FROM AMAZON: King Jaron has outwitted the Prozarians and returned to his own kingdom with one secret in his pocket that not even his friends know about. He's hoping that secret will help him finally bring stability to Carthya.

But a surprise attack on his own land - on the castle itself - reminds Jaron that nothing is easy. The Prozarian Monarch threatens to crumble Jaron's entire kingdom. And that's not the only thing in danger: With old enemies and new rumors circling around him, even Jaron's relationship with Imogen is uncertain.

This former False Prince will need his best tricks and many allies at his side to hold Carthya together.

EEEKKKK THIS IS SOO GORGEOUS!!!!!! I'M EXCITED!!!

*I received an eARC of this book through Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review*

The Shattered Castle is the fifth and final book in Ascendance series, which starts with The False Prince. This series should be read in order, if you haven’t read it yet I highly recommend doing so.

With the fast pace of The Captive Kingdom, epic battles reminiscent of The Shadow Throne, funny moments comparable to The Runaway King, and the heartbreaking backstory of The False Prince, The Shattered Castle is the perfect ending to Jaron’s impossibly epic journey. Once again, Jennifer A. Nielsen delivers a gripping coming-of-age story about courage, friendship, and love.

Six months after the battle in Belland, Jaron is back in Drylliad and ready to marry Imogen. Yet things aren’t as peaceful as it seems. Enemies coming from everywhere—both the expected and the unexpected—threaten the very existence of everything he holds dear. As he loses connection to his friends and knows nothing of their whereabouts, Jaron must fully trust his companions to make the right decisions. As impossible as it seems, Jaron gets himself in the worst situation he’s ever faced.

Readers will learn more about Jaron’s past, explore several parts of the castle, and see his biggest nightmares come to reality. Some of the most beloved characters, including those we didn’t see in book 4, also make a comeback. Get ready to meet and fall in love with new characters as well. Friend or foe, you ask? Again, for Jaron, the line between the two is always ambiguous.

The Shattered Castle is not merely a continuation of the storyline, though. I’ve always loved the consistent theme of growing up in this series, and this book is no exception. It’s amazing how it adds so much depth to the character development. Jaron stays true to his character throughout the story, but that doesn’t mean he never changes. Every time I thought I already know Jaron, he didn’t hesitate to prove me wrong. Even after four books, he manages to surprise me, and this time I finally fully see him—his secrets, his fears, his delicate heart. It’s so inspiring to see him grow tougher through all those battles, confront his past and guilt, and become an even better person in the process.

The character development is not limited to Jaron. I love how his friends grow stronger with him and how they show their courage and loyalty in this book. Through the interaction between them, the author captured the strength and preciousness of the purest friendship. I’d thought the original trilogy was perfect. It was not until I read this book that I realized how much was missing for these side characters, and I’m glad to see them live up to their potential.

With four previous books, Carthya was already a familiar land to readers. However, the author didn’t neglect world-building because of that. The Shattered Castle sheds new light on Carthyan history, as well as explores deeper into Jaron’s Castle. We even get maps of the castle ground and Drylliad!

Though I love this series so much and would never complain about more books, The Shattered Castle serves as a good closure to the whole series. The ending is simple and satisfactory, but I do wish we could have seen what happened to some side characters afterward. I was also able to predict some of the plots, but there were still lots of brilliant twists that left me pleasantly surprised. (OK, maybe not always pleasant. I shouted out of excitement and dismay several times.)

The Shattered Castle is the epic conclusion to Jaron’s story. If you already love book 4, I guaranteed you will also love this book. Even if you didn’t enjoy book 4, I believe you will be blown away by the development of the story. For those who have only read the original trilogy, I urge you to read on. You won’t want to miss Jaron struggling in his shattered castle. ( )