I don’t really know what there is to say about this one. I’ve procrastinated on this review and thought over this book time and time again, trying to figure out exactly how I feel. I just feel like this book didn’t match up to its predecessors. I mean, it was okay, but it was also so disappointing. It was kind of confusing and so much felt needless and I just don’t even know. I was excited to see what kind of epic conclusion we were going to get, but it just didn’t hit the spot.

I received a copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

Although I found this book to be a little slow overall, it was very interesting with strong, believable characters. The worlds were well done and intertwined with some well-known cities and mystical ones increased the fascination of the tale.

As Ulla continued in her search for her birth parents Elof discovered a lot of information regarding her and her friend Bryn. This final book of the series comes to a resounding conclusion. If you want to know the rest of the story of Ulla and her friends, you really need to read this book. If you enjoyed the first two books, I strongly recommend you grab this one.

Ok, I've held off on reviewing this book because I just couldn't figure out what to say. I really liked the first two books in this series, but am I the only one who was disappointed in the ending? Everything led up to what was supposed to be this amazing battle scene and it just didn't do it for me. I wish I had more to offer. Literally I've loved all of Amanda Hocking's other books, but this one was just ok for me. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy to review.

To start this review, I acknowledge that I read all three books in this series in one day, and prior to today, I have not read anything by this author before. Compared to the first two books in this trilogy, this is the best one. Once it gets started, it is fast paced and the story is very good. I enjoyed the ending in particular, and the issues that I had in the earlier books about characterization were mostly resolved in this book. This is supported by the fact that many of the chapters take you into the side characters point of view, though this was not perhaps the best application of that storytelling technique. This helped hide the fact, to a degree, that the plot for this trilogy, which wraps up here, is not particularly strong.

I enjoyed the ending of the book, though I do think that it and the resolution of the book are too quick. If readers have enjoyed the other books in the series, they will probably like this one.

This was ok, I liked it but I didn’t love it. It probably is because i need to read the other books in the world.

Love this series, I fell in love with the Tryell series then I continue reading about their world. When I started reading this series I found myself being enchanted again, falling in love with the Omte trolls and the mystery around the birth of Ulla. A powerful, fearless Omte who is trying to find her origins. In this book Ulla and her friends are trying to find the bridge that connects the world they live in with the one of their ancestors. The true origin of the trolls!

This was a great wrap up to this story. There was a couple of times toward the end of the book that I got confused between the story lines. The book tied up some lose ends and gave you an epic battle that you've been waiting for. This was a perfect ending to the Trilogy but also to the Trylle world. It is sad to see the world end after so many years but it was given the best ending possible.

The Ever After (The Omte Origins, #3)
by Amanda Hocking
The third book in a story of magic and acceptance. A young troll girl has to find the mystery that binds her future and past. The series is astonishing in its original nature, how it provides magic, and mythos into literacy world. A book, and a series that shows how one person can change events that seem beyond them. The book provides hope to those who feel hopeless.

This stunning conclusion to the Omte Origins series did not disappoint. The Trylle universe that Amanda Hocking created never let's me down and I was so excited with where Ulla, Pan, Danny and Elof ended up. This book isnfilled with a whole bunch of adventure, plots, and mystery. This is a must read but it does have to be read in order so make sure to read the first two books in this trilogy and I would also recommend reading the other Trylle series as well.

The ever after is the last book in The Omte Origins series by Amanda Hocking as well as the conclusion of The Trylle series.

Ulla as lost a whole month while being made captive by the man who claim to be her father and she fear that horrible thing have happens to her. She was release alive for only one reason. In exchange of a very rare flower. Ulla really wants to break her amnesia and to stop whatever evil plan the Älvolk have. She will also get to finaly know who her parents are. An epic battle will follow, and Ulla and her friends gonna need all the help they can get to close the bridge to Alfheim before its to late...

I have really love this book. I have received an arc of it from Netgalley and the publisher.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to continue my journey with the Omte Trilogy and see how the series came to a close. I did enjoy the book, however it did not live up to my expectations of what I thought it was going to be. I felt that beginning drug on a bit and it could have been shortened and it would have given the reader just as much information. Some of it was actually kind of confusing trying to figure out what was happening and who all the different places and tribes were. Once I got past that part though it got better and I got more engaged in it. I especially liked the final battle scene where you get all these different monster described and I just was imagining them in my head.

The story was written well, but I did feel again the beginning was a little drawn out and confusing. Once it got going the story really got going and it was exciting to see where it was going to take you. It was nice seeing a lot of the characters from the previous books come together and become involved in the story once again. I was happy with how it ended mostly, there was one death that I was super upset about because it did not seem like they had to die and then there were some I was happy about. The book had some adventure, romance, drama, and even some funny parts.

The characters were well written and of course I was rooting for the good guys to win. I also was rooting for Ulla and Pan and I was not disappointed so I was happy about that. I was actually surprised there was a steamy scene in this one and there haven’t been those in the others, or even really the other series. The supporting character I liked that they got a good amount of time and you learned more about them. I especially liked what we learned about Jem.

Overall this has been a fun series to read and I have enjoyed getting to once again be part of the Tryell universe. It is fun to see how all the different series come together again in this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. First off, I love this author. This particular book is the third book in the third (and final) story set in the world of the Trylle. It follows a troll named Ulla who is searching for her birth parents. Along the way, everything comes to a head and the main characters from each trilogy come together to make things right. This book has a ton of adventure and several strong female characters. It is very imaginative and has a gripping storyline. Amanda Hocking writes believable characters in a fantasy world and does a great job of world building. I recommend this book for everyone who likes mythical creatures and the paranormal.

The Ever After by Amanda Hocking marks the end of another one of her beloved series featuring the Trylle. The Omte Origins trilogy is wrapped up in Hocking’s typical fashion, leaving fans of this world shocked, in denial and wanting more. Sadly, this book is planned to be the last in her Trylle series arc which has spanned the last ten years. It started with Wendy in Switched, then Bryn in Frostfire and now it ends with Ulla in The Ever After. I loved this book and I hated this book. I’ve had this recent habit of not finishing book series just on the sole fact that I don’t want the series to end and I’m too worried to see how the author will finish things. I fall in love with the characters and these worlds that readers like me are transported to and I don’t want to let them go. Can anyone else relate? Despite my new found hardship I kept going and indeed finished The Ever After despite how painful it ended up being. Like I said there were things that I wasn’t expecting and then there were others that I longed for but didn’t get enough of in the first two books of the series.


I give The Ever After by Amanda Hocking a 6 out of 10. I want to thank Netgalley and the publishers at St Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced copy!


I promise only minor spoilers (nothing major!) so read at your own risk!

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“Pan pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around me. And that’s all it was for a minute, neither of us saying anything, just content to hold one another. I couldn’t remember a single time in my life that someone had just held me like this, not pulling away or asking for anything more.


‘I missed you,’ I said quietly.

______


First let’s talk about the constant teasing of romance between our leading lady, Ulla and researcher, Pan. I waited so long for these two to get together and guess what? It finally happens! They are nothing but adorable and I think it might have even been worth the wait! They had a relationship that slowly grew as the plot progressed and it felt natural. I’m not going to lie, I think Hocking took a little bit of pleasure with teasing us readers with the romance but I think that only made it more successful. It was clever!

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“Breathless and elated and warm and terrified and safe, but mostly I felt totally and completely in love with Pan. When I looked up into his eyes, so warm and dark like black tea on a winter morning, I knew that I loved him with every part of my being…Pan laughed warmly, and then he put a finger under my chin, gently forcing me to look up at him. ‘Ulla, I was falling for you when we went to Sweden, and the only thing that’s changed about my feelings is that I care about you more every day that I spend with you.”

_____


It was everything I wanted between these two characters to happen and for that I am grateful.


I was glad to see Ulla’s lineage finally explained and I found the interwoven tragic love story between her parents as genius. It added another layer of depth that I wasn’t expecting but enjoyed immensely plus it also made so much sense that I can’t believe I didn’t call it earlier! The amount of mystery and the constant back and forth of who her parents were was at times exhausting so having added that background and history about her true parents made it better

suited to the story and once again worth all of the confusion. It also explained some of the mystery behind Sumi and Jem-Kruk which tied their stories together making it more complete.


Another thing I loved was the interaction between Ulla and her other ties to the books that came before. In this case, her relationship with Bryn. Hocking used the 2016 feature film, Trolls in a scene for the two to bond and critique the movie that’s essentially depicting their lives. I found it interesting and a great use of incorporating pop culture seamlessly with the story and its characters.

_____

“Yeah, yeah.’ I was sitting on the stool, trying to pretend that I wasn’t scared by the sight of the monstrous needle. Honestly, I would’ve classified it as a small metal tube. Needles were thin, petite, less aggressive.


Bryn was watching me with an amused gaze. When Dagny put on her gloves, snapping the latex against her wrist, I flinched, and Bryn laughed.


‘I didn’t know you were afraid of needles,’ she said.


I bristled. ‘I’m not afraid of them. I just don’t like them.”

______


Hocking also used Ulla’s particular feelings about needles as another way to incorporate humour while adding to Bryn’s involvement and interactions with Ulla and Dagny. This was both relatable and funny!


Now here comes the bad. So I had a few things that have stuck with me throughout this whole book and now that I’ve finished it knowing that there isn’t another one coming, I have a few comments.


First, the amount of foreign words that were present throughout the story in general. There were WAY too many and it affected the readability of the story. I think if there were fewer words or more explanation to each it might have worked better without impacting the plot. This might have also attributed to the overall length of the story which seemed to run too long and added confusion. Plus many of the words were very similar! Making it even harder to tell which was which.


Next, we have “The Lost Month”. This was the major plot point at the beginning of this book where Ulla and her friends couldn’t remember what happened at the end of book 2 when they were held captive. Ulla retrieved her memory back in scattered flashbacks triggered by events happening in the present which makes sense but the way it felt was exhaustive. It seemed to piggyback the original story of Ulla and her unknown parents. This lost month seemed to take the light away from her trying to figure out her family thinking it had something to do with this lost time. Her lineage plot point was already proving to be more complicated than she ever thought possible and then Hocking threw this broken memory twist into the mix. I was not a fan. I think with how complicated the blood relations were with Ulla and some of the other

characters were more than enough for this trilogy and this lost memory only added more confusion where it wasn’t needed. I don’t think the way it was executed worked the way they wanted it to. It served to further Ulla’s story a little bit but not enough for all of the confusion it caused while I read it.


And whatever happened to Pan finally resolving his own blood family? They wouldn’t let him confirm his theories of who it was and especially with it having to do with a royal blood line I found that to be a little farfetched considering royals always want to know their blood relations. This also proved to be slightly disappointing in the fact that this could have been explored and tied into the story as he also had a similar issue like Ulla. I just think it was a wasted opportunity because I was intrigued to know more about the cute and nerdy love interest but ended up not knowing that much about him.


There is an unforeseen death to be had in the final battle which I will not disclose but you have been warned. It is a SHOCK! And I am still reeling from it.


The last thing I want to mention is the presence of the Ogonen. These were higher beings said to have the ability to read minds and seem to resemble what you might call, extra-terrestrials. They were described WAY too much and every time they were mentioned I felt like I was reading about a government conspiracy. I think that was the negative side effect of trying to make them scary (because they were so unknown) and mysterious. I liked where they fit into the story at the end but I think the description and all of their mentions were a bit too much.


Near the end of the book we also get to see more of the final battle as it unfolded by the addition of chapters featuring Bryn and Wendy’s perspective. It opened the scope of the battle and once again showcased characters from her other books, including a scene with Loki running to Finn’s aid with genuine concern after finding out that he was trapped. It was adorable and appreciated! I love all of Hocking’s easter eggs from her other series but again this does not affect the reading experience if this is the first trilogy you’ve read by her. They all link together but can be read separately! I recommend starting with Switched and then the Frostfire trilogy before starting the Omte Origins but it doesn’t have to be read in that fashion. If you liked these books and haven’t read the others, do it! And vice versa. Each trilogy has its own merit and you will fall in love with the world of Trylle no matter which one you start with!

A wonderful conclusion to an absolutely wonderful series. Having read Hocking's series from the release of her first instillation, I have grown to love her development and intricacies as a fantasy writer and more. I can't wait to see what else she has in store for the future and more.

As I expected, another absolutely BEAUTIFUL work to fill the Trylle universe.
Amanda has such a stunning talent at world building and character arcs, and the quality of this completion of the series is no different than her previous ones. I easily fell in love with characters, and felt like I physically there with them the whole time, like I was experiencing the journey myself. It was such an honor to be able to read another one of her works, I've been here since the beginning with her My Blood Approves series, and will be here till the end (which I hope never comes). What I love most about all of her varying series (including this one of course) is the fact that they're all so UNIQUE. I pretty much exclusively read YA Sci-Fi and Fantasy, and of course have come across a ton of books that are about hidden worlds/creatures/cultures, and let me tell you, this authors works are on another level. I've never found something familiar, and I'd like to bet that most readers who also prefer this genre, haven't either.

I'm not getting tired of the Trylle, and I hope Amanda keeps writing about them.

11/10

Amanda Hocking ends her trilogy to the Omte Origins. The first several sections cover what happened in the first two books. Making sure readers are caught up before the big battle at the end of the work which is epic.

The author answers all the questions that were left hanging in the first two books.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of Amanda Hocking The Ever After.

**I was provided an arc by NetGalley**

Loved it. Plain and simple. This was a damned good book and the series was excellent. I am so happy to have gone on the journey with Ulla and Pan. This book was a great conclusion to a series I didn’t know I needed, and I am so happy to have found this author! What a ride it was! I loved these characters and enjoyed Ulla’s quest to find the truth of her family. This story was so well done. I loved how Ulla’s world was hidden in our and the blending was done well. There’s just nothing negative I can say about this book. I am absolutely going to backtrack and read the original Tyrelle series. Great book!

This was a very detailed and perfect ending to this trilogy. I also loved how it brought all the different types of trolls from the other series together. One thing that I was really appreciative of was how the author made sure to kind of do a recap as the story went along, in ways that fit in seamlessly instead of like an info dump at the very beginning to refresh what had happened in the books before.

Ulla finally does learn who her true parents are, and we get to see many of the characters and locations from the other books and like I said, it brings it all back together for a final battle where we join with characters we knew from the first two series that go with this one. There are creatures that are so unique, like murder snails, yeah, you read that right. And the spiders, whoa! They make another appearance similar to what Ulla found in one of the earlier books of this trilogy. Towards the end I felt a little bit like the battle was going on for so long, but part of that could be because we started getting very short chapters from people that were the main characters in the other series, Wendy and Bryn, interspersed with Ulla’s chapters.

The title of the second book gets a bit of an exploration with a rhyme/song in this book. And there is a bit of a time conundrum for some of the characters that did have me doing some thinking as I read. Overall a good series, and I think one that would definitely be easy for someone to read now that they could sit down and read all three straight through.

It’s the conclusion to the Trylle series and final book in the Omte Origins trilogy. Hocking delivered in this final novel with answers to nagging questions and an epic battle of beasts and troll. This series had a solid beginning that lagged a little in the middle for me. However, the character connections and world building were strong throughout and the ending was action packed.

I love how Hocking keeps true to all of the characters she presents throughout the books. Weaving them in and out of the plot as she goes. Building the reader connection with each one. The world building had a unique depth though I do feel I should have read the other series before this one to get a better understanding of some nuances.

Overall, I can tell that this was a branch off of a main series. A revisit to something more. Though I enjoyed my first dive into this world I do feel I would’ve liked it more if I had started with the Trylle series books. I recommend those getting to know Hocking to begin with Trylle and move to Omte.

Lastly, I read the first two books in this trilogy and listened to the final book. Occasionally reading when I couldn’t access the audiobook. I definitely enjoyed listening more than physically reading this time around. Therese Plummer had a beautiful narrative voice that fit Ulla and brought more feeling and excitement to the pages than my imagination was mustering. I’ll be going back to listen to the first two books later in the year and start the original Trylle books. Hopefully, Plummer is the voice for those as well.

Thank you to Wednesday Books, Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the advanced copies in exchange for an honest review. Now to tackle the rest of Hocking’s novels.

The Ever After is the third book in The Omte Origins series by Amanda Hocking. A captivating young adult fantasy that pulls you in from the beginning. The Ever After picks up where book two ends and all the back story is provided early on, which allows the reader to be enveloped in the story once again. The characters are well-written with intriguing backstories that make the story flow at a smooth and steady pace.