Rituals by Kelley Armstrong (UK edition)

Title: Rituals (A Cainsville Novel, 5)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Sphere (15th August 2017)
Blurb:

Olivia Jones must make a choice.

Caught between two rival supernatural forces, she hs been given a brief period in which to make her decision. Now that time has run out.

Whichever side she chooses, someone she loves will pay. Her lover, Ricky. Gabriel Walsh, the man she knows she cannot, must not love. Her parents, already trapped in prison.

And how there is a new, terrifying power rising – one that doesn’t distinguish between good and evil intentions. It feeds on chaos and  destroys without mercy. Unless Liv acts fast, no one will survive.

In this gripping supernatural thriller, international bestselling author Kelley Armstrong brings the Cainsville series to a powerful, richly rewarding finale.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 stars)
Review:

RITUALS by Kelley Armstrong is the fifth and final book in the Cainsville series. Over the previous four books Olivia Taylor-Jones has had her world turned upside down. She has discovered the truth about her past, and her link to the mysterious Cainsville. Along the way she has grown close to Gabriel Walsh and to Ricky Gallagher. They negotiated a truce, but now the time has come and she must finally make a choice between the Twyelth Teg and the Cwn Annwn. Whichever side she picks someone she loves will pay. All the while a new power rises; one that doesn’t distinguish between good or evil, and that destroys without mercy.

Overall I think RITUALS is a good conclusion to Armstrong’s Cainsville series, however I do think that the ‘new power’ comes a bit out of nowhere and that the ending is a bit too neat. I can’t go into detail without spoilers, but I do think the ‘new power’ in particular could have been better foreshadowed in the previous books. I also think that the ‘new power’ was a bit too omniscient. Having said that, I think Armstrong did a good job of building the tension throughout the book. There are a couple of new characters introduced who I really liked, and who added some much needed humour to lighten the narrative.

Writing this review is hard because several days later I don’t actually remember a lot of the plot of this book. I did enjoy it whilst reading, but not a lot of it has stuck with me (hence the shorter review). The new power could have been fleshed out more, but I thought it was interesting especially its motivations. I thought the relationship between Liv, Ricky, and Gabriel was written well – Armstrong did a good job writing the complicated dynamic between the trio, and I think that was in part why I enjoyed this book so much. I also enjoyed the return of familiar faces, and how the appearance of a third power influenced things. I think fans of the series will like how Armstrong brings this series to a conclusion with RITUALS.