Serafina and the Splintered Heart - book review

Hello! I am now twelve years old and have been reading books for nine years *grins*. Aaaand of course I got this book for my birthday. I knew the author was getting better. And I was right. Serafina and the Splintered Heart is a wild, unexpected, exciting journey. This series probably isn't up there with The Green Ember and A Series of Unfortunate Events in my eyes, but it's still better than certain other books I've read. And I suppose that's all it needs.

Seriously, just look at that gorgeous cover. It's the prettiest in the whole series.

This isn't quite a Grand Finale, but it's definitely a finale. It's pretty hard to review this book because there's an author's note at the end, which says not to reveal certain elements of the stories, and those elements are central to the plot. All I want to say is that the story starts right where the other book stopped...and it doesn't. In Serafina's mind, it does, but in the real world, it doesn't. It's weird.

I have a few complaints, as I always do. One, why why why does Serafina have to get new powers? I mean, she's fine enough as she is. I don't want her to have new powers. Now, for some reason, she's even more of a special snowflake. But I can live with that. *breathes*

The conclusion to the story leaves room for more, but I don't think the author should continue. It feels right to stop it here. If Robert Beatty keeps writing more...I don't think I'll read those. I'll just pretend it stops here, because a trilogy is enough.

I like this book much better than the first, and it's on par with the second. Probably four stars out of five.