REVIEW: Rebel Spring
Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes
Page Count: 401 pages
Release Date: November 27, 2013
My Rating: 3.8/5 Stars
Goodreads Synopsis:
The road to power... is paved with blood and magic. Cleo is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people. Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia. Lucia is haunted by the outcome of the breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms. Jonas watched at the palace gates a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius. After a bloody siege, Auranos has been defeated, its young queen orphaned and dethroned. The three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. But the allure of ancient, dangerous magic beckons still, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the whole world over... At the heart of the fray are four brave young people grappling for that magic and the power it promises. For Cleo, the magic would enable her to reclaim her royal seat. In Jonas's hands, it frees his nation, and in Lucia's, it fulfills the ancient prophecy of her destiny. And if the magic were Magnus's, he would finally prove his worth in the eyes of his cruel and scheming father, King Gaius, who rules Mytica with a punishing hand. When Gaius begins to build a road into the Forbidden Mountains to physically link all of Mytica, he sparks a long-smoking fire in the hearts of the people that will forever change the face of this land. For Gaius's road is paved with blood, and its construction will have cosmic consequences.
My Review:
I'd heard so many rave reviews about this series and was told by lots of people that even if I didn't love the first book (and I didn't, not really) I had to keep going because they got better and better. But I admit, I was skeptical.
But I already had the second book, so I decided I'd at least start it. And... everyone was right! I enjoyed Rebel Spring so much more than Falling Kingdoms--enough so that I went out and bought the rest of the series. The characters develop a LOT, and don't feel as boring/obnoxious/flat as they did in Falling Kingdoms (thank goodness!). The three main characters, Cleo, Magnus and Jonas have a lot more interaction as well, which is interesting but also fuels a lot of love drama. These characters don't just have a love triangle. They have a love octagon. This is basically a fantasy Gossip Girl, where all the main characters date each other.
The plot becomes even bigger and more encompassing, and lots of little plot twists/revelations occur that keep the story moving. While the writing still wasn't the most amazing and I wasn't completely sucked into the book or blown away by it, it was an enjoyable read. RECAP: ELEMENTAL MAGIC. MURDERS HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE. LOVE OCTAGONS. POLITICAL SCHEMING. REBEL ALLIANCES.