Reader's Review: "I'm Still Alive" by Kelly Blanchard

Synopsis from Amazon:

Some secrets have the potential to destroy the world.

Princess Mordora flees for her life, desperate to evade her pursuers. An alluring voice calls to her - promising her power unequaled.

A year after the Battle of Cuskelom, Lorrek returns home to find Mordora in the thralls of an ancient artifact. To free her and prevent the destruction of the world, Lorrek must seek the help of a woman he previously tried to kill.
Lorrek uncovers a conspiracy long hidden, revealing that the troubles surrounding him were arranged long ago. He must choose between two evils, but the one he passes might destroy the world.

>>>>>>>>>

My Review: 

Three books in, and this series CONTINUES to astonish me! After the intense emotional roller coaster of the last one... I suppose I should have been expecting more... but I was not prepared for how much more Blanchard was ready to deliver! 

If you've made it this far in the series, get ready to see more of the different kingdoms, learn more of the ancient legacy, and discover a slew of new, deadlier conflicts to face! More of everything: more giggles at Vixen's sassy quips, more gut-wrenching at the effortless power of a mysterious new villain, more sympathy as Lorrek expends more and more of himself to try and keep all his friends (and family... to say nothing of the whole freaking world!) from falling apart at the seams, more heart-stopping clashes between enemies, more lush, thrilling scenery as the characters actually travel to locations that before had only been mentioned in reference, more jaw-dropping reveals as characters you thought you knew turn out to have VERY intriguing secrets! 

I love it. The development felt very well-thought (well, except for one thing... I still can't figure out why [SPOILER] had to happen, though the narrative explains it well enough, but MY WORD!!!) and totally irresistible, and the expansions weren't just "adding for addition's sake", but each new concept served a very real purpose in the plot and character arcs. I loved the number of times the title came into play, (not going to delineate, because SPOILERS, but yeah!) creating a consistent theme throughout the book.

I am continuously fascinated by the new developments and the world-building exercised in this series, and I positively cannot wait for the next book!

Without a hesitation or a doubt, I give this a full *****5 STAR***** rating, and add to it an Upstream Writer Certified ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED endorsement. If you're looking for an excellent mashup of science fiction and fantasy, of magic used in tandem with technology in a plausible manner, of characters that leap off the page in real color and inspire real emotions, and expertly-drawn, action-packed scenes that will take your breath away--you do not want to miss a single word of the Chronicles of Lorrek!

Further Reading: (Fantasy/Sci-fi/Great Characters/Fantastic World-building/Great Storytelling)

The Chronicles of Lorrek--Kelly Blanchard
        -Someday I'll Be Redeemed 
        -I Still Have A Soul 
        -I'm Still Alive (*This Book)
        -Do You Trust Me? 
        -You Left Me No Choice 
        -They Must Be Stopped 

The Vemreaux Trilogy--Mary E. Twomey
       -The Way
       -The Truth
       -The Lie  

The Therian Way--Kimberly Rogers
       -Leopard's Heart
       -Wolf's Path  

Lord of the Wyrde Woods--Nils Visser
     -Escape From Neverland
     -Dance Into The Wyrd 

The Books of Winter--R. R. Virdi
       -Dangerous Ways 

Talented Series--Amy Hopkins
     -A Drop of Dream 
     -A Dash of Fiend 
     -A Splash of Truth 

The Cadeau Series--Connie Olvera
       -Who Can You Trust?
The Untamed Series--Madeline Dyer
       -Untamed 
       -Fragmented

The Fair Folk Chronicles--Jeffrey Cook and Katherine Perkins
        -Foul is Fair
        -Street Fair
        -A Fair Fight

         -All's Fair 
The Time Tree Chronicles--Lisa Rae Morris
       -The Emergence
A Tune of Demons--J. E. Mueller
       -Fire's Song