I read these books separately.

Shattered Throne
4.4 stars

This book, much like the last book, is filled with suspense and mystery. The groundwork is still being laid in the story, much like a jigsaw puzzle, but it is also starting to fill in the blanks. I like that about this series because it keeps things fresh and isn't cookie cutter.

I feel the frustration as the relationship forms between Willow and Donatello where they are trying to fight this pull of attraction between them. In many ways, it is titillating. However, in the same breath, it is starting to frustrate me. It wasn't until almost 80% of this story was done before they acted on their attraction. There is a part of me that doesn't feel like this is as much a romance as it primarily feels like suspense since the focus of the story isn't as much on these characters themselves but on the story unfolding around them. That doesn't mean it isn't a good story, because it is. Yet, it feels different than other books by this author and I find that I miss some of that in this one.

I am glad to know that the answers are coming to this series with the conclusion in the next book. It definitely ended on a nice little twist. I hope in that book that I get more from Don and Willow and not just focus on the story because I want this to be more of a romance.

Mended Crown
4 stars

This series has been intense. From the very beginning, there have been so many mysteries to this story and what those secrets meant for the characters involved. Often, I found myself divided on whether I was team Willow, Team Donatello, or even Team Mischa. I am glad to say that by the end I didn't need to be divided anymore.

There is A LOT to unpack in this story. So much so, that I almost wish I had started reading this from the beginning to refresh my memory before reading this. I think that will work to the benefit for those readers out there that binge read. For myself, that hindered part of the story because it had been so long.

Even with my feelings of being a little lost, it did not deter from the mastery that is this author's writing ability. She knows how to craft a story. This series has a different feel than her usual books. Sure, there is the whole revenge theme going on but, this also didn't feel like a true romance for me. I think that altered my feelings for the book and series overall. There were so many outside factors to the story and different stories happening simultaneously that I never really got the chance to commit to Willow and Don as a couple. Did they have passion and chemistry? Absolutely. Yet, even with the way that the conclusion wrapped things up, a conclusion that I wasn't even sure was going to be able to be wrapped up in the last portion of the book, did I ever feel that they were really a serious couple. I didn't like that Don never really committed to being able to show love or give Willow the love that she deserved. And for Willow, I wasn't sure if she even had come to love him.

That being said, it was great to finally see how things all tied together and came full circle. It was great to not see everyone trying to kill one another and finally have a commonality. Even though I struggled connecting with the characters of the story, I do have to say that I am, again, impressed by how gifted this author is. She created four novels with a multifaceted heroine that doesn't speak in actual words. Yet, her voice is heard throughout the story. That takes serious skill.

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