The parallels between The Traitor Queen and The Endless War literally start from the first page - Zarrah (Aren), imprisoned, because the love of her (his) life betrayed her (him).

Can someone please drope the Calm before the storm ?? I just finished The inadequate heir and i couldn't find the chapters about Aren and Lara .

Guuyyss, its outtt woohooo. Not the book , but the cover!! Art by our talented Anabelle Moe❤️

@avenbellart @michaeljbooks

𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓

HEARTBREAK EVERYWHERE HEARTBREAK EVERYWHERE HEARTBREAK EVERYWHERE

This is how you know he’s the ML!

Anyway I am reading the latest in Danielle Jensen’s awesome Bridge Kingdom series. The first two books were about the sister of this ML, called Lara who was brought up as a poison pill of a bride - spy and assassin - to marry into the wealthy and reclusive Bridge Kingdom and get info that would allow monster daddy to take it from within. Alas for daddy, she hated him and liked her new husband so awesomeness ensued. My favorite is book 2 where her husband is captured and thinks she betrayed him and the kingdom and meanwhile Lara gets readied for war to rescue for war and rescue because whether he is right to hate her or not they can hash out when he’s freed.

Anyway the following novels are about Keris, Lara’s only decent brother (who daddy hates for not being a monster and who just wants to be a scholar not a fighter) and Zarrah, the best general of another enemy kingdom.

I think you see why I like the series - like Gong Xinwen in English with BAMF battle goddess/murder machine ladies rescuing their beautiful and less good at battle men 😝

ETA: this is FL - genius general’s - trauma:

And she’s gonna hook up with the son of a man who did this, cannot wait!

Btw the novel is called The Inadequate Heir and here is the glorious summary:

Heeeee! It’s everything I like in one. Apparently the second book of this particular duology is not coming out until November booo but that summary is even more glorious:

Hi:) I know you like the last book more but when you read the endless war, can you maybe say how often Laren is there too? Like only some chapters or are is it worth reading the whole book if it’s mostly for them? I also subscribed for Lara‘s POV Chapter! So excited!

So I just finished reading The Endless War and I loved it! Now as far as Lara and Aren, they are in this book a lot more compared to The Inadequate Heir but they still only have a minor role in this book. I think that if you aren't really interested in Keris and Zarrah's story and are only really interested in Lara and Aren, then I don't really think they are in the book enough to make it worth reading. There are some good moments with them but they are only in a couple of chapters all together. The end of this book does set up the next book in the series which is about Aren's sister Ahnna which I'm not sure if you are interested in or not. Personally, this was definitely my favorite in this series (but I love Keris and Zarrah) but if you are only reading it for Aren and Lara, I don't think they were in it enough to make it a worth while read. I hope this helps.

✨✨✨𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐀𝐋!✨✨✨⁣

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Hello, bookish friends!⁣

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𝐐𝐎𝐓𝐃: Any author that you discovered here in bookstagram and became a favorite?⁣

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𝐀𝐎𝐓𝐃: Danielle L. Jensen is one pf those authors for me! As soon as I started The Bridge Kingdom, I knew I was gonna have to get all of her books🤩 ⁣

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I’m so thrilled to help out with the cover reveal to the 4th book in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐫! It’s already 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 but of you’re a print girlie like me, we’d have to wait until 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 28 for the North American editions, and 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 23 for the UK and the Commonwealth😅 The cover artwork is by Annabelle Moe @avendellart and is just *chef’s kiss* Check out the synopsis below:⁣

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Newly crowned as king, Keris has watched, powerless, as his forbidden relationship with Zarrah is revealed. But when Zarrah is imprisoned by the empress, Keris knows there is only one way to save her: to ally with the kingdom he nearly destroyed.⁣

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Imprisoned on the dreaded Devil’s Island, Zarrah faces two choices: prove her loyalty to the empress who condemned her or die a traitor. Yet as she struggles to survive among violent prisoners, Zarrah uncovers a third path: a rebellion to overthrow tyranny entwined with a destiny she must fight to claim.⁣

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While the empress plots a war with devastating consequences, Keris and Zarrah must find their way back to each other. Yet their greatest adversary is the fiery passion between them. Unless they overcome the bitterness of betrayal, their love will not be the bringer of peace but rather the fuel that turns the Endless War into an inferno.⁣

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The Bridge Kingdom series (book 3): The Inadequate Heir by Danielle L. Jensen

Return to the world of The Bridge Kingdom in this sensuous fantasy full of romance and intrigue that is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Silver Flames.

A soldier raised as heir to an empire, Zarrah is motivated by two truths. The first is that the Veliant family murdered her mother. And the second is that her pursuit of vengeance will put every last one of them in their graves.

The Endless War between Maridrina and Valcotta has raged for generations, leaving thousands of Zarrah’s people dead and countless more orphaned. So when she’s given command of the contested city of Nerastis, Zarrah is prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy the Maridrinian forces who oppose her. And to kill the Veliant prince who leads them.

Yet a chance encounter with an anonymous, and handsome, Maridrinian causes Zarrah to question whether the violence she’s perpetrated is justice or a crime. And as she continues to meet the nameless man each night, she finds common ground - and fiery passion - in his arms.

But when identities are revealed, Zarrah must decide whether to embrace a chance at peace…or march to the drums of war.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59742308-the-inadequate-heir?ref=bk_bet_out

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May 28, 2022

My Review: 5/5 Stars

Been waiting super patient for this story and it was so worth it! So good to be back in this world. I loved the previous two books that followed Aren and Lara, but after meeting Keris and Zarrah, I couldn't wait to get their stories. So this story takes place alongside The Traitor Queen and I seriously recommend reading this series in order. We meet Zarah as she is forced to stay back and not help Ithicana as they fall from Maridrina. She is from Valcotta and the heir to the Empress as well as a general for the army and has a deep sense of honor. Her entire life after her mother was murdered by the king of Maridrina, she was raised by her aunt the Empress to become a warrior and take back vengeance. But after an encounter with an unnamed Maridrina, she is forced to look deep within herself and realize that she may have lost who she is along the way and what this endless war has done with her. And as for that mystery Mardrina, it was Keris, the heir to the Maridrina throne. Who in turn realizes that perhaps this Valcottan is right. That he may speak of peace but doing nothing about it makes him a coward. The two keep their names to themselves but can't help meeting again and again. Until eventually the truth comes out. And when it does things get complicated. I loved these two characters and their story. Both want peace so badly and to be with one another. Yet they know it is impossible. All they can do is try and change things from their positions. But there are so many pieces on this giant chess board, that they don't realize the secrets that are buried so deep. Getting their side of the story and caught up with what was going on with their lives and countries while we know Lara and Aren are working to free Ithicana was great. There is just so much going on. And that cliffhanger ending! Ah! I need the next book asap. Really loving this series and I can't wait for more!

im currently reading the third book of the bridge kingdom (the inadequate heir) and im a bit disappointed.

the story is not as compelling as the first two books. neither is the romance.

but what i most dislike is that the plot is basically showing keris and zarrah’s pov of the second book… whats the fun in that?

My Thoughts on The Endless War (The Bridge Kingdom, Book 4) by Danielle L. Jensen

Sharing my thoughts on The Endless War, the fourth book in the The Bridge Kingdom series by Danielle L. Jensen

The Endless War is the fourth novel in Danielle L. Jensen’s Bridge Kingdoms series and the end of the Zarrah and Keris duology. And the first book in their section where we didn’t know what roughly how the book was going to turn out as The Inadequate Heir was took place during the events of The Bridge Kingdom and The Traitor Queen, so we knew all the major plot points. Granted, we had seen them…

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Mini-Reviews: The Inadequate Heir by Danielle L. Jensen and Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim!

Mini-Reviews for The Inadequate Heir by Danielle L. Jensen and Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim! #bookrevew #booktwt #bookblogger #bookblog

I buddy read this with Dini @Dinipandareads and Julie @One Book More and it took longer than we expected. Granted, we were all busy at the time. Also, this book is much too long. It’s a chunky book coming in over 500 pages. I was so excited for this book but it fell short for me. We are getting the same story as the first two books but in a different perspective. I did like Keris and Zarrah and I…

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The Inadequate Heir

To be quite honest, I feel like I kept delaying this book because it is a THICCCCCK book. When I received it back in May, I was hesitant to start it because it was finals season and I just had a lot on my plate. In June, I put in the request in the book club I'm in to do a group read and we had a channel open up for it!

As soon as this book started, I was HOOKED. It only took about ~20 pages for me to become OBSESSED with Keris. Absolutely foaming at the mouth feral for this man. I was immediately drawn to Zarrah as well because who doesn't love to see a woman in a position of power?! She's a total badass!

As their relationship developed, we saw sides of Zarrah and Keris that went beyond their title. A certain type of vulnerability that stems from hiding behind a lack of formal introductions. Two people who SHOULD hate each other but don't. It goes to show that some ideologies are byproducts of war but to hope and dream for peace is possible on BOTH sides despite being indoctrinated to believe otherwise.

This book in particular had me sobbing. The themes of family, love, trust, hurt, betrayal, and war (to name a few) were written so hauntingly beautiful. Danielle L. Jensen is truly one of my favorite authors. Her writing is captivating and moving. I don't think I put my highlighter down at all because her words had me going through it, I wanted to annotate and remember it all. Although I would've loved more of Lara and Aren, I was reeled in immediately where I did not notice their absence as new information was provided from different character perspectives of the same war. I was also delighted in how intrinsically woven the new story was within the existing story we read in the earlier books. It was very easy to follow the timeline (as someone who read the books earlier this year!)

The ending, like all of Danielle's books so far in this series, ends in a massive cliffhanger. I am SO EXCITED for the next book because this book did an excellent job in setting up the upcoming plot along with teasing the return of Lara and Aren as secondary characters. Another testament to what an excellent writer Danielle is.

As if that wasn't enticing enough to convince you to read the next book, the tension and pining was SPICY. Keris can read to me under the stars ANY NIGHT.

"'There is nothing I wouldn't give you,' he said softly. 'Nothing I wouldn't do for you'" (430).

I am currently spiraling into a new hyperfixation on yet another enemies to lovers book series, (and it’s there not once but twice) in the Bridge Kingdom Series by Danielle L Jensen. I don’t see it being talked about anywhere which is a CRIME, but I digress. Has anyone on here read it? If not, GO READ IT. That’s an order. I have been itching to write for this series, so to test the waters, who wants Bridge Kingdom fics? And send me any requests!

“The heirs to the greatest enemies in the world are allies. I wonder how they met.”

I need their book ASAP