Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing The Ivory Tomb by Melissa Caruso, the final book in the Rooks & Ruin trilogy. This also happens to be my 100th read of the year, which means I’ve finished my Goodreads challenge. Yay! 🥳 I’ve been chomping at the bit to see how this series ends and had high hopes for a thrilling conclusion. Read on to see if The Ivory Tomb delivered…

The Ivory Tomb concludes the wildly original epic fantasy series bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties, and broken magic that began with The Obsidian Tower.

The Dark Days have returned. The Demon of Carnage mercilessly cuts through villagers and armies. The Demon of Corruption poisons/rots the land. The Serene Empire and the Witch Lords race towards war. And in the middle of it all stands Rxyander, the Warden of Gloamingard.

Burdened by conflicting loyalties and guilt, Ryx searches desperately for a way to defeat the demons before the world she loves is completely destroyed. To find answers, she’ll have to return to where it all started…the black tower at the heart of Gloamingard.

By blood the Door was opened and only by blood will the Dark Days end.

***Thank you to Orbit Books for providing a copy of The Ivory Tomb. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience. There may be spoilers for previous books in the series. So, proceed with caution.***

The Ivory Tomb was a wild ride and an epic conclusion to this trilogy. I expected it to be good, but this book seriously blew me away. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it. The end couldn’t come soon enough because I needed to know what happened. However, I also never wanted it to end. It did eventually come to a close, and I thought the author provided a conclusion that made sense while also evoking some strong emotions.

The plot of The Ivory Tomb was one crisis after another. How could it not be with all of the demons from the Hells rampaging through the world? There was barely a moment to catch a breath. Whereas the previous two books focused on localized, locked-castle events, this one spanned the entire continent. I had fun visiting new places with the characters and getting to experience the horrors of the newly released demons, Carnage, Despair, and Corruption.

I really loved so much of the world-building in The Ivory Tomb. After six books, the author has still managed to add nuance to this world and keep me excited to learn even more of its mysteries. The politics surrounding all of the story’s events really kept me interested. I also ate up all of the background on the Graces and their history with the Demons. My favorite thing, though, was getting to see the ascension of a Witch Lord firsthand and learning about how impactful and daunting the experience could be.

There were two real stars of The Ivory Tomb. Most importantly, this was the story of Ryx finally coming to terms with being a demon. Identity was a huge theme throughout the series but especially in this book. Ryx experienced flashbacks throughout the story as her memories of the demon inside her woke bit by bit. She had to figure out who she was now that those memories were a part of her. Human? Demon? Both? The resolution of those questions was poignant, and I loved how everything came full circle in the end. Ryx’s demonic nature also allowed for the exploration of what it means to be evil. Is it something innate or chosen?

The other star of The Ivory Tomb was Severin. He had such a beautiful journey in this book. His home and family were threatened by the Demons, which ate at his very soul. To save them, he had to confront both the brother that cast him out and his traumatic past. His relationships with Ryx and the rest of the Rookery became a source of strength for him, which was massive growth given his trust issues and fears of being vulnerable with others. I loved him so much and just wanted to give him a big hug. His gruffness hid such a big heart underneath.

Overall, The Ivory Tomb was a fantastic conclusion to this series. It was riveting, emotional, and extremely satisfying. The characters had truly compelling arcs with a great deal of personal growth, and there were so many moments that made me hold my breath. The stakes had never been higher, but the author managed to pull everything together for an epic ending. Therefore, I rate The Ivory Tomb 5 out of 5 stars!

Have you read The Ivory Tomb or any of the other Rooks and Ruin books? Let me know your thoughts on the series down in the comments! Be sure to check out my review of the first two books, The Obsidian Tower and The Quicksilver Court, if you haven’t already.