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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
I waited forever for this book, and now I've finally got it!
Book 1 reeled me in and once I finished it, I immediately went to the store and got book 2. Number 3 did not disappoint at all! This series is now one of my favorites.
Book 1 reeled me in and once I finished it, I immediately went to the store and got book 2. Number 3 did not disappoint at all! This series is now one of my favorites.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
The Serafina books just get better and better. And darker and darker. Just as with my reviews of the first two books, I'll restate that these books are darker than I would readily hand to an elementary schooler; it's solidly middle grades, if not higher, in theme/topic.
The third Serafina book opens with the titular character waking up trapped in a coffin buried deep underground. How did she get there? How long has she been there? How can she get back to her family and friends? She must answer these questions quickly, as she once again is called upon to battle dark forces working against Biltmore.
I once again read this during a trip to the Biltmore Estate. I loved the atmospheric reading experience! And I found this one to be a page-turner. I couldn't put it down! Also, I read this 2017 book in 2025. The dark forces working against Biltmore throughout the book do so through storms and flooding. It was a bit unnerving to read the descriptions of the storms and floods so closely following the real life storms and flooding of Hurricane Helene in 2024. Still, I had to keep reading to find out how Serafina and her friends and family would fare. Once again containing animorphs, magic, and spirit world battles, this fantasy book has hints of the paranormal and loads of excitement.
The third Serafina book opens with the titular character waking up trapped in a coffin buried deep underground. How did she get there? How long has she been there? How can she get back to her family and friends? She must answer these questions quickly, as she once again is called upon to battle dark forces working against Biltmore.
I once again read this during a trip to the Biltmore Estate. I loved the atmospheric reading experience! And I found this one to be a page-turner. I couldn't put it down! Also, I read this 2017 book in 2025. The dark forces working against Biltmore throughout the book do so through storms and flooding. It was a bit unnerving to read the descriptions of the storms and floods so closely following the real life storms and flooding of Hurricane Helene in 2024. Still, I had to keep reading to find out how Serafina and her friends and family would fare. Once again containing animorphs, magic, and spirit world battles, this fantasy book has hints of the paranormal and loads of excitement.
dark
emotional
The final book in this trilogy, it was decidedly darker than the prior two. It starts out with Serafina needing to dig herself out of a grave, which is a worst nightmare for me, poor thing. I read all three of these books with my 12-year-old son, and he handled the stress of Serafina's situation and challenges better than I did.
I pulled together the action and characters from the prior two books and was a satisfying ending to the series. I'm glad we finished, and we both still want to visit the Biltmore so we can see the setting for these books. But it was so hard for poor Serafina, and also Braden, for so long, it was a little draining, at least for the mom in this reading team.
I pulled together the action and characters from the prior two books and was a satisfying ending to the series. I'm glad we finished, and we both still want to visit the Biltmore so we can see the setting for these books. But it was so hard for poor Serafina, and also Braden, for so long, it was a little draining, at least for the mom in this reading team.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was much better than the first and second. By some miracle, the dialect was comprehensible minus a few words! This leads to a major flaw though since The Black Cloak, The Twisted Staff, and The Splintered Heart read as if three different authors wrote them, but I don't care about that since I could finally understand what was going on.
Whew, another brutally slow start to this one. Even more frustrating than the beginning of the first book. It does pick up about 1/3 of the way in; after that, it's an enjoyable and captivating read. Worthy end to the series.