Joanna Hathaway is a masterful historical storyteller. If you love history, romance, adventure, and well thought out characters you will love this book.

I really enjoyed the first two books. I love the author's writing style and her passion for aviation and history.

Unfortunately, my journey with this trilogy ends with book 2.

A thrilling masterpiece that I will definitely be buying a copy of! Loved every minute of it and will be reccomending it to my friends and fellow book-lovers!

I have been following this trilogy from the beginning and I just… did not like the ending. The pacing felt a little off for my taste and it was just lacking a little bit of the pizazz that I expected from this book. But overall I would still recommend this trilogy to anyone who likes books like Game of Thrones or Ash Princess!

Joanna Hathaway is a prose genius. Her ability to craft such brilliant words coupled with her incredible characters is enough to make any reader stay up all night. I was hooked from the very beginning. I give it 5 stars and will be recommending it to all of my friends. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Absolutely loved this book so very much. I am so glad Joanna Hathaway wrote such a brilliant book and a brilliant series!

Hathaway is able to convey so much humanity in the midst of such a unique setting. The depth of her research and passion are evident on every page. This whole series is un-put-downable.

So when I requested this I wasn't ready to read the entire series so I could be able to catch up. But I did it, and OH MY GOD!
This book is soo good, political intrigue, love stronger than war, than nations... This is easily one of my favourite reads this year. What a brilliant series and what an amazing finish to the series!

I went into this book expecting it to be stunning and heart breaking, and I was right.

This has been a series focusing on the northern countries fighting over the south, on the toll and cost of imperialism and pride and power on other countries, and the cost on those fighting. The first book is the politics of the north bickering, with little of actual action in the south as it's being hushed up. Then the second took to the south, following the fighting as it erupts, but the north against the south - or the north sitting out. This book follows the north turning on its each as they fight in the south, letting the cost fall on the locals.

I found it interesting, but completely in tone with the book and its themes, that the book doesn't follow the fighting when it moves north and the northern powers clash. However, the cost of that war is still shown, and then the fall out of "victors" putting the "losers" on trial, desperate to punish those who have lost to wash away the stain of their own crimes.

The prologue scene from the first book occurs in this one. If I'm being honest, that scene was one of the ones I was most interested in getting to. The characters from that prologue were not the ones I'd been reading about so far, and the hints of what had happened have been tantalising me throughout - particularly as I re-read before this book. Seeing everything hinted in that scene unfold, and then the scene itself was so rewarding.

Ali and Athan are very much not the same people as the series started with. They've changed a lot in the last two books, but this one really contained the biggest pushes towards sniper and commander. I've loved seeing them change, alter. They don't have the typical paths of YA heroes. There are still pinpricks of hope in them, and they're not going all dark and moody.

Instead, they're worn down, jaded, and compromising the survive, then having to come to terms with it. Even though you might not want them to make the choices they do, become the people they do, the choices they make feel like the only ones they could have made in the circumstances that would feel real and right. And because we've seen every step of their journey, it's so compelling even if you wish they'd done something else.

I am so sad to see this series come to an end, but it's been such a brilliant one to read, and finishes off true to the world and the characters and the themes. Definitely one to put on the "to-re-read" pile.

An excellent last book in this excellent series.
Great characters, a gripping plot, excellent world building and storytelling.
I loved this story and I'm a bit sad it ended.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An outstanding conclusion to a breathtaking series. I cannot recommend these books enough!

The world and characters grew deeper in this installment as they did with each before - I love Ali and Athan so much - and the political intrigue and historical insight were spot on as always.

I cannot wait for more from Joanna!

TW: Death, violence, war,

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a copy of this e-arc.

Unfortunately, I was unable to complete the book before its release day but I am still determined to complete my review of this book.

Overall, I didn't only give this book 5/5 stars but also this series.

I first started this series back in 2019 after the release of the first book and was utterly floored by Joanna Hathaway's ability to beautifully weave a tragic love story into a fictional world of politics and royalty.

While the series is heavily influenced by World War II, it is completely fictional but draws upon inspiration from real-life leaders, locations, conflicts and people. Ultimately, the depictions of war, hardship and death were hard to read sometimes and I felt it was difficult to separate real-life events from the story - that aspect ultimately grounded the story into something that felt real and tangible.

At the core, this series and this book is a love story about a young couple separated by nations, war and politics. It deals with the internal struggle of wanting to follow your heart but also what you know you must do for the greater good. The constant internal conflict from our protagonists meant that no decision was ever easy and while you constantly wanted the best for them - life and alliance often would get in the way of that.

Hathaway did an amazing job of creating such real characters, not just our main two, but all the supporting roles in the series meant that anything that happened felt like a sting tugging on your soul.

My only issues with this third book in the series were its pacing and development. As the finale, there were lots of questions to be answered and while everything wrapped up - there were a few open questions I felt weren't tackled in enough detail. And with the expanse of time, geography and issues to cover some moments felt slower than others. But the intensity of the story and stakes meant that you only ever wanted to keep reading.

But overall, I had very little negative to say about the book or the series. This will forever be cherished as one of my all-time favourites with its immaculate world-building, determined characters and shocking revelations. This book and series will make you laugh, cry and fall completely in love.

Southern Sun, Northern Star is the third and last book of The Glass Alliance trilogy. Intricately done and a brilliant end to an amazing series! A perfect blend of family drama, war, romance, and political intrigue.

Inspired by the First and Second World War, Joanna Hathaway did her research well. The setting that she weaved is intense, realistic, and vivid. Her writing style is beautiful and lyrical, I could read it forever.

Full of well-fleshed out characters you can't help but love. All have an important role to play and seeing how much they change due to the war, just... hurt especially Ali's. Athan and Ali's relationship is heartbreakingly beautiful.

Some parts dragged but the desire to know more kept me going. No stones left unturned and all loose ends are tied up neatly.

Overall, I did not expect to love this trilogy SO MUCH!! It's a rollercoaster of emotions and it left me heartbroken. This is definitely one of my favorite series this year and will watch out for everything that Joanna Hathaway writes. I hope it gets all the hype it deserves. I highly, highly recommend it.

Thank you Joanna Hathaway, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Southern Star, Northern Star.

A 3 book epic series covers the story of a pilot and a princess who go through hell to make their world a better place and come together in the end. A unique love interest a fighter pilot that falls in love with a princess. If you are looking for a story that gets all wrapped up with a pretty red bow, you won't find it here in a world in the aftermath of war. It does leave us with some bittersweet hope that all the strife wasn't in vain. This series offers it all a star-crossed romance between two impossible character backgrounds, political battle, and fantastic world-building. From start to finish, a beautifully written series, and it's a must-read for historical fantasy readers.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me eARC of this book via NetGalley

Such an incredible conclusion to an amazing series. This book was everything I hoped for and more. Tragic, hopeful, brutal, shocking, there are not enough words to describe how heartbreakingly beautiful this book was. There were so many changes in Ali’s and Athan’s characters that were brought on by war and the consequences of the difficult (and not always good) decisions they had to make, but deep down they were still that boy and girl we got to know in first book who loved each other and dreamt of better world. And that ending... it was so fitting for this series and I cried so much on those last pages but it was perfect and I can not imagine this series ending any other way.

Content warnings: war, death, blood, violence, suicidal ideation, PTSD

Oh man, what a ride! I know this is a book about war, and I can’t imagine living through it the way Ali and Athan did but gosh, this book was hard to read. It was emotionally heavy, and for our main characters, it’s mentally and physically heavy as well. But boy, does Hathaway know how to spin a tale and to keep our hearts on edge. I absolutely adored how this book was a bit like a magnifying lens in current and past wars from every country and just how devastating it can be for everyone, whether you’re winning or losing or just caught in between. There is no mercy and no difference to some. I found Hathaway did a good job balancing the “heavy” with “light.” Despite all things, we do see hope, however little and fragile it may be. We think there may be no reckoning for Ali or Athan, but ultimately we see everything they’ve done is simply to survive, and that, I think, is the strongest thing to do. In Southern Sun, Northern Star, we’re taken all over this fantasy world, see how everything is suffering, whether they’re involved in the war or not. The war itself is something that had been brewing–unbeknownst to some–for centuries.

While I was shocked by the ending of Storm from the East, I was curious to see how those particular events would come into play in SSNS, especially with the General. Lo and behold when the real reason Sinora and the General are at each other’s throats is revealed. I thought, “How genius and wild for Hathaway to weave that in!” but also how cunning and clever is Sinora for doing what she did. I’ll admit I actually wanted to see more on-page scenes with the General, especially considering all that his children have done throughout this book.

I liked the way this book ended as well, given the circumstances. I’m glad we were able to see some characters stand up for what they believe in and how some admit what they’ve done is wrong. I also think Hathaway does a good job of exploring the whole “I was listening to my commanding officer/higher up/superior” while still showing the trauma, guilt, and internal struggle of this.

Just a note: We see the prologue of Dark of the West come full circle in that book, so if you were like me, wondering if that would happen, the answer is yes. (And if you’re wondering if the prologue in this book will hurt you, the answer is also yes.)

Oh, I knew these characters would suffer but how little did I know the emotional toll it would take. The prologue of the book really had to me worried as well! Right off the bat we see Hathaway use some of the characters as fodder (but that’s to be expected, right?) and dang, I was quite sad about it. It felt a bit like things were finally sinking in, especially for both Ali and Athan. Almost like what they thought they could keep at bay or seemed far away is now true and real and painful.

I will say one of the most surprising things was how I felt about Arrin Dakar. Truthfully I really disliked him in the first two books, and I figured I’d continue in that way. But to be honest… My feelings changed. He is a product of what his father made him, and that’s the truth in a sense with both Kalt and Athan as well, despite how much the latter two wanted to fight that. These three sons, and even Leannya, never truly had the chance to be children. We see the nearly carefree attitude of Athan break down ever so slowly until he becomes a shell. There is still love between these siblings and that’s reflected more in this final book. My favorite person to come out of this book is Leannya and damn, does she deserve all the credit for what she’s done. How clever of her as well.

Ali seems like a completely different person. I don’t mean that in a bad way; she’s simply had no other choice. She is a survivor, and in a war like this, you have to be one, you have to keep moving and reaching. And Ali really has her world turned upside down completely. She is still a royal, but she looks at them with near disdain now, especially her brother, Reni. There’s an excellent quote that really encompasses this when Ali sees Reni after at least a year.

“Claiming to be doing the right thing while feasting with the wicked. While having no idea how close to death the rest of have truly been, fighting to stay strong in a world that doesn’t want to know us.”

Hathaway writes an amazing story. I loved the contrast between Ali and Athan, and how essentially they want the same thing but achieved it in different ways. When you look at Book 1, you may wonder how in the world we got where we are. Hathaway throws punches and does a great job really examining the effects, and ultimately the precious cost, of war. I was really invested in the story despite the fact that I had to read something a little lighter; I think it’s because I mainly feared the worst for everyone, and wondered if Hathaway would really end things…devastatingly sad. Yes, there were times that I cried, especially those last 15 pages or so. When that happens I know this is a story that will stick with me.

Thank you so much to Tor Teen and NetGalley for letting me read an eARC of Southern Sun, Northern Star! This is the third book in the Glass Alliance trilogy and this one was by far my favorite of the three books!

Southern Sun, Northern Star 4.5/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:

Battles, revolution, and romance collide in Joanna Hathaway's stunning, World Wars-inspired Southern Sun, Northern Star
Reeling from the tragedy that beset her family, Princess Aurelia has joined the resistance in Havenspur, spying on the Northern leaders who were once her allies and determined to stop her uncle's machinations for war. Meanwhile, her beloved pilot Athan leads his squadron into battle as the Safire wage a losing war abroad and combat growing unrest back home.
When Athan is sent on leave to Havenspur following the death of a comrade, the pair reunite and rekindle their romance until Aurelia uncovers one of Athan's secrets, a secret that could save countless lives. But exposing it to the right people will cost her Athan's trust, and this time, their shared memories of love might not be enough to stop the fateful path of destruction that threatens all they've fought to defend.
As history unfolds around them, every move they make drives them one step closer to either recreating their parents' shadowed past or redeeming the alliance that could bring peace.
The breathtaking finale to a legendary series. Part war drama, part romance, Southern Sun, Northern Star is the epic conclusion to the Glass Alliance series.

I liked this book SO much more than I expected to like it! It moved at a faster pace than books one and two, because so much more seemed to happen, and I actually liked both Athan and Aurelia during the whole book rather than just the beginning and ending! The war between Safire and the North is really intensifying and I love Aurelia playing spy. Athan also takes on more of a leadership role and we see him working even more with his brothers to make decisions and plans. His sister is in this book too, which I loved. The level of political intrigue and battles and war and betrayal that this book had what I wanted for the whole series, and honestly, book three makes books one and two worth it. I highly recommend reading it, so be sure to read it when it comes out on the 20th!

If you are looking for a new fantasy series (that deserves so much more hype!) look no further than the Glass Alliance trilogy. Inspired by the Second World War this series has the perfect blend of action, politics and romance. Southern Sun, Northern Star is an incredible finale a series that you must add to your TBR right now! Ali and Athan are characters you can’t help but root for as they venture in this world overcome with war. masterfully written, it’s a story that will break your heart and leave your thinking about it long after you’re done. I highly recommend this series and can’t wait to see what Joanna Hathaway writes next!

I am absolutely devastated at the end of this series. Just a heaping, sobbing, snotty, unconsolable mess. This series is, without a doubt, one of the best I have ever read.

But it is heavy. Not dark, necessarily. But it deals with heavy materials, and so I would not recommend binge-reading all three books in a row like I did. Because like I said...heavy. The series ends off an a note for hope and a better future, but getting there was VERY hard-won for everyone, and I wanted to wrap up all of my favourite characters in a bubble and ensure they'd be safe forever.

While all three books in this series are standouts in their own way, this final installment really delves into what happens in the aftermath of war. How do you continue living knowing the orders you followed weren't necessarily the right ones? How do continue to do good after you've done bad? Can you BE good and still do bad things, and vice versa? How do you move forward when friends, family, allies have been killed, leaving you to pick up the pieces?

Joanna Hathaway writes with grace and compassion as she delves into these topics in Southern Sun, Northern Star. It's heart-wrenching. It's moving. It's utterly bittersweet. I laughed, I cried buckets, my heart was in my throat more than once, and I rooted so, so hard for both Ali and Athan and they're separate groups of friends, family, and allies.

This series does not wrap up with a pretty red bow. The aftermath of war never is. But it leaves us with a note of bittersweet hope that everything that came before wasn't in vain.

The Glass Alliance series is so many things at once, but the word that comes to mind first is '"stunning." Beautiful prose, deep and impactful themes, a romance that could last through the ages, characters that will stick with me for a long time, and friendships and family bonds I could read a whole other book about. Highly, highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I'll go continue weeping into my pillow now.

A great third installment! I have loved every one of Joanna Hathaway’s books, and this one was no exception. Such a great series! Highly recommended!!!