Began reading: 8.12.2016
Completed reading: 14.12.2016
Overall rating: 5 stars
Can the truth set her free?
Bryn is on the run and in trouble. She's been framed for murder and is forced to turn to her oldest enemy Konstantin for help. Together they investigate her alleged crime and discover a staggering royal plot that spans three kingdoms - but they need proof to clear her name.
Then death also strikes the Kanin clan's royal family, and this time both Bryn and the Skojare tribe are falsely implicated. As the Kanin's queen pushes for war with the Skojare, Bryn's boss Ridley tracks her down and she dreams they might finally be together. However, they must first expose the villain at the heart of their kingdom and somehow stop the conflict.
But as Bryn learns the startling truth about Konstantin, who will ultimately win her heart?
Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking is the final book of the Kanin Chronicles trilogy. It is a fictional young adult novel that contains fantasy and romance. After finishing Ice Kissed, I had to get into this one immediately! I wasn’t disappointed – it was the perfect end to a perfect series!
The book was well-written in terms of literary techniques, structure and pace; however, I discovered numerous spelling and grammatical errors. The structure was clearly defined, so I knew when a complication or resolution was coming up. As for the pace, I found it to be steady and easy to read. I expected some really good quotes, and Hocking delivered. These include:
‘You and I have been on opposite sides for a while, and I’ve made a lot of wrong choices. But I’m trying to make up for them, and …now I’m alone, and you’re alone. So I thought we could be alone together’ (p. 5).
‘You looked so hopeful that night. Your eyes were so wide and so blue when I talked to you.’ He smiled, looking pained and wistful. ‘The whole world belonged to you for a moment’ (p. 68).
I know this is terrible timing, but I can’t help it. I’m falling head over heels for Delilah. I feel so guilty, since our whole world is falling apart, but my heart doesn’t give a damn about time or place. All that matters is how we feel about each other (p. 104).
‘…you can’t save everyone. You can only do as much as you can, and then you need to move on’ (p. 116).
‘I came back for you because you’re my first thought in the morning. Because you push yourself to be better, and in the process, you push everyone else around you to be better. You make everything better.
‘You are far more courageous and stronger than anyone I’ve ever known,’ he continued. ‘And I never thought you’d ever want anything to do with me. I was certain I’d never be good enough for you.
‘But when we kissed for the first, under the lights of the aurora borealis, everything I’d ever felt about you was proven true,’ Ridley finished. ‘I came back for you because you’re all I ever wanted or needed, because I want to be with you always’ (p. 268).
‘Death is something that’s beyond even your control, white rabbit’ (p. 275).
‘I would stab you through the heart, but I don’t think you have one…’ (p. 393).
More quotes from the book can be found here.
As expected, the plot was interesting and unique, which kept me hooked throughout the series. It had various themes thrown in creatively to please readers of different genres. For example, there was a bit of romance, quite a bit of drama, and a lot of action. There were also a few plot twists, and many of them were unexpected. These particular twists were emotional, which kept the narrative intriguing.
There was a good amount of romance in this book, especially because Bryn and Ridley were reunited and spent much more time together. Throw in a little romantic tension from Konstantin and we have a juicy love triangle. In the beginning, the banter between Bryn and Konstantin had me giggling, as it was cheeky and little bit forbidden. There was always the question of whether Bryn would pick Ridley or Konstantin, which kept me interested. I preferred Bryn with Ridley, but the sensation of desire with Konstantin felt so right! That kiss towards the end was totally unexpected, but added a juicy twist to the romantic aspect of the plot, which I loved!
The interactions between Bryn and all of the other characters were really well done. In some books, these kinds of interactions might seem pointless, but it wasn’t the case in this book. Even Ember’s letters were significant because they provided us with an insight into what was happening in Doldastam – usually, I find letters to be tedious and irritating.
Everything ended really well, in terms of what happened to all of the characters (both primary and secondary). Because of this, I found no significant plot holes. I only have one question: what happened to Vita and Bloom? I could kind of answer these anyway – I assume that Vita was given to Ember’s mum, as she raises Gotland rabbits, and Bloom returned to the stables with the other Tralla horses. So I guess there really aren’t any questions that should’ve been answered.
My favourite character is still Bryn Aven, as she’s loyal, protective, hard-working, honest, and a badass. She was such a badass towards the end of the book, during the war, and I loved her character so much! I’m pretty upset that this series has come to an end because I’m really going to miss Bryn.
I was so sad that certain characters had to die in this book, but I know that it was to keep the plot interesting. I was expecting a main character to die, but not two! It was so emotional! Gosh, I hated Astrid since her appearance in the first book! I’m beyond glad that Bryn got her revenge in this one!
My favourite parts of the book include anything with Bryn and Ridley, the masquerade ball, and Bryn’s fights with Astrid and Mina. As always, Bryn and Ridley were so adorable. It was even more dramatic after Ridley was held captive and tortured by Mina. He was really broken, which added some tension on their relationship. The masquerade ball sounded so beautiful, especially when Bryn and Ridley were dancing to orchestral versions of Bulletproof by La Roux and Love Me Again by John Newman. I played these songs while I read this scene, and it made everything perfect! As for the fights, both Astrid and Mina got what they deserved. Bryn was unrelenting, which made me love her even more!
Recommendation time! If you like the Spellcaster trilogy by Claudia Gray, Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, and the Untamed City series by Melissa Marr, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Family TV series, Shadowhunters, Vampire Academy, Divergent, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.
My reviews for Frostfire and Ice Kissed can be found by clicking on the titles.
Happy reading!
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