The Invasion Of The Tearling

That ending was amazing. The Invasion of the Tearling had me reading past my bedtime a lot. Last night was no exception. I was only going to read for 20 minutes before going to sleep, since I was planning on getting up early, but nope. I couldn't put the book down. I finished it and it was fantastic. One of my predictions happened, but that's okay, because there were a few surprises waiting too.

Queen Kelsea Raleigh Glynn is amazing. She's changing and growing. She is trying to be the best queen she can be. She is trying to save her people. She also wishes she could just be a regular young woman. Kelsea is only 19 and she wants to be 19, which comes with its own emotional turmoil.

I'm a little in love with Pen. I wish I could get to know him more. He is the Queen's Shield, fiercely loyal and truly cares for her. Pen has done his own growing and changing. He tries to deal with his emotions, but not in a way that really works. I am hoping we get to spend more time with him. I also hope he ends up happy.

Lily Mayhew was certainly an interesting and important storyline. As soon as Tear appeared, I knew who she was though. She is so important. I wish Kelsea and Lily could have interacted more. I feel like Lily is the key. I hated her husband. I loved her bodyguard. I think they had the potential to be best friends.

Also, what happened between Row Finn and the Fetch? What will happen? What will happen between Finn and Kelsea, and Fetch and Kelsea? Who is Kelsea's father? Does it matter? There are so many questions by the end of the book. Invasion of the Tearling is the quintessential "middle book". There's growth, action, a bit of set up, a few new characters, and a cliffhanger. I appreciate that the ending gives me room to breathe though. I'm still thinking about it and I know it's will not be long before I finish off the series, but the ending didn't drive me crazy. I'm excited to see what Erika Johansen has in store for her readers.