2.75 stars

I feel like this may be an unpopular opinion, but I think that despite the first book being such a pleasant read for me, the series overall is only just average to me. There are some really great moments throughout this book, but I feel like those few select moments are a result of threads or relationships that started in the first book. I really don't know where the disconnect is for me exactly, and I don't know if it's because it's a book written by two authors, but something about the pacing of this book in particular just does not work for me at all. A lot of plot points seem to be underdeveloped, and yet other moments feel dragged out. It almost feels like each individual plotline and relationship was written separately, and then haphazardly pieced together afterwards to create this book.

I also just personally don't like series that tie everything up in a pretty little bow, and I felt like this book was definitely very guilty of this. In my opinion, The magic system definitely was abused quite a bit to be able to solve every problem that came up, and as a result, the stakes just weren't there for me. I do know that this is just my personal taste though, so your mileage may vary.

Overall, I think the series is okay. The ideas and the world are interesting, and a lot of the characters are very lovable, but while I'd happily reread The Mask of Mirrors again, I highly doubt I'll be rereading the second and third books again. This isn't a bad book or a bad series by any means - in fact, I would actually recommend the audiobooks as I think the narrator does a fantastic job - but it's just one that I think has much more potential than it ended up delivering.

M.A. Carrick (Marie Brennan + Alyc Helms) wrap up the "Rook and Rose" trilogy magnificently in this final installment. It's a story that pays off story threads introduced in the previous books, while also deepening the character relationships in a very satisfying fashion.

Ren, half-Vraszenian con artist, returned to Nadežra from Seteris to take advantage of the noble Traementis family, based on the information she learned from Letilia, the wayward, self-centred daughter of the family who had left Nadežra years earlier. Ren ingratiated herself with the head of the Traementis family, Donaia, became Alta Renata, while also getting to know the Vraszenan inhabitants of the city as szorsa Arenza. Ren would not have been as successful as she was without the help of her sister Tess, a pickpocket among other things, and a brilliant clothes designer and seamstress.

Grey Serrado, estranged from his Nadežran family, worked for years as a Hawk, enforcing Liganti law, and was despised by some of his people for what they saw as a rejection of his heritage. He now works as House Traementis' duelist.

Derossi Vargo grew up on the streets of Nadežra, and through his wits, violence, and the help of Alsius, a nobleman in a spider's body, rose the head of a criminal organization, and through scheming with Ren, has even managed to establish his own House.

These three managed to stop, albeit temporarily, a dark magic plot by other noble Houses in the previous book(s). Many of the Houses suffered, but the other more dangerous consequence was a rift opening between the human world and primordial entities. Also, Ren and company are all left with talismans that they must to destroy to close that door between worlds, but have no idea how to do it.

If that weren't enough, Ren's many, many lies are weighing very heavily on her, and she feels it's time to come clean with Donaia and Giuna, the heir of House Traementis.

So, just when things seem to be coming together, of course things take a turn for the worse, and then even worse. The dark magic begins affecting them negatively, there is increasing political unrest with Vraszenians wanting their city back, crime gangs are restive and causing havoc, and a face from Ren's past returns to make a bad situation into a seriously chaotic, turbulent mess.

Did the authors' successfully juggle and resolve its many plots and many characters' trajectories? Yes. Was it totally satisfying and emotional? Yes. Was I glad that this was a story of hope, love and a found family that totally had each others' backs? Yes.

The authors wrangled all the characters through a complex plot in a well laid out world with different, well defined types of magic, while building and breaking relationships up in a believable way. Also, the friendships I had hoped for in book one materialized; for example, when Ren and Vargo become deeper than best friends, I cheered.

It's been a long path from the opening scene in book one of Ren and Tess as children being terrorized by their crime gang boss, to the striking scene of the trio gaining what they needed and wanted at book three's end. I was left teary, jubilant, and not eager to leave these people and their world behind. I will be rereading this series, and I want more from these two authors as M.A. Carrick.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

A satisfying conclusion to the Rook and Rose trilogy. Throughout the series the authors have delivered stunning world building and Labyrinth's Heart does not dissapoint. It was an emotional ride. When I was done, I immediately wanted to pick up book 1 again. I'd highly recommend to those who love high and found family.

One Sentence Summary: In this final book of the Rook & Rose trilogy, Ren, Grey, and Vargo are faced with destroying the medallions that have controlled their city for too long while Ren’s masks start to fall off and their tangled webs threaten to unravel.

When I first started The Mask of Mirrors, the first book in the Rook & Rose trilogy, I wanted to cry with how frustrated and lost I was. This story throws the reader straight into the deep end from the first page and never, ever offers the chance to surface and gasp in air. The world is dizzyingly complex, the characters’ motivations a tangled web, the story relentlessly plowing forward, and keeping the titles straight is the least of one’s worries. But, once I grasped it, or as much as was necessary to understand this world, it was like the fog had lifted and I could see everything so clearly. No matter how many months there were between each book, opening each one up was like slipping back into a familiar world. It’s gorgeous and lush and just so rich I sometimes felt like I could step right into it. As lost as I was for the entire first half of the first book, it was absolutely, completely worth it by the time I got to this last book. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and I was devastated at having to leave this world and this story behind.

I adored Ren, Grey, and Vargo. There are so many wonderful characters, far too many for me to name, but these three are the core of this story. There’s Ren, the con artist who wears almost too many masks to keep straight. She’s changed so much over the course of the trilogy, and Labyrinth’s Heart just dealt her so many blows. But it also gave her so much more, and I loved that she never felt entitled to anything and that she was willing to do anything to atone for her lies and secrets. She touched my heart in ways very few characters ever have with the sheer depth of her characterization, and this book really did things to her that made it bleed for her. Then there’s Grey, a constant who will always stand by what’s right. From Hawk to Rook to House dueler to just the guy who loves Ren with all this heart, he was just absolute perfection. I adored his devotion to those he loved, and his dedication to who he is. I could have cried with just how constant he is, how he’s willing to do everything in his power to help and make things right. Labyrinth’s Heart didn’t go easily on him, either, but he always held his head high and didn’t compromise who he is. Finally, there’s Vargo, a very complicated character who holds a very complicated place in society. His is a rags to riches sort of story, but it was hard won and didn’t win him any hearts. As a matter of fact, he felt like the loneliest one, both because he never felt worthy and because he held everyone at arm’s length just to protect himself. I loved his growth in Labyrinth’s Heart. His story made me cry. He really gained and lost the most, but seeing him develop over the three books was just absolutely gorgeous and I’m happy to call him my favorite.

The characters really made this whole series for me. But the story was complex with so many different moving parts that I often found myself unable to look away. I loved how much there was going on. Sure, it could have been too much, but the authors really took their time and made sure nothing was lost in the shuffle. All loose threads were tied up, and I have faith that this world is moving forward in a positive direction. At the heart of it was destroying the medallions that basically kept society pinned in place, and that in itself required a few moving pieces. There’s also a brewing rebellion because the people who lived there first are frustrated and angry and willing to get rid of their conquerors. Everything comes to a head in this book, and I loved how neatly it was woven together. Everything was revealed and it all just worked out so well and so perfectly no matter how messy it actually was. It could have been a complete mess, but it ended up flowing perfectly and I really had a hard time putting this book down.

I’ll admit I wasn’t exactly sure of this one as it started off on something that felt a little frivolous, though I did love how it introduced a very large problem in the form of a person who had been mentioned throughout the trilogy but was only now showing up. I liked the romance of it, but it also made me feel a little impatient because there was a greater story that really needed to be addressed and I really wanted to get to it. In the end, it tied into other threads very neatly, and I really liked how it started to bring Grey and Vargo together despite their history. It also helped mark a huge turning point, and I was thoroughly engaged from that point on.

Labyrinth’s Heart is a gorgeous finish to quite a hefty trilogy. It’s big and complex, but so worth it. I loved how Labyrinth’s Heart took my heart apart little by little and then so lovingly put it back together. The characters were put through so much, but also found out so much about themselves and who they are and I loved that their masks could be dropped by the end and they could truly be who they are. I loved just about everything in this book, and I loved just how relentless the story and pacing were because it really made it impossible to put down.

Thank you to Angela Man at Orbit for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ren came to Nadezra with a simple goal: pretend to be the long lost daughter of a noble family and scam enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life. She never imagined she’d be drawn into a centuries-long struggle to lift a curse that has secretly been haunting the city. But even with the Nadezra on the verge of violence due to political tensions, it looks like victory may finally be in sight. Ren will have to use all of her secret identities, cunning, magic, and allies if she is to break the curse and finally bring peace to the city.

LABYRINTH’S HEART is a deftly woven finale that brings the many, MANY plots of the ROOK & ROSE series to close. To give you a sense of how much is going on, a big moment that I thought for sure would have happened around the midpoint of a book happened barely a third of the way in. I was never bored once during the 600 pages of this tome, as there was always some new crisis to handle or revelation being discovered. This book accomplishes SO MUCH without dropping the pacing, always driving the big story forward without making little victories feel episodic.

While I did find the overall threat to be a bit of a macguffin, that didn’t stop it from being an effective catalyst. The true joy here is watching Ren, Grey, and Vargo coming together to use their various skills to solve one problem after another. And those problems come in all kinds of variety, from political turmoil to family drama to even collapsing city infrastructure. I particularly loved Ren really coming to understand her gift with pattern magic in this tarot-inspired system, using her intuition and cards to not just see the threads of fate, but to guide them as well.

My one tiny complaint is that there was one character backstory element that I wish had been seeded a little better throughout the series (and this may just be my faulty memory, as it’s been a few years since I read THE MASK OF MIRRORS), as it is fairly important to the conclusion. But that is a mere hiccup in the overall enjoyment I have had in this series, which has been tremendous.

I’ve said multiple times over the years that this series couldn’t have been made more for me if it tried. Dashing heroes on rooftops, multiple characters with secret identities, political uprisings, social maneuvering, intuitive tarot-based magic, family drama, and of course, cons, this series has just about everything that I could want. I was never impatient to get through one of these books, as I just love this world so incredibly much. While I’m sad the journey is over, LABYRINTH’S HEART was all I could have asked for in a finale of my favorite series.

Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

My initial rating for this book is 4.5/5 stars, 5 stars rounded up. I absolutely loved all of that happened in this book, and the character paths were fantastic. However, the only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars is that it felt really busy for one book. It felt like there were events for 2 books, crammed into 1 here - like they were determined to keep this a trilogy instead of adding a book 4. (Though, I'd love another book). MA Carrick (and each author individually) is an auto-buy author for me and I will read any and all books by them. I will be developing a more detailed review for Goodreads, Amazon and Storygraph once I have a clearer brain. Highly recommend the Rook and Rose Series.

Of Endings & Revelations

Ren built her new life on a web of lies. When Letilia, the woman who Ren claimed was her mother, unexpectedly shows up, Ren is blackmailed into helping Letillia join the con. But Ren still has to help the Rook and Vargo find and fix the primordial magic that plagued her people for centuries, while dealing with the current tenuous political situation. With everything going on, can Ren continue to balance her secrets, or will they end up harming the people she now considers to be her family.

This whole series has been a continuous stream of layered secrets and their unraveling. I thought we learned pretty much all the secrets in the second book, but it turned out there was a lot more to uncover in this third and last. Some series conclusions are letdowns, since the climax has been revealed in a prior book, and the finale is there to simply tie up the remaining strings. This book delivered a full ride. There are new secrets, the characters are ever developing and changing, the plot remains fresh and is full of new ideas... Everything I've enjoyed about the first two books is delivered here again, on a fresh plate.

Family and honesty have been constant themes in this series. First, with Ren having no family and conning her way into others'. As the plot moved on, Ren collected friends and family from the unlikeliest of places, but relationships can't stand on lies, and Ren's new connections will be tested as truths come under the harsh spotlight.

The side characters have had their own subplots and development throughout the series, and this book didn't fail to deliver the same. Vargo, Alsius, Grey, Tenaquis... Each have their own moments in the spotlight, some in very unexpected ways, and they are each given satisfying conclusions. As with the previous books, the plot is entrancingly complex and multilayered. Both the prose and world building bring the reader deeply into the story, making the world feel as real as our own.

This was a very satisfying conclusion to the series. Ren's journey from an orphan nobody to her fake life as a noblewoman/szorza/Black Rose vigilante come together as her secrets are revealed, her own mysterious past is uncovered, and her relationships with her friends and found families are tested by her lies. When all the Masks are removed, what will the Faces beneath reveal?

In this conclusion to the Rook and Rose series all Ren's scams and lies finally come to light making it real hard for her to plan her happily ever after and free everyone from their curses.

I enjoyed this, I am especially thankful for the recap of the previous books since its been a while, and I think this was a good resolution to the story overall. Nothing groundbreaking but a well told comfortable fantasy.

I recommend this series to fans of political fantasy featuring a scam/heist.

I loved the ending to this trilogy so much, there's honestly not much I could say aside from what will inevitably turn out to be a bunch of incoherent ramblings about Ren and Grey and Vargo and Alsius riddled with misspellings due to how my tears will blur the letters of the keyboard as I try to type- so I'll keep this short. I loved this trilogy- the worst part about this book was that it was the final one and I'll no longer be able to look forward to more stories with these wonderful characters that I have grown so attached to. I wasn't expecting much when I first picked up Mask of Mirrors what seems like forever ago now, but I am so incredibly happy that I did because The Rook and Rose trilogy has become one of my absolute favorite fantasy series of all time and I cannot wait to reread the books in a few months when I inevitably begin to miss this world and the characters in it too much. 10/10, this book made me cry so much and fed my constant desire to be consuming "found family" media, I loved it.

9/10

It took me a while to get through this book, but that in no way means it was bad. I wanted to savor this book as it felt perfectly paced. I think that it was a great conclusion to the story with a few twists and turns that I definitely did not see coming. It also wrapped up all of the character's stories nicely. Overall the <i>Rook & Rose</i> Trilogy is such a unique experience that I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy or a good con/heist story.

Man oh man, ughhhh. These books are investments, investments of your time, your emotions and all of your thoughts. But holy do they ever pay off. I am in love, like just completely obsessed, with this series and Labyrinth’s Heart is just an epic earth shattering finale. I read a lot of series and I find let downs more often than not are inevitable but the Rook and Rose just got better and better and better. These are the books you buy and you cherish, and you lend them to only the most trusted friends. When I picked up this last book my world went into upheaval and I had 5-20 minutes a day to pick it up but it was my most anticipated 5-20 minutes of the last month and a half and I’m so sad it over.

These characters are as good as they get. But especially Vargo, he and Peabody’s relationship is the most emotionally beautiful thing and the development of Vargo’s character into who he became will be my favourite character growth for books and books to come. Give me a side story of Vargo growing up with Peabody, I need so much more!! And I also need a Pattern deck IMMEDIATELY!!!!

The Rook and Rose series is one of the best epic fantasy series I’ve ever read, if not the best, truly. I’m so grateful for NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC of the first book The Mask of Mirrors because it introduced me to this world, and again for this ARC of The Labyrinth’s Heart. And thank you to the authors, I wish every book was as good as these!!

The two-author team,Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, writing as M. A. Carrick conclude their tale of an imaginary Italian renaissance city-state of Nadežra which is filled with various cultures that rarely get along, Ren, who was introduced in The Mask of Mirrors (paper) as a scam artist pretending to be nobility, has become more settled in her life. Then the woman, who she had robbed and claimed as her mother, comes to the city, blackmailing Ren by threatening to give her secret away. While as the black Rose she still has to save her city, even against a civil war, the balancing act has become very difficult. Eventually she has to navigate into the dream world and navigate to Labyrinth's Heart (paper from Orbit) to calm the city and solve its basic problems. I really enjoyed this series.

Labyrinth's Heart is the epic conclusion to the absolutely engrossing and beautifully-written Rook & Rose trilogy. I cannot say enough about this series and highly recommend it, whether you typically like fantasy or not. The world building in this series is uncomparable and the characters stay with you long after you've finished reading. I will thoroughly miss all of the characters, but particularly Vargo and Peabody (and of course Ren and Gray). It is difficult to provide a summary of a third book without giving away spoilers of the first two, so I will simply say that Labyrinth's Heart is a perfect conclusion. All plot holes are tied up nicely and each character's arc is beautifully completed. I laughed and I cried throughout this third installment, and at the end, I was so thoroughly satisfied. Thank you M.A. Carrick for introducing this world and the charcters to all of us! Easy 5 stars (for each book individually and for the series as a whole)!

Labyrinth's Heart was a great finale to The Rook and Rose trilogy. I'm very sad to be leaving these characters now. So... Labyrinth's Heart...
the good of it
- the character interactions and relationships as always were fabulous. This series seriously has some of my favorite found family! The characters made me feel things!
- the twist was well done and I'm impressed with how the authors made it make sense in context of the previous books and laid clues without giving it away
- everything coming together was very satisfying and as in the last point, speaks to the plotting of the series overall

the ill of it
- the first half was a bit draggy, but once the second half kicked it it didn't let up

and that which is neither:
- the ending was slightly convenient, but also just what I wanted out of it, so your mileage may vary
- some of our favorite side characters were slightly neglected, but I honestly didn't really notice cause I was immersed in the main story.

Overall I highly recommend Rook and Rose and can't wait for more people to read it! 4.5 stars

Thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I also listened to the audio narrated by Nikki Massoud, who is fantastic at bringing the characters to life!

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

"Labyrinth's Heart" by M.A. Carrick marks the compelling conclusion to the Rook & Rose trilogy. Set in the enchanting city of Nadežra, this book weaves together intricate layers of mystery, tarot and astrology-based magic, and captivating characters.

Ren, the con artist, has assumed various identities, each representing a different facet of her complex life. As Renata, she's the heir to House Traementis; as Arenza, a pattern-reader and political rebel; and as the Black Rose, a vigilante fighting alongside the legendary Rook. Together with allies Grey Serrado and Derossi Vargo, they face the consequences of their actions, as dangerous ancient magic threatens to consume the city they call home and bring their world to its knees.

From the very first book, the Rook & Rose trilogy captured my heart with its lush world-building, multi-dimensional characters, and enthralling storyline. The authors continue to focus on family bonds in this queer-normative setting in a masterful way. The intricate web of narratives within this series culminates in a satisfying and complex conclusion that resonates deeply.

As the trilogy draws to a close, "Labyrinth's Heart" unravels the threads of the characters' lives, evoking a rollercoaster of emotions from heartbreak to joy. This series has left an indelible mark on me, and I'm grateful to the authors for crafting such a beautiful and immersive world filled with memorable characters. "Labyrinth's Heart" is a fitting finale that captures the essence of family, connections, and the power of bonds, leaving readers with a lingering and bittersweet book hangover. I'd do it all over again in a second.

Farewell, Vargo, Ren, and Grey. May you see the face and not the mask. I hope to see you all again someday.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC and Orbit Books for the physical copy. This is my honest review.

4 ⭐️ While I really really liked part three and the overall conclusion to this trilogy, I was really frustrated by part 1 which felt kind of superfluous and not relevant to the larger plot to me. That being said, the twists, turns, reveals and conclusions make the Rook and Rose a truly fantastic political fantasy. If you love banter, found family, political scheming, and Batman in Venice type vibes you should DEFINITELY check out this trilogy.

This was really well done! I enjoyed the continuation of the story, it really is an Adult Six of Crows meets The Lies of Locke Lamora! Enchanting and strategic!

I'm so glad I found this series three years ago. The books are excellent, with a crazy level of detail and world building, and characters that I feel like have become my friends. I'm sad to see this end, but elated to see how everything played out and a (hopefully) happy ending for everyone.

Like the other books, this is long. It's one of the few 600+ page books I've read where I understand why it's so long and think every page is worth it. There's multiple main characters and plot lines happening and I'm glad the authors didn't rush anything and wrapped up the series nicely.

Fantastic books and I look forward to seeing what else the author's brains come up with!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the copy.

After LOVING The Mask of Mirrors and really enjoying The Liar's Knot, I was really looking forward to this one! And it didn't disappoint!
All the things I love about this trilogy were back: cool vivid setting, fascinating layered characters, and political intrigue. Unfortunately, the things I disliked were also back: somewhat confusing actiony scenes (especially involving the dream world) and a few too many pages. I felt like this started extremely strong and then slogged in the middle, but it did have a good ending.
If you enjoyed the first two books, it is definitely worth your time to read this one and see how it all concludes!