Forest of Ruin (Age of Legends, #3) by Kelley Armstrong

Narrated by Jennifer Ikeda

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In a world at war, who can you trust?

The empire rests on the edge of a knife, and sisters Ashyn and Moria are the handle and the blade. Desperate to outmaneuver the evil Alvar Kitsune, whose hold on the people grows stronger every day, Emperor Tatsu begs Moria to put aside past grievances and ally with Gavril—at least long enough to make an attempt on Alvar’s life. Meanwhile, reunited with her long-lost grandfather, Ashyn discovers that she is the key to a ritual that could reawaken an ancient dragon and turn the tide of the coming battle in their favor.

But with lies and betrayal lurking around every corner, Ashyn and Moria will have to decide once and for all where their allegiances are. And it may not be where their hearts would lead them…

“Threatened you with what? Forcing you to father children? I’m hardly an expert in the matter, but my rudimentary knowledge of the process suggests that would be difficult.”

Kelley Armstrong might be really good at dismembering fictional bodies, but she's even better at destroying hearts. I cannot remember the last time a book made me cry, but Forest of Ruin had me sobbing so hard I had to pause the audiobook. My heart was already feeling anxious and unsteady, so it couldn't take the expertly thrown dagger that the author had crafted.

If you've been following my blog the last few days, you know I've been flying through this series. I think I listened to all three audiobooks in less than a week, which is insane. I don't think I've slept as much as I should...  I looked for any and every excuse to dive back into the imaginative world Armstrong had created. It was so vivid and realistic!

“As they neared the spot from which the noise had come, Moria saw a hand lying on the pathway. It appeared to be attached to a body, which was a relief. Again, these days, one could not guarantee such a thing.”

I like that there wasn't a love triangle, even though there was an opportunity for one. Two people of the opposite sex can love each other deeply, but only want friendship out of the relationship. It is possible to enjoy someone's company without wanting to share their bed.

My one teeny tiny issue with this series was how often Ashyn compared herself to her sister. They were two different people, and I wish she hadn't struggled so much with her identity. Even at the end she saw her sister one way and "resigned" herself to another fate. She said both were important in their own way, but she still made it seem like one was somehow better... I wish she had felt happier in her own skin and with her own abilities and contributions. She did a lot to save the empire and move the story forward.

Despite a few unanswered questions, I absolutely loved this series! It's definitely going to be one I add to my shelves. If you enjoy audiobooks, the narrator was fantastic! She really brought the characters to life in my head and gave them their own personalities and mannerisms. I feel like that sounds weird, because it's just someone reading words, but she really captured the essence of the book and the people within it.