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ohkayreads's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
spacecadetcat's review
2.0
Straight up, Vhalla is a steamroller. She wants everything her way and has a fit when it doesn't go the way she wants. For that reason, she comes off as selfish because she won't even take other people's opinion into consideration. It's okay to take counsel from others but apparently she knows best in all matters. And when something did go wrong, she would withdraw from Aldrik yet she hated when he did the same to her. Talk about hypocritical. I'm glad I'm done with the series as the pacing was sometimes slow and hard to get through.
gluchie's review against another edition
4.0
imma be honest with y’all i just wanted this series to be over
klarialreads's review against another edition
3.0
BOOK FIVE SPECIFIC
This was my least favorite installment of the series, the plot dragged a bit and the relationship dynamics it explored felt like a retread of the previous books, but my love for the characters kept me reading to the end. Ultimately I think this would have worked better as a trilogy or 4-book series.
SERIES OVERVIEW
A girl with magical powers! A dark prince! Romantic angst! I love all of these tropes. As a result I’ve read MANY iterations of them over the past 10+ years. So when I encounter a series that makes me excited about them again, that’s something special. While book two was my personal favorite I could agree with almost any rating of the individual books, but the reading *experience* was 5 stars for me.
This was my least favorite installment of the series, the plot dragged a bit and the relationship dynamics it explored felt like a retread of the previous books, but my love for the characters kept me reading to the end. Ultimately I think this would have worked better as a trilogy or 4-book series.
SERIES OVERVIEW
A girl with magical powers! A dark prince! Romantic angst! I love all of these tropes. As a result I’ve read MANY iterations of them over the past 10+ years. So when I encounter a series that makes me excited about them again, that’s something special. While book two was my personal favorite I could agree with almost any rating of the individual books, but the reading *experience* was 5 stars for me.
caomhghin's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing to the end. It is actually rather fascinating the way this series deteriorates. The limited universe and character set are fine in a limited setting but soon get out of hand as the scope of the setting expands. The plot jerks about from episode to episode with killing off a favourite character seemingly the major used for doing this. Rather comically one character gets killed only to reappear with a ludicrously improbable story of survival. The universe is confused with magic everywhere and nowhere, an early Medieval economy with cheques and banks. The social setting is weird - hopelessly unequal and hierarchical with almost no servants in sight. Sometimes magic is huge while at other times it's almost trivial. If you can stop a hurricane what's to stop you blowing down a city wall. But the idea doesn't seem to arise. And so it continues to the final volume.
That said this volume's plot is worse than most.
That said this volume's plot is worse than most.
sullivc5's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
elishco's review against another edition
3.0
ended like how thought it would be and I liked its warmness but I always think that these kinda books ends with in a hurry; I could wait some more detail and some sweetness between Aldrik & Vhalla, some alone time that be told maybe, a few more parts like they're in this second or third book etc. my eyes look for some more detail, always!
it always feel like lead female characters are copied and pasted in other books. like the girl gets crazy with some magic or some thoughts etc. right after she marry the man of her life, the man she loves... and then with that madness she rejects her, put a wall between him and all friends... the only difference is that most/all the male characters in other books are get angry and do what she says and get away from her! BUT in this one Aldrik only and always try to help her and be on her side! and apologized for what he didn't done. refreshing change in that part.
I kinda think that if Larel or Baldair wouldn't died in that way, they would have die in Victor's hands and that would be much worst. especially when it comes to Baldair... illness is much better than that.
as a cover detail: Aldrik's drawing in the Fire Falling and the drawing on the back of this one is so very different from each other; I mean in Fire Falling he look so hot and beautiful but in this one it's like his face is twisted somehow look so hard/tough... maybe it's because now he's a king and should be tough looking etc. but he could have still be like in the FF cover and look tough too. at least that's what I see...
it always feel like lead female characters are copied and pasted in other books. like the girl gets crazy with some magic or some thoughts etc. right after she marry the man of her life, the man she loves... and then with that madness she rejects her, put a wall between him and all friends... the only difference is that most/all the male characters in other books are get angry and do what she says and get away from her! BUT in this one Aldrik only and always try to help her and be on her side! and apologized for what he didn't done. refreshing change in that part.
I kinda think that if Larel or Baldair wouldn't died in that way, they would have die in Victor's hands and that would be much worst. especially when it comes to Baldair... illness is much better than that.
as a cover detail: Aldrik's drawing in the Fire Falling and the drawing on the back of this one is so very different from each other; I mean in Fire Falling he look so hot and beautiful but in this one it's like his face is twisted somehow look so hard/tough... maybe it's because now he's a king and should be tough looking etc. but he could have still be like in the FF cover and look tough too. at least that's what I see...
alexandra_92's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. Review and the blog tour can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
Do you know the feeling you have when you finish a great series and after closing the book you look around in a small state of shock? That's what I felt when I finished Crsytal Crowned. This series may have been the fastest one I've ever seen published.
And not because Elise Kova is a sweet person who never disappoints her readers, but because the story itself was so flawlessly written, I had no problem following the characters in a fast forward motion.
Our story contninues from Water's Wrath with Vhalla, Aldrik and company trying to flee a mad new Emperor as also struggling to find a way to save Solaris Empire. I could rave about some scenes and some heart-breaking occurences but that would spoil you. I will mostly stay to the characters development and the relevations of some others. Vhalla and Aldrik proved to be a strong pair after all the trouble and death they've been through, not to mention that they support each other even in their darkest moments.
A pair that almost(?) was formed in the final book was Jax and Elecia. I really don't know what actually happened between those two but I wouldn't mind an after-novella featuring those two. There is action, magic and the world-building Elise should be proud of creating. From the snowy mountains to the dry plains, this wolrd was my company for a year and I am sad to see it go.
But defenitely this book deserves much more attention and it's ideal for fans of Susan Dennard's "Truthwitch" and Sarah J. Maas's "Throne of Glass" series! ;)
Do you know the feeling you have when you finish a great series and after closing the book you look around in a small state of shock? That's what I felt when I finished Crsytal Crowned. This series may have been the fastest one I've ever seen published.
And not because Elise Kova is a sweet person who never disappoints her readers, but because the story itself was so flawlessly written, I had no problem following the characters in a fast forward motion.
Our story contninues from Water's Wrath with Vhalla, Aldrik and company trying to flee a mad new Emperor as also struggling to find a way to save Solaris Empire. I could rave about some scenes and some heart-breaking occurences but that would spoil you. I will mostly stay to the characters development and the relevations of some others. Vhalla and Aldrik proved to be a strong pair after all the trouble and death they've been through, not to mention that they support each other even in their darkest moments.
A pair that almost(?) was formed in the final book was Jax and Elecia. I really don't know what actually happened between those two but I wouldn't mind an after-novella featuring those two. There is action, magic and the world-building Elise should be proud of creating. From the snowy mountains to the dry plains, this wolrd was my company for a year and I am sad to see it go.
But defenitely this book deserves much more attention and it's ideal for fans of Susan Dennard's "Truthwitch" and Sarah J. Maas's "Throne of Glass" series! ;)
havald's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0