This was one of my most anticipated hooks and it dis not disappoint. This was one of the few series that keeps you steady interested from beginning to end and I couldn't put it down

A stunning ending to a beautiful trilogy!

Gold Wings Rising is everything you could want in a YA fantasy: imaginative world-building, unforgetable characters with a beautifully done arc through the series, and a compelling, entertaining storyline. This book also features good representation with a gay character and an asexual character.

A hopeful, satisfying end to a wonderful series.

A phenomenal conclusion to an amazing trilogy. I loved the authors beautiful and detailed prose, the representation of queer and asexual characters, and the overall development of the characters in this installment. I love how we were able to see more world building in this one as well. I wasn’t too keen on some events that occurred in the conclusion (for obvious spoiler reasons) but overall I’m very happy with how this story ended and can’t wait to read more from Alex London!

Interesting premise. Likable/hated characters. Cool plot. I would recommend this story to others. Some spots I found that didn't hold my attention, but overall, I still liked it.

Alex London is genius. I have enjoyed every moment of the skybound trilogy and Gokd Wings Rising was no exception. This book is casually queer, heart wrenching and just freaking amazing. Alex London is now an auto buy author for me. I loved all of the bird references and the relationships between characters. But most of all the world building was just incredible.

FEEDBACK

I honestly believe this was the best book yet in the series. There were so many aspects that I loved about the book and the writing was amazing. All of what Kylee and Brysen have endured so far comes together in this finale. This book explores way more of what the Ghost Eagles are and how they are connected to their past. This was definitely my favorite part of the book because the eagles weren’t just connected to the world but to each person. This terrifying bird that started out as a legend has truly become something more. Gold Wings Rising really dives into the roots of this world and how it was created, and how history repeats itself. I loved the unfolding of the events and the pacing was fantastic. Again, London has taken simple tropes and ideas and magnificently woven them into a beautiful story. In the end, how far would you be willing to go to protect all those you love? It’s the age old question of what you are willing to sacrifice. Also, the bird references were ten fold in this book and I lived for it.

One of my favorite things that London did with this book was further explore Kylee and Brysen. Each book dived more into their personalities but I felt like I never understood them more than in this book. Each flaw, and they are flawed, was exposed and concentrated on. It showed how easily both characters were relatable and made it easy to attach to both. If I didn’t already like Brysen and Kylee, this book would have cemented it for me. Again, I’m so glad we got dual POV because they are both so different and this story couldn’t be told without the both of them. What I liked was how different they both are. Kylee wants to destroy the eagles while Brysen has a sense to protect them. How each of their wants morph into something more and how they need to come together in order to save everyone, or at least themselves. More of the side characters were explored in this book also, which I’m so glad. Grazim and Jowen were perfect companions for Kylee and Brysen. This book showed the importance of counting on each other and I just really love these characters.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, Gold Wings Rising by Alex London was a fantastic end to this series. This book really dives into the history of this world and how everything is connected. I loved how it was explored and the story of the ghost eagles past. Kylee and Brysen really shone in this book. Even more of their personalities were shown and I feel even more in love with them. No matter what happens, they will always have each other and this book shows that. I highly recommend picking up this series, there is so much that you’ll get from it.

This was the conclusion to the Skybound trilogy and I feel it did a nice job of wrapping everything up. ⁣
Like the previous books, it’s told from Brysen and Kylee’s perspectives, with random perspectives at the end of each section. I find myself enjoying Kylee’s sections more than Brysen’s, though I will say Brysen has grown on me quite a bit. ⁣
Some things I loved: the fact that it’s a queer fantasy trilogy about birds. There is so much representation in this book and I am here for it! Brysen and Jowyn’s relationship is so supportive. I love their dynamic together. Jowyn is likely the reason that Brysen grew on me. I loved that throughout it all, Kylee stays true to herself. I love Grazim - Kylee’s surly, ambitious friend.⁣
Things I didn’t love: the ending. It was great in the sense that we had resolution for our characters but it felt anti-climatic. And I’m not a fan of the writing style. There are so many good quotes that make you laugh or pause to appreciate how beautiful they are. But I feel like the book could have been so much shorter without all the unnecessary descriptive text. Of course, that’s a personal preference. ⁣
Overall, I enjoyed the time spent on this journey and would recommend giving it a try! ⁣

Love this book-The world building is phenomenal, the character growth is spot on, and the story arc is full of twists and turns.

Black Wings Beating: 5 stars
Red Skies Falling: 4.5 stars
Gold Wings Rising: 4 stars

Overall Series Rating: 4.5 stars

An epic ending to this underhyped trilogy! I really wish more people would pick them up because the character work and world-building are top-notch and unlike what others in YA fantasy are doing. I can't say too much because this is book 3, but the central relationship in the series is between siblings who come from an abusive home and have a complicated relationship. Their character arcs involve personal growth, healing from trauma, and discovering who they are individually and together. It's beautiful and the world is an immersive one with a magic system, political system, culture, and religions centered on falconry and birds of prey. I'm telling you, people are SLEEPING on this series!

In terms of queer representation, Brysen is gay (own voices) and Kylie is aromantic/asexual (made clear though those terms are never used). And Kylie is a great example of asexual representation with a character who is still passionate and cares deeply for people, just not in a romantic or sexual way. Very well done.

The main downfall of this installment is the final 1/3 or so of the book kind of drags and waxes poetic in a way that is lovely, but a tad excessive. And part of it is it's very clear by that point what's going to happen, and without an additional twist it feels like it's taking too long to get there. However, I still think this is a really satisfying ending to the series and one that takes a hopeful note despite a great deal of darkness and violence. I really recommend the series. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Content warnings include violence, death, blood, gore...lots of that.

Gold Wings Rising by Alex London is an amazing novel! I loved all the elements of it and the writing is absolutely wonderful and engaging.

This is the third book in a series. In the first book, we meet Kylee and Brysen, who are twins who were abused by their father (she mentally, while watching their father abuse him physically), and not protected by their mother, a common pattern in child abuse. They live in the Six Villages, a society centered on catching, taming, racing, fighting, and selling a wide variety of birds of prey. In the continuation from the first two books, Kylee and Brysen are attempting to control the ghost eagles as a means of bringing peace to the previous society of the Six Villages, as well as the Sky Castle and the Owl Mothers, now brought together in the aftermath of war and the addition of the survivors of the war, now all banding together, not always successfully, to defeat the ghost eagles. Early on in the novel, Brysen finds an egg - at first black, then swirling with blue blacks, red blacks, and iridescent blacks, and finally turning gold, first in swirls and then completely - a ghost eagle egg. Both the denizens of the Sky Castle and the Owl Mothers want to control the egg's future - and they need Kylee and Brysen to do it. One group wants the egg to hatch, to control the hatchling, and need Kylee and Brysen alive long enough to gain control; the other wants the egg destroyed, and Kylee and Brysen along with it. Kylee is willing to let the egg be taken; Brysen sees the egg as a chance at a new beginning, a way to break the cycle of abuse that has so far ruled their lives. No matter what happens, their society will be changed irrevocably, and forever.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, except for one thing: new characters introduced in this volume are referred to as "they"... except when they're not; at least one "they" character is referred to later as "she" and then returns to "they", which is confusing. I have no problem with transgender characters, but none of the characters introduced as "they" ever have that as a meaningful point in the story, even for character development; instead, it appears forced and contrived, and makes parts of the book difficult to read. Even Kheryn, who is introduced as a founding member of the battle boys, even though they were not in the previous two books, is never given a back story explaining why Kheryn is "they" - which makes this seem like a politically correct statement that has nothing to do with the book, and distracts from the story.

Gold Wings Rising is glorious. From the first chapter, you are immersed in detailed, atmospheric, powerful prose not to mention the emotions that will wash over you. It's hard to review the last book in a series without dwelling on the character growth and evolution, but this book hit me in the feels immediately. Gold Wings Rising is a stunning book about family, sacrifice, and war. But it's also a story about cycles of violence, rage, retribution, and memories. About what would happen to a world bathed in blood if we turned away from the battle.

Are the the choices we make? Or are the choices ones we have been trained and tamed to make? Gold Wings Rising is also a story that celebrates found family and has some of my favorite characters, and ships, of all time. Jowyn and Brysen are precious characters who I will protect with my entire wingspan. Yes I am 5 foot 2inches, so my wingspan is very small, but they can have it ALL! Talk about scenes that make me tear up just thinking about their love, how far they have both come, and the power of their trust. And don't even get me started on how much I adore Kylee the powerful, clever, aroace queen of my heart

In this the third and last book of the series the war on the ground is done now but now it is Kylee and Brysen turn to fight for the sky. Everyone wants the ghost eagle for its glory and power. When a ghost eagle egg appears and Brysen finds it he knows he must take it where it will be safest, the blood birch forest and the owl mothers, and he will need all of his friends and his sister to help him get it there because others have found out what he has. But when Brysen and Kylee uncover the whole story it only confuses things more.
This was the perfect end to the series, it might not be what you expected but it is none the less perfect. The action hasn't stopped from book one all the way through to the end and the suspense will have you up reading past your bedtime. This is a great series and one easily overlooked.

This will appear on my blog on the 1st of September

I have loved these books and when i saw the third book was finally coming out I screamed! I adore this world and the Characters. I thought this book was a fabulous heart pounding conclusion.
Thank you for this arc.