I hadn't read the first two books in this trilogy before receiving an ARC of the Bone Shard War from the publisher (thanks to Orbit books and Netgalley!) but I'm so glad it sent me down the path of reading these. The magic system is incredibly unique and I was engrossed in the political games that were being played. This book answered a lot of the standing questions that I had after the first 2 books - even questions that I didn't think we would get resolution for. My only complaint is that outside of one big reveal, this book (like the first 2) felt very predictable and had repeating motives that got a bit tiring. This is something I think a lot of fantasy trilogy/series suffer from so to me - the uniqueness of the world, the magic system, multiple POVs, and likable characters made it a great read despite any faults.

Amazing follow up in the series. This series had me hooked since the begging and so here for this world . Definitely one to recommend

It’s tough to review the final book in a trilogy without giving spoilers so I’ll keep it short. 



This book was kind of a disappointment. Everything I didn’t like from the second book was amplified in this one with additional things. Most of the book is quite slow, other than the very very end. The plot, character’s thoughts/interactions and some scenarios were extremely repetitive. The characters themselves seem to constantly make the worst decisions and would have strong stances on something but then would change their opinion/sides within paragraphs… and then would do it again.

I feel like the characters had regression rather than progression in their development besides one or two of them at the very end of the book. There was also a character that was seemingly being pumped up to be a big deal and then nothing ever happened with them which was kind of a let down.

As with the other two books, the ossalen (magical animal companions) were my favourite part and I wished they had their own perspectives. They were this books only real saving grace in my opinion.

I really wish I could say that I enjoyed it more since I enjoyed the first one so much but this one just wasn’t it for me.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Orbit in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC of The Bone Shard War! It was a stunning conclusion to a fantastic trilogy.

It’d been a while since I read the first two books so the first quarter of the book took me a while to get into as I pieced together all of the shifting loyalties. But it definitely picked up and I read the last half in a single sitting.

For being the third book, I was impressed at all the new world building and lore that was introduced—especially being able to look back and see all the pieces leading up to it in the first two books.

With such a large cast it would have been easy for any one of the viewpoints to overshadow the others, but the way they all interwove was masterfully done.

Mephi continues to be the absolute best (and Andrea Stewart tweeted that you can reach out to her if you need a spoiler on if he survives before diving in).

This was a stunning conclusion to an amazing series.

Thank you so, so much to NetGallery and Orbit for the eARC.

This book is the one I was waiting for. Above all else, I wanted to be able to read this ARC and close the last chapter on my absolute favourite fantasy series of all time.

And boy. I was not at all ready for the epic conclusion.

Five stars it not enough. There are truly no words for me to express what this series has done to my brain chemistry. Saying goodbye to these characters and this story is bittersweet but also comes with the knowledge it was simply... perfect.

All of the action and tension that has been built in the previous books culminates in a time skip that launches us right into the political environment that is balancing on the knife's edge. Things are not at all what we expected by the end of The Bone Shard Emperor, and yet as each chapter unpacks what's happened to the characters, the pieces are falling into place. We are at the cusp of a new world and Lin, Jovis, Ranami, and Phalue are on the front lines.

Stewart continues the high action, the fluid scenes between short stretches of time, and the political mindgames. We are seeing all of the build up pay off in a glorious finale. We get to close out this series with a satisfying ending after having our hearts thrown around for several hundred pages in a 'will she won't she' state of anxiety. By the ending, all I wanted to do was go back to The Bone Shard Daughter and take it all in again - to find all the clues left along the text that brought us here. The crafting of this trilogy is among some of the best I've ever seen.

I am blown away. I'm in awe. I need to re-read this book immediately and get lost in the waves.

This is a phenomal debut series and Stewart has become an auto-buy author for me.

The Bone Shard War is the triumphant conclusion to The Drowning Empire trilogy. In a world once built on a strong and unforgiving empire, a revolution against Lin simmers as she attempts to pick up the broken pieces of government that her father left her. Lin, Jovis, and their enemies will be forced to make impossible decisions and choose how much they will sacrifice for the empire.

The ossalens (especially Mephi) were one of my favorite parts!! Throughout the series, they were both the fantastic animal companions that everyone wishes they had growing up and still integral to the plot. I absolutely loved Jovis and Lin’s relationship; I felt unable to look away! Both of them have grown so much throughout the series, it was so satisfying to see them fight for what they believe in and decide what matters most.

It is not easy to sustain pacing and unfurl story threads at the exact right moment throughout an entire trilogy- yet Andrea Stewart does it gracefully. I was so invested in the stories being told, the intricate magic system, and poignant prose. The magic system is complex and shifts as the characters learn more about the roots behind the magic. I love the queer rep and Phalue & Ranami’s beautiful relationship. Stewart expertly depicts the emotions of her characters, so you’ll feel that you’re there with them as they make heartbreaking choices.

The Bone Shard War is the perfect book (and trilogy) for readers who enjoy Fonda Lee (Jade City), Leigh Bardugo (Shadow & Bone), Jenn Lyons (A Chorus of Dragons), and Amélie Wen Zhao (Song of Silver, Flame Like Night). Readers who enjoy complex politics, intricate magic systems, and adorable animal companions must read this book! I would highly recommend this trilogy, either in book format or via the audiobook. Or, why not both? I can’t wait to read whatever Andrea Stewart writes next!!

The Bone Shard War releases April 18, 2023. Thank you so much to Andrea Stewart, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

A stunning conclusion to an amazing trilogy. A heartbreaking but amazing ending to a well loved series.

I liked book one the best but overall this has been a really good series. The world building is interesting and the characters are good too. Lin was particularly well written but the more minor characters are good too. I’m probably rounding up just a bit to call this a full 4 star book but the overall series is good enough to deserve that. I’ve got this author marked to follow in Goodreads because I want to see what she does next.

I loved the atmosphere and magic of this world when I first began reading the series. This isn't a disappointing end, I think I personally just became less and less interested as I waited. It was still good, it just didn't grasp me the way the first did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the eArc and eArc Audiobook.

The Bone Shard War was one of my most anticipated books of 2023, and it delivered. The Book starts two years after the events of the Bone Shard Emperor. The audiobook of these series is fantastic, the narrators are the same as the first two books in the series and i am so grateful for that.

I adored the first two books in the series, and rereading them before starting the third was truly a joy. This world is woven together so beautifully and the characters are flawed but full of heart.

The Story was:
Well paced, there was not any lulls in the story.
The Ossalens are wholesome, loveable, and Mephi is the best
Ranami & Phalue's Story arch and growth was *chef's kiss*

If you are looking for a high fantasy / Sci fi book pick up the drowning empire

Myth: 3.5/5

Two years have passed since the events of The Bone Shard Emperor (The Drowning Empire #2) . While I totally understand the realism of this time in the way the empire is falling apart, it still made for a bit of a slow start to the finale. I was back at page-turner status for the second half of the book.

Though a romantic subplot lingers, it’s very small in the overall epic story.

Magic: 4/5

I loved the way the bone shard magic and Alanga and ossalen finally come together! chef’s kiss.

Overall: 3.5/5

An epic conclusion to the Drowning Empire series. Book three continued with the familiar perspectives, Lin, Jovis, Ranami, Phalue, and Nisong. I will leave you with this little teaser:

“I should have stayed put; I should have stayed in formation. but, as my mother had often said, “should” was a word I’d only ever used to describe regret. I’d always had to learn the hard way.”

First I would like to thank NetGalley and Orbit books for the ARC of The Bone Shard War.

This was the perfect conclusion to the Drowning Empire trilogy. Everything concluded nicely with no loose ends. There is a ton of character development and character growth. We learn so much more about the world and the magic within it.

We start the book two years after the conclusion of The Bone Shard Emperor. I was a little unsure about this huge time jump between books but it honestly makes so much sense and really moves the plot along. We continue to follow all the same characters and we see what has changed within the last two years.

Throughout this book and series we follow so many different characters with their own hopes and motivations. You really struggle at times to determine which character/group you want to come out on top. While there are character you just inherently hate (Ragan) you also have characters who are so hard to determine your feelings for. So many of the characters grow throughout the series and especially within this book. None of the growth feels forced and it plays out so well.

One thing I have loved about this trilogy and this book is the magic system within it. We learn so much more about not only the bone shard magic but also the Alagan magic and how they connect. We also learn more about the ossalen and what their purpose is.

The ending of this trilogy is not only well done it is also extremely sweet and inspiring while also being heartbreaking. I stressed so much during this book while also having moments where I chuckled. The ending did leave me in tears. I can't recommend this trilogy enough and think it is perfect for those who enjoy high stakes fantasy books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an e-ARC of The Bone Shard War.

Wow. What a ride it has been. The Bone Shard War is the final book in the Drowning Empire trilogy and it did not disappoint. I honestly think out of the three books this is the one I enjoyed the most; maybe it’s because I FINALLY understood the magic system or maybe because I already knew the characters but both the story and the characters felt a lot more cohesive and intriguing than in the first two books.

We start off two years after the end of The Bone Shard Emperor which not gonna lie, took me by surprise. The first third of the book definitely felt a bit of a slow pace that I was struggling with but when all the pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together I couldn’t put the book down. Lin and Ranami were my favorite characters and I would absolutely die for Mephi, Thrana, Shark, Lozhi and all the ossalen. They’re my babies and I will protect them until my last breath.

While it is the last book in the trilogy and the ending feels satisfying, there are certainly some loose ends that I would love to see tied up (they’re not plot holes, just stuff that can be later explored if desired) and there was some stuff that I still have questions about, mainly about the ossalen and why the Alanga exist and how the ossalen choose their companions.

All in all, the book was very much enjoyable and a fantastic trilogy all together. The magic system is very unique and by the third book the main characters do feel fleshed out. Really looking forward to see the finished copy as well as any future books by Andrea Stewart.

Finales, the things that can make or break a series (cough *lost* cough). Thankfully I am thrilled to say I like how The Drowning Empire series by Andrea Stewart caps off!

"The Bone Shard War" kicks off two years after the last book and all the mess that left. Fractious governors demanding to use the resource that sinks their islands, Ragan has teamed up with Nisong and that is a whole sack of crazy, while the Shardless Few are making moves and Alanga keep popping up. Meanwhile Jovis is presumed dead and is having a real rough go of it. Mephi is ok though.

Thank you Natalie Naudus, Feodor Chin, and Emily Woo Zeller for narrating the series. From the light moments, to the really rough ones (yea f Ragan) you gave extra voice to these characters.

Thank you Orbit Books, Hachette Audio, and Netgalley for the ARCs. I definitely wasn't listening/reading at work when it got slow...

Reasons to read:
-I just told you it ends well, so get after it if you were waiting
-World-building elements I accepted because the characters did came back to slap me in the face
-Some side characters get their moment to shine
-Some people get their comeuppance
-And some people let go of pain

Cons:
-Unfortunately graphic animal death 1 time (f Ragan)

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Anybody that knows me knows I cannot stop talking about this series. Since I read The Bone Shard Daughter, I've been talking about it to anybody who will listen. It's no shock that The Bone Shard War is one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it did not disappoint.

Book three picks up a bit after book two ends, with all the characters dealing with the repercussions of the battle and state of the Empire. It's full of reunions, both good and bad, and battles that make this a fitting conclusion to the trilogy. One of my favorite things is what we learn about the ossalen. The ending reminds me a bit of (one of my favorite tv shows) Chuck, in a good way. I'm sad this series is over but I'm happy we have this amazing fantasy series out in the world.

5 stars for the book, 5 stars for the series. I will not rest until everyone reads this series.

[Actual Rating 4.25] The Bone Shard War is the final novel in the Drowning Empire trilogy. These conclusions are always bittersweet as I am anxious to find out how a series ends, but I am sad to finish it. Like most series, I always wish that I could read them back-to-back, this one was not any different. It did take me a minute to put myself back into the mindset of this universe, but I was able to catch up without issue. This part of the story takes place two years after the last novel where there are a ton of moving parts that all weave together in this massive universe. Lin is the ruler of the Phoenix Empire, but she is having trouble keeping control. Her allies are limited as Jovis is still gone after going to rescue Mephi plus she up against Ragan, the Shardless Few, and those around her. The Shardless Few has deemed Lin unfit to rule and are working to remove her from the throne. As for Jovis, he is caught by Ioph Carn. As the timeline is years after the last novel, I do miss seeing everything take place. I do understand why the author tried to keep to this timeline, but I think there could have been a whole other novel to fill in the gaps.

The characters and storylines were separated for part of this novel, which is difficult in a third novel in a trilogy. Usually, I expect them all to converge soon and lead up to the final climax. Instead, this one takes a bit longer to get there, which I do wish happened a little sooner. I loved the content, but it almost felt as-if the story could have been split into two novels just to spread out the pacing a little more. It would read smoother for readers like me who would expect the novel before a final one to be slower and then the actual final one could be faster. Since I loved the actual bulk of the novel, I did not mind this as much, but it was something I noted. A lot of the world was set-up in the previous novels, but there was still more world-building in this story. The characters had great character development and I loved that it was easy to follow yet complex.

There is a lot to love about this series and it feels highly underrated. It is a great introduction to Stewart’s writing, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next. This series was very ambitious, and I believe that Stewart pulled it off well. The plot(s) and characters were all engaging, and I love the relationships between them. Some characters and plotlines still have more that could have been explored, but Stewart did create a satisfying conclusion. While the story did not quite have pacing that worked for me, I still found that this long story went by quickly. I would love to read the three novels back-to-back in the future to see how the series all read together. Overall, this was a fun novel and a great final novel in the trilogy.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Ahoy there me mateys!  There be spoilers for the other books because this be for book three so proceed at yer own peril. This is getting five stars all over the place.  Not from me.  This was a very uneven read.  Part of the weirdness was the pacing.  I had chapters and character povs that I wanted to read and others that were a slog to get through and some that I hated reading altogether.  The strangest thing was that Lin went from being me favorite character (by far) to being irritating and whiny.  I wanted a decisive leader and didn't get that.  She seemed to be making horrible choices the entire book and not using her intelligence at all.

Jovis, who I hated in book two, ended up being a more interesting character in this one.  I loved the two year time jump that began the book in how it affected his character.  His struggle to come to terms with his actions and fight the magic was engaging and I ended up rooting for him the most.  Though I think the author could have done way more with Jovis' use of lies to .  And of course Melphi was the highlight of the book for me.

Ragan's chapters were also infuriating because he is so one-dimensional with all hate and no thinking.  I didn't like reading about him or Sand at all.  Though Sand I could at least sympathize for somewhat.  Though her teaming up with Ragan really made no sense.  Neither did Ragan's survival in several keys parts of the book.

The Ranami scenes with the Shardless Few were lackluster.  If fact the Shardless Few resolution really didn't make a lot of sense either and kinda got dropped in the final conflicts of the book.  This was especially true for how the Dione's narrative resolves.  His stated goals contradicted each other and his role peters out during the final showdown.

The author made some interesting choices with how the war ends.  I enjoyed Lin's decisions in that regard.  I did not think the logic behind the reason for witstone and alanga magic made any sense.  How to take down an island was absurdly easy.

Overall the major problem with this book was the separate povs never really come together satisfactorily.  The internal logic failed in multiple ways in trying to bring the series to a conclusion.  And I didn't like the magic water which served as a deus ex machina.  I will read more of the author's work though based on the parts of this series that I loved.  Arrr!

There's a reason I read a lot of lighthearted books and fun smutty standalones. Because the books that I give my heart and soul to, the epic fantasies that leave me forever changed, they take a lot out of me.
I was here from start to finish. I worked at Barnes and Noble andI handsold the first book excessively when it came out. I then bought the second the moment it went to paperback, and it sat on my shelf, waiting. I had a feeling that it would carve me out. When the opportunity to get the arc of the 3rd came up, I couldn't resist. I marathon read book 2 and 3 within 2 months, and I can honestly say that this series has left me forever changed.
Andrea Stewart is a next level writer. I'm not going to compare her to others out there right now, because frankly there is no one else like her right now. There are peers, there are fellows, but I have never been so elegantly ripped apart and put back together again.
I would go into detail explaining every reason why this book exceeded all expectations, but I do not wish to spoil anything. All I want to do is encourage you to go forth with the excitement of Mephi the curiosity of Lin and the tendency to become as entangled in it as Jovis, and let it remind you why we read.
When you reach the last part, you'll know when you know, play Leaves From the Vine.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Andrea Stewart for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a perfectly satisfying conclusion to an exceptional series. As is often the case for a novel with multiple point of view characters, there were certain storylines and voices that I preferred over others. Jovis and Lin remain my personal favorites, while I think that all of the stories are executed well enough. Jovis is the absolute best and I will hear no slander against him even if he does absolutely atrocious things.
This world is so intensely magical and politically complex, and I love the execution of both. If you enjoyed the first two, I think you will enjoy this ote just as much.

This book starts with a bit of a time jump. Where we last left off was after a large battle in book two, and we are learning about where all of the pieces and players have fallen.
I was just as enamored with all of our POVs as I have been for the last two books, but for me, Jovis stole the show.

He (and everyone else) has gone through quite a lot since we last saw him. He is struggling with it, his actions, the things he’s done, the people he’s hurt, and the trauma he’s been through. Learning just how much he’s gone through tugged at my heartstrings for this entire book, and Mephi continued to be one of my all-time favorite animal companions.

But we aren’t just here for Jovis.
This entire book builds upon the world Stewart has set up in the first two, leading to an explosive culmination and a war. I was all in for the ride, constantly hoping that Stewart would let my favorite characters live through the ordeal.
We get some new POVs in The Bone Shard War that further add depth to the world and the conflicts both internal and external.

The tension builds as we learn more about this world, as islands continue to sink, as everyone is panicking that their home will be the next, and it’s all just so phenomenally well crafted. This finale culminates everything that our characters have been fighting for and gives us a realistic look at what it takes to break the mold of the empire.

Overall (TLDR)
I could not have asked for more with this finale. From start to finish, this is a stellar trilogy, from an author I will read as long as they are writing. We were delivered a beautiful conclusion that felt satisfying and earned by everyone we’ve met along the way.
There are so many things I would love to discuss with people who have finished, but would definitely be spoilers for this review, so if you’ve read this far and finished the book, drop me a DM if you need someone to scream about it with!

Thank you as always to Orbit for the review copy! I am so grateful to have the privilege of reading books early to give my opinions on them.