Title: End of DaysAuthor: Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & the End of Days, book #3
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Source: ARC and FC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.
After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.
When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?
Penryn and the End of Days is by far one of my favorite series, and I am so glad that it ended on such a spectacular note. My expectations for this series finale were high, and not only were they met, but the author far exceeded what I had hoped for in this final installment. I loved this book -- and series! -- so much that I already pre-ordered the audio of End of Days so that I can listen to all three books back-to-back.
Everything that I loved about the previous books is still intact, but Susan Ee has done us a solid and kicked it all up a notch. Penryn is still her fabulous, angel-killer self, still coming to terms with her sister's situation and her mother's delusions and everything else the angels have unleashed upon the world. But she never turns her back on humanity, even though she's fallen for an angel of the highest order. Even though some humans are responsible for her sister's plight. Penryn has always made the hard choices, and they don't get any easier for her when the end of days arrives.
Truths about the angels' plans here on Earth finally come to light, and Raffe finds himself with some difficult decisions, as well. Don't expect him to take it easy on Penryn, though. The banter and tough love are still very much a part of this story. Both characters have shown tremendous growth, over the course of the series but most especially in this book: Penryn as a leader of her people and Raffe as a more forgiving hero.
There is so much working against them in this story that I was concerned I might not get the ending I was hoping for, at least where these two are concerned. But there are more tender scenes than I expected. Stolen kisses. Moments fraught with sexual tension. Steaminess that's unrivaled up to this point in the series, even if it left one or more parties feeling guilty, unsure, and completely angst-ridden. Not only do Penryn and Raffe have to come to terms with their feelings for each other, but they have to do it in a world where nothing is certain and there is little to no chance that their pairing will be accepted...by humans or by angels.
Getting the romance right, and having it come to fruition in just the right way, was key for this final book...at least for me. But I had faith that the author would do it justice, and she so did. She always manages to surprise me with her unusual plot lines, like that near-sentient sword and the humans-turned-locusts. So, it really shouldn't have caught me off guard that she coerced me into actually feeling sympathy toward one of the more vile characters in this series. More than sympathy, actually, but you'll see. And the method in which she makes this happens..it was incredibly unique, even for a fantasy novel.
Humans and angels battle it out in this finale -- and that is one epic last stand, let me tell you -- and I couldn't be more ecstatic about the outcome if I were to discover that Susan Ee still planned to write more in the series. I would be over the moon with that announcement, but alas, it is not to be. So I guess it's a good thing that End of Days was more than a satisfying conclusion to the series. If you haven't started this series yet, you absolutely must. And if you're already a fan, I don't think you'll be disappointed by this final book...it's everything we've been waiting for and more.
GIF it to me straight:
About the author:
Susan Ee has eaten mezze in the old city of Jerusalem, surfed the warm waters of Costa Rica, and played her short film at a major festival. She has a life-long love of science fiction, fantasy and horror, especially if there's a touch of romance. She used to be a lawyer but loves being a writer because it allows her souped-up imagination to bust out and go feral.
Find Susan:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
I die a little inside every time I see someone get an ARC of this book. But then I remember that I haven't read the second book and I feel better again. Still. I want this book like you have no idea.
ReplyDeleteFantastic review, Jen.