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Accidental Alchemy #3
Three Scorched Kingdoms
I was supposed to be planning my wedding, not a war. But here we are.
Escaping Constantine should have been the end of our troubles, but instead, it feels like the calm before the storm. Back in Astronia, the horde is tearing through everything, and I’m stuck trying to figure out how my magic works—fast.
No pressure, right?
Aries is still by my side, the dragon king who’s stolen my heart and set my world on fire—literally. But Constantine isn’t done with us. Not by a long shot. And the trail of destruction and loss in my wake isn’t exactly a confidence boost.
The only question now? Can the magic Aries and I create together stop the war before everything we love burns to ash? Or will the fire between us be the thing that destroys it all?
The third and final book in this steamy shifter romantasy series full of hot dragons, ninja gnomes, and the snarky, magical librarian who started it all.
Escaping Constantine should have been the end of our troubles, but instead, it feels like the calm before the storm. Back in Astronia, the horde is tearing through everything, and I’m stuck trying to figure out how my magic works—fast.
No pressure, right?
Aries is still by my side, the dragon king who’s stolen my heart and set my world on fire—literally. But Constantine isn’t done with us. Not by a long shot. And the trail of destruction and loss in my wake isn’t exactly a confidence boost.
The only question now? Can the magic Aries and I create together stop the war before everything we love burns to ash? Or will the fire between us be the thing that destroys it all?
The third and final book in this steamy shifter romantasy series full of hot dragons, ninja gnomes, and the snarky, magical librarian who started it all.
- GenresFantasy
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2024
98 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Heather Hildenbrand
175 books1,445 followersHeather Hildenbrand lives in coastal Virginia where she writes paranormal and fantasy romance with strong-willed heroines and dark, grumpy heroes who’ll burn the world down for their mate. Her most frequent hobbies are cuddling with her giant goldendoodles, riding country roads on the back of her husband’s motorcycle, and avoiding killer slugs.
You can find out more about Heather and her books at heatherhildenbrand.com.
You can find out more about Heather and her books at heatherhildenbrand.com.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 15, 2024
This is the final book in the series!!! All the questions answered. All the love. All gnomes and all the Kitty the Raccoon!! The final battle did not disappoint at all. Aries and Paige can finally have peace! Heather has done it again! She writes like she is there in the action. Like she is best friend with the characters. If you haven’t started this series yet, you are missing out!!
May 29, 2025
Stilllll pretty much a bag of potato chips.
That being said - it wasn't the worst bag of potato chips I've ever eaten (metaphorically, of course).
Pros: it was entertaining! I actually liked the main characters, and the background cast was also pretty fun.
Cons: A lack of real emotional impact when it came to the war-related scenes. A lack of sensible world building: Either Astronia is...incredibly tiny - say the size of Andorra maybe? Ooooor we either have an author who is incredibly lazy with geography or lacks any understanding of what war and invasions look like. Felt a lot more like one of the second two options, especially given the lack of emotional impact of the war. Also toward the end of the novel there was a fair bit of hand wavey "magic."
Which...I love fantasy novels, I love magic and magical systems. It irks me when an author waggles their pen and "magic happens" without it having a really solid grounding in the world and systems they've built. Which definitely happened here, be it intentional or simply because the author struggled to fully elaborate on how what was happening was actually possible within the magical systems she'd created - because it didn't feel like it was within those bounds.
My cons make it sound like I was super down on this series/book. I wasn't, actually - it was fun, it was just very much a big bag of potato chips. While I enjoyed it, I didn't exactly feel satisfied or nourished after finishing it, and I'm looking back at it from the perspective of someone who is now craving something more substantive and...healthy?
That being said - it wasn't the worst bag of potato chips I've ever eaten (metaphorically, of course).
Pros: it was entertaining! I actually liked the main characters, and the background cast was also pretty fun.
Cons: A lack of real emotional impact when it came to the war-related scenes. A lack of sensible world building: Either Astronia is...incredibly tiny - say the size of Andorra maybe? Ooooor we either have an author who is incredibly lazy with geography or lacks any understanding of what war and invasions look like. Felt a lot more like one of the second two options, especially given the lack of emotional impact of the war. Also toward the end of the novel there was a fair bit of hand wavey "magic."
Which...I love fantasy novels, I love magic and magical systems. It irks me when an author waggles their pen and "magic happens" without it having a really solid grounding in the world and systems they've built. Which definitely happened here, be it intentional or simply because the author struggled to fully elaborate on how what was happening was actually possible within the magical systems she'd created - because it didn't feel like it was within those bounds.
My cons make it sound like I was super down on this series/book. I wasn't, actually - it was fun, it was just very much a big bag of potato chips. While I enjoyed it, I didn't exactly feel satisfied or nourished after finishing it, and I'm looking back at it from the perspective of someone who is now craving something more substantive and...healthy?
December 8, 2024
I still enjoyed the series but was disappointed by this final book. I feel like they could have either added 100 pages to the last book to wrap it up or should have made this book longer (maybe even splitting it into two books) to do the story justice. It just felt a little rushed and unfinished while also having unnecessary fluff. I wanted MORE.
November 26, 2025
What was the third kingdom? I only count two.
Paige supposedly was a coffee addict. How is she managing without it as it seems that there’s only tea in Astronia and she’s not uttering one word of complaint?
Burning (heh) question: I want to know why Aries didn’t shift when he and Paige are battling Constantine after he portaled to Astronia? Couldn’t Aries have destroyed him with dragon fire? That also goes for the creatures emerging from the portal. Leo should be dealing with them. It’s not like they haven’t been flitting around at night as dragons doing reconnaissance. What good is being a dragon if you don’t take advantage of it? I would think the restraint of not using their magic only applied to the battle with the orcs and not a wild card. Yes, Constantine was involved by providing weapons but the council didn’t know that.
Why is the library bestowing Constantine with her magic? Supposedly she selects the librarians so what’s going on here? Is he just able to take power from her? Wouldn’t Hoc’s tattoo disappear as soon as Paige’s appeared even if Constantine removed the skin bearing it from Hoc’s arm? Also what is the book that Constantine is hovering over?
...we can’t afford to escalate things here, not when the council holds the upper hand. I call bullshit. The council only claims to be in charge - they’re self-appointed. I’m pretty sure Aries, Paige and the rest could take them on and win. This is a stupid plot development.
Where did the soldiers who obey Esma come from? Sounds like the royals had quite a few traitors in their ranks.
Where are the gnomes during this coup? They idolized Queen Dorthea.
doomed me to live as a hellhound bound to the library - to the confines of the ground and walls - for as long as it existed. Um, Bingo traveled to Astronia while the library was still standing. The fire that destroyed it came later.
I liked the story. There was enough tension and close calls to keep me interested. I'm just quibbling about the few things noted above.
Paige supposedly was a coffee addict. How is she managing without it as it seems that there’s only tea in Astronia and she’s not uttering one word of complaint?
Burning (heh) question: I want to know why Aries didn’t shift when he and Paige are battling Constantine after he portaled to Astronia? Couldn’t Aries have destroyed him with dragon fire? That also goes for the creatures emerging from the portal. Leo should be dealing with them. It’s not like they haven’t been flitting around at night as dragons doing reconnaissance. What good is being a dragon if you don’t take advantage of it? I would think the restraint of not using their magic only applied to the battle with the orcs and not a wild card. Yes, Constantine was involved by providing weapons but the council didn’t know that.
Why is the library bestowing Constantine with her magic? Supposedly she selects the librarians so what’s going on here? Is he just able to take power from her? Wouldn’t Hoc’s tattoo disappear as soon as Paige’s appeared even if Constantine removed the skin bearing it from Hoc’s arm? Also what is the book that Constantine is hovering over?
...we can’t afford to escalate things here, not when the council holds the upper hand. I call bullshit. The council only claims to be in charge - they’re self-appointed. I’m pretty sure Aries, Paige and the rest could take them on and win. This is a stupid plot development.
Where did the soldiers who obey Esma come from? Sounds like the royals had quite a few traitors in their ranks.
Where are the gnomes during this coup? They idolized Queen Dorthea.
doomed me to live as a hellhound bound to the library - to the confines of the ground and walls - for as long as it existed. Um, Bingo traveled to Astronia while the library was still standing. The fire that destroyed it came later.
I liked the story. There was enough tension and close calls to keep me interested. I'm just quibbling about the few things noted above.
January 10, 2026
Paige is a fun main character withy enough personality quirks to make her relatable. Aries, Constantine, and Leo portaled to Astronia was exciting. I loved the way Heather wove in Paige's gift and how it ended. The library was a fun location for the entire crew and the way books came to life was exciting. Great creativity on the part of the author. I'm trying to read more widely - more fantasy, science fiction, and historical rather than my usual romance, action, and thriller genres, but I have to hand it to Heather Hildenbrand. She made me love the fantasy realm as an engaging genre. I truly enjoyed the story. There were enough tension scenes and close calls to keep me fully engaged, never bored. Fabulous job Heather! I will buy more of her novels and will follow this author to see what else she is writing.
February 8, 2025
Three Scorched Kingdoms, final book in the series. Picks up exactly where book 2 left off.
Dual POV with MMC dragon shifter, and FMC love interest.
Paige has howned her magic successfully porting her friends to Aries kingdom. We are immersed immediately in the happenings of Arisha and all that Aries missed while he was gone. Will he lose the kingdom forever?
I thought the conclusion provided great answers to the mysteries within this trilogy. I loved this unique world and story within. there was a lot of growth
This was a fast paced story and a fun time. a great conclusion and a HEA.
Dual POV with MMC dragon shifter, and FMC love interest.
Paige has howned her magic successfully porting her friends to Aries kingdom. We are immersed immediately in the happenings of Arisha and all that Aries missed while he was gone. Will he lose the kingdom forever?
I thought the conclusion provided great answers to the mysteries within this trilogy. I loved this unique world and story within. there was a lot of growth
This was a fast paced story and a fun time. a great conclusion and a HEA.
December 1, 2025
I liked the Accidental Alchemy series as a whole, but I was hoping for just a little bit more meat in this story. The first book was exciting and funny and I liked the quirky magic system. Book 2 was a bit disappointing and I didn’t enjoy the pacing, and unfortunately Three Scorched Kingdoms didn’t really pick up the pace. Although I like where everyone ended up, and I thought that the HEAs wrapped everything up nicely, I felt like too much happened off page, there was more telling than showing, and quite a bit toward the end was just too cheesy for me. This wasn’t a bad book, I just wanted more out of it.
October 24, 2025
I really liked this trilogy! It's fantasy light, perhaps inspired by "The Never-Ending Story" (with the need to save and protect all stories), and contains magic, dragons, gnomes, and several other Realms explored. I did like the found family aspect of this tale (the side characters were fun), and the lovely, mate-match of the two main protagonists was really nice to read. If you are looking for a fantasy tale with a dragon-shifter, some steam, and a magical library, this trilogy is worth reading. And it ended on a fully rounded-out HEA!
February 1, 2025
ABSOLUTELY PERFECT ENDING!!
A FANTASTIC ending to a GREAT trilogy!! This Fantasy series has it all - Tons of different creatures, AWESOME characters, lots of action, wit and humor, a kick-a$$ heroine and her strong, handsome dragon mate, friends and found family, romance and love!! Lots of surprises too!! This was such a fun series with characters that will stay with me! Highly recommended!!!
A FANTASTIC ending to a GREAT trilogy!! This Fantasy series has it all - Tons of different creatures, AWESOME characters, lots of action, wit and humor, a kick-a$$ heroine and her strong, handsome dragon mate, friends and found family, romance and love!! Lots of surprises too!! This was such a fun series with characters that will stay with me! Highly recommended!!!
October 25, 2024
Three scorched kingdoms
This is the final book in the series and while Paoge and Aries and her friends travel to Astronia they have a crown to steal back as well as an Orc war to fight. While also worrying about how to defeat Constantine and take back the library. It did have a sweet conclusion and makes you wish there was more
This is the final book in the series and while Paoge and Aries and her friends travel to Astronia they have a crown to steal back as well as an Orc war to fight. While also worrying about how to defeat Constantine and take back the library. It did have a sweet conclusion and makes you wish there was more
October 15, 2024
I've been particularly fond of the Accidental Alchemy series. The books are full of snark, adventure, a magical library, outlandish worlds, offbeat characters, and oh did I mention a dragon shifter!
Three Scorched Kingdoms did not disappoint and offers an excellent conclusion to the series.
Three Scorched Kingdoms did not disappoint and offers an excellent conclusion to the series.
October 15, 2024
Loved it
This is the last book in this world, and it doesn't disappoint. We get answers to questions we had and some we didn't even know we had. Love the gnomes.
This is a fun read with a happy ending that I loved
This is the last book in this world, and it doesn't disappoint. We get answers to questions we had and some we didn't even know we had. Love the gnomes.
This is a fun read with a happy ending that I loved
October 20, 2024
What an amazing conclusion! I’ve been hooked on this series since book one and the ending does not disappoint. All the burning questions have been answered. I cannot wait to go back and read the series again!
April 21, 2025
One Twist After Another
Three Scorched Kingdoms is the final book of Heather Hildenbrand's Accidental Alchemy series. The twist and turns will keep you in edge. The characters are wonderfully written. This series from start to finish is amazing.
Three Scorched Kingdoms is the final book of Heather Hildenbrand's Accidental Alchemy series. The twist and turns will keep you in edge. The characters are wonderfully written. This series from start to finish is amazing.
June 25, 2025
3.5 stars. I think this book was a great way to wrap up the series, but there were several chapters where I felt that it should have been the ending, because it read like it was the ending. I did like how all questions were answered and you got to read about the HEAs.
June 26, 2025
Nice round story
The battle of a kingdom and a lifetime. Can they win? Will Paige be able to work with Aries to save his kingdom and crown? Will Aries be able to protect his mate during the wars? What kingdoms remain and can they be restored to their former glory?
The battle of a kingdom and a lifetime. Can they win? Will Paige be able to work with Aries to save his kingdom and crown? Will Aries be able to protect his mate during the wars? What kingdoms remain and can they be restored to their former glory?
October 16, 2024
The final book in the Accidental Alchemy trilogy and I'm sad it's ending. Full of pnr, fantasy, adventure, chaos and wonderful characters.
October 29, 2024
No sé, no me ha convencido. Me ha sabido a poco, los personajes me han parecido simplones... Un poco decepcionada.
October 31, 2024
Brilliant series
November 16, 2024
what a fairytale!
I loved this story! Full of magic, mischief, monsters and mayhem. Paige and Aries are so hot together, the pages were curling from the steam!
I loved this story! Full of magic, mischief, monsters and mayhem. Paige and Aries are so hot together, the pages were curling from the steam!
January 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I really enjoyed this series so much
I really enjoyed this series so much
March 20, 2025
A nice little story.
This series was the break I needed. It his fast paced with enough humor to balance it. I felt the stories relaxing and interesting.
This series was the break I needed. It his fast paced with enough humor to balance it. I felt the stories relaxing and interesting.
April 4, 2025
good series! ending was kinda fast but still good!
June 6, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
July 18, 2025
okay but book 3?? magnificent. such a fun witty read with some predictable moments, sure but also so much more!!! what a great series.
July 19, 2025
Good book
This book had lots of action and was fast paced. Paige has gotten everyone out if the library but what awaits them in Astoria is not what they expected.
This book had lots of action and was fast paced. Paige has gotten everyone out if the library but what awaits them in Astoria is not what they expected.
September 21, 2025
awesome
what a great ending. Epic battles and firey moments don’t disappoint! Steamy but not too much or many, great balance between characters.
what a great ending. Epic battles and firey moments don’t disappoint! Steamy but not too much or many, great balance between characters.
October 11, 2025
What a great finish to this trilogy!! The suspense, the love between the characters, it was everything!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews