Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, YA Fantasy | Release Date: 18 July 2022 | Series: Althuria Chronicles | Series Book: #3 | Pages: 240 | Indie Author | Review
“I want fear, I want destruction, I want death. I want this furious world to crumble.”
Ryver Knight
Overview:
Thanks to Ryver Knight and Book Sirens, I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of the YA fantasy Runes and Rebellion! The third book in the Althuria Chronicles, it immediately picks up where we left off in Shadows and Shifters; Asha has just travelled back in time because everything went drastically wrong, and she couldn’t live with those consequences. The opening is therefore reminiscent of where it all began in Smoke and Spells (but with a wiser Asha who knows what’s at stake).*
In this new instalment, Asha must now get to the Eternos tower in Lanthany and restore the balance of magic in the world. But it’s not going to be easy, with the Red Shields hunting her. The rebels are without weapons, the dwarves have no time to make more, and there are spies and traitors lurking everywhere… Can the void magic be relied upon to save the world? Will Asha still have to say goodbye to her loved ones? And how do you save the world if you can’t trust the people surrounding you?
Happiness Boost:
Asha has (mostly) grown in maturity, and is therefore incredibly determined to do what’s right. But because she isn’t silly, she also knows that she can’t defeat the Queen single-handed. I really enjoy how Asha approaches her goals, and that she isn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right. Out of everyone, Asha knows what the future could look like, and doesn’t let her youth stand in the way of what she needs to accomplish. I love that! How many younger people are told they don’t know what they’re talking about? Runes and Rebellion is a wonderful vehicle for this truth: everyone has a voice. And your words matter just as much as anyone else’s, regardless of your age.
A shapeshifter with a little bit of sass… How could that not be a happiness boost? Bruiser, particularly in horse form, is a wonderful sidekick on this adventure. And he really comes into his own in this book! I hope we see (and especially hear) more of him in the next book too. I am always happy when there’s a bit of banter amongst characters, and Bruiser certainly delivers.
This has to be a big happiness boost: there are consequences to using the void magic improperly. And it’s not something to be taken lightly. When the magic is used for a drastic and awful purpose, Asha can’t simply say sorry. That’s not enough. I really enjoyed that the void makes Asha fully realise (and empathise) why she was wrong to force it’s hand.
Downside:
There are a few moments when I again wanted to shake Asha. I think that may just be a recurring thing for me with her character. Her heart is in the right place, but there are times when she talks herself in circles… And when there is a time limit, and the tower *must* be reached, it’s a little bit hard to accept her dithering. I do get why she thought it best to wait a few days and see if she could do good in the mountains, but still. I must be getting old… But at least it’s a good sign that I’m so invested in her journey!
Final Thoughts:
Ryver Knight has not let us down with this third book in the Althuria Chronicles! There are so many moments of adventure and danger in Runes and Rebellion, it keeps a reader hooked from the very first page to the last. With the stakes getting even higher, I’ve loved reading this YA fantasy!
You can pre-order via my Amazon link: Runes and Rebellion
Missed the other books in the Althuria Chronicles? You can order them by clicking these links:
Smoke and Spells | Shadows and Shifters
* If you haven’t read my reviews for the previous books, you can read them here:
Smoke and Spells: Ryver Knight | Shadows and Shifters: Ryver Knight
