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The Clock and The Carnival
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
She never believed the stories of the Fallen Saint or Patient Thirteen.
Those fictional warriors have always been her lovesick mother, holding the frail, weak hand of the father she'd never know.
Sapphire S Valdawell is the daughter of Kane and Skylenna, the twin sister of Krimson Arthur Valdawell, and the longtime enemy of the future leader of her country.
Niklaus Demechnef.
Though Sapphire dreamed of a life far away from the name Valdawell, the dark biblical twist of fate had other plans for her.
In a life-threatening encounter with members of the dwindling group of the Vexamen Breed, Sapphire learns that her mother and father's rare mental abilities are, in fact... hereditary.
And to escape certain death, the void of time claims her, chaining Niklaus to her side whether they want the other's company or not.
From the Emerald Lake Asylum to the Vexamen Prison, Sapphire is forced to witness the truth behind her parents' tragic tale. To live through their trauma, their soul-shattering love story, their everlasting power that would bring her to her knees and haunt her for years to come.
But if Sapphire can skip through time in moments of duress, what happens when she's able to control where she goes and what she changes?
Will warning Dessin of his imminent coma prove too dangerous to meddle with?
Or is the clock her new toy and the landscape of time her new carnival?
This is the final chapter of The Pawn and The Puppet series—the end of Dessin and Skylenna's story.
Savour. Every. Word.
Trigger
Abduction, captivity, imprisonment, psychological manipulation, gaslighting, delusional captor behavior, coerced bonding, trauma bonding undertones, forced proximity in captivity, physical torture, beatings, restraint, non-consensual medical procedures, injections, witnessing torture, threats of violence, fear-based manipulation, intense emotional distress, PTSD symptoms, dissociation, hallucinations, body horror, bruising and injuries, vomiting, fainting, carnival/circus horror elements, drug-induced sexual assault, chemical coercion (sexual), non-consensual, drug-facilitated arousal, intense body-shaming, eating disorders, fatphobia, and sexual contact.
She never believed the stories of the Fallen Saint or Patient Thirteen.
Those fictional warriors have always been her lovesick mother, holding the frail, weak hand of the father she'd never know.
Sapphire S Valdawell is the daughter of Kane and Skylenna, the twin sister of Krimson Arthur Valdawell, and the longtime enemy of the future leader of her country.
Niklaus Demechnef.
Though Sapphire dreamed of a life far away from the name Valdawell, the dark biblical twist of fate had other plans for her.
In a life-threatening encounter with members of the dwindling group of the Vexamen Breed, Sapphire learns that her mother and father's rare mental abilities are, in fact... hereditary.
And to escape certain death, the void of time claims her, chaining Niklaus to her side whether they want the other's company or not.
From the Emerald Lake Asylum to the Vexamen Prison, Sapphire is forced to witness the truth behind her parents' tragic tale. To live through their trauma, their soul-shattering love story, their everlasting power that would bring her to her knees and haunt her for years to come.
But if Sapphire can skip through time in moments of duress, what happens when she's able to control where she goes and what she changes?
Will warning Dessin of his imminent coma prove too dangerous to meddle with?
Or is the clock her new toy and the landscape of time her new carnival?
This is the final chapter of The Pawn and The Puppet series—the end of Dessin and Skylenna's story.
Savour. Every. Word.
Trigger
Abduction, captivity, imprisonment, psychological manipulation, gaslighting, delusional captor behavior, coerced bonding, trauma bonding undertones, forced proximity in captivity, physical torture, beatings, restraint, non-consensual medical procedures, injections, witnessing torture, threats of violence, fear-based manipulation, intense emotional distress, PTSD symptoms, dissociation, hallucinations, body horror, bruising and injuries, vomiting, fainting, carnival/circus horror elements, drug-induced sexual assault, chemical coercion (sexual), non-consensual, drug-facilitated arousal, intense body-shaming, eating disorders, fatphobia, and sexual contact.
- GenresDark Romance
641 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 14, 2026
106 people are currently reading
498 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
February 15, 2026
The long wait finally has come to and end, I swear I think I’m about to cry again just thinking about it 😭 it’s like a bittersweet moment knowing that what I looked forward to for so long has now finally arrived and that I enjoyed it so much and was so invested throughout the whole book, this whole series was truly so well written and this last book was honestly so freaking good and definitely worth the wait. Okay I think I need to stop typing before I cry again 😭😭 sorry I can’t talk about the plot at all without my eyes starting to sweat, its so strange 🤣😭😭
February 15, 2026
Book 5 - the end game - the finale - the conclusion - the completion - a lot to live up to in a series of 5 books and a novella. Lots to know, lots we want to happen, lots we will hold our breath for! Will it live up to our expectations and heal our hearts.
Yes yes yes it delivered, oh did it ever. The clock and the carnival was an extremely hard, beautiful, emotion journey. I’ve love each and every part of this series, the emotion, the trauma, the passion, the uniqueness. It’s been a long journey and this fulfilled all, but now I’m sad it’s over.
All books tie in extremely well, there’s so much depth that you’re not going to realise until you’re reading this book. Brandi is a very clever writer in how she interweaves this whole series the way she has, I was gobsmacked and stunned when parts clicked in.
The characters are family I’ve found and adored, the enemies to lovers trope in this book is perfection - it’s drawn out to the full extent of what a true enemies to lovers fan needs. The story completes all I needed to finish the series perfectly and then some, it fills in things, it twists and turns perfectly.
I could say so much but I don’t want to give anything away, but this series is hard to stop once you start it. Being completely finished means you won’t have to wait and can just indulge in it fully. This is dark so definitely check your triggers first. I recommend it fully and will definitely reread this many more times.
Yes yes yes it delivered, oh did it ever. The clock and the carnival was an extremely hard, beautiful, emotion journey. I’ve love each and every part of this series, the emotion, the trauma, the passion, the uniqueness. It’s been a long journey and this fulfilled all, but now I’m sad it’s over.
All books tie in extremely well, there’s so much depth that you’re not going to realise until you’re reading this book. Brandi is a very clever writer in how she interweaves this whole series the way she has, I was gobsmacked and stunned when parts clicked in.
The characters are family I’ve found and adored, the enemies to lovers trope in this book is perfection - it’s drawn out to the full extent of what a true enemies to lovers fan needs. The story completes all I needed to finish the series perfectly and then some, it fills in things, it twists and turns perfectly.
I could say so much but I don’t want to give anything away, but this series is hard to stop once you start it. Being completely finished means you won’t have to wait and can just indulge in it fully. This is dark so definitely check your triggers first. I recommend it fully and will definitely reread this many more times.
February 12, 2026
Such a masterpiece. If there were cracks in this series, any loose threads in this finale, I never saw them. I’m not moving on in heart or spirit. THIS. SERIES. Every book somehow climbed higher than the last, and this final book brought it all full circle with a kind of epic intensity that felt inevitable.
The enemies to lovers slow burn in The Clock and The Carnival is the gold standard. This is what we mean when we claim to love that trope. The forced proximity, the survival, the fragile trust forged under pressure. And every single time “my wife” appeared on the page, I absolutely lost it.
“𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞.”
This was the ending we needed after the long, brutal road these characters walked. The kind of closure that shatters you gently and then stitches you back together. The time travel offered glimpses into past moments from new angles, and it was electrifying. I would suddenly realize, this is that moment, and experience it all over again through different eyes.
The characters. The found family. I have never been so deeply attached to an entire cast. Not everyone gets their final days with the people they love. I suspected what was coming. It didn’t make it hurt any less. And as I write this, my eyes once again fill with tears.
…𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.
This wasn’t just a story to me. I’m genuinely in awe of what Brandi created. Every single puzzle piece was placed with intention, from the first page of the first book to the final breath of the last. Nothing accidental. Nothing wasted.
All along, I thought I was watching the strings.
Turns out, I was the puppet.
And I would let her pull them all over again for a journey like this.
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞? 𝑾𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏.
The enemies to lovers slow burn in The Clock and The Carnival is the gold standard. This is what we mean when we claim to love that trope. The forced proximity, the survival, the fragile trust forged under pressure. And every single time “my wife” appeared on the page, I absolutely lost it.
“𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞.”
This was the ending we needed after the long, brutal road these characters walked. The kind of closure that shatters you gently and then stitches you back together. The time travel offered glimpses into past moments from new angles, and it was electrifying. I would suddenly realize, this is that moment, and experience it all over again through different eyes.
The characters. The found family. I have never been so deeply attached to an entire cast. Not everyone gets their final days with the people they love. I suspected what was coming. It didn’t make it hurt any less. And as I write this, my eyes once again fill with tears.
…𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.
This wasn’t just a story to me. I’m genuinely in awe of what Brandi created. Every single puzzle piece was placed with intention, from the first page of the first book to the final breath of the last. Nothing accidental. Nothing wasted.
All along, I thought I was watching the strings.
Turns out, I was the puppet.
And I would let her pull them all over again for a journey like this.
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞? 𝑾𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏.
February 14, 2026
No please what do you mean this is it? I’m still crying. I don’t know what to say about this book. This is my everything! This book gave me a new family, I was a part of their family. The last chapters gave me everything. They gave me happiness, relief and utterly sadness. I’m destroyed in all ways. This series is my safe space. I will never recover from my babies. I read many books, I rate many books 5 stars. But this series is more than stars. It’s my everything. My soul belongs to this series, to the people in it. I can’t stop crying actually. I think I will never stop crying about them. They got their happy end, and I’m so happy and proud of them. But what about me 😭 im devastated here. But Brandi I love you, thank you for this absolute masterpiece. I will reread this series when I’m feeling like I need a big good cry. Thank you for letting me be a part of this world. They are my comfort ❤️
February 18, 2026
⚠️⚠️⚠️Check all TW ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Excuse me while I go and dry my eyes. What on earth. I have read this series from the beginning when it first came out and I’m obsessed even now. I 10/10 recommend this book if you like dystopian romance.
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Excuse me while I go and dry my eyes. What on earth. I have read this series from the beginning when it first came out and I’m obsessed even now. I 10/10 recommend this book if you like dystopian romance.
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
This entire series is all-consuming — but The Clock and the Carnival takes it to another level.
Out of all the series I’ve read, Brandi Elise Szeker completely knocked this one out of the park. She brings everything full circle in a way that feels intentional, powerful, and deeply satisfying. There are no loose ends. No forgotten details. Even the moments that seem like passing comments come back with meaning. Nothing is accidental.
The depth in this series is unreal. The heart. The soul. The love and the hate. The breaking and rebuilding. It’s layered in a way that makes you feel everything.
The last 80% of this book? Straight tears. Every kind. Sadness that turns into heartache. Heartache that turns into complete devastation — the gut-wrenching, “my heart is dust” kind. And then somehow… pure joy. Relief. Happiness. Emotional whiplash in the best possible way.
Every time you think you know what’s about to happen — I promise, you don’t.
Brandi brought these characters to life in a way I didn’t think was possible on paper. She gave me a family I fell hopelessly in love with. She gave me a story that made me want a soulmate in a way I didn’t even realize I needed.
This series isn’t just one of the best you’ll ever read.
It’s a home you didn’t expect to find.
A must read.
A must own.
A must cherish.
Till hell freezes over. Right, Brandi?
Out of all the series I’ve read, Brandi Elise Szeker completely knocked this one out of the park. She brings everything full circle in a way that feels intentional, powerful, and deeply satisfying. There are no loose ends. No forgotten details. Even the moments that seem like passing comments come back with meaning. Nothing is accidental.
The depth in this series is unreal. The heart. The soul. The love and the hate. The breaking and rebuilding. It’s layered in a way that makes you feel everything.
The last 80% of this book? Straight tears. Every kind. Sadness that turns into heartache. Heartache that turns into complete devastation — the gut-wrenching, “my heart is dust” kind. And then somehow… pure joy. Relief. Happiness. Emotional whiplash in the best possible way.
Every time you think you know what’s about to happen — I promise, you don’t.
Brandi brought these characters to life in a way I didn’t think was possible on paper. She gave me a family I fell hopelessly in love with. She gave me a story that made me want a soulmate in a way I didn’t even realize I needed.
This series isn’t just one of the best you’ll ever read.
It’s a home you didn’t expect to find.
A must read.
A must own.
A must cherish.
Till hell freezes over. Right, Brandi?
February 20, 2026
Wow. Wow. Wow. I am speechless. Brandi, I love you and hate you all at once.
This book gave me closure but also broke my heart 17 times. For the first 50% of this book, I just wasn't so sure. I was confused a lot of the time and felt like important things were just happening too fast/skimmed and it was leaving me confused why they weren't being explained. Obviously in true Brandi fashion everything came together in the end, and it made sense. I wanted to cry happy tears and then the next chapter I found myself wanting to cry SAD tears. Everyone did get their ending/closure unfortunately not everyone's was what I wanted ... Dellilian I love you it was like experiencing Knightingale all over again but WORSE and I was crushed. I think if I was reading that scene in the comfort of my own home I would have bawled. Brandi, just when I thought I couldn't forgive you for chapter 82. YOU GAVE ME CHAPTER 84. I BAWLED.. IN PUBLIC. I knew it would come but I wasn't ready for it. Brandi, you are a true genius and the amount of pre planning and thinking for the twists and turns in this series never fails me. This was my first fantasy I ever read, and I can finally have closure. I will always love Skylenna and Dessin and this book was the perfect ending for them. I almost only gave this book 4 stars until the last 40ish pages. Trust me, the last 20% was so 500 stars but unfortunately the first 50% was giving 3 stars..
This series is a whirlwind and for anyone starting it or wanting to start it and they get to a point they aren't sure about finishing it, KEEP GOING because this was the craziest rollercoaster I've ever been on even when I didn't know it.
This book gave me closure but also broke my heart 17 times. For the first 50% of this book, I just wasn't so sure. I was confused a lot of the time and felt like important things were just happening too fast/skimmed and it was leaving me confused why they weren't being explained. Obviously in true Brandi fashion everything came together in the end, and it made sense. I wanted to cry happy tears and then the next chapter I found myself wanting to cry SAD tears. Everyone did get their ending/closure unfortunately not everyone's was what I wanted ... Dellilian I love you it was like experiencing Knightingale all over again but WORSE and I was crushed. I think if I was reading that scene in the comfort of my own home I would have bawled. Brandi, just when I thought I couldn't forgive you for chapter 82. YOU GAVE ME CHAPTER 84. I BAWLED.. IN PUBLIC. I knew it would come but I wasn't ready for it. Brandi, you are a true genius and the amount of pre planning and thinking for the twists and turns in this series never fails me. This was my first fantasy I ever read, and I can finally have closure. I will always love Skylenna and Dessin and this book was the perfect ending for them. I almost only gave this book 4 stars until the last 40ish pages. Trust me, the last 20% was so 500 stars but unfortunately the first 50% was giving 3 stars..
This series is a whirlwind and for anyone starting it or wanting to start it and they get to a point they aren't sure about finishing it, KEEP GOING because this was the craziest rollercoaster I've ever been on even when I didn't know it.
February 19, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (and honestly… more if I could)
I don’t say this lightly — this is my favorite book series of all time.
When I started The Pawn and the Puppet, I’ll admit… I struggled a little. The writing felt different. Conversations were sometimes fragmented, information was skipped, and I had to work to fully understand what was happening. But now? I realize that was intentional. It forces you to feel the chaos. To live inside it.
And with every single book, it just got better. Stronger. Deeper.
Dessin is one of the most complex, heartbreaking, and magnificently written characters I’ve ever encountered. His dissociative identity disorder isn’t used as a trope or a gimmick — it’s written with depth, humanity, and what feels like genuine love. You can tell the author didn’t just “use” the disorder for drama. She respected it. She embraced it. She made it beautiful.
And that changed me.
Skylenna… oh Skylenna. Watching her love him. all of him , every part, every fracture, every personality was powerful in a way I didn’t expect. Their relationship isn’t simple. It’s layered. Messy. Intense. Real.
And then The Clock and the Carnival absolutely destroyed me.
Their daughter. Time travel. Loss. Sacrifice. The way everything unraveled…
I bawled. I mean full, ugly, can’t-breathe crying. No book has ever made me feel like that before. Ever.
This series is the perfect combination of:
• immersive world building
• painfully beautiful character development
• emotional devastation
• humor when you least expect it
• and love in its most complex form
It made me laugh. It made me ache. It made me think differently about mental health. It made me feel.
And the fact that it only kept getting better with each book? Rare. So rare.
This isn’t just a series. It’s an experience. And I will never stop recommending it.
Forever obsessed. 🖤🎭⏳
I don’t say this lightly — this is my favorite book series of all time.
When I started The Pawn and the Puppet, I’ll admit… I struggled a little. The writing felt different. Conversations were sometimes fragmented, information was skipped, and I had to work to fully understand what was happening. But now? I realize that was intentional. It forces you to feel the chaos. To live inside it.
And with every single book, it just got better. Stronger. Deeper.
Dessin is one of the most complex, heartbreaking, and magnificently written characters I’ve ever encountered. His dissociative identity disorder isn’t used as a trope or a gimmick — it’s written with depth, humanity, and what feels like genuine love. You can tell the author didn’t just “use” the disorder for drama. She respected it. She embraced it. She made it beautiful.
And that changed me.
Skylenna… oh Skylenna. Watching her love him. all of him , every part, every fracture, every personality was powerful in a way I didn’t expect. Their relationship isn’t simple. It’s layered. Messy. Intense. Real.
And then The Clock and the Carnival absolutely destroyed me.
Their daughter. Time travel. Loss. Sacrifice. The way everything unraveled…
I bawled. I mean full, ugly, can’t-breathe crying. No book has ever made me feel like that before. Ever.
This series is the perfect combination of:
• immersive world building
• painfully beautiful character development
• emotional devastation
• humor when you least expect it
• and love in its most complex form
It made me laugh. It made me ache. It made me think differently about mental health. It made me feel.
And the fact that it only kept getting better with each book? Rare. So rare.
This isn’t just a series. It’s an experience. And I will never stop recommending it.
Forever obsessed. 🖤🎭⏳
February 4, 2026
ARC REVIEW:
as a dedicated reader to this series (even before the first one was published) I found Brandi on my fyp on TikTok all those moons ago. I was intrigued, and I dove in. And here we are. On the last book. It ended as perfectly as I could imagined and more. I am a pile of goo and tears and snot.
We watch sapphire and niklaus navigate through time. We watch everything through their eyes. And we finally learn about the prophecy in whole.
Does Dessin ever wake up?
Now, that’s something I’ll leave for you all find out.
But we do learn, that skylenna and dessins children are gifted. Just like them.
We do learn that they are their parents children.
We remember that family can be chosen.
We remember that love can do truly extraordinary things.
This whole series has been with me through hardships, through finding love, through many obstacles, this series saw many versions of myself. Kind of like our broody dessin.
Thank you Brandi.
This whole series is truly a masterpiece. And if you want something that’ll rip your soul out but also make your heart gooey, start at the beginning. Stay a while. The ride is worth it.
as a dedicated reader to this series (even before the first one was published) I found Brandi on my fyp on TikTok all those moons ago. I was intrigued, and I dove in. And here we are. On the last book. It ended as perfectly as I could imagined and more. I am a pile of goo and tears and snot.
We watch sapphire and niklaus navigate through time. We watch everything through their eyes. And we finally learn about the prophecy in whole.
Does Dessin ever wake up?
Now, that’s something I’ll leave for you all find out.
But we do learn, that skylenna and dessins children are gifted. Just like them.
We do learn that they are their parents children.
We remember that family can be chosen.
We remember that love can do truly extraordinary things.
This whole series has been with me through hardships, through finding love, through many obstacles, this series saw many versions of myself. Kind of like our broody dessin.
Thank you Brandi.
This whole series is truly a masterpiece. And if you want something that’ll rip your soul out but also make your heart gooey, start at the beginning. Stay a while. The ride is worth it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2026
the best book in the series. perfect. no notes. i absolutely loved sapphire’s and niklaus’ relationship development (even if it was literally trauma bond). the ending has left me empty and a puddle of tears.
February 21, 2026
This book emotionally scarred me.
February 20, 2026
I'm sorry author. I really wanted to like this one. I just don't think time travel is for me.
February 23, 2026
Cried for the last 1 1/2 hours of the book, I feel brooken and healed at the same time 💔 this book may not be perfect, but damn the pain
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was like coming home.
It broke me and fixed me!
For me this book was perfect. Im both sad there will be no more but incredibly happy with the end!
Thank you Brandi for creating a family whom I can visit whenever I need to.
'Till hell freezes over…'
It broke me and fixed me!
For me this book was perfect. Im both sad there will be no more but incredibly happy with the end!
Thank you Brandi for creating a family whom I can visit whenever I need to.
'Till hell freezes over…'
Review of advance copy received from Author
The 5th and final installment of the “Pawn and the Puppet” series has us 21 years pass that doozy of a cliffhanger in the 4th book. (FYI I am still SALTY about that Brandi, how dare you live a life outside of these worlds you’ve built)
We are now following Shapphire, (daughter of Skylenna and Dessin) and Niklaus, (son of Marilynn and Niles) and oh do these two loathe each other but in a way do they also “hate” their parents.
These two characters start out where I wish Skylenna had in the beginning, strong and oh so sassy and prepared for the gut wrenching situations their parents had lived through.
“The Clock and Carnival”, doesn’t just take us on a “Walking in someone else’s shoes” type of journey, but it makes us relive the first four books through these characters eyes and what we didn’t realize the scenes we already met these 2 from before. The way these kid’s see their parents past and the perils they themselves have to endure at the same time, makes this book my favorite of the entire series.
Brandi’s writing style and the way she weaved these 2 characters throughout previous books and then greatly wrapping up the final book has made her one of my “Top 3 Authors”! Her storytelling is chef’s kiss with a side of twisted and absolutely unhinged. I will continue to read from her books as long as she stops playing with my emotions and taking over a year to release a final installment (yup salty af still).
Also Brandi, I hope your pillows stay warm, and that you step on all the legos for what you did to Niles.
I have to give “Clock and the Carnival by Brandi Elise Szeker” 4 stars! A couple of name errors here and there and missing words through me out of my binge read a few times. I also wanted more of “Sapphire and Niklaus” closure. I wanted more of their life when they returned because we spent 3/4 of this book invested in them and then all of a sudden it was done. I was happy to see the wrap up of our favorite originals but in a way I felt like it left me sad. So I did keep this book at 4 stars on a really great book.
I also want to state that this is the first time I have read a book from this series as I received an “Arc” from the author. I have enjoyed the Audiobooks from day one and will listen to this book again when it’s released.
We are now following Shapphire, (daughter of Skylenna and Dessin) and Niklaus, (son of Marilynn and Niles) and oh do these two loathe each other but in a way do they also “hate” their parents.
These two characters start out where I wish Skylenna had in the beginning, strong and oh so sassy and prepared for the gut wrenching situations their parents had lived through.
“The Clock and Carnival”, doesn’t just take us on a “Walking in someone else’s shoes” type of journey, but it makes us relive the first four books through these characters eyes and what we didn’t realize the scenes we already met these 2 from before. The way these kid’s see their parents past and the perils they themselves have to endure at the same time, makes this book my favorite of the entire series.
Brandi’s writing style and the way she weaved these 2 characters throughout previous books and then greatly wrapping up the final book has made her one of my “Top 3 Authors”! Her storytelling is chef’s kiss with a side of twisted and absolutely unhinged. I will continue to read from her books as long as she stops playing with my emotions and taking over a year to release a final installment (yup salty af still).
Also Brandi, I hope your pillows stay warm, and that you step on all the legos for what you did to Niles.
I have to give “Clock and the Carnival by Brandi Elise Szeker” 4 stars! A couple of name errors here and there and missing words through me out of my binge read a few times. I also wanted more of “Sapphire and Niklaus” closure. I wanted more of their life when they returned because we spent 3/4 of this book invested in them and then all of a sudden it was done. I was happy to see the wrap up of our favorite originals but in a way I felt like it left me sad. So I did keep this book at 4 stars on a really great book.
I also want to state that this is the first time I have read a book from this series as I received an “Arc” from the author. I have enjoyed the Audiobooks from day one and will listen to this book again when it’s released.
February 15, 2026
The Clock and the Carnival - The final book in The Pawn & The Puppet series ...all the stars, take them all! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I think I have cried through about 50% of this book and couldn't stop 💔.
I started this series in 2024 and it absolutely blew me away. From where we start in Book 1 with an Asylum, Patient 13 and the Baby Doll regime to where we end up is honestly the wildest ride.
The story & the world grows exponentially to include soul mates, found family, newly discovered powers and potential, cruelty, betrayal, trauma but most of all love. Love is a common theme throughout this whole series, that no matter how dark things seem, love is never far away ❤️.
The series conclusion- The Clock and The Carnival was epic. Those who have read the series and know the way we left the characters at the end of the previous book will know why this one is so emotional.
Twenty one years have passed. Sapphire Valdawell, the daughter of Skylenna & Kane Valdawell is learning that certain things are hereditary & in a dark twist of fate, she & Niklaus are about to learn of the origins and their parents' truths and traumas firsthand.
From early on into this book, I was crying 😢. It was so bittersweet in that I didn't want the story to end but I was also desperate to know how everything unravelled. Meeting the characters again was amazing & I loved seeing Sapphire & Niklaus take the reins. Just like their parents, they discover that you never truly know what you are capable of until you are put through the most gruelling experiences.
It was emotional, heart breaking, heart mending and when everything comes back around in a loop (literally)... we discover once again that Love will always prevail ❤️. This book felt like Brandi's love letter to the most amazing characters & it won't be one that I forget any time soon! ❤️
I started this series in 2024 and it absolutely blew me away. From where we start in Book 1 with an Asylum, Patient 13 and the Baby Doll regime to where we end up is honestly the wildest ride.
The story & the world grows exponentially to include soul mates, found family, newly discovered powers and potential, cruelty, betrayal, trauma but most of all love. Love is a common theme throughout this whole series, that no matter how dark things seem, love is never far away ❤️.
The series conclusion- The Clock and The Carnival was epic. Those who have read the series and know the way we left the characters at the end of the previous book will know why this one is so emotional.
Twenty one years have passed. Sapphire Valdawell, the daughter of Skylenna & Kane Valdawell is learning that certain things are hereditary & in a dark twist of fate, she & Niklaus are about to learn of the origins and their parents' truths and traumas firsthand.
From early on into this book, I was crying 😢. It was so bittersweet in that I didn't want the story to end but I was also desperate to know how everything unravelled. Meeting the characters again was amazing & I loved seeing Sapphire & Niklaus take the reins. Just like their parents, they discover that you never truly know what you are capable of until you are put through the most gruelling experiences.
It was emotional, heart breaking, heart mending and when everything comes back around in a loop (literally)... we discover once again that Love will always prevail ❤️. This book felt like Brandi's love letter to the most amazing characters & it won't be one that I forget any time soon! ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Clock and the Carnival isn’t just a finale it’s a reckoning. It’s the kind of book that feels aware of the weight it’s carrying, and instead of collapsing under it, it leans in. Hard.
This story doesn’t pretend it exists in isolation. It actively engages with the books that came before it, folding their themes, echoes, and emotional threads into something that feels deliberate and almost architectural. You can feel the scaffolding. Moments that once seemed small suddenly reveal themselves as foundational. Lines of dialogue, motifs, even character dynamics resonate with a kind of retrospective clarity that makes the entire series feel meticulously designed rather than episodic.
And then there’s the ambition. Structurally, this book plays with time and inevitability in a way that mirrors its thematic core. It’s not flashy for the sake of being clever it’s purposeful!!! The manipulation of pacing and revelation creates tension that simmers rather than explodes, and that restraint is powerful. The author trusts the reader to sit in discomfort, to notice patterns, to connect dots. That trust pays off.
This isn’t a book that rushes to tie everything in a neat bow. And while it delivers the spectacle readers expect, it’s the emotional undercurrent that lingers. The sense that every choice mattered. That nothing was accidental.
By the time you close it, you don’t just feel like you’ve finished a book; you feel like you’re closing a chapter of your own life!
This story doesn’t pretend it exists in isolation. It actively engages with the books that came before it, folding their themes, echoes, and emotional threads into something that feels deliberate and almost architectural. You can feel the scaffolding. Moments that once seemed small suddenly reveal themselves as foundational. Lines of dialogue, motifs, even character dynamics resonate with a kind of retrospective clarity that makes the entire series feel meticulously designed rather than episodic.
And then there’s the ambition. Structurally, this book plays with time and inevitability in a way that mirrors its thematic core. It’s not flashy for the sake of being clever it’s purposeful!!! The manipulation of pacing and revelation creates tension that simmers rather than explodes, and that restraint is powerful. The author trusts the reader to sit in discomfort, to notice patterns, to connect dots. That trust pays off.
This isn’t a book that rushes to tie everything in a neat bow. And while it delivers the spectacle readers expect, it’s the emotional undercurrent that lingers. The sense that every choice mattered. That nothing was accidental.
By the time you close it, you don’t just feel like you’ve finished a book; you feel like you’re closing a chapter of your own life!
February 21, 2026
I have been looking forward to this book for so long. I have been with these characters since you published the first one. I've enjoyed your writing so much because even tho it phycologically messes you up by taking you through a journey as if you are the one living it. You also fall so deeply in love with the characters. So believe me when I tell you this book broke me like no other. I read this at work, which was a mistake because i couldn't stop crying!!.
I knew they weren't gonna have a typically happy ever after but everyone dyeing!!! Stab me in the heart why don't you. Even the dog!!! I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest over and over again but I'm mad because I want to read it again because you did such an amazing job tying everything together. Any question or lose end from the other books in the series were answered or solved by this book in a way i really didn't see coming.
One part I didn't understand is why Sapphire and her brother never went back to visit Ruth and Warrose after they moved into the castle. I don't like that they didn't get to be laid to rest with their family under the red oak (how they became red blew my mind. Didn't see that coming). They deserved more than becoming bones of unknown identity in a bed of a run down castle a century later.
One day I will read the series again, i can't not i love them to much, but first i need time to mourn.
I knew they weren't gonna have a typically happy ever after but everyone dyeing!!! Stab me in the heart why don't you. Even the dog!!! I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest over and over again but I'm mad because I want to read it again because you did such an amazing job tying everything together. Any question or lose end from the other books in the series were answered or solved by this book in a way i really didn't see coming.
One part I didn't understand is why Sapphire and her brother never went back to visit Ruth and Warrose after they moved into the castle. I don't like that they didn't get to be laid to rest with their family under the red oak (how they became red blew my mind. Didn't see that coming). They deserved more than becoming bones of unknown identity in a bed of a run down castle a century later.
One day I will read the series again, i can't not i love them to much, but first i need time to mourn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2026
OMG OMG OMG BEST SERIES I'VE EVER READ ‼️ You ever read a book that makes you question everything else so much that you have to reread it immediately? That is what Brandi just did for this whole series 🤯
I just finished and need to gather my thoughts better to come back and give a proper review. But for now, this is the best book in the series. And I said that about books 3 and 4 already. I called those books brilliant, so I don't know how to raise the standard. Super brilliant? An ending you can't guess and leaves you spinning 😳
I knew from the dedication that we were in for a ride. I was a bit thrown off in the beginning, but then the pieces all start falling into place and the twist keeps hitting you from there. Every single story thread is completed. Every character gives you closure. Every story line makes sense. It's quite literally a masterpiece.
You should know good and well by this book that trigger warnings are a given. But some of the triggers in this book can be extra disturbing. And you also know by this book, everything has a purpose and Brandi doesn't just write things for shock value.
I've read so many books and series that tugged my heart strings, but I've never actually cried until this book. I will think about and grieve these characters everyday. It's such a bittersweet feeling to let them go (even though I will be rereading this series every year).
I'm fucking floored. I will update this review once I pick my jaw up off the floor!
I just finished and need to gather my thoughts better to come back and give a proper review. But for now, this is the best book in the series. And I said that about books 3 and 4 already. I called those books brilliant, so I don't know how to raise the standard. Super brilliant? An ending you can't guess and leaves you spinning 😳
I knew from the dedication that we were in for a ride. I was a bit thrown off in the beginning, but then the pieces all start falling into place and the twist keeps hitting you from there. Every single story thread is completed. Every character gives you closure. Every story line makes sense. It's quite literally a masterpiece.
You should know good and well by this book that trigger warnings are a given. But some of the triggers in this book can be extra disturbing. And you also know by this book, everything has a purpose and Brandi doesn't just write things for shock value.
I've read so many books and series that tugged my heart strings, but I've never actually cried until this book. I will think about and grieve these characters everyday. It's such a bittersweet feeling to let them go (even though I will be rereading this series every year).
I'm fucking floored. I will update this review once I pick my jaw up off the floor!
February 5, 2026
Spoiler free:
I felt so honoured to be chosen as one of the ARC readers. I can’t even describe how much I loved these books. I could honestly cry thinking about them being over now (until I reread them, of course, haha). I started the series before it even gained that audience, and I am so incredibly happy for Brandi that it reached so many people. She truly deserves all of it.
She is so close to her readers, always responding to messages and being genuinely kind. I still remember receiving that package with stickers, bookmarks, the book, and a little handwritten note inside. That moment will stay with me forever.
I will always be grateful for what you’ve given me, Brandi. It was a true honour for me to experience the world of Skylenna and Dessin, watching them grow, building their own family through so many ups and downs. It was an emotional rollercoaster. I cried a lot, but I also forgot the entire world around me.
The whole series is an absolute 5-star read for me. And if you haven’t read it yet but you’re a fan of dark fantasy, prophecies, soulmates and strong female characters, then this series is definitely for you.
I will love this book series until hell freezes over, and even then. Thank You.
I felt so honoured to be chosen as one of the ARC readers. I can’t even describe how much I loved these books. I could honestly cry thinking about them being over now (until I reread them, of course, haha). I started the series before it even gained that audience, and I am so incredibly happy for Brandi that it reached so many people. She truly deserves all of it.
She is so close to her readers, always responding to messages and being genuinely kind. I still remember receiving that package with stickers, bookmarks, the book, and a little handwritten note inside. That moment will stay with me forever.
I will always be grateful for what you’ve given me, Brandi. It was a true honour for me to experience the world of Skylenna and Dessin, watching them grow, building their own family through so many ups and downs. It was an emotional rollercoaster. I cried a lot, but I also forgot the entire world around me.
The whole series is an absolute 5-star read for me. And if you haven’t read it yet but you’re a fan of dark fantasy, prophecies, soulmates and strong female characters, then this series is definitely for you.
I will love this book series until hell freezes over, and even then. Thank You.
February 27, 2026
I just finished the last book in The Pawn and the Puppet, and I don’t think I’ve ever been this emotionally wrecked by a series before.
This story doesn’t just entertain you—it consumes you. The characters feel painfully real, the trauma is heavy, and the emotional tension never truly lets up. You grow attached without realizing how deep you’ve fallen, until it’s too late.
Niles’ death broke something in me. Not because it was dramatic or heroic, but because it was cruel, sudden, and unfair. He didn’t deserve to go that way, and that’s exactly why it hurts so much. It felt like real loss—the kind that leaves you staring at a page, hoping you misread something.
This series is dark, intense, and emotionally exhausting, but also incredibly well written. It explores control, survival, pain, and humanity in a way that lingers long after the final page. Finishing it felt like saying goodbye to a world I wasn’t ready to leave.
If you’re looking for a story that will leave you shattered, thoughtful, and emotionally hungover—this is it. Just be warned: it will hurt, and you will feel it deeply.
Can't recommend this series enough.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (but emotionally, I’m not okay)
This story doesn’t just entertain you—it consumes you. The characters feel painfully real, the trauma is heavy, and the emotional tension never truly lets up. You grow attached without realizing how deep you’ve fallen, until it’s too late.
Niles’ death broke something in me. Not because it was dramatic or heroic, but because it was cruel, sudden, and unfair. He didn’t deserve to go that way, and that’s exactly why it hurts so much. It felt like real loss—the kind that leaves you staring at a page, hoping you misread something.
This series is dark, intense, and emotionally exhausting, but also incredibly well written. It explores control, survival, pain, and humanity in a way that lingers long after the final page. Finishing it felt like saying goodbye to a world I wasn’t ready to leave.
If you’re looking for a story that will leave you shattered, thoughtful, and emotionally hungover—this is it. Just be warned: it will hurt, and you will feel it deeply.
Can't recommend this series enough.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (but emotionally, I’m not okay)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2026
The Clock and the Carnival, the fifth and final book in the Pawn and the Puppet series, brings the story to a close in the most beautiful and emotionally devastating way possible.
This book finishes out the series perfectly. From the first chapter to the last, the author takes you on an unforgettable emotional roller coaster one that will absolutely require tissues. Every thread that’s been carefully woven throughout the series comes together in a way that feels intentional, earned, and deeply satisfying.
I won’t go into details because I don’t want to ruin anything for other readers, but I will say this: the wait was worth every single second. The emotions hit hard, the stakes feel real, and the ending lingers with you long after you turn the final page.
If you’ve followed this series from the beginning, prepare your heart this finale delivers in the most unforgettable way.
This is one of those series I’m going to wish I could forget completely to be able to read them again for the first time.
This book finishes out the series perfectly. From the first chapter to the last, the author takes you on an unforgettable emotional roller coaster one that will absolutely require tissues. Every thread that’s been carefully woven throughout the series comes together in a way that feels intentional, earned, and deeply satisfying.
I won’t go into details because I don’t want to ruin anything for other readers, but I will say this: the wait was worth every single second. The emotions hit hard, the stakes feel real, and the ending lingers with you long after you turn the final page.
If you’ve followed this series from the beginning, prepare your heart this finale delivers in the most unforgettable way.
This is one of those series I’m going to wish I could forget completely to be able to read them again for the first time.
February 17, 2026
One word… masterpiece. In the words of Wayne and Garth from Wayne’s world “We’re not worthy.” Brandi Elize Szeker has written a series that is like nothing else you will ever read. The detail of this emotional roller coaster of a Journey with Dessin and Skylenna is nothing short than amazing. You will cry for the characters, you will be mad at the pain they suffer, you will cheer at their success, and will be shocked at the surprises that come at you. The author did not disappoint or rush this last book at all. We are not dealing with a games of thrones show and being disappointed with the ending. Yes we have new characters sapphire and niklaus who take us on a journey brining some characters we wish we could forget back to us. But their adventure takes us on that emotional roller coaster again. It doesn’t end there. Did we have to wait a bit for the last book? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. Thank you for this beautiful masterpiece of a series Brandi. I just wish I could read it for the first time again.
February 28, 2026
Heart Broken But So Happy
Omg...♥️💔🖤🩶💗 I cried the last 25-30% of this book. I loved the ending but it totally pulled at my heart strings. Sapphire and Nicklaus.... oh my... I love them so much and the fact that they had to go back to all of the tumultuous times of Skylenna and Dessin.... 😢 This series gave me whiplash and I feel it's one of my most favourite and dearest series. I am constantly reading and this series will stay with me. This love story... now I'm all teary eyed... the love between all the characters and their personal stories made this series so great. Ruth and Warrose, Niles and Marylenna, Sapphire and Nicklaus... ugh, my heart hurts. The plot, the twists, time travel, the void, it's just too good. 10+ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ There's spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶, there's pain, there's gore, there's longing and love. Evil and good, trauma, disaster anything you can think of is in this series. I'll be re-reading this series again and recommending it to anyone who loves dark romance. This series is chefs kiss 💋!!
Omg...♥️💔🖤🩶💗 I cried the last 25-30% of this book. I loved the ending but it totally pulled at my heart strings. Sapphire and Nicklaus.... oh my... I love them so much and the fact that they had to go back to all of the tumultuous times of Skylenna and Dessin.... 😢 This series gave me whiplash and I feel it's one of my most favourite and dearest series. I am constantly reading and this series will stay with me. This love story... now I'm all teary eyed... the love between all the characters and their personal stories made this series so great. Ruth and Warrose, Niles and Marylenna, Sapphire and Nicklaus... ugh, my heart hurts. The plot, the twists, time travel, the void, it's just too good. 10+ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ There's spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶, there's pain, there's gore, there's longing and love. Evil and good, trauma, disaster anything you can think of is in this series. I'll be re-reading this series again and recommending it to anyone who loves dark romance. This series is chefs kiss 💋!!
March 18, 2026
Title: The Clock and the Carnival
Author: Brandi Elise Szeker
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ .25
Spice 🌶️🌶️
Trope:
Dark Fantasy
Dystopian
Time travel
Enemies to lovers
Power Arc
Soul mates
Bullies to lovers
Quote:
This book was a much anticipated read!
I absolutely love this series and dream about the characters. Not going to lie and say I wasn’t skeptical about the final book be about the kids as I wanted Deasin and Skylenna!
I absolutely devoured the book, the emotion, the push and tug between the charters, the realization of how horrible the past was for their parents and living it with their own lives, it was powerful raw and my blood boiled and I worried on and off screaming!!
I was waiting to ball my eye out like Brandi and I’m like where is it, yup the ending sent me over and I’ll
Be crying for days, maybe weeks!
I wish I had more of Skylenna and Dessin and not just as them older but I do think the book was wrapped up nicely, and devastating!
I would forever in a million years recommend this series that stoleMy heart!
Author: Brandi Elise Szeker
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ .25
Spice 🌶️🌶️
Trope:
Dark Fantasy
Dystopian
Time travel
Enemies to lovers
Power Arc
Soul mates
Bullies to lovers
Quote:
This book was a much anticipated read!
I absolutely love this series and dream about the characters. Not going to lie and say I wasn’t skeptical about the final book be about the kids as I wanted Deasin and Skylenna!
I absolutely devoured the book, the emotion, the push and tug between the charters, the realization of how horrible the past was for their parents and living it with their own lives, it was powerful raw and my blood boiled and I worried on and off screaming!!
I was waiting to ball my eye out like Brandi and I’m like where is it, yup the ending sent me over and I’ll
Be crying for days, maybe weeks!
I wish I had more of Skylenna and Dessin and not just as them older but I do think the book was wrapped up nicely, and devastating!
I would forever in a million years recommend this series that stoleMy heart!
February 16, 2026
I Cried So Hard I Almost Threw Up
WHAT A JOURNEY!! Not just the series, but even this one book. Brandi ripped my heart out by page 46 (kindle). Brandi has written everything so well, I feel like I’m apart of Skylenna and Dessins family. I will be feeling the devastation but absolute LOVE this series has given me for the rest of my life. To bring in new characters in the last book of the series but still get attached and just completely fall in love with is magic. The way she has certain small moments through out the series tie in and become HUGE moments in this book had me gasping for breath, it’s unbelievable. This book had me laughing, sobbing, screaming, giggling, scream sobbing again to where I was so nauseous I almost literally threw up but in the best way possible. I am grieving!!! Beautifully gut wrenching. You MUST read these books that will have you thinking about them for the rest of your life.
WHAT A JOURNEY!! Not just the series, but even this one book. Brandi ripped my heart out by page 46 (kindle). Brandi has written everything so well, I feel like I’m apart of Skylenna and Dessins family. I will be feeling the devastation but absolute LOVE this series has given me for the rest of my life. To bring in new characters in the last book of the series but still get attached and just completely fall in love with is magic. The way she has certain small moments through out the series tie in and become HUGE moments in this book had me gasping for breath, it’s unbelievable. This book had me laughing, sobbing, screaming, giggling, scream sobbing again to where I was so nauseous I almost literally threw up but in the best way possible. I am grieving!!! Beautifully gut wrenching. You MUST read these books that will have you thinking about them for the rest of your life.
February 17, 2026
I am unwell. Utterly heartbroken in the best way. 🥺💔
That finale took me through all the feels and left not a single tear unshed. I can't believe it's over. While this series kept me on my toes and took me away to this fantasy, I truly didn't want it to end the way that it did. I have been so invested in this series for so long that the found family aspect pulled me in and kept me going. The author really made you fall in love with these characters.
I don't know how I feel about Sapphire and Niklaus, I feel robbed 😅 but I liked it and I'd offer up the brick that the author threw at my chest and thank her for doing it again. It was honestly like rereading this series all over from the beginning but from a different perspective and that was so refreshing.
I will never find another series like this. Dessin and Skylenna are endgame. They ruined every fantasy book romance for me and their story will live rent free in my head and heart forever. ❤️
That finale took me through all the feels and left not a single tear unshed. I can't believe it's over. While this series kept me on my toes and took me away to this fantasy, I truly didn't want it to end the way that it did. I have been so invested in this series for so long that the found family aspect pulled me in and kept me going. The author really made you fall in love with these characters.
I don't know how I feel about Sapphire and Niklaus, I feel robbed 😅 but I liked it and I'd offer up the brick that the author threw at my chest and thank her for doing it again. It was honestly like rereading this series all over from the beginning but from a different perspective and that was so refreshing.
I will never find another series like this. Dessin and Skylenna are endgame. They ruined every fantasy book romance for me and their story will live rent free in my head and heart forever. ❤️
February 18, 2026
Devastatingly beautiful.
Beautiful. No notes, no words. Perfect ending so brutally beautiful. this story had so much depth and layers that all circled back together and in the end it was all beautiful. Their love for each other, I wish I could start this series all over again and feel everything because it was so perfect. This series will live in my head forever. I've never seen such a love before written and I hope one day I will have a love like theirs. I am so glad I found this series and experienced everything I did because it was worth all of it. Even though I balled my eyes out the last 10-15% of the book it was all worth it. Every bit.
Incredible! If I could give this series more than 5 stars I would. So worth the wait, so devastatingly beautiful. Skylenna and Dessin have my heart forever, along with DaiSzek, Niles, Ruth, Warrose, Chekkis, Nicklaus, Sapphire, and Marilyn.
Incredible!
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Beautiful. No notes, no words. Perfect ending so brutally beautiful. this story had so much depth and layers that all circled back together and in the end it was all beautiful. Their love for each other, I wish I could start this series all over again and feel everything because it was so perfect. This series will live in my head forever. I've never seen such a love before written and I hope one day I will have a love like theirs. I am so glad I found this series and experienced everything I did because it was worth all of it. Even though I balled my eyes out the last 10-15% of the book it was all worth it. Every bit.
Incredible! If I could give this series more than 5 stars I would. So worth the wait, so devastatingly beautiful. Skylenna and Dessin have my heart forever, along with DaiSzek, Niles, Ruth, Warrose, Chekkis, Nicklaus, Sapphire, and Marilyn.
Incredible!
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March 11, 2026
Wrecked
Omg, what an emotional ride that was. I think I have been crying for 3 hours straight, my husband actually told me to take a break. I said no, I'm at the last 5% and boy was I not expecting it to destroy me and then leave me smiling the way it did.
I've never read anything like this series before and I read everything. This is the most unique, gripping story I've ever read! If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. It is beautifully written the world. Building is phenomenal and I'm not going to lie, when I read about the whole time travel part, I got nervous. I a ton of theories, and I was going to be so upset if sky and dessin were old and grey before they finally get together. Brandi said trust her, she would do the ending justice, so I did and oh man, did she ever. Deliver. I am now off to ice my swollen eyes, blood shot eyes,from all the crying I've done.
Omg, what an emotional ride that was. I think I have been crying for 3 hours straight, my husband actually told me to take a break. I said no, I'm at the last 5% and boy was I not expecting it to destroy me and then leave me smiling the way it did.
I've never read anything like this series before and I read everything. This is the most unique, gripping story I've ever read! If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. It is beautifully written the world. Building is phenomenal and I'm not going to lie, when I read about the whole time travel part, I got nervous. I a ton of theories, and I was going to be so upset if sky and dessin were old and grey before they finally get together. Brandi said trust her, she would do the ending justice, so I did and oh man, did she ever. Deliver. I am now off to ice my swollen eyes, blood shot eyes,from all the crying I've done.
February 22, 2026
I’m not sure if I can put into words how I feel after finishing this book.
I sobbed through at the least, 20 chapters. I feel like I’ve been given heartbreak, anxiety, second hand trauma, but most importantly, closure. These book and these characters hold such a special place in my heart, I truly can’t believe all over.
Niklaus and Sapphire are my new favourite couple, trauma bought them together and nothing can tear them apart❤️🩹
I may never heal from Niles or DaiSzeks deaths if I’m honest, yes, each death broke me, but my heart stopped beating reading the deaths of our golden boy and our cinnamon eyed fluff ball.
I had to put my kindle down and clear my eyes to even get through Dessin being reunited with his mother and Arthur💔 that healed me❤️🩹
I will love and cherish these books until hell freezes over. And even then.
I sobbed through at the least, 20 chapters. I feel like I’ve been given heartbreak, anxiety, second hand trauma, but most importantly, closure. These book and these characters hold such a special place in my heart, I truly can’t believe all over.
Niklaus and Sapphire are my new favourite couple, trauma bought them together and nothing can tear them apart❤️🩹
I may never heal from Niles or DaiSzeks deaths if I’m honest, yes, each death broke me, but my heart stopped beating reading the deaths of our golden boy and our cinnamon eyed fluff ball.
I had to put my kindle down and clear my eyes to even get through Dessin being reunited with his mother and Arthur💔 that healed me❤️🩹
I will love and cherish these books until hell freezes over. And even then.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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