A review by timsreads
Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes
4.0
Gathering Darkness is soooooooooooooo much better than the first two books it's kind of unbelievable. If you have read my last review, you know I was not planning on continuing with the series because of how much I disliked Rebel Spring. You know that annoyed feeling you get when you're forced to read the POV of the person you hate? Well I went through that a lot in the second book and it completely discouraged me to read this book. But because of the hype and my need for Magneo to be canon, I came back to the series and I can't believe I ended up giving this book a four stars! Going into the book, it was nothing special but then the book actually started to get interesting! Compared to Rebel Spring, I barely had to sit through Lucia and Alexius' POVs which made me enjoy the book so much more! So if you have read the Rebel Spring and are unsure about it, worry not because it was a great read.
Since this book is the third book in the series I can't say much without spoiling so the rest of my review will contain spoilers. If you have not yet read it then don't continue reading. Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!
So..Where should I even begin?
I guess I am just going to start with my favorite thing about this book. MAGNEO!! (which I am assuming is their official ship name) I ship Magnus and Cleo SOO hard and I have no idea where or when it hit me. I shipped her with Theron from the very beginning and then with Jonas but now Jonas is in love with Lysandra which actually makes sense. They match each other well plus they know each other better than he knows Cleo so I accept that Cleo and Jonas won't happen but it would have been awesome if they did get into a relationship. It kind of feels like the author just changed her mind and made her fall in love with Magnus instead which is not what an author should do, nonetheless I still ship them hard. You know, if someone had told me that I would one day ship Magnus and Cleo while I was reading Falling Kingdoms then I would look at them like they were crazy and said "Um... I don't think we're reading the same series." NEVER DID I THINK THAT I WOULD SHIP THEM. That scene right after Cleo saved Magnus' life, he was like oh crap, i think im in love with her. I was scrEAMING. Also that scene where he said, "you are the only light in my life" and then Cleo ended up replying to that with "I hate you" AND THEN THEY KISS. I was freaking out so hard. There better be more hardcore scenes between them in Frozen Tides because if not I will be very angry. Like pitch fork angry. Starting a rebellion angry.
So anyway before I seriously start plotting against the author, I should talk about the book in general. The kindred has been found! How exciting. I must admit I had not expected that all four of them would be discovered so soon as there are still three more books to go but I still like the direction the series is going right now. I find it really interesting how there was a lot more to the crystals than we initially thought. How there are actually gods and goddesses imprisoned inside but we still don't know why. The fire god somehow got free and with the help of Lucia(who I still don't like but my hate has lessened after Alexius' death) he plans on freeing his brother and sisters.
Lucia has gone through alot. I can't help but feel pity for her. She literally has no one who she can truly rely on other than her brother but even she is not sure she can completely trust him anymore. I think she is the one who changed the most since the first book and she will continue to change and I hope it will be for the better. Everyone changed for better or for worse. Many died along the way and the fact there was only two major deaths this book, Alexius and Prince Ashur, is kind of strange because I expected more. At the end, I find it funny that all four crystals are in different possessions. One is in mortal form with Lucia, One with Jonas which ultimately means Cleo, One with Felix(the over-sensitive guy who stole one of the crystals with force instead of explaining himself after he over heard their conversation) which means with King Gaius and the last with Princess Amara who went back Kraeshia with it. Not what I expected at all.
One thing I respect most about Morgan Rhodes is her ability to add twists and turns that always leave me gasping and it makes me really enjoy reading her books. No matter how bored I got with the series somehow I always got sucked back in and now I am here to stay for good (UNLESS MAGNEO ISNT CANON BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE WILL SUFFER and by that my friends will have to go through my rants of rage). The thing that I hate most about her books is her need to add insta love to every single book. This book was Nick and Ashur. First book was Theron and Cleo(they were feelings yes but we did not see them develop naturally) then second book it was Lucia and Alexius and then this. Ashur's feelings did not in any way feel believable and I hate that author has a problem with this. Also is anyone else surprised that Nick's still alive because I sure am!
Since this book is the third book in the series I can't say much without spoiling so the rest of my review will contain spoilers. If you have not yet read it then don't continue reading. Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!
So..Where should I even begin?
I guess I am just going to start with my favorite thing about this book. MAGNEO!! (which I am assuming is their official ship name) I ship Magnus and Cleo SOO hard and I have no idea where or when it hit me. I shipped her with Theron from the very beginning and then with Jonas but now Jonas is in love with Lysandra which actually makes sense. They match each other well plus they know each other better than he knows Cleo so I accept that Cleo and Jonas won't happen but it would have been awesome if they did get into a relationship. It kind of feels like the author just changed her mind and made her fall in love with Magnus instead which is not what an author should do, nonetheless I still ship them hard. You know, if someone had told me that I would one day ship Magnus and Cleo while I was reading Falling Kingdoms then I would look at them like they were crazy and said "Um... I don't think we're reading the same series." NEVER DID I THINK THAT I WOULD SHIP THEM. That scene right after Cleo saved Magnus' life, he was like oh crap, i think im in love with her. I was scrEAMING. Also that scene where he said, "you are the only light in my life" and then Cleo ended up replying to that with "I hate you" AND THEN THEY KISS. I was freaking out so hard. There better be more hardcore scenes between them in Frozen Tides because if not I will be very angry. Like pitch fork angry. Starting a rebellion angry.
So anyway before I seriously start plotting against the author, I should talk about the book in general. The kindred has been found! How exciting. I must admit I had not expected that all four of them would be discovered so soon as there are still three more books to go but I still like the direction the series is going right now. I find it really interesting how there was a lot more to the crystals than we initially thought. How there are actually gods and goddesses imprisoned inside but we still don't know why. The fire god somehow got free and with the help of Lucia(who I still don't like but my hate has lessened after Alexius' death) he plans on freeing his brother and sisters.
Lucia has gone through alot. I can't help but feel pity for her. She literally has no one who she can truly rely on other than her brother but even she is not sure she can completely trust him anymore. I think she is the one who changed the most since the first book and she will continue to change and I hope it will be for the better. Everyone changed for better or for worse. Many died along the way and the fact there was only two major deaths this book, Alexius and Prince Ashur, is kind of strange because I expected more. At the end, I find it funny that all four crystals are in different possessions. One is in mortal form with Lucia, One with Jonas which ultimately means Cleo, One with Felix(the over-sensitive guy who stole one of the crystals with force instead of explaining himself after he over heard their conversation) which means with King Gaius and the last with Princess Amara who went back Kraeshia with it. Not what I expected at all.
One thing I respect most about Morgan Rhodes is her ability to add twists and turns that always leave me gasping and it makes me really enjoy reading her books. No matter how bored I got with the series somehow I always got sucked back in and now I am here to stay for good (UNLESS MAGNEO ISNT CANON BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE WILL SUFFER