Rebel Spring: A Falling Kingdoms Novel

One of the best fantasy books of 2013! I LOVED it. This book surpassed all my acceptations! What doesn't this book have? There's plenty of romance, power struggles, twists, secrets, betrayals, magic, fighting, death, gut wrenching moments, action, fights, and a shocking arranged marriage. Most importantly, there are many characters who make this story so enticing, most importantly our main four characters.Just as I thought King Gaius couldn't be any more of a cruel man, I was proven wrong. Everyone is a pawn in his game and quest for magic and power. The person who's not afraid of him, Princess Cleo. I really admired Cleo's secret determination to bring down the King. I loved that she figured out how to get under the King's skin, and how she'd do things to defy him in her own way, and does so with a smile on her face. Prince Magnus is the one I feel like I'm at war with myself trying to figure out how I want to feel about him. I felt bad for him in the first book, but this time around I'm starting to like him against my better judgement. I think there's still more to him then we've seen so far. The biggest shocker is the King's announcement of Magnus and Cleo's engagement. That was a surprise to everyone, including the two of them. Okay and myself.One of my favorite characters in this book was someone I hadn't excepted to like as much, Jonas. Jonas and his band of rebels were one of my favorite things about this story. With his best friend Brion, and their new addition, Lysandra, this group knows how to defy the King. Lysandra's edition to the story has a purpose, and I'm dying to find out if my hunch about her role is right. I really liked her. She's a fiery, independent character who's on a quest for vengeance and justice against a King who's killed scores of innocent people in his quest to rule all the kingdoms as one, just as Jonas is. I love that this band of rebels stands for truth and justice, and wants people to see through the King's lies. They want to protect their people, and their home lands that have already suffered so much. While these rebels have hope, and a just cause, they are forced to rethink their strategy as many of their people die fighting for their cause.Cleo and Magnus. These two have a hatred towards each other unlike any other. Neither of them wants to be married to the other, but no one says no to the King. There's something between the two of them, that I feel they could be beneficial to out smarting the King. I'm curious to see if my prediction might be right. I think their hatred is the perfect ploy into something that could happen. Both Cleo and Magnus are pawns in the King's plans. Cleo will do whatever it takes to take back her kingdom. This poor girl has lost her family, and the love of her life, so she clearly has nothing to lose now. Marrying Magnus is the last thing she wants, but she's not allowed to say no. Magnus, well he's the Prince who wants to be the good son, but I think there's something changing in Magnus that will play a crucial role in book three. If I wasn't already starting to like him, I loved him after the outcome of the fight he and Anon have. When you read that scene you'll know why. I have despised Anon since Falling Kingdoms, and he finally gets what he deserves.Magnus at times comes across as spineless, and weak, but sometimes those are the characters who become the strongest, and through out the book I felt like Rhodes was given readers a look into the person Magnus may become. He and Cleo were the two that grew the most for me. Cleo does have some issues she needs to work out. That deals with the romance. I LOVED the bickering between her and Jonas. It was comical. While Cleo closely guards her heart, there's twists in the story that have her kissing one swoon worthy rebel, and one cold, yet handsome Prince. Thankfully there's no love triangles going on, but there are some twists in who Cleo needs to trust, and who she should give her heart to, if she does. One thing is for certain, there's a rebel that needs Cleo on his side, and Prince who might be able to help Cleo's secret plot. Cleo and Magnus have started to figure a lot of things out about the King, and it will be interesting to see who trusts who, and who confides in who.While Magnus has figured out what he has to keep away from his father, Cleo has figured out the key to the King's success. Lucia's part in this story keeps getting more interesting. I didn't see her being drugged coming, and whom was drugging her, neither did I see the twist in how Cleo can help her coming. One thing is certain, the twist with what's happening with The Kindred and the role their play in this entire series has just gotten a lot more complex. Now I'm left with all these theories on what I think will happen next. I need the next book like now.Morgan Rhodes does a stellar job at intertwining the complex, and enticing story line with the four different character point of views. Like Falling Kingdoms, it's incredibly easy to follow each character, and the all that happens in the story. Each character is not only crucial in telling this story, but each point of view fuels the story's growth. I've not read a more perfectly written story with multiple points of views. Rhodes definitely set the bar for multiple points of views, and I've not yet read another book that could surpass what Rhodes has done.I LOVE this series! I'm addicted to this series and Rhodes's writing. I NEED the next book already. I need to know what happens next. That cliff hanger of an ending was almost as evil as King Gaius..... lol If you love Fantasy, go pick up this book! It's one of my favorite reads of 2013!

This was epic, simple as that. Yet again I want to shake myself, why didn’t I read this series sooner? It’s utterly amazing and is quickly become a favourite, so much action, adventure, fantasy, magic and characters that I cannot stop talking about, a few poor people can attest to that!“It didn’t really matter who someone was, princess, peasant, rebel, or just a boy or a girl.”Princess Cleo is now a prisoner of war; she continues to be controlled by the Blood King and with no other options she must be his puppet. She's able to come up with great schemes and escape plans but she’s forever brought back to square one, outmatched and outwitted by the tyrannous King Gaius. However the end of this book has provided a little light at the end of the tunnel for Cleo so I only hope that she takes this chance and gets her much-needed and deserved revenge.“A gown does not make a bride, just as a few empty threats do not make a rebel.”Rebel leader Jonas got a load more page space, which I’m sure, produced many a girl including myself to squeal with excitement. After the events of Falling Kingdom’s Jonas is left with little to nothing, his people are being enslaved left, right and center and the Blood King now reigns over the whole of Mytica. He knows he must stop this but with few rebels, his brother’s murderer still going unpunished and little hope left, how much damage can a few boys do? With the weight of the world on his shoulder’s Jonas grows up, makes mistakes but these ultimately make him stronger, I cannot wait to see what becomes of him in Gathering Darkness.“There was no hope in death, only an end.”Magnus is still tormented over his sister Lucia’s rejection but what started as a Prince being betrayed, heartbroken and manipulated by his father gave way to so much more. With his eyes finally open as to how malicious his father actually is, Magnus forges his own plans and he may just be the dark hero who will take this series by storm. Magnus is such a complex character; I was fully prepared to write him off as a classic villain in Falling Kingdom's but my opinion of him changed throughout the book and before long his chapter’s became my favorite. How did this happen? What is happening!“Darkness will always try to extinguish the light. The light will always try to repress the darkness.”Lucia makes little appearance in this book, which was completely fine by me. She has no control over her magic and I didn’t want to read about her eternal struggle mastering her new gifts. However we didn’t get this at all, instead her character is becoming much more intertwined with another’s fate. Lucia’s chapters were short and sweet and they slowly made me want more of them, Gathering Darkness looks like it's going to feature a lot more Lucia and I’m ready for them.This book slowly introduced new characters and a whole other world but it was done perfectly, you are given time to adapt to this new dynamic and to decide if the character in question is good or evil… some remained a question mark for me but I loved the mystery. Now for a High Fantasy series that has little romance in it, it sure does take advantage of those small, seemly insignificant scenes. My god, I spend the better part of a day on the edge of my seat counting down the endless chapters until I could find out what exactly what going on between characters and what is brewing between others. Some of my ships seem to be sinking but I don’t seem to care because the potential one of the horizon is so tempting? Prepare for a lot of change in this book, nothing is at it seems!“She gripped the front of his shirt. It was all too much--she wasn't sure if she was pushing him away or pulling him closer. Much like diving into deep water, she had no idea which way would find her air to breathe or which way would drag her down deeper into the depths where she would surely drown. And for a moment, just a moment, she found it didn't seem to matter.”I have a really big feeling that Rebel Spring is yet again another stepping stone to a much bigger plot and world in the Falling Kingdom’s series and I can’t wait to find out what Rhodes has in store. I loved this book so much more than Falling Kingdom’s and as I’ve said before, this series is only just getting started so I’m now staring at my copy of Gathering Darkness because I just had to buy it the minute I finished this. So much revenge to come, ships to sail, blood to spill and magic to be unleashed, what am I waiting for?For more reviews visit: [...]

It's good

Rebel springs carries on straight after the events of falling kingdoms and carries on with each chapter concentrating on a particular character. With her father and sister both dead and king guis taken over her kingdom Cleo is desperate to take back her kingdom and discover what the mysterious answers her ring may hold, Lucia is in a coma after using her magic to allow her father to conquer cleos kingdom, king guis is plotting to conquer all of mytica and Magnus is trying to get through his arranged marriage to Cleo. All of the elements that i loved in book 1 are all also in place for book 2. There are many twists and turns some you will probably guess where as others you will never see coming. This was another wonderful installment of the falling kingdoms series and I can't wait to see what unfolds next.

I didn't give book 1 a 5* review because although it was good and made me want to read more - it didn't have that wow factor. This book on the other hand really does!I found it a little slow to start with but I truly think that was because I read 3 other books after Falling Kingdoms so it took me half hour or so to get into this one. After that I tore through the book in about 2 days. Am utterly hooked on this series now and just bought the next two books. I can't wait to see where the character storylines go and consider myself now to be a lifelong fan of Falling Kingdoms.

An amazing electrifying read! Worth every penny :)It is also much better than the first book. It finally brings characters together.Can't wait to read the next one!

This book is incredible, and I'm so blown away by Morgan Rhodes's style and how she makes each land of Mytica so vast and lush and unique. I'm in love with this series.

My daughter really loved this book and this whole series