4.5/5 stars! Ahh! I have been waiting for the conclusion of this series and was so excited to get this book. There's something so raw and genuine about Lin having conquered her enemies but at the cost of her friends in the previous entry. This book was written with a unique perspective of showing what has occurred at different times and I really enjoyed this. Without failures, we could never have successes so I think including that angle was relevant and made it feel more authentic. I love the series as a whole but could see where some would be disappointed with the conclusion of solely this book.

I did not manage to read this unfortunately, due to unforeseeable issues at home but I have preordered this book as I’m interested in reading it once I get the opportunity.

maybe I went in to this with too high expectations because it’s the finale in one of my favourite series? Maybe I’m the problem, not the book? But something just wasn’t right in this book for me

Let me start off with what I did enjoy. I think the magic and world is so unique and intricate and the characters we have are written amazing with such depth to them, they’re so easy to root for. This was continued on throughout this book and I felt we got to know them a lot better, especially Lin. She is the antithesis of the classic emperor character in books, she keeps hold of her humanity and I love that for her 😌

And the Ossalen 🥹🥹 they seriously improved the storyline for me, what is not to love about talking animals???

It fell flat for me with the plot and the ending. The plot was repeated throughout the book, it should have just been shortened - there were only so many times I could read about the same fight between Ragan/ Lin/ Jovis 🙄 There were also still plenty of questions left unanswered from previous books, and I felt the answering of them were rushed in this. Things were dropped with little to no explanation or reaction from characters, kind of just brushed under the rug?? And don’t get me started on the ending!!! I felt like it undid everything that a specific character had become and their entire character arc throughout the series, and I felt so disappointed in that.

This was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, although I did feel like the two year time jump at the start was a bit arbitrary.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit and NetGalley for providing me an advance reader copy of this book.
It was a descent ending to Drowned Empire Trylogy, however it was not the best one. The book was a little bit too long and some parts seem boring.
I love romantic relationships in this book so much. It was so refreshing to read about people that deeply care for each other without misscomunication drama.

This was a great final installment to the series. I loved the first book, but the series kind of lost me with the second, but this third and final book managed to draw me back in.

It was all I wanted it to be and more. Both tragic, yet also heart warming this book brought all the characters’ arcs and the themes of the series to a satisfying conclusion and left me very excited for what projects the author might write next.

Bone Shard War is the third and final book in the Drowning Empire series.

This book was such an enjoyable read! It was fast paced and kept my hooked until the very end.

This was an incredible end to the series and it wrapped up lost of questions that were raised in the previous books.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more of Stewart's work in the future.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with this arc.

I have absolutely loved the Bone Shard series and the Bone Shard War is a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy.
The book is fast-paced from the very first page as we pick up the story 2 years later as we find Lin and Jovis dealing with the aftermath. It has been a while since I read the first two books so it seems as if there are a lot more POV characters in the 3rd book probably with the aim of tieing all the plot points to bring together the finale, but not enough Jovis and Mephi for me. The book felt a lot busier as a result and at times it was easy to get lost in the detail but a solid conclusion nonetheless

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The third book in The Drowning Empire series, and it was fantastic. What an epic finale to these brilliant fantasy books! Absolutely jam packed with everything and set 2 years after the end of book 2. There were cliffhangers the whole way through and I pretty much did nothing whilst I was reading this book - many arguments were had with my husband haha.

*Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit and NetGalley for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review*

This was a wonderful conclusion to an epic trilogy. The world building was fast paste and the characters were excellent. No wonder why Sarah J Maas loved it. Ok, I implore you. Read this book. Like yesterday.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for giving me an eArc copy for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this series by Andrea Stewart and thought this book was a great ending to the trilogy!

It brought together all the unanswered questions (even though some were a little predictable) and ends the series off with a bang. I can truly say I loved this series, and cannot wait to see what Stewart brings to us next.

This story is set 2 years after the second novels finishes, so it did take me a little while to get back into the novel and remember all the characters involved. However, the character building was so much more in this book than the rest of the series. You see a lot of redemption from some of the characters, and I’m so glad that Jovis finally got the ending he deserves. Mephi is my favourite and he deserves the world. But oh my for what a twist!! First of all to find out about the reason behind the islands sinking, and then the end of the fight scene??? Glorious, I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it!

I was a bit sad to see this series come to an end, but I cannot wait to see what comes next. Would highly recommend this to any fantasy readers out there!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital review copy!

I am a very big fan of this trilogy's world building and the mystery around the Alanga and Ossalen that has build up more and more with each book. And to be honest this was the only reason why I decided to read this last installment. I absolutely loved the first one (especially Jovis and Mephi) but felt a bit let down by the second book. And sadly the end to the trilogy was not the thrilling end to the story I had hoped for.

I feel like the author tried to pack too many different things into this. While the characters were constantly moving, they seemed to be doing so in circles, with changes only happening at the very end. The same seemed to be happening to most of the characters. I felt especially frustrated with Lin, who, instead of showing character growth and making a decision that could have saved a lot of lives, held of on that until the very end. Once again I had most fun with Jovis and Mephi, though even here I the author seemed to have had a lot of ideas that they needed to cram into Jovis' storyline.


All in all a sadly rather boring end to the trilogy. I loved the world building and the characters, though I feel they have a lot of missed potential. Jovis and Mephi absolutely saved these books for me and honestly I would read a stand alone story about only the two of them.

Title: Epic Fantasy at Its Finest

"The Bone Shard War" by Andrea Stewart is a sweeping and epic fantasy masterpiece that immerses readers in a richly crafted world of magic, intrigue, and political turmoil.

Stewart's storytelling prowess is evident from the very first page, as she introduces readers to a meticulously detailed world where bone shard magic and mysterious constructs play a central role. The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, each offering a unique and compelling viewpoint. The depth of character development is outstanding, allowing readers to form deep connections with the diverse cast of characters, each with their own secrets and motivations.

At its core, "The Bone Shard War" is a tale of power, rebellion, and the cost of ambition. Stewart masterfully weaves a complex narrative that is brimming with political maneuvering, secrets, and unexpected alliances. The plot is rich with twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats throughout the book. The pacing is expertly balanced, offering moments of tension, action, and introspection in perfect harmony.

One of the standout features of this book is Stewart's exploration of themes such as identity, sacrifice, and the consequences of wielding immense magical abilities. The characters' struggles with their own limitations and desires add depth and complexity to the narrative, making it not only a thrilling fantasy but also a thought-provoking one.

Stewart's prose is both elegant and immersive, painting a vivid picture of the world she has created. Her descriptions bring to life the exotic landscapes, creatures, and magic systems, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the story.

While "The Bone Shard War" is the first in a series, it offers a self-contained and satisfying story while setting the stage for the larger narrative. This accessibility ensures that both dedicated fans and newcomers can enjoy the book to its fullest.

In conclusion, "The Bone Shard War" is a masterful work of epic fantasy that delivers an enthralling reading experience. Andrea Stewart's ability to craft intricate worlds, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes is truly exceptional. Whether you're a dedicated fan of the genre or simply looking for a captivating and immersive story, this novel is a must-read that promises adventure, intrigue, and a world that will linger in your imagination long after you've turned the final page.

A fantastic ending to an amazing trilogy. My only issues was that there felt extremely busy. There was so many loose ends to tie up and antagonists to deal with that it just never stopped. I enjoyed what I read but a breather at some point would have been nice!

“Here’s a secret: the world has wronged all of us in some way. There is no one on all the islands who hasn’t suffered something they didn’t deserve.”

This book reminded me why I've enjoyed reading the entire series in line and never forgot those books.

It's been a while since I had an eye on The Drowning Empire and thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK via NetGalley for the third book ARC, I started reading the whole series.

For those who haven't read any of the Drowning Empire books, I might only say that this is a fantasy book with a unique world and realistic magic system, very well character development, heartwarming and engaging story.

For those who did read one of the Drowning Empire books, I wonder how could you haven't finished the whole series yet!

"memories were fickle things, shifting with the light and the angle.
... Memories were slippery things, but feelings were true – always." *Nisong

Overall, this is the world of islands in one emperor's reign, the world of some lost magical creatures and the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order.

There are 5 narrators in the story but as I don't want to say any spoilers I just have to confess my love for Jovis and Mephi, and as the writer herself Andrea Stewart said in the end, may we all always have someone in our life who loves us as much as Mephi does Jovis.

Some books broke my heart, some stay with me, always, and some characters can never be forgotten even if they weren't heroes.
There are many lines that I thought I heard before, in my heart:

“It has been a long time, but you don’t really know what that means. I have seen countless seasons pass, and to me they are like the whisper of waves on the shore, ceaseless and beneath notice. Sometimes . . .I forget their names. Sometimes I don’t even remember the way their voices sounded.”
He wished he did – and that told her more than enough. Even if he’d forgotten their faces, he’d never forgotten the way it felt to lose them.

Jovis:
Lies were better for the soul than truth sometimes.
***
We are not just what one person sees us as.
***
You can forgive yourself for being human, you know.
***
I should have stayed put; I should have stayed in formation. But, as my mother had often said, “should” was a word I’d only ever used to describe regret. I’d always had to learn the hard way.
***
"I was not a hero, but maybe –I could still do heroic things...
Maybe no one was a hero. Maybe I’d gotten it wrong from the beginning. Maybe there were only heroic moments and decisions and we all had to keep choosing those as best we could. When we could. I felt the brittleness in my heart firm up, the edges still there, still tangible, but a thing I could live with."

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an Arc!

This book was great, I really love this series and being able to see the world and characters again was so wonderful!! I loved how we got to see the characters on a deeper level, their development and dynamics were so much more advanced and evolved.

I do not want to go into too much detail as it is the third book in the series, but I loved the different Povs we got in this book. They also built upon the world building and plot from the other two books.

I would really recommend this series for all fantasy lovers!

I absolutely loved The Bone Shard Daughter. The sequels however, just haven't quite lived up to same standard. Both the Bone Shard Emperor and this one, The Bone Shard War were fine. They were okay. I didn't mind reading them. I still liked the characters, I enjoy the world building and magic system - I LOVE Mephi come on though, who doesn't!) but I didn't get the same enjoyment from reading as I did the first book. This is a three star from me, because there is nothing wrong with it - it just isn't the original.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free book!

In this case we have a two years time-slip, where different groups are one against the other to gain power and rule, and it's not so easy to define them "good" or "bad", because, as in real life too, sometimes even who we think just as an enemy, has concrete motivations and believes that aren't wrong. They're just different from ours. I think this is a brave theme to portrait, because it's a complex argument and pushs the readers to question themselves.
That said, even if the book is enojoyable, there were some slow parts that could be shortened and others that seemed a little bit reiterated, boring me a little.
Nontheless, I think it's a good ending for a series that maybe could have been better in some points, but that presents interesting and original elements!

I probably should not have continued with this series, as I found book two to be pretty bad, and I didn't love book one. However, I was really determined to figure out why this wasn't clicking, because on paper I should like this series. It just wasn't working.

And I had a random thought while reading this book, and then I searched the book for a phrase. And once I did, it allowed my issues with this series to coalesce. Bear with me here: this book says the phrase "The Shardless Few" 307 times.

The Shardless Few is the name of the organization/rebellion trying to overthrow the government. And their name is said CONSTANTLY. Why is this the problem? It's not. It's a symptom of the problem. My issue with this series is that none of it feels believable, none of the characters act like real people, none of the political stakes feel like real stakes. Everything is extraordinarily hollow to me.
And that's a silly nitpick, that was just taking me out of it a little. But once I realized that, I was aware of how every character felt like that. They talked as if they were being written. The scheming was written as if they were being told to pretend to scheme, like an acting workshop without the instructor's presence. The political aspects were like if a child just said "hey in my story, these are the bad guys. Why? They do bad stuff I guess."

Like what is this series even about? Why do any of these people do the things they do? There are all these islands and we are supposed to care about rebellions on each island and various injustices on these islands but each island's personality is "island". There's "island X" and "Island Y" and everyone has the same thoughts and opinions; they want the children to be taken care of and for the abuses to stop. Down with the emperor! Long live the Shardless Few!

K.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for granting me access to it. I'm very glad it happened because it's been a long time since I've read the first part of this series and I'm really happy that getting the audiobook motivated me to continue and finish the series. I've liked both the second and the third part better than the first one.

I won't really dive very deep into the review here as I wouldn't want to spoil anything for people that haven't read the previous two yet, but I feel like the characters got deeper, we had also growth (not only in size!) of the animal companions and a few reveals that tied the whole world together nicely. The action felt a bit too drawn out sometimes and that's the reason it wasn't a full 5 star read for me- it was pretty long and I feel like some parts could have been a bit shorter. That being said, I feel like everything that happened made sense with the history of people and politics here, we also dove a bit deeper into themes of recovering from trauma and ways in which the past can shape us. I liked different kinds of relations we've seen in the series and I loved that the ending, while tying everything nicely, wasn't sickly sweet- it can sometimes feel forced when I read many pages of troubles but in the end everything is great as if nothing has happened.

I recommend trying out the series- the first part was the weakest for me personally and it got much better afterward. The magic system is really interesting, and again- animal companions! Who doesn't love them?