Cecilia: The Last Coilar Tier

Cecilia, along with her mother, and two older brothers, live in Plockton, an idyllic village home to 77 Plocktonians set amongst a post-apocalyptic world. Suddenly, her village falls victim to soldiers from Vitus, a steely city with brainwashed citizens trapped by inhumane laws dictated by Senators. The soldiers slaughter the children, women, elderly, the frail, and enslave the young men. Cecilia's older brothers save her life, screaming at her to Run as they are captured defending her. Against all odds, Cecilia survives, thus begins her quest to return the favour, and save her brothers from the claws of Vitus. Along the way, she encounters a goddess, an assassin, and hidden societies.

The very first thing that struck me about this book is Rotirolla's descriptive prowess. In fact, I highlighted almost the entire first page and popped many heart emoji's in my notes.

"The sun, fog, and canopy were at it again, quarrelling over who to blame for the forest's chilly morning air. The sun accused the canopy of not letting him in to do his job, to which the canopy bristled that his leaves had plentiful gaps for the sun's rays, arguing the lazy fog was at fault fo lingering far too long. Never one to move faster than a sleepy sloth, the fog let out an airy yawn and replied that if the golden ball of fire tried a little harder and warmed the air a little quicker, his mist could float away, and if the Green Emperor weren't so prideful of his canopy, he wouldn't be trapped in the first place."


It is only fair to share with you in this review this example of masterful writing. I could explain to hell and high-water how amazing the description is, but ultimately, you need to see yourself the writing powers you are up against in this book. I bring it up because descriptions are crucial when it comes to the world building. Imagination is a powerful tool, as every reader will know, but foundations are needed before buildings are erected and society moves in. Rostirolla helps the reader achieve this effortlessly.

Another thing I wish to mention, I am a true sucker for the enemies-to-lover trope, especially when one is an assassin sent to kill their future soul mate. The connection between Cecilia and Armaladh builds in a satisfying trajectory. Armaladh slowly baring his soul to Cecilia is possibly the most enjoyable aspect of this book. He is truly my favourite character.

My singular gripe - and in this case, gripe is a strong word - would be that I would have loved an index in this book, or something where it allowed me to see how to pronounce certain words in my head, including Armaladh's name. The uncertainty of how to pronounce multiple words relating to the story shook the world building as I struggled to recall the words for certain things.

Overall, quite possibly my favourite read of 2021 so far.

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Vitus, the last surviving city, maintains dominance by exterminating surrounding villages and enslaving the young men. Because of Vitus’s oppression, the Goddess of Light is dying. The last bastion of goodness keeping her alive is the village of Plockton, nestled deep within the Plockton Forest. When this village falls victim to a raid, the Goddess pours her remaining light into the lone survivor, eighteen-year-old Cecilia.

Unaware of the precious light that she is carrying inside, Cecilia makes the bold decision to rescue her brothers. What starts out as a desire to save loved ones, becomes an epic quest, thrusting Cecilia front and center in the ultimate battle between good and evil.

Amazing, amazing, amazing… I honestly can’t gush enough about how good this book was and I can’t wait for the next one to be released.
This novel was basically read in one sitting I loved it that much.

I immediately fell in love with Cecilia (the novel’s protagonist) and took every step on her difficult journey alongside her. I felt her pain, her joy, her embarrassment, perseverance, love and fear. Rostirolla has created a strong and tenacious female character that I know many teenage women are going to identify with.

The storyline is fuelled with heartbreak, longing, adventure, suspense and courage and I couldn’t put it down.

I genuinely can’t wait to read the next instalment in this epic fantasy thriller!

#bookreviewsbymrsc #ceceliathelastcroilartier #sandralrostirolla

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this!

I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis of this book. This book instantly drew me in, I got to explore through the eyes of our main character and this is always my favorite way to discover these details of the story and, it was done very well in this book. I really enjoyed this book and the plot. This author did amazing. I loved the writing style.

Loved this book, love the author and their writing skills. It’s so magical and it just transports you into the story. Didn’t love it as much as the first, however I was amazingly surprised as something sequels can be a little of a let down however this was incredible!