#Review - A Rose of Blood and Binding by Claire Legrand #Fantasy #Romance

Series: The Middlemist Trilogy # 3
Format: 512 pages, Hardcover

Release Date: February 24, 2026
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy, Romance 

Third in the enchanting, sexy romantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Claire Legrand, perfect for readers of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer Armentrout.

War is raging in Edyn. The battered Middlemist can barely hold itself together. Olden monsters terrorize the land. The gods are awakening from their ancient slumber, but if the vengeful Kilraith destroys them, all will be lost. And it’s up to the Ashbourne sisters—demigods, daughters of the goddess Kerezen—to stop him.

But the sisters are spread thin. Gemma and Talan travel the world in a desperate search for the gods. In the capital, Farrin and Ryder shelter countless refugees amid roiling unrest. And Mara Ashbourne, bound to the Middlemist and longing for a home she can never return to, is just trying to survive.

Every day is chaos as Mara battles invaders and fights to protect her fellow Roses. The presence of librarian Gareth Fontaine doesn’t help. Charming, brilliant, far too confident, and annoyingly reverent of the Roses—and Mara most of all—he’s a distraction Mara can’t avoid or afford. Especially since she can see the shadows of Mhorghast brimming underneath his dazzling smile. Shadows of violence, suffering, and shame that she knows all too well. Shadows that terrify her more than any monster.

As Mara and Gareth search the Old Country for Kilraith’s final three curse-anchors—and for signs of the late queen Yvaine—a slow-burning passion born of sorrow and solace sparks between them, one that could finally bring Mara to the very home she longs for…or drive her toward the dark fate she secretly craves, and bring both worlds crashing down alongside her.

A Rose of Blood and Binding is the third and final installment in author Claire Legrand's The Middlemist Trilogy. Three sisters (Gemma, Farren, and Mara) in a noble magic family must fight to protect their home from invasion by the creatures of the Old Country—the realm of the gods and the birthplace of magic—before the weakening Middlemist, the boundary dividing the two worlds, disappears forever. This final installment focuses on the middle sister, Mara Ashbourne, a hardened soldier and Sentinel in the elite Order of the Rose. 

Trained from childhood as a weapon, bound to the Middlemist through a magical connection that allows the Warden to summon the Roses into beast-like battle forms, Mara has spent twelve years separated from her family, serving as a steadfast defender amid rising chaos. As war ravages Edyn, olden monsters terrorize the countryside, refugees flood the capital, and ancient gods awaken, the vengeful god Kilraith threatens to destroy them all and unravel the world. 

Mara is thrust into a high-stakes quest alongside the scholarly, charming librarian Gareth Fontaine to locate and destroy Kilraith’s remaining curse-anchors. Meanwhile, her sisters Gemma and Talan hunt for the gods elsewhere, and Farrin and Ryder manage unrest in the capital—bringing the family arcs together in a sweeping finale. Legrand’s world remains one of the trilogy’s greatest strengths: the Middlemist feels palpably alive yet decaying, a battered, magical landscape infused with menace, beauty, and melancholy. 

Descriptions of monsters, awakened gods, blood-soaked battles, and the eerie Old Country are vivid and immersive. The political unrest, refugee crises, and divine threats escalate naturally from the prior books (A Crown of Ivy and Glass and A Song of Ash and Moonlight), creating a cohesive sense of impending doom that pays off with satisfying twists. Mara stands out as a deeply flawed, compelling protagonist. 

Tough and capable on the battlefield, she grapples with profound depression, a crushing sense of displacement (having been sent away in place of her sister Gemma), suicidal ideation, and the psychological toll of her binding to the Order. Her internal struggles feel raw and authentic, adding significant emotional weight—readers sensitive to heavy mental health themes, graphic violence, and suicidal content should approach with care. Gareth Fontaine serves as the perfect foil: a brilliant, witty, glasses-wearing librarian with rakish charm and “bookish Finnick Odair” energy. 

Assigned to assist Mara, he’s reverent of the Roses (especially her), annoyingly confident, and provides sharp banter that sparks a classic slow-burn, jock/nerd romance with “he falls first” vibes. Their chemistry builds through shared danger, quiet vulnerability, and steamy tension, blending tenderness, angst, passion, and solace without overshadowing the larger plot. The supporting cast, including reunions with the other Ashbourne sisters and their partners, adds richness. 

The trilogy’s emphasis on sisterly bonds, flawed yet relatable characters, and realistic growth shines through, though some readers note that Mara’s arc can feel particularly heavy and that the ensemble moments occasionally take a back seat to her personal turmoil. The narrative mixes quest-driven adventure—hunting cursed objects through dangerous territories—with large-scale battles and political intrigue. It’s darker and more intense than the previous entries, leaning heavily into despair before offering hope and catharsis. My only gripe was the chapters filled with heavy sex scenes, which I had no desire to read about. I am still coping with loss, depression, and blame 2 weeks after losing my cat to a sudden illness. 

Otherwise, this book was a fitting end to the trilogy.

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#Review - A Song of Ash and Moonlight by Claire Legrand #Fantasy #Romance

Series: The Middlemist Trilogy (#2)
Format: Hardcover, 592 pages
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Romance

Second in the enchanting, sexy romantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Claire Legrand, perfect for readers of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer Armentrout. The old war is over. A new one is just beginning.

The curse plaguing the Ashbourne and Bask families has finally been broken, but Farrin, the eldest Ashbourne daughter, still struggles to find peace. Unflappable and tireless, her composure masks a seething sorrow. Since her mother abandoned the family, Farrin has been their rock—managing her father’s temper, running the estate, keeping tight control over her dangerous musical power, and ignoring her own need for rest, distraction, and most of all, love.

In Ryder Bask, Farrin’s stubborn strength has met its match. The man infuriates her. He’s coarse, arrogant, annoyingly handsome. He’s as tired of their feuding parents as she is, and he brims with some secret anger that mirrors Farrin’s frustrated rage.

But Farrin must work with every ally she can—even the man she has been raised to hate. With every rising dawn, the Middlemist weakens further. Anointed magicians are disappearing. A fiery Olden creature is stalking Farrin. Strange visions haunt the High Queen Yvaine. And as Farrin and Ryder race to find stolen loved ones, they begin to realize a horrifying truth:

The gods are not dead. They’re waking up. And someone is hunting them.

A Song of Ash and Moonlight, by Claire Legrand, is the second installment in the authors Middlemist trilogy. This story takes place in a world known as Edyn. Three sisters (Farrin, Gemma, and Mara) in a noble magic family must fight to protect their home from invasion by the creatures of the Old Country—the realm of the gods and the birthplace of magic—before the weakening Middlemist, the boundary dividing the two worlds, disappears forever. This story revolves around Farrin Ashbourne, the older of three sisters, and Ryder Bask, the son of Lord Alastair Bask. The two families have been at war for many years. 

Farrin has a musical ability that can sway people to do as she pleases, or become obsessed with her and she has previously used that ability to sing and help her sister save her lover from the last book. Unfortunately she feels that her gift is a curse more than a blessing, and she tries to seclude herself in the running of the family estate but her father has become more and more derange and possibly harmful. The one person she finds she can turn to is actually someone who has been her families enemy for most of her life, Ryder. 

Ryder is tired of the feud that has kept their families apart for years and just wants to make things right between the two and overcome the dangers that are trying to effect the kingdom they live in. He finds he can relate to Farrin and that he wants to spend more and more time with her and as they both look to find what is harming the Middlemist and the queen herself they find themselves together more and more. Will Farrin let Ryder in fully, and does Ryder truly love her for who she is or is it the fact that he has heard her magical ability multiple times and that is what lures him in. 

In this world, there are people who were anointed with magical abilities from the Gods. Farrin's younger sister, Mara, was taken away from the family to become a member of the Order of the Rose. She guards against the old country and wild magic, but she can literally transform into something wild that gives her awesome abilities to be faster, stronger, more dangerous than her sisters. Farrin's father is anointed by the Gods as a Sentinel, but nothing can stop the pending death of the Mist, a magical entity that separates humans from Gods. Gemma and Talan have found love, but Talan is still weary of the return of Kilraith who has gone silent. 

Farrin was first introduced as the cold, unapproachable sister in the first book. As the oldest, she barely survived the burning of her home (Ivyhill) by her families enemies. Farrin is the one that keeps the family together. After what happened to their mother and what happened to her sister when she was taken away at 10-years old, she now has to face an enemy she doesn’t know anything about, with the help of a boy she doesn’t want as friends but soon enough will realize is so much more. Her insecurities and doubts and fears are real, and so is her love for her sisters.

I think that there are a whole lot of enemies to lovers readers out there, and this will definitely satisfy that hunger. In this book, readers will see even more of the Citadel, the Old Country, the Wardwell, and Moonhollow too. The good thing about taking notes while reading, is that you know who the important characters are, and where certain events take place. Otherwise, it can be tiring trying to figure out where they are and why it's important to the story. It is pretty obvious that Mara is going to be the next featured character since the first book was Gemma. I would encourage readers to try to read this as close to back to back as you can since everything is connected. 

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#Review - A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand #Fantasy #Romance

Series: The Middlemist Trilogy (#1)
Format: Hardcover, 560 pages
Release Date: June 27, 2023
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: Publisher
Genre: Dark Fantasy / Romance

New York Times bestselling author Claire Legrand makes her debut in adult fantasy with an enchanting romantic story perfect for readers of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer Armentrout.

Lady Gemma Ashbourne is gorgeous and rich, her family Anointed by the gods—but her charming smile and deft wit mask a wrenching sadness. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against the treacherous magic of the Old Country. Her mother long ago abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin—embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the powerful Bask family—often forget Gemma exists.

Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong.

Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d’Astier. Seduced by a demon, his family dabbled in forbidden magic and destroyed themselves. Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem his family’s name. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She’ll help Talan navigate Gallinor high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families’ blood feud. Gemma is skeptical of such ludicrous tales, but vengeful Talan is eager for a chance to kill a demon. It’s the perfect plan. 

But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last.

A Crown of Ivy and Glass, by author Claire Legrand, is the first installment in the authors Middlemist series. It is also the authors first foray in the adult fantasy romance genre. Three sisters in a noble magic family must fight to protect their home from invasion by the creatures of the Old Country—the realm of the gods and the birthplace of magic—before the weakening Middlemist, the boundary dividing the two worlds, disappears forever. Lady Imogen "Gemma" Ashbourne is gorgeous and rich, her family Anointed by the gods—but her charming smile and deft wit mask a wrenching sadness. 

Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against the treacherous magic of the Old Country. Her mother long ago abandoned the family and nobody knows if she is alive, or not. Her father Lord Gideon and eldest sister, Farrin are embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the powerful Bask family often forgetting that Gemma exists. Worst of all, Gemma is apparently the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong. Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d’Astier. 

Seduced by a demon, his family dabbled in forbidden magic and destroyed themselves. Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem his family’s name. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She’ll help Talan navigate Gallinor high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families’ blood feud. Gemma is skeptical of such ludicrous tales, but vengeful Talan is eager for a chance to kill a demon. It’s the perfect plan. But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. 

The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last. Sadly, this books pacing left me wanting it to speed up. Also, the author apparently wanted to make an impression with New Adult readers as well as Fantasy Romance readers because she tends to end up with chapter after chapter with X-Rated sex scenes which I ended up skipping as quickly as I could. 

I would put a rating on the book itself, but with children as young as 5 being shown X-rated perversion in their classrooms, I will refrain from telling anyone not to read this book. You can argue with me about the finer points of allowing anyone that young to read this book, but until we get rid of the garbage that teachers are showing our children, I will keep fighting for it to be removed. 

Apparently, I have discovered that this trilogy will feature all three of the sisters which means Farrin, the Heir, and Mara, Order of the Rose, will get their chances to prove that they can carry a story. I do think there is more to the hated Basts that meets the eyes, so I look forward to seeing how they review Gemma's family after what happens in this book. The reason for my review, mainly, is that Gemma is a character who is all about thinking that she is the most gorgeous female in all the lands, and she has the dance cards to prove that men line up to be with her. Later, she becomes more, but it takes almost 1/2 the book for her to grow up.

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#Review - Lightbringer by Claire Legrand #YA #Fantasy

Series: The Empirium Trilogy # 3
Format: Hardcover, 592 pages
Release Date: October 13, 2020
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Dark Fantasy

The epic, final installment in the New York Times bestselling Empirium trilogy from Claire Legrand

Queen Rielle, pushed away from everything she loves, turns to Corien and his promises of glory. Meanwhile, whispers from the empirium slowly drive her mad, urging her to open the Gate. Separated from Audric and Ludivine, she embraces the role of Blood Queen and her place by Corien's side, determined to become the monster the world believes her to be.

In the future, Eliana arrives in the Empire's capital as a broken shell of herself. Betrayed by those she trusted, she fights to keep her power at bay—and away from Corien, who will stop at nothing to travel back in time to Rielle, even if that means destroying her daughter.

But when the mysterious Prophet reveals themselves at last, everything changes, giving Rielle and Eliana a second chance for salvation—or the destruction their world has been dreading. 

 

Lightbringer is the third and final installment in author Claire Legrand's Empirium trilogy. The story once again alternatives between Rielle, and Eliana, but the author also adds Simon, Corien, Navi, Jessamyn, and Tal. If you haven't read this series yet, I'll briefly summarize. This series take place in two separate timelines 1,000 years apart. Rielle’s is the past, Eliana’s is the future. After Kingsbane, Eliana has been captured, and is being taken to the Emperor, while Rielle has joined with Corien in an effort to find all the necessary casings to open the gates and allow Corien’s Angels to come through.

Eliana arrives in the Empire's capital as a broken shell of herself. Betrayed by those she trusted, she fights to keep her power at bay—and away from Corien, who will stop at nothing to travel back in time to Rielle, even if that means destroying her daughter. Meanwhile, whispers from the Empirium is slowly drive Rielle mad, urging her to open the Gate. Separated from Audric and Ludivine, she embraces the role of Blood Queen and her place by Corien's side, determined to become the monster the world believes her to be.

Rielle is a character who has done some unforgivable things in this series let alone this story. Rielle is drowning in her anger, in her guilt, grief, and resentment and so her only hope may be the unborn child growing in her womb. Audric’s anger drove Rielle to Corien, but he’s never once stopped loving her. So, he wallows in his self-pity for awhile before finally trying to put together an alliance with all nations of Avitas to fight against Rielle and Corien and stop them from bringing Eliana’s future to bear. Eliana who is his daughter. Since the title of this book is Lightbringer, I was hoping for more of Audric than what we get.

But there is also another character who has been whispering in both Rielle and Eliana’s ear. The Prophet has finally shown up with plans for both women. If the Prophet successful, that means that Eliana will travel back in the past and try to stop her own mother, who she has already met once, and try to stop her from destroying the world. But if Eliana is successful in rewriting history, what does that mean for her friends like Navi or her brother or other characters she’s brought together to fight against the Emperor? I won’t spoil who the Prophet is, but you have met this character if you’ve read this series.

I am not a huge fan of the ending, especially Eliana’s who fought so bravely and was tortured non-stop by Corien who I have compared to Lucifer. He’s also a fantastically twisted and delicious villain who really brings things to a better understanding at how powerful he really is. Rielle’s ending was particularly fitting after everything she’s done. There’s an old saying about not being able to go home again. Well, after everything she did and all the pain and suffering she caused, I don’t think it would have made much sense to give her a happy ending with Audric and her child. I am not much of a fan of multiple narrators. Rielle and Eliana are the main characters. It is their prophecy that drives this series. Lastly, I would have been happy had the book been 50-100 pages shorter. So many things the author could have edited out.

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#Review - Kingsbane by Claire Legrand #YALIT #Fantasy

Series: The Empirium Trilogy # 2
Format: Hardcover, 608 pages
Release Date: May 21, 2019
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Genre: Young Adult / Dark Fantasy

The #1 LibraryReads Pick author of Furyborn is back with the second book in the epic New York Times bestselling Empirium Trilogy!

Rielle Dardenne has been anointed Sun Queen, but her trials are far from over. The Gate keeping the angels at bay is falling. To repair it, Rielle must collect the seven hidden castings of the saints. Meanwhile, to help her prince and love Audric protect Celdaria, Rielle must spy on the angel Corien—but his promises of freedom and power may prove too tempting to resist.

Centuries later, Eliana Ferracora grapples with her new reality: She is the Sun Queen, humanity's long-awaited savior. But fear of corruption—fear of becoming another Rielle—keeps Eliana's power dangerous and unpredictable. Hunted by all, racing against time to save her dying friend Navi, Eliana must decide how to wear a crown she never wanted by embracing her mother's power or rejecting it forever.

 

 

Kingsbane is the second installment in author Claire Legrand's The Empirium Trilogy. The story picks up right where Furyborn left off. This is a series about two queens, separated by thousands of years, connected by secrets and lies, who must continue their fight amid deadly plots and unthinkable betrayals that will test their strength―and their hearts. In the past, Rielle Dardenne has been anointed Sun Queen, but her trials are far from over. The Gate keeping the angels at bay is falling. 

To repair it, Rielle must collect seven hidden castings of the seven saints who were responsible for sending the Angels to a dark desolate place. Meanwhile, to help her prince and love Audric protect Celdaria, Rielle must spy on the angel Corien—but his promises of freedom and power may prove too tempting to resist. While searching for the seven castings of the saints, it becomes clear that there are forces working hard to prevent Rielle from succeeding in collecting the castings. 

The fear is real. Rielle isn't just the most powerful human in this world, but she might also be leaning towards escaping her responsibilities by running away with Corien. One of the key issues with Rielle is that while she is powerful, she lacks control, and self esteem. She could easily find a way to stop Corien's intrusions into her dreams which cause her to question everything that she is supposed to stand for. Is she the Sun Queen, or the world destroyer known as Kingsbane?

Meanwhile, a century later, Eliana, the former Dread of Orline, has shown an amazing ability to defeat a large force sent by the Empire and the Undying Emperor who will do anything to get his hands on Eliana. Eliana must find a way to control her powers so that she can find a way to hopefully travel back in time and stop her mother from destroying the world. Yes, I did say mother as in Rielle is Eliana's mother. One could say that Eliana is living in the wrong time frame and therefore going back to her mothers time to stop her, might just be the key to defeating the Empire and Corien.

If someone were to ask me which story I preferred. I would definitely say Rielle's due to the fact that she has so much on her plate. She has a small group who loves her, she has many, many people who hate her and want to chain her to ensure she doesn't destroy the world. Then, she has the most powerful being whispering in her ears and in her dreams that she could easily walk away and have the whole world at her feet. How can Eliana top what Rielle has been through? Plus, we already know that she's racing towards a tragic ending that nobody can stop.

I think it is fair to say that there is a rather large difference between Rielle and Eliana. Rielle is so powerful, she doesn't care who she offends, or makes enemies of since nobody can reign in her powers. Eliana is kind of on the meek side considering she was once an assassin/bounty hunter who worked for the Empire. She doesn't want the responsibility of becoming the new Sun Queen. She doesn't even know which part of the prophecy she is. Is she the world saver, or the world destroyer? She also spends way too much time obsessing over Simon.

Once again, the author alternates POV every chapter starting with Rielle and ending on a heart breaking cliffhanger ending. She also uses several other characters to tell her story including Audric and Harken. Even though it is a large book, it has plenty of action, and the twists will shock you into disbelief. This isn't just the story of Rielle and Eliana. It is also the story of Simon, Remy, Audric, Ludivine, as well as an entire new group of characters. This book is not a filler, nor is a bridge between the first and final installment. This book could hold up to the first book easily.

The author has left a whole lot of unanswered questions on the table to be resolved. How she will do so in a manner that will make sense, will be interesting to discover. It is also fair for me to say that this book dragged on way too long. It could have easily been 200 pages shorter and I would have been happy. There was also too many sex scenes which really doesn't bring anything to the overall enjoyment of the story. It's like, yes, we are having sex and if you don't like it, you can go jump off the nearest cliff!

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