King Vargan has declared war with Jaron's kingdom, Carthya. To make matters worse, he has captured Imogen, the girl Jaron is desperately trying not to feel anything for with his betrothal already in place to someone else. In an effect to save her and his kingdom, Jaron tries to plan an attack on Vargan using all of his friends and allies. Even with all his effort, there is no telling who will finally end up with the crown.

Jennifer A. Nielsen brings her trilogy to a perfect conclusion with THE SHADOW THRONE. The final plot unfolds with non-stop action, shocking twists, and the beauty of a boy finally learning what it means to be king. Jaron's adventures are never dull, and this final one tops all of his previous ones. Nielsen raises the stakes at least threefold, and nothing is certain until the very end pages.

As much as I love the battles, the witty dialogue, and intense conflict, I think my favorite part is Jaron's development. Just as he is learning to be king, he is also learning what it means to have a family again, what it means to love. He learns not to break the rules as he usually does, but to forge his own rules based on his heart. There is more romance in this one than the previous two, and it does such an incredible job of showing how far Jaron, as well as several other key characters, have come in their journey.

Series endings often worry me because of what the ending actually entails, but Jennifer A. Nielsen couldn't have done a better finale for this story. THE SHADOW THRONE is a must-read for followers of the trilogy, and it answers all of the important questions as well as giving a few answers to questions you might not have known or thought to ask. I completely loved it, and I can't wait to see what comes next with this author.