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nite0wl29's review
4.0
I think this book was my favorite out of the series. Zora has come a long way and I’m happy that Griffin and Zora finally got their happy ending. Since The Prince and the Cup I was intrigued by Larzen’s character. Let’s just say Larzen and Riadne stole the show for me in this one! I loved the complexity of Riadne’s character and the surprising development in her relationship with Larzen was the icing on the cake.
Thanks NetGalley for the eARC!
Thanks NetGalley for the eARC!
andervic000's review
3.0
I was a little bit disappointed with this book. I think it could have worked fine as a middle novel but was disappointing for a conclusion. The main issue for me was the pacing; most of the book seemed to drag and the ending felt rushed. I wanted more of the tension that was so good ok the first two books. The characters were fun though
the_b00kreader's review
3.0
**TW**
Death, violence, blood mentioned few times in detail, possession, s*xual ass*ult being hinted at
I was disappointed. For a finale..it wasn't final. There's still a bit of a plot hole towards the end of the book which leads the reader to believe the series is not over.
The book was so good and had so much potential until we reached the end. It was as though the author got bored of writing this series and just quickly tried to wrap it up. For everything that the characters went through...the solution seemed way too simple.
Another thing is the Solanas don't seem to have gotten the ending I believed they would have. I can't say much without spoiling it, but it just didn't feel right.
Besides the end of the book, the rest was great. The tension build-up was well written and kept me on my toes and the character development was quite evident in a few of the characters.
The shadow world was described in a bit more detail in this book and I must say I was intruiged! I'd love to read a book that's pov is set in the shadow world!
Riadne, I feel, had the greatest character development. She opened up more and appeared happier and more at ease. I must admit, I didn't like her at first, but she grew on me.
I do love Day Leitao's writing style, how the words run smoothly as you read and take in the tale. I am definitely going to read more books by this author but I do hope that perhaps this isn't the finale in the series. I know it says it, but it didn't feel like it.
All that being said, I do recommend the series as I thoroughly enjoyed it (besides the 'ending').
Death, violence, blood mentioned few times in detail, possession, s*xual ass*ult being hinted at
I was disappointed. For a finale..it wasn't final. There's still a bit of a plot hole towards the end of the book which leads the reader to believe the series is not over.
The book was so good and had so much potential until we reached the end. It was as though the author got bored of writing this series and just quickly tried to wrap it up. For everything that the characters went through...the solution seemed way too simple.
Another thing is the Solanas don't seem to have gotten the ending I believed they would have. I can't say much without spoiling it, but it just didn't feel right.
Besides the end of the book, the rest was great. The tension build-up was well written and kept me on my toes and the character development was quite evident in a few of the characters.
The shadow world was described in a bit more detail in this book and I must say I was intruiged! I'd love to read a book that's pov is set in the shadow world!
Riadne, I feel, had the greatest character development. She opened up more and appeared happier and more at ease. I must admit, I didn't like her at first, but she grew on me.
I do love Day Leitao's writing style, how the words run smoothly as you read and take in the tale. I am definitely going to read more books by this author but I do hope that perhaps this isn't the finale in the series. I know it says it, but it didn't feel like it.
All that being said, I do recommend the series as I thoroughly enjoyed it (besides the 'ending').
bdzimmerman15's review
4.0
Thank you to BookSirens and Day Leito for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed the last book in the Kingdom's of Curses and Shadows series! I thought this was a great ending. It was a journey to get there for sure. My biggest issue with this one was that it was a little slow in the beginning. I don't normally mind, but this took me a minute to get back into this world. It was about the 15-20% mark when it really picked up for me.
While I enjoyed it, the fact that it was hard to get into took a little bit away. I did like that it picked up directly where book two left off though. I just wish there was a little more action to get into it. It was a bit confusing, but I started to piece things together relatively quickly. I enjoyed the arc that both Griffin and Zora went through as it was necessary, I just missed their banter and romance a bit in this book. This wasn't a bad book and I liked the conclusion, it just wasn't my favorite.
True rating: 3.5/5
I thoroughly enjoyed the last book in the Kingdom's of Curses and Shadows series! I thought this was a great ending. It was a journey to get there for sure. My biggest issue with this one was that it was a little slow in the beginning. I don't normally mind, but this took me a minute to get back into this world. It was about the 15-20% mark when it really picked up for me.
While I enjoyed it, the fact that it was hard to get into took a little bit away. I did like that it picked up directly where book two left off though. I just wish there was a little more action to get into it. It was a bit confusing, but I started to piece things together relatively quickly. I enjoyed the arc that both Griffin and Zora went through as it was necessary, I just missed their banter and romance a bit in this book. This wasn't a bad book and I liked the conclusion, it just wasn't my favorite.
True rating: 3.5/5
onebookmore's review
4.0
The third book in the Kingdom of Curses and Shadows, The Dawn and the Prince is a wild, adventurous ride filled with danger, tons of action, and many moving parts. The story picks up where The Curse and the Prince left off. Griffin is separated from Zora, and he finds himself in the most dangerous position yet. Zora, with the help of some unlikely allies, searches for a way to help Griffin and the kingdom, and her quest proves just as life-threatening as Griffin’s.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, which works well in this story. A lot is going on, and reading things from different points of view offers a clarity that you probably wouldn’t get with only one perspective. Since different characters’ paths are going in different directions, the varied points of view give a well-rounded view of what’s happening with each of them at the same time, and their experiences are all dangerous and intriguing!
The major characters in the story continue to grow and change. Zora, Griffin, Riadne, and Larzen have all been through so much, and they continue to face insurmountable obstacles. I like how they’ve all become more confident in themselves and each other. They all show such bravery throughout the story and prove that there are many different ways to show one’s strength and heroism. Each character is well-developed and layered, and I enjoyed their individual and collective stories.
In the last book, the focus was on trust, and it continues to be a focus in this book. Zora has tentative allies, whom she doesn’t fully trust, and her allies don’t trust each other. Griffin is on his own with no one to trust. This all makes for some tense situations. However, another focus of the story is on hope – the hope of reuniting, the hope of a better future, the hope of finding keys to the past, the hope of survival, and the hope of a better future. Each character goes through extreme internal and external conflicts, and they cling to hope to see them through. I like that, even in the darkest moments, the main characters never give up on themselves or each other. However, they don’t rely solely on hope. These characters take action!
There is no shortage of excitement and suspense in this story! It is so intense, and there are moments when I wasn’t sure who would make it out alive. Zora, Griffin, Riadne, and Larzen face shadow creatures, villainous enemies, curses, and other deadly threats, and there is never a dull moment!
Another strength of the story is the immersive setting. The world-building in this series is fantastic and takes the reader on an amazing journey. Each place in the characters’ journey is unique to the others and is described in a way that is easy to visualize. Leitao created a vivid and original world that I found fascinating. I couldn’t wait to see what happened in each new place the characters went to and was excited when they returned to some of the places they traveled to in past books.
As this is the third book in the series, I would recommend reading the first two. It is not a standalone. It is a great series for readers who like YA fantasy with tons of action, well-developed characters, and two love stories! I’m so thankful to NetGalley and Day Leitao for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, which works well in this story. A lot is going on, and reading things from different points of view offers a clarity that you probably wouldn’t get with only one perspective. Since different characters’ paths are going in different directions, the varied points of view give a well-rounded view of what’s happening with each of them at the same time, and their experiences are all dangerous and intriguing!
The major characters in the story continue to grow and change. Zora, Griffin, Riadne, and Larzen have all been through so much, and they continue to face insurmountable obstacles. I like how they’ve all become more confident in themselves and each other. They all show such bravery throughout the story and prove that there are many different ways to show one’s strength and heroism. Each character is well-developed and layered, and I enjoyed their individual and collective stories.
In the last book, the focus was on trust, and it continues to be a focus in this book. Zora has tentative allies, whom she doesn’t fully trust, and her allies don’t trust each other. Griffin is on his own with no one to trust. This all makes for some tense situations. However, another focus of the story is on hope – the hope of reuniting, the hope of a better future, the hope of finding keys to the past, the hope of survival, and the hope of a better future. Each character goes through extreme internal and external conflicts, and they cling to hope to see them through. I like that, even in the darkest moments, the main characters never give up on themselves or each other. However, they don’t rely solely on hope. These characters take action!
There is no shortage of excitement and suspense in this story! It is so intense, and there are moments when I wasn’t sure who would make it out alive. Zora, Griffin, Riadne, and Larzen face shadow creatures, villainous enemies, curses, and other deadly threats, and there is never a dull moment!
Another strength of the story is the immersive setting. The world-building in this series is fantastic and takes the reader on an amazing journey. Each place in the characters’ journey is unique to the others and is described in a way that is easy to visualize. Leitao created a vivid and original world that I found fascinating. I couldn’t wait to see what happened in each new place the characters went to and was excited when they returned to some of the places they traveled to in past books.
As this is the third book in the series, I would recommend reading the first two. It is not a standalone. It is a great series for readers who like YA fantasy with tons of action, well-developed characters, and two love stories! I’m so thankful to NetGalley and Day Leitao for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
mothandnessieread's review
3.0
When I saw my opportunity to finish this trilogy, I was excited to jump on it. Though the series didn’t end quite how I thought it would, I still enjoyed this book. The fact that the author continued developing their characters in this finale was satisfying. I see authors drop that aspect of the story far too often when they reach the end.
I can’t say that I completely enjoyed the ending, however. After Zora’s development and her whole drive being to gain her independence from men and other oppressive power figures, I was honestly disappointed to see her settle down as much as she did. With the clear ideological differences between her and Griffin, I didn’t see their relationship working out naturally. If the author could’ve allowed her to maintain her independence with the finale, I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to finish reading this series, even if I wasn’t able to enjoy it quite as much as I would’ve wanted to. I received a free copy of this story from Hidden Gems and am choosing to leave an honest review of it.
I can’t say that I completely enjoyed the ending, however. After Zora’s development and her whole drive being to gain her independence from men and other oppressive power figures, I was honestly disappointed to see her settle down as much as she did. With the clear ideological differences between her and Griffin, I didn’t see their relationship working out naturally. If the author could’ve allowed her to maintain her independence with the finale, I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
I’m glad I had the opportunity to finish reading this series, even if I wasn’t able to enjoy it quite as much as I would’ve wanted to. I received a free copy of this story from Hidden Gems and am choosing to leave an honest review of it.
ariadnareads's review
4.0
I was kindly provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I like to keep my reviews short and simple:
Characters- The characters were really interesting, I adore Zora and I think she is very strong, I didn't know If I was going to like griffin but I did in the end. Also, Riadne's name and I are a little similar which is cool and it's so unique.
Plot- The plot was very interesting and action-packed. I can't say much without spoilers just that I enjoyed it.
Writing- I really enjoyed the writing style. It was easy to read, I love books with multiple POVs. The one thing I found was in some parts it did get a little much and confusing but it is a fantasy so it makes sense. I don't think I can name a fantasy book I didn't get confused in.
Overall I recommend this book and give it a 4/5stars!
I like to keep my reviews short and simple:
Characters- The characters were really interesting, I adore Zora and I think she is very strong, I didn't know If I was going to like griffin but I did in the end. Also, Riadne's name and I are a little similar which is cool and it's so unique.
Plot- The plot was very interesting and action-packed. I can't say much without spoilers just that I enjoyed it.
Writing- I really enjoyed the writing style. It was easy to read, I love books with multiple POVs. The one thing I found was in some parts it did get a little much and confusing but it is a fantasy so it makes sense. I don't think I can name a fantasy book I didn't get confused in.
Overall I recommend this book and give it a 4/5stars!
manglitter's review
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
This is the final chapter of Zora's story. I was looking to see how this story will end after the cliffhanger of the second book. I liked it in general with all the fights, the adventures and the villains that made their appearances in this book. The thing is that it was really lacking and rushed to get to some ending . At first, the characters were interesting and then they became kind of immature teenagers who blush at everything. A lot of dialogues and some parts of the story could have been omitted. I loved Zora's strong and independent personality in the two first books but here I felt like the author was forcing her naivety and purity on us, let's be honest, I rolled my eyes so much during this reading that it started to hurt. It was becoming less Young adult and more teenagers if not middle graders kind of reading.
It wasn't my favorite book of the trilogy nevertheless it was entertaining and easy to read. I loved Larzen and Riadne that made the story more interesting to follow. I still have some questions about a number of things. Anyway, I like Day Leitao books and I wish to read more from her.
3.5 stars
This is the final chapter of Zora's story. I was looking to see how this story will end after the cliffhanger of the second book. I liked it in general with all the fights, the adventures and the villains that made their appearances in this book. The thing is that it was really lacking and rushed to get to some ending . At first, the characters were interesting and then they became kind of immature teenagers who blush at everything. A lot of dialogues and some parts of the story could have been omitted. I loved Zora's strong and independent personality in the two first books but here I felt like the author was forcing her naivety and purity on us, let's be honest, I rolled my eyes so much during this reading that it started to hurt. It was becoming less Young adult and more teenagers if not middle graders kind of reading.
It wasn't my favorite book of the trilogy nevertheless it was entertaining and easy to read. I loved Larzen and Riadne that made the story more interesting to follow. I still have some questions about a number of things. Anyway, I like Day Leitao books and I wish to read more from her.
emilyrainsford's review
adventurous
medium-paced
3.5
3.5/5
I really enjoyed this series overall. I noticed in the second book an improvement in language flow and lack of proofreading errors. However I have to say that in this third instalment, things again feel a little rushed and unpolished. I did read a Netgalley version so I don't know if the final version is different. There are quite a few awkward spots, such as using "on" where "in" would feel more natural, that could easily be smoothed over by a proofreader.
At the beginning of this final book, Griffin has been transported to the body of a weird lizard-type king in a shadow kingdom. I really loved this turn of events, I thought it had tons of potential, although I do feel it wasn't explored quite as much as I'd hoped in the end. I felt like Griffin got out of it and got his own body back a bit too easily, which was a let down of the tension of him being trapped there in the first place.
The first half felt a little slow and meandering, and the drama between Larzen and Riadne felt a little unnecessary, Riadne just started getting on my nerves. But I really liked seeing Riadne's home, and I loved the whole bit in the Temple on the island. That was really different and interesting. Although the hot air balloon thing was kind of pointless and went nowhere.
I felt like the whole climax of the story just felt a little rushed and underwhelming after all the build up previously. And what exactly was the point of them going to the Temple in the end anyway, it doesn't seem like they got much out of it?
Nonetheless, the whole series was a really fun read and I was happy with how things ended up for the characters. I would definitely read another story set in the same universe.
I really enjoyed this series overall. I noticed in the second book an improvement in language flow and lack of proofreading errors. However I have to say that in this third instalment, things again feel a little rushed and unpolished. I did read a Netgalley version so I don't know if the final version is different. There are quite a few awkward spots, such as using "on" where "in" would feel more natural, that could easily be smoothed over by a proofreader.
At the beginning of this final book, Griffin has been transported to the body of a weird lizard-type king in a shadow kingdom. I really loved this turn of events, I thought it had tons of potential, although I do feel it wasn't explored quite as much as I'd hoped in the end. I felt like Griffin got out of it and got his own body back a bit too easily, which was a let down of the tension of him being trapped there in the first place.
The first half felt a little slow and meandering, and the drama between Larzen and Riadne felt a little unnecessary, Riadne just started getting on my nerves. But I really liked seeing Riadne's home, and I loved the whole bit in the Temple on the island. That was really different and interesting. Although the hot air balloon thing was kind of pointless and went nowhere.
I felt like the whole climax of the story just felt a little rushed and underwhelming after all the build up previously. And what exactly was the point of them going to the Temple in the end anyway, it doesn't seem like they got much out of it?
Nonetheless, the whole series was a really fun read and I was happy with how things ended up for the characters. I would definitely read another story set in the same universe.
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