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Shattered Kingdom #7
Reborn Throne
Fighting herself is a battle she cannot win.
Gandrett Brayton’s adventure finds its heart-wrenching pinnacle as the forces of Neredyn unite and fates are decided at the brink of the Dragon King’s victory.
Gandrett has given everything to save them—her friends, her people, her Mate. But at a high cost that now might make her into the very tool to end them all.
Captured by the evil Fae Queen Liri as a vessel for Raynar, Gandrett must draw upon her years of training and discipline in the Order of Vala to stay her hands when she is forced to hurt and torture at the Dragon King’s whims.
As they learn about Gandrett’s captivity, Drew and Palvin drum up new allies in a rigorous attempt to free their queen, while in Phornes, Taghi and Mckenzie face the consequences of the prince’s foolish bargain. Struggling to defend the western capital of the shattered kingdom, Brax and Armand must make a tough decision before all of Sives falls under Raynar’s spell. But even with the forces they have gathered, the Human-Fae Alliance might not be enough to save Neredyn.
And Nehelon will not rest until he finds his queen—even if the cost may be his own life.
Dark clouds draw up on the horizon of Neredyn as the Dragon King summons his monstrous legions to eradicate every last thing standing in his path to victory. And all must fight for a chance at a free Neredyn—for if one of them fails, they will all be doomed.
Gandrett Brayton’s adventure finds its heart-wrenching pinnacle as the forces of Neredyn unite and fates are decided at the brink of the Dragon King’s victory.
Gandrett has given everything to save them—her friends, her people, her Mate. But at a high cost that now might make her into the very tool to end them all.
Captured by the evil Fae Queen Liri as a vessel for Raynar, Gandrett must draw upon her years of training and discipline in the Order of Vala to stay her hands when she is forced to hurt and torture at the Dragon King’s whims.
As they learn about Gandrett’s captivity, Drew and Palvin drum up new allies in a rigorous attempt to free their queen, while in Phornes, Taghi and Mckenzie face the consequences of the prince’s foolish bargain. Struggling to defend the western capital of the shattered kingdom, Brax and Armand must make a tough decision before all of Sives falls under Raynar’s spell. But even with the forces they have gathered, the Human-Fae Alliance might not be enough to save Neredyn.
And Nehelon will not rest until he finds his queen—even if the cost may be his own life.
Dark clouds draw up on the horizon of Neredyn as the Dragon King summons his monstrous legions to eradicate every last thing standing in his path to victory. And all must fight for a chance at a free Neredyn—for if one of them fails, they will all be doomed.
683 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2022
365 people are currently reading
1514 people want to read
About the author
Angelina J. Steffort
39 books1,142 followers"Chocolate fanatic, milk foam enthusiast and strict fan of the southern sting-ray. Writing is an unexpected career path for me."
Angelina J. Steffort is a bestselling, award-winning Austrian novelist, best known for her Wings series and her Shattered Kingdom series. With over twenty YA and adult fantasy and paranormal romance books under her belt, Angelina is far from done with inventing and exploring new worlds. That might have something to do with her passion for following the narrative of new characters and getting surprised by the twists they spin on her stories. Angelina has multiple educational backgrounds including engineering, business, music, and acting. Currently, Angelina lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and her son.
Find Angelina online: linktr.ee/ajsteffort
Subscribe to Angelina's newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/ajs_zon_nl
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
December 28, 2022
I am feeling miserable about saying goodbye to this incredible world and its characters; the story will stay with me for a long time.
January 27, 2023
I am torn about this final book in the Shattered Kingdom series. And I have come to the conclusion that my love for the series as a whole outweighs my rather critical reception of this last instalment. So, as silly as it might sound, I like this book by default. Of course this is inherently biased, but as you might know from my previous reviews for this series, there are certain elements in these books that just outshine all seemingly questionable plot decisions.
First and foremost, the characters will always be close to my heart. We have spent so much time watching them suffer, grow and thrive in their own way. And although I feel like some of them definitely deserved better in the end, they undeniably came to life on every single page. Again, I applaud AJS for her outstanding character builds. I will miss our beloved cast a lot. Many fantastic scenes with them will remain fresh in my mind for a long time to come. Furthermore, the lush world-building still serves as the best possible background for everything that plays out. And a lot needed to happen in this last book, since we had so many loose ends that needed to be tied up. In this sense we get many answers and conclusions that we have been anticipating since the very beginning. To be fair, we end the series in a rather predictable way. And although I certainly don’t begrudge our heroes their well-deserved and hard-won happy end, there are some plot decisions that don’t sit right with me. Since I have always been quite passionate about this series since the beginning, I will take the time and go into a little more detail about the things that bugged me in this instalment. Call me pedantic, but I really need to get it off my mind.
So, here is my very partial and incomplete list of things that bothered me:
- The sheer amount of sex-scenes. Yes, normally this would not be something I would complain about. However, this series started off as strongly YA and remained this way up to the penultimate book. Switching to more mature content in this last book felt jarring. Additionally, I did not enjoy the writing style of these scenes at all. Mostly, I felt embarrassed or irritated. Personally, I think AJS lacks some experience with scenes like that and it shows.
- Every single plot decision with respect to mating bonds. At this point, mating bonds seem just incredibly volatile, random and ridiculous. And anyone who can reasonably explain me their exact mechanics, logic and purpose will win my respect. While it started off as a clichéd but still kind of cute concept, it went totally bananas in this book. I sort of understand the intention of showing how mating bonds can play out differently, but I cannot help but feel they predominantly served as a quick and easy plot-patching technique in this book.
- I know we all feel that Gordan deserved so much better! That is all I am going to say about the whole Addie/Armand/Gordan situation.
- Even Valyn’s character was reduced to a sad comic-relief serving shadow of its former self. His death seemed contrived to a point where it lost any redeeming qualities. Honestly, Valyn’s development (or lack thereof) was unsatisfactory. I enjoyed his character in earlier books and would have liked to see a more elegant conclusion to his story.
- How did our heroes win the final great battle exactly? There was a lot of random fighting, but what exactly was the smart strategy behind it that led them to victory? The way I see it, they sort of ganged up on the villain and just hoped for their magic reserves to be enough. Kind of anti-climactic, don’t you think?
- Lastly, I hate it when characters are brought back to life. Like, not back from the brink of death but literally brought back from certain death. It is a mechanic that takes so much away from the gravity and suspense in any story. But that is just my personal take on it.
Before I end this review on such a strong negative note, here are some things that warmed my heart:
- Leonidas/Brax and Drew/Palvin are the cutest couples ever. I loved the focus on their romantic developments.
- Gandrett/Nehelon will forever be the power-couple that carried this series on their back. Although I did not enjoy their scenes as much as in previous books, they still manage to steal the show by being their awesome selves.
- Every single reunion in this book was so bitter-sweet. However, I would have loved even more focus on scenes reuniting characters that haven’t seen each other in ages. It was something I highly anticipated for so long and was cut surprisingly short.
- And last but not least, seeing all the happy ends come to life and the world of Neredyn finally at peace was wholesome in itself.
After all my senseless babble, that probably no one will ever read anyway, I will close with this: It was such a pleasure to read this series and I will definitely come back to the realm of Neredyn in the future!
First and foremost, the characters will always be close to my heart. We have spent so much time watching them suffer, grow and thrive in their own way. And although I feel like some of them definitely deserved better in the end, they undeniably came to life on every single page. Again, I applaud AJS for her outstanding character builds. I will miss our beloved cast a lot. Many fantastic scenes with them will remain fresh in my mind for a long time to come. Furthermore, the lush world-building still serves as the best possible background for everything that plays out. And a lot needed to happen in this last book, since we had so many loose ends that needed to be tied up. In this sense we get many answers and conclusions that we have been anticipating since the very beginning. To be fair, we end the series in a rather predictable way. And although I certainly don’t begrudge our heroes their well-deserved and hard-won happy end, there are some plot decisions that don’t sit right with me. Since I have always been quite passionate about this series since the beginning, I will take the time and go into a little more detail about the things that bugged me in this instalment. Call me pedantic, but I really need to get it off my mind.
So, here is my very partial and incomplete list of things that bothered me:
- The sheer amount of sex-scenes. Yes, normally this would not be something I would complain about. However, this series started off as strongly YA and remained this way up to the penultimate book. Switching to more mature content in this last book felt jarring. Additionally, I did not enjoy the writing style of these scenes at all. Mostly, I felt embarrassed or irritated. Personally, I think AJS lacks some experience with scenes like that and it shows.
- Every single plot decision with respect to mating bonds. At this point, mating bonds seem just incredibly volatile, random and ridiculous. And anyone who can reasonably explain me their exact mechanics, logic and purpose will win my respect. While it started off as a clichéd but still kind of cute concept, it went totally bananas in this book. I sort of understand the intention of showing how mating bonds can play out differently, but I cannot help but feel they predominantly served as a quick and easy plot-patching technique in this book.
- I know we all feel that Gordan deserved so much better! That is all I am going to say about the whole Addie/Armand/Gordan situation.
- Even Valyn’s character was reduced to a sad comic-relief serving shadow of its former self. His death seemed contrived to a point where it lost any redeeming qualities. Honestly, Valyn’s development (or lack thereof) was unsatisfactory. I enjoyed his character in earlier books and would have liked to see a more elegant conclusion to his story.
- How did our heroes win the final great battle exactly? There was a lot of random fighting, but what exactly was the smart strategy behind it that led them to victory? The way I see it, they sort of ganged up on the villain and just hoped for their magic reserves to be enough. Kind of anti-climactic, don’t you think?
- Lastly, I hate it when characters are brought back to life. Like, not back from the brink of death but literally brought back from certain death. It is a mechanic that takes so much away from the gravity and suspense in any story. But that is just my personal take on it.
Before I end this review on such a strong negative note, here are some things that warmed my heart:
- Leonidas/Brax and Drew/Palvin are the cutest couples ever. I loved the focus on their romantic developments.
- Gandrett/Nehelon will forever be the power-couple that carried this series on their back. Although I did not enjoy their scenes as much as in previous books, they still manage to steal the show by being their awesome selves.
- Every single reunion in this book was so bitter-sweet. However, I would have loved even more focus on scenes reuniting characters that haven’t seen each other in ages. It was something I highly anticipated for so long and was cut surprisingly short.
- And last but not least, seeing all the happy ends come to life and the world of Neredyn finally at peace was wholesome in itself.
After all my senseless babble, that probably no one will ever read anyway, I will close with this: It was such a pleasure to read this series and I will definitely come back to the realm of Neredyn in the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
Well that was one hell of a confused conclusion. I couldn’t keep up with all the random inconsistencies. One moment someone is straight/gay next they are not another moment mates are a rare gift and the next they are falling like confetti and suddenly they aren’t romantic bonds and one can accept a bond and be in a mated pair but love someone else I mean really! And then gandrett is oh so powerful but really I never see an impressive display of that power in this book. Same with Nehelon. Both are consistently weak and puny in the face of raynor and yet wait… they suddenly win in an incompressible twist. I had high hopes for this series finale but for me it was a huge disappointment
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2023
A typical ending of a fae series. Why are fae always so dramatic though??
November 22, 2022
I receive this book as an ARC and this review may contain spoilers.
I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 because I am a huge fan of Gandrette and Nehelon and I feel like they got lost in this book. Maybe I am just stuck in my ways but I felt that they found their way to eachother and then I was not a fan of their time apart. I feel like they had both completed their character arcs I'm book 4 and it should have stayed that way.
It also started off really really slow.
However, it was Gordon's story that truly broke my heart. Addie is my least favorite character, I even like the villain more than her, and now I like her even less.
There, with all the negative out of the way, it was wonderful. I love McKenzie and Taghi and I feel like their story should have been a spin-off, they are really great characters. World building is one of Angelina's strengths and it is amazing. She really did her fans justice with this book, wraps up all the loose ends, gives everyone closure.
I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 because I am a huge fan of Gandrette and Nehelon and I feel like they got lost in this book. Maybe I am just stuck in my ways but I felt that they found their way to eachother and then I was not a fan of their time apart. I feel like they had both completed their character arcs I'm book 4 and it should have stayed that way.
It also started off really really slow.
However, it was Gordon's story that truly broke my heart. Addie is my least favorite character, I even like the villain more than her, and now I like her even less.
There, with all the negative out of the way, it was wonderful. I love McKenzie and Taghi and I feel like their story should have been a spin-off, they are really great characters. World building is one of Angelina's strengths and it is amazing. She really did her fans justice with this book, wraps up all the loose ends, gives everyone closure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2022
The Reborn Throne: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out how to write this review for the last hour. So, I’ll be honest and straightforward in my assessment as that’s the only way I’m going to get through this one. The Reborn Throne is the last book in the Shattered Kingdoms series. And if you’ve read this series, you know what a wild ride it has been, chock-full of twists and turns that none of us have seen coming. The book met every single one of my expectations and then some. I laughed and cried and my heart completely shattered in some parts because the angst was too much. This book brought it all.
Gandrett. Nehelon. Gordan. Valyn. Drew. Addie. Kepha. Surel. Armand. Mackenzie. Taghi. Brax. These are the characters who made the story for me through the very ups and downs. There are a lot of things I can say about Gandrett and Nehelon and Gordan, who has done nothing but win my heart over and over again, and Addie (ugh….one of my all-time favorite characters). They all face their own demons alone and together as they take on the Dragon King and take a final stand for Neredyn and the world as they know it. All the loose ends are tied up in the epic conclusion of this series.
And Angelina Steffort….all I can ask is that you please do more side stories with these characters. Because I promise I will buy every single one of them.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out how to write this review for the last hour. So, I’ll be honest and straightforward in my assessment as that’s the only way I’m going to get through this one. The Reborn Throne is the last book in the Shattered Kingdoms series. And if you’ve read this series, you know what a wild ride it has been, chock-full of twists and turns that none of us have seen coming. The book met every single one of my expectations and then some. I laughed and cried and my heart completely shattered in some parts because the angst was too much. This book brought it all.
Gandrett. Nehelon. Gordan. Valyn. Drew. Addie. Kepha. Surel. Armand. Mackenzie. Taghi. Brax. These are the characters who made the story for me through the very ups and downs. There are a lot of things I can say about Gandrett and Nehelon and Gordan, who has done nothing but win my heart over and over again, and Addie (ugh….one of my all-time favorite characters). They all face their own demons alone and together as they take on the Dragon King and take a final stand for Neredyn and the world as they know it. All the loose ends are tied up in the epic conclusion of this series.
And Angelina Steffort….all I can ask is that you please do more side stories with these characters. Because I promise I will buy every single one of them.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2022
Oh my gosh… I simply have no words to describe the absolute perfection that was this book. “Reborn Throne” is the stunning conclusion to Angelina J. Steffort’s Shattered Kingdom series, and it was everything I could’ve dreamed of and more. I’m not going to lie, this book was intense. So many things happened - there were moments where I laughed, moments where I cried, moments where I was exhilaratingly happy, and moments where I wanted to scream into the abyss. This book had me hooked from start to finish (this whole series did) and now that it’s over, I’m not sure what I’m going to do with my life now. The ending of this series is very bittersweet for me, but I’m so excited to see what Steffort writes next, because she truly has a gift. I highly recommend reading Reborn Throne, the Shattered Kingdom series as a whole, and Steffort as an author.
December 5, 2022
I really enjoyed this series. This last book was great until the last 100 pages. I just didn’t like how a lot of the sub plots wrapped up. I felt like there was a lot of character development in the other books and this last one combed over so much information without really wrapping up individual stories well.
January 13, 2024
least favorite of the series
This book was a disappointment. Over half the main characters were in a same sex relationship in this book. I don’t mind same sex relationships but it felt like this book had an agenda to make more of them than were not. I also didn’t care for the over the top bad things that kept happening to the main character.
This book was a disappointment. Over half the main characters were in a same sex relationship in this book. I don’t mind same sex relationships but it felt like this book had an agenda to make more of them than were not. I also didn’t care for the over the top bad things that kept happening to the main character.
December 29, 2022
Felt forced with character romances springing up here and there… There is more romance/ erotica in this book than in the others. The main plot ended fine, but a lot character development was weird and not needed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2022
Wow, what an ending to a fantastic series. My favourite part was the battle we'd all been waiting for, and boy, it was all worth the wait! I would recommend it to anyone wanting to finish the series.
I loved its fast pace that turned the pages for me, the battle (as I already mentioned), the romances being fully realised, and I'm so glad for them all and other plot twists I won't say as I don't wish to spoil.
I didn't like some things: I wished the battle would start sooner! (not really a valid critique, my heart couldn't take all the tension, haha). A specific person's death, while deserved, I had hoped they would be redeemed, just not in the way it happened. The heartbreak in this book was almost too much to bear, ALTHOUGH worth it. Addie being unable to speak in minds was also very frustrating.
Tropes I would consider to be in this book: high fantasy, kingdoms colliding and HEA's.
I felt the full range of emotions, from happy, to sad and in-between of bittersweet low, mainly that the series is over!
This book is a good teacher of perseverance through difficult times.
Garrett stood out in this book; her perseverance and self-sacrificing nature allowed her to shine, and I'm glad she was able to push through her trauma.
Nehelon was great as always, but we got to see a lot of vulnerabilities and how similar he is with his Mate and their morals. He will make a fantastic King.
Addie was brilliant in this book, and I was glad to see her growth and strength as she was crucial in the war.
Armand battled well, despite not having an army to rule (from previous books). Glad to see more of a storyline with him.
I'm glad to see more of Brax and Leonidas in this book, although not as much as in the last book, so I'm hoping they get spin-off book(s).
McKenzie and Taghi go through a lot, and I enjoyed Muriel in this book too.
Surel's role at the end of the book is perfect for her, and I think she will do it well. I'm glad the decision regarding her role is also for the betterment of others.
Glad to see two certain people dead in satisfying ways.
It was interesting to learn more about Kepha, she was so crucial to all the books, and I feel bad that I always forgot about her.
Such perfection.
I'm voluntarily leaving a review after having access to an arc.
I loved its fast pace that turned the pages for me, the battle (as I already mentioned), the romances being fully realised, and I'm so glad for them all and other plot twists I won't say as I don't wish to spoil.
I didn't like some things: I wished the battle would start sooner! (not really a valid critique, my heart couldn't take all the tension, haha). A specific person's death, while deserved, I had hoped they would be redeemed, just not in the way it happened. The heartbreak in this book was almost too much to bear, ALTHOUGH worth it. Addie being unable to speak in minds was also very frustrating.
Tropes I would consider to be in this book: high fantasy, kingdoms colliding and HEA's.
I felt the full range of emotions, from happy, to sad and in-between of bittersweet low, mainly that the series is over!
This book is a good teacher of perseverance through difficult times.
Garrett stood out in this book; her perseverance and self-sacrificing nature allowed her to shine, and I'm glad she was able to push through her trauma.
Nehelon was great as always, but we got to see a lot of vulnerabilities and how similar he is with his Mate and their morals. He will make a fantastic King.
Addie was brilliant in this book, and I was glad to see her growth and strength as she was crucial in the war.
Armand battled well, despite not having an army to rule (from previous books). Glad to see more of a storyline with him.
I'm glad to see more of Brax and Leonidas in this book, although not as much as in the last book, so I'm hoping they get spin-off book(s).
McKenzie and Taghi go through a lot, and I enjoyed Muriel in this book too.
Surel's role at the end of the book is perfect for her, and I think she will do it well. I'm glad the decision regarding her role is also for the betterment of others.
Glad to see two certain people dead in satisfying ways.
It was interesting to learn more about Kepha, she was so crucial to all the books, and I feel bad that I always forgot about her.
Such perfection.
I'm voluntarily leaving a review after having access to an arc.
November 16, 2022
I spent some time deciding how best to review The Reborn Throne, which concludes the Shattered Kingdoms series. Angelina has once again swept me away with this final instalment of the series. It met all my expectations—the characters, worldbuilding and level of angst were spot-on.
I laughed, I cried and my heart broke in some places. But those moments made this book so excellent to me. All these characters band together to fight the Dragon King and preserve the world they know as Neredyn.
The final volume of this series ties up all the loose ends and brings readers to a satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this series!
I laughed, I cried and my heart broke in some places. But those moments made this book so excellent to me. All these characters band together to fight the Dragon King and preserve the world they know as Neredyn.
The final volume of this series ties up all the loose ends and brings readers to a satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this series!
November 17, 2022
The last of a great series☹️
I was so happy to be back with Gandrett and Nehelon and the gang.
This book has included everyone and is very diverse:
• Skin tones from dark to pale
• Same-sex relationships
• Happily ever afters
• Broken hearts
• Hero's saving the day
• Love triangle
• Unlikely heroes that save the day
The final book brings our villain and heroes together in a final battle that will destroy more than some are willing to give. Lives will be lost and found. We finally have all the separate stories coming together to conclude their stories together.
I was shocked a few times by the unexpected losses and the gain of a life I didn't think was possible. I love being shocked by a book. An author really has talent to be able to write in something that an advent reader can't predict. I wanted to stay up all night to finish this book, as it was that good.
I didn't want to give 5 stars because I'm petty and didn't like Gordon's story☹️, but I had too because for me to feel so strongly, it's written too well to not be 5 stars!
I cannot stress enough, if you want a story so engrossing that time flies by, read Shattered Kingdoms! You will not be disappointed!
*Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*
I was so happy to be back with Gandrett and Nehelon and the gang.
This book has included everyone and is very diverse:
• Skin tones from dark to pale
• Same-sex relationships
• Happily ever afters
• Broken hearts
• Hero's saving the day
• Love triangle
• Unlikely heroes that save the day
The final book brings our villain and heroes together in a final battle that will destroy more than some are willing to give. Lives will be lost and found. We finally have all the separate stories coming together to conclude their stories together.
I was shocked a few times by the unexpected losses and the gain of a life I didn't think was possible. I love being shocked by a book. An author really has talent to be able to write in something that an advent reader can't predict. I wanted to stay up all night to finish this book, as it was that good.
I didn't want to give 5 stars because I'm petty and didn't like Gordon's story☹️, but I had too because for me to feel so strongly, it's written too well to not be 5 stars!
I cannot stress enough, if you want a story so engrossing that time flies by, read Shattered Kingdoms! You will not be disappointed!
*Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*
November 23, 2022
Mate bonds, war, dragons, blood, and death. This book is the perfect ending to a wonderful story. The characters are well written and the story draws you in and you cant stop. The relationships might surprise you in this one! An absolute must read. If you haven't started this series go find it.
November 28, 2022
I couldn’t have asked for a better conclusion for one of my favorite fantasy series. I don’t think I’ve ever been so invested in a set of characters in a series; I would literally die for Gandrett, Nehelon, Addie, Armond, Brax, Mackenzie, Gordan and Taghi.
Reborn Throne is the final book in the Shattered Kingdom series. We finally come head to head with the Dragon King in a final battle. This book made me emotionalllllll. The ending was somewhat bitter sweet for certain characters (and for me)! I’ve been reading this series for several years and now it’s over!
Angelina pleassseee keep writing in this world *cough* Gordan *cough* *cough* Spin off.
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.
February 2, 2023
Rating: 5/5
Wow! What an ending. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review from the author so I want to thank her for giving me this opportunity.
It took me a long time to think of what to write for this review because this book really took me on an adventure and I wanted to make sure everything I said captured this book.
This book marks the conclusion to a really great series and if your into fantasy, action, romance, and world-building, I highly recommend picking up this series. I enjoyed watching all the characters grow throughout all the books and become the characters they were meant to be and all the battles and romance were just the icing on the cake as well. Thank you again for this opportunity!
Wow! What an ending. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review from the author so I want to thank her for giving me this opportunity.
It took me a long time to think of what to write for this review because this book really took me on an adventure and I wanted to make sure everything I said captured this book.
This book marks the conclusion to a really great series and if your into fantasy, action, romance, and world-building, I highly recommend picking up this series. I enjoyed watching all the characters grow throughout all the books and become the characters they were meant to be and all the battles and romance were just the icing on the cake as well. Thank you again for this opportunity!
December 11, 2023
Some disappointment in the love stories
sometimes it was hard to tell which characters were speaking as the text bounced around. Even rereading them didn't make sense. Not too happy with a very detailed same sex scene which was totally unexpected. And not too happy that this same sex couple turns out to be a 16 year old with a 26 year old fae that has been trapped for 400 yrs. And the whole time this character is trying to convince everyone and the reader that the 16 year old is an adult, hmmm. This looked so contrived and out of the blue into the story as an afterthought. Totally bordered on creepy and brainwashing of the reading masses.
sometimes it was hard to tell which characters were speaking as the text bounced around. Even rereading them didn't make sense. Not too happy with a very detailed same sex scene which was totally unexpected. And not too happy that this same sex couple turns out to be a 16 year old with a 26 year old fae that has been trapped for 400 yrs. And the whole time this character is trying to convince everyone and the reader that the 16 year old is an adult, hmmm. This looked so contrived and out of the blue into the story as an afterthought. Totally bordered on creepy and brainwashing of the reading masses.
May 27, 2024
5 stars. Because as far as a finale goes, this one was everything it needed to be. I'm not sure if this book itself deserved 5 stars, but as a finale to an amazing series, it did. While each book really felt like 4 star books, the series as a whole, with all of the interconnected stories and characters, it needs to be a 5 star series.
I'm both ready to say goodbye to this world, and not at the same time. I feel like I'm going to hold onto these characters for a while. After being so invested in all of their lives for so long, I'm pretty sure it's going to be near impossible to move on from them.
I loved these books, and I already know that I'll be back for them.
I'm both ready to say goodbye to this world, and not at the same time. I feel like I'm going to hold onto these characters for a while. After being so invested in all of their lives for so long, I'm pretty sure it's going to be near impossible to move on from them.
I loved these books, and I already know that I'll be back for them.
September 27, 2023
This was a letdown of an ending. The story was dragging with words that were unnecessary, situations that were irrelevant. Characters diminished in their presence and participation. I have expected more of the supporting characters but they just faded in the background. This was all word count.
I did enjoy the series and devoured the first six books. This did not measure up.
I did enjoy the series and devoured the first six books. This did not measure up.
January 31, 2024
I read this series last year.... and I still think about it. Definitely one I will re read and I don't say that often because I LOVE new worlds... but this is one I will definitely be coming back to. Definitely worth getting into in my opinion and will be looking for anything else by this author!
June 2, 2023
I was ready for this one to end. I’m not sure if it was just drawn out so much that I just needed closure, but I was ready. Lots of stuff happens in this one and I was mostly frustrated the first half of the book. I did like the mostly happy ending.
Read
September 10, 2023Sadly, DNF at 41%. It went way too left for me, and I also just couldn’t keep up interest.
January 28, 2024
#JusticeforGordon and that’s all I have to say.
September 27, 2025
I wouldn't reread
I finished the series and I thought about DNF-ing a lot. And if you're reading my review you've likely read the series or gotten this far. So you'll either agree or you won't. (There are spoilers ahead, so only read on if you don't mind)
There is a lot to be liked about the series, enough I kept going. I liked the evolution of characters. I liked the uniqueness of the strong characters not being invincible. I enjoyed the use of magic and the dragons. This series isn't here to make you feel good, in fact most of it I was fighting for my life. (Just know you wouldn't have 7 books if the underdog doesn't win) You liked the characters you're supposed to like, hated the characters you're supposed to hare, and learned to love the characters with arcs. While Angelina does resolve every question you have about some of the characters, its not in a way that takes away from the plot or the overall story (like Isylte and Selloue, they have no arc but they're present enough that you wish you'd know more) And tho Raynar is evil and you hate him for his abuse, he honestly doesn't have a ton of substance as a character. But regardless, this is not the reason I wouldn't recommend the series. I also appreciate the relationships as it was a nice mix of diversity without feeling forced or contrite, instead just natural. And not everyone ended in a fairy tale.
The cons were that this was just too long. This could've likely been boiled down to a much shorter series and I would've enjoyed it more. There was too much description at times that added little to no value, I found myself skimming. Things like turning Addie into a dragon took forever, even finding out how he did it took books to figure out. (I think book 7 is where you finally find out he replaced her blood?) We basically just kept reading she was in pain for chapters upon chapters. That's just one example, this happened time and again. You'd find out about something and it would take forever to unfold, and in the end the result wasn't worth the time.
I also got so bored of every time something resolved, something would undo it. It became predictable and mundane. To the point I was rolling my eyes when the maraoul would show up and kill people and stop the plot again.
Like I said, 7 books is enough to know good will prevail, and so after awhile the attacks or disruptors just got old. And the times where it might've made sense to build on, like what Liri did to build an army of the hybrids, we find the woman and she dies like 10 pages later.
The overall series just didn't come together well. And I wouldn't recommend starting it if you haven't. If it was shorter, it would've been much better, but the 7 books made it drag on and on and I couldn't wait to finish.
But if you're on book 7, you either think my review is ridiculous or you agree but you've gotten this far, so do yourself a favor and finish it.
I finished the series and I thought about DNF-ing a lot. And if you're reading my review you've likely read the series or gotten this far. So you'll either agree or you won't. (There are spoilers ahead, so only read on if you don't mind)
There is a lot to be liked about the series, enough I kept going. I liked the evolution of characters. I liked the uniqueness of the strong characters not being invincible. I enjoyed the use of magic and the dragons. This series isn't here to make you feel good, in fact most of it I was fighting for my life. (Just know you wouldn't have 7 books if the underdog doesn't win) You liked the characters you're supposed to like, hated the characters you're supposed to hare, and learned to love the characters with arcs. While Angelina does resolve every question you have about some of the characters, its not in a way that takes away from the plot or the overall story (like Isylte and Selloue, they have no arc but they're present enough that you wish you'd know more) And tho Raynar is evil and you hate him for his abuse, he honestly doesn't have a ton of substance as a character. But regardless, this is not the reason I wouldn't recommend the series. I also appreciate the relationships as it was a nice mix of diversity without feeling forced or contrite, instead just natural. And not everyone ended in a fairy tale.
The cons were that this was just too long. This could've likely been boiled down to a much shorter series and I would've enjoyed it more. There was too much description at times that added little to no value, I found myself skimming. Things like turning Addie into a dragon took forever, even finding out how he did it took books to figure out. (I think book 7 is where you finally find out he replaced her blood?) We basically just kept reading she was in pain for chapters upon chapters. That's just one example, this happened time and again. You'd find out about something and it would take forever to unfold, and in the end the result wasn't worth the time.
I also got so bored of every time something resolved, something would undo it. It became predictable and mundane. To the point I was rolling my eyes when the maraoul would show up and kill people and stop the plot again.
Like I said, 7 books is enough to know good will prevail, and so after awhile the attacks or disruptors just got old. And the times where it might've made sense to build on, like what Liri did to build an army of the hybrids, we find the woman and she dies like 10 pages later.
The overall series just didn't come together well. And I wouldn't recommend starting it if you haven't. If it was shorter, it would've been much better, but the 7 books made it drag on and on and I couldn't wait to finish.
But if you're on book 7, you either think my review is ridiculous or you agree but you've gotten this far, so do yourself a favor and finish it.
December 9, 2022
This has easily become one of my favorite fantasy series! I set out in search of a book with a strong heroine lead, world building, character development and lots of action and I was not disappointed. Angela has truly created something special with this series and you can tell how much though and planning was put into all of it.
Gandrett deserves her place at the forefront for being one of the best fantasy heroes of all time. Through everything she’s gone through she manages to remain a pillar for everyone and the trauma that they’ve endured, while coping with the fact that she is going to be the one to take down the Dragon King.
It was truly special watching all of the characters develop through each of the books, and I was constantly compelled to keep reading just to find out what happened next in each of the storylines. McKenzie especially showed so much growth through her storyline.
I’ve seen some reviewers leave some flack about the age difference between Nehelon and Gandrett, and that is absolutely silly considering every other fantasy novel has a couple where one is some other worldly creature and centuries old, so not sure why that would be such an issue. Nehelon also showed major growth through out the book emotionally and even in the beginning of the series it was very obvious how hard he was fighting back his feelings for Gandrett and the cost of doing so.
All that aside, the finale to this series was just as grilling as the other books. I appreciated the wrapping up of each character’s relationships and all of them finding their own bit of happiness, well most of them anyway.
(Drew+Palvin ❤️❤️❤️)
My biggest issues were with the death of Valyn and the Mate bond between Gordon and Addie. I know Valyn did them all dirty in the last book, and through Reborn he tried to show his regret for having betrayed them to Liri, but I don’t feel like his death really vindicated him. I wanted to see him grow more and maybe develop a better connection with Surrel, even if it wasn’t a typical mating bond connection. The other issue I had was with Gordon rescuing Addie and there being a mating bond form between them. I feel like Gordon had been through so much and it was kind of cruel allowing him to hope when he was able to form a second mating bond, only to find it all dashed away because Addie is clearly in love with Armand. The final interaction between them was bittersweet, but I wish there had been another way for Addie to have severed her connection with the Dragon King and realize that she held the power all along to take control over her dragon form.
I still loved Reborn and found it to be a nice conclusion to the journey of all our favorite characters and I’m still thinking about it even after having finished it yesterday. I think Angela is an amazing writer and I look forward to reading more of her work!
Gandrett deserves her place at the forefront for being one of the best fantasy heroes of all time. Through everything she’s gone through she manages to remain a pillar for everyone and the trauma that they’ve endured, while coping with the fact that she is going to be the one to take down the Dragon King.
It was truly special watching all of the characters develop through each of the books, and I was constantly compelled to keep reading just to find out what happened next in each of the storylines. McKenzie especially showed so much growth through her storyline.
I’ve seen some reviewers leave some flack about the age difference between Nehelon and Gandrett, and that is absolutely silly considering every other fantasy novel has a couple where one is some other worldly creature and centuries old, so not sure why that would be such an issue. Nehelon also showed major growth through out the book emotionally and even in the beginning of the series it was very obvious how hard he was fighting back his feelings for Gandrett and the cost of doing so.
All that aside, the finale to this series was just as grilling as the other books. I appreciated the wrapping up of each character’s relationships and all of them finding their own bit of happiness, well most of them anyway.
(Drew+Palvin ❤️❤️❤️)
My biggest issues were with the death of Valyn and the Mate bond between Gordon and Addie. I know Valyn did them all dirty in the last book, and through Reborn he tried to show his regret for having betrayed them to Liri, but I don’t feel like his death really vindicated him. I wanted to see him grow more and maybe develop a better connection with Surrel, even if it wasn’t a typical mating bond connection. The other issue I had was with Gordon rescuing Addie and there being a mating bond form between them. I feel like Gordon had been through so much and it was kind of cruel allowing him to hope when he was able to form a second mating bond, only to find it all dashed away because Addie is clearly in love with Armand. The final interaction between them was bittersweet, but I wish there had been another way for Addie to have severed her connection with the Dragon King and realize that she held the power all along to take control over her dragon form.
I still loved Reborn and found it to be a nice conclusion to the journey of all our favorite characters and I’m still thinking about it even after having finished it yesterday. I think Angela is an amazing writer and I look forward to reading more of her work!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2022
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
⮞ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ⮜
The last book in the series follows the ending of the battle of a lifetime.
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
So many characters are driving the story forward and each one of them is unique and has grown so much from the very first book. I loved all of them, minus the bad guys I think they deserved what came their way. But, one that I've always wanted to get a happy ending was Addie - it made me emotional to see her finally getting what she deserved and it just warmed my heart!
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
The world in general is a split world, but in this book, I felt each corner of the world came together to defeat the Dragon King. They had no more differences, no highborn or slave, all fought for the greater good and it was so amazing to see them putting their differences aside. I loved the new details the world brought to us and even tho some were pretty cruel they added to the dramatics of the book.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I loved the different POVs we've gotten into this book, and even tho the book began as I was expecting it to begin it just pulled me in, and loved getting lost in the pages. The plot twist that was regarding Gandrett legit made my skin crawl, the details were so raw and so powerful that I felt what she felt and that plot twist took me by surprise because I haven't seen it coming, I was blindsided by every other detail and it was SO PERFECTLY made! I didn't feel any dull moment, the book was full-on action from page one and it just sucks you right in. I loved the new LGBTQ-friendly relationships happening in the book, they were long-awaited because I knew something's brewing on the horizon but the slow-burn romance did justice in the last of the series. The sex scenes aren't overly detailed, I'd say they're around 3 pepper where there is a romance with sex scenes but not in explicit detail. The ending of the book was the perfect ending - even tho I hope there will be some spin-offs for other characters and their relationships.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
Mental and physical abuse is included, as gore, blood, and also sex scenes but not overly detailed (somewhere around 3 pepper where there is a romance with sex scenes but not in explicit detail).
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⮞ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ⮜
The last book in the series follows the ending of the battle of a lifetime.
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
So many characters are driving the story forward and each one of them is unique and has grown so much from the very first book. I loved all of them, minus the bad guys I think they deserved what came their way. But, one that I've always wanted to get a happy ending was Addie - it made me emotional to see her finally getting what she deserved and it just warmed my heart!
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
The world in general is a split world, but in this book, I felt each corner of the world came together to defeat the Dragon King. They had no more differences, no highborn or slave, all fought for the greater good and it was so amazing to see them putting their differences aside. I loved the new details the world brought to us and even tho some were pretty cruel they added to the dramatics of the book.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I loved the different POVs we've gotten into this book, and even tho the book began as I was expecting it to begin it just pulled me in, and loved getting lost in the pages. The plot twist that was regarding Gandrett legit made my skin crawl, the details were so raw and so powerful that I felt what she felt and that plot twist took me by surprise because I haven't seen it coming, I was blindsided by every other detail and it was SO PERFECTLY made! I didn't feel any dull moment, the book was full-on action from page one and it just sucks you right in. I loved the new LGBTQ-friendly relationships happening in the book, they were long-awaited because I knew something's brewing on the horizon but the slow-burn romance did justice in the last of the series. The sex scenes aren't overly detailed, I'd say they're around 3 pepper where there is a romance with sex scenes but not in explicit detail. The ending of the book was the perfect ending - even tho I hope there will be some spin-offs for other characters and their relationships.
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
Mental and physical abuse is included, as gore, blood, and also sex scenes but not overly detailed (somewhere around 3 pepper where there is a romance with sex scenes but not in explicit detail).
Follow me on my social media for more than just reviews:
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June 20, 2024
This book was fine but disappointing for the finale. Some issues I had:
-The repetitiveness of Gandrett and Nehelon being together and close and then the last 3 books they apart for the first 50% and together until something tears them apart again at the end. It got so repetitive and msot of the time served no purpose.
-Addie/Gordon/Armand: These are my 3 favorite characters and I hated what was done with this situation. I had been rooting for Addie and Armand to finally reunite and one of the only reasons I even was motivated to read this final book was for them. Then to throw Gordon in to the mix which also made no sense was just heartbreaking because I knew either Armand or Gordon would be left alone and I didn't want either. And then people are blaming Addie and getting mad at her for choosing Gordon when she should never have even been in that situation. The "mating bond" itself was just a way to get Addie out of her dragon form and break the leash and then served no purpose but to question feelings and cause heartbreak. They even say they don't even know if it is a mating bond. The whole situation was just a mess and shouldn't have happened.
-Valyn's death served no purpose. He had no real character arc, didn't really die a villain though, and both him and Nehelon suffered life-threatening blows yet Nehelon gets healed and Valyn doesn't. It just didn't have any sort of shock factor or point to it. Just a death thrown in to have in the final battle. Also as much as I hate character deaths, there should've been more than just that.
-I get Gandrett is the main character but it seemed like other characters got thrown to the side or their issues seemed smaller to make her look better. Like Addie gets tortured for 3 books straight by the dragon king (not to mention the first and second books she also is) but Gandrett is for the first half of this book and everyone is fawning over her and deepest sympathies. What she went through is awful and people should feel bad but the fact that Addie was tortured endlessly for majority of the books and people don't say much to her but are just broken for her. I am glad that Addie got some part in his death or else I may have not finished it all together.
-The repetitiveness of Gandrett and Nehelon being together and close and then the last 3 books they apart for the first 50% and together until something tears them apart again at the end. It got so repetitive and msot of the time served no purpose.
-Addie/Gordon/Armand: These are my 3 favorite characters and I hated what was done with this situation. I had been rooting for Addie and Armand to finally reunite and one of the only reasons I even was motivated to read this final book was for them. Then to throw Gordon in to the mix which also made no sense was just heartbreaking because I knew either Armand or Gordon would be left alone and I didn't want either. And then people are blaming Addie and getting mad at her for choosing Gordon when she should never have even been in that situation. The "mating bond" itself was just a way to get Addie out of her dragon form and break the leash and then served no purpose but to question feelings and cause heartbreak. They even say they don't even know if it is a mating bond. The whole situation was just a mess and shouldn't have happened.
-Valyn's death served no purpose. He had no real character arc, didn't really die a villain though, and both him and Nehelon suffered life-threatening blows yet Nehelon gets healed and Valyn doesn't. It just didn't have any sort of shock factor or point to it. Just a death thrown in to have in the final battle. Also as much as I hate character deaths, there should've been more than just that.
-I get Gandrett is the main character but it seemed like other characters got thrown to the side or their issues seemed smaller to make her look better. Like Addie gets tortured for 3 books straight by the dragon king (not to mention the first and second books she also is) but Gandrett is for the first half of this book and everyone is fawning over her and deepest sympathies. What she went through is awful and people should feel bad but the fact that Addie was tortured endlessly for majority of the books and people don't say much to her but are just broken for her. I am glad that Addie got some part in his death or else I may have not finished it all together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2022
"Reborn Throne” marks the conclusion to Gandrett Brayton’s quest from an acolyte in the Order of Vala, attuned to deprivation and training from a very young age to be a fighting warrior for the Order, through Savior of the Fae to the very end of her journey. Everything you need to know about the plot is already stated above in the blurb;😊 and to say this book is the best in the series would be the understatement of the year, the book is a full ride from start to finish, with various incredibly twist in between, that would make you laugh, weep, cry, and yell at the characters all at the very same time, while you find yourself immerse in this extraordinary epic tale, fighting along our heroes for the very existence of the realm.
Angelina J. Steffort’s epic high fantasy excellent series “Shattered Kingdom” has already earned her well-deserved place along the best ever written stories in the genre, and is without doubt the best this side of the millennium border. Angelina J. Steffort writing style is superb, fluid, enthralling and captivating, masterfully tying character development with action and rich descriptions of Neredyn into a captivating story, populated by original, and fully fleshed-out characters, every one of them unique, multidimensional, and with a pivotal role to play in the wide canopy of events. Our heroes become real flesh-and-blood friends and companions in our minds, and are - as well as their foes and the more ‘secondary characters’ - amply elaborated, all of them feel authentic and very ‘real’, our heroes fill our hearts with awe, while their foes make our blood boil. The fine humour and perfect chemistry between the characters makes this series truly exceptional.
Of course every great tale has a downside… it’s ends eventually, but even as it does “Shattered Kingdom” is an epic tale, an extraordinary one, the kind of tale that lingers forever on your mind and will live in our hearts for many moons to come.
I’ve just borrowed half of the Milky Way and still have not enough ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to rate this series 😉
Angelina J. Steffort’s epic high fantasy excellent series “Shattered Kingdom” has already earned her well-deserved place along the best ever written stories in the genre, and is without doubt the best this side of the millennium border. Angelina J. Steffort writing style is superb, fluid, enthralling and captivating, masterfully tying character development with action and rich descriptions of Neredyn into a captivating story, populated by original, and fully fleshed-out characters, every one of them unique, multidimensional, and with a pivotal role to play in the wide canopy of events. Our heroes become real flesh-and-blood friends and companions in our minds, and are - as well as their foes and the more ‘secondary characters’ - amply elaborated, all of them feel authentic and very ‘real’, our heroes fill our hearts with awe, while their foes make our blood boil. The fine humour and perfect chemistry between the characters makes this series truly exceptional.
Of course every great tale has a downside… it’s ends eventually, but even as it does “Shattered Kingdom” is an epic tale, an extraordinary one, the kind of tale that lingers forever on your mind and will live in our hearts for many moons to come.
I’ve just borrowed half of the Milky Way and still have not enough ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to rate this series 😉
August 26, 2024
so so
This book continued with Ganndrett and Nehlon , they were fighting the dragon king Rayner. They had thought that they had killed him, but he had jumped into her body causing him to break her body and there's nothing she could do about it because he was in control, but she studied him and found a way to break herself from his control, but To their shock, he had taken Gandrett's blood and it renewed his life again so the epic battle was inevitable All the kingdoms came together and they also had Val's ghosts that would help them fight as well, but right now Rayner had multiple dragons at his disposal and many many troops that were brainwashed to follow his every command
Addie was a dragon created by the dragon king and she couldn't break free of him & the contol even though she fought him mind games. Rainier and free herself Gordon jumped in and freed her from the evil saying that Addie was his so that made them Mates but Addie loved Armand and didn't know what to do, but she had learned to switch from a dragon to a human by another dragon named Cal. They thought that the battle was lost, but with all the armies coming together, and the magic that they fought with also helped with this battle many epic single battles were fought and won
The only thing that was kind of sickening to me was that so many of them found mates of the same sexes. Brax fell in love with Paxton other females, found their other halves as females too. It just seemed that so many more popped up that they were gay, and it was kind of sickening to me I would rather have more male to female relationships but whatever some of this was so repetitive I did not enjoy this book as much as the first second and third ones but I wanted to finish this series to find out what happened at the end and that was so disappointing to me that it just ended kinda blah
This book continued with Ganndrett and Nehlon , they were fighting the dragon king Rayner. They had thought that they had killed him, but he had jumped into her body causing him to break her body and there's nothing she could do about it because he was in control, but she studied him and found a way to break herself from his control, but To their shock, he had taken Gandrett's blood and it renewed his life again so the epic battle was inevitable All the kingdoms came together and they also had Val's ghosts that would help them fight as well, but right now Rayner had multiple dragons at his disposal and many many troops that were brainwashed to follow his every command
Addie was a dragon created by the dragon king and she couldn't break free of him & the contol even though she fought him mind games. Rainier and free herself Gordon jumped in and freed her from the evil saying that Addie was his so that made them Mates but Addie loved Armand and didn't know what to do, but she had learned to switch from a dragon to a human by another dragon named Cal. They thought that the battle was lost, but with all the armies coming together, and the magic that they fought with also helped with this battle many epic single battles were fought and won
The only thing that was kind of sickening to me was that so many of them found mates of the same sexes. Brax fell in love with Paxton other females, found their other halves as females too. It just seemed that so many more popped up that they were gay, and it was kind of sickening to me I would rather have more male to female relationships but whatever some of this was so repetitive I did not enjoy this book as much as the first second and third ones but I wanted to finish this series to find out what happened at the end and that was so disappointing to me that it just ended kinda blah
August 29, 2024
Disappointed
I usually don't post reviews, but this book was a HUGE disappointment. I only gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the ending has a bit more redeeming qualities to it, but not much.
Throughout the series, Nehelon and Gandrett have been the main characters while other characters have been added to showcase not only different perspectives but also different events around Neredyn. I didn't mind this until book six where so much more of the narrative was focused on side characters and not Nehelon and Gandrett. In this final book, it's as if Gandrett and Nehelon were after thoughts, only added because they needed to be in the story since all the previous books had them in it.
I wanted so much more about Gandrett and Nehelon in this book. Gandrett was captured by Raynar and yet we barely got to see that much about her time as his captive. In the first 50% of the book or so, we get maybe 5 short chapters on Gandrett and about the same for Nehelon. I didn't feel as if I was shown how Gandrett was feeling or affected by her capture but just told she was captured therefore she has to feel this way or act this way. I didn't have much of an emotional connection at all to the events in this book. More of the side characters should have been cut from the book or given novellas to flesh them out instead of focusing almost 75% of the book on them. It was a HUGE let down.
The final battle was also lackluster and seemed way too easy. Over all, it felt like the author was giving us filler content because she simply didn't know how to end it and forgot about Nehelon and Gandrett until the editing process where she threw some chapters in the beginning to make the ending work right.
Sadly, I don't think I'll be picking up any of her other books. This was just too disappointing.
I usually don't post reviews, but this book was a HUGE disappointment. I only gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the ending has a bit more redeeming qualities to it, but not much.
Throughout the series, Nehelon and Gandrett have been the main characters while other characters have been added to showcase not only different perspectives but also different events around Neredyn. I didn't mind this until book six where so much more of the narrative was focused on side characters and not Nehelon and Gandrett. In this final book, it's as if Gandrett and Nehelon were after thoughts, only added because they needed to be in the story since all the previous books had them in it.
I wanted so much more about Gandrett and Nehelon in this book. Gandrett was captured by Raynar and yet we barely got to see that much about her time as his captive. In the first 50% of the book or so, we get maybe 5 short chapters on Gandrett and about the same for Nehelon. I didn't feel as if I was shown how Gandrett was feeling or affected by her capture but just told she was captured therefore she has to feel this way or act this way. I didn't have much of an emotional connection at all to the events in this book. More of the side characters should have been cut from the book or given novellas to flesh them out instead of focusing almost 75% of the book on them. It was a HUGE let down.
The final battle was also lackluster and seemed way too easy. Over all, it felt like the author was giving us filler content because she simply didn't know how to end it and forgot about Nehelon and Gandrett until the editing process where she threw some chapters in the beginning to make the ending work right.
Sadly, I don't think I'll be picking up any of her other books. This was just too disappointing.
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