Rituals by Kelley Armstrong

SYNOPSIS

The fifth book and the exciting conclusion to bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's "impossible-to-put-down" Cainsville series, in which she mixes hard-hitting crime writing with phenomenal world-building to create a brand of fiction all her own.

Olivia Jones must make a choice.

Caught between two rival supernatural forces, Liv was granted 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 now 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 thriller, international bestselling author Kelley Armstrong brings the Cainsville series to a powerful, richly rewarding climax. 

Synopsis from Goodreads

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PERSONAL REVIEW

This book came out two years ago and I can't believe I haven't reviewed it! I'm a really big fan of Kelley Armstrong and the majority of her series; I even drove to Kitchener, ON, to  meet her at one of her book signings and she is as awesome in person as I was hoping. Her Cainsville series is one of my favourites and Rituals is definitely the book that fans have been waiting for. 

FINALLY Olivia and Gabriel Time
Yes, after four books and an endless number of "omg, is this when they kiss?" moments, Olivia and Gabriel finally get together, and it is everything! I knew they were going to be explosive together and Armstrong did not let me down. What's even better is that they are really sweet together; we've really seen Gabriel try to understanding Liv's wants and needs and be the person she's been waiting for. In Rituals, we see get to see both of them figuring out how to be in a relationship and what it means in both their personal and professional life. It's pretty great. 

Solid Character Development 
Liv, Gabriel, and Ricky have all been through a lot in this series, so I'm happy to say that they are not the same people we met in Omens. While Ricky is not as heavily involved this time, the moments where he does stumble into the picture are both awkward and wonderful because we get to see his maturity in action (and they also really don't need any secret between them, so it's nice that all of that is resolved early on). Gabriel has definitely grown the most in this series, from stand-off, disinterested lawyer, to sweet and caring boyfriend (and lawyer) and I've loved every moment of it. There are so many times where it seems like Liv is going to give up on him, but happily she gives it one last chance, and we see him fully embrace it. 

Ending is a Bit of a Cop-Out
Don't get me wrong, I still really enjoyed how this series ended, but it definitely felt like a cop-out. After all the hype around choosing a side, the ending was pretty anti-climatic. That said, is has left a lot open for Armstrong to continue this stories in novellas, which I've really been enjoying. It also gives readers an answer as to why Liv's dad is still in jail at the end of this book: because getting him out will be part of a series of novella's and give us a chance to see how Liv and Gabriel are doing! So while the magical decision was anti-climatic, I did love how the story ended for Liv's personal life.

Overall, I was happy with how this series ended. I've gone back to these books numerous times in the last few years and continue to enjoy the way the story unfolds. And (happily) Armstrong has continued to give us novellas about Liv, Gabriel, and Ricky so we haven't had to fully say good-bye to them! I actually remembered to finally write this review because another novella (Cruel Fate) just came out on Tuesday and I'm definitely planning to review it. Anyways, I hope you liked Rituals as much as I did; let me know!

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FINAL RATING: 4/5