Ephemeral and Fleeting is the exciting third volume in Patricia Reding's Oathtaker series. Once more, readers will follow Mara, Dixon, and their charges from one adventure to the other. The group returns to the palace of the Select (not without problems) to train their forces to prepare them for the fight against Zarek, an evil leader. Unfortunately, there is a traitor amongst them. Mara and the twins are captured. Fortunately, there is a way for them to communicate - but getting help from the outside is unlikely. Dixon makes a rescue plan. Lucy tries to find the traitor, while also struggling with her emotions about a long-lost love that suddenly turned up in her life once more. In addition, the twins find out that they have unique gifts which give them the power over life and death - at a very high cost.

It had been a while since I read volume 1 and 2 of the series, but Ephemeral and Fleeting by Patricia Reding includes a summary of the plot if you need it. I didn't read the summary though, but still found it easy to dive right back into the world of Mara. Once more, the writing style makes it very easy for readers to be fully immersed in the fantasy world. You feel like you are returning to some friends you have not seen in a while - but the connection is still there and you just continue from where you left them. Mara and her friends have to go through some very difficult adventures, and they have to make some decisions that will have negative results, no matter what they do. Life and death, love and hate, peace and war: they always need to be balanced, and the ones who try to upset the balance will have to pay a price. Not only will this book entertain you for many hours, you will also get some lessons about life out of it. If you haven't read volume 1 and 2 already, I would recommend you to start there. Thanks to the summary you could forego this, but it would be an immense loss as the story is so well written! You wouldn't want to miss it if you love immersive fantasy novels!

As the Oathtakers and the Select they guard are preparing to leave the compound that has been home and sanctuary for roughly two decades, a tragedy occurs that brings about some important revelations. In Ephemeral and Fleeting by Patricia Reding, Lucy, leader of the Council of Oosa, divulges secrets about the powers the twins possess in this third volume of The Oathtaker Series. Moving the Select twins, Reigna and Eden, as well as a group of Oathtakers back to the Palace of Shimeron is a daunting task, but even more obstacles quickly stand in their way. News of their movements are getting back to Zarek, Emperor of Chiran, who is plotting to destroy Oosa and all followers of Ehyeh, the Good One. Zarek continually builds his forces with even more evil soldiers, and his efforts to infiltrate Oosa with children who can stir up trouble and orphans who need care spread the resources of the Council and warriors dangerously thin. As the Oathtakers try to perform their own incursions into Chiran, more and more problems arise as they are overtaken as soon as they arrive. This throws the leaders into a panic, not knowing who is acting as a spy, and time is running short to come up with solutions. The darker things look for those sworn to protect the Select, the more prophecies and dreams seem to provide clues. The question is if they can be interpreted in time to act, and what other surprises lie in store.

Patricia Reding has come up with another excellent book in The Oathtaker Series that moves the plot along at a steady pace while still providing plenty of new twists and turns. A cast of characters and brief synopses of both Volumes One and Two provide great reminders for readers who may have been away from the series for a bit. Ephemeral and Fleeting delves even deeper into the emotions, desires, disappointments and backgrounds of the characters while maintaining great action and well devised strategy. These characters truly demonstrate what it means to be dedicated to a cause and how to work through the direst of circumstances to stay true to the goal. Another hit! I truly admire the depth of the plot and the characters and can't wait to see what happens! Patricia Reding takes the story to a natural end, leaving you breathless for the next volume to see how good versus evil will ultimately play out.

INCREDIBLE!! When reading a sequel you never really know what you will get by book three. Ephemeral and Fleeting kept me turning the pages as if it were the first time I had ever read anything about these characters. Patrica Reding, has a unique ability to allow the reading to feel as if they are along for an epic journey. This is yet another book that is difficult to put down by Patricia Reding.