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Continuing the epic romantic fantasy series that began with Avery , Thorne is a story of courage, sacrifice, and forbidden love. Lovers in Kaya have always died together, bonded in death as in life. But rumors of a cure are rife. A team of young Kayans will be sent on a quest to find the answer—for the very nature of love is at stake. The beautiful but reckless Finn has never shied away from danger, and ending the bond means more to her than anyone knows. This adventure sounds thrilling, but Finn has always been willing to risk too much, and for the first time she has something—or someone—to lose. Crown Prince Thorne, in the neighboring land of Pirenti, has grown up rejecting the legacy of his father’s blood, keeping caged the beast that lies dormant within. But the moment he sets eyes on the wild girl from the Kayan cliffs, his usual caution is thrown to the wind. As the world crumbles around them, can Finn and Thorne cast off the shadows to find a love stronger than either imagined? Or is their true challenge to embrace the darkness within?
400 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2014
About the author
Charlotte McConaghy
24 books4,676 followersCharlotte McConaghy is the author of the international bestseller MIGRATIONS, a TIME Magazine Best Book of the Year and the Amazon.com Best Fiction Book of the Year for 2020, which is being translated into over twenty languages and adapted for film, and the New York Times Bestseller ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES.
She has both a Graduate Degree in Screenwriting and a Masters Degree in Screen Arts, and lives in Sydney, Australia.
She started her writing career writing SF/F for young adults; Migrations was her first foray into the adult literary world.
Her new novel, WILD DARK SHORE, is her third adult novel, a romantic mystery, coming March 2025.
She has both a Graduate Degree in Screenwriting and a Masters Degree in Screen Arts, and lives in Sydney, Australia.
She started her writing career writing SF/F for young adults; Migrations was her first foray into the adult literary world.
Her new novel, WILD DARK SHORE, is her third adult novel, a romantic mystery, coming March 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
August 22, 2017
*Wrote this over a night and a morning so it will probably be all jumbled*
I was a creature made of uncertainties, except for the one thing I knew: I would never beat the beast. I wasn't strong like my da had been.
You guys. This book. I was so utterly entranced. Remember how I said with Avery that the writing was only okay and that I wasn't sucked in until 50%? Yeah, well this book blew that out of the water. I can already tell you that Ava and Ambrose are still my #1 couple, but...but. Finn and Thorne. I shipped them from the moment they met.
We stared at each other, and without warning my eyes slid to match his hue. And that was that. There would be no more quiet moments with this man.
Can I first say that the women of Kaya are the most headstrong females characters that I have ever read about? Because they are. Finn pissed me off so many times, just as Ava did, because she couldn't get her head out of her ass and just LOVE THORNE. My sweet precious cinnamon roll. She had a lot going on that you don't actually get to find out about until near the end (which I had guessed from the beginning) but it was still hard to dismiss her careless attitude. She is selfish and uses her words to hurt others (especially Thorne) but she also loves her family fiercely. I loved the relationship that she had with her brother.
'There it is,' she murmured. 'The first time I've heard it.' She moved closer. 'I want to kiss the corner of that laugh.'
This has just turned out to be SUCH a good fantasy series. The great part is? I discovered it only a week before the final book come out. Which is awesome because I devoured the first two in a matter of a few days. In this second book of the Chronicles of Kaya, we are able to learn more about both Pirenti and Kaya and to see more of the lands. We finally get to meet the rulers of Kaya--Falco and Quill. And most importantly (to me) we get to see an older Ambrose and Ava...AND THEIR TWIN DAUGHTERS. ♥ ♥
My eyes found stars and sea spray and Finn, always Finn.
Even though the first one did capture my heart with the romance of Ava and Ambrose and the premise of the mates that were bonded that died with one another--this book is where the real adventure begins. Instead of the first one that I felt was trying to introduce us to the entire idea of bonded people and overcoming loss and finding love again, this one has a more complex story line. Thorne is sent to Kaya on a mission to ensure the bond remains intact. Somehow, Falco and Quill have heard rumors that it can be broken and wish to find a group to seek the information on how to end it. While in Kaya he finds Finn, her twin Jonah, and their brother Penn. He befriends them and the group, along with a strange girl named Isadora set out to essentially find an end to the bond.
I followed. I felt as though I had no choice in the matter anymore: where she went, I went. What I didn't understand was why.
What I love the best about both of these books is the relationships. Both books have featured a romance of the slow burn persuasion which is one of my favorite kinds. Even if the couple finds something interesting about the other from the very beginning and we as readers know they are getting together, we still are able to read along in agonizing pain until they finally get together. It's always just so much more satisfying in my opinion.
'So I don't have a choice?'
'Of course you do. Every move you make is of your own choosing. It is simply that I have already seen you choose what you choose.'
The one thing that could possibly trip you up in this series is the POVs. There has been four each time, centering around four main characters that initially have very different things going on. I myself usually am not a fan of a bunch of POVs because things can so easily get confused. In Avery, it's pretty straight forward because even though the two couples were in different areas, Thorne and Ambrose were brothers. A lot of the things they talked about separately made sense. In this book, the couples are entirely different. In fact, I feel like I was almost robbed when the story was done. While the book was hands down more about Thorne and Finn, there were still quite a few parts about Quill and Falco--and yet I finished thinking that I wanted more from them. I think I know exactly why they were introduced and only given the small snippets that they were, but it was frustrating. Luckily Isadora comes out tomorrow.
'I love you,' I whispered to him, not wanting anyone else to hear. 'Do you know why?' His hands were in my hair. 'Not because you take away my sadness. But because you've given me every piece of happiness I've ever known.'
Falco is actually the #1 character I want to know more about right now. I am not going to spoil or give anything away but just know that even though he doesn't get a ton of page time during this book, that he is going to play a huge role in book three. I can't wait.
'You're mean, Finn of Limonte,' he smiled.
'Some days,' I agreed. 'Some days I'm sweet as sugar.'
And then he looked at me,
he looked at me
and he said
'And I will love you on every one of those days.'
Finally, because I don't want to just keep blabbering on, I just wanted to end by saying that this book once again has you thinking about love. Like what it truly means to love someone. And how sometimes once it ends, you can either decide that you are going to let sadness and despair drag you down, or that you are going to rise back up because there are plenty of other amazing things worth living for out there.
But now. Now I demanded more of myself. Because loving someone made you brave, if you were very lucky.
Love can make you brave or cowardly.
Here was truth. I knew it deep inside me, threaded through my soul. He was not feckless. He was cunning. And he was mine.
What's most important, I think this book tries telling us, is that by loving another person, you shouldn't lose out on who you are/ who you were before. Sometimes you do change after you meet someone, but it should be because being with them makes you better, stronger, more courageous. And I think that, if anything, is a reason why you should read these books.
A last thought drifted to me through the shadows. A miracle--that love found a place within the darkness to survive.
*Sorry if this doesn't flow btw, I am currently drinking wine and watching the Olympics so I keep getting distracted and have been taking brakes while writing this, lol*
**You can at least enjoy all of these lovely quotes that I have found (there so so many more I had to cut out).**
And then, more softly, my father said, 'You were born to lead the way, my son, even when the world is at its darkest.'
I was a creature made of uncertainties, except for the one thing I knew: I would never beat the beast. I wasn't strong like my da had been.
You guys. This book. I was so utterly entranced. Remember how I said with Avery that the writing was only okay and that I wasn't sucked in until 50%? Yeah, well this book blew that out of the water. I can already tell you that Ava and Ambrose are still my #1 couple, but...but. Finn and Thorne. I shipped them from the moment they met.
We stared at each other, and without warning my eyes slid to match his hue. And that was that. There would be no more quiet moments with this man.
Can I first say that the women of Kaya are the most headstrong females characters that I have ever read about? Because they are. Finn pissed me off so many times, just as Ava did, because she couldn't get her head out of her ass and just LOVE THORNE. My sweet precious cinnamon roll. She had a lot going on that you don't actually get to find out about until near the end (which I had guessed from the beginning) but it was still hard to dismiss her careless attitude. She is selfish and uses her words to hurt others (especially Thorne) but she also loves her family fiercely. I loved the relationship that she had with her brother.
'There it is,' she murmured. 'The first time I've heard it.' She moved closer. 'I want to kiss the corner of that laugh.'
This has just turned out to be SUCH a good fantasy series. The great part is? I discovered it only a week before the final book come out. Which is awesome because I devoured the first two in a matter of a few days. In this second book of the Chronicles of Kaya, we are able to learn more about both Pirenti and Kaya and to see more of the lands. We finally get to meet the rulers of Kaya--Falco and Quill. And most importantly (to me) we get to see an older Ambrose and Ava...AND THEIR TWIN DAUGHTERS. ♥ ♥
My eyes found stars and sea spray and Finn, always Finn.
Even though the first one did capture my heart with the romance of Ava and Ambrose and the premise of the mates that were bonded that died with one another--this book is where the real adventure begins. Instead of the first one that I felt was trying to introduce us to the entire idea of bonded people and overcoming loss and finding love again, this one has a more complex story line. Thorne is sent to Kaya on a mission to ensure the bond remains intact. Somehow, Falco and Quill have heard rumors that it can be broken and wish to find a group to seek the information on how to end it. While in Kaya he finds Finn, her twin Jonah, and their brother Penn. He befriends them and the group, along with a strange girl named Isadora set out to essentially find an end to the bond.
I followed. I felt as though I had no choice in the matter anymore: where she went, I went. What I didn't understand was why.
What I love the best about both of these books is the relationships. Both books have featured a romance of the slow burn persuasion which is one of my favorite kinds. Even if the couple finds something interesting about the other from the very beginning and we as readers know they are getting together, we still are able to read along in agonizing pain until they finally get together. It's always just so much more satisfying in my opinion.
'So I don't have a choice?'
'Of course you do. Every move you make is of your own choosing. It is simply that I have already seen you choose what you choose.'
The one thing that could possibly trip you up in this series is the POVs. There has been four each time, centering around four main characters that initially have very different things going on. I myself usually am not a fan of a bunch of POVs because things can so easily get confused. In Avery, it's pretty straight forward because even though the two couples were in different areas, Thorne and Ambrose were brothers. A lot of the things they talked about separately made sense. In this book, the couples are entirely different. In fact, I feel like I was almost robbed when the story was done. While the book was hands down more about Thorne and Finn, there were still quite a few parts about Quill and Falco--and yet I finished thinking that I wanted more from them. I think I know exactly why they were introduced and only given the small snippets that they were, but it was frustrating. Luckily Isadora comes out tomorrow.
'I love you,' I whispered to him, not wanting anyone else to hear. 'Do you know why?' His hands were in my hair. 'Not because you take away my sadness. But because you've given me every piece of happiness I've ever known.'
Falco is actually the #1 character I want to know more about right now. I am not going to spoil or give anything away but just know that even though he doesn't get a ton of page time during this book, that he is going to play a huge role in book three. I can't wait.
'You're mean, Finn of Limonte,' he smiled.
'Some days,' I agreed. 'Some days I'm sweet as sugar.'
And then he looked at me,
he looked at me
and he said
'And I will love you on every one of those days.'
Finally, because I don't want to just keep blabbering on, I just wanted to end by saying that this book once again has you thinking about love. Like what it truly means to love someone. And how sometimes once it ends, you can either decide that you are going to let sadness and despair drag you down, or that you are going to rise back up because there are plenty of other amazing things worth living for out there.
But now. Now I demanded more of myself. Because loving someone made you brave, if you were very lucky.
Love can make you brave or cowardly.
Here was truth. I knew it deep inside me, threaded through my soul. He was not feckless. He was cunning. And he was mine.
What's most important, I think this book tries telling us, is that by loving another person, you shouldn't lose out on who you are/ who you were before. Sometimes you do change after you meet someone, but it should be because being with them makes you better, stronger, more courageous. And I think that, if anything, is a reason why you should read these books.
A last thought drifted to me through the shadows. A miracle--that love found a place within the darkness to survive.
*Sorry if this doesn't flow btw, I am currently drinking wine and watching the Olympics so I keep getting distracted and have been taking brakes while writing this, lol*
**You can at least enjoy all of these lovely quotes that I have found (there so so many more I had to cut out).**
And then, more softly, my father said, 'You were born to lead the way, my son, even when the world is at its darkest.'
June 3, 2018
OMG! This book was absolutely brilliant!! Thorne brought back all my favourite characters from Avery whilst including even more awesome characters. Charlotte McConaghy has some serious talent for writing amazingly intriguing and interesting characters!! This book was a phenomenal sequel and I am so excited for The next book in the series.
Thorne was such a great read, with a high-stakes plot line and relatable, enjoyable characters. I loved all of the characters even with their quirks and I never got bored with their stories. Generally with multiple P.O.V books like Thorne, I find myself uninterested in one character, this was not the case for both Avery and Thorne. Even though the story mostly followed Thorne and Finn, the Emperor and Emporer both had such great voices. The story on a whole was really well thought out and never left me feeling unsatisfied, like many other books have. The world was so detailed and well explained that I can even imagine myself living there. There is no arguing that the author has a serious talent with words and story telling.
There is no mistaking my love for this series and I am seriously anticipating the release of Isadora (I'll be the crazy person standing outside the bookstore on the day it is released!!) I cannot comprehend why everyone is not reading this book!! I recommend this series whole heartedly, especially for romance or fantasy fans.
Thorne was such a great read, with a high-stakes plot line and relatable, enjoyable characters. I loved all of the characters even with their quirks and I never got bored with their stories. Generally with multiple P.O.V books like Thorne, I find myself uninterested in one character, this was not the case for both Avery and Thorne. Even though the story mostly followed Thorne and Finn, the Emperor and Emporer both had such great voices. The story on a whole was really well thought out and never left me feeling unsatisfied, like many other books have. The world was so detailed and well explained that I can even imagine myself living there. There is no arguing that the author has a serious talent with words and story telling.
There is no mistaking my love for this series and I am seriously anticipating the release of Isadora (I'll be the crazy person standing outside the bookstore on the day it is released!!) I cannot comprehend why everyone is not reading this book!! I recommend this series whole heartedly, especially for romance or fantasy fans.
August 29, 2014
I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
I love the previous book in this series and was looking forward to reading this one. I think I was expecting too much... :(
In Avery we had 4 POVs, while here we have 6 of them! way too much and way too confusing! Also the places where the action is are various, so I was having difficulties locating where the characters was when the POV changed.
The beginning is slow, but I was expecting it, since it was like that also in Avery. Unfortunately the book goes on being slow almost to the middle. OK, we get to know in depth the characters, so it could be a good thing, but I found it too drawn out.
The story pick up toward the end when everything happens with wrap speed, so much that my head was reeling. I had to re-read some parts because the POVs changed so quickly that I couldn't get what was happening to whom!
I didn't like Finn's character. She was too much self-centered. Like all the world was revolving around her. Sarcastic and rude. She’s not something my heroines are made of.
I liked better Thorne. He’s the son of the hated Pirenti king Thorn from Avery. I ended loving Thorn in Avery, so I could understand Thorne better. I admired his loyalty, his quiet strength, his hatred towards his “beast” and the capability to extreme violence that was his berserker’s heritage.
Even if Finn is shown like his laughing side made human, I just didn’t feel it this way. I admired Thorne more for opposing her rudeness with extreme politeness.
Falco and Quillane… I couldn’t understand why they behaved that way. Why Quillaine didn’t notice Falco’s real nature? Why Falco thought that behaving like a drunken idiot would save Quillaine? For being an easier target for Sparrow? I thought this reasoning stupid. If I were Sparrow I would try all the harder to eliminate the stronger part, not the weaker… mah…
I have the feeling that this book is unfinished, even if the story of Thorne and Finn is wrapped up. Still the book ends with a kind of cliffhanger.
The writing style is good; strange and unusual, like in Avery, but good!
This series, even with this, for me, weak book, is excellent! The basic story is extremely interesting and intriguing. I’m looking forward to Isadora’s book!
I love the previous book in this series and was looking forward to reading this one. I think I was expecting too much... :(
In Avery we had 4 POVs, while here we have 6 of them! way too much and way too confusing! Also the places where the action is are various, so I was having difficulties locating where the characters was when the POV changed.
The beginning is slow, but I was expecting it, since it was like that also in Avery. Unfortunately the book goes on being slow almost to the middle. OK, we get to know in depth the characters, so it could be a good thing, but I found it too drawn out.
The story pick up toward the end when everything happens with wrap speed, so much that my head was reeling. I had to re-read some parts because the POVs changed so quickly that I couldn't get what was happening to whom!
I didn't like Finn's character. She was too much self-centered. Like all the world was revolving around her. Sarcastic and rude. She’s not something my heroines are made of.
I liked better Thorne. He’s the son of the hated Pirenti king Thorn from Avery. I ended loving Thorn in Avery, so I could understand Thorne better. I admired his loyalty, his quiet strength, his hatred towards his “beast” and the capability to extreme violence that was his berserker’s heritage.
Even if Finn is shown like his laughing side made human, I just didn’t feel it this way. I admired Thorne more for opposing her rudeness with extreme politeness.
Falco and Quillane… I couldn’t understand why they behaved that way. Why Quillaine didn’t notice Falco’s real nature? Why Falco thought that behaving like a drunken idiot would save Quillaine? For being an easier target for Sparrow? I thought this reasoning stupid. If I were Sparrow I would try all the harder to eliminate the stronger part, not the weaker… mah…
I have the feeling that this book is unfinished, even if the story of Thorne and Finn is wrapped up. Still the book ends with a kind of cliffhanger.
The writing style is good; strange and unusual, like in Avery, but good!
This series, even with this, for me, weak book, is excellent! The basic story is extremely interesting and intriguing. I’m looking forward to Isadora’s book!
July 13, 2023
#1.) Avery: ★★★★
#2.) Thorne: ★ ★ ★ ★
#3.) Isadora:: ★ ★ ★ ★
June 2023 review:
This was much better than I remember a few years back, maybe because I’ve been marathoning this series so it’s fresh in my mind.
THE GOOD
1) The author definitely knows how to write different characters rather than repeat the same personality types over and over again. Finn here is nothing like Ava from book one, just as Thorne Junior is very different from both Ambrose and Thorne Senior. Finn is a convincingly wild, reckless, brazen young girl that matures through the course of the story.
2) Thorne and his gentle vs berkserker side made for an intriguing combination to read about.
3) Thorne and Finn, while not as gut punching as a couple as Ambrose and Ava, still are a compelling relationship you want to root for.
4) The same good lines as book one.
THE BAD
Overall world building of places, cultures, history, and politics are a bit vague to me.
FINAL THOUGHTS
One more to go.
__________
Original review:
I'm not entirely sure what happened but this book went completely over my head; I have little to no comprehension nor retention of what I just read.
Putting this back on my reread for someday because, like Avery, this book was probably more mature and thought out than one would think in terms of emotional and dramatic impact...but again, it went way over my head with what was happening.
So...confused...
#2.) Thorne: ★ ★ ★ ★
#3.) Isadora:: ★ ★ ★ ★
June 2023 review:
This was much better than I remember a few years back, maybe because I’ve been marathoning this series so it’s fresh in my mind.
THE GOOD
1) The author definitely knows how to write different characters rather than repeat the same personality types over and over again. Finn here is nothing like Ava from book one, just as Thorne Junior is very different from both Ambrose and Thorne Senior. Finn is a convincingly wild, reckless, brazen young girl that matures through the course of the story.
My head was tilted up to watch a lone hawk circle the sky when I heard her gasp.
‘There’s danger ahead.’ She shot off again towards the forest at the edge of the grasslands.
‘Then don’t run towards it!’ Jonah exclaimed as we all sprinted after her.
2) Thorne and his gentle vs berkserker side made for an intriguing combination to read about.
3) Thorne and Finn, while not as gut punching as a couple as Ambrose and Ava, still are a compelling relationship you want to root for.
4) The same good lines as book one.
The same soldier stared down at me expressionlessly. He had pretty green eyes. And that was when real fear found me, and real understanding. I came from Kaya, which, ninety-nine per cent of the time, was safe. Women were treated the same as men. There wasn’t much violence, not a great deal of crime. You could say what you wanted and nobody was going to hit you in the face for it.
But Thorne had said it, hadn’t he? You have no idea of the world you just stepped into.
Blind fury exploded in my heart. I hated that there was a place in the world where if you were a woman it meant you were in danger. I hated it. I loathed the fact that the only way to stay safe was to learn to fight and hurt others. Loathed the fact that one hit could make me feel like I was dying and pretty much deny me any chance of escape.
THE BAD
Overall world building of places, cultures, history, and politics are a bit vague to me.
FINAL THOUGHTS
One more to go.
__________
Original review:
I'm not entirely sure what happened but this book went completely over my head; I have little to no comprehension nor retention of what I just read.
Putting this back on my reread for someday because, like Avery, this book was probably more mature and thought out than one would think in terms of emotional and dramatic impact...but again, it went way over my head with what was happening.
So...confused...
July 26, 2014
Totally addictive! Magic, romance, adventure... This book has it all!! A must read for fantasy fans.
February 3, 2015
Personally, Thorne has been one of the most expected books of this year, I´ve been waiting for its release since I finished reading Avery last summer. I fell so deeply and utterly in love with Avery that it instantly became one of my favourite books . So I had high expectations for Thorne and I have to say that I loved it too, not as much as Avery because that book is a master piece but it will hold a place of honor in my book favourite list for sure.
The story takes place 18 years after the end of Avery and the main characters are Thorne, the heir to the throne, and Finn an adventurous Kayan girl that loves danger. There are four narrators in the story: Thorne, Finn, Falco and Quillane. In the beginning I didn´t like the chapters narrated by Falco and Quillane, I knew they were important but I was more interested in the development of the story of Thorne and Finn. Though in the end one of the best chapters of the whole book was the one narrated by Falco and Isadora.
I have to admit that it took me sometime to like Finn, I liked her looks and attitude but I didn´t portrayed her as Thorne´s girl, it seemed like they were not going to fit together. Though in the end they were two opposite pieces of the same puzzle, they complemented each other perfectly. And Thorne was not what I was expecting, I thought he was going to be like his father violent and ruthless and he is the opposite. He is strong, fierce, and young. He loves deeply and cares for his family and friends. He avoids violence and blood at much as he can and he has a really strong will; he is powerful yet humble.
The secondary characters are also an important part for the development of the plot. They give realism and color to the story. At first I wasn´t sure of Isadora´s role in the story but in the end she is a really important piece in the development of the book. The author has been able to surprise me, I wasn´t expecting that twist in the story at all. I was literally left with my mouth hanging open and re-reading it because it really took me by surprise. When I saw the title of the next book I squealed in excitement. I really think Isadora is going to my favourite book.
There are similitudes between Avery and Thorne, both male characters are from Pirenti while the females are from Kaya. Both couples seem to be mortal enemies that in the end overcome they differences. The stories´main events take place in an exciting journey. And of course there are heartbreaking scenes that made me cry like a baby. In both books I had to stop reading because I couldn´t see through my tears.
I loved that I got to know more about Avery and Ambrose, I really missed them.
McConaghy has created an epic love story in a world where it seemed impossible to conquer differences. While at the same time she has developed a web of intrigues and mysteries around the characters.
I can´t really find enough adjectives to say how much I love this series. The Chronicles of Kaya is an addictive, powerful, and wickedly breathtaking series that will grab your heart so tight in a fist of feelings that you will end up sobbing of pain and happiness while in awe because it so magical to feel that words can make you feel that much. And I would really would love to have them on paperback, I need them to be in my shelf.
The Chronicles of Kaya is a MUST read for all the fantasy lovers, I would also recommend it to romance and adventure readers. It has everything to be your next favourite series, so please go and give it a try, you won´t regret it!
The story takes place 18 years after the end of Avery and the main characters are Thorne, the heir to the throne, and Finn an adventurous Kayan girl that loves danger. There are four narrators in the story: Thorne, Finn, Falco and Quillane. In the beginning I didn´t like the chapters narrated by Falco and Quillane, I knew they were important but I was more interested in the development of the story of Thorne and Finn. Though in the end one of the best chapters of the whole book was the one narrated by Falco and Isadora.
I have to admit that it took me sometime to like Finn, I liked her looks and attitude but I didn´t portrayed her as Thorne´s girl, it seemed like they were not going to fit together. Though in the end they were two opposite pieces of the same puzzle, they complemented each other perfectly. And Thorne was not what I was expecting, I thought he was going to be like his father violent and ruthless and he is the opposite. He is strong, fierce, and young. He loves deeply and cares for his family and friends. He avoids violence and blood at much as he can and he has a really strong will; he is powerful yet humble.
The secondary characters are also an important part for the development of the plot. They give realism and color to the story. At first I wasn´t sure of Isadora´s role in the story but in the end she is a really important piece in the development of the book. The author has been able to surprise me, I wasn´t expecting that twist in the story at all. I was literally left with my mouth hanging open and re-reading it because it really took me by surprise. When I saw the title of the next book I squealed in excitement. I really think Isadora is going to my favourite book.
There are similitudes between Avery and Thorne, both male characters are from Pirenti while the females are from Kaya. Both couples seem to be mortal enemies that in the end overcome they differences. The stories´main events take place in an exciting journey. And of course there are heartbreaking scenes that made me cry like a baby. In both books I had to stop reading because I couldn´t see through my tears.
I loved that I got to know more about Avery and Ambrose, I really missed them.
McConaghy has created an epic love story in a world where it seemed impossible to conquer differences. While at the same time she has developed a web of intrigues and mysteries around the characters.
I can´t really find enough adjectives to say how much I love this series. The Chronicles of Kaya is an addictive, powerful, and wickedly breathtaking series that will grab your heart so tight in a fist of feelings that you will end up sobbing of pain and happiness while in awe because it so magical to feel that words can make you feel that much. And I would really would love to have them on paperback, I need them to be in my shelf.
The Chronicles of Kaya is a MUST read for all the fantasy lovers, I would also recommend it to romance and adventure readers. It has everything to be your next favourite series, so please go and give it a try, you won´t regret it!
February 2, 2017
I really enjoyed Avery, so I was eager to dive into Thorne and continue the adventure with a new cast of characters. It's taken me months to read this book, but that's not because it wasn't engaging or boring -- lots of personal issues factored into the time it took me to start and finish Thorne.
In fact, McConaghy should be praised for writing a story that I could instantly fall back into, even after weeks of absence. I only had to open the book to remember which POV I was reading, what was happening, and why it was interesting.
The idea of bonds and bond-mates gripped me in the first book, and so I was a little wary about Thorne because it dealt with destroying it. However McConaghy does a wonderful job of setting out the arguments for and against the bond and letting the reader decide where they stand. I sill love the idea of it, but I can see how destructive it can be as well.
While Ava and Ambrose make an appearance in this book, along with Rose and a few other old favourites, the story is predominantly about Thorne, the heir to the throne, and Finn, a young Kayan girl with many secrets and a heart of gold. Thorne is as different from his father as it's possible to get - a gentle soul born into a beserker's body who has to constantly fight for the right to live. When he's sent to Kaya as a good-will gesture to celebrate the peace between the two nations, he falls in with a rag-tag bunch of kids. Finn, who has a taste for danger; her twin brother Jonah, a warder in training; their adoptive brother Penn, who has secrets of his own; and Isadora, who harbours the most dangerous secret of all.
There are many points of view in this book - not only Finn and Thorne but also Falco and Quillane, Emperor and Empress of Kaya, and (briefly) a few others. Some readers may find this confusing, but I kept track of everyone despite my long absences from the book, so it's definitely an issue of personal preference.
This story spans almost the length and breadth of Kaya and Pirenti, taking us from the cliffs of Limontae to the warder forests, from the royal palace of Pirenti to the northern mountains. There's a map in Thorne, but I didn't flip to it once - I found it easy enough to track the journeys the characters took. The plot takes us deeper into the mysteries set out in Avery; not only secrets concerning warders and berserkers as well as some historical background that I found interesting. It's obvious that this world exists fully-formed (or near to it!) in McConaghy's mind and we're being allowed glimpses into it as the story unfolds.
I had a few issues with the writing style when I read Avery, but I found I was looking forward to the richness of McConaghy's prose in Thorne. There are some absolutely beautiful phrases and passages in the book, and I've decided that I really like McConaghy's style!
I loved Thorne. Slightly more than Avery because I didn't have to endure the physical and emotional abuse of Thorn-Rose. This story world has grown on me and I've come to respect McConaghy's storytelling. I love her characters and her prose, and am looking forward to reading Isadora in August.
This review was originally posted on Speculating on SpecFic
In fact, McConaghy should be praised for writing a story that I could instantly fall back into, even after weeks of absence. I only had to open the book to remember which POV I was reading, what was happening, and why it was interesting.
The idea of bonds and bond-mates gripped me in the first book, and so I was a little wary about Thorne because it dealt with destroying it. However McConaghy does a wonderful job of setting out the arguments for and against the bond and letting the reader decide where they stand. I sill love the idea of it, but I can see how destructive it can be as well.
While Ava and Ambrose make an appearance in this book, along with Rose and a few other old favourites, the story is predominantly about Thorne, the heir to the throne, and Finn, a young Kayan girl with many secrets and a heart of gold. Thorne is as different from his father as it's possible to get - a gentle soul born into a beserker's body who has to constantly fight for the right to live. When he's sent to Kaya as a good-will gesture to celebrate the peace between the two nations, he falls in with a rag-tag bunch of kids. Finn, who has a taste for danger; her twin brother Jonah, a warder in training; their adoptive brother Penn, who has secrets of his own; and Isadora, who harbours the most dangerous secret of all.
There are many points of view in this book - not only Finn and Thorne but also Falco and Quillane, Emperor and Empress of Kaya, and (briefly) a few others. Some readers may find this confusing, but I kept track of everyone despite my long absences from the book, so it's definitely an issue of personal preference.
This story spans almost the length and breadth of Kaya and Pirenti, taking us from the cliffs of Limontae to the warder forests, from the royal palace of Pirenti to the northern mountains. There's a map in Thorne, but I didn't flip to it once - I found it easy enough to track the journeys the characters took. The plot takes us deeper into the mysteries set out in Avery; not only secrets concerning warders and berserkers as well as some historical background that I found interesting. It's obvious that this world exists fully-formed (or near to it!) in McConaghy's mind and we're being allowed glimpses into it as the story unfolds.
I had a few issues with the writing style when I read Avery, but I found I was looking forward to the richness of McConaghy's prose in Thorne. There are some absolutely beautiful phrases and passages in the book, and I've decided that I really like McConaghy's style!
I loved Thorne. Slightly more than Avery because I didn't have to endure the physical and emotional abuse of Thorn-Rose. This story world has grown on me and I've come to respect McConaghy's storytelling. I love her characters and her prose, and am looking forward to reading Isadora in August.
This review was originally posted on Speculating on SpecFic
February 20, 2015
Right after finishing Avery, I couldn't wait to get into this book!!! I was so excited when I found a copy to purchase and went straight into it, ready to be recaptured into this wonderful fantastical world that Charlotte McConaghy has crafted.
However, I couldn't help but feel the sudden rush of disappointment when I realised this book is set 19-20ish years into the future with a new set of characters and POVs. I really hate it when that happens, when you grow so attached to the characters and then *BAM* next book - they are pushed into the background and you have a new set of characters to empathise with.
Nevertheless, Thorne and Finn eventually grew on me. The way they interacted, the growth of their love and their struggles with their inner demons, it was all very sweet. I have to say though, I was more frustrated with their characters than with Ava and Ambrose in Avery.
On the other hand, I enjoyed reading from the secondary main characters POVs much more in this book. Unlike in Avery, when I would scream in frustration when I got to parts with Thorne and Rose, I found myself very intrigued with Falco and Quill (actually more Falco than Quill). Hopefully he'll be more prominent in the sequel the come.
In the end, it was a strong sequel filled with adventure and excitement albeit the predictability. It ended perfectly, leaving an thrilling complication that leads us into the next book. I'm definitely looking forward to "Isadora" and shall now begin to wait patiently... or not....
I WANT IT NOW!!!!
However, I couldn't help but feel the sudden rush of disappointment when I realised this book is set 19-20ish years into the future with a new set of characters and POVs. I really hate it when that happens, when you grow so attached to the characters and then *BAM* next book - they are pushed into the background and you have a new set of characters to empathise with.
Nevertheless, Thorne and Finn eventually grew on me. The way they interacted, the growth of their love and their struggles with their inner demons, it was all very sweet. I have to say though, I was more frustrated with their characters than with Ava and Ambrose in Avery.
On the other hand, I enjoyed reading from the secondary main characters POVs much more in this book. Unlike in Avery, when I would scream in frustration when I got to parts with Thorne and Rose, I found myself very intrigued with Falco and Quill (actually more Falco than Quill). Hopefully he'll be more prominent in the sequel the come.
In the end, it was a strong sequel filled with adventure and excitement albeit the predictability. It ended perfectly, leaving an thrilling complication that leads us into the next book. I'm definitely looking forward to "Isadora" and shall now begin to wait patiently... or not....
I WANT IT NOW!!!!
March 26, 2016
In Thorne, Charlotte McConaghy continues the saga of the extraordinary world so richly depicted in Avery. Set a generation later to the first book, this gripping sequel is as romantic and intense. Dangerous love is a central feature, not only in the apparently doomed passion of Prince Thorne of Pirenti, half-berserker, half-Kayan, and beautiful, feisty, 'wild child' Finn of Kaya, but also the Empress Quillane and her secret lesbian lover Radha, whose love could literally take not only crown but life; and the Empress' consort, Emperor Falco, who longs for Quillane but who for reasons of his own must live under the mask of a feckless fool and so only attracts her disdain.
But just as with the first book, it's not only passionate romance that is at the heart of this novel: the relations between Kaya and Pirenti, despite a lasting truce, and a new danger threatening Kaya, are an underlying thread throughout the story, building to a thrilling climax that leaves the way open to the third and final book. Can't wait!
But just as with the first book, it's not only passionate romance that is at the heart of this novel: the relations between Kaya and Pirenti, despite a lasting truce, and a new danger threatening Kaya, are an underlying thread throughout the story, building to a thrilling climax that leaves the way open to the third and final book. Can't wait!
August 16, 2016
Okay, I love this series. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Avery, but as soon as I got a few chapters in to Thorne, I remembered the breathless feeling and beautiful romance. As a middle book in this series, it certainly did not disappoint.
I wrote a joint review with Tracy for this one for Tea in the Treetops.
I wrote a joint review with Tracy for this one for Tea in the Treetops.
February 5, 2017
I kinda sorta liked this book. I mean, I liked Thorne, Penn, Isadora and even Jonah, but I hated Finn. Finn was a selfish bitch for most of the book I wanted to slap her upside the head so many freakin' times.
Thorne and the rest of the characters were this book's only saving grace.
Thorne and the rest of the characters were this book's only saving grace.
April 8, 2016
In 2015 I picked up Avery by Charlotte McConaghy on a whim, purely based on it's stunning cover. With Thorne, the follow up novel in The Chronicles of Kaya series, having been released with another suitably amazing cover, I think it's fair to say that Charlotte McConaghy has been blessed by the cover fairies at Random House Australia. Seriously, look at that cover. No really, look at it. The sheer intensity of the model's eyes and the colouring is simply the best tool I've seen to not only make the reader pick up the book in the first place, but to immediately pull the reader into the story. Do her eyes not promise a story full of intrigue and dash of surprise, a romance or two and so much mischief that you know you're already in trouble? Hands down, that's exactly what this book delivers.
I'm not going to recap the plot line, because let's face it, you can read the blurb and learn everything you need to know about the story without a spoiler or two thrown in. What I am going to tell you, is how this book held me captive in much the same way the Pirenti were previously known to hold the Kayans; with brutal honesty and unforgiving plot strikes, and the most epic page-turning narrative that a Pirenti could hope to hold in their hands before dealing the killing 'the end' strike. This book had me so caught up inside while reading that I literally had no idea of what was up or down, or even if my house was on fire. So much so, that when I was rudely thrown from it's final pages and forced back into reality, I didn't like it one bit. I need the third book Charlotte McConaghy do you hear me, I need the third book right now!
When I requested this book from Netgalley and Random House Australia earlier this year I was a little hesitant about going in. I loved Avery so much that it still remains one of three stand-out novels from 2015. Because of that I was dying to get my hands on Thorne, to dive back into that world, to experience the cultures once again and live amongst some of my favourite characters, but on some level I was afraid that this book wouldn't live up to it's predecessor. I was worried that I wouldn't like it as much as the first one and because of that I held back in my reading.
Unlike Avery, I didn't instantly connect with Thorne,. Part of that was due to my inner self chucking a small tantrum because Thorne, was set so far in the future - 20 years after the ending of the first book, to be exact - and because Ava and Ambrose were two characters I desperately wanted to hang out with once more, to find out what life had in store for them post closing of the last book. Another part of me was held back by the slower start to this narrative, unlike Avery where we dived straight into action, Thorne, has a slower, more sleepy start as McConaghy lulls us through the 20 years of change. While I understand why all this was done and for what end, as a reader it frustrated me so much and my anxiety about the book grew tenfold. But I persisted, and you know what, I loved this book. Almost as much as the first one once it got going.
Thorne jnr, not to be confused with Daddy Thorne from Avery, is a complex character that McConaghy has gone to great lengths to create. As the book opens he is this timid and shy young man, battling his own inner demons and living in the shadow of his parents' history. Caring for his mother Roselyn, he is a gentle soul in a giant's body, and considered somewhat of an anomaly in Piranti, a society that values its brute strength and ruthless nature. When sent into Kaya with secret orders from his Uncle, King Ambrose, he encounters an entirely wild and a little bit feral young woman named Finn who pushes his limits with every encounter the two share, and yet there's something about this wild, untameable Finn that Thorne finds himself inexplicitly drawn to her. It's from his interactions with Finn and the subsequent adventure their band of misfits takes on that we see the most development in Thorne. As an outsider, and given his size and status, he is something to be feared. A concept at odds with his very nature as a gentle beast. Unbeknownst to his travel companions however, Thorne harbours a secret self that lurks in the dark and pushes at every bone and muscle in his body begging for release, one that he must suppress at all odds. One that Finn likes to taught just enough to drive Throne's patience and test his control. I really love the way McConaghy was able to not only present a character that was so clearly defined as having two very different persona's living in the one body, encompassing the one being that was at war with itself. But also the way, she was able to balance these two sides within Thorne, and the again within the broader context of the narrative and the reader, who she constantly hints just enough at without giving the reader any more than they need to really know at any given moment.
I love the connection Thorne and Finn develop. Right from their first meeting there is this air between them that is undefined, but so questionably odd, that both characters snap to attention only to spend most of the book ignoring it's immediate existence. In equal measure they taught and push each other to the limit, Finn through her crazy, no brainer act-first-ask-questions-later existence that defies every one of Thorne's clearly ordered rules and life, and Thorne through his constant questioning and his ability to be so naive about the world around him, and yet see right through to Finn's soul and not be intimated and put off by her games and barriers that she holds the world at bay with.
As a whole Finn is a such a random character in this narrative, and yet so overly important to its very existence that it simply couldn't be what it is without her. While Thorne gives the country and narrative heart, it's Finn who brings it to life, who heightens the stakes and who rams through walls that shouldn't be possible to breach. Wild, crazy, constantly firing on all engines and with a touch of magic, Finn is a character hard to deny, easy to love and impossible to forget. At first glance I didn't like Finn; she was too self-centred and careless, bringing trouble right to the doorsteps of everyone she crossed paths with. But as the narrative progressed, I started to see some form of method to her madness, the fragility to her unquestionable strength and cunning, and the unshakable loyalty she has to those she loves. In fact, her whole crazy life is governed simply by that notion alone, the need to keep loved ones safe and to pay back debts owed.
Once again Charlotte McConaghy has delivered a unique and innovative fantasy novel that pushes both the characters and readers beyond our wildest expectations. Part epic adventure, part mystery and part romance, there is something here for every reader, making Thorne,one hell of a fantastical page-turner that is sure to keep you up late at night trying to guess what happens next. It's a high impact, adrenaline fuelled, scream at the page, why did you do that, fall in love, kind of intense read that will leave you with the worlds biggest book hangover imaginable. One that will leave you watching the clock/calender slowly tick over until the release of the third and final book, Isadora later this year.
Honestly McConaghy, you've done it to me twice now and I genuinely fear for my emotions and sense of sanity when the third and final book, Isadora, drops on the 18th of August this year. Let's just say I'll be racing out and buying that baby the second it's released.
This review was originally posted at The Never Ending Bookshelf on April 7 2016 and can be found here: http://wp.me/p3yY1u-Qt
I'm not going to recap the plot line, because let's face it, you can read the blurb and learn everything you need to know about the story without a spoiler or two thrown in. What I am going to tell you, is how this book held me captive in much the same way the Pirenti were previously known to hold the Kayans; with brutal honesty and unforgiving plot strikes, and the most epic page-turning narrative that a Pirenti could hope to hold in their hands before dealing the killing 'the end' strike. This book had me so caught up inside while reading that I literally had no idea of what was up or down, or even if my house was on fire. So much so, that when I was rudely thrown from it's final pages and forced back into reality, I didn't like it one bit. I need the third book Charlotte McConaghy do you hear me, I need the third book right now!
When I requested this book from Netgalley and Random House Australia earlier this year I was a little hesitant about going in. I loved Avery so much that it still remains one of three stand-out novels from 2015. Because of that I was dying to get my hands on Thorne, to dive back into that world, to experience the cultures once again and live amongst some of my favourite characters, but on some level I was afraid that this book wouldn't live up to it's predecessor. I was worried that I wouldn't like it as much as the first one and because of that I held back in my reading.
Unlike Avery, I didn't instantly connect with Thorne,. Part of that was due to my inner self chucking a small tantrum because Thorne, was set so far in the future - 20 years after the ending of the first book, to be exact - and because Ava and Ambrose were two characters I desperately wanted to hang out with once more, to find out what life had in store for them post closing of the last book. Another part of me was held back by the slower start to this narrative, unlike Avery where we dived straight into action, Thorne, has a slower, more sleepy start as McConaghy lulls us through the 20 years of change. While I understand why all this was done and for what end, as a reader it frustrated me so much and my anxiety about the book grew tenfold. But I persisted, and you know what, I loved this book. Almost as much as the first one once it got going.
Thorne jnr, not to be confused with Daddy Thorne from Avery, is a complex character that McConaghy has gone to great lengths to create. As the book opens he is this timid and shy young man, battling his own inner demons and living in the shadow of his parents' history. Caring for his mother Roselyn, he is a gentle soul in a giant's body, and considered somewhat of an anomaly in Piranti, a society that values its brute strength and ruthless nature. When sent into Kaya with secret orders from his Uncle, King Ambrose, he encounters an entirely wild and a little bit feral young woman named Finn who pushes his limits with every encounter the two share, and yet there's something about this wild, untameable Finn that Thorne finds himself inexplicitly drawn to her. It's from his interactions with Finn and the subsequent adventure their band of misfits takes on that we see the most development in Thorne. As an outsider, and given his size and status, he is something to be feared. A concept at odds with his very nature as a gentle beast. Unbeknownst to his travel companions however, Thorne harbours a secret self that lurks in the dark and pushes at every bone and muscle in his body begging for release, one that he must suppress at all odds. One that Finn likes to taught just enough to drive Throne's patience and test his control. I really love the way McConaghy was able to not only present a character that was so clearly defined as having two very different persona's living in the one body, encompassing the one being that was at war with itself. But also the way, she was able to balance these two sides within Thorne, and the again within the broader context of the narrative and the reader, who she constantly hints just enough at without giving the reader any more than they need to really know at any given moment.
I love the connection Thorne and Finn develop. Right from their first meeting there is this air between them that is undefined, but so questionably odd, that both characters snap to attention only to spend most of the book ignoring it's immediate existence. In equal measure they taught and push each other to the limit, Finn through her crazy, no brainer act-first-ask-questions-later existence that defies every one of Thorne's clearly ordered rules and life, and Thorne through his constant questioning and his ability to be so naive about the world around him, and yet see right through to Finn's soul and not be intimated and put off by her games and barriers that she holds the world at bay with.
As a whole Finn is a such a random character in this narrative, and yet so overly important to its very existence that it simply couldn't be what it is without her. While Thorne gives the country and narrative heart, it's Finn who brings it to life, who heightens the stakes and who rams through walls that shouldn't be possible to breach. Wild, crazy, constantly firing on all engines and with a touch of magic, Finn is a character hard to deny, easy to love and impossible to forget. At first glance I didn't like Finn; she was too self-centred and careless, bringing trouble right to the doorsteps of everyone she crossed paths with. But as the narrative progressed, I started to see some form of method to her madness, the fragility to her unquestionable strength and cunning, and the unshakable loyalty she has to those she loves. In fact, her whole crazy life is governed simply by that notion alone, the need to keep loved ones safe and to pay back debts owed.
Once again Charlotte McConaghy has delivered a unique and innovative fantasy novel that pushes both the characters and readers beyond our wildest expectations. Part epic adventure, part mystery and part romance, there is something here for every reader, making Thorne,one hell of a fantastical page-turner that is sure to keep you up late at night trying to guess what happens next. It's a high impact, adrenaline fuelled, scream at the page, why did you do that, fall in love, kind of intense read that will leave you with the worlds biggest book hangover imaginable. One that will leave you watching the clock/calender slowly tick over until the release of the third and final book, Isadora later this year.
Honestly McConaghy, you've done it to me twice now and I genuinely fear for my emotions and sense of sanity when the third and final book, Isadora, drops on the 18th of August this year. Let's just say I'll be racing out and buying that baby the second it's released.
This review was originally posted at The Never Ending Bookshelf on April 7 2016 and can be found here: http://wp.me/p3yY1u-Qt
November 4, 2016
GAAAAHHHHHHHHHH
SO FREAKING BEAUTIFUL!
I'M ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK.
HOW CAN THE SECOND BOOK AND THE FIRST BOOK BE SO EQUALLY GOOD THAT I CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIND WHICH ONE I LIKED BETTER?
Well keeping the ending in mind and how devasted I was by the end of it, I guess I liked the second book more, only because there were a lot more smiles and hope by the end of this one.
AVA AND AMBROSE ALL THROUGH OUT THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I absolutely love this one and can't wait to get my hands on ISADORA!
Favourite quotes (both from the epilogue):
"And that was the way of the world and all that it did to us. It marched on with or without us, forcing us to grow and change and adapt. It asked us to become more, or perish."
This first one here just seemed like the most relatable thing I've ever read. Such complexity expressed in such simple words.
"Ava smiled, and it was sunlight in the night."
This second one here, mainly loved because of Ava but also because this one took my breath away.
SO FREAKING BEAUTIFUL!
I'M ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK.
HOW CAN THE SECOND BOOK AND THE FIRST BOOK BE SO EQUALLY GOOD THAT I CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIND WHICH ONE I LIKED BETTER?
Well keeping the ending in mind and how devasted I was by the end of it, I guess I liked the second book more, only because there were a lot more smiles and hope by the end of this one.
AVA AND AMBROSE ALL THROUGH OUT THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I absolutely love this one and can't wait to get my hands on ISADORA!
Favourite quotes (both from the epilogue):
"And that was the way of the world and all that it did to us. It marched on with or without us, forcing us to grow and change and adapt. It asked us to become more, or perish."
This first one here just seemed like the most relatable thing I've ever read. Such complexity expressed in such simple words.
"Ava smiled, and it was sunlight in the night."
This second one here, mainly loved because of Ava but also because this one took my breath away.
August 28, 2016
MY LAPTOP’S NOT EVEN WATERPROOF, AND SINCE MY FACE IS PRODUCING FLUIDS OF TORTURE, I DON’T THINK THAT BY THE END OF THIS REVIEW I’LL BE HAVING A LAPTOP AT ALL.
RATING: Imma give this book my soul if that's enough, which I don't think it is.
Yeah so I desperately wanna know, HOW IN THE FUCK DOES THIS SERIES MANAGE TO MAKE ME CRY AFTER READING EVERY SINGLE DAMNING LINE, I DON’T GET IT.
LIKE PLEASE, CHARLOTTE MCCONAGHY , WOMAN, THIS IS ALL YOUR DOING, I REALLY DON’T THINK IVE CRIED SO MUCH OVER A BOOK.
EVERYTHING HURTS
And on top of that what hurts THE most, is that this series has not been given the attention it deserves. And that attention, just to be clear, is as big as infinity. Like, people, wtf are yall doing? READ THIS SERIES NOW
Just like Avery, this book tore me apart in the best way possible.
Every emotion was written exquisitely with the utmost intensity, and our beautiful charlotte made sure that we felt all that intense emotion. Hard. Like a wrecking ball slamming in to you and all your organs end up having an internal bleed and you don’t even know about it cuz the pain of that bleed is not as great as the pain of going through those emotions, and midst all that, you have bled to death. INTERNALLY.
And that is how you write a book folks, a clean death, with no mess involved, neat as ever.
So Charlotte, are you satisfied now? Huh? HUH? Are you satisfied that all of your readers have died,but fortunately posted a review before the numbness kicked in, OFCOURSE YOU ARE, CUZ THIS IS MY FAVORITE SERIES OF ALL TIME, LIKE I WOULDN’T MIND BUYING A BOOKSHOP FULL OF THIS SERIES.
AND OH WHAT ALL I’D GIVE IN ORDER TO GET MY GREEDY HANDS ON ISADORA
*some emotional insight of me while reading particular parts. A.k.a. parts where I could feel my heart bleeding out*
OH AND AVAAAAA WAS AMAZING AS USUAL, SHE AND AMBROSE ARE LIKE KILLING IT.
THEY’RE ALL KILLING IT
EXCEPT, THE ‘IT’ IS MY HEART
I don't think I've ever felt all those emotions in a single books, this was far by beautifully written with a fantastic imagination, strong enough to make people cryME in a very positive way.
RATING: Imma give this book my soul if that's enough,
Yeah so I desperately wanna know, HOW IN THE FUCK DOES THIS SERIES MANAGE TO MAKE ME CRY AFTER READING EVERY SINGLE DAMNING LINE, I DON’T GET IT.
LIKE PLEASE, CHARLOTTE MCCONAGHY , WOMAN, THIS IS ALL YOUR DOING, I REALLY DON’T THINK IVE CRIED SO MUCH OVER A BOOK.
EVERYTHING HURTS
And on top of that what hurts THE most, is that this series has not been given the attention it deserves. And that attention, just to be clear, is as big as infinity. Like, people, wtf are yall doing? READ THIS SERIES NOW
Just like Avery, this book tore me apart in the best way possible.
Every emotion was written exquisitely with the utmost intensity, and our beautiful charlotte made sure that we felt all that intense emotion. Hard. Like a wrecking ball slamming in to you and all your organs end up having an internal bleed and you don’t even know about it cuz the pain of that bleed is not as great as the pain of going through those emotions, and midst all that, you have bled to death. INTERNALLY.
And that is how you write a book folks, a clean death, with no mess involved, neat as ever.
So Charlotte, are you satisfied now? Huh? HUH? Are you satisfied that all of your readers have died,
AND OH WHAT ALL I’D GIVE IN ORDER TO GET MY GREEDY HANDS ON ISADORA
*some emotional insight of me while reading particular parts. A.k.a. parts where I could feel my heart bleeding out*
OH AND AVAAAAA WAS AMAZING AS USUAL, SHE AND AMBROSE ARE LIKE KILLING IT.
THEY’RE ALL KILLING IT
EXCEPT, THE ‘IT’ IS MY HEART
I don't think I've ever felt all those emotions in a single books, this was far by beautifully written with a fantastic imagination, strong enough to make people cry
April 16, 2018
I am just speechless for this series!! I have raced through this book turning pages at the speed of lightening reading whenever I have a spare moment between my 2 jobs and studying Nursing at University!!
If you haven't started - You need to start NOW! I have never read any romance fantasy before but Charlotte McConaghy you have brought my reading world back out of its cave! I was struggling to find something to keep my mind wanting to keep reading.
They say not to judge a book by its cover but it is one of the main reasons I choose this series because of the artwork and I turned it over to a blurb that was impossible for me to leave on the shelf! Not only is she an Australian writer, but your writing style is creative, vivid and addictive in the way you tell the story. The characters are descriptively written in a way your imagination is awakened. I love how you have drawn on relationships and sexuality that reflect society. The thrilling storyline with this entwined into it has really made this book one of my favourite series I have read. The merging of peace of two different places and the people is also one of my favourite themes for this series as well. If you enjoy love, passion, fantasy, excitement, thrill, suspense, a plot that thickens and interlaces its characters and themes that is easy to read this is your next read!
Avery #1 and leading into Thorne #2 the way the stories mesh together but are a each separate in their own way is amazing!
Everyone buy Isadora #3 on digital to help for it to be printed!!! If your old fashioned like me and love having the paper backs, help this amazing writer by purchasing digitally. I use iBooks if I can only get digital form.
If you haven't started - You need to start NOW! I have never read any romance fantasy before but Charlotte McConaghy you have brought my reading world back out of its cave! I was struggling to find something to keep my mind wanting to keep reading.
They say not to judge a book by its cover but it is one of the main reasons I choose this series because of the artwork and I turned it over to a blurb that was impossible for me to leave on the shelf! Not only is she an Australian writer, but your writing style is creative, vivid and addictive in the way you tell the story. The characters are descriptively written in a way your imagination is awakened. I love how you have drawn on relationships and sexuality that reflect society. The thrilling storyline with this entwined into it has really made this book one of my favourite series I have read. The merging of peace of two different places and the people is also one of my favourite themes for this series as well. If you enjoy love, passion, fantasy, excitement, thrill, suspense, a plot that thickens and interlaces its characters and themes that is easy to read this is your next read!
Avery #1 and leading into Thorne #2 the way the stories mesh together but are a each separate in their own way is amazing!
Everyone buy Isadora #3 on digital to help for it to be printed!!! If your old fashioned like me and love having the paper backs, help this amazing writer by purchasing digitally. I use iBooks if I can only get digital form.
October 21, 2019
This series has been incredibly captivating, and I devour each book in less than two days. That said, I am excited for the third book to come out! Charlotte McConaghy is a brilliant writer, she easily captivates you with her words and makes you laugh with her characters as well as cry. You feel pure joy, and pure sorrow. I was easily enraptured in The Chronicles of Kaya. Usually I do not do well with so many different points of view, but since the characters all tied in together well I was not confused. Finn, at first, was difficult to like, while Thorne was easily a favorite character. I enjoyed watching the two characters grow and change throughout the book. The ending, of course, left you wanting more because there is a very large storm brewing. I cannot wait until the release of Isadora!
*E-book provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*E-book provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2016
After reading Avery and loving it so much I had high expectations before reading Thorne and boy did it deliver! This book had a great link between the to story's and flowed on well from Avery whilst also having it's own individual story line with the introduction of new concepts and characters as well as the presence of existing ones. Once again the perfect amount of fantasy but with real world views and concepts and emotions. Told in first person it really gives you a full view into the story being told from different characters perspectives. Written so incredibly well and keeps you wanting more and more with great suspense and storyline this definately excites your imagination and opens you mind.
December 14, 2016
Not as good as Avery (that was pure perfection, so it wouldn't be easy to match that!) but still good! I love the author's writing style - it makes me travel to the worlds she creates and feel all the emotions as well. I admit I couldn't connect with the two main characters, and at times I didn't believe the feelings they had for each other. The first half of the book was a bit boring.... I needed more from Thorne and was not getting much... But the last half was way better ( Ambrose made his appearance and the whole story changed!!!) And just when I was saying I wasn't going to continue with book #3, the author did her magic and now I'm very intrigued...!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2018
It's beyond what I could have expected.
This saga is just perfect, and it's very disappointing that it doesn't have the fame it should receive.
For example: next to this saga the one of Sarah J. Maas feel dumb, uninteresting and superficial.
Their love are so pure, so absolue.
And you cry, cry so much, but just to feel better after it.
This is one of the best saga I ever read.
Minus : I preferred the relationship between Ava and Ambroise than Thorne and Finn, so I missed them very much.
This saga is just perfect, and it's very disappointing that it doesn't have the fame it should receive.
For example: next to this saga the one of Sarah J. Maas feel dumb, uninteresting and superficial.
Their love are so pure, so absolue.
And you cry, cry so much, but just to feel better after it.
This is one of the best saga I ever read.
Minus : I preferred the relationship between Ava and Ambroise than Thorne and Finn, so I missed them very much.
August 9, 2016
While I think I prefer 'Avery' slightly more to the second installment of this series, the difference is marginal. They are both 5 star/fave of all time books for me. CANNOT wait until tomorrow when 'Isadora' comes out!!
I was engrossed by Finn's wildly spirited nature and the quiet thoughtful nature of Thorne. And I really loved how they meshed and clashed at every turn.
I was engrossed by Finn's wildly spirited nature and the quiet thoughtful nature of Thorne. And I really loved how they meshed and clashed at every turn.
August 20, 2017
3.5
Thorne was a beautiful brute of a character so sweet. I did not care for Finn ah she was tiresome.
I wish it ended differently but it was an enjoyable read.
Thorne was a beautiful brute of a character so sweet. I did not care for Finn ah she was tiresome.
I wish it ended differently but it was an enjoyable read.
January 24, 2020
What a disappointment.
I didn't hate this book, but it left me very disappointed after the beautiful brutality of Avery.
Finn's character was unlikable and I didn't connect with her at all. I know I was supposed to re-evaluate her character as the layers peeled away to reveal the true woman within, but it just didn't work for me. She grew on me as the story progressed, but I could never bring myself to care for her as I did Ava. As a result, her romance with Thorne failed to kindle any emotion within me. I just didn't care.
On the bright side, I did like almost all of the side characters, new and old. Isadora's chapter at the end was a pleasant surprise and Penn is so wonderfully sweet. I want Jonah to find the happiness he deserves . It was so great to see Ava and Ambrose, secure in their love and their happiness with the twins. I loved that Roselyn was still relevant and still just as deeply loved by all in her company. That woman deserves all the world and more.
I do have some serious qualms with some plot points though. Spoilers below.
Lastly, the writing isn't stellar, but there are moments of perfection. There are, however, also moments like this:
He was gorgeous. Like, I'd-leave-my-bondmate-for-a-single-kiss gorgeous. Like, I-might-as-well-go-blind-now-that-I-have-seen-the-most-beautiful-man-in-the-world gorgeous.
I looked into the King's face, flustered by the handsome, handsome handsomeness.
Even typing that out killed something inside of me.
All in all, I slogged through his book because I simply didn't care. I ended up skimming the last 100 or so pages and I have absolutely no regrets. I'm hoping the finale will be better since I really like Isadora and Falco, but I'm keeping my expectations low.
January 22, 2018
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Lovers in Kaya have always died together, bonded in death as in life. But rumours of a cure are rife. A team of young Kayans will be sent on a quest to find the answer - for the very nature of love is at stake.
The beautiful but reckless Finn has never shied away from danger, and ending the bond means more to her than anyone knows. This adventure sounds thrilling, but Finn has always been willing to risk too much, and for the first time she has something - or someone - to lose. Crown Prince Thorne, in the neighbouring land of Pirenti, has grown up rejecting the legacy of his father's blood, keeping caged the beast that lies dormant within. But the moment he sets eyes on the wild girl from the Kayan cliffs, his usual caution is thrown to the wind.
As the world crumbles around them, can Finn and Thorne cast off the shadows to find a love stronger than either imagined? Or is their true challenge to embrace the darkness within?
*4.5 stars*
This is the second book in The Chronicles of Kaya. It is the follow-up to the excellent, Avery.
Without traipsing through the same comments I made about Avery, suffice to say that rarely does a sequel exceed the original. But that is certainly the case here.
The beauty of meeting with old characters as well as being introduced to new heroes and villains speaks to me - nothing I hate more than a series that just focuses on the same few people, book after book. Told from the perspectives of four characters (as was the previous book), the continual world-building is just getting better and better by the book. The characters have a little more depth and the intrigue and mystery behind the romance are fantastic.
I can only finish by saying I am looking forward to what comes next...
Paul
ARH
Lovers in Kaya have always died together, bonded in death as in life. But rumours of a cure are rife. A team of young Kayans will be sent on a quest to find the answer - for the very nature of love is at stake.
The beautiful but reckless Finn has never shied away from danger, and ending the bond means more to her than anyone knows. This adventure sounds thrilling, but Finn has always been willing to risk too much, and for the first time she has something - or someone - to lose. Crown Prince Thorne, in the neighbouring land of Pirenti, has grown up rejecting the legacy of his father's blood, keeping caged the beast that lies dormant within. But the moment he sets eyes on the wild girl from the Kayan cliffs, his usual caution is thrown to the wind.
As the world crumbles around them, can Finn and Thorne cast off the shadows to find a love stronger than either imagined? Or is their true challenge to embrace the darkness within?
*4.5 stars*
This is the second book in The Chronicles of Kaya. It is the follow-up to the excellent, Avery.
Without traipsing through the same comments I made about Avery, suffice to say that rarely does a sequel exceed the original. But that is certainly the case here.
The beauty of meeting with old characters as well as being introduced to new heroes and villains speaks to me - nothing I hate more than a series that just focuses on the same few people, book after book. Told from the perspectives of four characters (as was the previous book), the continual world-building is just getting better and better by the book. The characters have a little more depth and the intrigue and mystery behind the romance are fantastic.
I can only finish by saying I am looking forward to what comes next...
Paul
ARH
August 1, 2019
Did. Not. Disappoint.
My one worry when starting the series was that I could see, from both the titles, and the synopses of the books, that they each had different main characters.
If you’ve read The Lunar Chronicles (Cinder, etc.), I would describe the change of main characters as similar to that series. Meaning that all the characters from before are there, and they become side characters while we focus on some others. Our main characters from the first book are very involved in the plot of the second, you see their story furthered, and other characters become further developed by becoming the focus. I loved it.
I should add that these books are adult in content. They are descriptive in both violence and sex.
This story (the series as a whole) is set in a fantasy world. It is more romance (or relationship) heavy than what I usually prefer in a series, but it works because the very nature of the world and the plot surrounds the problem that the Kayan bond presents. The series starts with this bond’s description, so this does not give any of the story away. Kayans’ eyes shift color depending on their mood, but their curse, and their gift, is that if the eyes of two flash gold, they’re bonded. And if one of the bonded dies, so does the other.
Can’t wait to read the last book.
My one worry when starting the series was that I could see, from both the titles, and the synopses of the books, that they each had different main characters.
If you’ve read The Lunar Chronicles (Cinder, etc.), I would describe the change of main characters as similar to that series. Meaning that all the characters from before are there, and they become side characters while we focus on some others. Our main characters from the first book are very involved in the plot of the second, you see their story furthered, and other characters become further developed by becoming the focus. I loved it.
I should add that these books are adult in content. They are descriptive in both violence and sex.
This story (the series as a whole) is set in a fantasy world. It is more romance (or relationship) heavy than what I usually prefer in a series, but it works because the very nature of the world and the plot surrounds the problem that the Kayan bond presents. The series starts with this bond’s description, so this does not give any of the story away. Kayans’ eyes shift color depending on their mood, but their curse, and their gift, is that if the eyes of two flash gold, they’re bonded. And if one of the bonded dies, so does the other.
Can’t wait to read the last book.
March 19, 2019
This is the second in the series, and the romantic fantasy fiction continues! Lovers in Kaya have always died together, bonded until the end. But now there is rumour of a cure. A team of Kayans are sent on a dangerous quest to find answers. Finn is adventurous, reckless and she desperately wants the cure. But in the process she may loose so much more than she knows.
*
This captivating adventure filled romance by McConaghy easily leads on from the 1st novel despite the new protagonists. I love how these books follow a plot larger than the characters throughout the chronicles, however, also make perfect sense on their own. I found the romance a little more stilted in this book as compared to the other 2 novels, but loved the additional action and adventure this novel featured.
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*
This captivating adventure filled romance by McConaghy easily leads on from the 1st novel despite the new protagonists. I love how these books follow a plot larger than the characters throughout the chronicles, however, also make perfect sense on their own. I found the romance a little more stilted in this book as compared to the other 2 novels, but loved the additional action and adventure this novel featured.
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December 26, 2021
rowne prince Thorne has the birthright legacy of Berzerker blood. A caged beast he keeps locked inside his gentle soul. Sent on a quest to stop the breaking of the Kaya bond he meets Finn, Jonah, Penn and Isodora. Together a perilous journey ensues. I actually enjoyed this one more than the first. With more action, characters and the gentle Thorne who was beautifully written. Finn was incredibly annoying through ninety percent of the book, but Jonah, Penn and especially Isadora were welcome additions. Isadora is the final installation and we only got a glimpse if who she is and what she is capable of, so I am excited and hopeful for the finale of this trilogy.
December 14, 2023
I’m really enjoying this trilogy - the world is compelling with the ongoing story of the bonding and whether/how it can/might be broken. The main pair are opposites, with sweet Thorne resisting the legacy of his blood, and Finn laughing at the world to contain the darkness within her. They make a great pair, and their relationship develops well and engagingly. The supporting characters are also great, and serve to set up the third book well. Keen to see how this ends!
September 22, 2017
This was a beautiful story. While I didn't quite expect Thorne to be as captivating as its predecessor, Thorne felt almost overwrought in comparison, almost as though the author tried hard to make this the enthralling journey that Avery.
Will read next entry in series
Will read next entry in series
December 28, 2017
I absolutely loved it!! After reading Avery, I thought what is going to be different in this one? People dieing in pairs and bond mates... well almost everything. It keeps you in adventure mode till the end and with lots of new characters it keeps you interested all the time.
December 10, 2017
PLAYLIST:
I Found / By: Amber Run
If I Lost You / By: Shiny Toy Guns
Combinations / By: Eisley
I Found / By: Amber Run
If I Lost You / By: Shiny Toy Guns
Combinations / By: Eisley
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews