Excellent ending to the series. Wraps up everything nicely. Love this author ( )

The series was entertaining overall. However there were two main points that made the last 3 books a little less enjoyable (for me).
- There were sooooo many parallel storylines. I often felt like it really killed the momentum to switch to another storyline and catch up with what those characters had been doing. In particular, the first half of book 2 really dragged for me and I almost quit. It also got confusing because I wasn’t always sure how far back in time we jumped when switching to a new POV.
- They were all so young. I know this is a YA book, but it worked so much better for me if I pretended they were 5-10 years older. It’s not like their parents were even that old! So it was weird that a bunch of 13-19 year olds were suddenly in charge of every single world power, AND their armies AND their intelligence circles. I’m normally a sucker for romance, but found that the number of characters who paired up (and fell deeply into forever love) felt a little too neatly wrapped up. That said, I was very happy that Destin and Evan were reunited ;) Pretending that everyone was in their mid to late 20s helped me get through the story. ( )

Summary:
As a prisoner of the Empress, Alyssa is helpless to stop the war that will march on Alyssa’s homeland. Instead, Alyssa is forced to use her considerable talents as a general in the Empress’s military. Refusal means death, and Alyssa must keep her bloodline alive. Allies try to keep Fellsmarch Castle and Lyss’s legacy alive, but deception and intrigue abound. With spies from both sides hiding within the castle’s walls, the fate of the Gray Wolf line and the Seven Realms could tip in either direction. Who will win and who will fall?

Evaluation:
This is the final novel in the Shattered Realms series. Tying together two series and a large cast of characters, Chima is at the top of her game. Multiple points of view tie this series and previous series together flawlessly. World building is top notch and the action and character driven plot never slows down. All characters are exquisitely rendered and the magic system is well thought out. While this novel does not stand on its own, it does provide a grand finale worthy of the name. Highly recommended for fans of this author and fans of strong fantasies. Recommended for grades 10+ due to language and some content. ( )