A shocking number of inconsistencies in comparison to the other three books. Really disappointing.

3/5 i’m happy that I finished the series and it wasn’t a bad ending to it. It just wasn’t very surprising or innovative.

A couple of nails and the coffin for me were the characters all had huge personalities switches instantaneously after three books of making no character growth. Mazrith went from a bad ass and challenging character to this kind of depressive, obstinate character. The argument that he kind of hit his breaking point isn’t very valid to me since he just was instantly fine once Reyna admitted she loved him. Three books of tension and then it felt like Insta-love and I don’t care about my kingdom anymore. Like the whole basis of mazes character is that he is the balance to Reyna when he realizes that not all they are the same. The whole ending required him to tell her that not all gold. Fay are bad. But yet he just decides that he’ll give all of that up to run away with Reyna where they know that they will die. I feel like that was so stupid. All that and the spice was very blah.

However, something that bothered me SO much about this book was the comment that she’s known Nazareth for a century after the whole point of the SERIES of contests was for his 30th birthday… Seems like either terrible editing or a completely unexplored plot point and unbelievably I hope it was the former. Because he also goes on to say that he saw Reyna in her dreams for a decade and he knew he loved her then. Which was the stupidest thing you’re telling me he recognized the city that she was in and it still took him a decade to get to her when there kingdom was doing raids on that city, this whole plot thing to me was a huge letdown.

Also, the whole idea of having these ride-or-die friends and found family that have sworn loyalty till death, but also, they barely know anything about each other and never open up to each other or spend any time with each other. He believed his second in command needed to be tortured for information when they found the staff in his room (when it being planted is a very obvious conclusion). If this was my friend that would be the end of my friendship. There’s no loyalty there and loyalty and honor is supposed to be the basis of everything they’re doing!! I feel that was trying to force a red herring so much that it made no sense.

And finally the thing that made me throw up my hands was the gods took all the Vanir out of this kingdom because they were too powerful and disrupting the balance buys she’s pregnant… and that’s totally okay? We’re not worried about vengeful gods knocking that thing out? Maybe that’s a point in the other series but that takes away from the finality of this one

Great ending to this series. I have been so invested in this whole journey between Reyna and Maz, and glad it ended the way it did.

We got the answers we wanted (and some that I had figured out early on in the series). Now I just need my own shadow fae (really, just my own Maz) and life will be perfect

This book is a good read to do in between major emotional damaging books ⭐️ ⭐️ .5. Decent little adventure that pulls you in, but not super immersive. Last book in the series.

These books are short, super quick reads. The first two and the last two could have been combined into a duology, to be honest.

(((THIS BOOK HAS AN ABRUPT TONAL CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS BOOKS))


Synopsis: The trials and games are still going on, but now they’re in the gold court. More adventure, more violence, more answers. Everything gets tied up in a nice little unrealistic bow.

This is set in a Norse-mythology type setting, but it’s also set up like a typical fantasy, with Norse words. Honestly, it was a really bad attempt at trying their hand at Norse myths and seems like an afterthought. There is a “dictionary” of words at the beginning of the book for those who don’t know what some of the words mean.



***QUOTES, TROPES AND CHARACTERS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***







Tropes: Enemies to lovers, trials & games, riddles, forced proximity, touch her and die, HEA (happily ever after)

Spice level:

- Enemies to lovers
- Slow burn
- Norse mythology

The ride has come to an end. This is the conclusion to the Shadow Bound Queen series. There was a detailed "catch up" section that quickly brings you up to speed on the series if it has been a while since reading the books.

Can I also take a moment to say how much I loved grumpy Maz? What an amazing character!

This book was a satisfying end to a very complex and mesmerizing series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I binged this entire series in just a few days. And this last book in one sitting.
I. COULDN’T. STOP. READING!!!!!
I’ve only said this a couple of times, but this is one of those series that I wish was LONGER. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the world or the characters yet. It’s days later and I’m still thinking about this series!