Ascend by Amanda Hocking

Ascend:
Wendy Everly is facing an impossible choice. The only way to save the Trylle from their deadliest enemy is by sacrificing herself. If she doesn’t surrender to the Vittra, her people will be thrust into a brutal war against an unbeatable foe. But how can Wendy leave all her friends behind…even if it’s the only way to save them?

The stakes have never been higher, because her kingdom isn’t the only thing she stands to lose. After falling for both Finn and Loki, she’s about to make the ultimate choice…who to love forever. One guy has finally proven to be the love of her life—and now all their lives might be coming to an end.

Everything has been leading to this moment. The future of her entire world rests in her hands—if she’s ready to fight for it.

The final book in the Trylle series, Ascend, by Amanda Hocking was filled with danger and intrigue. This series was truly character driven, and although there is some action, the stories do not rely on it to keep them moving. My feelings toward this book are caught in the bittersweet middle, I loved the conflict but at the same time felt it was a little underwhelming as the final battle played out. For the first two books, my emotions were driven all over the place, but Ascend left me wanting more. I love who Wendy ends up with and the fact that practically everyone gets their own happily-ever-after. However, and I'm totally going to play the 'mom' card here, there were some events that took place that I felt were handled rather immaturely.

I somehow lost my connection to Wendy during most of this book, her choices regarding the kingdom seemed to come from a place that she hadn't quite grown into as of yet. Her relationship with Loki just sort of appeared out of left field, but regardless, I loved the romance throughout the book.

I did eventually reconnect with Wendy, and I was extremely happy with the ending. Readers will be happy to know that Amanda wraps the series up with no lingering questions about what will transpire in the future. All-in-all, this was a great read and a unique series that will definitely be going on my keeper shelf.