Rising Shadows ♥ Sydney Hawthorn ♥ The Navarre Chronicles #3

Published June 2022 ♥ Lilac Daggers Press LLC

Book One Review : Discover Awakening Shadows: A Tale of Magic and Warfare

Book Two Review : Explore Whispering Shadows: A Fantasy Journey Unfolds

Why You Should Be Reading The Navarre Chronicles [ blog post ]

❥ The Prophecy

” And he, dark and immortal, shall rise thrice from the shadows to thrive; his eternal glory and power unleashed once more. Mortals shall slave for him, Gods shall fear him. Pain, torture, and destruction in his wake. But she, the blessed mortal, who resembles the darkest embers of the sun shall be his purity and imprisoner; the last of three to be the key. For she holds in her soul the capacity to feed him or destroy him, her bloodline his everlasting salvation. With diligence and patience, she may learn, guided by great warriors to achieve her royal fate. The slumbering waters of light bend to her will, the warriors follow her command, the first of six united in the elements of power. And only she may command the supremacy to push the shadows back into their dungeon of eternal darkness. “

Rising Shadows Review

Contains minor spoilers. Major spoilers for previous books.

❥ Note : I was fortunate and privileged to receive an ARC of Rising Shadows from author Sydney Hawthorn for an honest review before publication. This in no way affects my review. I would have been purchasing Rising Shadows regardless.

Rising Shadows is the third book in indie author Sydney Hawthorn’s epic young adult fantasy The Navarre Chronicles. Each book has been more enticing than the last as we delve deeper into Hawthorn’s debut series, with the plot starting to take off as we get closer to the Third Demon Wars. & let me tell you, after reading Rising Shadows, I really want [ need ] to know more about the First & Second Demon Wars. The more tastes of the demon king, Areon, Hawthorn gives, the more I want. I’m an addict when it comes to villains, and bad guys & I might just be in love with that creepy shadow demon mother fucker.

The Demon Wars

It’s a simple trick many Fantasy authors use; mix in bits and pieces and just enough information about previous events to get the reader wanting more and opening the doors for prequels and the opportunity for more books in a world that its author painstakingly created. It’s a genius tactic, and I hope Hawthorn uses it; there is a lot of material in The Navarre Chronicles to work with. Hawthorn’s epic fantasy follows the events of the Third Demon Wars. I mentioned in a previous review how I imagine Hawthorn as the Charlie Day Meme from Always Sunny… & I’ve also noted that the theme from The Legend of Zelda is playing. That still holds for Rising Shadows. However, Quinn doesn’t say Your Highness nearly as much as when he first met Joseline. Now that they are all in love & shit, Quinn stopped with the Your Highness.

Rising Shadows, like the previous books, is written in multi-pov style. Hawthorn moves effortlessly from one perspective to the next as she pushes the plot along. Sometimes it takes me a sentence or two to figure out who’s perspective it is that I am reading. This isn’t necessarily a Navarre Chronicles–Hawthorn problem; I have this issue with a number of books. However, The Navarre Chronicles has a lot of characters. A lot. And sometimes it gets a tad overwhelming. In the previous two books, our main characters were separated. It was easier to keep track of them via the setting and secondary characters, with new characters introduced slowly. Rising Shadows brings Hawthorn’s characters together, as well as adding new ones to the party and with that, the waters got a little murky.

Rising Shadows is an emotional rollercoaster.

Rising Shadows is filled with beautiful heartwrenching moments. Deeply personal and emotional moments between characters. Edan’s bonding with his mother, Queen Rowena, was so beautiful and precious. In Whispering Shadows, Queen Rowena was cold, distant and cruel towards her daughter Ezra, Edan’s twin. We get to witness a different side of her in Rising Shadows. A more caring and loving, and softer Rowena emerges when she is faced with the son who was supposed to be dead. Her coven even notices a change in her demeanour. It warmed my icy little heart. Edan has quickly become a favourite character, right up there with Evalyn. I found myself looking forward to his chapters and point of view, wanting to get back to Rekiv and be with him. All hail King Edan.

There is something in the water in Navarre because there are a lot of twins.

The Fae Prince & Princess reunite.

When we last left Evalyn, she was finally on her way to the brother she hadn’t seen in twenty years, Quinn. When their twin connection had been confirmed in Whispering Shadows, I started looking forward to their reunion. I love Evalyn; she is one of my favourite characters in Hawthorn’s story. I want all the goodness and happiness in the world for her. Even if I think there is a bit of Stockholm syndrome going on with her & Dax. If Evalyn dies, I riot. I was so excited and anticipated this moment for her but in the end, it fell flat for me. Overshadowed by so many other, better moments. Evalyn is a delicate and precious flower that must be protected at all costs.

” The four royal houses of Navarre were together again. After centuries of separation, not four, but six royal children were alive and well. “

Where I love Evalyn unconditionally, her twin not so much. Quinn may very well be my least favourite of our OG group [ Maya, Jenson, Quinn & Joseline ]. My least favourite of the six surviving royal children, to be honest. All of Hawthorn’s characters are well written with unique quirks and personalities. & I just do not like Quinn’s. Or, quite frankly, Princess Joseline’s. With that said, Josie has gone through amazing character development and growth. She is no longer the weak little child Quinn first rescued in Awakening Shadows. I have no doubt that Hawthorn poured her little heart and soul into creating Joseline. I just wouldn’t be friends with either of them. Underneath all that character development though, is still the same insecure child who throws hissy-fits when things aren’t going her way. It’s Josie’s biggest flaw and I still maintain, that either she or Quinn does not make it to the end of the series alive because of this flaw.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rising Shadows. Hawthorn has dreamt up a wonderful world and wonderful characters. The plot line is solid and interesting. The Navarre Chronicles isn’t an action-packed series, or at least not yet anyway. Don’t get me wrong, there is action but that is not the main focus of this story. The focus is on the characters, who they are and what they represent. Rising Shadows does contain two fight scenes & as usual Hawthorn still has her characters training their little hearts out. The Demon King Areon is almost at his full strength, draining poor Julia of her blood while her sister was at a ball. I will never understand the necessity of a ball in the midst of war.

That said, and without tossing The Navarre Chronicles to the wayside, I can’t wait to see what else Hawthorn dreams up next. If, after The Navarre Chronicles, she chooses to stay in Navarre, great. If she chooses to invent a new world, you can be damned sure I will read that too. As a reader, I am so happy to have come across both Hawthorn & The Navarre Chronicles and to be on this amazing journey.

Don’t even get me started at the twist ending. I knew something was off, but woah…

Darkness stretched along the horizon, syncing to the tall being guiding the masses. Steel glistened from clawed hands, dark shadows swirling.

The steel shimmered with shadow magic swirling along the blade, radiating from the triangle of obsidian embedded into the hilt.

Her magic drummed in her veins, the whip moving on its own as lilac fire hummed about her free hand.

Love is nothing more than a convenient means of manipulation. A way to break your defences and tear you apart from the inside.

A life for a life, and she was the sacrifice.

Her voice made him want to punch the smug look off her face and cower in his closet like a boy all at once.

❥ Sydney Hawthorn : Goodreads ♥ Webpage ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter

❥ Purchase : Amazon

❥ Book One Review : Discover Awakening Shadows: A Tale of Magic and Warfare

❥ Book Two Review : Explore Whispering Shadows: A Fantasy Journey Unfolds

❥ Why You Should Be Reading The Navarre Chronicles [ blog post ]