As a longtime fan of Jeff Wheeler's, I've read many of his trilogies, including the "Muirwood" and "Kingfountain" series, and, of course, the first three "Harbinger" books. One thing Wheeler has said before is he enjoys the challenge of making the middle books in his series exciting, not just placeholders between the first and last ones. He has certainly done that again with "Prism Cloud." We're back in the world with all the characters we've come to love, including Sera, Cettie and Fitzroy. The book holds a reader's attention from the beginning to the end. I think I can honestly say this is the most intense book I've read by this author, and the wait until June for the final book will be difficult. One thing I've always enjoyed about Wheeler's books is the way he sprinkles them with Easter eggs, tidbits from previous series that are little rewards for readers who have read his previous books. The books stand on their own, but it's always fun to find those tucked into the books. If I was to sum up "Prism Cloud," I'd borrow the words from Bette Davis' character in "All About Eve," where she says, "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy (ride)."

Feedback
UGHHHHHHH. Jeff Wheeler has done it again. He has created a heart wrenching story that makes you keep turning the pages to find out what lies next. This installment was no different. Wheeler creates high tension moments throughout this whole novel. Many secrets are revealed which leads to twists and turns as the story continues. There was a lot learned after the third book and premonitions in the beginning of the book that creates this uneasiness at the very start. Throughout the book, it was a waiting of game of what is going to happen next. I thought this book moved more fast paced that the other ones. This really created a great flow for the story, right before the big finish. It is so nice to see the two worlds coming together, even if it’s not in the best way. One of my favorite things about Wheeler’s books is his ability to create separate stories but bring them all together with the rich history he’s created.

Cettie and Sera are going through so many adventures and feelings. And friends, I’m right there with them. Cettie has a huge trial as she figures out who her true mother is and has to come to terms with that. On top of trying to save the Fitzroy’s, she is feeling the responsibilities of her powers. She continues to grow and that strength is definitely noticed in the story. The very is really rough as you want her to continue down her good path, but with bad influences, it’s hard for her not to question her nature. Sera is amazing. She is truly growing into the empress that Comoros needs. From the first book to where she is now, Sera has grown the most. Her actions are thought through and while she still relies on her instinct, she is more careful. I loved how Sera’s character has grown and the strength she has also obtained. These two girls have gone through a lot and I have a feeling that it’s going to be even more in the final installment.

Final Thoughts
Overall, Prism Cloud by Jeff Wheeler is an emotional roller-coaster, in a good way. The book non-stops starts to reveal its secrets that kept me on the edge of my seat. This was faster paced than the other stories which was very successful. The revelations were all done in fantastic timing, keeping the suspense perfectly aligned. Cettie and Sera continue to grow strong. These two girls are so powerful, both in magic and mind. This book was definitely a set up for a very rough ending to this story and I can’t wait to continue it. I highly recommend this book if you love this world and want to continue Cettie and Sera’s stories.

One person died in the last book and I was shocked … little did I know what was waiting for me in this book. Heartbreak, scandal, and tears!

I can’t even really say much about the plot because at this point EVERYTHING is a spoiler! Just read it. Or if you haven’t yet, start at the beginning.

I can say a little about Cettie and Sera. Sera has made so many changes since we first met her as a child in Storm Glass. She has matured into a real leader for her people. As for Cettie, I don’t even know what to say. I adore her and I am not sure what is going to happen to her after the events of this book. She’s starting to scare me a little. But her heart is in the right place isn’t it? Will that save her in the end? I don’t know but thank goodness we have one more book to go in this series and it comes out in June 2019. I have to know what happens to her!

As for the one major loss we have to adjust to in the book. I knew it was coming. I mean it was seen in a vision, but I just kept holding out for a miracle. I’m just bereft. He was my favorite.

One thing I love about this series is how the threads between the different worlds, and books tie together. Characters I read about 15 books ago tie in to happenings in this latest installment and as is noted by some of the characters it’s like the same events happen over and over but it’s all coming toward a certain eventuality. I’m not sure if this next book will be that eventuality but somehow this feels like it. Maybe I’m wrong, and there will be more afterward. Either way I’m along for the ride. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting for June to come. I can do this … I think. 😭

Song for this book: I Will Follow You Into the Dark – Death Cab for Cutie

Jeff Wheeler knows how to write a poignant story!

The central theme in "Prism Cloud" is control. Control over emotions, control over others, control over situations, etc. all drive the narrative within this novel. Cettie is struggling with control over her gifts and her identity, Sera is struggling with control over her responsibilities and the knowledge that comes with those responsibilities. Both young women learn that there are consequences to their choices for control. And, everyone suffers because of it.

Jeff Wheeler makes you care about and understand all of the characters within the story, which is why what happens to several of them in this novel are so gut-wrenching. Cettie and Sera are deceived constantly and they fight for control of the current situations, but the more they fight, the more control they lose. Meanwhile, it seems that both Comoros and Kingfountain are about to fall to a long forgotten foe.

All of the events and the bits as far back as "Mirror Gate," which is years ago in the "Harbinger" Timeline, make a comeback and are relevant to everything that happens in "Prism Cloud." The climax within the plot has reached its climax and the denouement can lead this series towards two potential endings. However, it is not the resolution so much as the events leading up to it that I'm piqued with curiosity.

It's been a while since I was so eager for the next, and final, book in a series! "Broken Veil" will be a very interesting conclusion to Wheeler's "Harbinger" series! June 2019 cannot come fast enough!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unfortunately I didn't notice this was the 4th book in a series and this surely didn't make me understand all the nuances in this book.
It's a very good book, well written and with a lot of world building.
I liked the plot, the characters and the style of writing.
I will surely read the rest of the series as I really liked this book.
Recommended!
Many thanks to 47North and Netgalley for this ARC

What I've found particularly interesting throughout this whole series is that this is a dual POV book in which the two POV characters, while they do know each other well, spend very little (to no) time together on the page. Cettia and Sera meet and bond at school, the majority of which takes place between the first two books, Storm Glass and Mirror Gate. Normally, this would bother me intensely. I've found in other books that I enjoy a dual POV that gives you two sides to the same story, and I like characters who get to interact on the page. But in this case, I think it works. Cettie and Sera capture that 'we're friends but we don't get to see each other a lot' friendship that I am currently relating to in a big way  - and that I think would apply to younger readers too, friendships change in a lot of different ways and capturing a long-distance friendship across four books is no mean feat.

So yes, I'm still enamoured with Cettie and Sera. I think I personally liked Sera's plotline more in this book, which is a bit of a departure from the norm as Cettie the sky sailing wonder is normally my hero, but perhaps I was in the mood for something a little more romantic and also political this time around? That is another great thing about this series is they have a lot of different themes and ideas so you can almost certainly find a story you either enjoy or are in the mood for within the wider narrative.

There's quite a bit of romance in this particular story, I've come to expect that from Wheeler's books and honestly, they tend to be very sweet. I would call it 'chaste' fiction (as opposed to 'clean) because I don't like the idea of 'clean' fiction as it implies a 'dirty' and therefore 'wrong' element. But if you are looking for something chaste then this is a great story to go for.

No spoilers, but I take back what I said about Jeff Wheeler only writing books where everything is ok all the time. I take it back Jeff. Please make things ok - because I am still not ok with some of the things that happened in this book. I won't spoil it for you, but if you are a fan of the series go in prepared.

I am still hugely invested in this series, and the fact that my enthusiasm has not yet been curbed after four books is nothing short of a miracle of great writing. It's also possibly because, unlike other series, I'm not waiting for very long in between books - I read Storm Glass in May of last year. But I do believe it's because of the imaginative and intriguing world Wheeler has crafted, and the fascinating story he is telling within that world. I am genuinely going to be a little sad when this series is over - and it may warrant a Kingfountain re-read.

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a digital advanced review copy for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I've been in awe of the Harbinger series from the start, and Prism Cloud (book 4) is complete perfection! This is the first of Jeff Wheeler's series that I have read, and I love every minute spent with Cettie and Sera in the beautiful, complex world he has created. I'm so looking forward to book 5, but torn because I don't want the series to end! Definitely one of the best fantasy series I've read, a wonderful story and storytelling at its best. Highly recommend.

I have loved every Jeff Wheeler novel I've read, and this one is no exception. Wheeler writes exceptionally good young adult fiction with strong young heroes/heroines overcoming long odds to save their worlds. Book 4 of the Harbinger series brought some really unexpected twists to the stories of Cettie and Sera, along with more merging of the Kingfountain and Muirwood worlds. Great plot, great writing, great story! Can't wait for the final volume in this series to come out! Many thanks to NetGalley and 47North for the e-arc. Highly recommend everything by Jeff Wheeler! 4.5 stars.

Wow, just wow. Prism Cloud, the 4th book in the Harbringer series is a shocker. This penultimate book turns the entire world on its head and two kingdoms collide in ways you do not see coming.

Sera and Cettie now have more clear paths to their future and will their friendship and kingdoms survive the series is the ultimate question. And now more than ever, the original Kingfountain series plays a role.

I have always been a fan of Cettie and how she is written, but I think I underestimated Sera and her transformation. It snuck up on me before I realized how much she has grown, changed and become the best character in the series. And let me just say, may we all find ourselves knowing and loving a Fitzroy and an Adam Creigh.

Rating: 2.75 stars, to be honest.

Writing: While the writing was excellent, I got completely lost in the overstuffed plot. Too many characters, too many names that I constantly had to keep re-reading who is who and who is engaged to who and related to someone else...it gave me a headache. If I need a spreadsheet just to keep track of everyone's lineage, I am in trouble. All the names were mouthful and that didn't help either. I am not saying name everyone Bob and Lucy, but to me the names were a bit too much. I guess it all comes down to the writer - I read all George RR Martin's novels and never had hard time following all the plot lines.

There were some interesting parts that kept the plot moving, but overall, it wasn't enough for me to be completely invested. I will read the series in order to see if that makes a difference and makes things clear.

It is my fault that I didn't realize that this is a book 4 before I started reading it. Have I known, I wouldn't request the ARC. Again, my bad.

Thank you very much to Negalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC.

Full disclosure that I have not read the other books in this specific series. I have read the Muirwood series though so I'm familiar with some of the elements of the world. While I was a little less knowledgeable on some of the concepts that were obviously in the other books, this was still an enjoyable read.

I’ve loved this series from the first book and was excited to read the latest installment. As always the book is fast paced and well written. I’ve read the Kingfountain and Muirwood books so the references were clear to me where they could be confusing to a reader who has not read those works. An element from previous books in those series is brought into play here that largely affects Cettie. I have to say I wasn’t excited about that. It does makes sense as a surprise to choose Cettie over Sera. Cettie has always been so strong and good that it comes as a shock. For those reasons I much preferred Sera’s chapters in the books. Sera has come along way in this series and it’s a joy to see her in this one.

In many ways this book operates as a traditional book two of a trilogy. There is a lot of build up here towards the conclusion in the upcoming book five. I do wish there had been more of some secondary characters. Joses was an important character at the beginning of the series and I wish he had been giving more of a role in this one. I really enjoy Rand and was hoping for more of him in this book. I am excited about the next book but I hope that it doesn’t mirror too much of the plots used in his other books given the new situation at hand here.

Wow! This book was better than the third book in the series. I was constantly gasping and whispering “oh wow! No way!”

The first half was a little slow, but around the 45% mark it picked up and was nonstop action until the end.

Like the previous book, Sera was my favorite character. Her storyline is more interesting than Cettie’s. There is a lot of loss in this book and I think Cettie will have to grapple with a lot in the next book. I’m curious to see what will happen when Cettie and Sera see each other again.

I picked up this series in the third book, so I didn’t spend much time with Adam until this book. I think he’s such a bland boring character and found him very uninteresting. I hope we’ll get to learn a little more about him. I hope we will also see Trevon again and am curious to see how Sera will handle everything she has on her plate.

I will definitely be reading the last book in the series and really must go back to read the first two.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, another great chapter in the Harbinger series. I can’t wait for the next and final chapter in their series. I don’t know what it is about these novels, but something just gets me excited and keeps me hooked form beginning to end. I think this was the first of the series to really break out of its shell and go rogue as well which I loved. It was also interesting that Cettie and Sera almost switched their roles by the end of this book. I think everything is setting up for an intense battle and showdown between everyone involved. Can’t wait!

Thank you to Jeff Wheeler and 47North for providing me with an advanced reading copy.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

Prism Cloud is the fourth book in Jeff Wheeler’s Harbinger series, a magical fantasy series that mixes Dickensian steampunk with the societal angst of Austen. I have loved the series so far, and Prism Cloud is no exception.

The plotlines have matured along with the characters. I read a ton of books. Genre fiction tends to follow one of a number of formulae, but Prism Cloud absolutely took me by surprise. This book was unpredictable in the best way.

I’ve grown to love Cettie, Sera and the rest of the cast over the previous three novels, and I find that as they grow and change, so do my feelings about them. Wheeler has a gift for creating characters who are *people*, fallible, changeable and flawed. Sometimes they rise to be the hero who is needed, sometimes they fail, and they don’t always get a happy ending.

They may be family, they may be friends, but they don’t always have the same goals. Sometimes, that leaves someone hurting. That’s life, and I really appreciate that the author doesn’t pull punches.

Prism Cloud is a book about nature vs. nurture; the family you’re born with vs. the family you choose for yourself.

The ending of this book left me feeling very anxious for the characters that I’ve come to love over the series. There were dark spots I expected and dark spots that I absolutely didn’t see coming. I can’t wait to see how things come together in the next and final installment.

Wheeler creates magical worlds that intersect with one another. I enjoyed the plot and character development. I am looking forward to the sequel..

Once again Jeff Wheeler spins an epic fantasy featuring the world of Comoros and Kingsfountain. Wheeler takes some quite surprising twists and turns in this novel and makes you wonder about the true nature of the main characters. Cettie in this novel takes some very interesting story lines and changes the way you think of her and of her future. Sera continues to become a force of nature in her own special way.

I did not read the earlier books in this series but was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to track the story and follow Sera’s and Cettie’s story. This world is so imaginative! I was struck by the surreal descriptions of such a fantastic world. Travel in this world....wow! The story brings many emotions especially through Sera’s sacrifices and decisions. I rooted for her the entire time. The last half of the book went incredibly fast, down to the very last page. I am looking forward to seeing how Cettie redeems herself a bit in the next book.

Jeff has done it again! I have read everyone of his books and I must say this one is my least favorite. Not because it was poorly written, in fact the opposite. This series has been so masterfully created that I have come to fall in love with its characters. And what happens to two of my favorite characters in this world really made me sad. Without giving anything away, I will tell you that this book will make you mad and sad at the same time. It will make you cry and it will also make you the question the notion of good vs evil. Jeff, I’m disappointed about that death, but hopefully that death won’t be in vain in the end. Looking forward to book 5!!!

I just want to say I love this series!!! And I am hoping Cetti doesn’t end up evil , because she’s my favorite. I only cried four times during this book. I can’t wait until the next book!!!