#Review - Cage of Destiny by Jennifer Anne Davis #YALit #Fantasy

Series: Reign of Secrets # 3
Format: E-Book, 406 pages
Release Date: August 21, 2017
Publisher: Reign Publishing
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

Destined from birth to be the next empress of Emperion, Allyssa grew up at court weighed down by the expectations of the crown. Kingdom and duty always came first.

Until now.

Having survived the brutal kingdom of Russek, she is given the choice to walk away and live a peaceful, quiet life. But it also means giving up everything she knows and everyone she loves. Before she decides, word reaches her about an assassination attempt. Donning her secret persona—that of a vigilante—she sets out to eliminate her enemy once and for all.

As Allyssa fights the demons of her past to save her future, she realizes she never had a choice. She can either embrace her destiny or be caged by it.

 

"It was about not being caged by her fears but rather embracing them and facing her destiny."

Cage of Destiny is the third installment in author Jennifer Anne Davis's Reign of Secrets series. Allyssa has finally made it home after some really awful things she experienced while she was captive in Russek. Thankfully for Allyssa, she has some pretty loving and understanding parents in Rema and Darnik who refuse to rush her back into the life she had before she was kidnapped and taken from her home. If you've read the first two books, I don't have to summarize for you.

If you haven't, here's a spoiler free summary of where we are when the story starts. At the end of Cage of Darkness, Allyssa's heart was shattered by her former betrothed who put his Kingdom ahead of his love for her. But, that wasn't all. She discovered a shocking secret. A secret that was kept from Allyssa her entire life. With the secret out, Allyssa is given a choice of a lifetime. She can either walk away from her fate and enjoy the rest of her life as she desires, or she can return and take her rightful place as Empress Heir. On top of all that, Kerdan, the crown prince of Russek, proposed a strategic marriage between the two.

With Allyssa's heart being torn in several directions, things are about to get interesting. Especially when Allyssa receives a letter claiming to be from the same man who broke her heart claiming he's going after Allyssa sworn enemy; Queen Jana. Allyssa knows that she can't return to her old life without first ensuring that her old enemy is put in the ground for good. Allyssa has been changed by her experiences. She can't go back to her days of being Lilly, overcoming demons, fixing wrongs, and fighting for a better future for her fellow Emperion's when she is having her own personal issues.

Before I get too far into this review, I really need to discuss the newest addition to the story; Nathenek. Nathenek is not only an assassin who worked for her mother, but also helped keep a massive secret from Allyssa. I loved the relationship between Allyssa and Nathenek. Even though he was part of the whole hiding the truth from Allyssa deal, Nathenek ends up being the most important part of her choices going forward. Choices that will send Allyssa back to Russek for one final confrontation with the Queen who tortured her. 

The next character I loved was Allyssa's own father Darnik, who may be the greatest military commander on the mainland, and the one who will stand tall alongside Allyssa as she plans her revenge on Jana. Darnik may not like the fact that Allyssa's path leads right back to where she escaped, but he isn't going to tie her up, toss her over his horse, and run back to Emperion while Jana is still in charge and still threatening Emperion with war.

But, to me Kerdan, may be the most important ally that Allyssa can have. He's the one who helped orchestrate Allyssa and Odar's escape from Russek. He's the one who offered a marriage to Allyssa that would be beneficial to both country's. He's the one who, like Darnik and Nathenek, stand with Allyssa from beginning to end, and doesn't force Allyssa into making decisions that she doesn't want. He's the one who brings out a different side in Allyssa, a side we haven't seen since we were first introduced to her in Cage of Deceit.

Allyssa really has come a long way since the first book in this series. In the end, her strength, and courage, and moxie, as it were, stood out for me. Once a girl who was against the idea of marriage, especially one forced upon her, she wants to do what is best for her country, even if that's creating a political match. As I finished this installment, I was aware of the fact that this is the end of Allyssa's story arc, and the beginning of a character who I haven't mentioned at all in this review. I dare say I am discombobulated at whether or not I will continue. I would love to go back and read Rema's trilogy first, and then skip forward to this new characters story arc. I want to learn more about Rema, Darnik, and Nathenek, then I can better understand Book # 4's protagonist.

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