This. This book. It’s a climb a mountain and hold it aloft, Lion King style, without the need for words, book. It’s that good. And I’ll be that person holding it aloft whilst the tears flow from my eyes. Blood Broken broke me! This entire series broke me.

It breaks my heart to say that Blood Broken is the final book of the Blackthorn series. Yet it ends perfectly. This series is so unique, in that it’s a continuity series, and so unique in the way that each of the eight books in the series is as equally strong throughout. A rare talent. The best series I have ever read.

The Blood Broken plot is ridiculously clever. My heart raced the entire way through! It’s spine tingling. Known as the queen of twists, Lindsay J. Pryor, did not disappoint. Never, not once, throughout the entire series, have I ever become anywhere close to guessing the outcome. I thought I knew Blackthorn, thought my beloved characters couldn’t possibly endure more conflict, yet everything I thought I knew was tipped on its head. And oh, THE TENSION! THE TENSION!

In Blood Broken, Leila returns to Caleb, sword in hand, with a plan to bring Caleb’s brother back to life. Except, everything action in Blackthorn seems to have a consequence to the prophecy. But with cons and the fourth species on the loose, and humans putting the safety of Blackthorn on the line, is there enough time? Will Caleb’s actions have the biggest consequence of all? It’s a race to survival. Tick tock!

That’s as far as I’m willing to go with the plot, it would be an injustice to reveal any more. What I will say is that it’s clear that the author cared about Blood Broken, cared about the characters (even when putting them through hell) and cared about her readers. What you don’t appreciate, until you read Blood Broken, is everything that happens from book one, through to book eight, really does have a significance. From secondary characters, to settings. Everything is meaningful. Everything. And that’s what makes Blood Broken so incredibly powerful. And what made my heart swell, was the little nods to previous favourite quotes. The tenderness between each pair, despite their dire situation. Kane and Caitlin, Jask and Phia, Eden and Jessie and Caleb and Leila, are all fighting for survival, trying to avenge wrongs, yet there are still moments of humour (take a bow Eden), and importantly, love. Including the bromances!

As readers, we often get so consumed in the finished product that we tend to forget the author, living a real life, working damn hard to get the book out to the desperate fans. For those who follow Lindsay on social media, you may know that she was having a difficult time whilst writing Blood Broken. Yes, authors are real people, often going their own personal hell. We often don’t appreciate that enough in our need for the finished product. I am completely in awe, now having read Blood Broken, of how this author managed to produce a plot so complex, with characters so real I am now married to one and the rest are my friends, and achieve it so beautifully. Lindsay J. Pryor, I applaud you. You put your heart and soul into it and you did it.

I sobbed at the beautiful dedication, wept, yet smiled at times, throughout the story and bawled at the author’s letter and dedication. I was more than broken. I felt shattered. It was the ending I never expected and never knew I wanted. It was perfect.

And, I have tears rolling now as I write my final Blackthorn review. Farewell, Kane, Caitlin, Jask, Phia, Eden, Jessie, Caleb and Leila. Thank you for an amazing journey.

To Lindsay J. Pryor: Thank you for years of absolute joy. You did the Blackthorn fans proud, you did yourself proud. No need to search for Narnia anymore, you created your own wardrobe! Thank you for taking me with you.

An outstanding finale, to a phenomenal series. Stunning.