Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved the first two books in this series, and I was eager to read the final book - and it definitely did not disappoint!

One of the things I have loved about this series is that, for the most part, the characters are just not simple, good v. evil. The good characters have their issues, and are not perfect. And, my feelings about most of the bad characters are also ambivalent (not all, but many). Almost everyone has a reason for what they do, and this makes the whole thing far more interesting to read about. There is also growth throughout the series, in which you can see the characters developing through their experiences.

The intriguing world building has also continued. The idea that the human characters are now fighting some of the 9 demons adds another dimension to the story, along with the fact that some of the demons want to stay in this realm, but without being destructive to humans. It's a complete book, and a satisfying end to the trilogy. But, if Ms. Caruso chooses to return, I can think of many plot lines that could develop from here!

Just one thing - I strongly would recommend that you not jump into this series with #3. Reading 1 and 2 first would make this book make more sense - and why deprive yourself of the pleasure of reading books 1 and 2!

Now that this second trilogy from author Melissa Caruso has reached its end it’s become clear to me that she likes to deliver her maximum narrative impact with the final book: the first two volumes in the Rooks & Ruin series set the playing field and shaped the main characters, and were certainly supported by a good dose of dramatic moments and momentous revelations, but The Ivory Tomb brings all those elements toward such a harrowing climax that at times I felt emotionally drained - and I say this in the most complimentary way possible.

Please be aware that this review will contain spoilers for the first two books in the series, so if you have not read them yet, you risk learning about important details that you had better discover on you own…

When we first met Ryx, the protagonist of the story, she led a forcibly sequestered life because her “tainted” magic made her touch deadly for any living thing, and it was only her meeting with the Rookery - a group of special agents dealing with out-of-bound magical phenomena - that she was allowed to interact with others in a normal way thanks to a jess (a sort of controlling bracelet) that muted her powers. Not long after she became part of the Rookery, Ryx could not enjoy her period of grace for long, because the escape of several demons, held captive in the prison to which her castle guarded the portal, threw the world into renewed turmoil, further weighted by the double revelation that Ryx had long been the host for the demon of Disaster and that her beloved grandmother was now hosting the demon of Discord.

The freed demons - particularly Carnage, Corruption and Hunger - are on a rampage in The Ivory Tomb, laying waste to everything and everyone they encounter on their path and doing their worst to compound such devastation by setting the Raverran and Vaskandar empires on the warpath through misinformation and the skillful rekindling of old grudges. Poor Ryx finds herself torn in more than one direction as she tries to help her friends defuse the situation, capture the escaped demons and save the people she loves from becoming victims of the ravages of war. Not to mention avoid being imprisoned (or worse) herself because of the demon to which she has long been a vessel…

My sympathy for Ryx was born in the first volume of the series as I discovered how despite the harsh circumstances of her existence she managed to forge a character that was both kind and resilient, compassionate and determined, but here she truly shines brightly because she is faced with such odds that would have defeated the strongest of personalities, and yet she still finds the courage and the strength to move forward, to face whatever hurdle circumstances set on her path, while struggling with the dreadful revelation about her true nature and with the danger of being subsumed by Disaster and the avalanche of memories collected by the demon during its time through other hosts.

One of the most intriguing narrative elements in this series, and in particular in this final book, is the revelation that not all demons are… well, demonic, and that some of them are - or have been - capable of mastering their nature thanks to the people they interacted with: this is very true for Disaster’s past history which is revealed in a series of flashbacks as the barriers between the demon and Ryx become more permeable. Intriguing as they are, these flashbacks ended up being a little distracting for me, taking me away from the dire situation that was developing in the ‘present’, as Ryx and the Rookery tried to stay abreast of the havoc meted out by the other demons: it’s not the book’s fault, I want that to be clear, but simply my reaction at having to set aside for a moment what for me was the main - and more important - narrative thread.

The other element that bothered me a little was the lessened focus on the Rookery members, whose characterization and interactions had always been very enjoyable for me: again, I understand how it was necessary for the story to concentrate on other narrative paths, and I can rationally see the reason for this choice, but emotionally I felt a little… cheated, for want of a better word, for not being able to see them as much as I wanted.

On the other hand, I have to acknowledge Melissa Caruso’s wonderful skill in weaving a romantic thread in her narrative without making me roll my eyes in annoyance: she might very well be one of the few authors who are able to present a developing romantic relationship in their stories and to make me appreciate it despite my usual aversion to the theme. Ryx and Severin make a delightful couple and their slow-burn romance feels appealing and true, their interactions are always consistent with their characters and the situations in which they develop, so that - let’s admit it - I was rooting for them all the time and hoping that they would enjoy a happy end. Well done, Ms. Caruso, indeed…. ;-)

The Ivory Tomb is not only the magnificent conclusion to a well-crafted saga, it’s above all a breathless, heart-stopping marathon through a series of events whose increasing stakes will compel you to turn the pages as quickly as you can. As for myself, I can only look forward to seeing what Melissa Caruso will have in store for her readers in the future: one thing is certain, it will be another great ride.


**4 & 1/2 STARS**

The Ivory Tomb is the final book in the Rooks and Ruin trilogy and is literally the only thing that kept me sane during the many queues for rollercoasters during our recentf vacation. I read 75% of this book while surrounded by noisy, fidgety people and it was able to totally transport me, which I think is quite complementary to Melissa Caruso’s storytelling ability. Be forewarned, the rest of this review will contain spoilers for all the books in this series, including this one!

This picks up right after the worst of the demons were released from the Nine Hells. Carnage is slaughtering her way through the Raverran countryside while Corruption is rotting Vaskandar one village at a time. Ryx and her friends in the Rookery are trying their best to curb the monsters plaguing the human world, but some simply cannot be reasoned with. The artificers developed a device that can theoretically trap the demons when they leave their host and of course some idiot from Raverra decides that Ryx is the perfect demon to test this on. You know, the same demon that thought she was a human until recently and has been trying to help stop the others. Poor Ryx spends the entire book either watching out for potential treachery from the Raverrans, looking out for Hunger or Carnage (who both want her blood), and running from location to location trying to stay one step ahead. Rather stressful.

I thought the friendships and relationships in this series were handled really well and had nice, believable development. I am totally a sucker for the aethlings, so Ryxander, Severin, and the lovely tension between them might have been my favorite part. I also love that the Rookery totally stands behind Ryx, even when outside forces are trying to shoehorn her into the role of monster and it puts them at risk by association. I do think things with the demons wrapped up very quickly. I could have sworn I had a hundred pages left (those darn previews for others books at the end tricked me) and suddenly the nasty demons are back in the Nine Hells and the reformable demons are doing fifty years of penance to make up for their crimes. Including Ryx, which was totally unfair but hey, at least she gets visitors and gets to remain the Warden of Gloamingard and the epilogue was heartwarming. 

Overall, I thought this was a solid wrap up to the series, though I think the second book might be my favorite because it was absolutely fraught with revelations and drama. These books are a great mix of political drama, magical throw down, and slow burn romance (just a bit, not too much). I think they can easily appeal to readers across a wide range of ages and they’re really fun while also handling some pretty serious topics/issues in a fantasy setting.

I enjoyed this book greatly. It was an amazing sequel, and I loved diving back into the world of the series.

My thanks to Orbit books, Melissa Caruso and Netgalley.
Egads! I have dearly loved and enjoyed these books!
I hate to see it come to an end, but now I'm curious to read whatever is coming next from this author.

The Ivory Tomb is the conclusion of The Rooks and Ruin series. The Demons have returned to earth and Ryx must find a way to send them back and save the planet.

I really enjoyed the return (and finale!) to the Rook and Ruin series. It picks up right after the end of book 2 and never slows down from there. It is paced super fast with tons of running and fighting and snark from the outset. She does a fantastic job of moving through Ryx's now and then, letting the backstory come to the fore in a way that's woven in nicely. The endings are all well earned and true to the characters throughout.

Love this series and I'm excited to see what's next from this author.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and Netgalley to review.

Well I loved reading these books! I previously read The Obsidian Tower, but that was just before it first came out, and before I read her first series. Now that I read that, I was really excited to read this whole series, but I was waiting to be closer to The Ivory Tomb's release-and then I got an ARC, so I had to read them all now!

Now that I'm more familiar with this world, I was looking for mentions of familiar faces, and maybe names. This is set 150 years later, so only some of the Witch Lords are around, like the Crow Lord, which was nice. But he and Amelia founded the Rookery, so there is that!

Knowing the reveals of the first book, I was like, gate from hell, this is important, this is dangerous, and most of you are not going about this is the right way. But then we get to the second book, and oh, the reveals there! I think Ashe and Severin are the only ones who don't have a personal drama going on, and they're drawn into what was going on with the rest of the team. That reveal for Ryx is the biggest, but Kessa and Foxglove's was pretty big, as well!

While this book has more of a focus on the magic, it does deal a lot with politics, between the two nations, and with the demons, Ryx has an interesting place, given her heritage with a parent from both, and that she's also the Demon of Disaster. Each time that they had to go up against a demon, she had a huge role of being the communicator, one who had faint memories now of her past, of who the other demons are.

I loved how things wrapped up, it was really satisfying, and now that she has Gloamingard, that was really great. I do wish we could've had more of the past, who the Graces were and how they sent the demons back, and how Laeka was when Disaster took down Carnage, and when Disaster when back to the Hells. Alas.

This was such a fantastic series, and I can't wait to see what Melissa Caruso writes next, in this world, or something else!

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)