I love reading. Books are amazing. They are a form of escapism, yes, but they are also inspiration, joy, and... well. Goodness. I think in some ways I have used my appetite for reading to define parts of my personality, so it made sense for me to review some of what I read! Here we go...
Title: Crystal Kingdom
Author: Amanda Hocking
Series: Kanin Chronicles #3
Publication Date: 1st August 2015
Synopsis: "Bryn is on the run and in trouble. She's been framed for murder and is forced to turn to her oldest enemy Konstantin for help. Together they investigate her alleged crime and discover a staggering royal plot that spans three kingdoms - but they need proof to clear her name.
Then death also strikes the Kanin clan's royal family, and this time both Bryn and the Skojare tribe are falsely implicated. As the Kanin's queen pushes for war with the Skojare, Bryn's boss Ridley tracks her down and she dreams they might finally be together. However, they must first expose the villain at the heart of their kingdom and somehow stop the conflict.
But as Bryn learns the startling truth about Konstantin, who will ultimately win her heart?"
My thoughts: Phew, what a rollercoaster ride! This book is a fast read from start to finish, even though it is actually the longest of the three books.
Bryn's character continued to be strong and no-nonsense - although she did still irritate me at times, she definitely didn't bother me as much, and seemed to be convinced by good advice more often this time, which I appreciated. There were still a few inconsistencies with different characters that I found a little jarring, and I noticed a little of that old issue that book reviewers seem to love picking on - telling rather than showing - but it was only very occasionally.
The ending caught me completely by surprise in so many ways - I had kind of 'bookmarked' certain characters for being most likely to die, and Hocking turned that completely on its head. I found the ending quite satisfying, but I would have liked it if we could have had a bit more of an epilogue, just to see how things went even later down the track, but perhaps Hocking has more books planned for this? I'm not sure.
The journeys that Bryn went on were fascinating to read about, and I liked how Hocking gave us a glimpse into all the different troll tribes and their differing skills. Reading this has definitely peaked my interest in the previous trilogy, Trylle, and I may pick that up somewhere down the track.
This was definitely enjoyable and it times a little dark, and I enjoyed the ride.
I received a review copy of this book from Pan Macmillan (thank you!).
You would like this book if: you want to round out the series properly, and catch some awesome action and sword fights in the process.
Tea to drink while reading this book: Blueberry or Elderberry tea, but spiked with some Raspberry or Cranberry, for a nod to the blood shed within this book.
Rating: 8/10
If you'd like to keep up to date with what I'm reading, follow me on Goodreads here!
Welcome to another post for the Crystal Kingdom Australian blog tour! If you'd like to see who posted before me, please head to Book Nerd Reviews, and, to follow the blog tour along tomorrow, please head to Confessions from Romaholics!
Title: Crystal Kingdom
Author: Amanda Hocking
Series: Kanin Chronicles #3
Publication Date: 1st August 2015
Synopsis: "Bryn is on the run and in trouble. She's been framed for murder and is forced to turn to her oldest enemy Konstantin for help. Together they investigate her alleged crime and discover a staggering royal plot that spans three kingdoms - but they need proof to clear her name.
Then death also strikes the Kanin clan's royal family, and this time both Bryn and the Skojare tribe are falsely implicated. As the Kanin's queen pushes for war with the Skojare, Bryn's boss Ridley tracks her down and she dreams they might finally be together. However, they must first expose the villain at the heart of their kingdom and somehow stop the conflict.
But as Bryn learns the startling truth about Konstantin, who will ultimately win her heart?"
My thoughts: Phew, what a rollercoaster ride! This book is a fast read from start to finish, even though it is actually the longest of the three books.
Bryn's character continued to be strong and no-nonsense - although she did still irritate me at times, she definitely didn't bother me as much, and seemed to be convinced by good advice more often this time, which I appreciated. There were still a few inconsistencies with different characters that I found a little jarring, and I noticed a little of that old issue that book reviewers seem to love picking on - telling rather than showing - but it was only very occasionally.
The ending caught me completely by surprise in so many ways - I had kind of 'bookmarked' certain characters for being most likely to die, and Hocking turned that completely on its head. I found the ending quite satisfying, but I would have liked it if we could have had a bit more of an epilogue, just to see how things went even later down the track, but perhaps Hocking has more books planned for this? I'm not sure.
The journeys that Bryn went on were fascinating to read about, and I liked how Hocking gave us a glimpse into all the different troll tribes and their differing skills. Reading this has definitely peaked my interest in the previous trilogy, Trylle, and I may pick that up somewhere down the track.
This was definitely enjoyable and it times a little dark, and I enjoyed the ride.
I received a review copy of this book from Pan Macmillan (thank you!).
You would like this book if: you want to round out the series properly, and catch some awesome action and sword fights in the process.
Tea to drink while reading this book: Blueberry or Elderberry tea, but spiked with some Raspberry or Cranberry, for a nod to the blood shed within this book.
Rating: 8/10
If you'd like to keep up to date with what I'm reading, follow me on Goodreads here!
