Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms #3) by Morgan Rhodes- 5/5

Hello sunnies 🌞

As most of you guys know, I am taking part of a blog tour showcasing The Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes. My last two posts (skip the Sunday blogger guest post) have reviews for books one and two in the series, today we have book three, Gathering Darkness! We will soon also have a guest post from the author, she will tell us her inspiration for my bae- Magnus Damora!

I think this is my favorite book in the series so far, it definitely has some of my favorite quotes and things really do pick up here too.

All our now well known characters are in search of the kindred, and whoever gets it is set to take control over Mytica. 

Magnus needs to decide what is more important to him: pleasing his father or fighting for justice to all. Everyone he loves has turned their back on him, betrayed him, and he is one very hurt boy. 

New players have joined the hunt for the kindred, the Kraeshians Ashur and Amara. The second, Amara, has become one of my favorites 'evil' characters in recent YA fantasy.

Cleo and Jonas unite in the search for vengeance, freedom and power. 

Jonas does crack me up though. He is the sweetest and most useless rebel there is. I am not really sure how he is still alive. The boy has luck, a lot of it!
Cleo was and still is a very strong female character. She wants control over her destiny and her kingdom back. Her growth between books become very prominent here, she is now someone that could potentially take over Gaius. 

Lucia still as dangerous as before. Her power can destroy thoroughly and fully. 

A LOT happens in gathering darkness, but my favorite scenes are the interactions between Cleo and Magnus. It is here that all Magnus opposing attributes come clashing and it confuses Cleo to no end. Magnus is both selfless and selfish, angry and kind, loving and full of hatred, a friend and an enemy, a man to love, a man to run from...

“Her cerulean eyes widened. 

"You dream about me?"

His gaze snapped back to hers.

"Nightmares only” 

“But one thought was crystal clear. This princess, who looked at him tonight with hope rather than hate shining in her eyes . . . if he let her, she could destroy him.” 

“Magnus had come to a horrible realization. One that he knew would cause him nothing but pain and suffering from that day forward.
But there was no changing the truth of it.
He had fallen in love with her.” 

“You want to know why I did what I did?" His dark brows drew together as if he were only now allowing himself to consider this question. "Its fairly simple, actually. It's because, without your bravery in the face of all that's happened to you, without your constant scheming behind my back, without that fire of hatred and contempt and hope in your eyes when you look at me..." He hissed out a breath. "In the shadow my father has cast over my entire life, you are the only light I can see anymore. And, whatever the cost, I refuse to let that light be extinguished.” 

Here is the blurb for Gathering Darkness:

The painted bookish letter 'A' has the book cover for the
upcoming release Immortal Reign! 

In Gathering Darkness, book three of the New York Times bestselling Falling Kingdoms series, the stakes have never been higher as three teams push forward on a race to find the Kindred, the fourth elemental crystals possessing ancient all-powerful magic, first:

Prince Magnus has just witness torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces. Now he  must chose between family and justice as his father, the cruel King Gaius, sets out to conquer all of Mytica. All Gaius needs now are the Kindred- the four elemental crystals that give godlike powers to their owner. But the King of Blood is not the only one hunting for this ancient, stories magic...

The Kraeshians joint the hunt. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the wealthy kingdom across the Silver Sea, charm and manipulate their way to the Kindred, proving to be more ruthless than perhaps the King of Blood himself. The rebels forge ahead. Princess Cleo and vengeful Jonas lead them, slaying with sweetness, skill, and a secret that can control Lucia's overpowering magic- all so they can use the Kindred to winback their fallen kingdoms. The Watchers follow Melenia out of the sanctuary. They ally in the flesh with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia's powers to unveil the Kindred. The only certainty in the dark times is that whoever finds the magic first will control the fate of Mytica... but fate can be fickle when magic is involved.

AUTHOR BIO:

Morgan Rhodes is the New York Times bestselling author of the Falling Kingdoms series and the Falling Kingdoms spin-off series, the Books of Spirits and Thieves. Under another pen name, she's an award winning author of more than two dozen novels. Morgan lives in Southern Ontario, where she's currently hard at work on the next Falling Kingdoms book.

This beauty comes out February 6. Can't wait!

And last but not least, here is the Blog Tour Schedule. Happy reading!

WEEK ONE (Book One: Falling Kingdoms and Two Book: Rebel Spring)

January 8 – Adventures of a Book Junkie – Interview

January 9 – [booklovingnut.com]The Book Nut – Review and Playlist

January 10 – Quirky and Peculiar – Review

January 11 – I Fangirl About Books – Creative Post

January 12 – Lovely Loveday – Author Guest Post

WEEK TWO (Book 3: Gathering Darkness)

January 15 – Glimpses of my Books – Cover Art and Author Guest Post - her inspiration for the character Magnus Damora

January 16 – Book Briefs – Book Review

January 17 – In Wonderland – Review

January 18 – Star-Crossed Book Blog – Review

WEEK THREE (Book 4: Frozen Tides)

January 22 – Ex Libris – Interview

January 23 – Ensconced in Lit – Review

January 24 – Step Into a Book World – Review

January 25 – Ria Reads – Review

WEEK FOUR (Crystal Storm)

January 29 – My Friends are Fiction – Author Guest Post

January 30 – Adventures through Wonderland – Review + Instagram

January 31 – A Thousand Books to Read – Interview

February 1 – A Page with a View – Review

February 2 – Never Too Many To Read – Book Spotlight and/or Review