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Dark Fae Cursed Shadows #5
Cursed Shadows (The Dark Fae) THE CODA
The Conclusion of the Cursed Shadows Series
THE CODA COMING 2025...
THE CODA COMING 2025...
Unknown Binding
15 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Quinn Blackbird
34 books744 followersQUINN BLACKBIRD is a wanderer, a caffeine addict, a concern to her teachers & a bit of a dork.
You can find Quinn buying gym equipment she never uses or being dragged out of the writing cave by pesky friends.
Mention "margarita" and she'll come ah-runnin.
QB's goal is to live on a farm with rescue animals and write!
Now beware!! Blackbird writes about everything she loathes. This makes for books that are darker, grittier, anti-heroes, messed-up characters, and dark worlds. It's not a guarantee you'll find redemption in her pages. Because, as Gaslight Her warns, 'sometimes, the villains win.'
popular questions answered:
*there is no reading order to the dark fae universe books ~ and yes, another dark fae book is coming!*
CONTACT:
FB Quinn Blackbird
FB READER GROUP: Quinn Blackbird and Her Blackbirds
You can find Quinn buying gym equipment she never uses or being dragged out of the writing cave by pesky friends.
Mention "margarita" and she'll come ah-runnin.
QB's goal is to live on a farm with rescue animals and write!
Now beware!! Blackbird writes about everything she loathes. This makes for books that are darker, grittier, anti-heroes, messed-up characters, and dark worlds. It's not a guarantee you'll find redemption in her pages. Because, as Gaslight Her warns, 'sometimes, the villains win.'
popular questions answered:
*there is no reading order to the dark fae universe books ~ and yes, another dark fae book is coming!*
CONTACT:
FB Quinn Blackbird
FB READER GROUP: Quinn Blackbird and Her Blackbirds
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 2, 2025
5 stars
A pleasant surprise that I found this was released early. Loved it so much!!! Spent the whole day in this world. The ending was perfect and “the Ballad of a halfing and her darkness” at the very end was beautiful. I finished it then immediately restarted to skim my favorite parts- esp the final scenes. I still love the viciousness of the story with the torture and the stabbing. Their love for each other had a painful edge. The groveling was good.
I’m excited that this is not the end and looking forward to the deluxe edition with an alternate ending and bonus material. I usually don’t care but in this case, interested in finding out Dare’s fate and his adventure.
Special shoutout to everyone associated with the tavern- including Rune’s bro, Forranach, the orphan boy, Leif and of course Hedda, the fairie pup.
Such a great series. One of my absolute faves.
A pleasant surprise that I found this was released early. Loved it so much!!! Spent the whole day in this world. The ending was perfect and “the Ballad of a halfing and her darkness” at the very end was beautiful. I finished it then immediately restarted to skim my favorite parts- esp the final scenes. I still love the viciousness of the story with the torture and the stabbing. Their love for each other had a painful edge. The groveling was good.
I’m excited that this is not the end and looking forward to the deluxe edition with an alternate ending and bonus material. I usually don’t care but in this case, interested in finding out Dare’s fate and his adventure.
Special shoutout to everyone associated with the tavern- including Rune’s bro, Forranach, the orphan boy, Leif and of course Hedda, the fairie pup.
Such a great series. One of my absolute faves.
November 7, 2025
?????
Ending any series like this is an outrage but this one in particular, more so!!
What a misery of a book and all died
Unacceptable!
Ending any series like this is an outrage but this one in particular, more so!!
What a misery of a book and all died
Unacceptable!
June 1, 2025
Unsure of how I feel about this
I’m torn. I honestly can’t rate it above a neutral 3. But don’t want to drag down the ratings because it just ended up being different than I’d hoped. It wasn’t bad per se, just a lot darker than I was expecting. Author seems to have a thing for torture, pain, cruelty and unhappiness. No characters get to be happy. Not my thing.
This book is a level of messed-up-ness that I can’t really wrap my head around. There is no happy ending. Not even close to it. The MFC is as intolerable in book 5 as she is in book 1. Actually worse. The only one who showed growth was the MMC. And his growth, ability to communicate and understand his feelings and personal realizations were pretty darn impressive. He was alone in the growth though. She was no less selfish or scheming or entitled. Even worse, she grew to be far more cruel and hateful.
Overall, I found it to be rather depressing really. I don’t enjoy the super dark, negative story lines.
If you don’t like really dark, depressing books I’d suggest avoid this series. If you like them, you’ll get plenty of darkness with a whole lot of WTF is wrong with these characters here.
I’m torn. I honestly can’t rate it above a neutral 3. But don’t want to drag down the ratings because it just ended up being different than I’d hoped. It wasn’t bad per se, just a lot darker than I was expecting. Author seems to have a thing for torture, pain, cruelty and unhappiness. No characters get to be happy. Not my thing.
This book is a level of messed-up-ness that I can’t really wrap my head around. There is no happy ending. Not even close to it. The MFC is as intolerable in book 5 as she is in book 1. Actually worse. The only one who showed growth was the MMC. And his growth, ability to communicate and understand his feelings and personal realizations were pretty darn impressive. He was alone in the growth though. She was no less selfish or scheming or entitled. Even worse, she grew to be far more cruel and hateful.
Overall, I found it to be rather depressing really. I don’t enjoy the super dark, negative story lines.
If you don’t like really dark, depressing books I’d suggest avoid this series. If you like them, you’ll get plenty of darkness with a whole lot of WTF is wrong with these characters here.
June 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | What a way to end the series!
Wow. Just… wow. This book absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. This final installment had me in tears, gripping my Kindle and wishing it wouldn’t end. The entire series has been heartbreakingly beautiful, but this book hit especially hard.
Nari and Daxeel’s story is one I won’t forget anytime soon. Their connection, their pain, it’s all so raw and real. I don’t think I’m ready to let them go. Honestly, I wish there was a Book 6 just to give us more. More of their love, more of their world, more of everything. I may have wanted the story to end a little bit differently. However, I understand how the story needed to end.
Wow. Just… wow. This book absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. This final installment had me in tears, gripping my Kindle and wishing it wouldn’t end. The entire series has been heartbreakingly beautiful, but this book hit especially hard.
Nari and Daxeel’s story is one I won’t forget anytime soon. Their connection, their pain, it’s all so raw and real. I don’t think I’m ready to let them go. Honestly, I wish there was a Book 6 just to give us more. More of their love, more of their world, more of everything. I may have wanted the story to end a little bit differently. However, I understand how the story needed to end.
June 1, 2025
I can't say enough about this series. Dark, exciting and a can't put down read. I can't wait from more from Quinn Blackbird
September 18, 2025
This series destroyed me
June 1, 2025
Beautiful Tragic
This is probably the greatest book I have ever read of hurt, angst, and betrayal. My heart acts for these characters because you truly do not feel after everything they found their hea. The ending was very realistic for all that has happened between the characters. Blackbird did an amazing job telling a story that shows how people let pain control their actions and now must suffer the consequences. Very well written and thought provoking.
This is probably the greatest book I have ever read of hurt, angst, and betrayal. My heart acts for these characters because you truly do not feel after everything they found their hea. The ending was very realistic for all that has happened between the characters. Blackbird did an amazing job telling a story that shows how people let pain control their actions and now must suffer the consequences. Very well written and thought provoking.
June 3, 2025
The very best from Quinn
Quinn’s dark fae books have always been great but this series in particular tells a truly compelling story with complicated characters that are all loveable in their own way.
Quinn’s dark fae books have always been great but this series in particular tells a truly compelling story with complicated characters that are all loveable in their own way.
May 31, 2025
It's exactly what I expected from this last book in the series, I was sad about Eamon's fate. Nari's got the independence she deserves and then the ending between them.
September 11, 2025
ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS
Okay, this is kinda of a biased review. After having literally lost my mind with how annoying Nari was for half the series, how tedious Nari and Daxeel’s back-and-forths were, and getting manipulated into thinking book four was finally when Nari was going to redeem herself, I, honestly, didn’t even attempt to read this book. I couldn’t find any decent reviews explaining what happened, so I just skipped to the end, and it’s actually trash. Legitimately makes me question my decision making skills. What the EVERLIVING F*CK was that BS of an ending??
I have no context whatsoever for whatever happened in this particular book, but at this point I have 80% of the series down, I deserve to have an opinion.
My opinion is that the ending is TRASH. It was like five pages (that’s it) of them STILL on this whole “i love you but i hate you” thing. I’M SO OVER IT! I. Don’t. Care. This isn’t even second-chance anymore; it’s just a highly dysfunctional relationship. If you STILL “don’t know each other” and hold so much resentment, let it go. At least, take a longgggg break. Y’all live so long anyways. Figure out what you want. I don’t want a series (one so long too) to conclude with “let’s start over.” BRO YOU SHOULD’VE DONE THAT LIKE 3 BOOKS AGO. Genuinely, the only book I liked (up till the disastrous ending—seems to be a pattern) was book four, and that’s because Nari finally stopped throwing tantrums like a toddler.
One star might be too generous.
Okay, this is kinda of a biased review. After having literally lost my mind with how annoying Nari was for half the series, how tedious Nari and Daxeel’s back-and-forths were, and getting manipulated into thinking book four was finally when Nari was going to redeem herself, I, honestly, didn’t even attempt to read this book. I couldn’t find any decent reviews explaining what happened, so I just skipped to the end, and it’s actually trash. Legitimately makes me question my decision making skills. What the EVERLIVING F*CK was that BS of an ending??
I have no context whatsoever for whatever happened in this particular book, but at this point I have 80% of the series down, I deserve to have an opinion.
My opinion is that the ending is TRASH. It was like five pages (that’s it) of them STILL on this whole “i love you but i hate you” thing. I’M SO OVER IT! I. Don’t. Care. This isn’t even second-chance anymore; it’s just a highly dysfunctional relationship. If you STILL “don’t know each other” and hold so much resentment, let it go. At least, take a longgggg break. Y’all live so long anyways. Figure out what you want. I don’t want a series (one so long too) to conclude with “let’s start over.” BRO YOU SHOULD’VE DONE THAT LIKE 3 BOOKS AGO. Genuinely, the only book I liked (up till the disastrous ending—seems to be a pattern) was book four, and that’s because Nari finally stopped throwing tantrums like a toddler.
One star might be too generous.
June 5, 2025
This was a beautiful, poignant and heartbreaking end to Nari and Dax's story. This has been a unique series, I cant think of another dark romantasy series that has gripped me, which I was so eager to read and invested in.
It really had it all, angst ( so much) betrayal, scheming, back stabbing, but also regret, the way we rarely get second chances and cant recreate the past, no matter how much we wish we could. There was also love, spice and fated mates. It had everything that makes a good fantasy series.
Nari developed so much as a character in the series and Daxeel too. Its a tough read at times, its sombre, emotional, raw and very dark . I can understand that not everyone will like the way it ends but in view of what the characters went through, especially Nari, its a realistic portrayal of how they need to rediscover both each other and themselves, like starting over, before they can move forward. Much better than a HEA for the sake of keeping some readers happy.
Its very much in keeping with the author's other fae books. I'm genuinely sorry that it has come to an end but there are more dark fae books coming featuring Dare so maybe we'll read about Nari and Dax in those. These books, these characters, their world will live rent free in my head for years to come. Thanks to the author for such a wonderful ballad.
It really had it all, angst ( so much) betrayal, scheming, back stabbing, but also regret, the way we rarely get second chances and cant recreate the past, no matter how much we wish we could. There was also love, spice and fated mates. It had everything that makes a good fantasy series.
Nari developed so much as a character in the series and Daxeel too. Its a tough read at times, its sombre, emotional, raw and very dark . I can understand that not everyone will like the way it ends but in view of what the characters went through, especially Nari, its a realistic portrayal of how they need to rediscover both each other and themselves, like starting over, before they can move forward. Much better than a HEA for the sake of keeping some readers happy.
Its very much in keeping with the author's other fae books. I'm genuinely sorry that it has come to an end but there are more dark fae books coming featuring Dare so maybe we'll read about Nari and Dax in those. These books, these characters, their world will live rent free in my head for years to come. Thanks to the author for such a wonderful ballad.
June 14, 2025
This whole series I was screaming for Nari to stand up and find some self respect. The last book was a tough journey of strengthening and learning to be independent. This book was a continuation of that. Nari found her resolve and stayed firm on not accepting anything less than what she deserved.
I thought I wouldn’t be satisfied unless the series ended with Daxeel suffering for eternity. But then Forranach goes and says “forgiveness is a difficult thing” and damn it all if he isn’t right. Nari spent so much of the series debasing herself to earn Daxeels forgiveness, and once she had it, it was him who needed it. So yes, given his incredible show of remorse and willingness to literally be on his knees grovelling, I can find it in me to work on forgiving him. I’m also incredibly satisfied with the conclusion. There was no riding off into the sunset tomorrow and sweeping all the hurts under the rug. To start over and rebuild their relationship with full honesty and vulnerability is a really beautiful ending.
The only thing that went wrong was Eamon. Why him???? That was devastating and felt so undeserved :(
I’m also choosing to ignore the fact that most of these characters are evil slavers who are responsible for the eradication or slavery of the human race and feel no remorse over it. Can’t look into that one too closely
I thought I wouldn’t be satisfied unless the series ended with Daxeel suffering for eternity. But then Forranach goes and says “forgiveness is a difficult thing” and damn it all if he isn’t right. Nari spent so much of the series debasing herself to earn Daxeels forgiveness, and once she had it, it was him who needed it. So yes, given his incredible show of remorse and willingness to literally be on his knees grovelling, I can find it in me to work on forgiving him. I’m also incredibly satisfied with the conclusion. There was no riding off into the sunset tomorrow and sweeping all the hurts under the rug. To start over and rebuild their relationship with full honesty and vulnerability is a really beautiful ending.
The only thing that went wrong was Eamon. Why him???? That was devastating and felt so undeserved :(
I’m also choosing to ignore the fact that most of these characters are evil slavers who are responsible for the eradication or slavery of the human race and feel no remorse over it. Can’t look into that one too closely
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2025
i cried like a baby multiple times. i’m sad this series has finished i’ve read it many many many times, my heart hurts for Nari. I wish Daxeel didn’t grovel because i loved his toxic nature but i do understand it was important for any type of growth with them. Quinn i love you for making this masterpiece thank you so much❤️
August 27, 2025
This book, was so much better than I was expecting. The first four books leading up to this last installment were actually very good, full of emotional damage, and I enjoyed them all very much. However, this final chapter of the story was the most beautiful, gut wrenching tale I never anticipated. Nari’s story left me raw and haunted. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 31, 2025
strange dark fae
I love the dark Fae all of the stories are my favorite. I have to say that this ending is really strange and I get that it really couldn’t be a happy end . However it’s very strange not really my kind of finish.
I love the dark Fae all of the stories are my favorite. I have to say that this ending is really strange and I get that it really couldn’t be a happy end . However it’s very strange not really my kind of finish.
June 9, 2025
I loved the first books - was scared there for a bit because of the 4th book - but queen QB delivered again. 🖤 she writes characters that I try to find in other books but I am never successful. Thank goodness that her dark world is still expanding.
June 2, 2025
Quinn, I Love this whole world you have created, and I'm completely here for it. I can't wait for more of Samick and Dare, and the next installment of Bluestone.
Faithful Black bird here!
Please never stop writing!
Faithful Black bird here!
Please never stop writing!
June 29, 2025
This broke me
July 11, 2025
A beautifully written, heart wrenching story. So many great characters. This last book did not take the direction I thought it would, but was 100% what I needed.
September 19, 2025
I was soooo depressed reading this.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews