Book review: The Kingston Cycle

The Kingston Cycle by C.L.Polk is a trilogy made up of Witchmark, Stormsong, and Soulstar. The series follows a set of siblings and their friends as they grapple with their family's past and the impact its had on their world. This series did a great job of dealing with the personal guilt of being complicit in systems of power that don't benefit everyone (although I almost couldn't finish Stormstong because Grace's particular brand of white-lady feminism was too well done, and sometimes it hurts to read the truth).

I was really impressed with the end of this series. The conclusion felt realistic given the scale of the problems. For a while I wasn't sure it would get there, given how accurately the book tackles the real structural issues of society today. Maybe that was just my pessimism speaking, though.

And finally: I loved that this series wasn't romantasy, nor romantic fantasy. It was Fantasy, and it was Romance, and followed the beats and expectations of both. I want more.

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Audely Bensen Writes

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