Chthonic Crown

Subaru's End #3

by Victoria Clapton

For the celestial realms of Subaru, the end has come. New enemies emerge and all looks bleak. In Kurai, Cahya struggles to regain her place among Kage and the beings of the Realm of Darkness. In the Light Realm, Tariq attempts to save the desperate people of Hikari. All three realms are in shambles as a new threat descends. If they are to have any hope of overcoming a ruthless evil, the Seven Sisters and the Kings of both the Light and Dark must come together. The two realms must join to save themselves and to save the Mirror Realm, or all is lost.

260 pages, Hardcover

Published February 7, 2022

About the author

Southern-born Victoria Clapton is no stranger to writing. She completed her first book of poetry at age eight and her first novel at age thirteen. Multilingual, friend to all creatures, (and in particular, especially a friend to cats in need of rescue), Victoria is a forever curious world traveler with a mysterious knowledge of things and places that encompass many lives ago, an avid collector of saga books, a practicing vegetarian and yogini with her feet well balanced in earth’s splendor. She and her cat companions enjoy all things Viking, faery, vampire, new writing instruments, herbology and anime.

Reviews

[Miriam Yvette · Rating 5 out of 5]

“As much as I love her pain, I can’t stand to see that pain linger. Choosing to love me shouldn’t only be a sentence to anguish and agony.”

Chthonic Crown is the last installment of the Subaru’s End trilogy. It will be a challenge to share my raw emotions about this book without spoilers as it is the last book with twists that are best kept secret. Book three picks up shortly after the second with the conflict between the Light Realm and Kurai costing more lives.

With Kage’s undying support (and love), Cahya plans to once and for all end the vicious cycle that has not only kept her apart from Kage but ended in a Shakespearian-like tragedy. Since book one, Tariq has been both the outlier and the mystery of this trilogy and yes—Cahya’s plans. Clapton kept me on my toes for not giving any clues, especially when Tariq is offered everything one could dream of for a price.

Out of the seven sisters, Aster was one of my favorites. Her bluntness and dangerous presence brought humor and charm. It was touching to see them support Cahya what I’d imagine had to have been for endless cycles! On our main couples, just when you think Kage and Cahya couldn’t get closer, the spicy scenes get hotter, and twice as creative. Some of the scenes were chilling and at the time intense! I don’t think I can forget their “trophy” neatly on display in their room.

Everything hangs in the balance. Cahya has sacrificed too much to give up everything again—did she succeed?

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Victoria Clapton’s dark romantasy series from start to finish. Rich world building with angels, demons and a universe that has been fractured into three realms. Cahya is determined to save the realms of Subaru with the help of her sisters and despite the efforts of their parents, who inconveniently created the universe and may have something to say about their offspring thwarting them (ah, family dynamics.) And of course, there’s always the sizzling chemistry between her and Kage, who rules the dark kingdom and who definitely sets my kindle on fire in their scenes together. Loved these two! 5/5 stars.

[Elizabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a climactic ending to a story well-spun! Chthonic Crown by Victoria Clapton grabs you by the what-evs immediately and drags, pushes you, triumphantly wages war to the ultimate climax in Book 3 of her Subaru's End trilogy! A weaver of words, Ms. Clapton masterfully leads you through battle in such a way that you are happy to forget you need a band-aid! Twisting and undulating both her characters and her plot line, I've never enjoyed a good fight more! Naturally, and magically speaking, good triumphs over evil, but what is good and what is evil? Therein lies the premise for the hunt and the hunted, the loved and the forlorn, the loyal and the weak. Cataclysmic ending, what a thrilling ride!