These books have ruined me. And I do not know if I will be able to find all the words to describe how very much I loved this final book. Will begin by sharing that it is a five star, of course. I loved this with all of my heart. Well, what is left of it. Because this book completely ruined it. Not sure if there is anything left of me, haha.
There is so much that happens in this book. So much for me to write about. But feeling like I will not be able to share much about it at all. I feel a little empty. Lightbringer was just so good. So epic and fantastic. And so goddamn evil and hurtful. It took me almost two years to finally read this final book. To be brave enough for it.
And I needed that time, I feel like. But I'm glad I was finally brave enough, though. That I at last re-read Furyborn and Kingsbane. It took me less than a week to read Lightbringer, as I could not stop reading. It was exciting and thrilling from beginning to end. It also ruined me from the very beginning. So rude. I had been putting off reading this book for so long, as I peeked back then. I knew how it ended. I knew I would love it so, so much. But I also knew how very much it would break me. Ever since I read Kingsbane years ago, I have known what was to come between Rielle and Corien. And I did not want to read it. Not one bit. Because it would make me so very angry and sad and simply completely ruin my heart. It did. It really, truly did. But I also dealt with it better now, I think. It wasn't as bad as I feared. So I'm thankful too.
Okay, only thankful that it was not as awful as I feared it would be, haha. I still wish it had not been there. I wish it had not been that way. Yet I fully understand that the story had to go there. But still wishing it had not, ha. Because I never once liked Corien. Not one bit. The most evil angel to ever exist. He completely controlled Rielle, for a long time. And that ruined me most. Anyway. Enough about that for now. I simply can't get it out of my mind, ugh. It wasn't focused on too much, yet more than enough for my poor heart.
There is so, so much going on in this final book. Everything is coming together, everything is ending. And it was goddamn epic. Written so well and done so perfectly. Well, too much pain, ha. But I loved that too. I very much loved how this book was told from many different point of views. So we could know everything that was going on. We get to read from Rielle and Eliana. Also Audric and Ludivine and Navi and others too. All the point of views were important and I truly loved reading from every one of them. Sigh. So good.
I haven't really mentioned the magic at all in my reviews of my re-reads of the first two books. And so I will mention it now. The Empirium. What is really at the heart of this series. How it is a part of every living thing in this world created. First in Rielle's time, then when it is gone in Eliana's time. How it completely controls Rielle. We learn so much more about it in this. And it was truly interesting and exciting too. A bit scary. But I loved getting to know more. I loved how many of the people had different elemental powers.
I do not know what to say about this book. I cannot get my thoughts to focus. So much happens. And it takes place over several months. Which was even more heartbreaking to me, haha. Because this book begins with Rielle having run away from Audric, from her home. And gone to Corien instead. We get to see her with him. Get to see her change more and more. And it was completely heartbreaking. It ruined me. I loved her so. In this book I had so many issues with her, oh, but it all made sense. Still, the rudest.
What especially broke my heart was how long Rielle and Audric were apart. The whole book, almost. Uuugh. I know, we got their love in book one and two. But I still wanted more and more. Because they truly are the most amazing couple. And this book ruined it. Somewhat. Okay, it just made me really sad. Rielle is caught up in Corien and everything he promises her, that she can do with her powers. And she does so much. So many horrible things. Tt fully changes her too, which was even more heartbreaking.
Just thinking about it all is making me sad. But do not get me wrong. This book ruined me. But it was so good and I loved every moment of it. It was beyond epic and fantastic. It just hurt so, so goddamn much. Ugh. Not sure my heart will ever heal. Anyway. We learn so much more about Rielle in this story. Mostly bad things, ha, but good things too. And I loved her most near the ending. We learn more about Ludivine too, bad and good. I still love this rebellious angel a whole lot. But oh, she made so many mistakes. Sobs.
Then there was Audric. And I cannot with this man. I love him with all my heart. And seeing how much he suffered in the beginning of this book killed me. The most. He hurt so much. Because of how he pushed Rielle away. How it was his fault that she ran from them all. And yes, that it was, but what he said to her needed to be said as well, because all of her lying was not okay either. But yeah. It was very painful. But Audric grew in this book. His power as well. And I loved reading about all of that. He was my favorite one.
And then there was Eliana, in the future, a thousand years forward. Who got captured and was on her way to the emperor, to Corien. Shudders. Her chapters were the most difficult to read, I think. Because they truly had the most pain there has been in these books. She was tortured at Corien's for months and months. It was heartbreaking and so painful and so evil and yet so very good and perfect too. Oops. Just written so well. Sigh. This story killed me. Eliana changed very much too. And I loved her beyond words.
Of course, her story had the most pain, I think. Reading about Remy was going through as well was so sad too. He was changing too. And Jessamyn, who was now a different person altogether, was also a big part of Eliana's story. I did not like her. Except for a tiny bit, maybe. We got to read more about Navi as well, and her I did truly love. She was awesome. And Simon. Sigh. His betrayal. That was the worst and so hard to read about. His story was complicated. And learning it all, at last, was pretty much amazing.
Okay, I will say that there is one thing that bothers me. It is a small thing, but I noticed it, and I cannot forget it. How rude. Harkan died in book two, in such a heartbreaking way. And Eliana did not know this. When she finally learns about some of her other friends, she does not once ask about Harkan. It is not mentioned if someone tells her what happened to him. And that, to me, was so so painful. He deserved much more love. Sobs. Okay, fine. He was her best friend. Not really an important part. But I loved him.
There was so much going on in this final book. So many characters, all of them amazing. Audric's mom, as one of them. I hated her in the first books, but I loved the small parts of her that were in this final one. Sigh. There was a war happening. So many deaths. So much hurt and pain. Yet this book was not only about the pain. It was about hope too, hoping there would be a change, that this book would not end like we all knew it would. That the past could be changed, that Eliana could change it. If given the chance to.
And so I will mention a little about the ending. I very, very much loved it. It was the best part of the book. So fully exciting and evil and so perfect. I don't think I would have wanted to change anything about that final battle. Wait. No. There was one death I did not approve of. Hmph. But so good, even so. But then what came after the battle. I wish there had been more details, more love. I wished to know so, so much more. I feel like there could be more books coming. It hinted at it. And oh, how badly I wish that may be.
Reading these books took a lot out of me, emotionally. They are so heavy with everything. Full of grief and rage and hurt. But also full of love and family and hope. But yeah. Mostly pain, ha. I feel exhausted. I love these books the most. But oh, my mind is tired. Full, but tired. It was such a good ending too. I need more, of course, but I'm happy. I do feel like Rielle and Audric and Eliana got the endings they deserved, needed. I feel like one ending can be changed in the future. And I very much hope that will happen, ha.
Lightbringer was everything I wanted this final book to be. It ruined every part of me. But I loved it beyond words. It was perfect. I also want to mention that I love the covers for this series. I think they are so pretty. But I also would have loved covers with Rielle in dresses. Sigh. Would have been gorgeous. And Audric included too. Hoping that there might be covers like that coming out one day, haha. I would love them so. I very much think that you should all read this trilogy. It is so full of pain but fully worth every moment of it.