Falling Kingdom Series by Morgan Rhodes, and Michelle Rowen - Reading from 'Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms #3)' from July 24th 2019

[Sharon]

Gathering Darkness, Chapters 32-33: (view spoiler)[ What the heck? Nic is working with Prince Ashur? How in the world did that happen? OMG! I cannot believe he did this. Cleo is your friend. I really do not like Nicolo Cassian that much anymore. (hide spoiler)]

Gathering Darkness, Chapter 34: (view spoiler)[ He mourn the death of the prince? I would have slapped him silly for betraying her like that. (hide spoiler)]

Gathering Darkness, Chapter 35: (view spoiler)[ Happy to know that he finally realizes that he loves Cleo. I am hoping that they are together now. (hide spoiler)]

Gathering Darkness, Ending Thoughts: (view spoiler)[ Fantastic ending to the series. I can't believe that Alexius died. So sad!! Reading the last book. Updates to be posted soon. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Meaghan wrote: "Frozen Tides 3%
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I agree learning about his earlier life added more to his character, and I understood his character a bit more too. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Quirks wrote: "Chapter 13
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I am really happy about it too! (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Meaghan wrote: "Frozen Tides 23%
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I agree with you. Amara is becoming more of her own, while Lucia is a non-existent character for me now. I definitely like Amara more now than in the third book. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Frozen Tides, 77%: (view spoiler)[ Ashur might not be truly dead? Now that I think of it, there was no burial. I swear this is definitely the YA version of Game of Thrones series because there is death wherever you turn. WTH!!! Lucia is pregnant? Now she needs to change her ways, or I will want to scream at her. (hide spoiler)]

[Sharon]

Frozen Tides, Ending Thoughts: (view spoiler)[ I do not think Magnus could kill Cleo even if Gaius wants him to because he loves her. I believe that love can trump any command. I can't wait for the fifth book. (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

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Reading from the 13th of July 2016

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[Abi]

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Reading from the 1st of September 2016

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[Helen 2.0]

Falling Kingdoms Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[Omg Magnus is in love with his sister?! How awkward :$
I guess they're not technically related by blood since Lucia is that baby that was stolen in the prologue. But still! Magnus doesn't know that and he's in love with her anyway...
Okay, no judgment. Love who you want, I guess. (hide spoiler)]

[Helen 2.0]

Falling Kingdoms Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[ Turns out Cleo is useless. She's not brave, smart, ambitious, engaging, or charismatic. The only thing she's got going for her is her looks - ouch. (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

Falling kingdoms chapter 1: (view spoiler)[I feel so bad for the merchant and his son! I wonder why Palasia is so barren, maybe because there's no magic?? (hide spoiler)]


Falling kingdoms chapter 3 (view spoiler)[I agree it seems weird even though she's not his sister by blood! But he doesn't know that, so he knows it's wrong! (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Restarting August 20th 2017. Happy Reading ☺

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[Dr. Andy]

Ch. 4 Lucia (view spoiler)[ I'm not sure where to start, I didn't particularly enjoy the last book and I don't have high expectations for this one. I want Magnus and Cleo to just admit they have feelings for each other. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Ch. 8 (view spoiler)[ I don't like Jonas. He annoys me so much. God, I wish he'd give up with his rebellion, it's literally a shit show. Lysandra is the only rebel I like. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Ch. 16 (view spoiler)[ A lot of threats have happened, but not much action. Maybe something will happen since Magnus, Cleo and Jonas are working together. I don't really like the accents of the narrator. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Ch 27 (view spoiler)[ Oh Cleo's in trouble now. Kyan sounds like a jackass. Lucia needs to take Timotheus seriously ugh. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Well I'm glad Kyan is dead/imprisoned whatever. I hope Lucia talks to Timotheus again. It's too bad Magnus didn't kill his father. Amara is an evil bitch. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

I'll try to get to Crystal Storm soon, but I don't have it as an audiobook.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Restarting November 12th 2017. Happy Reading ☺

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[Dr. Andy]

Might jump in if this gets to book 5

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Okay, I am starting this one tonight. =]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

11% (view spoiler)[I really like the start of this. I've gotten a glimpse into each of the main characters' lives and things are interesting right off the bat. I think that they Cast of Characters page at the beginning was extremely helpful before starting the book. Like, if I hadn't known that Lucia is adopted then I would have been grossed out over the way Magnus pines for her. Poor thing. He seems so messed up over it.

The opening scene where Aron kills Tomas was dramatic and awesome. Awesome in the sense that it added so much to the story. Not awesome so much that Tomas died.

I really love the writing style so far. The writing pulls you in and keeps you interested. And it flows so beautifully. The pace is perfect. This is my first Morgan Rhodes book and so far I am impressed. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

18% (view spoiler)[I am really curious about the Sanctuary and the Watchers. And a little confused honestly. Ioannes mentioned that if his sister had stayed there then she would be forever young, however, there are young watchers and elder watchers. And the elder watchers cannot use the hawk form to watch in the mortal world. That seems a little contradicting.

I am still really thrilled with the writing style. The words and dialogues are so smooth that I just race through them. The writing isn't confusing or disjointed in any way. It's bliss!

I was kind of irked that Cleo's father blamed her for the murder when Aron was the one that did it. Her father didn't even know the circumstances, but praised Aron for "protecting" her when all Aron did was instigate and cause the whole tragedy in the first place. And Theon does not seem happy at all about having to be Cleo's bodyguard. I get the sense that Nic may secretly like Cleo romantically, even though they are just best friends. I keep wondering if there will be any romance between Theon and Cleo. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

60% (view spoiler)[I can see why so many people call this series the YA version of Game of Thrones. There are quite a bit of adult-ish things going on, but not in exuberant detail. It's more nuanced or implied.

I'm not surprised a bit that Aron has no remorse for killing Tomas. I didn't foresee him truly devious, almost evil, personality though. I just thought that he was arrogant and foolish. But when he got physical with Cleo and expressed his desires so forcefully, I was a little surprised. Okay, not that surprised, but you know what I mean. =P And I was not all that surprised by Cleo's secret. I assumed as much, honestly.

I'm not surprised that Theon and Cleo are starting to care for each other, but it seemed a little rushed. They haven't really known each other that long.

I was surprised to find out about Emilia secret. I can't believe that she was in love with Theon's father. He must have been much older than she is. It's sad that she's so sick, but it's what she wants. She doesn't want to live without her love.

I am not shocked that Magnus's father is the one that caused his facial scar. He seems like such a terrible man. And killing his own son, even a bastard son, as a sacrifice to another leader is just so coldhearted.

I really like how the mythology of this world flows throughout the story.

I do not like Sabina Mallius one bit.

I'm not sure what to think about Chief Basilius. He lives in a lavish compound while his nation starves. He forms an alliance with another nation to seize another nation. He clearly knew that Jonas had come to him for other reasons than just his daughter's companion, yet he laughed and made jokes. He even warned Jonas that his daughter had a temper. He is a curious fellow, and I can't feel him out quite yet.

I am not surprised that Lucia has powers. We've only been expecting it since the beginning of the book.

I was surprised that the king admitted to being with a witch before he met the queen. Especially to Theon. I wonder what witch it was. Perhaps Sabina before she settled on King Gaius?

So Magnus's father knows how he feels about Lucia. It's curious that he tells Magnus a lot of secrets, but not the one that could end his internal suffering over having feelings for his sister. So cruel.

Eirene seemed kind. I wonder if she is more than a village person? The stories that she tells Nic and Cleo are enlightening. It's bringing more together about the plot.

I wonder what Jonas will do when he reaches the Chief...

I was really thrown by the scene with Sabina in Magnus's chambers. She offers herself to him as a lover, toys with him, and then Lucia enters the room and she toys with her as well. I am not all that upset that Lucia killed her with her powers. She was a hateful woman and deserved her fate. I am honestly not all that surprised that he father walks in and is proud of her for doing it.

Ioannes must really not trust the other watchers. I wonder why that is. I also wonder if there is more to him. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Finished (view spoiler)[So much happened in the last part of the book! Cleo gets captured by Jonas. They fight and argue, but deep down I think that he may be softening to her.

Magnus got confirmation from his mother that Lucia was adopted. He kisses her and she freaks out on him. I'm not surprised. Even though they don't share the same blood, they were raised as siblings. Lucia loves Magnus as a brother only. I think that she was really ruffled over the kiss.

Magnus is commanded by his father to go collect Cleo from Jonas. He finds her with Theon right after he rescues Cleo from the shed that Jonas had her in. Theon kills both of the guards that were with Magnus, and then Magnus kills Theon. Cleo's love for him is new, and she's so upset. Luckily Nic throws a rock at Magnus's head and disorients him so that he and Cleo can escape from Magnus. Magnus goes back to Limeros defeated.

King Gaius and Chief Basilius travel to Auranos to ask for King Corvin's surrender. They tell him that the have Cleo, but Cleo arrives back home after this.

Magnus stands up for himself when King Gaius is enraged about Cleo escaping. He tries to hit Magnus and he grabs his hand and threatens him. Good for you, Magnus! Finally standing up to your tyrant of a father. If only he could have done so sooner.

Even though Magnus is becoming so cold inside, there is still a glimmer of goodness in him. King Gaius caught Amia eavesdropping he chained her in a tower and tortured her. Magnus talked him out of hurting her further and the king let her go. The next day he arranged a wagon to take her away from the castle and he gave her money to live off of for a few years. He knew his father would find a reason to hurt her, so he saved her. There much still be some good left in him, even through all of his pain.

Jonas is having second thoughts about teaming up with Limeros. He is also having second thoughts about his leader since Chief Basilius lives in relative luxury while his countrymen starve. He suspects that King Gaius will turn on Paelsia, which he does. King Gaius kills Chief Basilius after they have taken the castle in Auranos. Lucia is asked to use her magic to get through the castle door. She does, and causes a huge explosion of magic raining fire everywhere. It killed hundreds of people. I feel like Lucia will have a lot of grief over it in the next book. I know that I would.

Cleo's father is killed and her sister dies right before the castle is taken. In the end, Cleo's father gives her a ring that belonged to her mother. It is the ring that the Watcher Eva used to gather the Kindred. Evidently, she is a descendant of the hunter that hid all of the Kindred. It turns out that Eilene was the watcher that she was looking for in Paelsia. She had given Cleo the seeds that she was seeking in the envelope that she handed to her. Her sister died before she could give them to her. Cleo escapes the castle and watches King Gaius speak to the Auranos people from the castle balcony. Jonas finds her in the crowd and tells her that he is a rebel now and whispers to her to be ready. Then Magnus finds her and captures her. Her friends are on the balcony with the enemy. They did not escape before the castle was taken.

I am so excited to read the next book! I hope that someone comments by then so I can chat about this series. I have so much I want to say. =D (hide spoiler)]

[Eesh]

Vanessa wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I don't have much to say, other that the fact that I almost feel bad for the poor bodyguard. Like, the moment he was introduced and it felt like he might be a love interest for Cleo, I had a feelings he'd get killed. He served the purpose of a plot device, the reason Cleo hates Magnus. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

@Quirks (view spoiler)[Yeah, I pretty much agree. I could tell that he wasn't going to be the love interest for the series. The interest was barely there and hardly got started before he was killed. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Started yesterday.

4% (view spoiler)[I liked the introduction of new characters. And things start off pretty intense. I feel bad that Lysandra and Gregor's parents were murdered. I can only imagine how it will shape them and their characters in this book.

Jonas's feelings toward Cleo seem to have drastically changed. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

18% (view spoiler)[Okay, I really love how Morgan Rhodes jumps right into the story without a lot of backtracking or clutter. It is straight to the point, and straight to the good stuff. The story is fast paced and I love that!

I am not even a little bit surprised that King Gaius betrothed Cleo to Magnus. It is certainly a strategic move on his part. And I have to admit that Aron's reaction was blissful to read about. I despise him so much.

Cleo is starting to notice that Lucia seems to be the only thing that Magnus cares about.

I think that it was noble of Cleo to speak up before King Gaius had Aron's tongue cut out. Even after what he has done and how vile he is, she couldn't bear to have them hurt Aron because of her lie. It made her look bad in front of everyone and could have compromised her value to the king. But it was the right thing to do and she did it. I admit that at the beginning of the first book I thought that Cleo was spoiled and annoying, but she has certainly become one of my favorite characters. Her heart is always in the right place.

As much as Magnus thinks that he is just like his father, he is not. He has a genuine caring for people even if he is harsh on the outside. I guess he would have to be to survive a father like his. The way that he stood up for Cleo so that her father wouldn't kill her was noble of him. Especially since he doesn't particularly care for her. There is good inside of him. I can't wait until we see more of it and he breaks free of his father's shadow.

I kind of wonder what Alexius's agenda is. He seems to want to do good, but I can't figure out him completely. Lucia doesn't seem to trust him at first. She is a pistol, that's for sure. I'm surprised that she has lasted as long as she has with a father like hers.

Lysandra was able to save Jonas and Brion and has joined the rebels. She is very opinionated. It seems like Jonas and her would bump heads a lot. The news about the road and what King Gaius is doing to his people seemed to worry Jonas, but he has a lot on his plate right now. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

35% (view spoiler)[King Gaius made Aron Kingsliege and Aron thinks that he is all entitled now. Which really isn't any different from how he acted before. Ugh, I hate him. But at least he let it slip that he knew where Nic was and Cleo and Mira were able to find him and have a very short reunion.

Jonas snuck into Cleo's room in the castle to try and persuade her to spy for the rebels. She was uncertain about it though.

I liked seeing the appearance of a side character, Darius Larides, who was Emilia's betrothed. Seeing him in such a terrible state was really eye-opening. His hatred was so vivid. I felt so badly for him.

King Gaius decided that the wedding for Magnus and Cleo would take place at the temple for the Goddess Cleiona.

I was surprised that Queen Althea tried to persuade King Gauis to choose another bride for Magnus. She didn't show any affection towards her children in the first book so it's strange that she is now all of a sudden. Her admission to Magnus that she cares for him and his sister was unexpected.

Lysandra, Jonas, and Brion went to the road that King Gaius was building to scout. All hell breaks loose and there is even a tornado, but the three of them make it out alive. At the end of all that mess, Jonas decides that the way to hurt the king is to take something from him that he needs, which he decides is Cleo. So he plans to kidnap her.

I wasn't expecting a watcher to be visiting King Gaius in his dreams as well. There is so much going on. I have no idea who is on who's side anymore. Melenia seems vicious. I don't like her.

I couldn't believe that the king made Nic a guard. He seemed to think that Nic had more value as a guard than a stablehand since he was the other king's squire.

I was surprised by the queen's threat to Cleo. I still wonder why she cares about her children all of a sudden.

So Jonas kidnaps Cleo from the wedding dress maker's shop. Pretty clever of him, really. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

49% (view spoiler)[I can't believe that King Gaius actually told Magnus about Melenia and that he only sees her in his dreams. It made him sound utterly mad.

OMG, I can't believe that the king killed Mira with his bare hands! I hate him so much!

Oh, plot twist! I didn't expect Queen Althea to admit to wanting to kill Lucia. So she gave her a sleeping potion because she wasn't ready to kill her. She thinks that she would be saving her from a terrible fate, saving her from the king's plans.

I wasn't sure what really happened to Stephanos in the Sanctuary. He died, but I am not sure what caused it. Melenia said that it was because the magic was fading from the Sanctuary, but I don't trust her. Stephanos mentioned a secret of Melenia's, but she waved it off as nothing.

Cleo did not know what was happening to the Paelsians due to the road construction for King Gaius. She seemed genuinely sorry about it when Jonas told her. The confrontation between Lysandra and Cleo was entertaining. Cleo does learn some things about the watchers from some of the other rebels. It seems that there is a female hawk constantly watching Jonas, which can only be Phaedra. The king's men attack the rebel camp and Jonas gets hit with an arrow. He and Cleo manage to hide in a rotted out tree hidden by vegetation. Jonas kisses Cleo there and I could totally feel the romantic/sexual tension between them leading up to the kiss. And then Cleo has the idea to kill King Gaius and Prince Magnus at the wedding ceremony. And Jonas thinks that it might work. So he takes her to one of the king's men's camps to be "rescued". (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

64% (view spoiler)[Oh, snap! The queen went outside to meet the witch that had been supplying her with the sleeping potion and helping her try to find Cleo's ring and someone killed her! I wonder who it was.

Magnus was relieved that Cleo came back unharmed. So he is slowly warming up to her. And the way that he spoke to his father telling him that he doesn't think that Cleo is aligned with the rebels because of her return just proves that there is good in him. He said those things to protect her. They also find out that Jonas is the leader of the rebels. And then Magnus finds out about his mother's death and is sparks some feelings in him that I didn't know he had. He is ready to avenge his mother's death, and since his father pointed the blame towards Jonas, that is where he seeks it. When he meets Cleo in the hallway afterward he actually cries in front of her, although not intentionally. I think that it really made Cleo think twice about him. And I think that her genuine concern, even though he passed it off otherwise, made him think twice about her as well. I was surprised that Magnus told Cleo what actually happened to Mira while she was gone.

The rebels and Jonas do not see eye to eye on his plan to kill the Damoras at the wedding.

Alexius is still visiting Lucia in her dreams. He mentioned that there was a "she" that would be angry if he told Lucia certain things, and I want to know who that is. I still can't place where Alexius's loyalties lie. Although, I do think that he is falling in love with Lucia. And vice versa.

Lucia wakes and tells Magnus about what their mother was doing and her mother's intent to kill her. She didn't seem too shattered by the information about her mother's death.

So the wedding was a disaster. Literally. There was an earthquake. Not to mention the rebels lost badly. Jonas was the only one to survive and he was badly injured. He tried to get Cleo to escape with him, but she told him to go. Then the king nearly kills Cleo because he is angry and then makes her go on with the wedding inside the collapsing temple like nothing happened.

I am curious about Prince Ashur and what his agenda is. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

80% (view spoiler)[OMG OMG OMG! I totally did not see that coming! Alexius has been working with Melenia the whole time! I guess that she is the "she" he was talking about. Apparently, he thought that her plan was the only way to save the Sanctuary, but now he is having doubts. Probably because he is falling for Lucia and doesn't want her death.

Lucia's magic really is changing her. It is making her feel things that she wouldn't ordinarily feel. She almost killed that witch that he father brought to help teach her. Her personality totally changed. It was freaky. I feel bad for her. I can feel her going darkside.

I am curious why Prince Ashur gave Cleo a wedding gift. And what kind of messed up country gives a woman a knife as a wedding gift? Creepy. I still want to know where Prince Ashur's loyalties lie. He is very mysterious.

Magnus and Cleo's wedding night was without bliss. Cleo learned that King Gaius has poisoned his father to take the throne when Magnus was a child and that Magnus had witnessed it. Magnus found the dagger that Prince Ashur had given her. He threatened her and basically said that he holds all the power over her. Then he left.

Lysandra finds Jonas injured in the woods and saves him from a guard. He was delirious and at first, he thought that she was Cleo. He snaps out of it and they go back to their camp where he tells everyone about what happened at the wedding.

Cleo is kind of pining for Jonas.

Magnus has Nic brought out on the wedding tour. It was a very kind thing for him to do, even if he brushed it off like it was for his benefit. And Nic is so jealous of the time that Cleo has to spend with Magnus on the tour to appear as a happy couple. Cleo touches one of the watcher wheels and almost faints, but Magnus catches her. He takes her on a walk through the labyrinth on the Limeros castle grounds before his speech and there he tells her about how his father is the one that gave him his scar. Although, she is actually the one that brought it up. A Paelsian boy lunged at them with a knife and Magnus pushed Cleo out of the way and getting his arm cut for the trouble. Magnus punched the man and then had the guards take him to the dungeon in Auranos. Clearly Magnus's goodness is shining through if he saved Cleo. After Magnus's speech, the people wanted them to kiss. Cleo didn't think that it was a good idea, but Magnus kissed her anyway. And it wasn't like the kiss she had with Jonas. Magnus whispered to her that it was the first and last kiss they would share. I somehow doubt that. =P (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Finished (view spoiler)[So much happened at the end of the book!

Magnus is sent to the mountains to speak with Xanthus, an exiled watcher that works for Melenia, about the road building. And Aron gets to go with him. Joy. =P And Aron still pines for Cleo.

Lysandra, Jonas, and Brion attempted to steal weapons from Magnus and Aron's camp. They captured Brion and Magnus was going to spare his life, but Aron killed him anyway. Magnus was furious. I can't believe Brion is dead. Poor thing.

The rebels decide to take those that matter most to the king. It obviously wasn't Cleo. They plan to sneak into the mountain road camp before dawn and kidnap Magnus and Xanthus. They think that the road would cease construction without Xanthus.

The first meeting between Lucia and Cleo was like a cat fight. It was dirty and they sparred with only words as girls do. It was comical to read.

Nic tries to talk Cleo into escaping. He cares about her and wants her safe. He actually confesses to her that he loves her, but she told him that she cannot leave the castle. Nic goes to a tavern and tries to drown his sorrows of unrequited love. And who should stumble upon him but Prince Ashur. He asks all kinds of questions, but Nic isn't really that forthcoming. Prince Ashur asks about Cleo's ring and the Kindred. Nic excuses himself and tries to walk back to the servant's quarters, but he has had too much to drink. Prince Ashur follows him. And I honestly did not expect what happened, but Prince Ashur kisses Nic! It was amazing! The prince said that he had to know something of great importance, kissed him, and then when Nic responded to the kiss the prince got his answer. Then the prince promises to talk to him soon, kisses him again, and walks away leaving Nic dumbfounded.

At the mountain road camp, Aron tries to rape a girl in his tent. Prince Magnus walks up in time to see their exchange. The girl stabs Aron and Magnus barges in further saving her. Then Magnus gets Aron to drink more and Aron divulges that he is the one that killed Queen Althea. He points his sword at Aron, but decides to discuss the matter when they return to Auranos. When Magnus turned his back Aron lunged at him with his dagger. So Magnus kills him. Then he decides that he will no longer aspire to be like his father. Something changes in him when he finds out that his father ordered his mother's murder.

When the rebels attack Jonas finds himself in Aron's tent, but Aron is already dead. A guard comes into the tent and shoves his sword through Jonas's heart. Jonas thinks of those in his family and things about his life while he is dying on the floor. He mentions to himself that his mother died of the same ailment that Cleo's sister did and that he should have told her that. He sees a flashing light and a girl comes into the tent and shoves things into his mouth. It is Phaedra. She sacrificed her immortality to save him. Then Magnus is there and he heard the things that Phaedra told Jonas about being a watcher. When she and Jonas try to escape from Magnus, Xanthus comes into the tent. It turns out that he is Phaedra's brother. Xanthus kills her. He is working with Melenia and thinks it is the right thing to do. Then Xanthus was gone. Magnus takes Jonas prisoner and then the whole camp catches erupts in a wildfire. (So many natural disasters...) Jonas escapes the tent. Lysandra is taken to the dungeon in Auranos. She is put in the same cell that her brother is in. He must have been the boy that attacked them in Limeros. I had a feeling it was him.

Cleo goes to Lucia's chambers to confront her about the magic that she suspects she has after listening to servants gossip. She hears Lucia crying and bursts in. Lucia had killed her pet rabbit with her magic. Cleo can see this. Cleo and Lucia form a sort of friendship and vow to be there for one another since they both need someone the other can trust. Lucia expects Cleo to be afraid of her, but she isn't. (At least not outwardly.) This surprises Lucia. They agree to help each other. And Cleo realizes that the key to destroying King Gaius is Lucia.

OMG, can't wait to find out what happens next! (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Starting on now! Woohoo!

[Dr. Andy]

I'll put Crystal Storm on hold so we can read that one together :)

[Eesh]

Andrea wrote: "I'll put Crystal Storm on hold so we can read that one together :)"

I'm reading Crystal Storm too.

[Dr. Andy]

Awesome!

[Dr. Andy]

I have the audio for Crystal Storm woooo. I'll probably start it in a week or so

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

21% (view spoiler)[The prologue opened up so many possibilities! OMG, I loved it! I can only assume that a fire god of some sort has been awakened. If so, that brings to much depth into the story. It's totally unexpected and I love it!

I don't quite know what I think of Felix yet. I mean, he saved Jonas. He didn't have to. But he seems so willing and carefree to not have an agenda of some sort.

The fact that Magnus has decided to "indulge" whenever possible really shows how stressed he is. If he has to self-medicate to make his life bearable then he needs to sort out his priorities.

Ashur's sister has been introduced to the story. I don't like her. I still haven't made my mind up about Ashur. The king is afraid of the Krashians, and I guess that isn't unwise since their father owns pretty much the whole world other than Mytica. The king has never really shown any fear before, except when he almost died at the wedding, so this will make things interesting.

It seems that Magnus and Cleo are softening to each other. Their banter isn't nearly as acidic as it used to be.

I thought that it was funny when Cleo feigned being pregnant when she clearly wasn't. Perhaps Cleo and Lucia will become friends after all with Amara lurking about. They both truly dislike her.

Magnus seemed shocked that Ashur asked about the Kindred. And Amara coming on to him was really unexpected as well.

So Melenia is taking magic from other Watchers to be the most powerful, which lets her dreamwalk. I almost feel sorry for Alexius because of what Melenia is doing to him. And part of me doesn't. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

46% (view spoiler)[Nic and Cleo finally come clean to one another and tell each other their secrets.

Cleo and Jonas secretly meet in a temple in Auranos. Cleo finds out that Jonas is not the one that killed Aron, and that Magnus is the one that did. Jonas also tells her that Aron is the one that killed Magnus's mother. Even though Jonas is starting to feel more for Lysandra, at the meeting with Cleo he was concerned that Magnus was hurting her. He kissed her before departing. Though there is an attraction, I think that their relationship will end as friends. It's pretty obvious that Magnus and Cleo will end up together in the end.

Cleo eavesdrops on Magnus and the king and gets caught. Cronus locks her in a dark room for hours. He tells Magnus, who confronts her about it.

A wedge has been formed between Lucia and Magnus since they came to Auranos. Magnus confronts Lucia about her friendship with Cleo.

The king had Magnus present while he questioned Gregor. He presented Lysandra to try and sway his tongue, but the king has Gregor killed in front of her. Afterwards, the king and Magnus have a strange moment. Magnus was hostile because of the death of his mother. The king confessed that Althea was not his real mother. That she lost a child and went mad with grief, so he gave him to Althea. That he had been born shortly before and that Sabina was his true mother. At the end of the conversation, the king embraced Magnus and he was totally shocked.

So Felix saves Jonas again. And I don't know why, but I find it comical when Felix sweet talks with women.

Nic almost gets killed by Milo and Burrus, but the Kraeshians come along and save him. They want Nic to tell Cleo that they want to ally with her. On the way back to the castle, he comes across Jonas, and he proposes that Nic help them rescue the rebels from the dungeon.

Lysandra has pretty much given up. But Jonas's plan worked and, with Nic's help, got her and Tarus out. In the explosion, Lucia was hurled over the balcony into the panicking crowd. Princess Amara finds her and they corner the boy responsible for the explosion. She uses her elementia on him in front of Amara, and then Amara kills him. She leaves Amara and heads back to the palace and who does she see on her way? Alexius. Flesh and bloos Alexius. Not a dream. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

61% (view spoiler)[Timotheus tried to stop Alexius from exiling himself from the Sanctuary, but he couldn't. Alexius is under Melenia's spell and cannot deviate from her wishes. He proves who he is to the king with his Watcher mark, and then becomes Lucia's new elementia tutor. He teaches her how to steal other people's magic, and I think that he is doing it to protect her from Melenia somehow.

Magnus does not like Alexius. He gets drunk at a tavern and stumbles upon the princess praying in a temple on his way back. He confronts her and their conversation is strange. Argumentive at first, and then contemplative. Cleo is confused by the prince's actions as they are contradictory. He helps her, he does something awful. She can't pin him down. In his inebriated state, Magnus confesses the way that he felt about Lucia and that she was adopted. He then tells her that his dreams have shifted from those of his sister to Cleo, but he passes them off as nightmares. Then Cleo tried to get Magnus to join her against his father, but Magnus changed the subject. He went back to the palace and then Princess Amara approached him and they ended up spending the night together.

The next morning Cleo went to Magnus's chambers to speak with him and finds Amara leaving and Magnus with his shirt off.

Lucia introduces Cleo to Alexius and he spots her ring. Cleo does a good job of feigning ignorance about what it really is. They discuss some backstory about watchers and the Kindred. Then Lucia decides that she is ready to try, and she does. She finds and awakens three of the four Kindred. Then Cleo gives her ring to Lucia. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Finished (view spoiler)[So much happens at the end of this book! OMG, reeling!

Lucia tries to kill Cleo. Her elementia takes over, but luckily Cleo isn't hurt. Then Lucia and Alexius sleep together and decide to elope.

Someone tattles on Cleo's visits with Jonas at the temple and she is sent for execution. Magnus is to question her first and then Cronus is supposed to kill her. At the last minute, Magnus kills Cronus and the other guard and he and Cleo flee. They set off to find Lucia, who has gone to get the fourth Kindred in Limeros.

Lady Sophia finds them in Limeros and offers them shelter from the snow. That evening Magnus and Cleo share a passionate kiss - the one we've all been waiting for! Then someone knocks on the door. It's Amara and Ashur who say they need to talk. They have Nic downstairs as a hostage and Lady Sophia seems frazzled. They make Cleo and Magnus take them to the temple of Valoria, which is where the kindred is.

At the temple, before anyone else gets there, Alexius kills himself rather than hurt Lucia. He dies in her arms. When the others show up, someone has already taken the kindred. It turns out Ashur betrayed his sister and has Nic get it before they could get there. There is fighting, and Amara kills Ashur. Nic is upset about it. Amara leaves and tells the remaining guards to kill them all. They are able to kill the guards though.

In the end, Melenia meets Lucia on a cliff. The fire kindred walks up and it turns out that Melenia did everything that she did because she is in love with the fire kindred. He does not feel the same. Melenia tries to kill Lucia, but Lucia steals her power every time, just like Alexius taught her to. Melenia falls off the cliff and dies before she hits the water. The fire kindred asks her to join him because she is the only one that can kill the ancient watchers that can lock him back up in the crystal. She agrees.

OMG, the feels!!! Poor Lucia. Her elementia is taking over her senses, I think. And now that Alexius is gone, I wonder if she even feels that there is anything to live for.

I am glad that Magnus and Cleo finally show some affection! It's about time!

I feel bad about Prine Ashur. I was really hoping that he and Nic would be able to explore a relationship. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

I'll be reading Crystal Storm soon :) School is almost over I can't wait!

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Hopefully I will finish up before you start. =D

[Dr. Andy]

I'm be finishing Crystal Kingdom today after I finish the Gray Wolf Throne :D

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

I haven't finished Frozen Tides yet. I've only started the first chapter and then time got away from me with the holidays. =/

[Dr. Andy]

That's totally okay!

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Yeah, things happen. I just tend to be hard on myself when I don't read enough. =P

[Dr. Andy]

I know there's going to be another series read starting in January. Maybe you can finish the series up then?