ARC Review--A Sorrow Fierce and Falling by Jessica Cluess

It's time for war.

After suffering terrible losses, Henrietta and Lord Blackwood have led their warriors to Sorrow-Fell, a vast estate where only those invited by a Blackwood may enter--and the ideal place to plan a final assault against the Ancients.

It's time for a wedding.

Henrietta nervously awaits her marriage to Blackwood, but when the ritual to become his bride reveals a dark secret, she realizes that Sorrow-Fell is not a safe haven; it's a trap. Convincing the sorcerers of this, however, is not easy. So with Maria, the true chosen one, and Magnus, the young man who once stole her heart, at her side, Henrietta plots a dangerous journey straight into the enemy's lair. Some will live. Some will die. All will be tested.

In this stunning conclusion to the Kingdom on Fire series, Henrietta must choose between the love from her past, the love from her present, and a love that could define her future. While battles rage, the fate of the kingdom rests on her decision: Will she fall or rise up to become the woman who saves the realm?

It's time for Henrietta to make her stand.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
A Sorrow Fierce and Falling is Jessica Cluess’ conclusion to the epic Kingdom on Fire trilogy! This series took me by surprise when I first picked it up but it drew me in in a way I never expected! It’s pure magic and just an overall amazingness that left me kind of speechless each and every time! It happens every so often that a book just leaves me stunned and I cannot think of a single adjective to do it justice, and Jessica Cluess’ books are the perfect example!

We pick up quickly where we left off, in some ways. Henrietta and the sorcerers have taken refuge at Sorrow-Fell which is Blackwood’s property. There they will gather and think of the perfect plan to putting a stop to the world-ending plans of Henrietta’s father, R’hlem. Prior to that though, a wedding must be planned between Henrietta and Blackwood!

Though the wedding does prove to be a point of interest, needing to stop the Ancients is a bigger problem and it seems that every time Henrietta and Blackwood get close to saying the “I dos” something  catastrophic happens. Then Henrietta makes a startling discover, the entrance to the Ancients’ home is on Blackwood property and when she thinks of a plan to put it all to use, Blackwood is against the idea. Then a whirlwind of chaos ensues and Henrietta finds herself on the outside of the protection spell placed on Sorrow-Fell.

Since this is the final book in the series, I have to say, a LOT happens in it! It was pretty much a book filled with nonstop action and excitement! I was turning through the pages as fast as my eyes and time would allow because the story just sucks you into it and demands to be read! So much happens, so many emotions get toyed with and it’s just one of those reads where I am seriously left speechless because I know if I open my mouth to talk a jet stream of garble will come out that cannot be understood until I let loose a spoiler without intending to! Lol! So yeah, I find myself in one of those states of reviewing mode!

Needless to say that when a book leaves me with these kinds of feelings, you know it was an epically amazing read! This series from the beginning held me so enchanted that I was always left desperate for more! The characters were so deep and colorful. They were all complicated and messy and I just loved them to pieces! There was so much to love about this series! And this final installment, I have to say, takes the cake!

This was one of those rare books where I never knew who I wanted the heroine to wind up with, romantic wise! She had three contenders for her heart, there was her beloved best friend, Rook, though he was turned into an Ancient himself, she hopes to save him from himself and return him to his former glory, then there was Magnus, the sorcerer she fell for so early on and always went back and forth with in a game of flirting, and then of course there was Blackwood himself, the man she agrees to marry. All different sorts of guys and yet, I never could really decide who I liked best. Of course, it wasn’t long before I did make my choice in this series and I was happy to see who Henrietta ended up with.

That being said, I will say that this book also killed me over and over again! Being a series finale, you can expect the turmoil of emotions, but oh my god, I wasn’t expecting my heart to break several times! I think it was around 7 times maybe? Lol. Yes, it wasn’t a pretty read that’s for sure as my heart was constantly being ripped to shreds only to mend again a few chapters later before the next tearing. But in a way, you start to expect that as a reader! Lol. Perhaps I am just starting to realize how authors think and what they delight in doing to their readers’ emotions and feelings!

But through it all, you always know how the story will end…in some way. It may not be in the way you imagined or hoped for, but the ending is always the same. Truly, I hope to never find a book that ends in the opposite way, I don’t think my fragile mind could take that! Lol.

A Sorrow Fierce and Falling was a positively beautiful read that all fantasy readers will come to adore! Though I do recommend reading the first two books, because spoilers! Lol. The Kingdom on Fire trilogy was an exquisite series to read and I am happy to have taken that leap in picking up the first book ever so long ago. And one last comment, how gorgeous have these covers been?! I swear that they got more beautiful as the series went on!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars


A Sorrow Fierce and Falling releases October 16, 2018