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Bloodleaf #3
Ebonwilde
Quando Aurelia si risveglia dal suo sonno, si ritrova davanti il volto di un soccorritore inaspettato, in un corpo che non comprende e in un mondo che non riconosce più.
Desiderosa di sapere cosa è accaduto a Conrad, Zan e Kellan dopo i fatti avvenuti a Greythorne, Aurelia segue le tracce che i tre hanno lasciato nella foresta. All'improvviso, però, si ritrova intrappolata in una fitta trama di magie, intrighi, passione e tradimento che ha radici nei secoli passati e che in lei vede l'ultimo tassello di un piano apocalittico che è in procinto di compiersi di lì a pochi giorni.
Tutto ciò che Aurelia vuole è riprendere in mano la propria vita e ricongiungersi con coloro che ha amato e perso; ma con l'incombere della fine del mondo, per poter riuscire nell'intento è costretta a riportare in superficie le ombre di un lontano passato.
Con il destino dell'umanità sulle proprie spalle, Aurelia dovrà perciò avventurarsi nel cuore di Ebonwilde e prepararsi ad affrontare le parti più oscure della foresta... e di se stessa.
Desiderosa di sapere cosa è accaduto a Conrad, Zan e Kellan dopo i fatti avvenuti a Greythorne, Aurelia segue le tracce che i tre hanno lasciato nella foresta. All'improvviso, però, si ritrova intrappolata in una fitta trama di magie, intrighi, passione e tradimento che ha radici nei secoli passati e che in lei vede l'ultimo tassello di un piano apocalittico che è in procinto di compiersi di lì a pochi giorni.
Tutto ciò che Aurelia vuole è riprendere in mano la propria vita e ricongiungersi con coloro che ha amato e perso; ma con l'incombere della fine del mondo, per poter riuscire nell'intento è costretta a riportare in superficie le ombre di un lontano passato.
Con il destino dell'umanità sulle proprie spalle, Aurelia dovrà perciò avventurarsi nel cuore di Ebonwilde e prepararsi ad affrontare le parti più oscure della foresta... e di se stessa.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2022
49 people are currently reading
5416 people want to read
About the author
Crystal Smith
5 books635 followersCrystal Smith is a writer, photographer, and artist who developed an early love of storytelling in a family of voracious readers. She resides in Utah with her high school sweetheart husband and two lively sons. When she isn’t writing or creating, she can be found re-watching Jane Eyre and Howl's Moving Castle or reading ghost stories with all the lights on.
*Please note, due to Amazon's review policies, I will no longer be accepting friend requests.
*Please note, due to Amazon's review policies, I will no longer be accepting friend requests.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
August 6, 2023
Stunning end to an amazing series! Forever grateful I happened across Bloodleaf in a 2nd & Charles a couple of years ago. Can't wait for more from this author.
I was supposed to buddy-read this with Sam but I completely forgot, because I'm terrible.
I was supposed to buddy-read this with Sam but I completely forgot, because I'm terrible.
April 13, 2022
I am both honored and sad to be the first to write a review for Ebonwilde. I adored this series and have been reading almost since the beginning. Goose girl is a story very near and dear to my heart, and I could tell the same of the author. Both of the first two books were five star books, such a rarity in series. And I was beyond ecstatic to read the third and final book, but I found it so severely lacking in the first 400 pages. To the point I consider DNFing it because I was so upset and sad over what this series had become. The story was weaved so beautifully in the first two books and I just did not feel that in this one. But I wanted to see the story play out, and I’m glad I did. So much beauty and life was packed into those last 80 odd pages. I sobbed multiple times as I finally saw again what made me love the first two books, but it felt hundreds of pages too late. But I do believe it shows how exceptional an author Crystal Smith is that she was able to massively change my mind in less than 100 pages. I am both glad and sad to see this series end. Crystal tied up so many little details into an extraordinary story but it felt so lost and confusing and late. It’s been two years since Greythrone and I did not do a reread, so maybe it’s on me for being so confused but I had no idea who anyone was or what was happening for a good 200 pages. I feel slightly like the series was ruined but also wrapped up in the best way possible. Do I think readers should read it? Yes, very much. It explores humanity and what it means means to live, and I believe Crystal did her best with such a difficult topic. But I’m ready to let these characters move beyond the page and exist just as they are.
June 13, 2022
I love this series so much. It hits all of my fangirlish buttons. I will never not scream about Bloodleaf, Greythorne and Ebonwilde. Seriously, I loved every page of this book. The mystery! The twists! The turns! The romance! The action! Gah. I loved how it wrapped up Aurelia's story perfectly and yet I still want more. 500,000,000/5 stars, loved this series, need to carve out a time to binge read all three at once.
February 11, 2025
i hate absolutely everything that happened in this book in regards to romance (second male lead syndrome will kill me one day) but everything else was utterly entrancing.
August 26, 2022
Excellent Conclusion to the Ebonwilde Trilogy!
All those POV’s! Masterful use of the timelines! All the twists and turns! And the happy endings! I loved this final book most of all!
Highly recommend to lovers of fantasy that includes royalty, witches, and magic! The audiobooks are also incredibly narrated!
All those POV’s! Masterful use of the timelines! All the twists and turns! And the happy endings! I loved this final book most of all!
Highly recommend to lovers of fantasy that includes royalty, witches, and magic! The audiobooks are also incredibly narrated!
March 28, 2023
I'm not crying, you are 😭😭
This series.
Wow.
This series!
Reading this series was a religious experience (or anti-religious based on the blood magic 🤔)
This is a forever favorite.
10/10 PHENOMENAL
This series.
Wow.
This series!
Reading this series was a religious experience (or anti-religious based on the blood magic 🤔)
This is a forever favorite.
10/10 PHENOMENAL
October 27, 2024
It's me, not the book. this was wonderful series (more of a retelling than I realized? I'm perhaps slow on the uptake or it felt original enough.)
Apparently I have been reading this for 11 months to the day, who knew?
Apparently I have been reading this for 11 months to the day, who knew?
January 1, 2023
At long last, I finally read the finale to Crystal Smith's Bloodleaf trilogy, Ebonwilde! This has been a remarkable fairy tale retelling of The Goose Girl by the Brothers Grimm. While the first book was more so where the fairy tale retelling lied, the rest of the series has been pure fantasy magic, with hints and nods to the other fairy tales we all know and love!
This story was told a bit differently this time around. We get flashbacks from many of the characters of the series as to what they were doing one year ago, after Aurelia went into an enchanted sleep. Needless to say, a lot was going on. Zan was mourning the loss of Aurelia, her brother Conrad was trying to figure out how to rule a kingdom at ten-years-old while dealing with a powerful enemy who has the power to manipulate his mind, Kellan has gone a bit AWOL. And then...Aurelia wakes up, but not by who she expected to see.
Dominic Castillion was once her enemy, then reluctant ally, and now he's back again as a willing ally. In fact, he's being overly helpful. So much so that Aurelia is starting to suspect there's more to his motives than meets the eye. A lot has happened in the year she's been gone and while she struggles to keep up with what has happened, she still wonders what happened to Zan and why he wasn't there for her. Her worries for her brother are also very present in her mind and there's just too much to do and not enough time to do it.
There are only a handful of days until the winter solstice. A powerful man by the name of Fidelis is gathering support and allies as he plans to raise the goddess, Empyrea. Unfortunately, among them is Aurelia's brother, Conrad, but as we learn, Conrad is not exactly Conrad anymore, for Fidelis has the ability to manipulate people's minds and take away their memories, their very identities and shape them into who he wants them to be.
The clock is ticking and Aurelia is going to need all the help she can get if she's to stop Fidelis. For if she does, she will have to defeat an even more powerful goddess.
This book was definitely interesting. I'll admit, it was a bit overwhelming to be reading so many flashbacks. It's not so much people reflecting on the past as we're seeing the past in action. You begin to connect some dots here and there, but it was a bit busy. I mean so much had happened while Aurelia slept and then every once in awhile we got back to the present to see what Aurelia was doing, which was mainly trying to find her people; Zan, Conrad, Kellan...
There was also a bit of the book's own myths coming to life. We learn of a starcrossed lovers Adamus and Vieve--I can't quite remember if their story was mentioned in the previous books, I want to say they were as it's a famous love story for this world--and their connection to the present. It involves Aurelia, naturally, and another being the reincarnations of these two people from the past. But it goes beyond a simple reincarnation...it goes way beyond that!
I will say that the action doesn't really kick into gear until the last hundred pages or so. That's about how long it takes until all the characters come together in the present. It was a suspenseful wait, I will tell you that! I did enjoy seeing what was happening with everyone in the year that Aurelia slept, it was just hard sometimes to connect the pieces as at one point I felt like we went backwards a bit. But it was also a busy work week and I couldn't read this as much as I would've liked every day! But the ending was everything one could hope for! It was fast paced, filled with battles galore, shocking surprises, tender romantic moments, heartache...and everything you would expect from an epic fantasy read! The epilogue though made it all the sweeter!
All in all, this was a terrific finale to an amazing trilogy! This was a series that was just amazing from beginning to end! I loved all the characters throughout and their journeys. It's a series that will hold you captive until the very end...and like with most fairy tales, you get the idea of what ending you're going to see before it happens. Through all the heartache of this series caused me, I can smile fondly on it now!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
This story was told a bit differently this time around. We get flashbacks from many of the characters of the series as to what they were doing one year ago, after Aurelia went into an enchanted sleep. Needless to say, a lot was going on. Zan was mourning the loss of Aurelia, her brother Conrad was trying to figure out how to rule a kingdom at ten-years-old while dealing with a powerful enemy who has the power to manipulate his mind, Kellan has gone a bit AWOL. And then...Aurelia wakes up, but not by who she expected to see.
Dominic Castillion was once her enemy, then reluctant ally, and now he's back again as a willing ally. In fact, he's being overly helpful. So much so that Aurelia is starting to suspect there's more to his motives than meets the eye. A lot has happened in the year she's been gone and while she struggles to keep up with what has happened, she still wonders what happened to Zan and why he wasn't there for her. Her worries for her brother are also very present in her mind and there's just too much to do and not enough time to do it.
There are only a handful of days until the winter solstice. A powerful man by the name of Fidelis is gathering support and allies as he plans to raise the goddess, Empyrea. Unfortunately, among them is Aurelia's brother, Conrad, but as we learn, Conrad is not exactly Conrad anymore, for Fidelis has the ability to manipulate people's minds and take away their memories, their very identities and shape them into who he wants them to be.
The clock is ticking and Aurelia is going to need all the help she can get if she's to stop Fidelis. For if she does, she will have to defeat an even more powerful goddess.
This book was definitely interesting. I'll admit, it was a bit overwhelming to be reading so many flashbacks. It's not so much people reflecting on the past as we're seeing the past in action. You begin to connect some dots here and there, but it was a bit busy. I mean so much had happened while Aurelia slept and then every once in awhile we got back to the present to see what Aurelia was doing, which was mainly trying to find her people; Zan, Conrad, Kellan...
There was also a bit of the book's own myths coming to life. We learn of a starcrossed lovers Adamus and Vieve--I can't quite remember if their story was mentioned in the previous books, I want to say they were as it's a famous love story for this world--and their connection to the present. It involves Aurelia, naturally, and another being the reincarnations of these two people from the past. But it goes beyond a simple reincarnation...it goes way beyond that!
I will say that the action doesn't really kick into gear until the last hundred pages or so. That's about how long it takes until all the characters come together in the present. It was a suspenseful wait, I will tell you that! I did enjoy seeing what was happening with everyone in the year that Aurelia slept, it was just hard sometimes to connect the pieces as at one point I felt like we went backwards a bit. But it was also a busy work week and I couldn't read this as much as I would've liked every day! But the ending was everything one could hope for! It was fast paced, filled with battles galore, shocking surprises, tender romantic moments, heartache...and everything you would expect from an epic fantasy read! The epilogue though made it all the sweeter!
All in all, this was a terrific finale to an amazing trilogy! This was a series that was just amazing from beginning to end! I loved all the characters throughout and their journeys. It's a series that will hold you captive until the very end...and like with most fairy tales, you get the idea of what ending you're going to see before it happens. Through all the heartache of this series caused me, I can smile fondly on it now!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
May 15, 2022
I am in awe! Choosing between destiny and what you want, the sake of the world being at stake and twists as far as the eye can see!
Let me start by saying that I love these characters and this world! The plot in this one was even better than in the first two books.
The writing was next level and I had a great time with the way the story was being told. All the different timelines eventually merging into one.
While this was definitely still YA fantasy, it felt more like adult fantasy in terms of story telling!
Let me start by saying that I love these characters and this world! The plot in this one was even better than in the first two books.
The writing was next level and I had a great time with the way the story was being told. All the different timelines eventually merging into one.
While this was definitely still YA fantasy, it felt more like adult fantasy in terms of story telling!
April 30, 2022
I LOVED the first two books in this series but I couldn’t wait for this one to be over.
It’s ponderous and somewhat unfocused. It flits confusingly back and forth between the past and the present.
I maybe should have given it two stars but the last few chapters were great.
It’s ponderous and somewhat unfocused. It flits confusingly back and forth between the past and the present.
I maybe should have given it two stars but the last few chapters were great.
October 20, 2023
5 for 4.5~4.75.
April 20, 2023
"I don't believe who we are is ever set in stone. We are transitory creatures--- every day we wake up as someone new, changed just a little bit by the experiences of the day before. Who we were is always a part of us, but it doesn't determine who we are, nor what we can still become."
It has been a long time since I have read a book that so completely defied my expectations.
"The things that are the most beautiful are the ones that are finite and fleeting. A falling star. A flake of snow. A fertile season. A mortal life.
Love"
It has been a long time since I've read a book I've completely fallen into.
"And I will keep choosing you, every day, every hour, every minute, for as long as I live."
♥️
Honestly, when I started this book, I thought it was going to be a 1 star read. I had basically forgotten every thing that happened in the first two books, except for my dislike of basically the entire stories. So why would I pick this book up, you might ask?
I have absolutely no idea why.
But something in me is always looking out for me, and it led me to this book.
And thank God it did!
I read this story when I was sick at home, feeling sorry for myself.
We've all been there.
And the day before, I had decided to give this book a shot!
So, I picked up the last book in a series I remembered essentially nothing about (other than the fact I rated the second book 1 star), and before diving into the story I tried reading summaries of the first two books.
Thet helped a little (yay Google!), but I was still a little lost for a while. The actual plot of Ebonwilde (♥️) made sense, I just felt like I was missing something. But as I kept wading through the story, watching the plot slowly start to pick up momentum, pieces of the puzzle began to fall back into place.
Until about 100 pages from the end, I though I was going to give this book 4 stars. The writing, pace, characters, and plot were all 5 star worthy, but there was just something holding me back.
It was my lack of personal connection to the characters.
It wasn't until the very end that I began to realize I was connecting with the characters through every word and line and beautiful sentence Crystal Smith and the wonderful team at Clarion Books stamped on a piece of mutilated, squashed tree for me to buy on Amazon (with a deal!) so I could leave it on my shelves for a few months before picking it up and falling neck deep in this world!
(I currently have a head cold, and it's hard to forget a sore throat, so my head sadly stayed in my sick-staying-at-home-feeling-bad-for-myself -reality) 😔
😁
Eh, I'm overreacting. I'm actually feeling a lot better!
But back to the book, and my not so great explanation of why my rating changed.
It changed because I realized there is no way I could not give this story and these characters and this world and this plot and these plot twists five stars!
My book DNA simply couldn't do that.
My book DNA told me that this is a 5 star read.
And my book-tuition says that it will forever be a five star read.
Readers have both book DNA and book-tuition that work together with the readers' heart to help them figure out just how much a book meant to them. That's how book reviews are made.
And if you don't have book-tuition, well, God bless you. 🙏
😁
Okay, every reader has book-tuition. Scratch that, EVERYONE has book-tuition.
And in all seriousness, this book will be close to your heart if you give it a shot. I know it won't be leaving mine anytime soon.
👀
Did I really just say that? 🤢
Eww being sick makes me sentimental!!
😂
Oh, one more thing: this book absolutely HAS to be a movie!! I could see it play out in my head exactly like I was watching it! And no, I'm not hallucinating because of my cold.
I'm not that sick.
It's mostly stress!
It has been a long time since I have read a book that so completely defied my expectations.
"The things that are the most beautiful are the ones that are finite and fleeting. A falling star. A flake of snow. A fertile season. A mortal life.
Love"
It has been a long time since I've read a book I've completely fallen into.
"And I will keep choosing you, every day, every hour, every minute, for as long as I live."
♥️
Honestly, when I started this book, I thought it was going to be a 1 star read. I had basically forgotten every thing that happened in the first two books, except for my dislike of basically the entire stories. So why would I pick this book up, you might ask?
I have absolutely no idea why.
But something in me is always looking out for me, and it led me to this book.
And thank God it did!
I read this story when I was sick at home, feeling sorry for myself.
We've all been there.
And the day before, I had decided to give this book a shot!
So, I picked up the last book in a series I remembered essentially nothing about (other than the fact I rated the second book 1 star), and before diving into the story I tried reading summaries of the first two books.
Thet helped a little (yay Google!), but I was still a little lost for a while. The actual plot of Ebonwilde (♥️) made sense, I just felt like I was missing something. But as I kept wading through the story, watching the plot slowly start to pick up momentum, pieces of the puzzle began to fall back into place.
Until about 100 pages from the end, I though I was going to give this book 4 stars. The writing, pace, characters, and plot were all 5 star worthy, but there was just something holding me back.
It was my lack of personal connection to the characters.
It wasn't until the very end that I began to realize I was connecting with the characters through every word and line and beautiful sentence Crystal Smith and the wonderful team at Clarion Books stamped on a piece of mutilated, squashed tree for me to buy on Amazon (with a deal!) so I could leave it on my shelves for a few months before picking it up and falling neck deep in this world!
(I currently have a head cold, and it's hard to forget a sore throat, so my head sadly stayed in my sick-staying-at-home-feeling-bad-for-myself -reality) 😔
😁
Eh, I'm overreacting. I'm actually feeling a lot better!
But back to the book, and my not so great explanation of why my rating changed.
It changed because I realized there is no way I could not give this story and these characters and this world and this plot and these plot twists five stars!
My book DNA simply couldn't do that.
My book DNA told me that this is a 5 star read.
And my book-tuition says that it will forever be a five star read.
Readers have both book DNA and book-tuition that work together with the readers' heart to help them figure out just how much a book meant to them. That's how book reviews are made.
And if you don't have book-tuition, well, God bless you. 🙏
😁
Okay, every reader has book-tuition. Scratch that, EVERYONE has book-tuition.
And in all seriousness, this book will be close to your heart if you give it a shot. I know it won't be leaving mine anytime soon.
👀
Did I really just say that? 🤢
Eww being sick makes me sentimental!!
😂
Oh, one more thing: this book absolutely HAS to be a movie!! I could see it play out in my head exactly like I was watching it! And no, I'm not hallucinating because of my cold.
I'm not that sick.
It's mostly stress!
July 15, 2022
Finalmente sono arrivata a leggere la conclusione di questa saga che ho preso fra le mani circa due anni fa. Senza fare spoiler, perché questa serie è assolutamente da leggere, cercherò di tirare le somme delle avventure di Aurelia e delle persone che sono al suo fianco.
Inizio però con una premessa: il finale del primo libro poteva anche far terminare la storia in quel modo e quest’idea mi si è rafforzata quando ho letto il secondo e più di una volta ho storto il naso chiedendomi il perché di alcune azioni e scelte compiute dai vari personaggi. Scelte e azioni che in Ebon Wilde, in parte, hanno una spiegazione e/o giustificazione.
La scelta di raccontare gli avvenimenti con due salti temporali differenti all’inizio mi ha disturbata perché già la storia è strutturata, già ci sono dei colpi di scena interessanti, già i personaggi si muovono fra le pagine in maniera astuta ma (ahimè) nella prima metà del libro sono noiosi, mi mancava solo prendere gli appunti per non perdere il senso della storia.
Ovviamente ho mantenuto il focus sul personaggio di Aurelia che è cresciuta notevolmente e ha acquistato più spessore. Nonostante abbia dei poteri magici, lei è umana con i pregi e difetti, e delle debolezze, ma la sua determinazione è davvero incredibile.
Il suo voler proteggere le persone e salvare l’umanità è frutto del desiderio di non voler permettere alle forze del male di prevalere e ha bisogno di supporto per superare le tante (forse anche troppe) prove e ostacoli che le si presentano davanti.
Sulla caratterizzazione dei vari personaggi a Crystal Smith non le si può dire assolutamente nulla, anche se i pov, per mio gusto, potevano essere ridotti oppure usare la terza persona per non influenzare la mia opinione durante la lettura.
Un elemento che ho notato è presentare chiave fantasy alcune tematiche della nostra realtà donando alla storia una credibilità maggiore. Come un buon fantasy deve essere all’interno di questo troviamo la lotta fra il bene e il male, le differenze fra il sacrificabile e le priorità, fra l’amore e la vita. Tutto è avvolto da un’atmosfera d’altri tempi che dona alla storia un fascino incredibile.
Anche se molte parti le avrei eliminate, o ridotte più della metà, la scrittura di Crystal Smith è catalizzante, arguta e scorrevole allo stesso tempo. Si riescono a immaginare molto bene gli ambienti in cui si svolge una scena, si possono percepire le emozioni dei personaggi che in quel momento stanno narrando la storia, si fantastica sull’aiutare Aurelia e sperare di salvare l’umanità.
Inizio però con una premessa: il finale del primo libro poteva anche far terminare la storia in quel modo e quest’idea mi si è rafforzata quando ho letto il secondo e più di una volta ho storto il naso chiedendomi il perché di alcune azioni e scelte compiute dai vari personaggi. Scelte e azioni che in Ebon Wilde, in parte, hanno una spiegazione e/o giustificazione.
La scelta di raccontare gli avvenimenti con due salti temporali differenti all’inizio mi ha disturbata perché già la storia è strutturata, già ci sono dei colpi di scena interessanti, già i personaggi si muovono fra le pagine in maniera astuta ma (ahimè) nella prima metà del libro sono noiosi, mi mancava solo prendere gli appunti per non perdere il senso della storia.
Ovviamente ho mantenuto il focus sul personaggio di Aurelia che è cresciuta notevolmente e ha acquistato più spessore. Nonostante abbia dei poteri magici, lei è umana con i pregi e difetti, e delle debolezze, ma la sua determinazione è davvero incredibile.
Il suo voler proteggere le persone e salvare l’umanità è frutto del desiderio di non voler permettere alle forze del male di prevalere e ha bisogno di supporto per superare le tante (forse anche troppe) prove e ostacoli che le si presentano davanti.
Sulla caratterizzazione dei vari personaggi a Crystal Smith non le si può dire assolutamente nulla, anche se i pov, per mio gusto, potevano essere ridotti oppure usare la terza persona per non influenzare la mia opinione durante la lettura.
Un elemento che ho notato è presentare chiave fantasy alcune tematiche della nostra realtà donando alla storia una credibilità maggiore. Come un buon fantasy deve essere all’interno di questo troviamo la lotta fra il bene e il male, le differenze fra il sacrificabile e le priorità, fra l’amore e la vita. Tutto è avvolto da un’atmosfera d’altri tempi che dona alla storia un fascino incredibile.
Anche se molte parti le avrei eliminate, o ridotte più della metà, la scrittura di Crystal Smith è catalizzante, arguta e scorrevole allo stesso tempo. Si riescono a immaginare molto bene gli ambienti in cui si svolge una scena, si possono percepire le emozioni dei personaggi che in quel momento stanno narrando la storia, si fantastica sull’aiutare Aurelia e sperare di salvare l’umanità.
March 5, 2025
I loved this series. It was so well written. I loved the bouncing timelines that kept me on my toes and diving deeper into all the supporting characters.
The emotional turmoil I went through throughout this entire book in regard to Zan was insane, and even now I haven’t come completely to terms with how I feel about his plot twist. Honestly the plot here was way stronger between all the different supporting characters and really fell flat with Aurelia and Zan. But. BUT. It was so strong that I don’t really know how much I minded it.
Between Castilion’s storyline and coming to terms with everything he had gone through in his life, I hardly even missed Zan, which I didn’t notice until the end, and then I kind of felt guilty because I swooned every swoon for him in book one.
The conclusion was fantastic. Was this the story I thought I was going to get? Absolutely not. I was both let down and happy about it at the same time. I really wish that we could have seen Aurelia and Zan face everything together, and also wish that Castilion could have got his happily ever after. So while the big plot conclusion was fantastic, I do feel a bit let down with the endings for the main characters.
The emotional turmoil I went through throughout this entire book in regard to Zan was insane, and even now I haven’t come completely to terms with how I feel about his plot twist. Honestly the plot here was way stronger between all the different supporting characters and really fell flat with Aurelia and Zan. But. BUT. It was so strong that I don’t really know how much I minded it.
Between Castilion’s storyline and coming to terms with everything he had gone through in his life, I hardly even missed Zan, which I didn’t notice until the end, and then I kind of felt guilty because I swooned every swoon for him in book one.
The conclusion was fantastic. Was this the story I thought I was going to get? Absolutely not. I was both let down and happy about it at the same time. I really wish that we could have seen Aurelia and Zan face everything together, and also wish that Castilion could have got his happily ever after. So while the big plot conclusion was fantastic, I do feel a bit let down with the endings for the main characters.
October 3, 2023
3.5 Stars
This final story was probably my favorite of the trilogy, even if I think the word 'trilogy' is a bit of a stretch. Each book has it's own separate world-ending plot, and the through-lines aren't strong enough for my brain to completely connect them. It's not the worst choice, but it doesn't make for the strongest series either.
I really liked the past/present multi-POV framing. It kept things moving in an interesting way. I do think it spent a bit too much time detailing some past events, while completely glossing over several significant events, just to have the element of surprise at the climax. I wish it would have come together a little more smoothly, but again, I think the author was trying to focus on a few too many stories. A few of the events in this series are traumatic but the characters all move on very quickly. I wish the gravity of their situations had time to truly be explored.
The main pairing is completely unearned and the side romances were much more realistic.
All in all, I think this would be a fun read for someone relatively new to fantasy. It's engaging and has a lot of good ideas, but the execution falls a bit flat if you look at it too closely.
This final story was probably my favorite of the trilogy, even if I think the word 'trilogy' is a bit of a stretch. Each book has it's own separate world-ending plot, and the through-lines aren't strong enough for my brain to completely connect them. It's not the worst choice, but it doesn't make for the strongest series either.
I really liked the past/present multi-POV framing. It kept things moving in an interesting way. I do think it spent a bit too much time detailing some past events, while completely glossing over several significant events, just to have the element of surprise at the climax. I wish it would have come together a little more smoothly, but again, I think the author was trying to focus on a few too many stories. A few of the events in this series are traumatic but the characters all move on very quickly. I wish the gravity of their situations had time to truly be explored.
The main pairing is completely unearned and the side romances were much more realistic.
All in all, I think this would be a fun read for someone relatively new to fantasy. It's engaging and has a lot of good ideas, but the execution falls a bit flat if you look at it too closely.
December 10, 2023
{3.5 stars}
I’ve got mixed feelings about this, because although I liked it, the back and forth between all the characters and times was very confusing to me. It made everything hard to keep track of. But! I did enjoy it as a conclusion to the series. I liked the new characters, familiar characters, and all the twists and turns. I think Crystal Smith is a great writer, and this is a super great fantasy series. I look forward to rereading it and seeing if any of my thoughts change.
I’ve got mixed feelings about this, because although I liked it, the back and forth between all the characters and times was very confusing to me. It made everything hard to keep track of. But! I did enjoy it as a conclusion to the series. I liked the new characters, familiar characters, and all the twists and turns. I think Crystal Smith is a great writer, and this is a super great fantasy series. I look forward to rereading it and seeing if any of my thoughts change.
May 13, 2022
i genuinely believe this is the best book out of the three. i will admit, it’s a bit boring in the beginning but i really enjoyed seeing all the povs of the characters even though the then and now chapters quickly got confusing.
it most likely won’t happen but i’m really interested to see a book on ella and aster when they grow up
it most likely won’t happen but i’m really interested to see a book on ella and aster when they grow up
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2022
Letto praticamente tutto d'un fiato. In una parola: bellissimo e, in molte scene, capace di farmi commuovere
June 26, 2023
i liked the overall writing style but i feel like the plot got lost, end was cute tho!
June 5, 2025
oooooh girl this was BAD why did we just start killing everyone and give those left alive the corniest ending ever
March 30, 2024
The jumping around between past/present in multiple POVs was confusing at first. But once I got the hang of it, the pacing was good, the direction clear. Overall, an enjoyable YA fantasy trilogy!
March 26, 2025
it’s weird because this book did not start out how I thought it would. I hated characters I thought I loved and loved characters I thought I hated. She had me in the dark! Not knowing who to trust and what was going on with Zan! Not going to lie this made be want to stop reading it once I was 300 pages in. Kept going and I’m glad I did. The finale of this trilogy made me remember why I loved the books to begin with
July 17, 2022
*1.5
I loved the first one so to give this one such a low rating is surprising. I started off loving it and was positive this was going to be at the lowest a four star book.
Oh how shocked I am now.
The romance was completely thrown out the window. I’ve loved Zan and Aurelia since the beginning but suddenly there is a new romance with Dominic who is apparently her “destined soulmate.” And the reason for Zan keeping his distance from her seemed ridiculous and the fact that she loved both of them by the end???? It seemed forced and a little pointless.
There was almost too much happening and a lot of relationships were rushed within the secondary characters as well.
The one thing that gave this the half point was the religious cult. I think cults are fascinating so I wish it had been given more development because it was fascinating.
Content: some language (a-word), lgbtq (one character talks about transitioning using magic and they have a mostly out of screen relationship with another character), violence, some sex scenes but nothing is described
I loved the first one so to give this one such a low rating is surprising. I started off loving it and was positive this was going to be at the lowest a four star book.
Oh how shocked I am now.
The romance was completely thrown out the window. I’ve loved Zan and Aurelia since the beginning but suddenly there is a new romance with Dominic who is apparently her “destined soulmate.” And the reason for Zan keeping his distance from her seemed ridiculous and the fact that she loved both of them by the end???? It seemed forced and a little pointless.
There was almost too much happening and a lot of relationships were rushed within the secondary characters as well.
The one thing that gave this the half point was the religious cult. I think cults are fascinating so I wish it had been given more development because it was fascinating.
Content: some language (a-word), lgbtq (one character talks about transitioning using magic and they have a mostly out of screen relationship with another character), violence, some sex scenes but nothing is described
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2022
I have tried several times to finish this book and it does not get better. All of the characters feel two dimensional and don't even get me started on Conrad's perspective when he is 8/9 year old. I have worked with various age groups of students, and very rarely do a meet a student of that age who can do or behave like Conrad. Honestly, I wish this book was even slightly better so I can at least finish it.
Want to read
July 1, 2020I NEED THIS
July 18, 2022
3.5
Ebonwilde segna la conclusione della The Blood trilogy di Crystal Smith, la serie fantasy con protagonista Aurelia di Renalt, la quale porte in sè la magia del sangue.
Sin dal suo primo capitolo questa storia mi aveva intrigato parecchio. Durante il percorso, però, qualcosa si è perso per strada. Una delle cause probabilmente è da addebitare al fatto che Mondadori ha pubblicato i tre volumi distanziandoli di molto nel tempo, e ogni volta riprendere le fila della storia ha rappresentato un fattore che ha rallentato di molto il mio ritmo di lettura.
"Perchè il successo non si giudica semplicemente dal fatto che tu sopravviva o meno, ma dal fatto che tu ne esca con le facoltà ancora intatte."
E io non so se le mie facoltà sono rimaste tali dopo le lettura!
Crystal Smith ha uno stile che cattura, molto immaginativo, ma non è stato facile ricordare tutto e riallinearmi con le caratterizzazioni dei personaggi. La timeline discontinua potrebbe creare un po' di confusione, ma personalmente apprezzo i salti temporali in grado di raccontare cose che altrimenti rimarrebbero con buchi narrativi. In questo caso procede dal presente al passato mostrando per più personaggi, Aurelia, Za, Kellan, Chydaeus, Rosetta, Conrad, quello che successe "allora" e quello che succede "adesso"
Aurelia è ancora in lotta non solo per salvare il regno, ma l'intera umanità che è minacciata da una imminente sciagura. Il suo amore per Zan cresce ma è messo a dura prova da una serie di avvenimenti che tendono ad allontanarli, così come una terza presenza che però non costituisce mai una vera minaccia.
Aurora è una protagonista che mi è piaciuta, con i suoi pregi e i suoi difetti. Nel corso dei tre libri si è evoluta, è cambiata, ha preso consapevolezza della sua forza e mostrato le sue debolezze, questo l'ha resa più reale e meno costruita.
Ebonwilde è ricco di colpi di scena e procede a un ritmo concitato concentrato quasi tutto sul finale, questo permette di riacquistare l'interesse del lettore che tende a languire nella prima parte.
Questa volta Crystal Smith ha inserito dei riferimenti attualissimi oltre a mescolare elementi mitologici, come ad esempio i modo in cui dei leader carismatici carichi di cattive intenzioni siano capaci di guidare le masse e influenzarle negativamente.
In ultima analisi, Ebonwilde è un ottimo finale di serie perchè non lascia insoluti, chiudendo una serie che per me si era aperta col botto, ma si è ridotta ad una fiammella.
Tu andrai a Ebonwilde, tesoro mio,
perchè lì la tua fortuna attende.
Quando la mezzanotte più lunga
le lancette fermerà, i giorni conterai...
https://ariaswild.blogspot.com/2022/0...
Ebonwilde segna la conclusione della The Blood trilogy di Crystal Smith, la serie fantasy con protagonista Aurelia di Renalt, la quale porte in sè la magia del sangue.
Sin dal suo primo capitolo questa storia mi aveva intrigato parecchio. Durante il percorso, però, qualcosa si è perso per strada. Una delle cause probabilmente è da addebitare al fatto che Mondadori ha pubblicato i tre volumi distanziandoli di molto nel tempo, e ogni volta riprendere le fila della storia ha rappresentato un fattore che ha rallentato di molto il mio ritmo di lettura.
"Perchè il successo non si giudica semplicemente dal fatto che tu sopravviva o meno, ma dal fatto che tu ne esca con le facoltà ancora intatte."
E io non so se le mie facoltà sono rimaste tali dopo le lettura!
Crystal Smith ha uno stile che cattura, molto immaginativo, ma non è stato facile ricordare tutto e riallinearmi con le caratterizzazioni dei personaggi. La timeline discontinua potrebbe creare un po' di confusione, ma personalmente apprezzo i salti temporali in grado di raccontare cose che altrimenti rimarrebbero con buchi narrativi. In questo caso procede dal presente al passato mostrando per più personaggi, Aurelia, Za, Kellan, Chydaeus, Rosetta, Conrad, quello che successe "allora" e quello che succede "adesso"
Aurelia è ancora in lotta non solo per salvare il regno, ma l'intera umanità che è minacciata da una imminente sciagura. Il suo amore per Zan cresce ma è messo a dura prova da una serie di avvenimenti che tendono ad allontanarli, così come una terza presenza che però non costituisce mai una vera minaccia.
Aurora è una protagonista che mi è piaciuta, con i suoi pregi e i suoi difetti. Nel corso dei tre libri si è evoluta, è cambiata, ha preso consapevolezza della sua forza e mostrato le sue debolezze, questo l'ha resa più reale e meno costruita.
Ebonwilde è ricco di colpi di scena e procede a un ritmo concitato concentrato quasi tutto sul finale, questo permette di riacquistare l'interesse del lettore che tende a languire nella prima parte.
Questa volta Crystal Smith ha inserito dei riferimenti attualissimi oltre a mescolare elementi mitologici, come ad esempio i modo in cui dei leader carismatici carichi di cattive intenzioni siano capaci di guidare le masse e influenzarle negativamente.
In ultima analisi, Ebonwilde è un ottimo finale di serie perchè non lascia insoluti, chiudendo una serie che per me si era aperta col botto, ma si è ridotta ad una fiammella.
Tu andrai a Ebonwilde, tesoro mio,
perchè lì la tua fortuna attende.
Quando la mezzanotte più lunga
le lancette fermerà, i giorni conterai...
https://ariaswild.blogspot.com/2022/0...
April 29, 2022
**3.5 STARS**
Content Warning: Death, Violence
I’m not sure what I was expecting with the end of this series but this one surprised me, sometimes not in a good way.
I love the twists and turns but that came mostly at the ending. I like how the story was resolved and loose ends were tied up. I even liked how everyone is separated but come together to defeat the villain and make everything right. Some people get happy endings, others get a bad deal.
The thing I didn’t really enjoy was the timeline jumping. I understand why it happened, because Zan can basically time jump in the Gray. So there are many things going on at one time, kind of like the webs that the Spinner has to deal with. I did like that parallel. But it could get confusing at times. There is a Then, Now, 1620, 1921 (10 days before Midwinter…etc…)…and it was hard to follow at times. I wish it was a bit more straightforward but that’s what happens with time jumping!
Also, the love triangle bit was breaking my heart. I refused to believe it was happening and was thinking, this cannot end this way! Why now? I was getting upset. There were people dying that I didn’t want to die. Of course you have to read and find out what happens in the end and it is beautiful how it ends but I think it took a confusing way to get to there.
The thing I love about this series is the mythology and questions about power and how it affects people. I found this particular book fascinating because it touched on present day issues like like when a virus ravages a community. Or when a radical figure uses his power influence a group of people and cause chaos.
It was always about Aurelia in the beginning and her choices. Now we know why but I did like that in this last book, it took all of them, a collective effort, not just Aurelia, to save humanity. I like that we get to see other characters and their relationships. I loved all the reveals – but they really did come all at the end.
Why you should read it:
*to finish the series
*great world building and the story did tie up loose ends
*love how the characters are complex, each has a role, and our heroine isn’t perfect
Why you might not want to read it:
*first part is slow because many different perspectives and timelines happening
*a love triangle (but read it to find out what happens)
My Thoughts:
I loved that this book tied up the loose ends and really did a nice job ending the series. I just wish it wasn’t such a confusing timeline for me – but that could be my fault for not rereading book two. I recommend doing so, so you are reacquainted with the whole cast of characters. I didn’t like the love triangle because it was so sad and bittersweet. The ending of this book was an emotional rollercoaster with twists and turns and your faves are not guaranteed to survive. I’m glad I got to finish this series. Book two was my favorite of the three, but I really did love all the reveals in book three.
Content Warning: Death, Violence
I’m not sure what I was expecting with the end of this series but this one surprised me, sometimes not in a good way.
I love the twists and turns but that came mostly at the ending. I like how the story was resolved and loose ends were tied up. I even liked how everyone is separated but come together to defeat the villain and make everything right. Some people get happy endings, others get a bad deal.
The thing I didn’t really enjoy was the timeline jumping. I understand why it happened, because Zan can basically time jump in the Gray. So there are many things going on at one time, kind of like the webs that the Spinner has to deal with. I did like that parallel. But it could get confusing at times. There is a Then, Now, 1620, 1921 (10 days before Midwinter…etc…)…and it was hard to follow at times. I wish it was a bit more straightforward but that’s what happens with time jumping!
Also, the love triangle bit was breaking my heart. I refused to believe it was happening and was thinking, this cannot end this way! Why now? I was getting upset. There were people dying that I didn’t want to die. Of course you have to read and find out what happens in the end and it is beautiful how it ends but I think it took a confusing way to get to there.
The thing I love about this series is the mythology and questions about power and how it affects people. I found this particular book fascinating because it touched on present day issues like like when a virus ravages a community. Or when a radical figure uses his power influence a group of people and cause chaos.
It was always about Aurelia in the beginning and her choices. Now we know why but I did like that in this last book, it took all of them, a collective effort, not just Aurelia, to save humanity. I like that we get to see other characters and their relationships. I loved all the reveals – but they really did come all at the end.
Why you should read it:
*to finish the series
*great world building and the story did tie up loose ends
*love how the characters are complex, each has a role, and our heroine isn’t perfect
Why you might not want to read it:
*first part is slow because many different perspectives and timelines happening
*a love triangle (but read it to find out what happens)
My Thoughts:
I loved that this book tied up the loose ends and really did a nice job ending the series. I just wish it wasn’t such a confusing timeline for me – but that could be my fault for not rereading book two. I recommend doing so, so you are reacquainted with the whole cast of characters. I didn’t like the love triangle because it was so sad and bittersweet. The ending of this book was an emotional rollercoaster with twists and turns and your faves are not guaranteed to survive. I’m glad I got to finish this series. Book two was my favorite of the three, but I really did love all the reveals in book three.
April 27, 2022
I don’t even know…where to start with this review. This story is…so much lol. Usually story lines between books in a series obviously mix and connect but I…have never had so many connections and call backs in a series in my life. Maybe I haven’t read enough books but…it was a lot. There’s a lot. I retold the story of the first book to my friend and it took two hours because I couldn’t leave out a single detail because it is all important. There isn’t a detail in this book but even the first two books that is not so important to the story. You have to cram a lot of information in your brain. For the people that didn’t read these books back to back and actually waited the two years for this book to come out I…I applaud you because I could not do it and I say that with all the faith in my reading ability. I do think the story is a good one. There are many twists and turns, some very romantic moments, and like I said every detail is imperative to the story. However, I did not like the ending. I feel like it cut off very abruptly but maybe that’s just because I wasn’t expecting it to end how it did. I did not particularly like Kellan and Rosetta’s love connection. That made me feel very weird because she was like love with his ancestor? And it just…did not make me feel the greatest. Also the whole Castilian and Aurelia being reborn lovers was…something I didn’t know how I felt about at first. Once it got revealed that she did love him just not as much as Zan it made me sad. For Castilian and for Aurelia because at this point Zan had “abandoned” her because he knew the prophecy and how she was suppose to end up with Castilian. Also the whole Zan thing, the fact that he found out and went to Aurelia first and that they decided to wipe her memory TOGETHER?! Was so shocking I did not see that coming. Also they just…have a baby now at the end? Like what XD, I get Aurelia turned the empyrea into a baby to turn her mortal and it makes sense that she would then be her responsibility but like…just what? Lol. And don’t even get me started on the deaths. I cried when she killed Castilian. I did. I had grown to like him and I felt bad about her picking Zan over him (even though they deserve each other because they have been through so much) but when he helped her guide the dagger into his heart I couldn’t take it. Overall I think this is a great story and if you have the time and brain capacity, very worth it. It’s no where near my favorite but I will definitely be telling a couple of my friends about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2022
Buongiorno Books Lovers,
anche la trilogia iniziata con Fiore di sangue di Crystal Smith è giunta al termine. Mondadori ci ha portato l'intera trilogia, con le copertine originali e edizioni stupende, ma purtroppo tutte le cose belle prima o poi giungono al termine e anche questa è terminata con Ebonwilde.
Se non avete letto il primo libro vi consiglio, invece di leggere questa breve recensione, di recuperare quella fatta del primo volume. E parlando di primo volume, tirando le somme alla fine della trilogia, è quello che rimane il mio preferito tra tutti. Il secondo è stato molto breve, il terzo è stato molto bello, ma nonostante ciò nessuno ha rispecchiato gli eventi e la scrittura del primo.
Dal finale inaspettato del libro precedente è passato un anno. Tante cose sono cambiate nei due regni principali e anche i nostri personaggi preferiti non sono più gli stessi da come li abbiamo conosciuti nel primo libro.
Inizialmente anche io mi sono sentita un po' confusa, un po' perché è passato un po' di tempo adesso dalla lettura del secondo e non ricordavo bene le vicende che poi poco alla volta sono tornate a galla nella mia memoria, e un po' perché, da come le vicende vengono presentate all'inizio, della confusione, secondo me, è inevitabile.
C'è ancora un altro cattivo nella storia, se così può essere chiamato. La Filatrice. In questo ultimo volume la sicurezza del regno è a rischio più che mai e con capitoli ricchi di punti di vista si riuscirà ad arrivare alla fine senza perdere il senso della storia. Proprio in questo libro i vari POV non mi sono dispiaciuti perché altrimenti, viste le dinamiche, niente sarebbe stato chiaro.
Essendo un terzo libro preferisco lasciarvi la trama piuttosto che raccontarla e rischiare spoiler. Posso aggiungere però che c'è stata una grande crescita da parte di Aurelia e Zan. Però da un altra parte la storia secondo me ha preso una piega molto diversa da quella che aveva nel primo libro quando tutto è iniziato.
Se non avete letto i primi due libri non addentratevi nella lettura di Ebonwilde, ma se non avete letto la trilogia io vi consiglio vivamente di recuperarla. Forse è una cosa che dico spesso, ma questa trilogia, soprattutto il primo libro, meritano il mondo.
anche la trilogia iniziata con Fiore di sangue di Crystal Smith è giunta al termine. Mondadori ci ha portato l'intera trilogia, con le copertine originali e edizioni stupende, ma purtroppo tutte le cose belle prima o poi giungono al termine e anche questa è terminata con Ebonwilde.
Se non avete letto il primo libro vi consiglio, invece di leggere questa breve recensione, di recuperare quella fatta del primo volume. E parlando di primo volume, tirando le somme alla fine della trilogia, è quello che rimane il mio preferito tra tutti. Il secondo è stato molto breve, il terzo è stato molto bello, ma nonostante ciò nessuno ha rispecchiato gli eventi e la scrittura del primo.
Dal finale inaspettato del libro precedente è passato un anno. Tante cose sono cambiate nei due regni principali e anche i nostri personaggi preferiti non sono più gli stessi da come li abbiamo conosciuti nel primo libro.
Inizialmente anche io mi sono sentita un po' confusa, un po' perché è passato un po' di tempo adesso dalla lettura del secondo e non ricordavo bene le vicende che poi poco alla volta sono tornate a galla nella mia memoria, e un po' perché, da come le vicende vengono presentate all'inizio, della confusione, secondo me, è inevitabile.
C'è ancora un altro cattivo nella storia, se così può essere chiamato. La Filatrice. In questo ultimo volume la sicurezza del regno è a rischio più che mai e con capitoli ricchi di punti di vista si riuscirà ad arrivare alla fine senza perdere il senso della storia. Proprio in questo libro i vari POV non mi sono dispiaciuti perché altrimenti, viste le dinamiche, niente sarebbe stato chiaro.
Essendo un terzo libro preferisco lasciarvi la trama piuttosto che raccontarla e rischiare spoiler. Posso aggiungere però che c'è stata una grande crescita da parte di Aurelia e Zan. Però da un altra parte la storia secondo me ha preso una piega molto diversa da quella che aveva nel primo libro quando tutto è iniziato.
Se non avete letto i primi due libri non addentratevi nella lettura di Ebonwilde, ma se non avete letto la trilogia io vi consiglio vivamente di recuperarla. Forse è una cosa che dico spesso, ma questa trilogia, soprattutto il primo libro, meritano il mondo.
August 10, 2024
The speed at which I read this is testament enough to how good this book is.
Okay, so the plot advances darker per book and I terribly miss the ease of the first book. Also, I find this whole trilogy to be an amalgamation of multiple fairytales, woven beautifully and more convoluted with every book. There are hints of The Goose Girl, Snow White, The Little Mermaid and some others that kind of slipped my mind, but it is definitely noticeable as you read it.
The characters are as complex as ever. God, I LOVE Valentin Alexander de Achlev! But let's not get caught up in him because everyone is equally complex and terribly real. Even 8 years old Conrad. I simply adore the boy!
To be honest, starting out, I was kind of angry. And I just went through it like lightning because I HAVE to know the truth. The first two Zan chapters felt like it has nothing to give towards advanving the plot, but it is enough to know that we get a glimpse of the story through his perspective. Once it actually starts moving though, there is nothing I crave more than a Zan POV.
Also, the writing in this book is spectacular! This book does not follow the same straightforward narration as the previous 2 books. We are woven through a past and present narration that ended beautifully. It reminded me of Reckless by Cornelia Funke except that one is more confusing as there is no clear indication which narration is past and which is present. It is also, maybe, kind of, like the Empirium series by Claire Legrand, except I don't like that one.
Lastly, the Goodreads summary truly does not do justice to this book. But I am not in the habit of summarising books in my reviews, so please just believe me when I say that there is a lot more in this book than Zan's journey to wake Aurelia.
I just truly hope that Crystal Smith will start some new works as I am starving for more of her writing. I need more!!
Okay, so the plot advances darker per book and I terribly miss the ease of the first book. Also, I find this whole trilogy to be an amalgamation of multiple fairytales, woven beautifully and more convoluted with every book. There are hints of The Goose Girl, Snow White, The Little Mermaid and some others that kind of slipped my mind, but it is definitely noticeable as you read it.
The characters are as complex as ever. God, I LOVE Valentin Alexander de Achlev! But let's not get caught up in him because everyone is equally complex and terribly real. Even 8 years old Conrad. I simply adore the boy!
To be honest, starting out, I was kind of angry. And I just went through it like lightning because I HAVE to know the truth. The first two Zan chapters felt like it has nothing to give towards advanving the plot, but it is enough to know that we get a glimpse of the story through his perspective. Once it actually starts moving though, there is nothing I crave more than a Zan POV.
Also, the writing in this book is spectacular! This book does not follow the same straightforward narration as the previous 2 books. We are woven through a past and present narration that ended beautifully. It reminded me of Reckless by Cornelia Funke except that one is more confusing as there is no clear indication which narration is past and which is present. It is also, maybe, kind of, like the Empirium series by Claire Legrand, except I don't like that one.
Lastly, the Goodreads summary truly does not do justice to this book. But I am not in the habit of summarising books in my reviews, so please just believe me when I say that there is a lot more in this book than Zan's journey to wake Aurelia.
I just truly hope that Crystal Smith will start some new works as I am starving for more of her writing. I need more!!
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