De verrader van Evalon

The Prison Healer #3

by Lynette Noni, De Vertaalzusjes (translator)

- Limited Edition -

Kiva dacht dat ze wist wat ze wilde – wraak. Maar haar tijd in Vallenia heeft alles veranderd. Na de gebeurtenissen in het paleis probeert Kiva er wanhopig achter te komen of haar vrienden en familie veilig zijn en, nog belangrijker, of ze haar ooit kunnen vergeven voor wat ze heeft gedaan. Maar in het koninkrijk van Evalon staat de oorlog op het punt van uitbreken en Kiva, die hieraan heeft bijgedragen, besluit haar gebroken hart opzij te zetten om te helpen.

Haar voornemen resulteert in een zoektocht die Kiva en haar bondgenoten door heel Wenderall zal voeren. Lukt het hen, met Kiva’s verraad nog vers in hun geheugen, om de missie te volbrengen voordat het te laat is?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Magic, Audiobook, Young Adult Fantasy

432 pages, Hardcover

First published June 14, 2022

About the author

Australian author Lynette Noni studied journalism, academic writing, and human behaviour at university before venturing into the world of fiction. She is the #1 bestselling and award-winning author of THE PRISON HEALER series, THE MEDORAN CHRONICLES, and the WHISPER duology. To date, her books have sold more than one million copies in over 20 countries across the globe.

Reviews

[Eilidh · Rating 5 out of 5]

”We’re in this together, Sunshine. You and me. Got it?”

OH MISERY! OH DESPAIR! THE TRAGEDY! *dramatic wailing and snorting into tissue* One of my favourite book series has come to an end - and what an ending it was. Lynette Noni, I cannot comprehend the words great enough to convey how in awe I am of you. The Blood Traitor is a masterpiece. How Noni wrote this in 46 days blows my freaking mind.

The Blood Traitor doesn’t let up on the brakes from the opening page. Picking up from where The Gilded Cage ended, we’re thrust right back into the action with our hearts in our mouths and stomachs churning with Kiva’s shocking circumstances and heartbreak. Quite literally at rock bottom, Kiva must somehow pick herself up and dust off the pain, to find a way to reunite with her found family and make right the wrongs that have happened.

Just like The Prison Healer and The Gilded Cage, The Blood Traitor is extremely fast paced, highly readable and action-packed. In order to save the kingdom of Evalon, many of the characters we’ve come to love journey across Kingdoms we’ve not yet seen, encountering challenge after challenge every step of the way. There’s numerous sword battles, magic training and cloak and dagger schemes, all leading to a climax of epic proportions. It’s adventurous, thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time!! The expression action-packed is not used lightly!

If I had to pick an absolute favourite thing in The Blood Traitor, it is the message of hope it promotes. This instalment takes Kiva to a very dark place: bookfriends, please be mindful that the story explores themes of addiction, self loathing and suicidal thoughts. I won’t lie, this made me teary and played havoc with my emotions. But it was/is worth it for the portrayal of someone fighting their way back to the light. It was nothing short of inspiring and unforgettable. There are many passages in this book I’ve saved to reflect on when I’m having a bad day, because they mean so much, especially coming from characters I love wholeheartedly - thank you Lynette Noni.

Additionally, I loved the book’s undercurrent of female empowerment. This is a story where girls are their own saviours, and where a girl can’t do it on her own, there’s another girl to help shoulder the load. I found this really refreshing and tied in nicely with the overall strength in friendship this series illustrates.

My only upset is how Jaren’s character arc played out for a good portion of this book. Without going into any substantive spoilers, I felt his overall behaviour didn’t align with the Jaren we’ve all come to know and love in the previous books. I totally see why he perhaps no longer has faith in certain things and people, and I understand he was hurt, but his actions didn’t add up in the grand scheme of things and fell foul to the pesky miscommunication trope… Which just didn’t feel right.

Aside from that, the heart in these books is a soothing balm for the soul. The friendship, acceptance and general family vibes certainly brightened up my days and made me feel less alone. Even though I’m disappointed there wasn’t more romance (with only a tiny bit of Kiva and Jaren’s romance toward the end of the book), Kiva’s friendships with Caldon and CVK (if you know, you know) make up for it. The friendships found in this book are God tier found family. If you’re ever feeling down and need some fictional friendship TLC? Look no further; you’ll find your support here.

I love, love, love, LOVE these characters. The entire ensemble were perfect. Noni continues to explore and expand the character arcs of supporting characters, which in my past experience when reading book series, either takes away from the main character/story or is a nuisance because I couldn’t care less about them. That is not the case here. I was choked up holding back my tears, I was fist bumping the air with elation… I very much enjoyed getting to know or being reacquainted with newer characters.

And of course! This wouldn’t be The Prison Healer series without some plot twists and drama, would it? The craftsmanship of how thoroughly this series was plotted to pull off the number of jaw dropping shocks and turn of events it has, is the definition of genius. And The Blood Traitor is no exception. I could see where some threads were headed and figured out other threads, but Noni still snuck up on me and left me SPEECHLESS! I’m still waiting for my eyebrows to come back down from my hairline.

The Blood Traitor is how you write a conclusion to a series. It takes us out with a bang and delivers an extraordinary end to an absolutely phenomenal YA fantasy series. It’s one my favourite reads ever and I will read it again and again and again in the future. You know a book was a special kind of magic when there is literal pain because it’s all over. Lynette Noni is astoundingly talented and a master storyteller.

High stakes, heart pounding and completely soul consuming - if there’s one book series you read in 2022, make it this one. It’s an epic adventure not to be missed. Thank you for the wild ride.

Thank you beyond words to Hodder & Stoughton for an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.


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Original comment :
Would uh, serving a stint in Zalindov give me this book quicker? Cause after that cliffhanger I’m willing to roll the dice on my survival odds ngl I’m that desperate 😂

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

My only complaint is how long it took Jaren to get his head out of his ass.

[Sara Carrolli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS!

[Ali Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! LOVED this series and I’m so sad to say goodbye to so many beloved characters (I already miss Tipp, Kiva, Nari, & Jaren 😭🥹). So many moments between Jaren & Kiva had me swooning!!! Literally love them so much.
And I really loved the fantasy plot in this book! I will say some of books 1 & 2 moved slow for me (still loved them sm tho) so I really like that in this book we get SO MANY mini twists and reveals throughout. There was never a dull moment.
⚔️♥️🥹

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a great finale to a really awesome series.

this wraps up the story in an enjoyable way, but also improves it. the character development and relationships are ones that i always rooted for, the plot gets an awesome side quest that expands the world-building, and the writing has a quality that makes you dying to say “just one more chapter.” its nearly perfect!

bit again, the only reason this isnt getting 5 stars is just how convenient some of the reveals and events tend to be. and even though they seem a little too perfect, the overall effect is pretty successful as i always felt invested in the plot and storyline regardless.

so im really quite pleased with this. an entertaining story from the very first page of the first book to the last page of this one.

↠ 4.5 stars

[zuza_zaksiazkowane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmmmmmm
Wiadomo, kocham tę serię i ten tom wywołał we mnie mnóstwo emocji
Ale jakby się tak zastanowić
To chyba oczekiwałam czegoś więcej na zakończenie tej przygody 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[jasmine •｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⤷This altered my brain chemistry I fear!! All the side characters felt like family, I love them all so much 😭 Found family is just elite 🫂 The way the rings tie together within the plot worked so well, and it was interesting to see a new type of challenge on each quest. The plot twists never stopped coming tho 🤭 Literally nonstop adventure from Zalindov to different kingdoms and getting to know characters like Ashlyn and Cresta!! I adore Jaren and Kiva!!! Minor complaint that angsty Jaren went on for too long so I was like ehhhh... BUT then when the miscommunication cleared, the confession scene got me GAGGED - like this is what love truly is (This scene is truly in ingrained in my head) 🥲 One of my new fav series for sure!!

[He kissed the protest right off her lips, making her forget what she'd been about to say - making her forget her own name. His joy, his forgiveness, his love - that was all Kiva knew, her heart so full that it heart, the pain beautiful and perfect and unending.]

[Kezia Duah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written conclusion to a really good series!

To sum it up, this was better than the second book but not as good as the first. I still consider the first the best part of the series because there were quite a number of twists and darkness in that one. We also get a lot of twists in this one and some darkness like we experienced in the first book.

Kiva’s growth throughout the three books has been phenomenal! I’m so happy with the person she has become by the end of the series. She and Jaren’s relationship has been really good throughout the books including the ups and downs. I found myself losing a bit of interest in this one because, after a really good tension field silent treatment, it became so cheesy, but they were still very cute! Every character felt very important in this book which is not always easy to do!

After how the last book ended I needed to get my hands on this pronto. I don’t feel disappointed!

[Jaime Fok · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Honestly, I’m just the biggest Caldon fan.
If you love found family, you MUST read this trilogy!

[aeryn rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

I can't believe it's over...I am SO SAD! This has inevitably put itself up on the list of my favorite fantasy series' of all time. This was absolutely incredible.

If you had asked me what my favorite part of this series was, I would say the found family aspect. The characters and their relationships throughout this series were amazing. So many up and downs with the characters lives. So many tears and so much laughter. The best thing about this series, ESPECIALLY in this book, would be the characters. They were so dynamic and so diverse and they just felt so real. You grow attached to them so quickly and you can't help but fall in love. Jaren is such an underrated MMC...WHY IS THIS MAN NOT GETTING MORE HYPE???? Top book boyfriends for sure. I couldn't help but blush and giggle when he would say sweetheart and my love AHHHHHH he's amazing. Just like in the rest of this series, this book had so many PHENOMENAL side characters that made the story.

The twists and turns and mental TURMOIL this book put me through was borderline criminal. I have nothing but good things to say about this plot. It has the perfect blend of politics, magic, love, friendship. You name it, it's got it. I am not embarrassed to admit that this book had me crying at several points because of how invested I was. EMOTIONAL DAMAGE AT ITS FINEST. There was never a dull moment in this book. It's investing and adventurous and an overall wild journey. 11/10 would ALWAYS recommend.

Overall, I am grieving the end of this trilogy. If there were 5 more books, I would 100% be reading them as well. Lynette Noni did such an incredible job with the plot and the characters and I consider it such a blessing that I got to experience this story. I cried, I laughed, I shook with rage. You experience a wheel of emotions with this series and the final book just wrapped up everything in a nice little bow. It was amazing reading your story, Kiva. ❤️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm not ready for this to end 😭❤️

[ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia] · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐

now playing: trouble waters - alex warren

spoilers for the first two books

14/15+

romance: 5/10 (we got a little more steamy of a kiss scene, sexual jokes that would’ve gone straight over my head if Maylee wasn’t my best friend, mentions of side characters in a harem ‘pleasing each other’ ‘well into the night’ IM LOOKING AT YOU WEIRD KING DUDE)

cursing: 3/10 (infrequent minor curses)

violence: 7/10 (fantasy violence. Stabby stabby, maimy maimy, killy killy, burny burny. Yk.)

other: alcohol and drugs are used to the point of inebriation. There are the same LGBTQIA+ characters as in the last books, and some small references to others

tw: suicidal thoughts (present, on page), grief (present, on page), addiction and withdrawl (present, on page), sa (past, off page), selfharm (past, mentioned), abuse (past, mentioned)

tropes: FOUND 👏 FAMILY 👏

third person

Locked inside my head
don’t wanna let you see me break down


– OVERVIEW –

What the actual McChicken was that?

I-what.

This was an absolutely stunning finale to this trilogy.

These books now own me body and soul.

I tore out my hair.
I screamed.
I cried like a toddler who dropped their ice cream. Sobbed like my dog died (that was insensitive of me… 🥲)

When I finished this book I stared at the wall for a half hour bc I just couldn’t believe it was over.

In the middle of the book I laid on the floor and screamed into a pillow. My family thinks I’ve lost my mind, and the truth is, I have.

I am physically unwell from this series. I’m not kidding. Idk if it’s a coincidence but I lwk woke up with a fever after finishing this. 😔💔

This is by far the best trilogy I have ever read, and if you haven’t read it, what are you doing with your life? Genuinely.

It was fast paced, yet somehow cozy. It made me cry, but it also felt like a hug.

I have never felt so seen.
There are topics in this book that spoke to me, right into my soul, and healed me.
I was crying bc I related to it on a level I’ve never felt with another book before. It made me realize that I’m not isolated, that other people struggle with the same things.

I am not the same girl I was when I started this series.

It will live forever in me, with me, and through me.

I wish it never ended.
I wish there wasn’t a last page.
I wish I could relive this again for the first time.

Prisoner of the past
I’m not here to ask you for a way out


– PLOT –

Let’s unpack this.

Must get rings, or we die from evil king, and evil sister. 🥺🥺


The waves keep crashin’
what would happen if I asked you to stay?


– CHARACTERS –

Kiva
⤷ she redeemed herself from the last book.
Does she deserve Jaren yet? Uh naur.
But rlly, does ANYONE deserve him? Heck to the naur.

Jaren
⤷ I’m buying this man a ring.
He can have me. Y’all we’re married now and this is him in 9 months 🫃

Caldon
⤷ LWK, Nate if you were a fictional character this is you.
Caldon and Kiva are us coded. Bc I cry, and you make me happy again 🥺😋

Tipp
⤷ He’s my bestie. My lil bro. My pookie wookie

Naari
⤷ her backstory? I’m on the floor.

Ashlyn
⤷ Y’all she ate.

Cresta
⤷ my GOSH I adore this girl. She’s amazing, there’s not a single thing I don’t like abt her

Torell
⤷ he’s so freaking sweet and he’s so cute 🥰
Also, apparently he’s super sexy too? *COUGH HACK WHEEZE* at least according to Cal and Ash *COUGH COUGH*
Y’all I think I’m coming down with smth

Eidren
⤷ man of few words. But he’s just a chill dude.

Woah, say you won’t
let me drown in troubled waters alone


– CONCLUSION –

You’re rlly just missing out if you don’t read this

Oh, throw me a rope
won’t you tell me that you’re still holding on?


– PLAYLIST –

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/t...

Spotify: work in progress


pre-read

i-
words have left me.
this was gut wrenching and beautiful and i stared at the wall for a solid half hour i’m not even joking

[Svea · Rating 2 out of 5]

EDIT: The more I think about this book the angrier I actually get because I remember more details, like the horrible gaslighting of the supposed Hero Love Interest, so I have to actually change my rating and round down to 2 stars. My only reason for giving this 3 stars initially was that I enjoyed the first two books, and really, that's not a valid reason.

________________________

Oh how excited I was to read this book! "The Blood Traitor" is the third book in Lynette Noni's Prison Healer series, and I very much loved the first and second book. They were highlights of the ya fantasy genre in 2021 for me, and I just loved the world and the characters. So obviously, my expectations were high for this final chapter in Kiva's story - and maybe they were too high after all. Maybe they're the reason this might turn out to be on my list of most disappointing reads this year.

Now, don't get me wrong, this isn't a terribly bad book. "The Blood Traitor" has an exciting overall story, great characters, some much needed (but a little hollow) world building and a happy ending that I enjoyed. The writing is still great, though I could have easily lived without the constant referring to gold-blue or emerald eyes. but that's just something I don't like in any story, so it's highy personal.

Where the book fails, for me, is in its pacing, its focus and the character development.

The story is exciting and it begins with a bang. There is not just one big bad, no, there are two! And they are both equally menacing. I liked that the book started right where the last one ended, making it an almost seamless continuation. The first few chapters do feel a little rushed though, especially compared to what comes after. It's a classic fantasy quest storyline, but it's told in such a slow, inconsistent way that the actual quest part of it starts to drag pretty soon.
This isn't helped by the fact that the book never actually focuses on the story itself, that the immediate threat looming over them never feels so threatening because most of the time is spent on - and I say this with love for my girl Kiva - a giant pity party. Half of the book is about Kiva suffering and then people telling other people about Kiva's suffering so they can pity her, or Kiva telling them about her suffering while on drugs so they can pity her, or people ACCIDENTALLY walking in on Kiva half naked with her so-far-secret wounds on display so they can pity her.
Now, Kiva goes through a lot. She is traumatised, and it was handled pretty well in the last book. I even wanted some more of it. I do feel like Noni is just throwing more horrible things at her this time around just so people go "poor poor Kiva" even more. There was no need for the abuse scene, it was entirely unnecessary, just to name one example. And while I liked Kiva dealing with her trauma, her inner monologues were written in such a heavyhanded way that I seriously, seriously got annoyed with her. Kiva's self-loathing becomes over the top and nonsensical at some point. At the end of the book I was honestly glad to be done with her, and that is coming from someone who used to call her one of the better ya heroines.

The heavyhandedness also extends to the way her suffering is found out by the people she cares about - those examples you see above? They aren't exaggerations. That is literally, honestly, the way it is written in this book. Other people tell her story while the entire group is in a room together, with Kiva not giving consent to her story being told and feeling constantly uncomfortable, just so everyone - but most of all her love interest, Jaren - can pity her. She gets high and accidentally tells the entire group her deepest darkest feelings and all the ways she was hurt, and then is embarassed the day after. Jaren walks in on her in just the moment her burns are on display. It is so incredibly heavyhanded and OBVIOUS that these scenes purely exist so that everyone can pity Kiva once again that I actually laughed out loud when Kiva said "I don't want your pity" one time. Yeah girl, tell that to your author.
And that is most of the plot. When the focus finally shifts towards, you know, the actual story being told, as in the fight against the two Big Bads, I was, I think, around 75% into the book. And the remaining 25% were rushed. The pacing was never an issue in the books before, so I was really surprised this time around. There are some twists, the biggest one very predictable, but they're still fun to read, so that was done really well.

Now, the characters. This book is about Kiva, but it does have a lot of great, intriguing characters. Caldon is still my favourite, though more on him later on. Tipp is my baby, Naari is queen (but completely lacks agency in this one), and I absolutely ADORE Cresta. Cresta is this book's standout character for me, and baby girl can do no wrong. Generally, she's also the one that gets the most character development - and I dare say, the one that gets an actual personality. The other new additions to the group remain one-sided and flat, I feel nothing about them. One is more or less just a throwback character from the first book who has no bearing on anything at all, the other is a character mentioned before but has very little bearing on anything at all either, and the third one is a character from Torell and Kiva's past that is very predictable and has about one personality trait. Then there's Zuleeka, the sister who betrayed Torell and Kiva in the last book. I was SO excited to delve into their sibling relationship, to see how this betrayal effects them all. It was probably the relationship I was most excited about - there's nothing. Zuleeka appears right at the end, and there is no actual exploration of her character. It's all very black and white. The characters in general lack depth, and this is my biggest and most surprising complaint, because while character development was never this series' strong suit, the character writing itself has been very enjoyable so far.

The relationships are on par with this lack of depth. The falling out between Jaren and Kiva is dragged out to the max until it seriously doesn't make sense anymore for them to not just get together already, which makes a romance I was actually really into just... a borefest in the end. I don't need a focus on romance, I prefer my fantasy books with a dash of romance but focus on characters or plot or world building, depending on the book. But romance is pretty big in this last part of the trilogy, so the relationships should work for the reader. For me, they sadly don't, though there are some cute scenes between Kiva and Jaren later on. Most of their scenes are just frustrating.

The other two side relationships... oh man. Just a huge giant monstrous missed opportunity, though it must have been a very conscious choice by the author that I simply do not understand because it actively takes away LGBTQ representation that was already teased before.
This seems to be a pretty queerfriendly world, though it's never explicitely stated as such. Princess Mirryn (who has one big scene in this one) is in love with a princess from another country, and noone really seems to mind that much, but it's also not talked about beyond the circle of characters we know. Because we never actually see these two characters interact and their romance is over due to circumstance, we can't really count that as representation. We barely spend time with either of them.
The previous book, "The Gilded Cage", finally teased some more representation with prince Caldon openly appreciating Kiva's brother, the rebel leader Torell. The teasing wasn't subtle, Kiva herself reacts to it, so most people probably expected something to happen there. It seems to have been nothing more than baiting though, because Noni chose, for some reason, to add two women to the group in book 3 so that both of these men can just romance them instead. One of these women, Ashlynn, could have been cut from the book altogether without it making much of an impact. The two relationships blossoming from that choice are pretty lackluster - and I say this as someone who loves both Caldon and Cresta, but come on. It was almost comical - two women join the group, suddenly everyone is in an m/f love story. It was a very on the nose decision by the author.
There is an ace, maybe aro-ace character reveal, but this character appears one time in this book and it was never mentioned in book 2, where she was more prominent, so that's no real representation either. Some pretty confusing choices were made that took away from the relationships.

So what to take away from all this? It's probably that I shouldn't have high expectations for third books in a trilogy anymore, because I have been disappointed a lot, lately.
The world is still great, the ideas are cool, I loved traveling to these other countries (and would have loved to spend more time there!), and most of my faves remain my faves. But pacing and focus issues, rushed plotlines, lack of character development and general character writing and some questionable at best choices about romances make this a 2.5 for me, rounding up to 3 purely because I loved the first two books so much.

Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the arc!

[benedicta · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me so long to finish this series, Sarah J Maas dubbed "a marvelous and inventive story telling" 😭

I wanted to be generous with my review and rating because it's ya and I did go in knowing that so adjusted my expectations of the mc's behavior accordingly.

First, how there was literally no chemistry between Kiva (fmc) and Jaren (mmc) is just weird. Then the author writes Caldon (Jaren's cousin) to be very flirty towards Kiva 😔 and spend so much more quality time with her.

For the most part, the storyline made sense and world building was solid. I'm not sure if I'd call it inventive though because I've seen before the trip on the mountain with ... you guessed it! the one bed trope 🤭 also pretty sure I've read about a fmc using glowing light magic to keep them warm and give them light AND a fmc giving up her magic to save everyone, hmm where have I seen that?? 🤔🤔

I wanted to see the development of Kiva's character arc. There wasn't a lot but there was enough that she did seem to have mature over the course of the books and was definitely making more sound decisions.

In conclusion, it was a really good way to end a trilogy. It's a pretty easy read for anyone new to ya fantasy and can get past the little to no romance.

***

Kiva honey, please grow a backbone🤞🏽🤞🏽

[Darcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

edit 5/7/22 (post read):
buddy read with my og br partner, Macy!

this was wonderful! entertaining, fun, exciting, romantic and even funny at times, definitely a phenomenal book.

but well... i hate to say it but i was a wee bit disappointed by this book. it wasn't bad by any means, certainly not, but it just didn't quite measure up to the previous books in the series, in my opinion? maybe my expectations were just too high. but i was also so mad to see another heroine losing their powers... it seems to happen far too frequently in books nowadays, and it kills me!!

but nonetheless, this was still such a fun read, and i'm so glad i read this series!!! lynette noni remains in my 'favourite authors' list. definitely recommended!

~~~

edit 4/6/22 (pre read): THE PACKAGE HAS SUCCESSFULLY REACHED MY HANDS HEHEHE

~~~

I would kill multiple people to get my hands on this book right now - up to and excluding Tipp, Cal and Tor. I will take no questions, I will only take an ARC for book #3.

[molly lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

THESE CHARACTERS HAVE BEWITCHED ME BODY AND SOUL!! The fact I can’t read about them anymore makes me feel like having an emotional breakdown; I’m already in grief. Every single frickin’ page sucker-punched me with emotional damage to the point I. lost. count. of. how. many. times. I. cried.

“Now, we dream.” Ha ha. Sobbing.

Read the damn book. My one and only complaint was Jaren‘s Olympic-level stubbornness.



🍄‍🟫‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹🍄‍🟫

꒰ the prison healer 🌷
⌗﹒ 01 the prison healer ~ 4.25✮
⌗﹒ 02 the gilded cage ~ 4.75✮
⌗﹒ 03 the blood traitor ~ 5✮

If you’re looking for a more in depth review, check my previous two ^^ (I didn’t have the mental capacity to write one for this, I’m sorry 🥹). My review of the gilded cage sums up a lot of my thoughts for this book too (it hasn’t been posted yet lol but it will be soon I promise😭) ᰔ

[emelie 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚ (exams!!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 𝟒.𝟓𝟎₊˚⊹ 🪾 𝟘𝟟/𝟚𝟡/𝟚𝟝—𝟘𝟟/𝟛𝟘/𝟚𝟝
WHAT—how am i supposed to just live my life and move on from this trilogy knowing that i’ll never see these characters again?! this is not fair 😭

let me just tell you—the romance in this book?! OH MY GOD!! the most slowest burn, angstiest, and the best groveling ever was served into kiva and jarren and it did NOT disappoint. if you want to read a trilogy where they get together in the very last book in the last quarter (ultimate slow burn) buy this right now!! and the angry love confession in the rain?!!

this book had me HOOKED from page one and i could not stop reading 🤭. whoever said that they get better with each book in this trilogy was 100% correct! while the ending was a little bittersweet i still really enjoyed it (but i NEED a novella!!)

the found family in this book is just so sweet!! caldon, tipp, naari, ash, cresta, every side character was so much fun to read about and the ending had me shaking for all of them!!

seeing kiva battle with her mistakes and feelings was also so satisfying yet sad to read about!! i will never understand people who say they hate her because if you were in her position you would do the SAME thing!!

this series is SO underrated and if you want a book trilogy with a SLOW burn, angst, groveling (from both sides), plot twists, magic, and found family than this is for you!!

𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝟒.𝟓𝟎 🪾
𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕: 𝟒.𝟓𝟎

╰┈➤ tropes to expect!
🗡forced proximity after betrayal
★ high stakes
🗡 female groveling
★ angsty slow burn
🗡️ found family
★ plot twists
🗡️ angry love confession in the rain

₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
rushing to read this because the last book in this series had the craziest ending 😭!! literally i am in pain right now because of the betrayal.

[Dawn Solaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

★彡 4.75 stars彡★

“Try to remember that as important as it is to mourn the dead, it's just as important to celebrate the living. And if you can't... Come and wake me. I'll battle your demons for you.”

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ What a venomous snake of a book.

What a bloody joke.

What an absolute f*cking masterpiece.

Lowkey laughing through my tears because of how insane the ride through this series was. I’m actually sick and if you see me sprinkling this review with incoherent shit? Just marvel over the fact that I wrote one in the first place, barely being able to see clear through my bloodshot eyes and all.

Did I manage to scare and knock some common sense into you? No? Not yet?

Fine, read this and have a year-long depressive episode. It’s not like I warned you or anything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖

⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᏖᏒᎧᎮᏋᏕ ᏗᏖ ᏇᎧᏒᏦ ⋮ ⌗ ┆

➳❥ The Chosen One

➳❥ Slow Burn

➳❥ Found Family

➳❥ Forced Proximity

➳❥ Who Did This To You?

⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖

⋮ ⌗ ┆ ᎷᎩ ᏖᏂᎧᏬᎶᏂᏖᏕ ⋮ ⌗ ┆

⚠︎ Warning: Spoilers! Tread Ahead With Caution ⚠︎

: ̗̀➛ 🅣🅗🅔 🅢🅣🅞🅡🅨 & 🅣🅗🅔 🅕🅔🅔🅛🅢: A part of me died where the last book ended, and I knew that The Blood Traitor was going to be the final nail on my very literal coffin. My tipping point being that I allowed Lynette Noni to dance on my grave the moment I picked this cruel thing in my hands.

Melodramatics aside, I’m not usually a fan of the whole “she betrays him, he finds out, drama drama” plot-line because, it’s emotionally exhausting, you see. And given how stressed Kiva’s double-agent, two-timing business from the last book had made me… I was… in my right mind to feel scared. Because I knew this book was going to be all about:

Self loathing ✔

Guilt and Grovel ✔

Distrust and Lost Friendships ✔

And all that other peachy stuff the heart wants. But damn this book! It creeped its way into my heart and ripped it into pieces. Everything about it - from the killer plot twists to the sweet found family to the heart-wrenching arc of accepting yourself - was as perfect as it could’ve been. I couldn’t have imagined a better finale to this quiet bomb of a series if I tried, and I really have to say that there’s no one on planet earth that I respect more than Lynette Noni never mind the fact that she destroyed my will to live ꉂ(˵˃ ᗜ ˂˵)

I am, however very proud to say that I could guess at least a plot twist or two THIS time 5 pages before it happened so it’s all chill one out of ten plot twists is good stuff… also if you didn’t know, for the sake of educating:

Keep in mind that these books are infamous for their deceptive settings and bomber plot twists. And that reading this series felt like a cinematic experience of its own. High stakes, deaths, revivals and betrayals… all in one package. Masterpiece.

F*cking masterpiece. Said that already? WELL, HEAR IT AGAIN!


: ̗̀➛ 🅚🅘🅥🅐 🅜🅔🅡🅘🅓🅐🅝: You all could gang up on me if you would like, but I will never ever not defend Kiva. Her character arc in this book was therapy for me, and it’s crazy because I feel her in my bones, she’s so much more than just a random character to me.

The very essence of Kiva was the message of learning to love yourself. It was a nugget of wisdom that told you to crawl out of your blues to find the light, because it’s always waiting. The reason I especially sympathized with her was because of how alone she really is. Like, yes, there’s loads of people who love her. But, time and time again, fate lands her in situations where she’s to face her miseries alone.

Haven’t we all been there before?

Her breaking out of her addiction, self loathing and tipsying back and forth this route was pain at its rawest. Every time some character was a piece of shit to her or misunderstood her, it personally hit me like a ton of bricks, because I was just that attuned to her emotions.

Shout-out to bestie Molly for sharing my sob-fests…. Kiva’s our sweet baby child, and if anyone wants to talk shit about her? Get through us, first.


: ̗̀➛ 🅙🅐🅡🅔🅝 🅥🅐🅛🅛🅔🅝🅣🅘🅢: *sigh*

I’m probably the biggest Jaren fangirl to walk the earth so bear with me as I admit:

Jaren. Deserved. A. Whack. Or. Two. In. This. Book.

And that’s actually me being civil capture it, remember it .𖥔 ݁ ˖ because his behavior towards Kiva was one of the very few things that rubbed me the wrong way. Now, before you all attack me –

I know he has the right to be mad. Kiva practically ruined his entire life, so dude can afford to throw a tantrum, that’s acceptable. BUT… Jaren’s… Jaren.

Sunshine incarnate, lover boy Jaren.

He’s been nothing but soft to Kiva for as long as I’ve known him and it f*cking hurt my very being every time he was an asshole on page. Do you know why it hurt more? Because, Caldon was more understanding of it than Jaren, himself.

Hell, even Ashlyn who barely knew Kiva at all warmed up to her. Meanwhile, Jaren took his sweet time brooding and emotionally destroying Kiva for every time she breathed wrong ×͜×

Keeping aside my rant, I still love Jaren because hello? I’m only human and this boy’s a diamond in the rough, so hell yeah. You best believe the angry rain confession made me weak in the knees despite having been mad at him till then I lack dignity, so what?

Not to mention, we had him go:

“Who did this to you?”

I’m weak for this shit, what can I say? ♩¨̮(ง ˙˘˙ )ว♩¨̮


: ̗̀➛ 🅒🅐🅛🅓🅞🅝 🅥🅐🅛🅛🅔🅝🅣🅘🅢: CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON CALDON

You mere mortals could never comprehend the depth of what I feel for this guy, so watch me pull a Cardan cuz I’m in love.

He’s the kind of best friend we all need and to think we were deprived of his presence for the entirety of the first book… looking back on it, it hurt.

Even when I didn’t know him, I missed him.

Pretty sure you don’t want me to list all the reasons Caldon could step on me without a license, but in the hypothetical scenario of if I had to, the first reason would be how understanding he is. He was first person to have known all of Kiva’s darkest “secrets”. He had her back then. He has her back now and forevermore.

If you don’t like Caldon, you have issues (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞

: ̗̀➛ 🅒🅡🅔🅢🅣🅐: Queen behavior.

I mean, she is a queen (ᵕ—ᴗ—)

Safe to say she climbed up the ladder of popularity real quick in this book. Her sense of humor alone deserves a standing ovation from the jury ~

Her calling out Jaren:

“Gods, were you this dramatic when you were at Zalindov?” Cresta asked, pulling a face at Jaren. “No wonder I never liked you.”

Jaren… hon, you know I love you but I may have snorted at this. Blame Cresta.

Also, her being a savage bad bitch in verbose:

“Wisdom told me to wait and bide my time.”

“Wisdom speaks to me, too,” Cresta had replied, tossing a stick into the flames. “She’s particularly chatty when it comes to you.”

IYKYK! I honestly cannot with how crack-headed she is, I love her. LOVE HER.

Another Cresta-quote cuz I believe in sharing laughter sessions:

“Who is this Tipp I keep hearing about?” Ashlyn murmured.

“Unnaturally happy kid,” Cresta said, sounding bored. “Like a little brother to Kiva, until he learned she’d been lying to him for years. Keep up, would you?”

STOMACH. HURTS. FROM. LAUGHING.

: ̗̀➛ 🅩🅤🅛🅔🅔🅚🅐: Have fun rotting in Zalindov, bitch.

╭∩╮( ＾◡＾)╭∩╮

»»——★ fιnαℓ тнσυgнтѕ ★——««

➳ What am I supposed to do with myself now? You can’t tell me it’s over. I haven’t even gotten to adopt Tipp yet.

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆To Bestie Molly ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ ℰ𝒶𝓈𝒾𝓁𝓎 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓉𝒽𝓇ℯℯ 𝒷ℯ𝓈𝓉 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹𝓈 ℴ𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝓎ℯ𝒶𝓇, 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀𝓈 𝓉ℴ 𝓎ℴ𝓊. ℋℴ𝓃ℯ𝓈𝓉𝓁𝓎, 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈 𝒸ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹’𝓋ℯ 𝒷ℯℯ𝓃 𝓉ℴ𝓉𝒶𝓁 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓈𝒽 𝒶𝓃𝒹 ℐ’𝓂 𝓅𝓇ℯ𝓉𝓉𝓎 𝓈𝓊𝓇ℯ ℐ 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓌ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹’𝓋ℯ 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝒷ℯ𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂ℯ 𝒸𝓊𝓏 ℐ 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒾𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓎ℴ𝓊. ℬ𝓊𝓉, 𝓁𝓊𝒸𝓀𝓎 𝒻ℴ𝓇 𝓊𝓈, 𝓌ℯ 𝒸𝒽ℴ𝓈ℯ 𝓌ℯ𝓁𝓁. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 ℴ𝒽 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒶 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝒹 𝓇𝒾𝒹ℯ 𝒾𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒷ℯℯ𝓃! 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒻ℴ𝓇 𝓅𝒶𝓉𝒾ℯ𝓃𝓉𝓁𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉ℯ𝓃𝒾𝓃ℊ 𝓉ℴ 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝓉𝓊𝓅𝒾𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯℴ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈. 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒻ℴ𝓇 𝒸𝓊𝓇𝓈𝒾𝓃ℊ 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝒷𝒶𝒹 𝓃𝓊𝓉𝓈, 𝓇𝒾ℊ𝒽𝓉 𝒷𝓎 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝒹ℯ. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒻ℴ𝓇 ℴ𝓃ℯ 𝒽ℯ𝓁𝓁 ℴ𝒻 𝒶 𝒷𝓊𝒹𝒹𝓎 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹. ℒℴ𝓋ℯ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓂ℴ𝓇ℯ 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝒥𝒶𝓇ℯ𝓃 𝓁ℴ𝓋ℯ𝓈 𝒦𝒾𝓋𝒶 ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ

ﾒ𝟶ﾒ𝟶

｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh damn, its finished! You broke my heart for a moment Lynette! Overall this is one of my favorite series. I think it had a really good close off and brought us the ending we deserved. Of course course I won't have ANY objections if you bring us a prequal, sequel or just a stand alone 😉. Well done Lynette! 5 well deserved stars!

[Madison Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

this legit took me like 5 years to finish, & i probably didn’t do the book justice w/ all the breaks i took but i still don’t loveeee the execution — story immaculate, so captivating, love!! the writing and like overall vibes … not my fave. 4.25🤍

[Sue Miz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Move away Bella Swan
Kiva Corentine is here to be the brooding-passive-pining-over-her-man achieving-nothing female lead

❌️❌️BIG SPOILERS FOR ALL 3 BOOKS COMING TO THIS REVIEW. BE WARE❌️❌️

I would like to note, that eventhough this was a silly little book, I would still recommend it to young adults 13 to 17. After all, this is the mentality the book aims at.

Kevia Corentine, since she was seven, has been taken with her father to the most brutal prison of Zalindov. She was foraging with her father and brother when the royal guards popped on them, killed her brother, and took them to prison on the pitty charge of healing a rebel.

In book 1, we learn that it is OK to imprison an underage child unless someone comes and claims them. Otherwise, they have to live the same as any other low-life criminal and thug in the worst conditions ever.

No one came for Kiva or Tipp, eventhough her family was still out there, her mother, sister, and other brother. You wonder why? Maybe they were afraid to be exposed as the rebels? Why couldn't they send someone as an Uncle or Aunt?

All they did was for 10 years send her these one-line secret messages "we are coming, stay alive"

I liked book 1. The setting was intriguing. In a way, Kiva was exactly as a character forced into imprisonment for 10 years, supposed to be, act and survive.
Until that final reveal which did not shock me, and Kiva escaped with Tipp with the help of her dashing Prince Jaren who was the reason she passed the Trials by Ordeal.

Book 2 was like episodes from "My Life With the Royals". Kiva is living in the Palace of the King and Queen of Evalon with Jared, Caldon and Mirryn. She is drinking tea and rubbing shoulders with the high society. SHE DOES NOTHING SPECIAL

Well, Caldon forces her to train
She meets her brother and sister Zuleeka who has a snake tattoo, this should have been Kiva's first clue to what her sister is but Kiva was so wrapped up by Jaren she did not notice,
Oh, and Kiva goes to meet her grandmother to find a way to suppress her magic 🔫🙄.. what an idiot!!
Jaren pours his heart, soul and secrets to her. And Surprise Surprise, Zuleeka uses that to overthrow the royals and take the throne.

This book tried so hard to paint the Evalon Royals as these ideal royals.
Jaren is a typical Gary Sue. He does no wrong. He is good, pure, loving, caring, and wants the benefit of his people.

If these Royals are so good, why did they allow Zalindov to go on like that? They didn't know? what kind of Royals who don't know what is happening to their people and inside their kingdom? They made it out that all 8 rulers should agree on a decision regarding Zalindov!!! really? why? why is that place so important that ALL 8 KINGDOM should have a unanimous decision?????

So instead of the second love interest, we have the second-best people. Instead of making out that the rebels are the good ones, it is the Royals who are good.

The book ends with the big betrayal of both sisters in the book. Jaren was almost killed but saved by Kiva at the expense of him losing his magic. And in a twist event, Kiva is sent back to Zalindov high as fuck from Angeldust.

This recap was so important because going into book 3, I was expecting a lot from Kiva. Rage, determination, planning, retribution. Unfortunately, what I got is a Bella Swan pining over Edward.


Come to think of it, Kiva's description is somehow like Bella

Anyway, Kiva is so passive in this that she does nothing. Everything is done TO her. Everyone is there to either help her or fuck her over. She is being thrown from one hand to another that the only time she showed a little bit of personality is when she was under the influence of Angeldust.

47% in the book and I wanted to slap her so hard for all the "wow is me" and "it is my fault" and "I ruined everything"!!!!!!!😡😡🔫🙄🔫🙄
We Get It!!! Move Onnnnnn!

Thank God Cresta intervened and bitch-slapped her with reality.

Now, we have to get Kiva out of Zalindov, but how? It was impossible the first time!
Oh, I know! Let's throw in a surprise twist and make her the unknowing bride of the evil Novak

No problem, I liked that part. Thought "Ok, nowwww we'll see Kiva and her wrath! Now she'll understand her magic and use it"
HAH! NOPE!
Ashlyn and Galdric were there to rescue her!!!! Who is Caldric?? a surprise character thrown in there to further the plot of course

So Kiva is rescued, AGAIN, and she is back with Jared and Cladon and Tipp. The surprise is that her brother Torell and Cresta are there too! HOW!!

Oh! Torell just Waltzed into Zalindov to rescue Kiva, didn't find her, so he took Cresta! Easy Peasy! I mean it wasn't like the most guarded prison, and it wasn't like they failed over and over for 10 years to get Kiva out!🙄🙄🙄😁🤪🤪🤪🤪

Kiva is met with the coldest shoulders from both Jaren and Tipp!!! TIPP!! the brat whom Kiva took care of all his life and saved so many times. He threw in a tantrum because how dare Kiva not tell him her little secret!!
Well, fuck you 11-year old Tipp. Fuck you

Jaren I can understand. He lost his kingdom, his father, his magic. All because he trusted Kiva. So I empathized with him on that.
But just having him there, brought back Brooding Bella Swan... I mean brooding Kiva.


Back to the plot people! How are we going to rescue the kingdom from the Death Hands Zuleeka?? Let's throw in another deus ex machina that has never been mentioned before, ala Thanos style


Apparently, there are four rings (not five?😒 because we don't want to copy anyone now do we) combined with The Hand of The Gods (🤣🤣🤣 here is the hand) that can restore Jaren's powers and stop Zuleeka.

So let me get this straight
instead of planning and rallying the troops
50% of the book is spent with our Fellowship of the Ring squad wind-surfing around the kingdoms collecting these rings
But wait! Each ring came with a silly little task that they had to complete

Well, how else they were going to forgive Kiva!😒😒😒

Kiva tries to talk to Jaren and he throws a tantrum telling her basically that she is only good for helping them restore the kingdom and that "Once that's done, you and I will never have to see each other again"
Bitch please!!!!! She saved your life, endured Zalindov for you, almost died getting your rings, brought back your precious guard, and groveled. Get that stick out of your royal ass!!!!!

Oh Great! Brooding Bella is back


All this while, Kiva refuses to tell them what really happened to her because "she is self-sacrificing herself for their mental well-being". That solves everything - said no one ever.

Anyway, the most interesting part now happens. To get a ring, Kiva must make this BIG TERRIBLE CHOICE
"Kiss Jaren" or "take Angeldust"

and smart, responsible Kiva takes Angeldust because "what do you mean I have to kiss Jaren without his consent?"😕😕😕😕😕

and what do you mean the author made an ex-forced addict to take the drug again?

Anyway, high as fuck Kiva did not hold back. She spilled her gut and told them everything and told Prince Jaren Charming that she was in love with him. She told them of what happened to her in Zalindov, with Novak
and how did Jaren respond? He avoided her for weeks!!!!😡😡😡😡

To get the third ring, A Corentine and a Vallentis must be buddy buddies and lovey dovies! why? who knows! but let's go with it!

Kiva wanted Caldon to go with her because "she can't allow Jaren to spend a minute with her cause he hates her"
For reasons, Jaren goes with Kiva and LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, let me introduce you to Gaslighter Jaren

Apparently, Jaren was not mad at Kiva for betraying him, he was angry because she did not trust him to tell him the truth. Because Kiva was surrounded by trust and love all her life to be able to do that!
He did not mean it when he said "he never wants to see her again", she understood his words wrong
He was not avoiding her for weeks and weeks especially after she confessed her love under the influence, he thought she was avoiding him. He was not man enough to go talk to her
And he did not blame her for what happened to the kingdom, Heaven Forbid. She, according to him, did nothing wrong. It was All Zuleeka!!!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I laughed so hard at this because DUUUUUUUUUDE!!!!!!!!!!!

And that is why, ladies and Gentlemen, one-sided POV does not work in Romantacy. I will never consider this Romance anything. It is Fantasy with a bit of Romance

Anyway, fast forward, and we are in the last 100 pages, and of course things will pick up so fast your head will spin. At one point I had to stop and search to make sure that this is the last book in the series.
Back to our plot, the last ring is with Jaren's Mother, Mirryn is remorseful for some reason, Yadda Yadda
Kiva is Thanos
The rings are not important
all that hard work and almost dying proved for nothing because the rings were melted to make the amulet Kiva was wearing ALL THAT TIME! what????🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

And then comes another twist. Cresta is royalty and Novak's sister.
Galdric was working for Novak all this time
fight fight fight

Kiva uses the power of the amulet and her magic to restore Jaren's magic
and then comes the battle between Kiva and her Sister

all this time, the book hyped Kiva's magic to be more powerful than Zuleeka but it failed

For some reason, I thought that Kiva and Jaren's powers would unite to defeat the Death Power

but here comes the moment that cemented my hate for this book

Zuleeka throws the Eye of the God dagger at Jaren intending to strip him of his powers again
Kiva throws herself infront of him and the dagger hits her stealing all her magic
she, with an Arya Stark movement, slashes her sister's cheek with the dagger and stops her magic

Kive is left POWERLESS
img src="https://media.tenor.com/5-IdxL1E0PAAA...

In her acknowledgment, Noni thanks Sarah J Mass for helping and inspiring her. SJM is the queen of stripping and diminishing her Female Leads from their powers in favor of giving the Male Leads all the power.
Noni is following in those footsteps.

Kiva got her wish in the end. She got rid of her Healing Powers. The powers that could help thousands. But hey, at least now she could be a regular healer.

This book is written in the third person POV. Everything is told through Kiva. So basically, it is her story and her actions that should shape the plot.

Kiva is the least interesting character in this book. She was so two-dimensional it was frustrating reading from her perspective
I was more intrigued by Cresta, now that is a well-rounded character
I wanted to see Cladon and Cresta's interaction more

Calling this a romantacy is a joke. There was so little interaction between Jaren and Kiva that left little space for romance. In fact, Kiva's relationship and time with Cladon were much better.

For three books, Kiva remained the same. No development, no decisiveness, no growth.
This book should have been presented from different POVs

Because of Kiva, this is one star

One last remark, I want to address the LGTBQ+ pass. What I mean by that, is because a character is from that community, they get to go unpunished.
Mirryn betrayed her kingdom and her family because she was in love with Sera and her brother wanted to marry her off to a queen.
Mirryn conspired with Zuleeka, was responsible for the death of thousands, sent Kiva to Zalindov under the influence, was reponsible for stripping her brother off his magic, indirectly responsible for her father's death
and how is she punished? She was banished? where? to Cresta and Sera's kingdom, to live with her beloved for ever and ever!!!!
😒😒😒😒😒😒

[Yeg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so prepared to Come and write an essay about how much I hate this book because it killed my favorite character, but I'm so fucking releaved it didn't AND I HONESTLY DON'T CARE, I'M HAPPY WITH THE ENDING A LOT😃🥰

Thanks lynete Noni for saving me the trouble. I nearly died by that reveal, and It wasn't a good one Istg

This book was a great ending I could ask for and I got so many great caledon moment (and one of the worst one as welll🙃🙃 ngl) I was so angry at myself to call off one of the twist of this book, when caledon was killed, like why would I ever be right about this twist??? why not be smart and take my exams succesfully??🙃🙃 anyway, everythings fine, AND I AM HAPPY BECAUSE CALEDON IS SAFE🥰🤘😎

“I’m sorry to say this, Sunshine,” Caldon said, “but Tipp has pushed you off the top of my ‘favorite people’ list. Don’t take it personally.”

Kiva gaped at him. “You Knew?”
He rolled his eyes. “When are you going to realize that I know everything? ” “But — how? ” she spluttered.

he is just so amazing, I can WRITE paragraphs after paragraphs about him, but it still doesn't show how amazing he is, so I just avoid that😅

though we didn't get much about tor(and my hopes about TorXCaledon ship🙂) I'd also like to the opportunity and appreciate Cresta, another sassy character that( is she and caledon going to be a thing?? I dunno😃) that blood duel was so called for and sassy.



The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni is a fantastic book on its own and a fitting end to such an action-packed series. It delivers a quest, emotional drama, action, and an ending that fits just right with everything we know of these characters and their arcs. Kiva deserves what she got (and the rest that comes with it). I loved every second of it.

“What happens now?” It was Jaren who answered, leaning in to whisper three perfect words right into her ear: “Now, we dream.”

━━━⊱༻ ⊱⁜⊰ ༺⊰━━━

Update 12 june 2021:honestly what could go more wrong than already has??? I might go to jail if i can't get my hands to an arc for this for committing murder or Theft and extortion.

I WANT THIS NOW AHHHH 😪😪

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎)]

i’m ready for more emotional trauma 😚😚

[winotka.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jest mi tak przykro, że to już koniec 😭 mam nadzieję, że autorka wróci do tego świata i rozwinie te wątki, których mam niedosyt.
CRESTA - co to był za comeback??? Uwielbiam ją!
Caldon ciebie też ❤️
W ogóle wszystkich uwielbiam, found family mnie tu dojebało mocno. Popłakałam się w pociągu w pewnym momencie XD a w następnym siedziałam z wzrokiem wbitym w okno bo nie byłam w stanie przyjąć tej informacji do siebie 🥲
Co to była za trylogia… Naprawdę nie spodziewałam się po pierwszym tomie (który i tak bardzo mi się podobał), że aż tak mnie to hitnie i w chwilę przeczytam 2 i 3 tom. Miałam milion rzeczy do zrobienia, a myślałam tylko o tym kiedy będę mogła czytać dalej.
To jest YA fantasy, którego potrzebuję 🙏🏻

[Soleil · Rating 5 out of 5]

──★ ˙ ̟ THE BLOOD TRAITOR

“𝚆𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎 𝚞𝚜, 𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚣𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚢, 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗.”

★ ┇ THOUGHTS
╰› if any book deserves an infinity star, it's this one
i know this can't possibly be what lynette noni was thinking her readers would react like when she wrote that ending... but i had cried purely due to the fact that i had finished the series. now, that was the perfect ending to a perfect trilogy, but i'm so attached to the characters it physically pained me to let them go. but that's the beautiful thing i guess, this book made me feel, it had pulled me in so that i was in their world.

plot wise, i'm utterly speechless. not the shocked kind (okay maybe a little), the i'm-staring-into-space-for-hours-doing-nothing-but-think-about-the-book kind.
✦︎ “What happens now?"
"Now, we dream.” ✦︎

two thirds of the book were pretty slow-paced (i was just the psycho that read this in a day) and then the last part was just like a jam-packed dramatic action movie.

the writing style... oh em gee?! i am on my knees. i have no idea what's special about it. maybe just the raw emotions of kiva since it's from her perspective? i guess i'll never really know but this is the one unknown i will welcome with open arms.

(not even related to anything above but) found family supremacy >>>
⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣ ‧₊˚✧

“𝚃𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚍, 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝... 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚖𝚎. 𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞.”

★ ┇ CHARACTERS
╰› never have i ever met characters that i adored as much as them (don't quote me on that)

kiva ៸៸ okay so she might just be my least favourite character (aside from the evil people of course). nothing's wrong with her (don't quote me on that either) it's just tough competition. our only connection is that of me feeling everything she felt. i might also be the only one that still hasn't forgave her for what she did in the second book (sue me, i don't care. but i can't bring myself to entirely forgive her). she did (kind of) redeem herself, though. to the kiva lovers: rest assure that what she did did move her up on the 'people i like' list but it's not near the top by a long shot.

jaren ៸៸ lord help me. oh, how i love him. it's not that he's a prince, it's not that he has magic, no no no it's none of that. it's simply just him as a person. like, he could be on the street as a freaking homeless man and i think i would still fall for him. no offense, but no one deserves him (most definitely not me but just let me and my delusion sit for a minute, mmkay?)
people are saying how it took him too long to forgive kiva... ummm yeah no. may i remind you kiva betrayed him and his family? he also clearly stated he was just angry because kiva didn't think he would accept her and love her for who she is but instead hid it behind his back. he was angry because he never got to know and love who kiva really is because she never let him. and what's the point of slow-burn if it's quick???

caldon ៸៸ if there's anyone that i love as much maybe more as jaren, it would be him. his personality is just aghhh (in the best way possible) like, kind, charming, funny, smart, handsome, and strong?! what more could a girl ask for. also, him and cresta? power couple right there (literally my two favourite characters?! like omg a reader's dream come true frfr).

cresta ៸៸ ahhh i love her so much (she may just be my favourite. don't tell the others). she's the mvp, argue with the wall. i live for her bluntness. she's just a diva. i don't know, she perfect in all worlds and i'm so glad she found her perfect match *ahem* caldon i'm looking at you.

naari ៸៸ honestly i pinned her as the type to hold a grudge but guess not. either way i adore her. she's so sweet (in her own ways). this book just made me love her more.

ashlyn ៸៸ i'm so sad that she only appeared in this book, i really like her.

torell ៸៸ i don't know how i feel about him. like, i don't particularly love him. (he sounds hot though)

tipp ៸៸ stop it he's literally so cute and sweet (maybe we'll get a spin-off of when he's older? PLEASE i'm manifesting this)
⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣ ‧₊˚✧

“𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚛. 𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗'𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞? 𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎-𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚒𝚡 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗.”

╭ → warnings .ᐟ.ᐟ
┊ romance ~ 3/10 *no smut*
★ violence ~ 7/10
┊ swears ~ 2/10
╰ → 13+

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌‌‌၊|•

[Back to December - Taylor Swift]
0:17 ─〇───── 5:04
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻

» I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't «
⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹
꒰ ♡ ꒱ pre-read
prediction — 5 ★
⤷ i'm back for jaren (the loml) and caldon (the other loml)! ౨ৎ

[Maisha Farzana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I doubt I'm still alive....
Maybe I'll be born again to write a review. >

Review to come

_____________________________


☆ The Finale!! Gimme it...

We have a cover and a synopsis.

The cover design gets better...
Hopefully the story will too....

I can't wait to get my hands on it.

[Sofiah ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts are spinning rn i'll write my review tomorrow it's really late at night and i need sleep

5 ✩

❝What happens now? Now we dream.❞


─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───


Omg this book was everything to me I haven’t stopped thinking about it since that’s how it’s a five star read 🥹✨

Kiva ˚ ◌༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ꕥ
I felt so bad her throughout this whole book I know she really messed up but I feel like Jaren kind of iced her out a bit too long but I understand why as feel what she did was bad he could have asked her for the full story at first. But I’m glad she fought for the place she lives in, for Jaren and her friends who are like her family. And sacrifices something important to her/ apart of her (iykyk) for Jaren which was so sweet. Also her and Caldon’s friendship is so sweet 🥹💗

Jaren *ੈ✩‧₊˚
The most absolute perfect man ever, the love confession was everything I’ll put it below in my quotes 💓 He deserves the world I feel so bad for how Kiva betrayed me when all he did was be honest with her after they got out of Zalendovi and made her apart of his family and gave her his heart to keep and destroy. I see why he shut her out/ ignored her for a long time and didn’t forgive her until he was ready to despite how much he still cares for her always. 💕

Caldon ✧ ˚ · .
Omg I love him so much he’s is so amazing I love how he puts everyone first espically his family and Kiva and now Cresta. And at the end of the book when I thought he died I sobbed so hard and I was in such pain and grief and when it was revealed he was alive I cried of joy because Kiva and his family could never live without him and same with me. 😭💗

Other characters ੈ♡˳
Tipp, Naari, Torr, Ashlyn, and Cresta I love them all so much they really completed the story and their humour and banter was so good especially Cresta with all the other characters in particular Caldon.


quotes ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

“you made me fall in love with a lie.”

“Instead, she tried to piece together her heart, knowing it was impossible - because it had just walked away.”

“small steps are still steps.”

“That’s right your not a victim. your a survivor.”

“I’m sorry you lost your family, but I’m glad you’re a part of ours now.”

“She had survived. Now it was time for her to live.”

“I choose you Jaren. I’ll always choose you.”

I can’t find Jaren’s love confession 😭 if I find it I’ll update my review

I’m so glad everyone got their happy ending though otherwise my heart would be even more shattered 😭💗

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : I miss you I’m sorry

playlist:
I love you I’m sorry by gracie abrams
traitor by olivia rodrigo
I love you by billie eilish
iris by the goo goo dolls
how would you feel (paean) by ed sheeran
ceilings by lizzy mcalpine
you are in love by taylor swift
the blue by gracie abrams
kiss me by ed sheeran
if I could fly by one direction
half a heart by one direction
little things by one direction
stay by gracie abrams
dancing with our hands tied by taylor swift
daylight by taylor swift
evermore by taylor swift
delicate by taylor swift
the grudge by olivia rodrigo
breathe by taylor swift

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I chose you, Jaren. I will always choose you.”

I absolutely loved this book! I fell in love with this story and the characters from the very beginning. I loved how the author concluded this series. The plot was very unique and exciting. The writing was engaging and descriptive, I felt a connection to the characters through the writing. I felt so many emotions while reading this book including sadness, happiness and anger. The world building was great and I loved that the author continued to develop this unique world. I immensely enjoyed the magic in this book, the author explained the different types of magic and added new magic that wasn’t introduced in the other two books. This book was about power, family, learning about yourself but most of all it was about love; love for family, friends and your partner.

The characters were well rounded and developed. I loved Kiva so much, she was so brave, determined, caring, resilient and strong. I’m in awe of her determination and resiliency through difficult challenges. I’m also glad that she apologized and made up for the mistakes that she made. I’m completely love with Jaren, he’s such a sweet, brave, strong and resilient character. There were so many scenes that made me fall in love with him even more. I also love Caldon so much, he’s so funny, sassy, charming and protective. I was laughing a lot at many of the scenes he was in. I really enjoyed most of the side characters especially Cresta, Tipp, Tor and Ashlyn. The chemistry and the tension between Jaren and Kiva was amazing. I loved the romance between them and I’m glad that their romance developed over time. They learned to trust each other and to understand their feelings for each other. I loved that their love for each other withstood challenges. The romantic scenes between them were so sweet. Jaren and Kiva have my heart. The ending was so exciting and heartbreaking, but it also healed my heart.

[Rebecca (life's chaotic catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good series!!! This book in particular is emotional and deals with some pretty heavy issues and is executed very well especially for YA. I loved these characters so much and I’m so sad that it’s over.

I definitely felt like the ending was really rushed, it’s such a brilliant series but the abrupt finish was disappointing. I rarely say this but if the book had been 50-75 paged longer I think it would have been a perfect 5.

That being said Caldon is forever going to be one of my favorite book characters ever. And I’m absolutely voting for a spin off series about him!!!

[almas. · Rating 5 out of 5]

↪ reread #8

if you read this and still didnt feel pain or didnt like it, consider me your enemy. i could read this book a million times yet the angeldust & zalindov scenes will never fail to make my heart hurt.

─────────────────── 𝜗𝜚 ───────────────────

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
SIX STAR BANGER
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
at this point, i have read almost 70 books in the past 8-9 months, and this book is only the SECOND one that i have rated 6 stars!! the series overall is a 6 star one as well!!
i am so so so so so so so so so incredibly horribly painstakingly devastated that the series has come to an end. i read this about 5 days before I'm writing this, and i am so obsessed with it that i have already reread the entire series once, and reread this specific book like 5 times.

i am in awe, dwelling over how beautifully Lynette Noni can capture the essence of emotions and put it into words. there are so many authors out there who write books but fail to make me experience human emotion by reading the character's perspective, but Lynette Noni just rocks it every time!

i re-read this again today, and i cried. i swear on my life, i had tears in my eyes because i couldn't - and cannot - stand being separated from these characters.

the characters and the series have such a big place in my heart ♡
i can't believe i'm leaving this world
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

let me just go curl up in a corner wrapped in blankets and cry.
this 😭 was 😭 too 😭 good 😭

edit #1: it is now a few days later and i am just realizing that i have been deprived of kiva+jaren moments in this book. i needed more of them. Lynette Noni, can we please get a spin-off or smth????

edit #2: it is now four months later, and i still dwell over how good this book is. the pain, the heartache, the tragedy, the love - i can't explain. this series holds a special place in my heart. should i say it again or do you already know?

[niyya نية · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series is over☹.