The Traitor by A.D. Lombardo – A #BlogTour Review for #BlackberryBookTours @AngLombardo2 @BlackberryBookT #TheKatoriChronicles #TheTraitor #YAFantasy

Title: The Traitor (The Katori Chronicles – Book 4)
Author: A.D. Lombardo
Publisher: Nichols INK on April 6, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 305
Formats Available: Paperback & Digital
Rating: 4/5

Trigger Warnings: Graphic Violence, Attempted Murder

Many thanks to A.D. Lombardo for providing me with a copy of The Traitor with a request for an honest review. Also, thanks to Blackberry Book Tours for inviting me on this tour and providing the materials for this post.

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About The Traitor

Torn between his past and his future, Kai finds himself caught in a mountain of lies, and his once-loyal friends begin to question his loyalties. Desperate to prevent his father’s demise, he plays a dangerous game of tempting fate.
Kai’s bittersweet reunion in Diu reveals a changed city–and not for the better. Poverty and quick tempers rule the streets, and Milnosian soldiers outnumber Diu warriors. Rumors and deception spread like wildfire throughout the palace, threatening to put him on the wrong side of history.
When he is accused of a terrible crime, Kai discovers influential people working against him, and in his efforts to prevail against their treachery, he falls into the hands of the last person he would ever suspect to help him. Labeled a traitor, can Kai prove his innocence, or will he lose everything he holds dear?
Provided by Blackberry Book Tours for Tour Use

My Review

A.D. Lombardo wraps up her Katori Chronicles series with The Traitor. The build-up of the first three books led to a fourth installment that packs a real punch. The excitement of the finish left me wanting more.

Kai must decide between living with his new Katori family or returning to Diu to fulfill his destiny as the king’s son. The difficulty he faces leads Kai into a dark place where he refuses all help. Kai’s determination to fix things by himself endangers everyone he loves. Rayna feels hurt by Kai, causing her to run off on her own to help whether he wants her to or not. When Rayna flees in search of Kai, she meets a terrible fate. Throughout it all, Kai loses the friendship and loyalty of men he’s known since childhood. Can Kai face his fate and make things right in time, or will evil forces win the day?

Once again, Kai’s behavior leaves a bad taste in my mouth. He refuses to follow the advice of those with more knowledge than he. He also puts too many lives in danger while he galavants across the land. I know the author means for Kai to have faults, but this continued behavior makes it hard to like Kai. Kai’s actions upset Rayna and put his brother Seth in the utmost danger. To be honest, Kai is acting the fool and has been for the last several books.

I spent so much time wanting to physically harm Kai yet also needing everyone else to believe him. My heart broke with every word. While I despise Kai’s actions, he tried his best to save King Iver. Though, I solved that tiny little bit of the mystery early on. Regardless, the story got my blood racing. The energy portrayed through the battles made me happy.

All in all, this last book in the series satisfied my curiosity. However, there is so much more story to tell. I want to know if Iver’s presence can wake Mariana, as well as whether Keegan gets his just desserts. Do Rayna’s birth parents come back to beg forgiveness? So, while satisfied, there are many loose ends that I will wonder about for quite some time.

I award The Traitor 4 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy fantasy, this series will fulfill that craving for something different. I recommend The Katori Chronicles for anyone who loves dragons, magic, and flawed royalty.

See My Reviews Of The First 3 Books In The Katori Chronicles Series

About the Author – A.D. Lombardo

Angela Lombardo was born in Akron, Ohio, raised on a farm by her grandparents who sacrificed a great deal to give her and her brother a good life. Public school came as a complete culture shock after attending a small Christian private school.

She loves animals, the country life and is still a tomboy at heart. You can take her off the bobcat, but you’ll never get her to enjoy the city. She dabbled in playing the piano, playing sports and fishing.

Her love of comics started with Spiderman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. Being a Trekkie and a BMX rider, Angela did not have many girlfriends or time for makeup. She spent most of her time with her older brother crashing dirt bikes and three-wheelers. As a teenager, her grandmother sent her to Barbizon to teach her how to be a proper girl. She is fortunate she had a son.

Angela started writing The Half-Light in fall 2017 after a sleepless night gave her pause about the mother in a made-up story she created for her son. She spent the weekend solving the mystery of where the mother went.