I'm constantly surprised by the twisty reveals and crazy battles of this series, and this book was no exception! Without any spoilers, I really enjoyed the split POVs in this book and how it affected our main characters. It feels like the author is in control of the events, while also expanding the plot hugely and beyond my expectations. The balance of hardcore fantasy (the Gates system is so interesting and I LOVE the depictions of the 6th Gate in this book particularly) and a little bit of philosophy/soul searching was really lovely.

I'm just really grateful to have gotten to read this early and finish up a series that I've really enjoyed this year: thank you very much to the publisher for the e-arc!

This series is like Gideon the Ninth but way more teenage angst and fantasy rather than sci fi. But still the end of the world.

Raine, Esher, and Sanvaunt had escaped to another realm, a place of myth known as the Fault, even as the king of Harranir passed on and the power of the Crown was lost. The power that stabilised the world or otherwise saw its end.
In the Fault, a darker place filled with monsters no one can imagine, the trio track the Queen of Feathers to find a way to escape the nightmare world.

’Find me a trouble in the world and I'll show you a frightened, self-absorbed man behind it,’ Esher said.

There’s a major love triangle going on here, and similar to my complaints from book two, way too much focus was put on this rather than the, you know, actual end of the world doom and gloom.
I get that they’re teenagers or young adults, but I feel you would have less time to be so jealous and caught up in pity tempers when facing your destruction around every bend. It just felt extremely childish and annoying.

It is slightly disappointing as I LOVED book one so much and had high hopes that book three would pull itself back from the slightly disappointing book two. Yet, McDonald seems to have more of a focus on teen drama than the more interesting necromantic elements.

That’s not to say the darkness was ever downplayed. This is a dark and gritty world with such an interesting magic system consisting of souls and Gates and energy!

Not to mention, McDonald’s writing skills is not to be underestimated. How he uses language to evoke emotions and puts into words an amalgamation of thoughts and feelings previously inexpressible.

We're made of the things that happen to us as much as we are our father and mother. Bits of the world embed themselves, become prints against our skin. They become scars on our bones, words that we speak and the shadows beneath our eyes. We're all of those experiences, good and bad, and they make us anew with every dawn and leave us changed with the setting of every sun.

I was let down by the ending and felt slightly cheated, but it also felt quite apt and circular, so I feel like this will just depend on personal preference and expectations.

Thank you to Tor Books for providing an arc in exchange for a review!

The first two books were mostly about Raine learning magic and trying to stop these evil men from taking over the government. And then Raine and her two best friends get stuck in this realm in between the demon realm and the mortal realm and the whole plot upends itself.

Yeah so this realm is trippy and horrifying. There are demons everywhere they have to fight, no one needs to eat or drink, and they’re on the hunt for this mysterious ghost lady who helped Raine before in hopes she can send them home to save the world. Along the way, they face some of the most dreamlike/nightmarish creatures and scenarios I’ve seen in a while.

It felt like the author took the main characters out of the plot they were supposed to be in and plopped them into trippy nightmare land. It was clear they were making progress in finding the mysterious ghost lady, but slowly. And then after they finally find someone who can help them find her Raine does something really stupid and performs mitosis on herself. The battle hardened, revenge filled half of her goes back to the mortal world to save the world. And the kind, loving half stays in the trippy demon realm to accompany her friends on their quest.

I know this might sound really weird, but trust me, it makes perfect sense in context and actually works really well for the narrative. I just did not see this coming. No one could have predicted this. It’s so outlandish to think that the main character of any book could magically split in two and live two lives at the same time. But here we are.

Raine was conflicted about how to go forward, because one half of her wanted to be there for her friends while the other half said why not do evil necromancy? I’m actually really impressed that she made this decision. I wouldn’t have thought of this as an option, even if I knew it was possible. She does what’s necessary to win the war and stop the demons from coming to the mortal realm permanently.

Sometimes it was hard to read about Raine’s unapologetically brutal half fighting with very amoral methods, especially when tragedy strikes and her reaction is, why not just use necromancy to fix this? But then it would flip back to the other Raine and all was well with the world.

Looking back on this series as a whole, I’m really surprised how much romance was in it. Raine has two potential love interests, which she eventually realizes she can’t choose between and maybe doesn’t need to. It’s pretty slow burn for most of the series, which is why I was able to tolerate it…ok…fine…I maybe kind of liked it. Shhhhh. Don’t tell anyone I actually liked a romance subplot for once. I think what I hate about romance is super fast paced romance that begins with physical and/or sexual attraction. The romance in this series focuses in on them becoming friends and then falling in love with each other as people. Why can’t fantasy romance have more of this? Why is it always the other way around?

There were a couple new characters in this one, one of them a little metal man who was very kind and the other a horrible demon who can turn into a giant monster. They were really nice foils of each other (pun absolutely intended) and I loved seeing them butt heads. Also, horse lovers will be happy we get to see more of the magical horses that can travel between realms. They were briefly in one of the earlier books, but they play a big role in this one. Was I a horse girl as a kid? I’ve ridden horses plenty of times since my aunt has a horse and…nope, not for me. I prefer all the small, cute, soft animals, bonus points if they live in the woods. (ie. 🦊)

I just loved reading this book! I've really enjoyed it since the beginning, and after the ending of the previous book, yeah, I was really excited to pick this one up, and see how this story ends! Boy, is that ending huge and epic!

So Raine and her two loves are trapped in the Fault, searching for the Queen of Feathers, because she is the one who's helped Raine before, and that was a difficult journey for them. Once they found a safe harbour, well, that was when the story got interesting!

Raine really has had this inner turmoil, of who she is and who she wants to be, which was pretty interesting in this book, given what happens! The plans that were made, yeah, that was so excellent to read, as well as finally finding out who the Queen of Feathers was!

As always, I want more of the post-climax. I have so many questions about the ending, and how these characters are after going through all that. We know about a few, but there are more that I want to know about! But it was such a fantastic ending!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by Ed McDonald!

This had everything that I enjoyed from the Redwinter series, I enjoyed getting back into this world and characters. It felt like a great continuation and I loved the cover of this novel. It had the elements that I enjoyed from Ed McDonald and was glad I was able to read this.

Having been saved from execution at the hands of the Draoihn – powerful magic users Raine used to count as allies – Raine finds herself in the Fault, a vast magical wasteland, which is falling apart before her eyes.

Alongside her two closest companions, they are searching for the only person Raine believes can help them get back home: the enigmatic and infuriatingly elusive Queen of Feathers.

But what home are they trying to get back to? Ovitus LacNaithe, power-hungry traitor that he is, has taken control of the Draoihn and is unwittingly doing the bidding of a darker master. He is soon to take control of the Crown of Harranir and plunge the land into unending darkness.

The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance. The stakes have never been higher. It's going to take Raine's dark, terrible powers, as well as the unbreakable bond of three friends, to ensure everyone lives to see the dawn.

The epic conclusion to Ed McDonald's Redwinter Chronicles, Witch Queen of Redwinter brings together breathtaking magic, unflinching fellowship and the gruesome spectacle of war in the most thrilling of fantasy adventures.

I thought this was the perfect conclusino to an epic fantasy series that I absolutely ATE UP! Fast paced, dark and gritty. Everything I love about grimdark and Ed Mcdonald absolutely nailed the ending!

Wow! one of the great Redwinter novels. thanks for letting me review this.

The Witch Queen of Redwinter" by Ed McDonald is a spellbinding fantasy novel that immerses readers in a world of dark magic, political intrigue, and unforgettable characters. Set in a land plagued by war and treachery, the story follows the journey of a young woman named Isobel, who discovers she is the long-lost heir to the throne of Redwinter.

McDonald's writing is evocative and atmospheric, transporting readers to a world where danger lurks around every corner. The characters are complex and well-rounded, with Isobel's journey of self-discovery at the heart of the narrative. The author deftly weaves together themes of power, identity, and sacrifice, creating a story that is both thought-provoking and thrilling.

One of the novel's strengths is its world-building, with McDonald creating a vivid and immersive setting that feels both familiar and fantastical. From the towering spires of Redwinter Castle to the twisted forests of the Witchwood, each location is brought to life with rich detail and imagination.

Overall, "The Witch Queen of Redwinter" is a captivating read that will leave fans of fantasy eager for more. McDonald's skillful storytelling and vivid imagination make this book a must-read for anyone looking for an epic adventure in a richly realized world.

This doesn't work as a stand-alone so it isn't right for our libraries. I stopped after chapter 1 (5%). I did like some of the snarky one-liners in the narration. I am not familiar with Ed McDonald's prior work so unfortunately can't compare, but it feels like a solid 3-4 stars with 5 stars for the right readers. The prose reads well.

Thank to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.