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A review by a_j_torres0
Gathering Darkness: A Falling Kingdoms Novel by Morgan Rhodes
4.0
This is a Young Adult Epic Fantasy novel Book 3.
Book Cover: 5* - This series still reels me in with their covers. I was sure the character on book 2 and 3 was Jonas but now I see book 2 is Jonas and book 3 is possibly Felix, you'll know who he is when you read this book. Anyway, I love how the color purple was integrated on the cover with a bit of sunset in the back and the dagger shinning brightly in his hands, it made me think that someone was going to be back stabbed, and in a way a few people were in this book.
Summary/Tagline: 3* - Now that I am 3 books in I won't go full on explaining as by this point you will get the point, the summary is kept about the same, there is a main summary for the book within the flap and some brief ones in the back per character. The main one felt very "I've read this before." feel. Something bad is coming, Cleo must get better at lying than her enemies, Lucia is getting more powerful by the day, while Magnus doesn't trust anyone especially Alexius. Meh. There are also foreigners from other lands looking for the same thing that King Gaius wants, which . . . I mean . . . egh. I wasn't really feeling the summary this time around.
Characters: 3* - We continue the chapter character names in this book. There are 7 POVs this time but every one seems to have about equal chapter times.
Jonas Agallon/6 POV Chapters - I am no longer indifferent with this character, just annoyed with Jonas and the 2 characters he now has a romance with. As you know one is Cleo, and no there was no break up, there is just another character he apparently fell for because reasons. The same issues I have with this character in the first 2 books is a continuation in this book.
Prince Magnus Damora/8 POV Chapters - So my favorite character has a few more POV chapters then my least favorite characters but it seems he needs to have a romance too. His feelings towards the other female character that isn't Lucia is another, "It came out of nowhere." However I was dreading that Magnus was going to be pulled into something that is not a love triangle shape but a . . . whatever shape has the most points. It was interesting seeing him feel so conflicted with his feelings but I just can't stand all this forced romance. The story is literally suffering because of it along with any and all character moments, my opinion of course.
Lysandra Barbas/2 POV Chapters - I don't know what is going one with the female teenage characters in these book because every time they kiss a guy, they turn into a puddle and love the kiss so much that it feels so right. Not to mention the female on female aggression is just aggravating, and yes, Lysandra is aggressive towards other female characters who are pretty. I couldn't stand this character anymore, even though she only has 2 POV chapters.
Princess Cleiona Bellos/7 POV Chapters - You know my feelings for this character by this point. It hasn't changed. Cleo is also trying to play coy and manipulator in this book, she's bad at it. Not only could I see through it in her POV but every other character that spends a moment with her can see right through it, it was just dull by the end of the book. Like Jonas Cleo is also juggling 2 love interests and I just couldn't take it anymore.
Princess Lucia Damora/6 POV Chapters - Sadly Lucia became quite insufferable in this book. She seems very obsessed with Alexius, where he is, what he says, how he feels, anything about the Watcher is all she cares about. She has also turned completely on Magnus. She refuses to hear what he says and what he thinks. She blames him for the 2 not speaking anymore when she is the one saying mean things about him while he stays quiet and takes it, but hey, "Everything is his fault." Ugh! What is going on with the girls in this series.
Alexius/3 POV Chapters - Although it was interesting being in his perspectives I inevitably didn't care. Most of the time I was wondering if what he was doing was his own choice or is just being commanded to but in the end, I was just meh about the outcomes.
Nicolo Cassian/4 POV Chapters - Now I don't mind Nic, but I felt his chapters was just, "Hey let's check out what these characters are doing." I don't think they were really necessary but I did like the twist between him and another character named Asher. You'll see if you decide to read this book.
There are other characters in this book but the interest has diminished. The foreign royals from another country were painfully and obviously dubious and untrusting. Then there are others, a lot died, and others were just there. This book was just not doing it for me.
World Building: 3* - Another score brought low. The world gets immediately pushed back but we do get an interesting view of the magic being used in this book but I still don't understand the why and how of the magic. I suppose the magic is linked to the users energy because when Lucia uses so much of her magic she is exhausted but sometimes she isn't. It seems the magic is very fickle in this book. I'm hoping we go a little more into the magic in the next book. We do get some interesting info on the Kindred but I will leave that also for you guys to read.
Story: 3* - And another score brought down. Okay it took me almost the entire 3rd book for me to care about what is going on. At most this book kind of felt like filler to me. Lucia is being trained by Alexius for her to get better at magic but I did like that pay off. Magnus for the most part is being stringed along by almost everyone and ignored by Lucia. Cleo learns to play her enemies games to get the information needed to pass to Jonas while Jonas's plans most of the time don't work or they do by sheer luck. The last act of this book actually saved this book because this book as a whole was going to be 3* but I can't say what it is because of spoilers. All I can say is that when you get to this book just push on, push on until you get close to the end, you'll know you're there when Lucia shares a romantic moment with Alexius.
Over All: 3.5* - What saved this book, sort of, was the last act of the book and Magnus of course. I didn't care about the "romance". Some of the scenes is just a "Oh well it was the heat of the moment" B.S. Cleo can't make up her mind of the men in her life and Jonas can't make up his mind of the women in his life. The girls act like puddles when they kiss their "love interest" and the world building and most characters were just meh. All in all because of the last act I am a lot more intrigued for book 4 then I was for book 3, a new villain showed himself and I am curious to see what Lucia is going to do.
Book Cover: 5* - This series still reels me in with their covers. I was sure the character on book 2 and 3 was Jonas but now I see book 2 is Jonas and book 3 is possibly Felix, you'll know who he is when you read this book. Anyway, I love how the color purple was integrated on the cover with a bit of sunset in the back and the dagger shinning brightly in his hands, it made me think that someone was going to be back stabbed, and in a way a few people were in this book.
Summary/Tagline: 3* - Now that I am 3 books in I won't go full on explaining as by this point you will get the point, the summary is kept about the same, there is a main summary for the book within the flap and some brief ones in the back per character. The main one felt very "I've read this before." feel. Something bad is coming, Cleo must get better at lying than her enemies, Lucia is getting more powerful by the day, while Magnus doesn't trust anyone especially Alexius. Meh. There are also foreigners from other lands looking for the same thing that King Gaius wants, which . . . I mean . . . egh. I wasn't really feeling the summary this time around.
Characters: 3* - We continue the chapter character names in this book. There are 7 POVs this time but every one seems to have about equal chapter times.
Jonas Agallon/6 POV Chapters - I am no longer indifferent with this character, just annoyed with Jonas and the 2 characters he now has a romance with. As you know one is Cleo, and no there was no break up, there is just another character he apparently fell for because reasons. The same issues I have with this character in the first 2 books is a continuation in this book.
Prince Magnus Damora/8 POV Chapters - So my favorite character has a few more POV chapters then my least favorite characters but it seems he needs to have a romance too. His feelings towards the other female character that isn't Lucia is another, "It came out of nowhere." However I was dreading that Magnus was going to be pulled into something that is not a love triangle shape but a . . . whatever shape has the most points. It was interesting seeing him feel so conflicted with his feelings but I just can't stand all this forced romance. The story is literally suffering because of it along with any and all character moments, my opinion of course.
Lysandra Barbas/2 POV Chapters - I don't know what is going one with the female teenage characters in these book because every time they kiss a guy, they turn into a puddle and love the kiss so much that it feels so right. Not to mention the female on female aggression is just aggravating, and yes, Lysandra is aggressive towards other female characters who are pretty. I couldn't stand this character anymore, even though she only has 2 POV chapters.
Princess Cleiona Bellos/7 POV Chapters - You know my feelings for this character by this point. It hasn't changed. Cleo is also trying to play coy and manipulator in this book, she's bad at it. Not only could I see through it in her POV but every other character that spends a moment with her can see right through it, it was just dull by the end of the book. Like Jonas Cleo is also juggling 2 love interests and I just couldn't take it anymore.
Princess Lucia Damora/6 POV Chapters - Sadly Lucia became quite insufferable in this book. She seems very obsessed with Alexius, where he is, what he says, how he feels, anything about the Watcher is all she cares about. She has also turned completely on Magnus. She refuses to hear what he says and what he thinks. She blames him for the 2 not speaking anymore when she is the one saying mean things about him while he stays quiet and takes it, but hey, "Everything is his fault." Ugh! What is going on with the girls in this series.
Alexius/3 POV Chapters - Although it was interesting being in his perspectives I inevitably didn't care. Most of the time I was wondering if what he was doing was his own choice or is just being commanded to but in the end, I was just meh about the outcomes.
Nicolo Cassian/4 POV Chapters - Now I don't mind Nic, but I felt his chapters was just, "Hey let's check out what these characters are doing." I don't think they were really necessary but I did like the twist between him and another character named Asher. You'll see if you decide to read this book.
There are other characters in this book but the interest has diminished. The foreign royals from another country were painfully and obviously dubious and untrusting. Then there are others, a lot died, and others were just there. This book was just not doing it for me.
World Building: 3* - Another score brought low. The world gets immediately pushed back but we do get an interesting view of the magic being used in this book but I still don't understand the why and how of the magic. I suppose the magic is linked to the users energy because when Lucia uses so much of her magic she is exhausted but sometimes she isn't. It seems the magic is very fickle in this book. I'm hoping we go a little more into the magic in the next book. We do get some interesting info on the Kindred but I will leave that also for you guys to read.
Story: 3* - And another score brought down. Okay it took me almost the entire 3rd book for me to care about what is going on. At most this book kind of felt like filler to me. Lucia is being trained by Alexius for her to get better at magic but I did like that pay off. Magnus for the most part is being stringed along by almost everyone and ignored by Lucia. Cleo learns to play her enemies games to get the information needed to pass to Jonas while Jonas's plans most of the time don't work or they do by sheer luck. The last act of this book actually saved this book because this book as a whole was going to be 3* but I can't say what it is because of spoilers. All I can say is that when you get to this book just push on, push on until you get close to the end, you'll know you're there when Lucia shares a romantic moment with Alexius.
Over All: 3.5* - What saved this book, sort of, was the last act of the book and Magnus of course. I didn't care about the "romance". Some of the scenes is just a "Oh well it was the heat of the moment" B.S. Cleo can't make up her mind of the men in her life and Jonas can't make up his mind of the women in his life. The girls act like puddles when they kiss their "love interest" and the world building and most characters were just meh. All in all because of the last act I am a lot more intrigued for book 4 then I was for book 3, a new villain showed himself and I am curious to see what Lucia is going to do.