Crown of Rust and Ruin

The Queen Trials, Book 8

By: Penelope Wright

Narrated by: Penelope M. Wright

Clio has everything she needs to end King Ergondy's reign forever... except the opportunity. Now she's fighting to stay on top as King Ergondy uses a "glistening powder shortage" and an intensified Forever War to justify changing all the rules. Clio knows that if the king dismisses her, she'll never go home. Instead she'll live the rest of her life in the dungeons, feeding his insatiable appetite with her powerful feelings. Clio must survive to the bitter end, and even then, that might not be enough.

©2024 Penelope M. Wright (P)2024 Penelope M. Wright

An exciting and rewarding read

For all eight books the story kept me completely engaged. Cleo.was a heroine I rooted for and whose ups and downs throughout this series kept me on the edge of my chair. I hope to see Cleo in a sequel to the Queen Trials someday.

Enjoyable beyond words

I read each of these 8 books almost as soon as they came out and couldn't wait for the next one. They brought an escape whenever I read because the world and characters were so real. The narration was also great. I highly reccomend all of them!

Very good

This is an excellent series, much like the hunger games. But this one is better in my opinion.

Great story line

I really enjoyed the series. It’s definitely hunger games mixed with the Selection. I liked that this book was clean. There was no inappropriate scenes or excessive foul language. The author does a good job of keeping your attention. I think I listen to all eight books in two weeks maybe less However that’s the only true negative I have about this series is that there were so many books when it could’ve been compiled into three, the series was quite expensive. I like that the author was the narrator however I think she needs a new microphone. I know she’s not a professional narrator, and I appreciate that, but I didn’t like that, I could hear her swallow and sometimes breathing into the microphone, which was a little distracting, but it didn’t take away from the story, overall she did a good job.

I Wish There Were 8 More!

I listened to all eight books in this series, and what really stands out—aside from the consistent quality—is the tone. While the world is dark and the stakes are high, the main character never turns cold or detached like you often see in this genre. Think Hunger Games, but with a heroine who stays thoughtfully kind, even when it would be easier not to be. She’s committed to helping others, not just surviving, which gives the story a sense of purpose and warmth you don’t usually get in dystopian fiction.

The plot stays tightly focused across all eight books, with no time jumps or meandering. Each book picks up right where the last leaves off, and the story stays centered on real stakes, expanding the world building, and momentum. If you liked Book One, you can trust the rest to deliver.