Genres: Young Adult, YA Fantasy, Fantasy | Release Date: 21 August 2018 | Series: The Frostblood Saga | Series Book: #3 | Pages: 450 | Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton | Review
“The long, dark night had begun.”
Elly Blake
Overview:
I rushed through my copy of Nightblood by Elly Blake, eager to see what the end of this exciting series looked like for Ruby, Arcus and Kai!* This YA fantasy has it all: overwhelming odds, powerful magic, interfering deities and so much more… Yet even with the highest of stakes, at the heart of this tale we’re still captivated by Ruby’s deepest desires and fears.
After the adventures of the first two books in the series (Frostblood & Fireblood), Ruby is now a host to the fire Minax and sleepwalking through nightmares. It’s actually only the quick actions of Kai that save her from going overboard, as they sail for Tempesia. They need Brother Thistle to decipher a long-dead language and locate the Gate of Light, where they hope to stop the God Eurus unleashing a horde of Minax. Will they be too late? Can Ruby break free of the Minax she unwillingly hosts? And is love enough when kingdoms are on the verge of collapse? Some sacrifices are hard to bear…
The beautiful Rhea dragon from Dirty Paws Australia loved it too!
Happiness Boost:
I have had the best time, reading this book! Nightblood has such likeable and interesting characters, even as there are villains whom we love to plot against. The sassiness of Ruby? *Chef’s kiss* I was loving it! And there is a sweetness to the unlikely friendships which were forged under extreme conditions; I was keeping my fingers crossed that they’d all come through the battle unscathed.
The possession of the Minax over Ruby isn’t just an outright force that pummels her; it is also one of subtlety and deception. I *really* love that Elly made it this way. Sometimes the hardest realisation is when you think things are okay, but they’re actually not. Ruby can’t trust herself any more; the Minax is taking over. The insidiousness of this plot device kept me well and truly hooked.
Multiple deities, not just Eurus, make an appearance in Nightblood. Their witticisms and presence were one of the highlights of this story for me, somehow elevating an already amazing book to something more! Hands up if anyone else has read (and loved) Jennifer Fallon’s The Gods of Amyrantha series? If you have, I know you’ll really enjoy the deities in this last book!
Downside:
I reached the end, but that was inevitable… Aside from that? There was no downside to Nightblood for me!
Final Thoughts:
Elly Blake has created a thrilling finale to The Frostblood Saga. There are very, very big moments in Nightblood and they reach a crescendo at the Gate of Light. The pacing, the plot, the characters themselves… All have merged to create an incredible conclusion to this YA fantasy series. I almost can’t believe that my journey with Ruby is over, it’s been such a wonderful adventure! I might have to go back to the beginning and start all over again, but who wouldn’t, when the story is this good?
You can order via my Amazon link: Nightblood
Missed the other books in the series? You can get them here:
* If you haven’t read my reviews for book one and two, you can read them here:
