A Shattering of Glass (The Riven Realm Book 3) by Deck Matthews

Matthews takes readers all over Valkras in A Shattering of Glass, the back alleys and the haunted woods. Shade is sent to the capital, Taralius, on a mission for a mystical element. She is forced to use all her aliases, costumes, and acting abilities to search out the prize and battle her adversaries… And deep in the Jadenwood, aka Carvesh Tarne has a band hunting the shadowbeasts. They follow the trail until they meet up with a powerful ally who teaches them a bit more about the origin of these dangerous creatures.

From the White Glove to the shadowbeasts that seem to be multiplying at an awful rate, a foreboding is approaching the Realm. In the city it is evident in the many forces that are brewing… the burnouts in the that Tarcoth is still investigating, an amazing discovery by the Queen, and the hidden secrets inside several of the characters that are threatening to come out. Key to this series and A Shattering of Glass in particular is Matthews ability to pace his reveals to get the most out of every character.

The Valkras Chronicles has been almost a monthly treat since I read The First of Shadows in July… a perfect alternative to those pay-TV miniseries. A character-driven fantasy that has it all: the fight scenes, the political intrigue, and all types of arcane magic. Pick your dosage… a Netflix binge all at once or a slow dip of alchemy, struggle, and character spectacle. Rumor has it that Matthews is planning on releasing #4-6 next fall, so get into The Realms now!

Thank you to the author for an advanced copy for review.