Arcana Rising (The Arcana Chronicles, #4) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jun 06, 2019 Usagi77777772003 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-that-tug-at-your-heartstrings, really-addictive, amazing-world-building, heroine-sleeps-with-another, love-triangle, post-apocalyptic

This review is for books 1-4.

Wow, this series is, by far, my favorite one by Kresley Cole.

Before this, the only other book I really loved by her was "Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night." Somehow, the lead's chemistry and their romance in that book captured my heart and made it bleed .

But overall, her IAD series have a cheesy factor that just didn't appeal to me. The whole "you're mine because you're my predestined mate" thing kind of turned me off. Plus, something about the worldbuilding and term This review is for books 1-4.

Wow, this series is, by far, my favorite one by Kresley Cole.

Before this, the only other book I really loved by her was "Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night." Somehow, the lead's chemistry and their romance in that book captured my heart and made it bleed .

But overall, her IAD series have a cheesy factor that just didn't appeal to me. The whole "you're mine because you're my predestined mate" thing kind of turned me off. Plus, something about the worldbuilding and terminology just didn't mesh with me and I never warmed up to it.

The opposite, however, is true about her Arcana series. I was instantly hooked and the writing/world-building completely turned me into an addict. The prose was smooth and her characters all felt distinctive/real that it was like I was right there with them. I almost couldn't believe Kresley Cole wrote this as it feels completely different from her long-running IAD series.

The world-building and ideas (so creative to have characters with superpowers that's linked to taro cards) are incredible and I'm invested in all three of her main characters: Evie, Jack, and Aric. They're all well-fleshed out characters who are instrumental to the overarching plot. Not only that, but their chemistry with each other is simply scorching and gave me major feels. Seriously, I don't blame Evie for being caught between Jack and Aric because many circumstances and events kind of force her hand. With all that's happened to her, it's like the gods like to play one cruel joke after another on her. Evie is a flesh and blood character, one that I can relate with, so I can never hate her. I just want to hug her and wish for her to catch a break.

Jack and Aric are both compelling, well-developed characters and I love them both. I just prefer Aric, because he's more my type. Plus, his whole backstory is so heartbreaking and his yearning for the heroine squeezes my heart. As for Jack, I'm not as into the Cajun accent as many others are, but can't deny that he's an amazing character who also has hot chemistry with Evie. The love triangle is very well done and I'm fully invested. Honestly, even though I prefer Aric, I care about Jack too and my heart will also break if he doesn't get with Evie. Lol, I'm as conflicted as she is...I can't see either of them with anyone but her. Maybe Kresley Cole can give us a twist where both guys merge into one super Arcana card, lol.

My only gripe is that I prefer romances where the hero's obsessed and can never let the heroine go, but Jack has tried to be "noble" twice and it annoys me. He can't live without her, but lets her go twice for her "own good." I just hate that trope and would like him to get over that annoying inferiority complex of his (it's unattractive). Even though it's understandable that he feels that way due to his background, but I just hate that trait in a hero. It's a personal preference of mine for a romance hero to go after the heroine no matter what.

But regardless, this series took me by storm and Kresley Cole showed me she can integrate fantasy and romance seamlessly. I love all her main and supporting characters (Lark, Selena, Finn, Matthew, Tess, Sol, etc.) because she wrote them in a way that made them feel like real people. I also love her smooth writing style and prefer this world to her IAD one. It's really hard for me to become completely invested and engrossed in a book these days because I'm so picky. Most books just can't get me to feel any emotions and I'm more of an onlooker trying to fit into the book world. But with the Arcana chronicles, I was effortlessly sucked into its world and instantly connected with all the characters. I'm so emotionally invested that this series has the power to shatter my heart...kudos to Kresley Cole for creating a story, world, and characters with this much hold over me!!! ...more

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