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Ash Princess Trilogy #3
Ember Queen
The Ash Princess is dead. Long live the Queen.
Princess Theodosia was a prisoner in her own country for a decade, made to wear a crown of ash. But there was fire in her blood and she escaped, gathering a misfit army of rebels behind her.
Now they have a new and terrifying enemy – the Kaiserin. Possessed of magic no one understands, she is determined to burn down anything and anyone in her way. As the Kaiserin's power grows stronger and her beloved Prinz Søren is taken hostage, Theo is forced to make a terrible choice – will she overcome her heart to liberate her enslaved people and finally reclaim her rightful place as Queen?
Ember Queen is the explosive final part of Laura Sebastian's New York Times bestselling Ash Princess trilogy.
481 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2020
1266 people are currently reading
38950 people want to read
About the author
Laura Sebastian
13 books4,210 followersLaura Sebastian grew up in South Florida and attended Savannah College of Art and Design. She now lives and writes in London, England, with her two dogs, Neville and Circe. Laura is the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series: Ash Princess, Lady Smoke, and Ember Queen, as well as the Castles in Their Bones series: Castles in Their Bones, Stardust in Their Veins, and Poison In Their Hearts; Half Sick of Shadows, her first novel for adults; and Into the Glades, for middle-grade readers.
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August 6, 2019Heron: *breathes*
Me: preCiOuS sMoL cHiLd I MuST pRoTeCC
Me: preCiOuS sMoL cHiLd I MuST pRoTeCC
March 25, 2020
A fantastic end to an amazing trilogy! I never expected to fall in love with this story, these characters, and this world as much as I did. Of all the YA fantasy series I've read over the past year, this is the finale I looked forward to the most, and it definitely delivered.
Laura Sebastian continues to use this story to explore thought-provoking topics echoed throughout the trilogy, including morality in times of war and the idea that no person can be categorized simply as good or evil. Theo is my resilient, fierce queen who reclaims her power and finds her voice with the help of the most lovable entourage you could ask for in a supporting YA cast.
Magic, sword fights, romance, deep friendships, cliffhangers, a complex villain, a heroine that makes you want to cheer out loud... this trilogy has it all.
By no means was this book perfect, as some of the plot in Ember Queen was predictable and there were a couple of (smaller) loose ends I would've liked to have seen tied up; however, these elements were easy to overlook with what this book accomplished regarding characters, worldbuilding, story, stakes, and just...pretty much everything. I will miss Theo and her crew, but it comforts me to know I can always go back and reread her story in the hopes of learning something new and falling more in love with the series every time.
Laura Sebastian continues to use this story to explore thought-provoking topics echoed throughout the trilogy, including morality in times of war and the idea that no person can be categorized simply as good or evil. Theo is my resilient, fierce queen who reclaims her power and finds her voice with the help of the most lovable entourage you could ask for in a supporting YA cast.
Magic, sword fights, romance, deep friendships, cliffhangers, a complex villain, a heroine that makes you want to cheer out loud... this trilogy has it all.
By no means was this book perfect, as some of the plot in Ember Queen was predictable and there were a couple of (smaller) loose ends I would've liked to have seen tied up; however, these elements were easy to overlook with what this book accomplished regarding characters, worldbuilding, story, stakes, and just...pretty much everything. I will miss Theo and her crew, but it comforts me to know I can always go back and reread her story in the hopes of learning something new and falling more in love with the series every time.
July 8, 2020
"I died the Queen of Peace, and peace died with me...But you are the Queen of Flame and Fury, and you will set the world on fire."
What a SATISFYING end to the series! It's so criminally underrated and for the life of me, I can't understand why! It deserves to sit among the ranks of the Remnant Chronicles and the Winner's Curse trilogy in terms of brilliant YA political fantasy trilogies!
And for all the reviews that complained of the pacing...did we read the same book? It seemed to be rather similar to the pacing in both Ash Princess and Lady Smoke, so nothing out of the ordinary. If there's going to be political intrigue, it's natural to have a balance between action and politics, battles and betrayals. And personally, those are my favourite types of fantasies to read!!!
Theo was her badarse, strategic self, willing to do anything for her country and her people, no matter if she had to sacrifice her own happiness to get it. I'm also pleased that - with the exception of one character :((( - all of my babies made it out alive. So often, authors kill off secondary characters senselessly, when there are other, completely obvious solutions. I was sad that Søren was a "dude in distress," as usual, for a chunk of the book, but he ultimately rejoined the fray and the whole band got back together! I love when my favourite characters all work together, rather than authors separating them for the majority the novel. Part of the reason we love these characters are for their relationships and banter WITH EACH OTHER, so I prefer them together, rather than apart, and Laura Sebastian definitely did that here.
So, why didn't I rate this 5-stars? This trilogy, as a whole, is a solid 4-star read...mainly because, while it's extremely well-written and compulsively readable...it also doesn't bring anything new to the genre, per se. It's enjoyable, but not necessarily innovative. It's page turning, yet simultaneously predictable. That's not to say I didn't love it, but it still needed that extra *something* to a get a five-star rating from me, which it didn't deliver.
Regardless, I still consider this as one of my favourite YA trilogies and I'm so thankful to the author that she came through in the end and gave me everything that I wanted with this finale. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend that you do so soon!!! :D I can't wait for Laura Sebastian's next series!
What a SATISFYING end to the series! It's so criminally underrated and for the life of me, I can't understand why! It deserves to sit among the ranks of the Remnant Chronicles and the Winner's Curse trilogy in terms of brilliant YA political fantasy trilogies!
And for all the reviews that complained of the pacing...did we read the same book? It seemed to be rather similar to the pacing in both Ash Princess and Lady Smoke, so nothing out of the ordinary. If there's going to be political intrigue, it's natural to have a balance between action and politics, battles and betrayals. And personally, those are my favourite types of fantasies to read!!!
Theo was her badarse, strategic self, willing to do anything for her country and her people, no matter if she had to sacrifice her own happiness to get it. I'm also pleased that - with the exception of one character :((( - all of my babies made it out alive. So often, authors kill off secondary characters senselessly, when there are other, completely obvious solutions. I was sad that Søren was a "dude in distress," as usual, for a chunk of the book, but he ultimately rejoined the fray and the whole band got back together! I love when my favourite characters all work together, rather than authors separating them for the majority the novel. Part of the reason we love these characters are for their relationships and banter WITH EACH OTHER, so I prefer them together, rather than apart, and Laura Sebastian definitely did that here.
So, why didn't I rate this 5-stars? This trilogy, as a whole, is a solid 4-star read...mainly because, while it's extremely well-written and compulsively readable...it also doesn't bring anything new to the genre, per se. It's enjoyable, but not necessarily innovative. It's page turning, yet simultaneously predictable. That's not to say I didn't love it, but it still needed that extra *something* to a get a five-star rating from me, which it didn't deliver.
Regardless, I still consider this as one of my favourite YA trilogies and I'm so thankful to the author that she came through in the end and gave me everything that I wanted with this finale. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend that you do so soon!!! :D I can't wait for Laura Sebastian's next series!
June 2, 2020
This book was SO DAMN SLOW. I didn’t think I’d ever get to the big battle. And once I did, I kept falling asleep during it. Took me three days just to read the ending. That’s how blah it was.
I read this series strictly for Soren, Art, and Heron. They are the only reason this book didn’t get 1 star.
Queen Theo and her weird relationship with Blaise was annoying the entire series and continued to be so through this. There it is. That’s the series. No need for you to read it now, as none of the other loose ends/character arcs will be tied up. Isn’t that neato? I know I’m pleased.
Like, soooOOOoooOOOoooOOOOOO pleased. Great use of my time. Bravo.
Fucking fuck.
I read this series strictly for Soren, Art, and Heron. They are the only reason this book didn’t get 1 star.
Queen Theo and her weird relationship with Blaise was annoying the entire series and continued to be so through this. There it is. That’s the series. No need for you to read it now, as none of the other loose ends/character arcs will be tied up. Isn’t that neato? I know I’m pleased.
Like, soooOOOoooOOOoooOOOOOO pleased. Great use of my time. Bravo.
Fucking fuck.
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January 19, 2019$10 says this is gonna be called Fire Queen or something similar . . .
Okay so EMBER IS CLOSE TO FIRE SO WOW WAS I RIGHT OR WAS I RIGHT???
Okay so EMBER IS CLOSE TO FIRE SO WOW WAS I RIGHT OR WAS I RIGHT???
September 5, 2024
✅ Characters
✅ Politics and scheming
✅ Plot
✅ Pace
✅ Action
✅🆗 Romance
✅🆗 Ending / Epilogue
After taking control of the fire mine, Theodosia and her army need to find a way to gain more fighters, take control of the capital, and do it quickly before the Kaiserin realizes that Theo is not dead and that her army continues to march towards the capital. After spending two weeks in the depth of the fire mine, Theo now has new powers and abilities that will for sure help her fight against Cress, but that can also put her life in danger.
The pace is good, and there is a balance between politics and action. The chapters are short too and I found that it made it even easier to read the book. Theo and her small army need to plan a sound strategy in order to defeat the Kalovaxians that have the advantage of number and experience. We can see their planning and everything that goes wrong with their plans, but also the fights and action scenes.
I liked that this book explored topics such as sacrificing a few for the many, and the overall morality during times of war. Theo has some tough decisions to make, and she had to continue putting the fate of Astrea first if she wanted to be a worthy queen. That means putting Astrea before the lives of people she loves, or before her own life.
While being young and somewhat untested Theo was still able to be logical and rational, and also willing to listen to the people helping her. She was almost too good at planning logical attack plans? I mean, she has no war experience besides when her country was invaded 10 years ago, but she has sound and good strategies... I was impressed, and a part of me found that maybe she was a little too good at that, but in the end, it did not matter really. The book was still great, and she has more experienced allies to help her plan, so I'll just say that she was a really good strategist thanks to them.
Theo also grew a lot since the first book, and while I was not her biggest fan in the first book, I really love who she became throughout the adventure. We can really see her growth in this book, and see how she is trying to adjust to her new role as leader of the army, and queen of Astrea, and how resilient and determined she is.
I have to say though that the final confrontation between Cress and Theo could have been better handled. Heron has the capacity to render himself ad others invisible, yet Theo takes the time to speak with Cress, to listen to her foolish demands, and to try to find a way around it. Wouldn’t it have been much simpler for Heron to become invisible and kill Cress while Theo was distracting her? I am still very happy with the way it turned out, and some loose ends were finally tied, but I think they could have used a more logical approach as a group.
The ending is full of action, but then the epilogue does not really show us an "after". It's more of a conclusion to the final confrontation, but I would have liked to know more about how each remaining character went on with their life after the war. It's a minor detail, but it still bugs me, because the characters talked about their plans for the "after", but we don't get to see if they will be able to follow their plans or not. I was hoping for a more satisfying epilogue.
I like the way Theo and Soren's relationship evolved in this final book, and I am very satisfied, but I would have liked to see a little bit more of Soren, and more of them together. I completely understand that they are in the middle of a war, but Theo spent almost no time with Soren since the first book, and I felt that without this time together, the development of their relationship was a little less believable (while still being enjoyable).
Objectively, this series is similar to many other YA series, and it brings nothing really new or unexpected, but it is quick-paced, full of politics and action, and a real page-turner and I enjoyed it very much.
1. Ash Princess ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Lady Smoke ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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✅ Politics and scheming
✅ Plot
✅ Pace
✅ Action
✅🆗 Romance
✅🆗 Ending / Epilogue
"I died the Queen of Peace, and peace died with me...
But you are the Queen of Flame and Fury, and you will set the world on fire."
After taking control of the fire mine, Theodosia and her army need to find a way to gain more fighters, take control of the capital, and do it quickly before the Kaiserin realizes that Theo is not dead and that her army continues to march towards the capital. After spending two weeks in the depth of the fire mine, Theo now has new powers and abilities that will for sure help her fight against Cress, but that can also put her life in danger.
The pace is good, and there is a balance between politics and action. The chapters are short too and I found that it made it even easier to read the book. Theo and her small army need to plan a sound strategy in order to defeat the Kalovaxians that have the advantage of number and experience. We can see their planning and everything that goes wrong with their plans, but also the fights and action scenes.
“There’s no shame in breaking,” I tell him. “Gods know I did often enough. You just have to put yourself back together again.”
I liked that this book explored topics such as sacrificing a few for the many, and the overall morality during times of war. Theo has some tough decisions to make, and she had to continue putting the fate of Astrea first if she wanted to be a worthy queen. That means putting Astrea before the lives of people she loves, or before her own life.
While being young and somewhat untested Theo was still able to be logical and rational, and also willing to listen to the people helping her. She was almost too good at planning logical attack plans? I mean, she has no war experience besides when her country was invaded 10 years ago, but she has sound and good strategies... I was impressed, and a part of me found that maybe she was a little too good at that, but in the end, it did not matter really. The book was still great, and she has more experienced allies to help her plan, so I'll just say that she was a really good strategist thanks to them.
“There’s no shame in reaching your limits, Theo,” he says, using a small gust of air to invigorate the weak fire into a full blaze. “It means you’ve given something your all.”
Theo also grew a lot since the first book, and while I was not her biggest fan in the first book, I really love who she became throughout the adventure. We can really see her growth in this book, and see how she is trying to adjust to her new role as leader of the army, and queen of Astrea, and how resilient and determined she is.
I have to say though that the final confrontation between Cress and Theo could have been better handled. Heron has the capacity to render himself ad others invisible, yet Theo takes the time to speak with Cress, to listen to her foolish demands, and to try to find a way around it. Wouldn’t it have been much simpler for Heron to become invisible and kill Cress while Theo was distracting her? I am still very happy with the way it turned out, and some loose ends were finally tied, but I think they could have used a more logical approach as a group.
The ending is full of action, but then the epilogue does not really show us an "after". It's more of a conclusion to the final confrontation, but I would have liked to know more about how each remaining character went on with their life after the war. It's a minor detail, but it still bugs me, because the characters talked about their plans for the "after", but we don't get to see if they will be able to follow their plans or not. I was hoping for a more satisfying epilogue.
“Yana Crebesti,” I murmur against his lips. “No matter what comes.”
I like the way Theo and Soren's relationship evolved in this final book, and I am very satisfied, but I would have liked to see a little bit more of Soren, and more of them together. I completely understand that they are in the middle of a war, but Theo spent almost no time with Soren since the first book, and I felt that without this time together, the development of their relationship was a little less believable (while still being enjoyable).
Objectively, this series is similar to many other YA series, and it brings nothing really new or unexpected, but it is quick-paced, full of politics and action, and a real page-turner and I enjoyed it very much.
1. Ash Princess ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Lady Smoke ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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July 20, 2020
Update: Lowered a star, because if I hold no good feelings towards this book then why is it 2*? I barely have any 1* books so I'm working on correcting my rating system.
Was I disappointed? I don't know. I didn't really have any expectations. Ah well, everyone knows the third book is never as good as the first 2. I finally got this over with and now I can read Chain of Gold!
What can I say? I feel like this is just the average YA fantasy trope-heavy next book in a series that starts off brilliant.....and just kind of goes down. Ember Queen strongly resembles the sequel to Snow Like Ashes (Ice Like Fire), but I gave that a three because the ending redeemed it. I got no redemption from this book, no matter what the reviews said.
This book is as dull as it gets. There was no plot. Okay well maybe there was, but it was kinda boring, kinda interesting at the same time. Laura Sebastian could have done something with this book, but instead it felt like she was just writing to meet a deadline because there wasn't any intrigue, any plot-twists, anything.
And the romance! wHaT?
wHat HaPpeNeD?
What I was looking sooo forward to: a reunion of my OTP Soren and Theo!!! :D
What I got: I shipped Blaise and Theo instead . because Soren and Theo fell flat .
Blaise. The Blaise I used to hate with all my heart because Soren, the crown prince, was obviously a lot better and awwww Soren and Theo was so cute in the other books! Well that went down the drain.
Yeah and speaking about Blaise.....LAURA SEBASTIAN YOU DID HIM DIRTY. UNFORGIVABLE. ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE. Theo treated him like dirt. Hellloooo? You're supposed to be his best friend and actually love him? Where'd the romance go? UGH. He was so irrevelant in this, and set aside by Theo, and I'm sorry, but Blaise was like the only good thing about this book, and even that was ruined.
So yeah....my OTP (Soren and Theo) dissolved into nothing for me because of this. YAY
And my new ship Blaise and Theo went nowhere.
But don't let this review put you off Ash Princess and Lady Smoke, because they really are great fantasy novels, just don't bother with this one. It's not worth the time, unless you're like me and have to know what happens - because this is mildly interesting, don't get me wrong. If you can deal with only that.... :)
Even then though. It fell flat and there are a lot better YA fantasy novels you can spend your time reading.
Was I disappointed? I don't know. I didn't really have any expectations. Ah well, everyone knows the third book is never as good as the first 2. I finally got this over with and now I can read Chain of Gold!
"I died the Queen of Peace, and peace died with me," my mother told me. "But you are the Queen of Flame and Fury, and you will set their world on fire."
What can I say? I feel like this is just the average YA fantasy trope-heavy next book in a series that starts off brilliant.....and just kind of goes down. Ember Queen strongly resembles the sequel to Snow Like Ashes (Ice Like Fire), but I gave that a three because the ending redeemed it. I got no redemption from this book, no matter what the reviews said.
This book is as dull as it gets. There was no plot. Okay well maybe there was, but it was kinda boring, kinda interesting at the same time. Laura Sebastian could have done something with this book, but instead it felt like she was just writing to meet a deadline because there wasn't any intrigue, any plot-twists, anything.
And the romance! wHaT?
wHat HaPpeNeD?
What I was looking sooo forward to: a reunion of my OTP Soren and Theo!!! :D
What I got: I shipped Blaise and Theo instead . because Soren and Theo fell flat .
Blaise. The Blaise I used to hate with all my heart because Soren, the crown prince, was obviously a lot better and awwww Soren and Theo was so cute in the other books! Well that went down the drain.
Yeah and speaking about Blaise.....LAURA SEBASTIAN YOU DID HIM DIRTY. UNFORGIVABLE. ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE. Theo treated him like dirt. Hellloooo? You're supposed to be his best friend and actually love him? Where'd the romance go? UGH. He was so irrevelant in this, and set aside by Theo, and I'm sorry, but Blaise was like the only good thing about this book, and even that was ruined.
So yeah....my OTP (Soren and Theo) dissolved into nothing for me because of this. YAY
And my new ship Blaise and Theo went nowhere.
But don't let this review put you off Ash Princess and Lady Smoke, because they really are great fantasy novels, just don't bother with this one. It's not worth the time, unless you're like me and have to know what happens - because this is mildly interesting, don't get me wrong. If you can deal with only that.... :)
Even then though. It fell flat and there are a lot better YA fantasy novels you can spend your time reading.
June 14, 2021
“There's no shame in breaking. You just have to put yourself back together again."
4⭐
Ahhh......Not feeling good Not at alll. I'm soo angry and sad.
Why I'm angry -
Why I'm sad -
Plotline
The epic finale . Theo now back from the Fire mine is powerful as ever. She must now stand up against her friend, her heart's sister whom she once loved. With a large army behind her, Soren,Erik, and Maile she gears for the final war. On the other hand Blaise is suffering.
At every step, she must make a decision - To save her country or to save her loved ones. There is no right decisions.
Will Theo finally win or will she be silenced forever?
(Forgive me for the bad explanation)
World
The world was the same...We don't see anything new. We do see some new characters...but not very vital!
Writing
The writing was good. There was a flow to the story and nothing seemed abrupt! There were many quotes I liked...But I forgot what they were!
Romance
Characters
Theo SHe's awesome. She cares for her kingdom. And not for people like the prince.
Soren No comments. I have nothing to say abt him. I think I might be the only one who doesn't like him
Blaise The one character I love<3
Maile is super cool. So is Art Bcz of her, I now wanna have blue hair!
Erik and Heron are the definition of cute couples<33
“You’re brave,” Heron says, louder this time. “And steadfast. And you fight for your people—for what you know is right no matter what it costs you. You are, without a doubt, the handsomest man I’ve ever seen, and if you try to say otherwise one last time, I will break your nose as well, you vain ass.”
Yes Im fangirling all over<33
Cress is a solid villain. Bcz she's a villain, i dnt like her. But her narration, her character is extremely good. She is well developed and I loved it
Thoughts
AHHHH.....I'm mad. I gave this 3 stars, bcz of certain parts I liked. The ending was good...but the total book wasn't. And of course Blaise's death, I felt was unnecessary. There were soo many ways u could have solved and ended the war
Average rating for series: 3.5
Recommends for : Anyone looking for a grim, scary but typical YA . Morally grey characters are present throughout the story!
4⭐
Ahhh......Not feeling good Not at alll. I'm soo angry and sad.
Why I'm angry -
Why I'm sad -
Plotline
The epic finale . Theo now back from the Fire mine is powerful as ever. She must now stand up against her friend, her heart's sister whom she once loved. With a large army behind her, Soren,Erik, and Maile she gears for the final war. On the other hand Blaise is suffering.
At every step, she must make a decision - To save her country or to save her loved ones. There is no right decisions.
Will Theo finally win or will she be silenced forever?
(Forgive me for the bad explanation)
World
The world was the same...We don't see anything new. We do see some new characters...but not very vital!
Writing
The writing was good. There was a flow to the story and nothing seemed abrupt! There were many quotes I liked...But I forgot what they were!
Romance
Characters
Theo SHe's awesome. She cares for her kingdom. And not for people like the prince.
Soren No comments. I have nothing to say abt him. I think I might be the only one who doesn't like him
Blaise The one character I love<3
Maile is super cool. So is Art Bcz of her, I now wanna have blue hair!
Erik and Heron are the definition of cute couples<33
“You’re brave,” Heron says, louder this time. “And steadfast. And you fight for your people—for what you know is right no matter what it costs you. You are, without a doubt, the handsomest man I’ve ever seen, and if you try to say otherwise one last time, I will break your nose as well, you vain ass.”
Yes Im fangirling all over<33
Cress is a solid villain. Bcz she's a villain, i dnt like her. But her narration, her character is extremely good. She is well developed and I loved it
Thoughts
AHHHH.....I'm mad. I gave this 3 stars, bcz of certain parts I liked. The ending was good...but the total book wasn't. And of course Blaise's death, I felt was unnecessary. There were soo many ways u could have solved and ended the war
Average rating for series: 3.5
Recommends for : Anyone looking for a grim, scary but typical YA . Morally grey characters are present throughout the story!
March 26, 2021
This is the third instalment in The Ash Princess series.
Theodosia is the last remaining heir of a vanquished country, first owned by its conqueror and now her former best friend, turned enemy. She is amassing allies and powers but will it be enough to defeat the army hounding her or the girl who sits upon the throne and knows all of Theo's moves seemingly before she does?
This series has remained a fascinating fantasy story but has also focused heavily on Theos' various romantic connections. This book, however, retained the former whilst almost entirely severing the latter, and I feel it was made an altogether stronger concluding novel for that. It also ensured Theo herself grew in strength, without male attention to distract her, or allow others to renounce their belief in her solo power.
Despite remaining a thrilling story, it wasn't until the final quarter that this felt like a last series instalment, at all. A number of smaller skirmishes and setbacks featured throughout, before the final battle begun in earnest when so little of the book was left. That isn't to same that this was slow in pace or less interesting, but it did feel a little less action-focused than anticipated. The last 100 pages more than made up for that, however!
It left me tense and unsure how exactly Sebastian was going to bring this story to a satisfactory close. I need not have feared, however, as the conclusion did not feel rushed and gave me almost everything I desired. I wanted a little more information on the spiritgems and magical mines, both of which were the reason for magic existing in this world, but that hopefully means there is further room for more explorations in this complex and creative setting, in the future.
Theodosia is the last remaining heir of a vanquished country, first owned by its conqueror and now her former best friend, turned enemy. She is amassing allies and powers but will it be enough to defeat the army hounding her or the girl who sits upon the throne and knows all of Theo's moves seemingly before she does?
This series has remained a fascinating fantasy story but has also focused heavily on Theos' various romantic connections. This book, however, retained the former whilst almost entirely severing the latter, and I feel it was made an altogether stronger concluding novel for that. It also ensured Theo herself grew in strength, without male attention to distract her, or allow others to renounce their belief in her solo power.
Despite remaining a thrilling story, it wasn't until the final quarter that this felt like a last series instalment, at all. A number of smaller skirmishes and setbacks featured throughout, before the final battle begun in earnest when so little of the book was left. That isn't to same that this was slow in pace or less interesting, but it did feel a little less action-focused than anticipated. The last 100 pages more than made up for that, however!
It left me tense and unsure how exactly Sebastian was going to bring this story to a satisfactory close. I need not have feared, however, as the conclusion did not feel rushed and gave me almost everything I desired. I wanted a little more information on the spiritgems and magical mines, both of which were the reason for magic existing in this world, but that hopefully means there is further room for more explorations in this complex and creative setting, in the future.
January 27, 2024
Reread review: 4.5/5 stars. I can't believe it has been four years since this came out. I can't believe I don't remember this coming out at the start of COVID. I still utterly adore this trilogy, and it is probably the only 'colonizer-centric' relationship I've ever liked.
--------------------------
I made the mistake of reading the last few chapters (AKA the final battle and the aftermath) at work AND I AM NOT OKAY. I couldn't outwardly express my feelings, guys. THIS BOOK HAD ME LIKE-
Full review to come!
--------------------------
How did I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS COVER REVEAL.
I need this book nooooooooooooow
If there is an after, like you believe," she tells me, "I hope that one day I'll see you there."
It doesn't sound like a threat, but a genuine wish. Maybe yesterday it might have moved me, but today I feel nothing.
"If there is an after, you won't be allowed in."
--------------------------
I made the mistake of reading the last few chapters (AKA the final battle and the aftermath) at work AND I AM NOT OKAY. I couldn't outwardly express my feelings, guys. THIS BOOK HAD ME LIKE-
Full review to come!
--------------------------
How did I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS COVER REVEAL.
I need this book nooooooooooooow
February 29, 2020
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
This one was my least favorite of the series. It wasn't a bad ending or a bad book, but I felt it was a little lackluster for a series finale. Theo got on my nerves a lot because she just felt like she was trying so hard to be a martyr... or just like she blamed herself so much that it got really annoying. I just felt a little let down, I guess. I will say that these covers are so gorgeous!
This one was my least favorite of the series. It wasn't a bad ending or a bad book, but I felt it was a little lackluster for a series finale. Theo got on my nerves a lot because she just felt like she was trying so hard to be a martyr... or just like she blamed herself so much that it got really annoying. I just felt a little let down, I guess. I will say that these covers are so gorgeous!
June 21, 2024
Edit: 2 stars. The more I look back on it the more I realize how much I disliked it. I found the ending to be rather questionable (I address this in the spoiler section of my review).
This book was, for lack a more fitting word, meh. The series fell back into yet another story brimming with overused tropes. It wasn’t badly or messily written or plotted, just banal. And there were some points that I had issues with.
I was enjoying the first two-thirds or so, as the story operates in the same vein as Lady Smoke, my favorite installment of the series. Theo and her budding army move to retake the remaining mines. Meanwhile the fearsome Kaiseren looms, a distant—or maybe not so-distant-threat.
Let’s start with Theo. By the end of the novel, I just couldn’t connect to her. She felt too cold, and was unforgiving.
If you don’t know who Theo “ends up” with, don’t read on since I’m too lazy to place spoiler tags. But I think it was apparent who she chose in Lady Smoke.
The romance between the MC and love interest fell flat. I have shipped them since Ash Princess, but here Søren’s character felt weak, too dependent on Theo, though I did like how the other Astreans accepted him and forgave him in that one scene. Even though I didn’t feel for their love for each other. And I get that Astrean queens don’t marry or whatnot, but when
Other points:
- I did like Blaise though, interestingly enough, as I didn’t really care for him in the two previous volumes.
- The velstra was a random element that was just kind of thrown in there. It worked, but from a literary standpoint it was an underdeveloped plot device that served primarily to create more conflict.
- Art and Malie - no.
- The most emotional part of the book was near the end when
Overall, Ember Queen is well-rounded albeit somewhat lackluster and wholly unsurprising. As it contains several tropes, it will probably fail to surprise or engage avid YA/fantasy readers.
This book was, for lack a more fitting word, meh. The series fell back into yet another story brimming with overused tropes. It wasn’t badly or messily written or plotted, just banal. And there were some points that I had issues with.
I was enjoying the first two-thirds or so, as the story operates in the same vein as Lady Smoke, my favorite installment of the series. Theo and her budding army move to retake the remaining mines. Meanwhile the fearsome Kaiseren looms, a distant—or maybe not so-distant-threat.
Let’s start with Theo. By the end of the novel, I just couldn’t connect to her. She felt too cold, and was unforgiving.
If you don’t know who Theo “ends up” with, don’t read on since I’m too lazy to place spoiler tags. But I think it was apparent who she chose in Lady Smoke.
The romance between the MC and love interest fell flat. I have shipped them since Ash Princess, but here Søren’s character felt weak, too dependent on Theo, though I did like how the other Astreans accepted him and forgave him in that one scene. Even though I didn’t feel for their love for each other. And I get that Astrean queens don’t marry or whatnot, but when
Other points:
- I did like Blaise though, interestingly enough, as I didn’t really care for him in the two previous volumes.
- The velstra was a random element that was just kind of thrown in there. It worked, but from a literary standpoint it was an underdeveloped plot device that served primarily to create more conflict.
- Art and Malie - no.
- The most emotional part of the book was near the end when
Overall, Ember Queen is well-rounded albeit somewhat lackluster and wholly unsurprising. As it contains several tropes, it will probably fail to surprise or engage avid YA/fantasy readers.
July 15, 2021
so effing incredible. i cant express how amazing this series is. this final book was perfect.
February 6, 2020
"This throne is mine, and mine alone, and I am no longer afraid of it."
OMG!! I can't believe I finished these series! It is so pure and magical and I definitely know that I'll read them again and again) Many Thanks Laura Sebastian♥ I had a wonderful journey!
OMG!! I can't believe I finished these series! It is so pure and magical and I definitely know that I'll read them again and again) Many Thanks Laura Sebastian♥ I had a wonderful journey!
January 26, 2020
solid. an entirely satisfying ending. also, laura sebastian's writing is just.... really good, you guys.
February 6, 2020
I wanted to like this series so much more than I did but I just never really cared for any of the characters. I tried. I really did. It just felt like a generic Fantasy formula. The ending was also very anticlimactic. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. If I had to rate them, Lady Smoke was my favorite of the series, then Ash Princess, and I enjoyed Ember Queen the least. 🤷🏼♀️
January 29, 2020
This is a trilogy I have really enjoyed and overall I would give the whole thing 4 stars. HOWEVER, I can also admit that it also isn't bringing anything new to the table. There's a love triangle, a final battle, triumphs and defeats, and some loss. I can't even say for sure what stands out about this series to me, except that I liked it. I found the main character compelling, as well as her relationship with the big bad of the series (though I wish it had been a bit more developed). I liked her inner voice, and the people she surrounded herself with were at their most developed here. I didn't mind where the romance ended, though personally I never felt like she had strong romantic chemistry with either character. There were a couple scenes in the book where I was incredibly stressed about how they were going to come out. In the end, though, while I enjoyed this series I can also admit it didn't really bring anything new to the table. But if you haven't read anything else like this, which I really haven't (no Ember in the Ashes, or Red Queen, or Throne of Glass, or countless others), you will probably find it entertaining. Groundbreaking? No? Something I will read again? Hard to say. Entertaining? Engrossing? Absolutely.
March 1, 2020
As a finale, this was a bit underwhelming. While not bad per se, it just didn't feel all that gripping, and was far too predictable..
July 18, 2025
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · · spoiler free review · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
• Title: Ember Queen
* Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
-*・★・*
Wdym I’m done with the ash princess trilogy?! 😭🥺 this series will forever hold a very special place in my heart 💐
This book was by far the best in the series in my opinion! So much was happening and I genuinely couldn’t put it down, I’m going to miss all these characters that I’ve bonded with over the past few weeks 💕 if you’re looking for a fast paced YA fantasy with a subplot of romance, please put this series on your TBR, I promise you won’t regret it 💘
ー*・★・*
* Favorite Quotes:
"My name is Theodosia Eirene Houzzara, the Ember Queen, and there is no one left who would call me any different.”
ー*・★・*
Date started: July 9, 2025
Date finished: July 18, 2025
February 28, 2021
Well, this took a long time to read because school takes a lot of time apparently. Also, it’s been months since I read the first two books in the series and I keep doing this to myself where I read a book and don’t read the sequel for ages. So because of that, it took me a little while to get back into the world and stuff, and things came back to me as I started reading it so I don’t think the prolonged time of when I read book 2 and 3 really changed the outcome of how much I enjoyed this.
First off, I found it to be really repetitive, like unnecessarily so. So many similar scenes that probably were important but also probably could have been cut or combined into one just kept happening over and over again. Also, it was like the most boring military style campaign like ever? For me, there’s wasn’t that much tension or excitement and it sort of just featured the character moving along from one place to another. Honestly, for so much of the book, nothing major happened in my view and things could have been wrapped up so much quicker. Yet at the same time, the ending actually felt somewhat rushed for me as things were over in a few quick chapters, yet the journey the author took to take the reader to that ending was a bit indulgent in my view.
Also, I’ve just found that I sort of can’t take these characters all that seriously, because well, look, they are like what, 16? It just seems sort of ridiculous because these characters don’t feel sixteen and the things that they are doing, or how they act are not normal sixteen-year-old things. Sure, they’ve grown up early, and while I used to eat this stuff up constantly, I just find it difficult to believe now, simply due to the fact that they are so young doing things that would make most people tremble. I mean, these lads are going around burning people to ashes and leading an entire people in a war - as a sixteen-year-old. I’m sort of at the point where I find it difficult to take any of the things the characters do seriously, and I say this as a teenager, because looking at the people around me, we are here struggling do to our maths homework, let alone leading thousands of people in a war where people die on our behalf.
It’s sort of weird because I’m the target audience for YA, but more and more often, I’m finding myself to not be as interested in certain novels. I feel like that since I’ve branched out into reading more genres and age groups outside of YA, I don’t enjoy it as much. With this book, I ended up being sort of bored while also finding so much of it to be somewhat ludicrous.
I’m not super clear over the details over the last two books, but I felt like that very little character development happened here. I appreciated at what the author did with Cress’ character and how she was portrayed and built, but I just didn’t really find any of the other characters to be that interesting, nor change that much. There was a clear defining moment at the end for Theo, and a few spots here and there, but not enough for a five hundred paged novel in my view considering that it is told from her POV.
I don’t think that it’s actually a terrible book, and if I had read it like a year or two ago, I probably would have given it a four, but as of now, I didn’t really enjoy this that much. It was sort of tedious to get through and I just found the ending to be so predictable that there was no surprise factor at all for me.
4/10
First off, I found it to be really repetitive, like unnecessarily so. So many similar scenes that probably were important but also probably could have been cut or combined into one just kept happening over and over again. Also, it was like the most boring military style campaign like ever? For me, there’s wasn’t that much tension or excitement and it sort of just featured the character moving along from one place to another. Honestly, for so much of the book, nothing major happened in my view and things could have been wrapped up so much quicker. Yet at the same time, the ending actually felt somewhat rushed for me as things were over in a few quick chapters, yet the journey the author took to take the reader to that ending was a bit indulgent in my view.
Also, I’ve just found that I sort of can’t take these characters all that seriously, because well, look, they are like what, 16? It just seems sort of ridiculous because these characters don’t feel sixteen and the things that they are doing, or how they act are not normal sixteen-year-old things. Sure, they’ve grown up early, and while I used to eat this stuff up constantly, I just find it difficult to believe now, simply due to the fact that they are so young doing things that would make most people tremble. I mean, these lads are going around burning people to ashes and leading an entire people in a war - as a sixteen-year-old. I’m sort of at the point where I find it difficult to take any of the things the characters do seriously, and I say this as a teenager, because looking at the people around me, we are here struggling do to our maths homework, let alone leading thousands of people in a war where people die on our behalf.
It’s sort of weird because I’m the target audience for YA, but more and more often, I’m finding myself to not be as interested in certain novels. I feel like that since I’ve branched out into reading more genres and age groups outside of YA, I don’t enjoy it as much. With this book, I ended up being sort of bored while also finding so much of it to be somewhat ludicrous.
I’m not super clear over the details over the last two books, but I felt like that very little character development happened here. I appreciated at what the author did with Cress’ character and how she was portrayed and built, but I just didn’t really find any of the other characters to be that interesting, nor change that much. There was a clear defining moment at the end for Theo, and a few spots here and there, but not enough for a five hundred paged novel in my view considering that it is told from her POV.
I don’t think that it’s actually a terrible book, and if I had read it like a year or two ago, I probably would have given it a four, but as of now, I didn’t really enjoy this that much. It was sort of tedious to get through and I just found the ending to be so predictable that there was no surprise factor at all for me.
4/10
September 6, 2020
Ihr wisst gar nicht, wie sehr ich mich auf das Finale der „Ash Princess“-Trilogie gefreut habe. Obwohl mich der zweite Teil nicht so stark für sich einnehmen konnte, wie ich es erwartet hatte, hallte die Begeisterung des Reihenauftakts noch immer nach. Ich war bereit dafür, die Reise von Theodosia endlich zu einem Ende zu bringen und erhoffte mir ein furioses Finale. Ob ich es bekommen habe, erfahrt ihr hier:
Der dritte Band schließt fast nahtlos an das Ende des zweiten Teils an, was es mir unheimlich leicht machte, wieder einzusteigen. Es dauerte keine zwei Kapitel, bis ich mich „angekommen“ fühlte – in diesem Kreis aus Personen, die ich über die vielen Seiten schon so liebgewonnen hatte und an deren Seite ich nun endlich die letzten Schlachten schlagen wollte. Für mich war der Anfang viel stärker als erwartet. Ich war endlich wieder Feuer und Flamme, verspürte die pure Leselust, welche ich im ersten Band so zu schätzen gewusst und im zweiten umso mehr vermisst hatte. Die ersten 200 Seiten verflogen gerade deshalb beinahe unbemerkt. Leider ging es so aber nicht weiter. Im Anschluss an den brisanten Einstieg begegnete ich im Mittelteil des Werks einigen Längen – zwar immer wieder unterbrochen für kleinere, interessante Aspekte, aber die wirklich ausschlaggebenden und Gänsehaut bescherenden Handlungen ließen auf sich warten. Zum Glück fielen sie nicht ganz aus und bescherten mir als Leserin schlussendlich ein wirklich starkes, spannendes Finale, das mich spät abends trotz gestelltem Wecker erbarmungslos an die Seiten gefesselt hat. Dabei ist mir nochmal besonders gewusst geworden, wie gut die Charaktere nicht nur in sich aufgebaut, sondern auch aufeinander abgestimmt sind. Ich hatte nicht das Gefühl, bereits bekannte Charaktere aus anderen Büchern in neuer Kulisse wiederzutreffen, sondern lernte sie alle wahrhaftig für sich kennen und schätzen.
4 Sterne für „Ember Queen“ – und die gesamte Reihe.
Pluspunkte: Facettenreiche, entwicklungsstarke Charaktere; detailreiches, individuell aufgebautes Setting, überraschender Plot
Minuspunkt: Vor allem die Längen, die der Erzählstruktur ihre Dynamik nehmen
Der dritte Band schließt fast nahtlos an das Ende des zweiten Teils an, was es mir unheimlich leicht machte, wieder einzusteigen. Es dauerte keine zwei Kapitel, bis ich mich „angekommen“ fühlte – in diesem Kreis aus Personen, die ich über die vielen Seiten schon so liebgewonnen hatte und an deren Seite ich nun endlich die letzten Schlachten schlagen wollte. Für mich war der Anfang viel stärker als erwartet. Ich war endlich wieder Feuer und Flamme, verspürte die pure Leselust, welche ich im ersten Band so zu schätzen gewusst und im zweiten umso mehr vermisst hatte. Die ersten 200 Seiten verflogen gerade deshalb beinahe unbemerkt. Leider ging es so aber nicht weiter. Im Anschluss an den brisanten Einstieg begegnete ich im Mittelteil des Werks einigen Längen – zwar immer wieder unterbrochen für kleinere, interessante Aspekte, aber die wirklich ausschlaggebenden und Gänsehaut bescherenden Handlungen ließen auf sich warten. Zum Glück fielen sie nicht ganz aus und bescherten mir als Leserin schlussendlich ein wirklich starkes, spannendes Finale, das mich spät abends trotz gestelltem Wecker erbarmungslos an die Seiten gefesselt hat. Dabei ist mir nochmal besonders gewusst geworden, wie gut die Charaktere nicht nur in sich aufgebaut, sondern auch aufeinander abgestimmt sind. Ich hatte nicht das Gefühl, bereits bekannte Charaktere aus anderen Büchern in neuer Kulisse wiederzutreffen, sondern lernte sie alle wahrhaftig für sich kennen und schätzen.
4 Sterne für „Ember Queen“ – und die gesamte Reihe.
Pluspunkte: Facettenreiche, entwicklungsstarke Charaktere; detailreiches, individuell aufgebautes Setting, überraschender Plot
Minuspunkt: Vor allem die Längen, die der Erzählstruktur ihre Dynamik nehmen
April 9, 2020
Nice ending to the story although I wish we got have gotten more of the Prinz and Theo in the end and knew more about them. I was sad about Blaise. This story was pretty long and kinda drug on.
January 4, 2024
Oh my - what a fantastic end to an amazing trilogy. I sobbed - way too much
PS: the reason I picked this series up initially is because I was missing $ for free shipping - turns out it’s now in my top 3 favourite series
The world building - magic system
The world building throughout this series is really crystallized in book 2 (Lady Smoke). It’s not that it’s complex - but book 1 is focussed on Theodosia’s escape. The magic system is a bit complex though - but it’s logical once you understand where it comes from - which is crystallized in book 2 and 3. The magic system is vast - and it wasn’t even understood completely before the Kalovaxians arrived. So there’s things that are still left without answers.
Politics
Of course politics will be involved when we’re talking about taking back a kingdom. I actually enjoy political schemes in my books when it’s not too complex - which is the case here. Everyone has their own agenda and a very valid reason as to why they’re doing what they’re doing.
The first villain is replaced by someone even worse and I hated them both with passion.
Characters
Oh I loved them all!
This is a YA series, and I’m very picky for my YA - I often find them too childish. But it was not the case for this series. Theo is 16 but she endured so much trauma for so long that she’s very mature for her age - and Laura Sebastian really grasped what it’s like to actually grow up too fast. Theo has her weaknesses - like everyone else. But she’s the one with the most character development.
Everyone from Astrea and around endured either direct or indirect trauma ; and their personalities demonstrates that. Heron shows signs of dependant personality disorder - and that’s a trauma response. Art shows signs of avoidant personality disorder.
I love that Laura Sebastian didn’t just brush off their traumas. Even at the end, it’s not triumph or happiness beyond limits - the healing process hasn’t even begun and there’s hints to dissociation. I loved how real it felt… healing journeys aren’t easy and this book depicted it well
There were also hints of a love triangle in book 1 - but it was quickly dismissed. I hate love triangles so I was worried at first - but one of them is more of a platonic best friend. Loved that.
I loved Soren right from the start (even if he was the villain). He’s just… such a golden retriever? Love him. I’m happy about how things turned out at the end
Favorite quotes
« When the world turns on its head and I’m not sure of anything, I’m sure of you. No matter where we are or who we fight against, I am always fighting for you. »
« There’s no shame in breaking. Gods know I did often enough. You just have to put yourself back together again »
« Soren has always understood the darkest, most conflicted parts of me »
« I wonder if some places are so haunted with terrible memories that they are better left in ruins than built anew. »
« The anger is always going to be there, but you can give it a direction and a purpose and turn it into something good »
« It is a difficult path the gods have sent you down, but they would never give you more than you could handle »
I recommend this series to anyone who really loved Throne of glass & prison healer ❤️🔥
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June 28, 2025
I breezed through this trilogy in a matter of days and I was genuinely curious what would happen next, but I‘m sad to say that, ultimately, I expected more of this trilogy.
I enjoyed Ash Princess, the first book, then and now re-reading it, and I was still invested in Lady Smoke, even if I had some complaints. In Ember Queen, my immersion was again interrupted so that it fell short of my expectations. For one thing, some things went too smoothly, which made it hard for me to not be taken out of the story. For another, I‘ve read accounts of so many epic battles in the past years that the ones here just didn’t impress me. Battle plans and actual numbers were kept vague – likely enough for what this book is, a YA fantasy, but I wanted more. I know I‘m probably unfair with my judgement but I just can’t help it.
All in all, while not mind-blowing, these books (and others) proved a good detox after reading seven Malazan books back to back. And I was entertained so that‘s another win.
Spoiler below!
I didn’t understand why Theo had to kill Blaise when knocking him out had sufficed before. That really bothered me.
I enjoyed Ash Princess, the first book, then and now re-reading it, and I was still invested in Lady Smoke, even if I had some complaints. In Ember Queen, my immersion was again interrupted so that it fell short of my expectations. For one thing, some things went too smoothly, which made it hard for me to not be taken out of the story. For another, I‘ve read accounts of so many epic battles in the past years that the ones here just didn’t impress me. Battle plans and actual numbers were kept vague – likely enough for what this book is, a YA fantasy, but I wanted more. I know I‘m probably unfair with my judgement but I just can’t help it.
All in all, while not mind-blowing, these books (and others) proved a good detox after reading seven Malazan books back to back. And I was entertained so that‘s another win.
Spoiler below!
I didn’t understand why Theo had to kill Blaise when knocking him out had sufficed before. That really bothered me.
December 31, 2022
Es fählt mir schwer diese Buchreihe in Worte zu fassen. Theo ist eine unglaublich starke Protagonistin. Ich habe mit den Charakteren mitgefühlt, mitgehoft und mitgelitten. Eine unglaublich tolle Reihe mit sehr tiefgründigen Hintergründen.
June 20, 2020
Para ser el final de trilogía decayó mucho, sentí esta conclusión muy larga y la vez muy predecible, son 500 pag pero en si no paso mucho.
Si llegue a disfrutarlo porque la verdad tiene una trama muy buena y unos personajes grandiosos.
La protagonista(Theo)es una de las mejores que me encontrado en la fantasia.
Me dolio mucho ese final de cierto personaje porque tenias que morirte lloroo...
Fue muy duro leer esa escena, pero a la vez sentí que era lo mejor para la historia.
El final lo sentí muy apresurado también, la acción pasa tan rápido.
El villano(a) me hubiera gustado que sufriera mas, se lo merecía, pero bueno.
El epilogo es bonito pero muy muy corto, quería nose algo como un epilogo de años después para ver como fue el reinado de Theo, digo al final de cuentas de esto trato toda la trilogía de ella y su gente luchando por el trono.
En general, estoy algo decepcionada, me esperaba mas de ese final, pero si que recomiendo leer estos libros pues valen la pena.
Si llegue a disfrutarlo porque la verdad tiene una trama muy buena y unos personajes grandiosos.
La protagonista(Theo)es una de las mejores que me encontrado en la fantasia.
Me dolio mucho ese final de cierto personaje porque tenias que morirte lloroo...
Fue muy duro leer esa escena, pero a la vez sentí que era lo mejor para la historia.
El final lo sentí muy apresurado también, la acción pasa tan rápido.
El villano(a) me hubiera gustado que sufriera mas, se lo merecía, pero bueno.
El epilogo es bonito pero muy muy corto, quería nose algo como un epilogo de años después para ver como fue el reinado de Theo, digo al final de cuentas de esto trato toda la trilogía de ella y su gente luchando por el trono.
En general, estoy algo decepcionada, me esperaba mas de ese final, pero si que recomiendo leer estos libros pues valen la pena.
May 25, 2020
A | A marvelous end to this outstanding trilogy that stayed consistently strong throughout the whole trilogy, Ember Queen is a great example of how to write the last book in a series. The book’s strength lies in Sebastian’s writing and her ability to make me care about
al
the characters — even those that I found annoying and even those who I should feel no sympathy for — as well as the relationships between them.
Find the rest of this review on my blog, moon & coffee.
Find the rest of this review on my blog, moon & coffee.
February 1, 2022
~3.5 star~
This throne is mine, and mine alone, and I am no longer afraid of it.
This throne is mine, and mine alone, and I am no longer afraid of it.
December 2, 2020
Ember Queen was a beautiful weaving together of friendship, trust, tears, love, and sacrifice. This series completely enchanted me and I devoured it in no time at all. I fell in love with these characters. They held my heart in the palm of their hands during their action packed journey! So if you’re a fan of young adult and fantasy, definitely add this series to your tbr. Here are some of my favorite things about this final book…...
✮Sacrifice and Tears:
Oh, Ember Queen made me cry. Not only was life and war brutal and unfair. But the way some of the relationships played out tore my heart apart. These characters became real to me. I felt everything they did and I was with them every step of the way. So it was impossible for them not to mark my heart with their emotions. It was impossible not to find tears in my eyes or falling down my face. The sacrifice and certain moments in this story made me cry sad and happy tears. It was tragically and beautifully emotional. I loved it!
✮Friendship:
Friendship has played such a strong part in this trilogy. And in Ember Queen, it got even more complex. There was hurt because of decisions that were made. There was deep love between some of the friendships. And there was trust threaded through some of my favorite friendships. Through it all, it was fascinating watching how they protected each other. For those around Theo, my favorites were definitely Søren, Artemisia, Blaise, and Heron. Plus some from the previous books and ones we met in Ember Queen…but those names I’m keeping a secret.
✮Trust:
Just like sacrifice played a huge part, so did trust. In this final book, trust was put on the line and tested. And some of the things that happened, oh, I didn’t even see coming. I felt the knife to my heart, right along with Theo. But it all made for an exciting journey, plus I loved getting to see exactly who we could and couldn’t trust as things unfolded. It left me always wanting to know what happened next. So while there was tension, fighting, politics, and strategizing, there was always trust. And sometimes it took my breath away.
✮Love:
I don’t feel like I can say much about this, because of spoilers. But just know that the love in this trilogy was epic, heart felt and I was rooting for it from that very first book!
I binged this trilogy in a matter of days. And that never happens with me. I’m usually a much slower reader. The only thing I was left wanting was the ending to have a little bit more closure in regards to the romance. But still, I can’t wait to see whatever Laura Sebastian releases in the future!
For more of my reviews, please visit:
✮Sacrifice and Tears:
Oh, Ember Queen made me cry. Not only was life and war brutal and unfair. But the way some of the relationships played out tore my heart apart. These characters became real to me. I felt everything they did and I was with them every step of the way. So it was impossible for them not to mark my heart with their emotions. It was impossible not to find tears in my eyes or falling down my face. The sacrifice and certain moments in this story made me cry sad and happy tears. It was tragically and beautifully emotional. I loved it!
✮Friendship:
Friendship has played such a strong part in this trilogy. And in Ember Queen, it got even more complex. There was hurt because of decisions that were made. There was deep love between some of the friendships. And there was trust threaded through some of my favorite friendships. Through it all, it was fascinating watching how they protected each other. For those around Theo, my favorites were definitely Søren, Artemisia, Blaise, and Heron. Plus some from the previous books and ones we met in Ember Queen…but those names I’m keeping a secret.
✮Trust:
Just like sacrifice played a huge part, so did trust. In this final book, trust was put on the line and tested. And some of the things that happened, oh, I didn’t even see coming. I felt the knife to my heart, right along with Theo. But it all made for an exciting journey, plus I loved getting to see exactly who we could and couldn’t trust as things unfolded. It left me always wanting to know what happened next. So while there was tension, fighting, politics, and strategizing, there was always trust. And sometimes it took my breath away.
✮Love:
I don’t feel like I can say much about this, because of spoilers. But just know that the love in this trilogy was epic, heart felt and I was rooting for it from that very first book!
I binged this trilogy in a matter of days. And that never happens with me. I’m usually a much slower reader. The only thing I was left wanting was the ending to have a little bit more closure in regards to the romance. But still, I can’t wait to see whatever Laura Sebastian releases in the future!
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