There was nothing sweet about the way he smiled. It was a smile that promised she'd enjoy this new game, even as she lost it.
Finale
by Stephanie Garber
Genre: YA Fantasy
About: The Fates are free and wrecking havoc in Valenda. No human is safe, least of all the Dragna sisters who seem to attract magic and mayhem as if they've been cursed before birth. But while Tella has Legend and The Prince of Hearts toying with her, Scarlett has an unexpected admirer who could prove deadly...
The Good
We get to meet a lot more of the Fates this time around and their powers are really interesting. Going to Fated places, using Fated objects and, of course, interacting with the Fates themselves are always really fun moments in the book. A lot of the magic surrounds following your heart or having to share your deepest secrets, often with the very people you should least trust, which leads to betrayals on top of betrayals. And there are so many master manipulators that you're never quite sure if what you're reading is really happening.
I loved seeing Scarlett grow her powers - the decisions she makes are very true to her character and her storyline is probably the most essential to the main plot. But it's Tella's love-triangle-subplot that brings the most shocking and addictive to read moments for me. Jacks wasn't a very believable love interest in the last book, but in this one you really feel his desperation. Both Legend and Jacks proclaim to be the villains, and both of them will do anything to get Tella. It's a twisted love story that tastes of fairytales and heartbreak and oh so tempting apples.
The Bad
There's some repetitiveness to scenes. The beginning with all the dream sequences and catching up is really more of a prologue and, as much as I love the Tella/Legend/Jacks dynamic, there are times when you get a scene of Tella and Legend having a moment only to be interrupted by Jacks and then the exact same thing will happen in the very next scene.
Also the description of dresses gets re lly out of hand. It would make for an excellent drinking game, as would any time a character gifts one of the sisters with something - it's nearly always another dress. You wouldn't be able to see straight by the end of the series.
The Somewhat Iffy
The pace is really abrupt for some monumental events. There was a two book set-up for finding their mother but Paloma's role in this one is ridiculously brief. You can easily blink and miss her, which makes it hard to care for the grief she inspires. Another two book set-up character was The Count, and that goes exactly the same way as the mother - disappointingly brief, though the sisters soon forget about him anyway. For such a set-up, I think they both should have be present up until the middle of the book at least. Time enough for a genuine relationship to have formed otherwise I don't see what was the point of them ever being found.
The Fallen Star is an excellent villain, but sometimes his dialogue is a little exaggerated and I especially didn't believe his dramatic change of heart at the end. Scarlett didn't even use her powers which would have made a lot more sense.
Overall
A chaotic burst of magic, love and sacrifice. I really enjoyed this conclusion to Scarlett and Tella's stories. Or is it??
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