I’m going to start this one out by saying the this series has everything I enjoy in a series. I love steamy romance. I love angsty romance. I love pining romance. I like epic magical powers, time travel and snark. I like dark tempting boys and golden Gryffindor boys. Especially when idk how to pick between the two.
Guys, Kingsbane delivered.
If you haven’t read Furyborn, I urge you to do so now. It seriously has one of the most amazing opening scenes I’ve ever read in my life. You know the new Star Wars trailer that just dropped? You know when Rey jumps and the Tie fighter is coming. (I’m Star Wars OBSESSED okay?) and how like your eyes just get wide and it fades to black and you’re just left with holy crap how amazing? THAT IS WHAT THE BEGINNING OF FURYBORN FEELS LIKE.
You would think that would make it a tough act to follow right? But it isn’t. I love where it goes and in Kingsbane it just keeps going.
In typical middle book fashion, the stakes get raised and the tension escalates. Rielle is left riding a line of power. Namely, she likes having it and dealing with the country maybe thinking she is the supposedly evil Blood Queen instead of the savior Sun Queen leaves her emotionally unstable.
The tension in her character is well done and palpable. We as reader’s are waiting for a maybe twist that she isn’t the blood queen, but watching her struggle in a way you’re rooting for her to overcome her anxieties. (heh, or maybe not, you could be like my inner ambitious Slytherin self and just be thinking about how she could have all dat power and all dat Corien but I DIGRESS-)
From a storyteller perspective I appreciate the amount of work Legrand puts into developing Rielle’s character arc. What she goes through in this book, and how it has to be set up is just beautifully done.
When it comes to Eliana… I had been a bit cold toward her in Furyborn, but in this book I really began to see her better. If Furyborn was an introduction to who she was and who she wold need to become, Kingsbane is where I really got to know her. I understand a bit more what makes her who she is and let me say, what happens with her just. I mean. I need the third book. Like, NOW.
Which just goes to show how amazing of a punch the last few chapters were. I was left reeling and having questions and I think it’s wonderful to find books that can do that to me and the whole point is to make the reader feel right?
I think what really connects me with these girls is that I relate to and feel their sort of frantic anxiety in trying to figure out what to do next. I feel the lingering mental side effects of the greatness being thrust upon them. Which I think is awesome. I am attached and I want to feel the heartbreak and see how they will get to the ending of their story.
I would hand these to people who love Sarah J. Maas or Cassie Clare. They’re big, they’re full of action packed melodrama and they bring it home in a really really good way.
I was given a review copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
A.J. Eversole 