Genre: Fantasy Age Range: YA Star Rating: Series: book 4
*SPOILER ALERT: contains SPOILER for A LAIR OF BONES, WITH DAGGER AND SONG, and THE FABRIC OF CHAOS*
Blurb:
A final quest. A people divided. Can one cyren turn the tides of fate?
The time has come to obtain the final birthstone of Saddoriel. Reeling from a near-deadly sacrifice, Roh must rally all her strength if she is to take her place upon the throne.
But with cyrenkind divided and enemies closing in, the road to Lochloria and beyond is more dangerous than ever. An ancient prophecy looms, loyalties are tested and Roh races against the clock that threatens to undo all she’s fought for.
As a centuries-long conflict comes to a head and forces of nature collide, Roh has to decide if there is more than one kind of magic in this world, and whether or not she has the power to harness it.
Some bonds will solidify, while others will be fractured forever – but all must take up their swords and face the final battle for a better Saddoriel.
Will Roh emerge from the perils victorious, or will the trials claim her at last?
Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to you shelves here.
Review:
TO WEILD A CROWN is the action packed finale to this quartet. Roh has one last jewel to find, right at the heart of the decimated city of the water warlocks. And to make matters worse, the surviving water warlocks want revenge, not to mention the council still don’t approve of her.
There’s a lot of danger and threats facing Roh, making this book feel pacy and full of ratcheting tension. There’s a “temple trap” esque sequence (always love those!) a great battle, and lots of smaller confrontations too. The truth of what happened centuries ago between Cerys and Delja will come out, tying up lots of smaller mysteries along the way.
There is a cost to all of it, and it was nicely foreshadowed in the opening. It does make for a very sad ending and there’s a sense that the story will continue after the books have ended as they all learn to heal and find a new path forward in the newly created world. I liked the balance struck about what the new world will look like, and the acknowledgement that systematic change takes time to enact, even if everyone is on board because it’s about changing attitudes and enforcing new practices.
Read my reviews of other books by Helen Scheuerer:
Young Adult:
Curse of the Cyren Queen (this series):
- THE LAIR OF BONES (#1)
- WITH DAGGER AND SONG (#2)
- THE FABRIC OF CHAOS (#3)
- THE CYREN QUEEN ORIGINS NOVELLAS (#0.1, #0.2, and #0.3)
The Oremere Chronicles (set in the same world):
- DAWN OF MIST (#0)
- HEART OF MIST (#1)
- REIGN OF MIST (#2)
- WAR OF MIST (#3)
Adult:
The Legends of Thezmarr:
- BLOOD AND STEEL (#1)
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 