The Queen

The last. I don’t know how I feel. I don’t know if I can handle it. What am I going to do without Nora, Soren and Kingsley in my lifeeee? How tragic this is. But on the plus side, another amazing story by Tiffany Reisz. All the pieces of the puzzle have been put into place and after everything I can say that I am very well content knowing all about the Unholy Trinity. I think this is the first time I’ve finished a book series (a very thorough one at that) and have felt a sense of peace and satisfaction. There’s no cliffhanger, there’s no loose ends that need tying. (Although I’m still waiting for a thorough Nora x Nico story!). I’m just…at peace and it’s a really good feeling finishing such a story heavy series like this. Following the wedding of Griffin and Michael, Soren and Nora find time alone to reflect and possibly confess some of the secrets they’ve kept from each other for a very long time. After her year at the convent, Eleanor decides that she wants to be a writer, but in order to do that she needs money. Kingsley offers her a job, the job of being his Queen of the Underworld – turning Eleanor into a Dominatrix. She faces many challenges along with thoughts of Soren sitting in the back of her mind, asking her to come back to him. The problem is, if she does, he won’t allow her to be a Dominatrix anymore. Mistress Nora will have to choose between being his Little One and his Eleanor, or being the person she was all along. “A fool’s errand, Little One. If you waited until all my wounds were healed, you would be here forever.” Now that I’ve read the entire series (minus the novellas), I can confidently say that I prefer the Red Years over the White Years. Yes, there’s more Nora and Soren (especially in The Saint) but I felt more on the edge of my seat with that series, rather than reading this and knowing that things will have worked out in the end (it’s just a matter of how they worked out – the details in the print). Nora’s journey was hard. So hard. I can’t even begin to think about how hard it was. And that’s another thing I like about these books is that things weren’t just handed to her. She struggled very emotionally and mentally. Yes, she had support from Kingsley most of the time, and from Soren, but she still worked hard. It’s not like all of these things just fell into her lap and were given to her. Eleanor worked hard to become Mistress Nora, and would do anything to keep Soren in her life. “Don’t confuse love with romance, young lady. Romance is beautiful, it’s a gesture, it’s a walk in a park with a pretty girl. Love is ugly sometimes. It’s a crawl into a war zone to save a friend. Romance whispers sweet nothings. Love tells painful truths. Romance gives an engagement ring. Love takes a bullet.” **The end of the book really did it for me. The last chapter or so was the kicker for me. Sure, Reisz followed a very specific formula with these books that made them a little repetitive, but they served their purpose in retelling the story of Nora, Soren and Kingsley’s younger years.** I can’t say too much about the book without providing too many spoilers, but I will say that hearing a bit about Soren and what he felt, not just in this book but even parts in the Red Years was VERY ENLIGHTENING. “I’ll come home,” Søren said. “I promise.” “Please,” she said. “You take my heart with you.” He kissed her forehead. “Little One, you are my heart.” There’s part of me that wishes the books were written and read in order, but at the same time parts of me feels as though it would take away from the story if the first book readers read was The Saint instead of The Siren. This is still highly ranked in my most RECOMMENDED series of all times and will hold a special place in my heart. Always. Everything. Forever. 4.5/5 Hearts of Love

A truly remarkable, unforgettable series.