"Hereafter" by Jody Hedlund

[reviewsbyerin]

The final book in the Lost Princess series is here! If you missed any of you my reviews, you can find them at these links: Always Evermore Foremost

With eldest princess Adelaide Constance ready to reclaim her rightful place as queen of Mercia, it is time for youngest princess Emmeline to come out of hiding. Raised in isolation in Inglewood Forest., Emmeline has always known her true identity, but she loves her quiet home and has no interest in stepping into the public eye, especially during a war.

When crown prince Ethelrex finally tracks down Emmeline and threatens her family, Emmeline is forced to leave her home and soon finds herself being used as a pawn against the sisters she has never met. Her lonely background has not prepared her to stand against manipulation or face the fears that roil inside her. Emmeline must quickly learn to embrace her heritage and her gifts if she hopes to aid her sisters and help remove evil King Ethelwulf from the throne.

There were a number of things that made this story stand out from the others. Emmeline was quite the reluctant heroine, and I thought it was very realistic that she would have a hard time being brave and wise when her world before she was captured had been so small. I was also shocked and pleasantly surprised to find out the identity of the hero of this book. While he has been present throughout the series, I would not have guessed he would turn out to have his own story. He goes through quite a transformation in his own right.

If you like medieval fairy tales, this series is one you should check out. Each book is full of danger and adventure, and the conclusion is highly satisfying.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All opinions in this review are my own.