ENDURE by Carrie Jones

Hey everybody! I am so excited to have Carrie Jones' Endure blog tour stop here! This stop includes a review for Carrie's new release (which was released today, go out and get it), Endure, the last book in the Need series (which breaks my soul!) AND an interview with the one and only Astley! Thank you for stopping by! I will put links to buy Endure at the end of my review!

Rating: A+
Release Date: TODAY!!!
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
It’s all-out war (and no-holds-barred romance) in the climactic conclusion to Carrie Jones’s bestselling series.

Zara is at the center of an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Evil pixies are ravaging Bedford, and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends; she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king . . .

Unexpected turns, surprising revelations, and one utterly satisfying romantic finale make Endure a thrilling end to this series of bestsellers.

My thoughts on the book:
Endure. is. FANTASTIC! This is by far the best book of the series. Jones' writing has grown right along with her characters. Everything is done perfectly. I could not put this book down! It's intense, emotional, suspenseful, and action-packed. Endure is a thrill-ride that you cannot miss. 

Zara grows so much as a character in this novel. She really becomes comfortable with her pixie half, and I was glad that she did. Also, she's sad about Nick's rejection, that was touched on in the last novel, but she's not completely shattered. She knows that's not the most important thing in the world. That is an extremely refreshing outlook from a YA heroine. It made me like Zara and this series that much more. Astley was wonderful, and I loved him a billion times more in this book than I did in the last one. He is just terrific. Nick got on my nerves again. When he was told how bratty he was, I wholeheartedly agreed. The character development and growth throughout this series has been amazing. I've really enjoyed getting to know these characters and all of their quirks.

The plot is intense, and the pacing is perfect. There is a lot of action, and the romance gets complicated, builds, and changes throughout the course of the novel. I read this book all in one sitting because I had to know whether or not Zara and company were able to save the world. Were they able to, you ask? Well you'll have to pick up the book and find out. In an effort not to spoil anything, I'm going to keep this part of my review kind of vague. There are new creatures introduced, as well as new dimensions/worlds/whatever you want to call them. Things get a whole lot more complicated. People die. There is a lot going on. Things get ugly. You'll be gripping your book/e-reader so hard by the end of this novel that you'll have lost feeling in your hands. It'll all be worth it, though.

Overall, I'd recommend this book and this series to anyone. Jones offers a unique twist on pixies and incorporates a lot of Norse mythology, which I like. All of the books are super quick reads, and they just get better as the series progresses. Endure is one of the best books I've read so far this year. Well done, Carrie, well done.

Want to buy Endure?
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

Click read more to check out my interview with the wonderful Astley!

Q: What’s it like to be such a young king? You handle things rather well. Do you feel that you’ve missed out on important parts of your life because you had to take over your dad’s throne at such a young age

A: That is kind of you to say, thank you. I do not feel as if I have missed on out important elements or events of my life. Our lives are a culmination of events. Yes, I may have never attended prom or been a star wing on a high school soccer team, but I have been able to explore amazing places, learn things about other cultures and so on. It is harmful for me to think about life in terms of things I have missed. If I started to do that, I think I would become depressed. Instead, I chose to think of life as this brilliant adventure.                           

Q: Why did you pick Zara for your queen? Couldn’t you have picked someone who actually wanted to be a pixie and a queen instead?

A: I wish I could have, but the process is much more biochemical than that. It is not really about me choosing. It is more of a biological imperative.

Q: Why were you so intent on getting Nick back? I mean, it seems selfless and all of that, but shouldn’t you have been trying to keep Zara from getting him back?

A: If I didn’t help her, I would not have been a good king. Kings are responsible for the emotional welfare of their pixies. Also, it would have been self-defeating. I wanted Zara to chose me for me, not because she could no longer have Nick. That would not have been a true choice. Plus, if you love someone, how can you not help them?

Q: Do you ever wish you were human?

A: Only when I leave glitter trails. :)  No. Not really. I am comfortable with who I am.

Q: What song reminds you of your situation with Zara?

A: At this exact moment, RABBIT HEART by Florence and the Machine… No… No… That just reminds me of her. Um…. U2’s ONE. She likes that song a lot. 

Q: Do pixies have pets? Animal pets, not human pets…

A: We do! Just not were pets. 

Q: You should totally get a cat, Astley. You seem well-traveled. Where is your favorite place and why?

A: Bedford, Maine because that is where I met Zara. That is a bit cheesy though, is it not? Hmm…. I really adore Brazil. I love the Portuguese language. And the rain forests! 

Q: Yes, that is a bit cheesy. What do you do when you’re not trying to keep Zara safe and take care of your kingdom?

A: I read. I swim. I love to swim. I travel. I carve birds. That makes me sound old, but I love to carve things. I paint.

Q: I love to read, travel and swim too! If you had one wish, what would it be? It can’t be a wish for more wishes.

A: Oh! I was absolutely going to ask for that. I would wish for the safety and stability of my kingdom.

Q: That's a very selfless wish. You're such a nice guy, Astley. You said you have your own house. Is it located in New York, or do you live elsewhere?

I own several, actually. There is one in New York though. Another is mentioned in ENDURE.

Amber: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions!

Astley: Thank you so much for having me here. I hope I was not too boring. Issie always tells me I am a bit dull. 

Amber: You're never dull, Astley. You're my favorite!