RIP, me after reading Ember Queen and realizing that the Ash Princess trilogy is officially over. Have no worries, Ash Princess fans: the final novel is burning bright.

Ember Queen (Ash Princess Trilogy #3)
by Laura Sebastian

Publisher: Delacorte Books For Young Readers
Release Date: February 4th 2020


The thrilling conclusion to the series that began with the instant New York Times bestseller “made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir” (Bustle), Ember Queen is an epic fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.

Princess Theodosia was a prisoner in her own country for a decade. Renamed the Ash Princess, she endured relentless abuse and ridicule from the Kaiser and his court. But though she wore a crown of ashes, there is fire in Theo’s blood. As the rightful heir to the Astrean crown, it runs in her veins. And if she learned nothing else from her mother, she learned that a Queen never cowers.

Now free, with a misfit army of rebels to back her, Theo must liberate her enslaved people and face a terrifying new enemy: the new Kaiserin. Imbued with a magic no one understands, the Kaiserin is determined to burn down anyone and everything in her way.

The Kaiserin’s strange power is growing stronger, and with Prinz Søren as her hostage, there is more at stake than ever. Theo must learn to embrace her own power if she has any hope of standing against the girl she once called her heart’s sister.

• Explosive
• Satisfying end
• Just as strong as Ash Princess and Lady Smoke
• EMOTIONAL 

 

As always, a copy of this book was provided by the authors in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. 

Just like that... Ash Princess is over. I'M A PUDDLE OF EMOTIONS. In a rare turn of events, this trilogy ended in a way that left me feeling 100% satisfied. Ember Queen was exactly what I wanted, needed, it to be and the perfect way to blow off some steam in an otherwise crappy week. This whole series has been an enthralling and utterly enchanting surprise. And, fun fact: Ember Queen is its best installment. 

Laura Sebastian, I bow down to you. From the complexities of the central story-arches, to the many dynamics, right to the world building and character development, this series is nothing but strong and fiery. Ember Queen is all about reclaiming what is yours and embracing your destiny--and every little moment in it is so, so, so, sparkling. I. AM. OBSESSED.

Something about this fantasy is highly entrancing. It compelled me from the start. In heartbreak and in strength, Ash Princess has truly been a journey--reading this trilogy felt like a breeze and this compelling feeling was just as strong within the pages of Ember Queen. Much like with the rest of the series, readers can prepare themselves for an abundance of emotion; the action, the romance, the heartbreak, the prose, build-up and the resolution.

Theo's adventures, her hardships and her strides, the battles and the love, the hard and easier choices in life, continue to burn brightly in Ember Queen. Again, I'm so in awe over the development of this world, and these characters. Laura Sebastian creates the perfect pacing and balances the plotlines with a suspenseful sort of ease.

Looking back on Ash Princess and Lady Smoke, it's important to note the amount of growth that has come to the trilogy. The way that it all ties together and builds on intensity? *Chefs kiss* Ultimately, Ember Queen solidifies what I've known since finishing Ash Princess: Theo is resilient, completely badass and absolutely one of my favourite fictional characters of all time.

Ember Queen is the novel we've, the fans, been waiting for and it's kind of everything one could want. It left me feeling deeply satisfied and the experience is a little bittersweet because, again, it's like saying goodbye to a good friend. Every page of this story is crafted in such a compelling, entertaining way.

Laura Sebastian is at her finest with Ember Queen, tying up the series with ease. Pair this book with a cozy blanket and a warm beverage. Clear your afternoon--this novel demands your full attention. If you haven't read the Ash Princess trilogy, there is no better time than now to binge read all three books and fall in love with this world.