Review: Rule (The Unraveled Kingdom #3) by Rowenna Miller

Rule (The Unraveled Kingdoms #3) by Rowenna Miller

Orbit

Publication Date: May 19th, 2020

Paperback. 432 pages

About Rule:

"In this epic conclusion to the Unraveled Kingdom trilogy that began with Torn and Fray, the magical seamstress Sophie Balstrade joins forces with her brother the revolutionary leader and her betrothed the Crown Prince in a deadly bid to change history. 

The civil war that the charm caster Sophie and the Crown Prince Theodor tried so desperately to avert has come to Galitha. While Theodor joins Sophie's brother and his Reformist comrades in battle, hoping to turn the tide against the better-supplied and better-trained Royalist army, Sophie leverages the only weapon she has: charm and curse casting. She weaves her signature magic into uniforms and supplies procured with the aid of unlikely foreign allies, but soon discovers that the challenges of a full-scale war are far greater than the entrepreneurial concerns of her small Galithan dress shop. The fractured leadership of the Reformist army must coalesce, the people of Galitha unite against enormous odds, and Sophie create more than a little magical luck, in order to have a chance of victory."

Torn (The Unraveled Kingdom #1) Review
Fray (The Unraveled Kingdom #2) Review

I am both satisfied and heartbroken that The Unraveled Kingdoms trilogy is now over, but I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to wrap up this beautiful and intense story. The previous two books were sent to me courtesy of Orbit, but because of COVID things have gotten a little crazy and rather than simply request it on NetGalley, I decided to pre-order this one specially because I felt like I should support both Rowenna Miller and Orbit right now--and I'm so glad I did because that cover looks even more beautiful in person!

Where do I begin? First, if you haven't read the first two books in this trilogy but plan to and don't want any sort of spoilers, then you may not want to read this review in full detail. I won't give any spoilers for Rule and I will try to refrain from saying too much that could give away details from the first two books, but there will probably be some general plot details that do slip through, so consider yourself warned. :)

Despite attempts to prevent it, a civil war has erupted in Galitha, where Reformists strive to topple the nobility and Royalist army in order to give the people of Galitha better rights. This is the moment that the previous books have been building up to--the final stand on whether or not the people of Galitha can be successful in their revolutionary endeavor. Though they had success int he past with passing important bills, we all know that that doesn't mean any problem is over, and tensions have finally reached their final point.

Sophie, our sole protagonist, remains a truly captivating character to follow, and it has been such a incredible journey watching her grow in both her physical powers as a charmcaster as well as her personal growth into someone somehow even more independent and headstrong than she already was at the beginning of the trilogy. In Rule, Sophie learns just how high the stakes have risen and what true battle is like, along with all of the loss, triumph, and struggle that comes with it. I've also liked watching Sophie's relationships with Theodore and her brother, Kristos, develop over the course of The Unraveled Kingdoms trilogy. There are a lot of ups and downs between them, especially when it comes to Sophie and her brother, and it was such an enjoyable to see how they handled all the different conflicts and intense moments that happened and how those ultimately shaped everything in the end.

I also liked Miller's inclusion of women's rights issues that pop up in this world, and I think the way that she chose to incorporate it had a very real-world authentic feel to it. Although the people of Galitha are fighting for better rights and quality of life, there's no real emphasis on the women of Galitha and that they should have more opportunities, such as running for political office. Sophie repeatedly brings this up to Kristos and Theodore, but is repeatedly told that that is not what they are fighting for right and that she should bring it up again later once they've established their new way of life in Galitha. Of course, Sophie doesn't take this as an adequate answer and continues to push, and I thought it was a really thoughtful and important way to show how there are so many more sides to any revolution than appear, and that just because one problem might be solved, it doesn't mean everything is perfect.

Along those lines of not everything being perfect, I also appreciated how Miller had her characters discuss not only the current civil war, but what the future could look like if they actually won. Contrary to what most books and stories make it sound like, winning a war doesn't mean things are automatically perfect for the victors--instead, Sophie, Theodore, her brother, and other chosen leaders must figure out how to go about creating this 'better' life in an equal and acceptable way for everyone. This is no easy task, and I appreciated how much prominence Miller gave to these issues.

Overall, I've given this amazing conclusion to a magical and politically intense story five stars! I have loved following this revolution of sorts from the very beginning where Sophie is working at her store and focusing on building up her business to being a vital component of one of the most important moments in Galitha's new history. If you like revolutions, politics, the idea of charms being sewn into cloth items, and people who never give up on fighting for what they believe is right and fair for everyone, then absolutely pick up this trilogy!

Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Rule (The Unraveled Kingdom #3) by Rowenna Miller & Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Rule (The Unraveled Kingdom #3) by Rowenna Miller
Publication: May 19th, 2020

Orbit

Paperback. 432 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The civil war that the charm caster Sophie and the Crown Prince Theodor tried so desperately to avert has come to Galitha. While Theodor joins Sophie's brother and his Reformist comrades in battle, hoping to turn the tide against the better-supplied and better-trained Royalist army, Sophie leverages the only weapon she has: charm and curse casting. She weaves her signature magic into uniforms and supplies procured with the aid of unlikely foreign allies, but soon discovers that the challenges of a full-scale war are far greater than the entrepreneurial concerns of her small Galithan dress shop. The fractured leadership of the Reformist army must coalesce, the people of Galitha unite against enormous odds, and Sophie create more than a little magical luck, in order to have a chance of victory."

I have been loving this trilogy and I am so incredibly excited for this finale! Sophie is a character that I have really grown to love and I've missed following her and this entire world and storyline.

and...

Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella

Publication: May 5th, 2020

Random House

Hardcover. 480 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"Cadence Archer arrives on Harvard’s campus desperate to understand why her brother, Eric, a genius who developed paranoid schizophrenia took his own life there the year before. Losing Eric has left a black hole in Cady’s life, and while her decision to follow in her brother’s footsteps threatens to break her family apart, she is haunted by questions of what she might have missed. And there’s only one place to find answers. 

As Cady struggles under the enormous pressure at Harvard, she investigates her brother’s final year, armed only with a blue notebook of Eric’s cryptic scribblings. She knew he had been struggling with paranoia, delusions, and illusory enemies—but what tipped him over the edge? With her suspicions mounting, Cady herself begins to hear voices, seemingly belonging to three ghosts who walked the university’s hallowed halls—or huddled in its slave quarters. Among them is a person whose name has been buried for centuries, and another whose name mankind will never forget. 

Does she share Eric’s illness, or is she tapping into something else? Cady doesn’t know how or why these ghosts are contacting her, but as she is drawn deeper into their worlds, she believes they’re moving her closer to the truth about Eric, even as keeping them secret isolates her further. Will listening to these voices lead her to the one voice she craves—her brother’s—or will she follow them down a path to her own destruction?"

I'm a sucker for any mysterious plot line set on a college campus or boarding school situation, so this one seems right up my alley! Ghost stories can be hit or miss in execution, but I'm hoping this one will be done well.

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Double Mini-Reviews: Rule by Ellen Goodlett & Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd

Rule by Ellen Goodlett

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Hardcover. 376 pages.

About Rule:

"Three girls with three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown. 

The king is dying, his heir has just been murdered, and rebellion brews in the east. But the kingdom of Kolonya and the outer Reaches has one last option before it descends into leaderless chaos. 

Or rather, three unexpected options. 

Zofi has spent her entire life trekking through the outer Reaches with her band of Travelers. She would do anything to protect the band, her family. But no one can ever find out how far she's already gone. 

Akeylah was raised in the Eastern Reach, surrounded by whispers of rebellion and abused by her father. Desperate to escape, she makes a decision that threatens the whole kingdom. 

Ren grew up in Kolonya, serving as a lady's maid and scheming her way out of the servants' chambers. But one such plot could get her hung for treason if anyone ever discovers what she's done. 

When the king summons the girls, they arrive expecting arrest or even execution. Instead they learn the truth: they are his illegitimate daughters, and one must become his new heir. But someone in Kolonya knows their secrets, and that someone will stop at nothing to keep the sisters from their destiny... to rule. 

Magic, mystery, and blackmail abound in this sensational and striking fantasy debut."

LIKES: Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah were all wonderfully strong in their own unique way that stood out so much. Each girl was very different from the others, but they come together so well and learn to use their weakness as strengths, as well allowing their minds to be opened and consider new ideas. I think she did that beautifully. There was unnecessary hatred among them at first, but Goodlett did a wonderful job of having the girls mature and realize that hating each other was not going to solve anything. I also loved the handling of systemic racism and prejudice, discrimination, and other social issues, all of which I think were thoughtfully considered and also rather thought-provoking. I enjoyed the overall mystery and getting to know each of the girls through both their positive and negative decisions in life, as it really helped them become well-rounded figures.

DISLIKES: Honestly, I'm not sure why this has so many negative reviews. One reason could be because the magic system requires an individual to essentially cut into their arm/leg/etc., which could be found triggering for self-harm. That's totally valid and if that is something that would bother you, then do keep that in mind before reading this book. That being said, I thought it worked well as a magic system because by cutting into oneself for blood, it shows an immediate consequence of using your power and how it is limited. I would have liked more detailed world-building, as it did feel fairly limited at times and left me wondering. My main dislike is the cliffhanger ending. Look, I don't mind a bit of a cliffhanger--it keeps us excited!--but when it's literally akin to someone hanging off a cliff, it's almost cheap and feels like I'm being taken advantage of as a reader. Maybe I overreact, but it still bothers me.

Overall, I've decided to give Rule four stars!

*I received an ARC of Rule courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd 
HMH Books for Young Readers
Hardcover. 376 pages.

About Grim Lovelies:

"Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime. 

Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for. 

From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price."

LIKES: I loved Shepherd's The Madman's Daughter, so I was pretty excited to check this book out and see what else she could do.  I thought that the general concept of the beasties, the witches, and how the magic system worked was pretty interesting. There is a time limit placed on the events of this book, which lent to a quick pace that kept the story moving at all times. This book also went darker than I expected at times, though the darker aspects were more told as a past event rather than something currently happening, though there is still some violence in this book. I was also rather shocked and impressed by the last quarter or so of the book, including the ending--it definitely wasn't how I expected Shepherd to end this tale. I also love the Goblin characters and their carefree, tricky nature, and I can't wait to see more of them in the sequel.

DISLIKES: As much as I enjoyed the beasties and the magic system, I would have liked a little more explanation of various histories related to it. Everything is fully explained, but it still felt rushed and I had to digest it all very quickly. In addition, the entire story felt a bit rushed. I'm not sure we spent quite enough time at the original house and with the characters before the big life-changing event occurs, and I think it would have helped with the development of the characters. I feel like we got to know the characters decently well, but they needed more depth to their personalities. The romance was also something I could have done without.

Overall, I ended up realizing I had a fun time reading this book and the plot was an interesting one, so I've given Grim Lovelies four stars! I would say a younger YA reader might be more drawn to this one, though it was a certainly an entertaining read no matter what one's age.

Buy the book:  Amazon | Book Depository

And as I won't be posting tomorrow for the holiday, I just want to wish everyone a very happy holiday! I  hope you all have a wonderful time with whatever your plans are!