The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
About: It has been a year of change since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Her mother murdered, her father alaudanum addict, Gemma has relied on an unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to travel to an enchanted world called the realms, where dark magic runs wild. Despite certain peril, Gemma has bound the magic to herself and forged unlikely new alliances. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test these bonds.
The Order—the mysterious group her mother was once part of—is grappling for control of the realms, as is the Rakshana. Spence's burned East Wing is being rebuilt, but why now? Gemma and her friends see Pippa, but she is not the same. And their friendship faces its gravest trial as Gemma must decide once and for all what role she is meant for.
(from amazon.com)
Review: Finally! It honestly feels like I've been reading this book since before Christmas...oh wait I have! And I've also racked up a nice fat late fee at the library. Thanks Gemma Doyle. So I really wanted to finish this series and I'm glad I did. The book is still very fast passed, I love how something is always happening. Gemma is a bit more grown up and is starting to not really care what she does, because well, she has the magic and rules the realms and is pretty much awesome. It took me so long cause I've been so busy, also it's 819 pages, which is slightly more than her other books. I still love all the characters and you get introduced to a few more. The last dozen chapters or so (I am reviewing these more cause they are fresher in my mind) I was a bit torn. It was intense, I guess, to a degree. I just felt nothing during the Winterland Battles, and when certain people die. In my mind I was just like oh, that sucks. I didn't feel for them, I didn't miss them, I didn't really care...Which is sad to say. I felt more attached to her characters in her earlier books, but this last one, although it was still a fun book, I didn't get the same out of it. Don't get me wrong here, I did really enjoy the books and do recommend them. If you've started these series, definitely finish them. If you haven't, you could check it out, but don't expect too much dying love for these books. I just happen to love other main girl characters better, Katniss anyone?
