a traditional fantasy aesthetic, M. L. Little employs many aspects of unique world building and ample humor to bolster her elegant writing style and form a tale both heart-warming and heart-rending by turns. Elowyn, Gabriel, and the menagerie of other characters, some of whom are family, friends, and part of a circle of influential people, both strangers and creatures of every description, have at times reminded me of moments from the Hobbit, where merry companions endeavor to face a darkness that threatens to overturn their gleefully imagined world.
Taking place in the heart of an icy climate, this book earns its title. Atmospheric details swathe the reader in a chilly aura while a strong tension pervades the plot as the story unfolds. The war offers an ominous backdrop to our main characters' travels while the reader is carried along by their delightful dialogue, which never dwells too much on the negative situations, but pulls from the scenario a sense of purpose and lithe whimsy, a resurgent positivity that falters but returns to triumph as the characters extricate themselves from trouble, political entanglements, and very real dangers. This charming dialogue also develops their plans and marks their adaptation to their situations. All this to say that the tone grew dark when necessary but never lost sight of its lighthearted underpinnings. Rebels locked in a struggle with a destructive government, and the many-layers beyond the personal pursuit of freedom and growth, contribute to the pervading expression at the center of this epic narrative, which is the longing for an elegiac past. While it depicts a fraught, unhallowed present, the protagonists fight for a brighter future, striving to right the past's wrongs and start their young lives on a promising course. That to me, is the appeal and essence of high fantasy.
While the world often underestimates the characters we follow, we continually witness their courage, resolve, and teamwork. This series demonstrates why it is better to let your characters make decisions rather than allowing plot twists to have their way with them. They make things happen, and so become, in their myriad ways, living people in our minds, deeper sometimes than the dreams we invented on the playroom floor with our action figures. Literary journeys are usually about finding ourselves vicariously, living through heroic accounts and strengthening this faculty to envision our own worth in relation to our peers. But at bottom, fiction is about finding the good in a dark world and fighting for it against all odds. Because we live in a dark (or fallen) world and must fight to live. Life is a gift. And thankfully, this book reminded me of the joy there is in living, in fighting, and even, in creating the microcosms that sustain our intellectual maturity, which, no matter how adult we seem, is rooted in the experience of our youth, and foremost, its appreciation. For that and many other reasons, I enjoyed my tenancy in this magical realm. And the frigid wastelands and dripping caves, as wars resonate emotional tides, and social ramifications, I cheered on the protagonists as they navigated the slippery present for the sake of the future.
This is a fast-paced finale with unexpected turns of events to defy convention and leave a lasting impression, with memorable characters, both multi-faceted and realistic, which contemplates youth, innocence, experience, wisdom, pain, loss, perseverance, hope, loyalty, and family.
In some ways making use of a traditional fantasy aesthetic, M. L. Little employs many aspects of unique world building and ample humor to bolster her elegant writing style and form a tale both heart-warming and heart-rending by turns. Elowyn, Gabriel, and the menagerie of other characters, some of whom are family, friends, and part of a circle of influential people, both strangers and creatures of every description, have at times reminded me of moments from the Hobbit, where merry companions endeavor to face a darkness that threatens to overturn their gleefully imagined world.
Taking place in the heart of an icy climate, this book earns its title. Atmospheric details swathe the reader in a chilly aura while a strong tension pervades the plot as the story unfolds. The war offers an ominous backdrop to our main characters' travels while the reader is carried along by their delightful dialogue, which never dwells too much on the negative situations, but pulls from the scenario a sense of purpose and lithe whimsy, a resurgent positivity that falters but returns to triumph as the characters extricate themselves from trouble, political entanglements, and very real dangers. This charming dialogue also develops their plans and marks their adaptation to their situations. All this to say that the tone grew dark when necessary but never lost sight of its lighthearted underpinnings. Rebels locked in a struggle with a destructive government, and the many-layers beyond the personal pursuit of freedom and growth, contribute to the pervading expression at the center of this epic narrative, which is the longing for an elegiac past. While it depicts a fraught, unhallowed present, the protagonists fight for a brighter future, striving to right the past's wrongs and start their young lives on a promising course. That to me, is the appeal and essence of high fantasy.
While the world often underestimates the characters we follow, we continually witness their courage, resolve, and teamwork. This series demonstrates why it is better to let your characters make decisions rather than allowing plot twists to have their way with them. They make things happen, and so become, in their myriad ways, living people in our minds, deeper sometimes than the dreams we invented on the playroom floor with our action figures. Literary journeys are usually about finding ourselves vicariously, living through heroic accounts and strengthening this faculty to envision our own worth in relation to our peers. But at bottom, fiction is about finding the good in a dark world and fighting for it against all odds. Because we live in a dark (or fallen) world and must fight to live. Life is a gift. And thankfully, this book reminded me of the joy there is in living, in fighting, and even, in creating the microcosms that sustain our intellectual maturity, which, no matter how adult we seem, is rooted in the experience of our youth, and foremost, its appreciation. For that and many other reasons, I enjoyed my tenancy in this magical realm. And the frigid wastelands and dripping caves, as wars resonate emotional tides, and social ramifications, I cheered on the protagonists as they navigated the slippery present for the sake of the future.
This is a fast-paced finale with unexpected turns of events to defy convention and leave a lasting impression, with memorable characters, both multi-faceted and realistic, which contemplates youth, innocence, experience, wisdom, pain, loss, perseverance, hope, loyalty, and family.
Read
June 18, 2021Not me adding my own book because I feel bad it’s the only thing I’ve read so far in June
January 1, 2025
Sept. 2021: I'm about to buy this book and read it for the third time. Wish my emotional stability well.
Nov. 2024: I sit on my bed in the blue-grey light of an end-of-autumn afternoon, three years late, feeling the words of the story resonate into my soul, my bones. They have been a part of me since the summer I turned eighteen. My day job's busy summer pace is tapering off into the quiet of winter, time and thoughts my own again, and here in this quiet room I feel as if only a curtain separates me from the person who read Third Winter's War for the first time.
The story is imminent, immersive, sometimes so deeply in a character's head that the reader misses a point of connection to external events, but I can afford to read between the lines. I breathe in the unexpectedly luminous turns of phrase. I watch the intentionality of body language, visual cues, everything that matters more to a character whose hearing has been stripped away. Little is a master of relationship dynamics, situational humor, and dark nights of the soul. And what more does a story need to live?
My favorite part is the hijacked parallel timeline, but then I forgot the crab boat voyage. I try not to tune out in the Highlands, but my character friends are out of place here in this land of plenty and I too want to go back, back to the bleak shores and eternal cloud cover where everything must be dashed apart and remade.
And then in the moments of quiet and gentleness I feel the weight of all I have walked through with these characters, and the wounds that will shape every breath for the rest of their lives.
Quotes and highlights:
“He kept talking. She looked into his unscarred face and dark eyes and only saw her first little brother, the one with whom she had roamed the woods, survived her strange childhood, fought two battles, the one who bounced on her bed and told the tales of legends and heroes she pretended to ignore when they were small.
“Then she punched him in the face.”
“Good sleuthing, renegade.”
“Then she left her little brothers behind forever and leaped out of the tunnel before Hollis could follow and grasped Elowyn’s cold hand just as the stone exploded in blinding and irreversible brilliance. And they were back, back on a cold hard floor, still themselves, with the same clothes and the same scars, in a land where there were no stars to fall.”
“ ‘Ren, wait,’ she saw her father whisper.
“She felt as if she had spent her entire life waiting for something.”
“ ‘Elowyn, that’s not a ship,’ said Gabriel. ‘It’s a boat. A crabbing boat. And it’s ancient. Where are we supposed to go in that thing?’
“ ‘The stone wants us to get on.’
“ ‘Well, maybe quit listening to a rock right now!’
“There was a scream in the air. They turned together to see a new flock of nighthags flinging themselves out of the sky with whipping wildness.
“ ‘Listen to the rock!’”
“ ‘Thank you for the books,’ he said finally, his voice rasping.
“Ronan’s voice croaked. ‘They were nothing.’
“Gabriel shook his head. ‘They were everything.’ ”
- The SAURAVIS
- Gabriel's moment of surrender
- Ren and Hollis
- Last chapter
- Last line
- and, of course, shrugcats.
“ ‘Shhh. Don't talk so loud. If you listen close, you can hear the world waking up.’ ”
Nov. 2024: I sit on my bed in the blue-grey light of an end-of-autumn afternoon, three years late, feeling the words of the story resonate into my soul, my bones. They have been a part of me since the summer I turned eighteen. My day job's busy summer pace is tapering off into the quiet of winter, time and thoughts my own again, and here in this quiet room I feel as if only a curtain separates me from the person who read Third Winter's War for the first time.
The story is imminent, immersive, sometimes so deeply in a character's head that the reader misses a point of connection to external events, but I can afford to read between the lines. I breathe in the unexpectedly luminous turns of phrase. I watch the intentionality of body language, visual cues, everything that matters more to a character whose hearing has been stripped away. Little is a master of relationship dynamics, situational humor, and dark nights of the soul. And what more does a story need to live?
My favorite part is the hijacked parallel timeline, but then I forgot the crab boat voyage. I try not to tune out in the Highlands, but my character friends are out of place here in this land of plenty and I too want to go back, back to the bleak shores and eternal cloud cover where everything must be dashed apart and remade.
And then in the moments of quiet and gentleness I feel the weight of all I have walked through with these characters, and the wounds that will shape every breath for the rest of their lives.
Quotes and highlights:
“He kept talking. She looked into his unscarred face and dark eyes and only saw her first little brother, the one with whom she had roamed the woods, survived her strange childhood, fought two battles, the one who bounced on her bed and told the tales of legends and heroes she pretended to ignore when they were small.
“Then she punched him in the face.”
“Good sleuthing, renegade.”
“Then she left her little brothers behind forever and leaped out of the tunnel before Hollis could follow and grasped Elowyn’s cold hand just as the stone exploded in blinding and irreversible brilliance. And they were back, back on a cold hard floor, still themselves, with the same clothes and the same scars, in a land where there were no stars to fall.”
“ ‘Ren, wait,’ she saw her father whisper.
“She felt as if she had spent her entire life waiting for something.”
“ ‘Elowyn, that’s not a ship,’ said Gabriel. ‘It’s a boat. A crabbing boat. And it’s ancient. Where are we supposed to go in that thing?’
“ ‘The stone wants us to get on.’
“ ‘Well, maybe quit listening to a rock right now!’
“There was a scream in the air. They turned together to see a new flock of nighthags flinging themselves out of the sky with whipping wildness.
“ ‘Listen to the rock!’”
“ ‘Thank you for the books,’ he said finally, his voice rasping.
“Ronan’s voice croaked. ‘They were nothing.’
“Gabriel shook his head. ‘They were everything.’ ”
- The SAURAVIS
- Gabriel's moment of surrender
- Ren and Hollis
- Last chapter
- Last line
- and, of course, shrugcats.
“ ‘Shhh. Don't talk so loud. If you listen close, you can hear the world waking up.’ ”
August 23, 2021
The third and final book of M.L. Little’s Seventh Realm trilogy is HERE and goodness gracious me, WHAT a finale. I may never recover. I’ve been anxiously awaiting this finale and it. did. not. DISAPPOINT. In fact, it quickly swept in and became my top favorite of the three. Though I have utterly fallen in love with all these books about the Draven siblings in their modernized fantasy world of wonder and war and tragedy and beauty. Part Narnia, part Series of Unfortunate Events, with maybe a little Hunger Games and Harry Potter thrown in for good measure, these books take you on an emotional, poignant journey of suffering and truth and finding the beauty in the ugly.
Though this is a review for the third book, I won’t be delving into any big spoilers for any of the books. So you may proceed safely!
THE PLOT
In this finale, the characters are navigating the sunless, freezing land of Bellica. So grab a blanket, because this book will make you COLD. (Seriously, the descriptions are so vivid and I was shivering along with the rest of them.) Our little team of rebels are taking the fight straight to Rex Bellum’s doorstep in their effort to stop him from destroying the world. But Rex Bellum and his followers and hideous monsters are not ones to go down easily.
*cue the pain*
This book is about war and the ugliness of it, the desperation, but also the determination. The determination to never, ever stop. To never give up despite the odds. To keep on fighting because there are always people who need you to. Always children who need a bright future. The sheer will of these characters was inspiring. Yes, they wanted to give up so many times, they often questioned if it was worth it, but they always overcame these doubts and just. kept. Fighting.
Full warning, M.L. Little does not hold back in this one. There is pain and heartache and death and blood. But there is also a light. The light of hope. You KNOW these characters are fighting to give their people and the next generation a hopeful future, and despite all the loss, you know it’s worth it.
This book had some mindblowing twists along the way. There was one section in particular that was epic beyond words, and downright fascinating. M.L Little knows how to blow your expectations out the water. You just never, ever know what will happen next. It’s fast paced and wild and wondrous. Also the REVELATIONS. I’ve had so many questions since book 1, and this one brought so much to light and just— ACK. So many things.
It was one of those books that had me glued to the pages while I was reading it and thinking about it constantly when I wasn’t. Not a single page dragged. It was the epitome of an explosive finale, and though much of it broke me, in the end it reminded me of the hope we always have in the darkness and that fighting for that light is always worth it, no matter the trials.
THE CHARACTERS
M.L. Little is an immensely talented writer, and that shines exceptionally through with her characters. I’ve read few books that create such realistic people and show the full scope of humanity and that is never afraid to dig into the harshness of a person while also shining light on the goodness. There is nothing fictional feeling about these characters. They feel like real people, with real emotions, reacting in such realistic ways. And oh how I love them.
I was anxiously awaiting returning to these beloved people and, my goodness, was this book a treat. While book #1 mostly focused on Gabriel and book #2 Elowyn, this book has a wonderful balance of exploring all the Draven siblings plus Elowyn, which I was SO happy about. And even more exciting, we get a huge focus on Ren in this one! The Draven sister has been such a mystery in the previous stories, but at last we truly get to dig into Ren’s heart and soul and it was e v e r y t h i n g. If you’ve been waiting for Ren’s story, this is it! (Just, ya know, brace yourself for the PAIN.)
Gabriel, the fourteen-year-old middle Draven sibling who tries so hard but is confused like 87% of the time, is probably still one of my top favorite characters. In this one we see how he’s grown, while still also being that poor young boy who doesn’t deserve all these awful things that have happened to him. Still, he pushes through. He clings to what he knows is right, and though he often falters, he refuses to give up entirely. There was one scene that just— *clutches heart* It was such a turning point for our dear Gabriel and nearly made me cry. It was beautiful and poignant and everything I’ve been waiting for. But I’ll leave it at that. Just…I love Gabriel so much! *sobs*
Hollis and Patch, the two youngest Draven siblings, forever have my heart. I love rough and tumble Hollis and sweet Patch who is wise beyond his years but still so very young. I feel like we really got to delve into Hollis particularly this go round, and it was wonderful seeing what makes this poor child tick. He’s so stubborn, but also so brave. He had some absolutely amazing scenes. This author writes some of the most realistic children I’ve ever come across, and my heart so ached for these boys as they wanted to help with the war but also had such fears because they’re CHILDREN.
Elowyn was the ever optimistic spitfire she always is, and I loved her for it. She’s a voice of reason and light in the midst of the darkness. But, ya know, isn’t afraid to slap sense into people too. Which is good, because pretty much everyone needed to be slapped with some sense at some point or another. I loved how, despite some unthinkable things Elowyn has had to deal with, she still clings to her optimism. It would be so easy for her to wallow in the darkness, but she never does. Her passion and determination was so inspiring.
And then we have Ren. I don’t want to say much because spoilers, even though I feel like I could write a whole essay on the pure amazingness of Ren’s character in this one. Ren has been a huge favorite of mine since book #1, and I can’t even tell you guys how excited I was that she at last got the spotlight. Quiet and standoffish, Ren often seems unfeeling but ohohoho. There is so much feeling inside her. Her loyalty knows no bounds, and her fierce love for her family is unmatched. Her bravery and strength and determination to do what needs done was astounding. You can’t help but ache for her as she is dealing with immeasurable pain and far too much responsibility, but she won’t stop. Not if her brothers are in danger. There is such a tangled knot of anger and emotions and fears inside her, and watching her grow was painful (oh so painful!) but beautiful. My Ren feels are endless. ENDLESS.
I really liked how in this one Ren and Elowyn form a friendship. Well, Elowyn basically forces her friendship on Ren. XD But, ya know, Ren needed that. She needed the support of another girl close to her age, someone to rally around her and pull her out of her thoughts when she fell in too deep. (Or slap her brothers for her when they were being thoughtless.) They had a great dynamic that I really appreciated.
Though this was the main crew, there was definitely a good hodge-podge of other characters as well that brought so much to the table. Have I mentioned recently how realistic M.L. Little’s characters are??? Because WOW. Sometimes you’re so frustrated with them, but that’s simply because they feel so real. And beyond the frustration, I still loved them so, so much and were rooting for them with all my being.
This ragtag band of Glennerdells utterly stole my heart and will forever hold a special place there. I ached with them, I cheered for them, I felt their pain and longing and hope. And I’m so glad I got the privilege of getting to know them.
OTHER THOUGHTS
I’ve mentioned in my reviews of the other books how COOL this world is. It’s a fantasy world with all sorts of fantastical things and some magic, but at the same time it’s got modern technology. People running around with swords and then hopping in an airplane is a totally normal thing. And I love that! The mix of modern and fantastic is such a fun concept, and I loved exploring this world.
The WRITING is another thing. Little has such a unique voice and pulls you straight into the heart and emotion of the tale like no other. Seriously, the way she brings about the emotions is just…wow. I have no words. There is never any question about what the characters are feeling. You are RIGHT THERE in their head, feeling everything along with them.
There’s such a sharpness in the narration. I don’t know how else to put it. It’s not a quiet, soft book. The word usage is sharp and hot and powerful. It packs a punch, but in the best way. Everything was so immersive. Like I said, grab a blanket because this one is gonna make you feel cold. It’s gonna make you feel a lot of things! Eheheh. The sensory details were absolutely topnotch all the way around.
The action scenes are also so explosive and fast paced and yet utterly immersive as well. There was never anything boring about these fight scenes! You feel like you’re right there fighting for your life along with the rest of the characters and WHEW. It is breathless but fascinating nonetheless.
These are such unique books. I tried to give comparison titles but, truthfully, I’ve not really read anything else like them. And I love that. I love how they’re unapologetically different and fresh. We need more stories to be that way!
It is an experience, these stories. Perhaps not for the faint of heart, but so, so worth it in the end.
CONTENT CAUTIONS
Remember how I said the author pulls nothing back in this one? …Yeah.
Since this is a book about war, and children in war at that, it…it gets painful. There is a LOT of blood and wounds and death and mistreatment of children and hideous monsters. This one definitely takes the violence up a notch. It’s not one I’d recommend for a really young audience, despite the main characters being pretty young, just because things can get prettyyy gruesome. A lot of the more particularly gruesome bits are quick, but they are there nonetheless. So if you’re squeamish, definitely take note.
Other than violence though, these are perfectly clean reads. No language or anything like that. There’s really not even romance. And it has a very Narnia-style allegorical theme running throughout. I feel like the Christian themes really hit home in this one in a breathtaking, thought-provoking way. I appreciated how it was handled.
Overall, due to violence I’d say this is more suitable for mid to upper teens.
CONCLUSION
I can’t believe this is the end. I’ve been following along with these dear Draven siblings since book #1 first came out, and I’m having a hard time accepting that their story is done. But at the same time, this finale was everything I was hoping for and more. No, not everything was “happily ever after” but it was inspiring nonetheless. Because sometimes we have to make sacrifices in order to make a better world for those that come after us.
This is a tale that will break you. But it will also build you up. It’s not afraid to show the worst parts of a fallen world in order to reveal why we must always fight for goodness. To not wallow in our mistakes but rise above them. It’s a story of war and heartache and overcoming. About clinging to the light and never, ever giving up even when it seems like there is no hope. Because there is always hope.
If you like dark but wondrous stories about family and fighting for what’s right, set in an unique world with an utterly immersive and emotional narrative, and characters to completely fall in love with, I cannot recommend The Seventh Realm trilogy enough.
Though this is a review for the third book, I won’t be delving into any big spoilers for any of the books. So you may proceed safely!
THE PLOT
In this finale, the characters are navigating the sunless, freezing land of Bellica. So grab a blanket, because this book will make you COLD. (Seriously, the descriptions are so vivid and I was shivering along with the rest of them.) Our little team of rebels are taking the fight straight to Rex Bellum’s doorstep in their effort to stop him from destroying the world. But Rex Bellum and his followers and hideous monsters are not ones to go down easily.
*cue the pain*
This book is about war and the ugliness of it, the desperation, but also the determination. The determination to never, ever stop. To never give up despite the odds. To keep on fighting because there are always people who need you to. Always children who need a bright future. The sheer will of these characters was inspiring. Yes, they wanted to give up so many times, they often questioned if it was worth it, but they always overcame these doubts and just. kept. Fighting.
Full warning, M.L. Little does not hold back in this one. There is pain and heartache and death and blood. But there is also a light. The light of hope. You KNOW these characters are fighting to give their people and the next generation a hopeful future, and despite all the loss, you know it’s worth it.
This book had some mindblowing twists along the way. There was one section in particular that was epic beyond words, and downright fascinating. M.L Little knows how to blow your expectations out the water. You just never, ever know what will happen next. It’s fast paced and wild and wondrous. Also the REVELATIONS. I’ve had so many questions since book 1, and this one brought so much to light and just— ACK. So many things.
It was one of those books that had me glued to the pages while I was reading it and thinking about it constantly when I wasn’t. Not a single page dragged. It was the epitome of an explosive finale, and though much of it broke me, in the end it reminded me of the hope we always have in the darkness and that fighting for that light is always worth it, no matter the trials.
THE CHARACTERS
M.L. Little is an immensely talented writer, and that shines exceptionally through with her characters. I’ve read few books that create such realistic people and show the full scope of humanity and that is never afraid to dig into the harshness of a person while also shining light on the goodness. There is nothing fictional feeling about these characters. They feel like real people, with real emotions, reacting in such realistic ways. And oh how I love them.
I was anxiously awaiting returning to these beloved people and, my goodness, was this book a treat. While book #1 mostly focused on Gabriel and book #2 Elowyn, this book has a wonderful balance of exploring all the Draven siblings plus Elowyn, which I was SO happy about. And even more exciting, we get a huge focus on Ren in this one! The Draven sister has been such a mystery in the previous stories, but at last we truly get to dig into Ren’s heart and soul and it was e v e r y t h i n g. If you’ve been waiting for Ren’s story, this is it! (Just, ya know, brace yourself for the PAIN.)
Gabriel, the fourteen-year-old middle Draven sibling who tries so hard but is confused like 87% of the time, is probably still one of my top favorite characters. In this one we see how he’s grown, while still also being that poor young boy who doesn’t deserve all these awful things that have happened to him. Still, he pushes through. He clings to what he knows is right, and though he often falters, he refuses to give up entirely. There was one scene that just— *clutches heart* It was such a turning point for our dear Gabriel and nearly made me cry. It was beautiful and poignant and everything I’ve been waiting for. But I’ll leave it at that. Just…I love Gabriel so much! *sobs*
Hollis and Patch, the two youngest Draven siblings, forever have my heart. I love rough and tumble Hollis and sweet Patch who is wise beyond his years but still so very young. I feel like we really got to delve into Hollis particularly this go round, and it was wonderful seeing what makes this poor child tick. He’s so stubborn, but also so brave. He had some absolutely amazing scenes. This author writes some of the most realistic children I’ve ever come across, and my heart so ached for these boys as they wanted to help with the war but also had such fears because they’re CHILDREN.
Elowyn was the ever optimistic spitfire she always is, and I loved her for it. She’s a voice of reason and light in the midst of the darkness. But, ya know, isn’t afraid to slap sense into people too. Which is good, because pretty much everyone needed to be slapped with some sense at some point or another. I loved how, despite some unthinkable things Elowyn has had to deal with, she still clings to her optimism. It would be so easy for her to wallow in the darkness, but she never does. Her passion and determination was so inspiring.
And then we have Ren. I don’t want to say much because spoilers, even though I feel like I could write a whole essay on the pure amazingness of Ren’s character in this one. Ren has been a huge favorite of mine since book #1, and I can’t even tell you guys how excited I was that she at last got the spotlight. Quiet and standoffish, Ren often seems unfeeling but ohohoho. There is so much feeling inside her. Her loyalty knows no bounds, and her fierce love for her family is unmatched. Her bravery and strength and determination to do what needs done was astounding. You can’t help but ache for her as she is dealing with immeasurable pain and far too much responsibility, but she won’t stop. Not if her brothers are in danger. There is such a tangled knot of anger and emotions and fears inside her, and watching her grow was painful (oh so painful!) but beautiful. My Ren feels are endless. ENDLESS.
I really liked how in this one Ren and Elowyn form a friendship. Well, Elowyn basically forces her friendship on Ren. XD But, ya know, Ren needed that. She needed the support of another girl close to her age, someone to rally around her and pull her out of her thoughts when she fell in too deep. (Or slap her brothers for her when they were being thoughtless.) They had a great dynamic that I really appreciated.
Though this was the main crew, there was definitely a good hodge-podge of other characters as well that brought so much to the table. Have I mentioned recently how realistic M.L. Little’s characters are??? Because WOW. Sometimes you’re so frustrated with them, but that’s simply because they feel so real. And beyond the frustration, I still loved them so, so much and were rooting for them with all my being.
This ragtag band of Glennerdells utterly stole my heart and will forever hold a special place there. I ached with them, I cheered for them, I felt their pain and longing and hope. And I’m so glad I got the privilege of getting to know them.
OTHER THOUGHTS
I’ve mentioned in my reviews of the other books how COOL this world is. It’s a fantasy world with all sorts of fantastical things and some magic, but at the same time it’s got modern technology. People running around with swords and then hopping in an airplane is a totally normal thing. And I love that! The mix of modern and fantastic is such a fun concept, and I loved exploring this world.
The WRITING is another thing. Little has such a unique voice and pulls you straight into the heart and emotion of the tale like no other. Seriously, the way she brings about the emotions is just…wow. I have no words. There is never any question about what the characters are feeling. You are RIGHT THERE in their head, feeling everything along with them.
There’s such a sharpness in the narration. I don’t know how else to put it. It’s not a quiet, soft book. The word usage is sharp and hot and powerful. It packs a punch, but in the best way. Everything was so immersive. Like I said, grab a blanket because this one is gonna make you feel cold. It’s gonna make you feel a lot of things! Eheheh. The sensory details were absolutely topnotch all the way around.
The action scenes are also so explosive and fast paced and yet utterly immersive as well. There was never anything boring about these fight scenes! You feel like you’re right there fighting for your life along with the rest of the characters and WHEW. It is breathless but fascinating nonetheless.
These are such unique books. I tried to give comparison titles but, truthfully, I’ve not really read anything else like them. And I love that. I love how they’re unapologetically different and fresh. We need more stories to be that way!
It is an experience, these stories. Perhaps not for the faint of heart, but so, so worth it in the end.
CONTENT CAUTIONS
Remember how I said the author pulls nothing back in this one? …Yeah.
Since this is a book about war, and children in war at that, it…it gets painful. There is a LOT of blood and wounds and death and mistreatment of children and hideous monsters. This one definitely takes the violence up a notch. It’s not one I’d recommend for a really young audience, despite the main characters being pretty young, just because things can get prettyyy gruesome. A lot of the more particularly gruesome bits are quick, but they are there nonetheless. So if you’re squeamish, definitely take note.
Other than violence though, these are perfectly clean reads. No language or anything like that. There’s really not even romance. And it has a very Narnia-style allegorical theme running throughout. I feel like the Christian themes really hit home in this one in a breathtaking, thought-provoking way. I appreciated how it was handled.
Overall, due to violence I’d say this is more suitable for mid to upper teens.
CONCLUSION
I can’t believe this is the end. I’ve been following along with these dear Draven siblings since book #1 first came out, and I’m having a hard time accepting that their story is done. But at the same time, this finale was everything I was hoping for and more. No, not everything was “happily ever after” but it was inspiring nonetheless. Because sometimes we have to make sacrifices in order to make a better world for those that come after us.
This is a tale that will break you. But it will also build you up. It’s not afraid to show the worst parts of a fallen world in order to reveal why we must always fight for goodness. To not wallow in our mistakes but rise above them. It’s a story of war and heartache and overcoming. About clinging to the light and never, ever giving up even when it seems like there is no hope. Because there is always hope.
If you like dark but wondrous stories about family and fighting for what’s right, set in an unique world with an utterly immersive and emotional narrative, and characters to completely fall in love with, I cannot recommend The Seventh Realm trilogy enough.
September 9, 2021
I'm dead but RTC
December 12, 2021
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
"And on the final page, simply a handwritten message in careful ink. In the darkest hour, I will be there." ~ "Third Winter's War" (Seventh Realm, #3)" ~ M.L. Little
This book was dark and heart-wrenching but had a glimmer of hope that lit up the pages. I think I cried ten times reading it, which shows how well the author wrote these scenes. I love this book so much.
While I loved the first two books in this series, this book has a special place in my heart. The author grew so much with her writing with each book and she went all out on this one. I was hit in the feels so much and I cried so many times. Now I would definitely recommend that you read the first two books before picking up this one. In the beginning, I was wondering if I was going to need to do a reread. There were so many characters in the first few pages and I couldn’t remember who they were or what they were doing at first. But after a few moments, it all came together for me and I was able to understand clearly what was going on.
This book had a lot of really dark moments, moments that made me cry. But the author put a tiny bit of hope in these bleak moments. While the first book (“The Book of Secrets”) was mostly in Gabriel’s POV and the second book (“The Warden of the West March”) was mostly in Elowyn’s POV, this book had a lot of Ren’s POV. Which I was so happy about. Ren has been one of my most favorite characters in the series but she also had this mysterious past that surrounded her. “Third Winter’s War” did an excellent job of exploring her past and resolving the mysteries surrounding her. Actually. I could say that about the whole book. There were so many things that needed to be resolved and this book wrapped it up nicely with a bow on top. I was wondering if the story was going to be able to, but when I turned to the last page with that bittersweet ending and everything explained, it made me happy and sad to say goodbye to these characters.
Time Travel
I really like that we got to see more of the Book of Secrets and the stone used. I thought that it was awesome how they used the book for time travel and how the time travel was used in the story! I thought it was really well done!!! It worked really well for the plot at the most appropriate time. And I loved how it showed that changing something in time for the better isn’t always for the better.
I also really, really like time travel, and to see it done sooo well in this story made me so happy.
And even though I know it will make me cry again, I almost want to reread the series if I had the time. I mean, this series has everything, lovable characters, dragons, time travel, magic, hope, darkness, and a heartfelt story. Pretty much everything on my checklist for a perfect novel.
The Bleak
Ohhh, what to say. First off, we are hit immediately with a cold, harsh winter. So I would recommend that you stay snuggled up in bed while reading this. The cold was very well written. I guess what I’m trying to say is, that this book kicks you in the feels. It doesn’t just tell you that the characters were starving or tell you that a character died. No. You feel it. It shows you. A character dies and you’ll guarantee to be crying. In the factory scenes, I was already given a sense of how the author had written this book, and I don’t think a book had ever made me feel so afraid for those kids. It’s dark and bleak. And it punches you like a punching bag throughout the entire novel. It really shows you what war is really like, how it is devastating and horrible. And what was worse is that the children had to fight in it. In some respects, it’s a hard book to read because of it. But in a good way. It was written in a way that really showed true emotions. Purely heart-wrenching but beautiful.
Hope
In this book we had this character, Brim, who made the stars and them in the sky, is purely good, can see the future, has powerful magic, etc. And while I’m not a hundred percent sure, he seemed to be a representation of God, like how Aslan is in “Narnia”.
I love how we see in this story that bad things happen, it shows that Brim is loving but he doesn’t always fix things to how the characters would like them. I love that when the characters put their faith in Brim he fights alongside them and is always with them even when he is not always present. It’s grounded in the real world in some respects. Bad things happen to good people, but God is always there to help us back up.
There were so many times in this book that I wanted Brim to intervene and to protect these children. And sometimes he did, but not in the way you would think.
Content in Book
1. Magic. (Seeing the future. Shapeshifting a dead deer to look like a human. Mind bending, sometimes making the person insane. Good wizards. Bad wizards. Etc.)
2. Violence. (A child stabbing someone in the eye. Children fighting and killing people. With swords. With guns. With bows. With knives. Killing babies. Killing children. Drowning a baby. Etc.)
3. Intense war scenes.
4. A really traumatic scene of a dog dying.
5. Slavery.
6. Factories that kidnap people and then harvest their body parts to make monsters out of them. Really disturbing. Very disturbing. Including a scene of the children finding jars of eyeballs and limbs.
7. Factories that forced children to work in really horrible situations. They had to work around hot furnaces that would burn their skin.
8.Time travel.
9. Trying to kill Brim by first destroying his creation to get his attention.
10. Someone almost dying from the cold. Really traumatic, hard scenes to read of the harsh winter.
11. Starvation.
12. Monsters made from the body parts of humans and other creatures.
13. Dragons and some really cool sea monsters.
14. Bones of the dead rising up and joining the battle.
15. Child abuse. Physical and mental. Trying to make this child feel worthless so they would eventually become their worst enemy.
16. Traumatic events of people dying.
17. Someone who is insane.
18. Fire.
19. Bombs. Someone going deaf from a bomb.
20. Children dealing with PTSD.
Who I Would Recommend This Book Too
Those who have first read the first two books in the series “The Book of Secrets” and “The Warden of the West March”. Those who like fantasy novels that have modern technology interwoven in them. Those who like time travel, you have to wait a little while for it, but it works so well for the plot. Those who like dark stories with a little bit of hope. Those who like stories that hit them with emotions. Those who like books that will make you cry. Those who want a little of magic and dragons and sea monsters. Those who like stories set in winter.
Review first seen on my blog here: https://gracemmorris.wordpress.com/20...
"And on the final page, simply a handwritten message in careful ink. In the darkest hour, I will be there." ~ "Third Winter's War" (Seventh Realm, #3)" ~ M.L. Little
This book was dark and heart-wrenching but had a glimmer of hope that lit up the pages. I think I cried ten times reading it, which shows how well the author wrote these scenes. I love this book so much.
While I loved the first two books in this series, this book has a special place in my heart. The author grew so much with her writing with each book and she went all out on this one. I was hit in the feels so much and I cried so many times. Now I would definitely recommend that you read the first two books before picking up this one. In the beginning, I was wondering if I was going to need to do a reread. There were so many characters in the first few pages and I couldn’t remember who they were or what they were doing at first. But after a few moments, it all came together for me and I was able to understand clearly what was going on.
This book had a lot of really dark moments, moments that made me cry. But the author put a tiny bit of hope in these bleak moments. While the first book (“The Book of Secrets”) was mostly in Gabriel’s POV and the second book (“The Warden of the West March”) was mostly in Elowyn’s POV, this book had a lot of Ren’s POV. Which I was so happy about. Ren has been one of my most favorite characters in the series but she also had this mysterious past that surrounded her. “Third Winter’s War” did an excellent job of exploring her past and resolving the mysteries surrounding her. Actually. I could say that about the whole book. There were so many things that needed to be resolved and this book wrapped it up nicely with a bow on top. I was wondering if the story was going to be able to, but when I turned to the last page with that bittersweet ending and everything explained, it made me happy and sad to say goodbye to these characters.
Time Travel
I really like that we got to see more of the Book of Secrets and the stone used. I thought that it was awesome how they used the book for time travel and how the time travel was used in the story! I thought it was really well done!!! It worked really well for the plot at the most appropriate time. And I loved how it showed that changing something in time for the better isn’t always for the better.
I also really, really like time travel, and to see it done sooo well in this story made me so happy.
And even though I know it will make me cry again, I almost want to reread the series if I had the time. I mean, this series has everything, lovable characters, dragons, time travel, magic, hope, darkness, and a heartfelt story. Pretty much everything on my checklist for a perfect novel.
The Bleak
Ohhh, what to say. First off, we are hit immediately with a cold, harsh winter. So I would recommend that you stay snuggled up in bed while reading this. The cold was very well written. I guess what I’m trying to say is, that this book kicks you in the feels. It doesn’t just tell you that the characters were starving or tell you that a character died. No. You feel it. It shows you. A character dies and you’ll guarantee to be crying. In the factory scenes, I was already given a sense of how the author had written this book, and I don’t think a book had ever made me feel so afraid for those kids. It’s dark and bleak. And it punches you like a punching bag throughout the entire novel. It really shows you what war is really like, how it is devastating and horrible. And what was worse is that the children had to fight in it. In some respects, it’s a hard book to read because of it. But in a good way. It was written in a way that really showed true emotions. Purely heart-wrenching but beautiful.
Hope
In this book we had this character, Brim, who made the stars and them in the sky, is purely good, can see the future, has powerful magic, etc. And while I’m not a hundred percent sure, he seemed to be a representation of God, like how Aslan is in “Narnia”.
I love how we see in this story that bad things happen, it shows that Brim is loving but he doesn’t always fix things to how the characters would like them. I love that when the characters put their faith in Brim he fights alongside them and is always with them even when he is not always present. It’s grounded in the real world in some respects. Bad things happen to good people, but God is always there to help us back up.
There were so many times in this book that I wanted Brim to intervene and to protect these children. And sometimes he did, but not in the way you would think.
Content in Book
1. Magic. (Seeing the future. Shapeshifting a dead deer to look like a human. Mind bending, sometimes making the person insane. Good wizards. Bad wizards. Etc.)
2. Violence. (A child stabbing someone in the eye. Children fighting and killing people. With swords. With guns. With bows. With knives. Killing babies. Killing children. Drowning a baby. Etc.)
3. Intense war scenes.
4. A really traumatic scene of a dog dying.
5. Slavery.
6. Factories that kidnap people and then harvest their body parts to make monsters out of them. Really disturbing. Very disturbing. Including a scene of the children finding jars of eyeballs and limbs.
7. Factories that forced children to work in really horrible situations. They had to work around hot furnaces that would burn their skin.
8.Time travel.
9. Trying to kill Brim by first destroying his creation to get his attention.
10. Someone almost dying from the cold. Really traumatic, hard scenes to read of the harsh winter.
11. Starvation.
12. Monsters made from the body parts of humans and other creatures.
13. Dragons and some really cool sea monsters.
14. Bones of the dead rising up and joining the battle.
15. Child abuse. Physical and mental. Trying to make this child feel worthless so they would eventually become their worst enemy.
16. Traumatic events of people dying.
17. Someone who is insane.
18. Fire.
19. Bombs. Someone going deaf from a bomb.
20. Children dealing with PTSD.
Who I Would Recommend This Book Too
Those who have first read the first two books in the series “The Book of Secrets” and “The Warden of the West March”. Those who like fantasy novels that have modern technology interwoven in them. Those who like time travel, you have to wait a little while for it, but it works so well for the plot. Those who like dark stories with a little bit of hope. Those who like stories that hit them with emotions. Those who like books that will make you cry. Those who want a little of magic and dragons and sea monsters. Those who like stories set in winter.
Review first seen on my blog here: https://gracemmorris.wordpress.com/20...
December 12, 2021
I'm getting a teensy bit obsessed with M.L. Little's writing.
This book. Wrecked. Me. And I loved it.
The characters...oh, the characters. Ren, Gabriel, Elowyn, and Hollis, in particular (though I did like getting to see more of Dale as well). I have adopted them as my own. Ren goes through SO MUCH, and her resilience and heart and all of her chips and cracks are just beautiful. Her and Elowyn's friendship was much needed, and honestly, I really enjoyed the dynamic of Ren, Elowyn, and Gabriel. Mix and match them however you'd like, they all brought out the best in each other. Hollis holds a special place in my heart in this book. I've always loved his faith in Brim, but seeing his doubt - so real, so relatable - got to me. I dogeared a lot of those pages and will reread them just to feel understood.
And then there's Brim. My new, absolute favorite Christ figure in literature. His scenes, love, and perfect timing brought me very real comfort in my own life. He is the power and vibrancy of these Seventh Realm stories.
I appreciated the layers of Third Winter's War's plot. I could never tell where it was going next, be it a time travel adventure or hopping to an alternate dimension! This is the third book of the trilogy, and somehow it came out the strongest, which (as anyone who reads trilogies knows) is highly unusual. But a mark of the author's indomitable skill.
Finally, the writing. M.L. Little is a master of evoking emotion. I was in awe of so many sentences and the way they made me feel, for better or worse, exactly what the characters were going through. And they go through some pretty devastating stuff. (Spoiler: There is death, and it hurts.) But the author's writing manages to both hurt and heal in the most amazing way. I hope she writes many, many books in the future. I can't wait to read more from her!
This book. Wrecked. Me. And I loved it.
The characters...oh, the characters. Ren, Gabriel, Elowyn, and Hollis, in particular (though I did like getting to see more of Dale as well). I have adopted them as my own. Ren goes through SO MUCH, and her resilience and heart and all of her chips and cracks are just beautiful. Her and Elowyn's friendship was much needed, and honestly, I really enjoyed the dynamic of Ren, Elowyn, and Gabriel. Mix and match them however you'd like, they all brought out the best in each other. Hollis holds a special place in my heart in this book. I've always loved his faith in Brim, but seeing his doubt - so real, so relatable - got to me. I dogeared a lot of those pages and will reread them just to feel understood.
And then there's Brim. My new, absolute favorite Christ figure in literature. His scenes, love, and perfect timing brought me very real comfort in my own life. He is the power and vibrancy of these Seventh Realm stories.
I appreciated the layers of Third Winter's War's plot. I could never tell where it was going next, be it a time travel adventure or hopping to an alternate dimension! This is the third book of the trilogy, and somehow it came out the strongest, which (as anyone who reads trilogies knows) is highly unusual. But a mark of the author's indomitable skill.
Finally, the writing. M.L. Little is a master of evoking emotion. I was in awe of so many sentences and the way they made me feel, for better or worse, exactly what the characters were going through. And they go through some pretty devastating stuff. (Spoiler: There is death, and it hurts.) But the author's writing manages to both hurt and heal in the most amazing way. I hope she writes many, many books in the future. I can't wait to read more from her!
September 27, 2021
This book broke my heart and crushed my soul 😀 Highly recommend 🤩
August 13, 2023
This book was quite a journey! Lots of intense action and gripping suspense. And also some very sad moments. It kept me guessing and worrying and hoping all the way to the end.
November 28, 2021
Third Winter's War was actually the book of ML Little's that I added to my To Read list on Wattpad years ago after seeing Verity rave about how good and heart-breaking it was. Then I found out it was Book 3 of a series and the first couple books didn't look too interesting so I took it out of my list.
I ended up reading the first book after winning it in a giveaway back in...2018? 2019? I can't remember. At any rate, I liked it enough to want to continue reading the series, and here we are, at the end.
I honestly liked this book better than its predecessors. There's a lot more depth than the previous two books and I could relate to the story and the characters a lot easier. I never felt bored when reading—Melissa kept throwing plot twist after plot twist and I was cackling as well as worrying for what was going to happen. I really liked the ending, despite how others may feel about it, and felt on the whole very satisfied with the way this huge story ended. I don't read a lot of MG books, but I really enjoyed this one. My only complaint is a few typographical errors I found while reading, but nothing too serious. ^_^
TD;LR Great story! Gave me chills—which rarely happens. I enjoyed it a lot.
I ended up reading the first book after winning it in a giveaway back in...2018? 2019? I can't remember. At any rate, I liked it enough to want to continue reading the series, and here we are, at the end.
I honestly liked this book better than its predecessors. There's a lot more depth than the previous two books and I could relate to the story and the characters a lot easier. I never felt bored when reading—Melissa kept throwing plot twist after plot twist and I was cackling as well as worrying for what was going to happen. I really liked the ending, despite how others may feel about it, and felt on the whole very satisfied with the way this huge story ended. I don't read a lot of MG books, but I really enjoyed this one. My only complaint is a few typographical errors I found while reading, but nothing too serious. ^_^
TD;LR Great story! Gave me chills—which rarely happens. I enjoyed it a lot.
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