Review: The Fallen World by Laura Thalassa

A couple of weeks ago I took a weekend and binge read the first two books in The Fallen World by Laura Thalassa. I cannot believe that I hadn’t read them sooner!! If you enjoy new adult and you like dystopian, this series is a MUST READ! Psst….if you don’t like cliffhangers, you could always wait to read them next month when the final book in the series comes out.

The Queen of All that Dies by Laura Thalassa
Series: The Fallen World,
on 2015-01-15
Length: 327 pages
Reviewing eBook from My Book Shelf
Rating:

In the future, the world is at war.

For the last decade, King Lazuli of the Eastern Empire has systematically taken over the world. No one knows much about him other than a series of impossible facts: he cannot die, he has not aged since the conflict began, and he wants to rule the world.

All Serenity Freeman has known is bloodshed. War has taken away her mother, her home, her safety. As the future emissary of the Western United Nations, the last autonomous region of the globe, she is responsible for forging alliances where she can.

Surrender is on the horizon. The king can taste it; Serenity feels it deep within her bones. There is no other option. Now the two must come face to face. For Serenity, that means confronting the man who’s taken everything from her. For the king, it means meeting the one woman he can’t conquer. But when they meet, something happens. Cruelty finds redemption.

Only in war, everything comes with a price. Especially love.

Imagine, if you will, a world that is at war and has ultimately been conquered by one man. THAT is the opening of The Queen of All that Dies. It’s no secret that Laura Thalassa is one of my favorite authors and this book is just one of the many reasons why. She has created a world where there is no peace, there is no rest, those you love are dying constantly and one girl could stop it all.

Of all the series by Laura Thalassa, I think Serenity Freeman is my favorite character. She’s a strong female lead that truly kicks butt. She doesn’t wallow in self-pity despite the world dying around her. No! She takes it head on, fighting every step of the way. Serenity is trained to be a soldier and she’s lethal, killing without remorse. When the Western United Nations enters peace talks (aka surrenders), Serenity goes with her father to the Eastern Empire and comes face to face with the man of her nightmares King Lazuli.

King Lazuli *swoon* is one scary man. He truthfully has no conscience. He conquers to conquer and he sees Serenity as his next conquest. Yet there is something irresistible about him. For one he’s smoking hot, even Serenity has a hard time seeing past that to get back to her hatred of the man. And then there’s how kind he is to her. He’s gentle and different from the man she grew up fearing. I don’t know how to explain it other than she brings out the good in him.

This book focuses mainly on the relationship between Serenity and King Lazuli, their attraction to one another, and the war between their countries. Serenity resists him over and over again which in turn makes Lazuli fight harder for her.

What makes this book so great though is the world-building the author has done. You have the Western United Nations that are still reeling from radiation and the poison it brings. Then there’s the Resistance that spans the globe. You have characters aside from Serenity and Lazuli that twist the story with their actions, their betrayals, and their truths.

Overall I LOVED this book. I devoured it in one sitting, barely taking any time for food and sleep. If you enjoy a book fraught with betrayal, lies and romance, you love dystopians, than THIS BOOK needs to be next on your reading list! Just so you know though there is a terrible, awful cliffhanger at the end.

Final Conclusion:

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The Queen of Traitors by Laura Thalassa
Series: The Fallen World,
Published by Lavabrook Publishing Group on 2016-01-15
Length: 350 pages
Reviewing eBook from My Book Shelf
Rating:

They say I am a queen.
They say I married a monster. That I did so willingly.
They say he cannot die, that he does not age. That together, we rule a ravaged world.
They say I used to be one of them, but now I am a traitor.
They say many things, all which I cannot remember, but …

I fear what they say is true.

Then there is what they don’t say, what I see in their eyes—
The king terrifies them. He cannot be stopped. And, most worrisome of all …

He is coming for me.

Ohmyohmyohmyohmy!!!!!! What are you doing to me Laura Thalassa?! The Queen of Traitors picks up where the first book left off (if you’ve not read it, there are minor spoilers ahead. Consider yourself warned!). Serenity has been taken by the Resistance, but not before her memory was wiped by the King’s right hand man. She doesn’t remember anything, giving the Resistance nothing, but allows them to plant seeds of doubt in her mind.

As I said in my review of the first book, Serenity is one of my favorite characters. She’s a strong female lead, but she struggles in this book. She’s lost her memories (which are quickly restored) but with it comes the doubts and hatred for Lazuli. She questions his actions, not understanding….or maybe not willing to believe his motives. She’s dying though and knows that Montes will not let that happen. She’s tired and ready to accept her fate, if only he will let her.

Montes is a bit unstable in this book. He lost his best friend and now he’s losing Serenity too. He fears nothing except death and he will do whatever it takes to save her from it.

This book is full of betrayals from their closest friends and themselves. Instead of working as a team, Montes and Serenity work against each other, antagonizing and loving all at the same time. Overall I LOVED every word! It was terrifying, dark, and lovely all at once. Is that even possible?! But that ending!!! I’m dying. I can’t take it!!! What the heck was Montes thinking?! I need the next book ASAP please!!!!

Final Conclusion: 

 

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