Wilde's Meadow (Darkness Falls, #3)

Nov 04, 2012 Laurice rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, will-definitely-read-it-again, series, paranormal-romance, owned-ebooks, looove-the-guy-character, all-time-beloved-books

EDITED: 11/05/12

REVIEW:

I can't believe I'm still crying! *sob.sob.sneeze.sob.again*

It's been 4 days since I finished the final installment of the Darkness Falls series and yet, I still can't get over it! *sob.sob* Reading the Darkness Falls series is by far the best action-packed Paranormal Romance I've read in 2012!!! Oh yes. It is breathtaking, magical, astounding, jaw-dropping, tear-jerking, heart-pounding, bone-breaking, hair-falling, book-throwing (READ.IT.NOW.AND.YOU'LL.KNOW.WHY). Oh, loo...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Farrah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Wow. So much happened that I'm still struggling to process all of it. In a nutshell, Wilde's Meadow was an epic ending! I honestly needed a few hours after finishing the book before I was able to process everything that had happened.

I don't even know where to begin...
Let's just start with my favorite part: Kate and Arland's relationship. As always, they were the most adorable couple ever, the most perfect example of t...more This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Wow. So much happened that I'm still struggling to process all of it. In a nutshell, Wilde's Meadow was an epic ending! I honestly needed a few hours after finishing the book before I was able to process everything that had happened.

I don't even know where to begin...
Let's just start with my favorite part: Kate and Arland's relationship. As always, they were the most adorable couple ever, the most perfect example of true love. It just made me smile to read about their relationship. Both characters grew so much throughout the course of the book. Kate was forced to mature quickly after seeing the brutal reality of the war and shouldering the guilt of having some of the people in her army killed. But she handles it admirably.
Arland was just as amazing as always. So sweet, determined, strong, protective, sacrificing. He's just freaking perfect. There is just no other word to describe him. And, their relationship...escalates. I'll let you puzzle out what I mean by that before I'm tempted to give away a huge spoiler.

Perth is one character that really grew on me. The first book, he was awful. The second, he got better, but I was still kind of unsure. This one, I adored him. He definitely redeemed himself and proved to everyone that he is a strong, capable leader. I ended up with him as one of my favorite characters.

There are A LOT of deaths in this book. And not just random strangers that we don't know about, but some of the characters that we all know and love. Somehow, it wasn't sad. And before you go wondering why I would think that a favorite character dying isn't sad, I can't give that away without spoiling the whole book. You'll have to read it yourself to find out :) But they did make the war feel more real. I remember JK Rowling once saying that she would kill off favorite characters so that readers could truly feel the horror of a war. And that worked with Wilde's Meadow. Having some favorite taken out made the war seem for read and tangible. And I can appreciate that. Realism is always good in a book.

The plot went at breakneck speed. It begins with the last night Kate spends in the city before she has to leave to fight for Encardia. It hits the ground running, then shoots forward, leaving absolutely no dull moments, just continuous excitement, twists, surprises. It was a whirlwind. The ending was perfect for the series. It gives an epilogue a few years after the end of the fighting. So we get to see what the future has in store for our lovely characters.

Wilde's Meadow was absolutely epic. If you liked the previous Wilde's books, you will adore this conclusion.

5/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!(less)

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Apr 02, 2013 Carrie Slager rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

Wilde’s Meadow is like an opera. Not because it’s melodramatic or the plot is ridiculously convoluted, but because it has grand themes and memorable characters. It’s reminiscent of Aida what with all the tragedy and sacrifice in the last part. But, unlike most operas, the ending is not abrupt and it is quite satisfying from a fan perspective and a critical one.

As many of my Twitter fans know, Krystal Wade...more [Full disclosure: I received a free ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

Wilde’s Meadow is like an opera. Not because it’s melodramatic or the plot is ridiculously convoluted, but because it has grand themes and memorable characters. It’s reminiscent of Aida what with all the tragedy and sacrifice in the last part. But, unlike most operas, the ending is not abrupt and it is quite satisfying from a fan perspective and a critical one.

As many of my Twitter fans know, Krystal Wade has taken great pleasure in tormenting me about Wilde’s Meadow. When she told me she cried while writing the last part of the novel, I was pretty concerned. I rarely get attached to characters in a series on this level; I think the last series that I was this emotionally involved in was Harry Potter. Yes, the Darkness Falls series is that good.

By this point in the series there really aren’t that many new characters, but many of the old ones go through surprising changes, especially Perth. Out of everyone, he surprised me the most. But it was, as usual, Kate whole stole the stage (as she should). Her love for Arland, her desire to help Encardia, her friendship with Flanna…all of these actually feel real to me. Kate is three dimensional along with all of the other characters, something that a surprising number of authors can’t even manage.

Need I really say anything about the plot? It’s the last book in a trilogy; of course it’s fast paced. Krystal Wade spent a lot longer building up to the climax than I thought she would, but for whatever reason it still worked. Just when you think the book is over, she throws another plot twist at you and the suspense ratchets up another notch. This is one of the very few books where I could not predict the ending, which is a refreshing change in fantasy. I won’t tell you if it ends well for the lovers, but let me say I can see why Krystal Wade cried while writing some parts. I almost cried reading some parts and I don’t get emotional over books very often.

If you’re looking for an amazing fantasy trilogy with memorable characters and a satisfying (if not completely happy) ending, I would highly recommend the Darkness Falls trilogy.

I give this book 5/5 stars.(less)

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Feb 19, 2013 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Darkness Falls series takes a darker turn in book three. That might seem a difficult thing to pull off in a book where there is no sunlight, but Ms. Wade pulls it off with a lovely opening sequence. But first, let’s go back to Wilde’s Army for a minute.

The engagement between Kate and Perth Dufaigh became a moot point after she married Arland on the sly, which did not go over well with Perth’s father. BUT, there are higher powers in Encardia than scheming High Leaders and they don’t much care...more The Darkness Falls series takes a darker turn in book three. That might seem a difficult thing to pull off in a book where there is no sunlight, but Ms. Wade pulls it off with a lovely opening sequence. But first, let’s go back to Wilde’s Army for a minute.

The engagement between Kate and Perth Dufaigh became a moot point after she married Arland on the sly, which did not go over well with Perth’s father. BUT, there are higher powers in Encardia than scheming High Leaders and they don’t much care what Dufaigh thinks. Now, back to scene in progress.

Kate, Arland, and their ragtag army will head back out into darkness soon and they’re taking advantage of their time as newlyweds properly should. Then, there’s dancing. It’s a tradition in Encardia to celebrate life before sending brave souls to their deaths. Told you it was lovely, which is nice for the reader, because that’s when things turn dark.

So far, in the first two books of this series, the reader has been overwhelmed by darkness and glimpsed the dangers that lurk just beyond sight. In Wilde’s Meadow, Ms. Wade leads the way into a wasteland of putrescence, misery, and despair. Here, the beasts that Kate has learned to fight are not all that stands between her and the light of day. The blanket of darkness that shrouds this world is mirrored by the sins of its past and present. Like a hasty tower of blocks assembled by a toddler, one wrong move could bring this world down on itself.

Wilde’s Meadow plays with the stages of grief. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Kate’s army, each soul among them knowing he could die at any moment, works its way through them. With the focus of the story on Kate, her power, and her destiny, I found that Brit Wilde represented concerns that the reader might otherwise forget while worrying about whether Arland would live or die. Each person in this world has a prophecy. Each has a part to play in whether Kate ultimately wins or loses, and Brit shoulders a burden heavier than most everyone else.

I must say that as a whole, I enjoyed the Darkness Falls series. Krystal Wade's use of magic is very simple, and it is very consistent through all three books. Her prose is unpretentious. Her characters are honest, even the devious ones, and allowed to grow naturally within the confines of their storylines. At it's core, it is a story about love and courage in the face of impossible odds, and I would recommend it to an older teen audience.(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 BookHookup rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great ending to a great series! There may have been some tears and there may have been doubts about how this book would end, but, ultimately, the author did justice to this wonderful story! Katriona (Kate) finds herself in the war she’s been preparing for and must face the fact that this could cost her the family and friends who mean so much to her. There was so much going on in this book…even though it was shorter than I had imagined it would be.

All my favorite characters stood behind Kate to b...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Mrs. Kenyon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books

Katriona has lost her home (Earth) and her best friend, but she has gained the use of magic and fallen in love. She still has to lead an army to war in order to bring Light back to Encardia and that seems to be the least of her worries. To achieve this goal she must unite the worlds to fight against Darkness and kill the fallen god that has taken over the body of her dead best friend. Will Katriona have the power and strength needed to fulfill all of these tasks? Will love be enough to fuel her...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

This is book 3 of Darkness Falls. Arland and Katriona are bound now and they are preparing to go to war against Dughbal to free Encardia from the darkness. Kate will have to find the strength to make it through the Crossing Caves along the journey to the Meadows for the war with Dughbal and his daemons. She will have to unite all the people including some from her home in order to hope to win the war. I don't want to give away any spoilers so I will stop my summary here.

I have read all three of...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Dena rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, adult

This was the final book in the Darkness Falls trilogy. I did not expect so many people to die, but I guess it all worked out in the end even though everyone practically is dead. This author is not afraid to kill off her characters because she writes about an afterlife and Heaven and gods so she writes that they are living happily ever after together in Heaven while few people are alive on the planet.

I think Kate and Arland's love was a little forced and I never understood why Arland loved her t...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great ending to a great series! There may have been some tears and there may have been doubts about how this book would end, but, ultimately, the author did justice to this wonderful story! Katriona (Kate) finds herself in the war she’s been preparing for and must face the fact that this could cost her the family and friends who mean so much to her. There was so much going on in this book…even though it was shorter than I had imagined it would be.

All my favorite characters stood behind Kate to b...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Eve Langell rated it 5 of 5 stars

YAY! Okay I had to start this out with a burst of excitement. Honestly, I was beyond excited when I saw Wilde’s Meadow by Krystal Wade on NetGalley.com. I was all resigned to wait until it comes out November 5, 2012 but then I was checking out the new books added like I do every single day and spilt some of my water down my top I was so excited. I saw the cover before I saw anything else and didn’t need to know anything else I just clicked and was approved. I downloaded it on Halloween night, t...more YAY! Okay I had to start this out with a burst of excitement. Honestly, I was beyond excited when I saw Wilde’s Meadow by Krystal Wade on NetGalley.com. I was all resigned to wait until it comes out November 5, 2012 but then I was checking out the new books added like I do every single day and spilt some of my water down my top I was so excited. I saw the cover before I saw anything else and didn’t need to know anything else I just clicked and was approved. I downloaded it on Halloween night, though sadly didn’t get to read it until last night due to work. So a special thanks to NetGalley.com, Curiosity Quills Press, the amazing author Krystal Wade, and whoever else* for my ARC.

Now down to business. Like the other 2 books Wilde’s Fire and Wilde’s Army, Wilde’s Meadow has a beautiful and captivating cover. The first is still my favorite but this one is red and has our heroine sword in hand looking down at a body. Gasp! Do you wonder whose body she is looking at like I did? I agonized over it so much so even as I was reading the book.

Now we have our beloved characters. Kate has been through so much and is bound to the man she loves and has her army and a clear goal. She is still terrified that all the visions she’s had of Arland’s death, of those she loves, will come true. Still she has no choice really but to fight and trust things will be okay. We get more of Perth as well as he tries to make up for the sins of his past and be the better man Kate believes him to be. We also get to know others who are so much fun to love and hate. New creatures from different worlds and the same creepy and deadly deamons.

Visually this book is like the others with it’s vivid details that make the world so amazing. I could see everything they saw in my mind as I read. I could see the icky creatures (sorta wish I couldn’t), could see the power of Kate’s light and fire, the connections between everyone. The pain as people are lost in the war. With war also comes lots of action and fighting both magical and traditional.

Yes, I should warn everyone here have tissues on hand. I admit I’m a girlie girl sometimes especially when I get really invested in a story or characters. I was reading this book and had to stop for the night at one point because I couldn’t stop crying and well it was rather hard to keep reading as my eyes went from watery to burning (my eyes are strange and 75% of the time I cry they burn no idea why). So I went to bed and tossed and turned wanting nothing more than to know the end, to know if I would keep crying or not. This is war after all and there are bound to be causalities or it wouldn’t be believable.

I have given this book a much deserved 5 Stars. Now this is where I would normally put in any complaints with the book and past experience has been that I have to wait for the next one, however, Wilde’s Meadow is the last in the series. No more waiting. I guess that would be my only tiny complaint, yes as much as I hate waiting for more, endings are sad and final. I think this book gives a fitting end to the story and I love this series and will recommend it to anyone and everyone.

So people keep your eyes open for this trilogy. Wilde’s Fire & Wilde’s Army are already out and the conclusion of the series Wilde’s Meadow comes out in 2 short days. Check it out.

*There is an amazing interview with the author herself on Sus’s blog. Also note my excitement as she waves when answering my question hehe.(less)

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Nov 22, 2012 Julie-anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

The final fight is here. Katriona must face the god inhabiting her best friend, and she must kill him and believe that Griandor will keep his word and bring him back to life. She must trust her army and has to face the facts that she will lose some of her friends.

This is the last book in the series - I feel I keep getting surprised by finale books lately. So many series that I really enjoy are coming to an end without my prior knowledge, seriously it has happened so much recently.

I have really e...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Gretchen Hohmeyer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley, reviewed, on-amazon

This review originally appeared on my blog, My Life is a Notebook, HERE.

Well, this is the end. Hopefully, if you’re reading this, you’ve read my reviews of Wilde’s Fire and Wilde’s Army. If not, spoilers will abound.

I did not like Wilde’s Fire. I’m just going to put that out there. I thought Kate and Arland’s romance was absolutely ridiculous and creepy, but I finished the book anyways. Somehow, for some reason, I also requested Wilde’s Army when it came out. It wasn’t the best, but it was actua...more This review originally appeared on my blog, My Life is a Notebook, HERE.

Well, this is the end. Hopefully, if you’re reading this, you’ve read my reviews of Wilde’s Fire and Wilde’s Army. If not, spoilers will abound.

I did not like Wilde’s Fire. I’m just going to put that out there. I thought Kate and Arland’s romance was absolutely ridiculous and creepy, but I finished the book anyways. Somehow, for some reason, I also requested Wilde’s Army when it came out. It wasn’t the best, but it was actually surprisingly better than the first one. Maybe it’s because Arland is absent for a long time in that one…

For better or for worse, I also requested Wilde’s Meadow, because since I’d made it through the first two, why not? Unfortunetly, I was rather disappointed.

Kate and Arland are back in full swing for this one, and syrupy sweet. The freaky intensity of their relationship brings me to think of Twilight, which is never a good thing. In multiple instances, they leave people waiting and ignore a war so they can “enjoy being newlyweds.” Honestly, I prefer it when you’re fighting demons.

Despite the war aspect, there wasn’t as much action as I was expecting. Or, rather, when it happened, Kate wasn’t always actively participating. Sure, she did her fair share, but too many huge plot points in the novel were taken out of Kate’s hands and figured out for her. The amount of times that people had to lead her around to what she needed to save the world was infuriating.

There were also far, far too many characters, once again. Worse, these characters got an attempt at depth, but then nothing ever fully did them justice. I never believed in the change of the character of Perth, for example. He was always pretty rude, and otherwise flat. The senseless deaths of other characters also made no sense.

I think the biggest things that threw me off were the plot “twists.” But they weren’t really twists. The way they were thrown into the story, they felt like plot inventions, suddenly thrown in to move things along, like a NaNo novel.

All in all, it was a fight to get to the end of the book. The characters were always defeating my attempts to like them, and the plot was really jerky. I find this to be one of the few series where the middle book was actually the best.(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Susie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, ya, romance

For a more in depth review, head on over to my blog: http://susreviews.blogspot.com/2012/0...

Synopsis: Picking up where Wilde's Army (Darkness Falls Book 2) left off, Kate and Arland are setting off with their army to seek out the evil god Dugball and his hoards of daemons. They must meet the god in the Meadows, but getting there will be risky - despite fighting off daemons, they also have to fight their own fears, gain the trust of other-worldly allies and not starve in the process. And even if...more

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May 13, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-read-giveaway, fantasy, paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 29, 2012 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kismet-tours, netgalley

The Darkness Falls series was fast paced, filled with interesting characters and was rounded off with a great imaginative storyline. The world building from book 1 was attention grabbing and I loved learning everything about Encardia. Katriona started out as any girl next door, knew nothing of her true self or where she came from and grew into a great heroine that was destined to save a world. She went through many ups and downs, lost many and gained some as well.

WILDE'S MEADOW rounded off the...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Ash of Typing Tiara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, kindle, netgalley, read-in-2012, reviewed-typing-tiara-blog

Wow. I can't believe this trilogy is already over...it seems as if I only JUST barely started the first one. OH. And if you've read this far without realizing, THIS IS THE THIRD IN A TRILOGY...as in THE END. So if you haven't read Wilde's Fire yet, go grab it, devour it, same with the sequel then come back and see me, mmkay? ;]

I loved the first two books in this series. They were brilliant fantasies with characters that I adored, the kind of novels that I would like to write someday. Engaging,...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Fel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, here we are, approaching the Meadow that Kate has dreamed of–and not in a good way. Encardia is still engulfed in a war with darkness, the losses continue piling up, and Kate is heading to the very place she’s watched Arland die in her dreams so many times. The characters we love–Arland, Kate, Perth, Brit, Cadman–and some surprising new allies are armed for the battle with weapons, prophesies, and most importantly secrets. Everything must be revealed in its own time.

When I think of the ove...more Well, here we are, approaching the Meadow that Kate has dreamed of–and not in a good way. Encardia is still engulfed in a war with darkness, the losses continue piling up, and Kate is heading to the very place she’s watched Arland die in her dreams so many times. The characters we love–Arland, Kate, Perth, Brit, Cadman–and some surprising new allies are armed for the battle with weapons, prophesies, and most importantly secrets. Everything must be revealed in its own time.

When I think of the overall feel of the book, I remember watching Monstervision as a kid and Joe Bob Briggs’ quote “anyone can die at anytime.” It creates an excellent horror movie and an even better book. Krystal Wade captures that feeling with this book, you want to turn the page and find out what happens and yet you know that anyone is fair game. Add to that to the suspense created by the front cover, and you’re in for an emotional tsunami every time you turn a page.

Krystal also spared no expense depicting how difficult war can be, especially for a woman suddenly thrust into battle. We have a rotting world thanks to the darkness, people are separated from those they love, they are dying, starving, and puking. For women we have the added gift of the monthly cycle. There’s nothing glorious about this battlefield.

The prophesies were confusing, and because of that the novel also takes on more of a head game as the remaining characters try to figure out what it all means. I would have liked some more action during their discussions, but after Dughbal’s death (which in the end was fairly simple in contrast to all of the lives lost to get there) there’s a great deal of plotting and deciphering of poetic hints. By the end of the book, I though my insides would liquefy from all of the tension, waiting for that final moment that will bring Light back to Encardia.
Final verdict- Weighing out my subjective and objective takes on the book, I keep coming to a rating of 4.5, which I’ll round up for the sake of math and our whole-star system. I highly recommend the entire series.(less)

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Oct 18, 2012 Jessa Russo rated it 5 of 5 stars

GAH! Well, it's happened folks. The last book of a fantastic series has been devoured. I'm both ecstatic to have read it, and devastated that it has ended.

But, with that said, I have only great things to say about WILDE'S MEADOW - though I imagine you knew that was coming. I obsessed over the entire series and read the first two in about two days.

Anyway, I just finished WILDE'S MEADOW, and can say that though there is an influx of tragedy and drama (which you can foresee by looking at that pow...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Vicci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow! Great way to end the series! It was such a heartwarming read. I really found myself lost with the world of Kate and friends. You will cry at parts. It is a true tearjerker in certan parts. ( fair warning you will need tissues!)
I found myself just in awe of love Kate and Arland. Thier Strength was just so wonderful. Love Love the HEA a great way to finish!

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Nov 29, 2012 Jackie -Sated Faery rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: other-paranormal

OMG!!! What an ending! I won't lie to you, there were tears. Many, many tears. But somehow the ending managed to warm my heart and heal the pain. The love between Katriona & Arland is simply amazing, and they are both truly honest and good to all the people around them. They make incredible sacrifices for their people. Once the rest of Encardia's eyes are open to the truth, some of them turn out to be very brave & worthy of all the sacrifice. The bad guys are definitely bad to the bone,...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Susan Commeford rated it 5 of 5 stars

A very satisfying conclusion to the story. I really like this series and recommend it. The language is clean and the love story is told in a manner appropriate for any age.

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Mar 24, 2013 Tia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1-netgalley, 3-kindle, paranormal-fantasy, romance, 00

Everything I knew it would be. It is a great ending to an awesome trilogy. Mrs Wade didn't disappoint. The last 15% of the book was thrilling, open mouth gasping, breath holding good.

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Jun 15, 2013 Jenny marked it as to-read

Shelves: series-continuations

Jun 14, 2013 Cassandra Burchett-chhoeun rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jun 13, 2013 Cristina (Bibliophile Mystery) marked it as to-read

Jun 12, 2013 Stephenie marked it as to-read

Jun 08, 2013 Amber marked it as to-read

Shelves: unread-on-kindle

Jun 07, 2013 Ashley marked it as to-read

Jun 04, 2013 Kelly marked it as to-read

Jun 03, 2013 Chantell Tate woods rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Wilde's Meadow (Darkness Falls #3)

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