The Shadow Throne (Book #3 of the Ascendance Trilogy)

The Shadow Throne (Book #3 of the Ascendance Trilogy)
by Jennifer Nielsen

Blurb:

War has come to Carthya. It knocks at every door and window in the land. And when Jaron learns that King Vargan of Avenia has kidnapped Imogen in a plot to bring Carthya to its knees, Jaron knows it is up to him to embark on a daring rescue mission. But everything that can go wrong does. His friends are flung far and wide across Carthya and its neighboring lands. In a last-ditch effort to stave off what looks to be a devastating loss for the kingdom, Jaron undertakes what may be his last journey to save everything and everyone he loves. But even with his lightning-quick wit, Jaron cannot forestall the terrible danger that descends on him and his country. Along the way, will he lose what matters most? And in the end, who will sit on Carthya's throne?

My Review:

I like Jaron, but boy does he drive me crazy! I think we are 100% opposite from each other! I do not like taking risks, I'm not witty, and hopefully I'm not as crazy as he is (My kids might disagree with me on that one). Just like always, Jaron is crazy and makes rash decisions that affect those around him. Besides Jaron driving me crazy, I have really enjoyed this series. The characters are fun and interesting, the plot is full of surprises and unknowns, and it's full of action and adventure. This is a great last book. There were a few surprises that I did not like, though. It was funny because my 11 year-old and 13 year-old sons read this book before I got to it, and they kept telling about these twists that they didn't expect or like. I thought they were being dramatic! And then when I got to those parts I would plead with them to tell me that those things didn't really just happen. Yeah, maybe I'm the dramatic one? Some of those surprises ended up being ok, but others did not. There's a hint of mystery in this book, which adds a fun dimension. I thought the plot progressed well, the characters grew and developed, and it all ended up as it should have. It may have ended up too nicely tied with a bow, but it's a middle-grader book, and I loved it anyway. Middle-graders still need a good tied-with -a-bow ending sometimes, and honestly, so do I. So it was good. If you like the first two books in this series then you definitely need to read this one!

They are fighting a war, so it is violent in some places. People die, including a few main characters. There are descriptions of the fighting that are a little graphic. There is no profanity or "intimacy" (yay!).

Rating: PG+ (There is no profanity or "intimacy," but there is some violence as they fight in the war, and people die, including a few main characters.)

Recommendation: 4th grade and up. This is a great middle-grader read. It would make a fun read-aloud as well.