The Ballad of Aramei (The Darkwoods Trilogy, #3)

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The Ballad of Aramei (The Darkwoods Trilogy #3)

by J.A. Redmerski (Goodreads Author)

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 1,076 ratings · 121 reviews

Everything about Adria Dawson’s life has changed in unimaginable ways: the shattering betrayal of her mother, the fight for her life and sanity…the loss of her humanity. But now Adria must face the ultimate challenge and risk not only her life, but the lives of everyone she loves at the wrathful hands of Isaac Mayfair’s father.

Determined to help unravel a mysterious messag...more

Kindle Edition, 453 pages

Published November 18th 2012 by J.A. Redmerski

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Jan 08, 2013 Lisa (A Life Bound By Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-release, wish-list, 2012-read, 2013-read

I'd been dying to read this for so long bcuz I couldn't wait to see how this would all end & while I loved the background & history the rest of the book didn't feel like this was an ending. More of the story & the end didn't feel like an ending either. It felt more like the leaping off point to the next part of the characters lives.

I wanted to love it. I loved the pervious books but it left me feeling kind of eh. Full review to follow.

7 likes · like · see review

Oct 25, 2012 Devon Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark-horse-indie-books, indie-authors, omg-gimme-gimme-gimme, completed-arcs

Wowsers. Now that's how a finale battle is supposed to go down.

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Nov 28, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars

After losing myself in the first two books, I knew I had to read the last book. At a brink of battle, things are about explode!

What I loved most about this book is the great plot. I loved how well everything come together. It all made sense once the big picture is shown to the reader. And once that hits the fan, all hell break loose. The decision that is made is the pivotal point in the story that sparks just great emotion, anger, and a war!

The love interest worked out like I thought it would wi...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, indie-authors, paranormal, favorites

By far one of the best books I've read this year.

It starts off right around were Kindred left off. Adria survived the Turn but she and Isaac still have to deal with an unknown traitor in their midsts. Not to mention that Trajan is becoming restless, wanting Adria to help him figure out what Aramei is trying to tell him.

I have to say that for such a long book, with more than a few storylines, the writing flowed seamlessly. I never felt like Redmerski was dragging out certain parts, but rather all...more By far one of the best books I've read this year.

It starts off right around were Kindred left off. Adria survived the Turn but she and Isaac still have to deal with an unknown traitor in their midsts. Not to mention that Trajan is becoming restless, wanting Adria to help him figure out what Aramei is trying to tell him.

I have to say that for such a long book, with more than a few storylines, the writing flowed seamlessly. I never felt like Redmerski was dragging out certain parts, but rather all the twists and turns in the story had me completely enraptured, to the point that I read this book in a day.

My favorite element in Redmerski's story were her characters. Adria was so strong and her willingness to do the right thing by everyone around her was touching. The love between her and Isaac kept a big smile on my face throughout the entire story. Isaac was so sweet and protective of Adria while at the same time still managing to be the tough Alpha. In this book he was more lovable than ever. My other favrite character was Nathan. Though he comes off as a goffball and ladies man, that is so not the case. His character was given a lot more depth in this installment, letting the reader see how loving, concerned and protective Nathan is about Adria, Isaac and his entire family. Other characters like Zia, Sebastian, Daisy and Harry play important roles, but I won't spoil them for you. What I will say is that Redmerski managed to shock me quite a few times. I was definitely not expecting some of the plot twists she dropped. Other characters are also re-introduced which was nice, seeing as it gave the reader a better sense of closure. Also, as the title states, Aramei gets one of the largest roles in the book. I won't say much about it though, lest to say there is a lot more to her and her past than what Sybil told Adria in the first book.

All in all this series was good, but out of the three, this book was fantastic! I couldn't put it down and my thoughts throughout the day never strayed far from this. As far as I'm concerned, this is a definite must buy!(less)

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Mar 13, 2013 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 star review

In this epic conclusion to the Darkwoods Trilogy, Adria finds herself stronger than ever. She is basically in the roll of the "female Alpha" of Isaac's pack and is often referred to as his "wife" though she doesn't seem to mind in the slightest. Adria's sister, Alex, comes back to the story and becomes a main player in Issac's pack as she escapes Viktor Vargas's pack of mongrel, rogue werewolves. Adria is personally assigned by Trajan (Isaac's father and Sovereign ruler of the Wer...more 4.5 star review

In this epic conclusion to the Darkwoods Trilogy, Adria finds herself stronger than ever. She is basically in the roll of the "female Alpha" of Isaac's pack and is often referred to as his "wife" though she doesn't seem to mind in the slightest. Adria's sister, Alex, comes back to the story and becomes a main player in Issac's pack as she escapes Viktor Vargas's pack of mongrel, rogue werewolves. Adria is personally assigned by Trajan (Isaac's father and Sovereign ruler of the Werewolves around the world), to be the caretaker for his wife, Aramei. Adria feels herself drawn to Aramei in strange new ways and wants to help her but Aramei is still fairly lifeless and isn't speaking to her directly like she did one time in the cave, long ago. It isn't until Aramei speaks to Adria's mind that she wants to be free of "him" once and for all that Adria finally makes the life altering decision of what she must do to save Aramei.

In the meantime, Isaac, Adria and the rest of the Mayfair family, must find a way to deal with a Dark Praverian who is living amongst them undetected. They find out after a very condemning meeting with a witch, that they will need to set a trap to catch this Dark Praverian and then call this particular witch to capture it's soul before mother nature can free it from their trap.

As the events of the story unfold, Isaac finds himself doing everything he can to save the woman that he loves from the clutches of his evil father. He also knows that the time is coming to once and for all overthrow Trajan and take up his rightful place as the new Sovereign and set right all the wrongs that have been done under his father's 700+ year rule.

I absolutely loved this installment of the Praverian Chronicles: The Darkwoods Trilogy. This was my first werewolf series and I wasn't completely in love with the first installment, The Mayfair Moon, but the more I have read the more I have become a lover of all things that Jessica Redmerski writes. She is a brilliant story teller. I am constantly breathless, flipping the pages furiously, wanting to know what will happen next to the characters I come to love so much. If you are a lover of supernatural stories, werewolves and above all, a great romance, I strongly suggest this book to you. Pick it up the entire trilogy today if you haven't already started reading it and look for future works from Jessica Redmerski.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Kristi-The Book Faery rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: werewolves

THE FAERYS VIEW

I read J.A.'s Trilogy in just a few days. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it because I haven't been in a 'Werewolf/Shapeshifter' sort of mood.

This is just a quickie review but I wanted to mention that J.A. is now among one of my favorite authors and I'm getting ready to gobble up some of her other writing. The problem is: I'm now into a 'Werewolf/Shifter' sort of mood :o]

J.A. kept me entertained in many ways but most of all with her unique take on werewolf lore. The main Alp...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Merissa Sheppard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Exhausting; Exhilarating; Shocking; Satisfying; Breathtaking; Epic - just some of the words I would use to describe this book and the series as a whole.

In this book you sort of get two stories overlapping, one concluding and then one starting - both of which will pull you in and keep you reading. I loved how this book rounded things off and tied them all together. There are still twists and turns aplenty so you will definitely not be bored. And one thing that I will say about the ending is that...more

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Jan 05, 2013 GW rated it 4 of 5 stars

The end of the Darkwoods Trilogy...is amazing!
Wonder what the Darksouls Trilogy will be about!

Seriously, I want to say this book was my favorite, but some parts were annoying. The first half or three-fourths of the book is told in Adria's POV, but then we get glimpses of Issac, Harry, and other people's POVs. It's definitely interesting.

The Ballad of Aramei such a great title. Aramei was such a sophisticated character, gosh. Loving flashbacks. Ah, characters. SO MANY OF THEM. And some of them ar...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Marsha rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Young Adults and Adults

I've been in a reading slump for the past several months. It seems like nothing I read it truly good. However, "The Ballad of Aramei" is the perfect conclusion to the Darkwoods Trilogy and proved to be very entertaining.

Adria and Isaac are bound and determined to discover the identity of the traitor among their ranks. In their search, they meet a sickly old witch who provides them with the tools necessary to reveal the spy but Nathan will be required to pay a hefty price. In doing so, they just...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Ali rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, 30-in-30, favorites, holy-hot-guys, supernatural, shifters

I have to say that the last book of this trilogy was as great as the other two books. I loved the two stories that are told about both Adria and Aramei. JA Redmerski did such a good job of tying up all the lose strings and she allowed for sacrifices in the book to be a great deal more satisfying then so many other authors make them. I think she did a great job of ending the trilogy in a way that gives you a sense of the future for the Mayfair family as well as leaving you also feel like you have...more I have to say that the last book of this trilogy was as great as the other two books. I loved the two stories that are told about both Adria and Aramei. JA Redmerski did such a good job of tying up all the lose strings and she allowed for sacrifices in the book to be a great deal more satisfying then so many other authors make them. I think she did a great job of ending the trilogy in a way that gives you a sense of the future for the Mayfair family as well as leaving you also feel like you have closure.

I complained in the review for the last book that Redmerski sometimes tends to overuse terms and things over and over again. In this book we are happily not drowned in Isaac's looks of devotion, but instead we are afloat in people having spats and turning at the waist. I have written my own book and I know how easy it is to get used to a phrase and not know how much you are using it as you right. I have really spent a great deal of time when I am writing searching through reading all types of things and talking to all types of people and actively listening and people watching in public to find better and more varied ways to express things that may seem to only be said one way. I love this book but often I really felt that the repeated use of the terms and phrases were distracting.

As for the whole series, I would have to say that it was really well written and the story was very strong right up to the end. I really felt for the characters and Adria who suffered a great deal of heroine-itis (the tendency for a female character to make situations worse by acting recklessly or by not doing what they are best advised to) in the earlier two books, seemed to be getting a better grasp of her own intelligence and really understanding that Isaac often knew better how to handle things and what to do more than she did. I had a great sense in this book, more so then the ones before it, of the actual impression that Isaac had made on other werewolves. How the all come together in the end really brings you back to things that seemed slightly trivial in the other books and makes you see how the story arc was really developed. I did have to say that I wish that there was a bit more talked about regarding the other brothers and sisters in the Mayfair family since it focuses so much on Daisy and Nathan, with only a little Camilla and almost nothing of anyone else.

I hope that other people do read these books though. I've honestly not been to into werewolf books in the past but this really made me more interested in reading others.(less)

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Jan 01, 2013 Deasy Rostianti rated it 4 of 5 stars

Finally, after 6 days of 'Reading Marathon' of finishing the trilogy between work and staying up until 3 AM, I finally finished reading the last trilogy. Im thinking why i didn't find out about the trilogy sooner. I really like this JA Redmerski's masterpiece. I love seeing how Adria and Isaac relationship is so much better and stronger. Despite all the problems, they still hold on to each other or should i say stick to each other (literally). Love the simple conversation and naughty acts they h...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Sandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

A great ending to the trilogy, totally wasn't what I expected. Though, if I have to admit, Kindred is still my favourite in the trilogy.

My Thoughts:

1. The plot was definitely action packed. There was never a dull moment. There were so many twists and turns that it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It's a very intense and emotional roller-coaster.
2. Adria has come a long way since book 1, The Mayfair Moon. Since her transition she becomes a lot more mature and responsible in this b...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Lindsay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Aptly named, The Ballad of Aramei is just that, a ballad. It is just the most beautiful and perfect ending to this series. Anybody that put down the series after the first book needs to pick it back up, totally worth it. You know those books where you know the author is building to something epic and then you get there and are totally let down by the lame ending? Well, this one DELIVERS! I was squealing with anxiety and excitement by the end of the book. It was...awesome. She told the ending thr...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Rachmi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-series, ebook, paranormal-romance

There’s one thing that I really paid attention from this book, Adria’s character. I love her stubbornness. She has her own opinion, stick to it and took responsibility. She didn’t just follow Isaac around. She always said she wanted choices. When she made a choice, whether Isaac agreed or not, she’ll stick with it and take its responsibility. In a way she’s a stubborn but I like it, it means she has willing heart. I also like how Adria – Isaac relationship works. Their relationship didn’t like o...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Darkwoods trilogy is easily a favorite of mine. Exploding with rich characters, unique werewolf lore, twisty plots and plenty of action; Redmerski hits all the right spots. Book one, The Mayfair Moon caught me by surprise when I read it back in January. I was slowly warming up to were-centric novels, a process seriously sped up the moment I was introduced to Isaac Mayfair. He was smoldering. The perfect eye candy. True, he had loads of secrets that were sure to cause some trouble down the ro...more The Darkwoods trilogy is easily a favorite of mine. Exploding with rich characters, unique werewolf lore, twisty plots and plenty of action; Redmerski hits all the right spots. Book one, The Mayfair Moon caught me by surprise when I read it back in January. I was slowly warming up to were-centric novels, a process seriously sped up the moment I was introduced to Isaac Mayfair. He was smoldering. The perfect eye candy. True, he had loads of secrets that were sure to cause some trouble down the road, but he was very protective and even sweet, at least, when he wanted to be. Like Adria, I was easily smitten.

I fell for Adria as well, of course not in a romantic way but in a reader loving their main character way. She was feisty and brave. A true survivor. Having spent more than half her life in a broken home with a mother and her abusive boyfriend, Adria remained remarkably strong and true to herself. I found her high level of compassion remarkable. This I suspect was due to the short stick she’d been drawn most of her life. The one bright spot in Adria’s life was Alex, her older sister. Unfortunately after relocating to Hallowell Maine, Alex fell in with a “shady” crowd and quickly begun pulling away from Adria. This of course sent Adria towards finding new friends, new love and unfortunately new enemies…
The Darkwoods trilogy is all about sacrifice, perseverance and redemption. In book one we were introduced to a somewhat coy, Adria who looked up to her sister and continued to love her mother regardless of the broken promises and bad mistakes made on a constant basis. Adria was basically thrown right into a dangerous war that had been occurring for hundreds of years between clashing werewolf clans. Instead of cowering or giving up, Adria proved that she was every bit as brave and powerful as any werewolf. She continually grew stronger, surprising not only her friends, but herself as well. The Ballad of Aramei continues Adria’s journey through self-discovery and self-empowerment.

Throughout books one and two, secrets and mysteries had been piling up left and right. One of the hugest, surrounding Aramei, thankfully was answered and resolved in the final installment of the Darkwoods trilogy. I loved getting to know more about “Aramei” and the part she played. There actually turned out to be a heck of a lot of similarities between her and Adria which made the story even more interesting. We also got a little more intel on Praverians, although not as much as I would have liked. The concept of these supernatural beings is so fascinating, something truly original and one of a kind brought to us by Redmerski’s seriously awesome imagination. I realize that the big Praverian reveal will probably occur in the planned spin-off but still it would have been nice to get a little more information. I felt like little was answered yet a lot more was put into question.

Except for the Praverian part, I thought Redmerski did a great job of sewing up the Darkwoods’ storyline. We got a lot of great closure, especially on a few key relationships. I thought that Adria’s character growth reached it’s peak, and that a few other character’s whose agendas were constantly put into question were revealed for good or bad. Those who needed redemption were able to seek it and those with the strongest hearts accomplished great feats of sacrifice.

I only had two somewhat small quips with this book. Being the third book in a series I already loved had me pre-convinced that I’d enjoy this one. However, it took me quite a while to get into this story. At times I found that there was a lot of description and little dialogue which tended to bore me a tad. I don’t have any halfsie stars, so although I have 5 shown I give The Ballad of Aramei 4.5 stakes. Overall I’m thoroughly excited to start the spinoff! Book one is thankfully going to be released sometime in 2013.(less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Annika rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazing-books

The Darkwoods Trilogy has just been amazing the whole entire way, and the ending almost had me tearing up. Why must it end??
The Ballad of Aramei was filled with unimaginable twists amd shocks. You think you know what's going to happen, but you really don't. Which just makes it all the better ;)
The ending was great just because you got to hear how everyone's happy ending turned out. Nathan's happy ending was a bit of a surprise, and I'm totally jealous of Alex at this point.
I really wish there w...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Sylvia (Heinzypop) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favourite-ya, bad-boys-for-the-red-room, favourite-ebooks, indie-authors, male-pov, left-me-crying, october-reading-challenge-2012, paranormal-romance, werewolves-shifters, books-that-make-me-rawr, advanced-reading-copy, young-adult

I AM ABSOLUTELY FLOORED BEYONG WORDS and all I can say is WHOA! This book is unbelievably AMAZING and RIVETING and CAPTIVATING and FANTASTIC and HOT and SEXY and RAW and PRIMAL and RAWR RAWR RAWR. It is my all time favourite werewolf/shifter series EVER!! I am in love with this series so much you really don't understand. From start to finish it has been one hell of a breathtaking, exciting and tension filled ride, and I'm sad to see that it's over. I could have easily kept reading this forever i...more I AM ABSOLUTELY FLOORED BEYONG WORDS and all I can say is WHOA! This book is unbelievably AMAZING and RIVETING and CAPTIVATING and FANTASTIC and HOT and SEXY and RAW and PRIMAL and RAWR RAWR RAWR. It is my all time favourite werewolf/shifter series EVER!! I am in love with this series so much you really don't understand. From start to finish it has been one hell of a breathtaking, exciting and tension filled ride, and I'm sad to see that it's over. I could have easily kept reading this forever it's that freaking FANTABULOUS!

I need to step back a bit and take a deep breath in because for the entire time I was reading this amazing book I held my breath. I swear from the first word to the very last I was awe struck and devoured every page, not being able to get enough it was SPECTACULAR. But, before I keep getting carried away I would love to thank the amazing and wonderful J.A. Redmerski for providing me with an ARC ebook of The Ballad of Aramei and let me tell you I was so honoured and completely taken aback by her incredible and kind gesture. She is one hell of a great author who knows how to weave a mind blowing story and keep you guessing and wanting so much more. I love how natural her words feel and how beautifully they come together, creating such gorgeous imagery and making you feel so much too. I mean this book plays on all your senses, making you feel like you are actually in the story and living it. I could hear every bone crunch when they would transform. I could smell every drop of blood mixed with the earth. I could see them shifting into the Black Beasts. I could taste all the sensual kisses stolen between Adria and Isaac, and let me just say that these two are HOT HOT HOT RAWR. And, I could feel every last touch. J.A. Redmerski, you are bloody brilliant I tell you. What more can you ask for from a story??

The story pretty much picks up where Kindred left off and I have to say that I'm instantly drawn back in and swept away with the story of Adria and Isaac. Adria's life had completely changed and she is confronted with so much in Ballad. I always believed Adria was strong and she continued to grow and evolve into this mighty and fierce young woman who doesn't take crap from no one and stands up for what she believes in and what is right. All the while, following her heart and instinct. I think she is a total bad ass and I love that she is strong and brave and fearless. No wonder Isaac was attracted to her from the beginning. He saw a strength in her that would be fitting to be his mate and so did his father, the Sovereign.
In Kindred, we caught a glimpse of a connection between Aramei and Adria, and this did not go unnoticed with Isaac's father. Using his power, he demands that Adria speaks with Aramei and go under, in search for her. He is a cruel piece of work and has ruled for far too long with so much love for Aramei that he would stop at nothing or no one to protect her. She comes first no matter one, even at the expense of his own children. It was sad to read about the things that happened to Aramei and how tortured she was but I'm so glad we got to experience everything. It all comes together perfectly and everything that happened along the way was meant to be. I love this storyline and it broke my heart several times watching Adria dive into Aramei's mind and not knowing if she would forever be lost in there.

While this was happening, Adria, Isaac, Nathan, Daisy, Harry and the rest of the group had to deal with a Praverian traitor who was hell bent out to kill Adria, for reasons unknown. I'm telling you the suspense and action in this book was outstanding and totally mesmerising. You will be gripping to the edge of your seat and the ending of this book is PHENOMENAL! You will be blown away by how earth shuttering the scenes are with so much going down I am not going to reveal a thing. You just have to read it for yourself to find out. I'm not one to spoil anything. But let me just tell you that you will not be disappointed one bit.
Also, what else I loved about this book, or series in fact, was the lengths that some of the group members would go through to get answers and to help their Alpha Isaac and Adria, is beyond belief. I'm talking about what Nathan had to do. I'm not going to say what, but I still shudder thinking about what he did and my heart goes out to the poor guy. Though, I must say it made me fall in love with him too. He is the best kind of brother to have and Isaac is forever grateful to him. Imagine being caught up between these two brothers RAWR they are such beasts ;) Hell, I sure as hell wouldn't mind being devoured my either one of them.

Okay, I think I have said enough. It's so easy to get caught up and carried away, but I will stop and just leave you with this. If you have read the first two books of the series, you will LOVE Ballad and not be able to put it down. If you haven't even picked up the first book, you must run and grab a copy ASAP and get started. There is so much suspense, drama, action, love, tension, HOT HOT and oh so HOT scenes that will leave you panting and purring...ahem....they were really RAWR. It really is an amazing series that will have you wanting more and needing more, and hoping that J.A. Redmerski will give you more. Because I really don't want to say goodbye to the wonderful characters of this truly FANTASTIC series.
LOVE LOVE LOVE....RAWR RAWR RAWR!(less)

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Jan 11, 2013 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay, so a lot of my friends were recently talking about this trilogy, and even though I've started a while ago, I still took my time finishing. I usually don't go for all the werewolf RAWR stuff, to me it's too Jacob & Bella-ish, so I tend to steer clear from everything vampire/werewolf related. However, since many people specifically stated that it was way different, I took a leap of faith (in strangers) and decided to give it a fair try. In all honesty, it was not bad, but I don't conside...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Kelsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-supernatural, sequels, werewolves, favorites

Absolutely amazing. Full review to come.

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Dec 11, 2012 Kristi, A Book Fanatic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ya, paranormal

Loved the finale of this trilogy!!!!

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Jan 29, 2013 Kj rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: other-supernaturals, shifters-weres

I know that I am in the minority but the ending of this book was so unsatifying to me I can only give it 3 stars. Now that Adria has been changed she has a bond with Aramei that allows her to enter into Aramei's mind and see her past and communicate with her. I thought the whole book was about saving Aramei but I didnt like the end result. She is 250 yrs old and her whole life is a tragedy. I really needed a good outcome for her and I didnt get it. The prevarian storyline also got on my nerves i...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Kirsty Dallas rated it 5 of 5 stars

'sigh'.... What a fantastic series... The ballad of Aramei (and before I go any further, what I stunning title),,, was jammed pack full of action and surprises... I really never wanted this journey to end.... If I had to fault anything, it would be the ending. I don't want to give it away obviously.. Of course it is happy, just the way all good book journey's should end.. But I think I would have finished it differently.. But it does not detract from the fact that this is most definitely a book...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Cassandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, ya, uf, challenge-2013, read-2013

Wow. I can't really think of anything to say. I was kind of right about how one more book isn't going to be enough for Redmerski to finish the plotlines she started in Kindred. This trilogy is part of a larger series, The Praverian Chronicles. There's going to be another trilogy, The Darksoul Trilogy. I have no idea what it's going to be about (I have hopes, mind you, but no real idea yet).

The way this one ended up wasn't that much of a surprise in the end. I loved being able to see some of Aram...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Jen Henderson rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this book out of duty, I think, to see the series through to the end. I loved book 1, but felt my interest waning by the end of book 2. I started this book, got about 1/4 of the way through, and couldn't bring myself back to finish because I simply didn't care... about Aramei, about Adria's sudden infatuation with her, the entire Praverian concept, etc. For the life of me, I can't figure out who other readers were talking about when they were sad about character deaths.

This book was a re...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Star rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: shapeshifter-phase

Ok so first off anyone who read my review of the first book knows I was less than impressed. I added an update to see this review...why?
So that I could explain the extremely rare occurrence where a book actually redeems itself in its final swan song. And the even rarer occurrence where I am moderately impressed. Seriously, its worth reading...
(view spoiler)...more Ok so first off anyone who read my review of the first book knows I was less than impressed. I added an update to see this review...why?
So that I could explain the extremely rare occurrence where a book actually redeems itself in its final swan song. And the even rarer occurrence where I am moderately impressed. Seriously, its worth reading...
(view spoiler)
Maybe I am horribly biased 'cause I just really need a good ending. Either way she didn't slaughter "insignifiant " characters that I happened to be attached to or let the "bad guy" go off to wreak havoc while wrapped in her sappy romance. Neither did she leave me wondering who was dead. Those three points make it worth reading if you made it through the first one as I did. I have read some books in the last year that have left me seething in anger at the injustice done to a good story by absolutely horrifically lame poorly thought out and incomplete endings. An excellent example is the Maximum Ride series. I am not even going to start on that. The point is she ties it all up, gives everyone closure, actually lets us know who lives and dies and leaves them opening a new chapter of their lives. I can live with that. So frankly if you started the series...you should really read this last one.(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Tracey rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the third in the trilogy. and at the begining I was finding the story hard to get into. then things picked up quickly. Adria and Isaac are still going strong, but here comes Tarjan pushing everyone around as usual. Apparently, Adria has a special connection to Amarie because of the blood bond. so Tarjan makes Adria try to get into Amaries head which opens up Pandoras box. and leads everyone down a path they are not ready to take. Adria is the reason why the war starts, and the way she st...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Annmarie (World of Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy cow!! I honestly don't even know where to start with this book! It was by far one of my favorite books this year, that is for sure. From the moment I started reading I couldn't stop. Nothing was stopping me from finding out what was going to happen; not sleep, eating, even going to the bathroom and for me, those are the best kind of books.

If feels like everything that I was left questioning in the previous books gets answered though I was honestly shocked about some of the turns in event. E...more Holy cow!! I honestly don't even know where to start with this book! It was by far one of my favorite books this year, that is for sure. From the moment I started reading I couldn't stop. Nothing was stopping me from finding out what was going to happen; not sleep, eating, even going to the bathroom and for me, those are the best kind of books.

If feels like everything that I was left questioning in the previous books gets answered though I was honestly shocked about some of the turns in event. Especially when the traitor was revealed. I had a feeling it was this person but I kept hoping that I was wrong. I was really sad! I didn't want it to be this person!

I've always liked Nathan in the previous books but in this book we really get to learn more about Nathan. And let me tell you, it will leave you wanting more. He's such an amazing guy and I can't believe all the things he would do and has done for Adria and Isaac. He even has a mystery girl but it's not revealed till the end just who she is. I won't spoil anything but if you're reading this J.A. Redmerski: Please give Nathan and his girl their own story!!!!

Learning more about Aramei really broke my heart. I feel so bad for her and everything she has had to endure. She never really had a choice in anything and the one thing she's always wanted was to be free. But there is no doubt in my mind that she loves Trajan just as much as he loves her. I found myself being sympathetic toward Trajan; yes he's ruthless but only because he loves Aramei so much and his whole world revolves around her so when he lost her, he went crazy. All either of them wanted was to be together without anyone trying to sabotage their happiness. I'm a little sad about how things went down but I know now that at least Trajan and Aramei can finally be together fully.

Even though the trilogy is over I feel like the book had an open ending and kind of left me wondering what would be next for them. I especially want to know what's going to happen to the rest of the gang: Nathan, Daisy, Harry, Alex, even Xavier. I would LOVE if they had their own books, just so I can know what happens because honestly I didn't really like the ending for them. I can tell they're all happy but there's this air of question around some of them and I FEEL like there could be more for them. I love the ending for Adria and Issac but I wouldn't object if she wanted to write more for them :)

I cried, laughed, smiled, felt pretty much every emotion possible while reading this series and I'm just so incredibly happy that I took the time to check out this author. The Ballad of Aramei is an amazing conclusion and I can not wait to read her future books!

*This review also appears on my blog World of Books(less)

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Dec 03, 2012 Belinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

“In everything together,” she goes on, her voice breaking, “we live and fight and die together.”

Not even death can make me forget you, or forget that I love you.

Great wrap up to this addictively enticing series. So many unanswered questions got cleared up in this book, and I loved how we finally saw who Aramei was before the Bloodbond and how drastically it changed both her personality and life. You see her rapid deterioration, how Victor was consumed with obsession and how it effected Trajan'...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: november-reading-challenge, ya-fantasy-favorites

I can't believe it's over and I have to say goodbye!!!! Nooooo!!! When it comes down to it, when there's a series that you absolutely love, it feels like you've gotten to know the characters so well that it's just so sad when the finale wraps up and you realize it's all come to an end. That's how I feel about this series, with characters that I adored and went through so many emotions with, and it's hard to send them on their way knowing it's the last I'll see of them!

Ballad was such a captivati...more I can't believe it's over and I have to say goodbye!!!! Nooooo!!! When it comes down to it, when there's a series that you absolutely love, it feels like you've gotten to know the characters so well that it's just so sad when the finale wraps up and you realize it's all come to an end. That's how I feel about this series, with characters that I adored and went through so many emotions with, and it's hard to send them on their way knowing it's the last I'll see of them!

Ballad was such a captivating conclusion to this series, with so many facets of the plot playing out simultaneously and leaving Adria and Isaac feeling pulled in multiple directions at once. It was one unexpected twist and turn after another!! Just as Adria is struggling with her newfound lifestyle as a werewolf and all of the challenges that come with it, and the brainstorming about how to deal with the Dark Praverian is underway, Trajan comes to them with a demand (oh, he was such an ass in this book!!); Adria must join him at the cottage to try and reach out to Aramei again. As Adria enters into the memories of Aramei's past through her mind, she grapples with her feelings of attachment to the frail woman imprisoned in her own body. But she has to balance this out with her need to deal with the constant threat of a traitor in their presence, one of their own who is out to kill her. As she, Isaac, and Nathan set out to find a way to weed out the enemy in their midst, they put in motion a plan that will result in a shocking revelation. All their troubles pale in comparison to what lies ahead, though, and one decision by Adria leaves werewolves from all over in jeopardy.

It was wonderful seeing all of my favorite characters again, I had missed them so much after Kindred! And of course I was loving every minute of Isaac and Adria finally being mates (helloooooo sexy beast Isaac!!!)!! Nathan plays a much bigger role this time around, and I just adored him with his selfless big-brother protectiveness! I was very excited to see the return of a character I didn't think we'd ever see again, and it definitely changed things for Adria's future in a way that finally gave her some peace.

The creepiness factor was definitely kicked up a notch this time around, and Adria's experiences with Aramei had my heart racing from both anticipation and fear of what it would all mean for her in the end!! Aramei, innocent as she may be, was just spooky with her zombie-like trance that Adria was able to crack holes into! I was on the edge of my seat every time she went to have one of their sessions, but I was so sucked into seeing Aramei's past and seeing the once-young and healthy woman have her first encounters with their supernatural world...and it was fascinating!! I just loved seeing her first moments with Trajan and how she felt a pull from him despite seeing what he was. It was the perfect way to bring their story full-circle as Adria tried to weed through Aramei's memories to find what Aramei wanted her to know, and at the same time it was so heartbreaking knowing what had become of the once strong woman! My heart just melted for her, for the romance that was cut short by an imprisoned mind, and it made me love Adria all the more for her bravery at facing it. She becomes so strong mentally along with her physical bad-assness in Ballad, and I was just cheering her on the whole way!!

I was so impressed with how many interwoven storylines Redmerski managed to keep drawing the reader in with this story! Adria's time with Aramei was never overshadowed, but the threat of the Dark Praverian always loomed in the distance and caused a feeling of constant anxiety from the unknown. When Nathan, Isaac, and Adria went in search of the woman who could help them expose the traitor...I have to say, that part gave me the chills!! I felt like I needed to wash up after the experience they had with that nasty woman, it made me ill! Every plot twist, from Aramei's memories to the final climax with an epic gut-twisting battle, all came together and fit like puzzle pieces clicking into place, and the final picture was just an incredible journey!

Redmerski once again uses such incredible imagery to describe every scene and every emotion, and I just loved experiencing such a beautiful story!! I hated to see one of my absolute favorite series come to an end, and there's certainly an opening if these characters were ever to be revisited, but I was so happy to see them all able to move forward in their lives. It was a wonderful send-off and a great way to bring their story to a close, and it earns a very enthusiastic 5 stars from this huge fan!! Awesome!!

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Nov 20, 2012 Jill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Unquestionably the best book in the series. My one and only complaint was the ending. I felt like there were so many doors left open to more books, which I would definitely enjoy reading after this book, but it's a trilogy, which means three books and seeing as how this was book three I'm just left confused. Is there a spin off series coming? There was a lot left to Alex or Nathan's story at the end...is she planning to take up a new series about one of them? And I really didn't like the last c...more

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About J.A. Redmerski

J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of THE EDGE OF NEVER lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC's The Walking Dead.

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Books by J.A. Redmerski

The Edge of Never (The Edge of Never, #1)

The Mayfair Moon (The Darkwoods Trilogy, #1)

The Edge of Always (The Edge of Never, #2)

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Quotes from The Ballad of Aramei

“I believe that no matter what happens, or where we go, or if there's an afterlife, that we'll always be connected. Not even death can make me forget you, or forget that I love you.” — 30 people liked it

“You can do this, Adria. Don't wolf-out on me, especially not in my lap, alright? These are my favorite jeans.” — 2 people liked it

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The Ballad of Aramei (The Darkwoods Trilogy #3)

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