Shadow and Son

Shattered Crown #3

by Gretchen Powell Fox

Scorch the realm. Bring the dawn.

Throne of Glass meets The Return of the King in the highly anticipated conclusion to the Best of #BookTok Shattered Crown trilogy.

A Fractured World

The fragile peace forged in the wake of the Crucible is unraveling. With the rise of an old foe and ancient magic stirring, the scars dividing Arcanis have begun to bleed anew, and the future of the realm hangs by a thread.

A Queen of Shadow

Elyria Lightbreaker has paid a devastating price to save her loved ones. Now, she faces a whole new darkness—and must decide how much more of herself she is willing to give to save a world that has already taken so much.

A Man on the Brink

Rocked by the secrets of his past and the truth behind his power, Cedric Thorne scours the continent in search of the woman he loves. But as enemies emerge from hiding and Elyria is pulled ever farther from reach, he must face the terrifying possibility that saving her may mean becoming something unforgivable. And once his fire is unleashed, there may be no putting it out.

A Final Reckoning

Bound by love but burdened by prophecy, Elyria and Cedric stand at the crossroads of Arcanis’s future. Together, they will confront a truth neither can Not all wounds can be healed, and the price victory demands may not be worth paying.

SHADOW AND SON is the third and final installment in the Shattered Crown trilogy, perfect for fans of realm-shattering high stakes fantasy, character-driven plots, rich world-building, a diverse cast of characters, elemental and shadow magic, and steamy, tension-filled romance—as well as authors like Carissa Broadbent, Penn Cole, Helen Scheuerer, Raven Kennedy, and Sarah J. Maas.

Content This is an adult dark romantasy book that contains strong language, dark themes, and open door spice, and is thus recommended for mature readers.

Official cover to be revealed.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fae, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Gods, Magic

561 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Gretchen Powell Fox spent her childhood in far-off places—figuratively and literally. She grew up with her nose buried in books and her feet on foreign soil. Both, she found, were essential in forming her deep fascination with stories.

Now, she crafts fantastical and futuristic worlds—along with the fiery heroines destined to change them for the better.

Her creative process involves copious amounts of Sour Patch Kids and sleeping fitfully. Her many interests include Taylor Swift, polka dots, reading fantasy novels, and playing the ukulele.

She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two wild, wonderful children.

Find her on Instagram at @gretchenwritesbooks.

Reviews

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book in this series. Still, I decided to give the second book a chance and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. And somehow, the final book was just as good, if not better! If you stopped this series after the first book, I seriously recommend giving it another try!

Cedric has the greatest character arc I’ve ever seen in an MMC. He goes from being a weak, “damsel-in-distress” knight to a powerful warrior and magic-wielder who would literally burn the world down to save his woman. In the first book, I found him unremarkable, but by the time I finished this one, he had officially been elevated to top-tier MMC status!!

In contrast, we get to see a much more vulnerable side of our shadow-wielding FMC, Elyria. Though she’s still as sarcastic and sharp-tongued as ever, seeing her grapple with the grief and trauma of her captivity added so much depth to her character. She’s extremely dedicated to protecting those she cares about and is strong-willed without ever coming across as annoying.

The romance was a standout aspect of this book. Cedric and Elyria’s chemistry was lacking in the first book, so I was really worried about how it would develop over the series, but it progressed so naturally! Cedric is SO in love with Elyria, and it was adorable watching him constantly worry over her well-being. Their relationship has truly come such a long way from where it started!

The found family was another one of my favorite parts. While I’ll admit that some of the side characters’ POVs were boring to read at times, they each had such memorable and distinct personalities. I only wish that we had gotten more closure with their individual storylines, as a few of their endings felt unresolved.

This is definitely one of those series that gets better with each book. Though I wouldn’t say the series as a whole is one of my all-time favorites, I’m still glad I decided to stick with it until the end!

[amandathebookworm · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

What a good end to this trilogy. I’m so satisfied. 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨. Thank you to the author for the ARC & to Simon Maverick for the ALC!


PLOT
CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1 & 2

After the devastation of losing Elyria & her losing… herself, Cedric is on the hunt to get her back. & Elyria is trying not to lose even more of herself to the monster trying to control the realm.
- fated mates & soul bonds
- shadow & light
- found family
- rescue mission
- last book in the trilogy
- duet audio (but also kinda dual? The actors def swap back & for the leads but also back & forth for the side characters)
- med spice


PROS
- There was a certain way the final battle went down & was resolved that I REALLY liked. It felt like such an important departure from a not-so-great trope this story really could have had & I loved loved loved it. I can’t spoil it but I’m just so pleased.
- & then there was a second aspect to the final battle I also loved & I also can’t spoil it but my heart.
- I just love Elyria & Cedric. What baddies. What hotties. What honeys. What babies. I just love them. Elyria is just a face FMC & Cedric toes the line of daddy & baby so well.
- The found family is just scrumptious. I forgot how much I loved them.
- There was a part that had me REALLY stressed out. Which is good writing.
- Ugh, I love Nox.
- There was not a single time when I thought anyone was being annoying or being oblivious. Tremendous.
- Kit & Tenny both shined in this too. I love them.


MIDS
- Nox is a mystery & this is true so it’s not out of character or unbelievable at all but sometimes it does feel like we just kinda rely on them being mysterious but knowing & that can feel a tad convenient sometimes when they continue to semi-solve problems for us. So not calling it a con but also just noting. ALSO I LOVE NOX.
- I kind of feel like these major/important story players didn’t matter all that much in the end? Idk why but that feels a little like “oh, okay I guess” — like they were but for the world-building & character lore but then that’s kinda it. Felt like they were supposed to be more than what they were.


What a delight of a trilogy. Huge fan!

[Holly · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

“In darkness and in daylight, in peace and in ruin. What you carry, I carry. What you become, we become.”

An epic, emotional conclusion to one of my favourite series. The intricate, high stakes plot that’s been unfolding for three books concludes with even more epic nail-biting battles (Gretchen’s battle scenes are some of the best I’ve read), the most beautiful and heartbreaking character journeys and a romance that swept me off my feet until the very end. Every victory in this was hard-earned, every loss was gut-wrenching devastation (Gretchen doesn’t pull any punches with this. I was ugly crying). I’ve fallen in love with this world and these characters over and over again and had my heart ripped out more than once.

I will say that during some of the side pov chapters, I found myself less immersed, and pushing through them because I wanted to be back with Elyria or Cedric. I know there was a lot of moving parts to the plot and characters weren't always together, but a natural outcome of spending two books (minus a few chapters) just in the povs of our two main characters means i'm more emotionally invested in them and their journey. I found the increase in povs in this final book a bit jarring, and the main reason I didn't give this a full 5 stars.

Still, I finished this with a bit of a heavy heart, knowing that this series is done. I will miss our loveable knight in shining armour, his secret-softie shadow Queen, and the rest of the crew dearly. I do get the sense the door may be ajar for future spin-offs or novellas with certain charcters?! 👀 Fingers crossed we can revisit Arcanis and the gang again in future.

“I don’t think anyone in the history of this wretched world has ever loved another person as much as I do you.”


Being on GPF's arc team is a dream 🤩 Thank you so much Gretchen and the team for the early copy.

[Karly Rose · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I was never going to be ready to leave this world!! 😭😭 ARC review in progress, but such a great conclusion to this trilogy!

[Aleksandra [semi hiatus] · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨4.5/5✨

My journey with this trilogy is done, and I couldn’t be happier with the way this book ended. Alright, like I’m not fully satisfied with everything because some things went the way I didn’t want them to go, and many characters I loved didn’t make it… but! Elyria and Cedric got their happy ending, and I’m just so happy about it!!!

The romance is full-blown here, the spice is exceptional, and the writing is as great as always. Elyria is still one of my favourite FMCs, and she reminds me so much of another FMC that I really love. The whole trilogy has my whole heart because of the found family trope — like yes, thank you, Gretchen — and in this book I couldn’t ask for it to be better shown. It was amazing.

Not full 5 stars as some parts of the book were slower (especially the beginning), and I didn’t necessarily enjoy that many different points of view. Not that I don’t love those characters, but the book was long anyway, and I found them a bit underwhelming. I still loved the book as a whole.

Without a doubt, this series will be one of my favourite series I’ve ever read! (can’t wait for a reread some time in the future 🤭😌)

As always, thank you to the author Gretchen Powell Fox for sending me this ARC! As always, it’s been a pleasure!!!! 🫶🏼❤️




ahhh I forgot! for my safety girlies: completely safe, no ow/om drama, no cheating, no sharing, no breakups, couldn’t be safer

[MillennialMomReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This finale to the Shattered Crown series from Gretchen Powell Fox is everything you could want in a series ending. I loved the multiple new POVs and felt they did a good job of portraying the complex plot without feeling overly complicated or burdensome. Gretchen is an expert at writing heartbreak and victory, anguish and joy and everything in between and you feel ALL OF IT in this story. I think one of the most beautiful things in Gretchen’s books is that the characters are well fleshed out and the plot doesn’t depend on immaturity or miscommunication to move at a steady pace. This is a refreshing thing to see in Romantasy! I’m super grateful to be on Gretchen’s street team and have gotten early access to this ARC copy. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

[PrettyBookish13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gods this was absolute perfection! I cried and laughed and cried some more, this was the best ending for the series and the epilogue scenes were amazing. I’ll update this review closer to release day

Updated review:
Shadow and Son is the most incredible ending to a trilogy I have read to date. I absolutely adore Cedric and Elyria’s story. This book was filled with old faces and new, joy, heartbreak and almost every emotion in between.
I’m sad that this story is over, but it will forever live in my brain.

[Stacey | read.with.stacey · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the e-arc and libro fm + Simon Maverick for the alc 🫶

💭: This was a great conclusion to the series! I thought the pacing was well done and I was hooked from the beginning. There was a good mix of action and romance. I enjoyed seeing the FMC overcome some pretty big obstacles and I loved seeing her relationship with the MMC deepen further. I love the side characters in this series (excellent found family!) and they continued to be great in this book. I also love the shadow animal companion. I thought the main storyline wrapped up very well but I was excited to see that the storyline for one fav character was left a bit more opened ended… hopefully on purpose 🤭🤞.

🎧: This book is narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker (FMC), Dan Calley (MMC), and Tyla Collier (side character POVs). The narration between the FMC and MMC was always a duet narration style. I really enjoyed the audio for this one! The narration was well paced and clear and I loved the range of voices and accents. Would definitely recommend the audio as I really enjoyed my immersive read!

[isabellerosereads · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

4.25⭐️ a satisfying, well-forged conclusion to a vivid romantasy trilogy!

Since this is a third book in a series coming out in October 2026, I obviously can’t say too much for spoilers sake but I do think lovers of this trilogy will really enjoy its ending.

This was definitely the spiciest and most romantic book in the series as a huge bonus - i just love what a loverboy Cedric Thorne is. We had some classic knightly rescue moments from him in this book which was outside his usual babygorl personification which was very fun, even though the situations he was rescuing our girl from was ABSOLUTELY TRAUMATIZING!!!

I will say there was nothing that really surprised me in this book, which is fine imo not every book has to be chock full of plot twists. Everything seemed to reach its natural conclusion with little character relationship threads being open-ended which the author does acknowledge as being purposeful. I always reiterate when recommending this series that while I think the writing and development allows it to standout amongst current new publications for me, it will still always feel a bit familiar to frequent romantasy readers, particularly with the fated mates, epic battles against the Big Bad and shadow/light based magic holdsrs.

The only thread i was really anticipating in this book that i kinda feel like wasn’t fully fleshed out/explained for me was the whole Elyria vs her dad thing. What exactly happened between the two of them and WHOOOO was elyrias mom??? Also seeing him acknowledge the Raefe event would have been nice.

Usually a conclusion is my favorite in a series but I will also admit the pacing in here wasn’t my favorite, particularly in the middle third of the book, as I felt like we kept revisiting a couple of different POVs to essentially rehash the same information we already learned about. I feel like if some of those yappier “feel good” scenes were replaced with some more impactful action or plotting, it might have felt a little more gripping to me personally.

Overall though, i was satisfied, i never cringed once and i genuinely had fun which is really all i can ask for from romantasy in my current moodreading state. Will always highly recommend this series as a “classic romantasy” read or even a good alternative intro to the genre as opposed to *other* certain largely recommended authors.

Thank you so much to Gretchen Powell Fox and Scarlett Press for the gifted e-ARC! All opinions are my own.

[Valencia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Gretchen for the e-ARC of Shadow & Son! Returning to Arcanis was something I’d been so excited for ever since finishing Splintered Kingdom on a cliff hanger, and I was really looking forward to seeing how Elyria and Cedric’s story would conclude. Unfortunately though, this book didn't resonate with me personally.

This is not a spoiler-free review.

1) Pacing

One of the biggest things I struggled with in this final installment was the pacing, particularly surrounding Elyria’s captivity. Since rescuing her is such a major driving force of the story, I expected to feel far more emotionally invested in what she endured. While her time with Malakar was undeniably dark, a lot of it felt glossed over rather than deeply explored, which made it difficult for me to fully connect with the FMC-in-peril arc emotionally. Ironically, the relationship that affected me most throughout the book was actually Elyria’s relationship with her father. Their dynamic carried some of the strongest emotional weight for me, which is why I found myself disappointed that there wasn’t a true heart to heart reunion or sense of closure between them by the end.

2) The magic system

I find this a common problem with many romantasy books unfortunately - the magic system is underdeveloped. Cedric unlocking new Sunfyre abilities had the potential to be incredibly exciting, but many of these power developments felt sudden and insufficiently explained. Rather than seeing meaningful progression or a deeper exploration of the lore, it sometimes felt like abilities simply appeared when the plot required them. The life bond between Cedric and Elyria especially stood out to me as something that could have benefitted from much more depth and clarity, because beyond “they’re bonded and now stronger,” as a power-up to fight Malakar, there wasn't much more substance.

3) An oversimplified villain

Another unfortunate thing that deterred me from connecting with this story was the lack of any real motivations from Malakar who is your typical "i just want to take over the world" villain. He has no other motivations besides that and I have found that this works in other series when the villain is cunning and manipulative but Malakar lacks depth and complexity. His plans are predictable, his agenda is predictable and he always shows up exactly when you expect him to.

4) The multi-POV was messy

The multi-POV structure was another aspect that didn’t fully work for me. Once the main couple got together, I usually need more emotional tension between them or stronger development from the side characters. Unfortunately, many of the additional POVs felt disconnected from the main story. Several chapters focused on characters coordinating politics, relaying messages, or attempting to gather support, but these sections often disrupted the momentum for me rather than adding to it. I also struggled to feel attached the side characters because they didn’t feel distinct enough beyond one or two defining traits (e.g. Jocelyn having her wings chopped off). The sudden introduction of a dwarven clan of mercenaries near the final battle made it difficult to keep track of who was who and the character deaths unfortunately held little meaning to me when I couldn't really remember who they were.

That said, I still appreciated the ambition and scale of this finale, and there were moments between Elyria and Cedric that reminded me why I loved returning to Arcanis in the first place. The world itself still has such an immersive atmosphere, and I’ll always appreciate the emotional foundations that were built earlier in the series. While this conclusion ultimately didn’t fully land for me personally, I’m still grateful for the opportunity to revisit these characters and this world one last time.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books pull you in with their world, but others make you want to stay because of the characters. Shadow and Son gave me both!

I absolutely loved the characters and the relationships in this story. The connections between them added so much depth and emotion, making it easy to become invested in their journeys. The world-building was incredibly atmospheric, creating a world that felt immersive and beautifully crafted. And the writing? Absolutely brilliant. Gretchen Powell Fox has such a lyrical quality to her prose that makes the story feel almost poetic. There’s something special about writing that can create such a vivid atmosphere while making you feel connected to the characters, and this book delivered on both fronts.

This is the kind of book you want to sink into and savor, taking in the beauty of the writing just as much as the story itself. If you love immersive world-building, compelling character relationships, and gorgeous, lyrical prose, I highly recommend adding this one to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

What I love most about a book is when the characters and the world stay with me even after I’ve finished reading, and Shadow and Son absolutely delivered that experience.

[Carina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Gretchen, this was quite the ending! It was bittersweet to say goodbye to such wonderful characters; it felt like being sucked into the in-between without anyone to get us out. As with the previous books, this one was filled with action. Not one word wasted, every second was packed with heavy emotions. Although it is a HEA, it wasn’t without heartbreak, and oh dear, did it hurt! But the journey was absolutely fulfilling. Our dear green flag, Ric, will forever be our knight in shining armor and Elle, our cider-loving bacon-addict shadow mommy. We will miss you!😭

I read an ARC of this book and I’m leaving this review voluntarily. I’m honored to be in Gretchen’s Arc team.

[Dallas · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I don’t think anyone in the history of this wretched world has ever loved another person as much as I do you.”

SIR CEDRIC THORNE THE MAN THAT YOU ARE. This book had everything I wanted from the conclusion of this epic romantasy trilogy and more. I laughed, I cried, I kicked my feet and I blushed. Gretchen broke my heart a little bit with this one, that final battle was amazing and also such a hard read. Everyone grab your tissues for this one. I love this found family so much and it is so sad to be leaving this world behind (for now 👀). Elyria and Cedric forever have my heart and I love them even more after shadow and son. They had some of the most epic moments and this is definitely a series I will be coming back to and rereading. If you haven’t read this series yet what are you waiting for.

I loved the extra POVs we got this book and it feels like we have some teasing going on for some of the characters in this world, I will be very impatiently waiting to see them all again.

Thank you so much to Gretchen and her team for letting me read this ARC. I just about died when I got the email.

[Heather Becht (fantasyromantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐️
"𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘦."

THIS SERIES. THE LOVE. THE FOUND FAMILY. EVERYTHING. STRAIGHT PERFECTION.
I don’t think that I can put into words how much I love this series and while it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to this world, the journey was such an incredible ride and the ending was so satisfying. There are some series that you read and know that they will stick with you forever and The Shattered Crown series is one of them for me.

I absolutely LOVE Elyria. She is such a fierce and dynamic FMC, and her character growth over this series is superb. Cedric. Oh sweet Cedric. I love him more than words can describe. His love and passion bleeds through the pages. Their relationship is truly one for the books!!! The found family in this series speaks to me on a different level. I am obsessed with the “side” characters and their journey. There were some devastating and heartfelt moments where I absolutely shed some tears. But I also swooned and laughed out loud so many times. The high-stakes action had me flipping pages so fast and staying up so late.

This ending wrapped up the story so perfectly. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end and couldn’t tear my eyes away. Thank you for such an incredible series. I can’t wait to read any and everything that you publish in the future!

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙨
Slow-Burn Romantasy
Forbidden Love
Baddie Shadow Mommy x Sun Daddy MMC
Prophecies
Political Intrigue
Found Family
“My Wife”
Snarky Banter
Possessive MCs
High-Stakes Action
Epic Battles
Fated Mates

"𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”

[ShaynaReadsFantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

There couldn’t be a more perfect ending to this trilogy. Each plot line was beautifully wrapped & each character completed stunning character arcs. (except one I suspect is purposely left open ended for future stories) I already want a reread, it’s so bittersweet to be saying goodbye to this world after being immersed in it for so many years. If you love deep characters with trauma that heal, change and grow you need to pick up this series.
We pick right back up after the shattering(lol see what I did there) cliffy we were left on from Splintered Kingdom and hit the ground running. This book was packed with action and challenges as our charming Sir Worrywart takes charge and really steps into his power after working through so much about his self identity in the last book. He is really taking charge and giving DADDY THORNE in this book. I will never not be obsessed with Cedric and his sweet babygirl energy, but it was so refreshing to see him being a multifaceted king, taking charge and stepping into the power he has, I have such proud mom feelings about his journey in this series, but also like I wanna jump his bones LOL
Elyria’s layers are peeling back like an onion, more and more and showing new sides to her character as well and it is SO refreshing. She’s still her snarky baddie self but she is letting Cedric & the gang in and being vulnerable, and we love to see it!
I am so obsessed with how Ric & Elle have grown together as a couple and individuals through this series. Their love is maturing and their connection is deepening as they navigate saving Arcanis from Malchior once and for all. This one has some of the bestttt spicy scenes, with some of my favorite microtropes making an appearance, they’re a much needed reprieve from the intense battles and suspense.. They deserved that.
The way the found family has deepened through each book in the series is one of my favorite things! The gang has been growing and evolving together through 3 books and I’m so proud of all of them, even some of the characters I thought I’d never like🥹
This one is DEFINITELY a tear-jerker. I was sobbing a few times throughout this book, from the traumatic & intense battle moments to the deep and quiet internal reflections the emotions are running HIGH.
The plot had me on the edge of my seat the entire book, each chapter left me REELING from the mini cliff hangers each time, this is high stakes epic romantasy, get the tissues and prepare yourself for the pulse pounding suspense moments. 
The ending was pure perfection and I am always so anxious for that HEA to hit just right but Gretchen finished this out so perfectly. Ok I’m gettin choked up again just thinking about it so I’m gonna wrap this up but first.
A huge thank you to Gretchen for having me on her team since the beginning, it’s been an incredible honor to be on this journey cheering you on. You deserve all the greatness that is coming to you! Thank you to Dr Emily for all her hard work and dedication to the Feral Foxies, we love you endlessly!

[Haley Hilbun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy Review
First of all, I want to thank Gretchen Powell and her team for choosing me to be an ARC reader. After falling in love with the first two books of this series, the third and final epic conclusion was very high on my 2026 TBR list. I was ECSTATIC to have been chosen and have the opportunity to read this book early.

Before I dive in, I want to say that I overall did enjoy this book. I read through it pretty fast (a good sign), it had epic plot twists with ups and downs, and some pretty badass and heartfelt quotes. If you liked the first two books, I have no doubt you’ll find something to love in this one.

That being said, after finishing this last book, I did find myself feeling like there was something lacking. Another of the ARC readers already posted their review and I linked it below because I found myself agreeing with it exactly. It helped me put a finger on what I felt to be lacking in this final book.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I agree with the statements regarding the odd pacing, comments on the magic system and villain, as well as the confusing POVs.

This was hard for me to grapple with because I really felt like there was such a difference between the first two books and this 3rd book. I couldn’t give this book more than 3 stars, whereas the other two I rated higher.

I think part of my problem was the multiple POVs. Maybe if some of them were take out and more time was instead spent on expanding on our two main characters (whom we love), there could’ve been a higher rating from me. I don’t think it needed to be broken into two books, 600 pages is a lot and makes for a good hefty romantasy, I think there just could’ve been some stuff cut out (maybe even put into a novella?) so that we could focus more on our main characters.

Elyria’s capture was brutal and traumatic, she needed more attention on her growth and battling through that. Almost being raped is a BIG deal and I believe needed a lot more time to work through.

I also think that there could’ve been more growth between our two love interests in getting to know each other and navigating life as a couple. Book two essentially ended with their bonding mark and then they were almost immediately ripped apart. I would’ve liked to see them figure out how to do life together and maybe worked up more relationally towards the final “marriage” step at the end. Books one and two did SUCH a good job on this.

Also, the finale premise was good, but I think a lot of the deaths and almost-deaths were clustered together and not as impactful as they could’ve been.

But again, overall I loved this series. I loved the characters and following along with it all. I am so so sad this is over!

Will I be getting matching fancy hardback copies of all three cause they are so stunning?
YES!

Will I keep supporting Gretchen Powell?
ABSOLUTELY!

And will I continue telling everyone I know to read this series?
ALREADY ON IT!!!

Thank you again for this opportunity. Happy reading everyone!

[Jaclyn · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

⭐ 3.5 | ❤️ 4/5

I want to preface this review of Shadow and Son by providing context on how I felt about the first two books, since my experience of the final installment of the series isn’t in a vacuum. Smoke and Scar is a book I widely recommend given how often people request books that subvert genre expectations. While the sequel Splintered Kingdom was a struggle for me due to the slow narrative progression and extended separation of Elyria and Cedric, I figured that this final installment would address most of my challenges with the 2nd book, and it does for the most part.

If you loved Splintered Kingdom, I highly recommend Shadow and Son. This book addresses and resolves four of my critiques from the sequel, one of which I will not discuss due to spoilers.

In the previous book, I was frustrated with the antagonist Lord Church feeling like a cartoon villain, but one of the highlights of this book for me was his character arc. He receives his own POV chapter that felt both true to him, while fleshing him out as person, warts and all. I never would have thought that the series could bring out feelings of sympathy towards him, but his arc was beautifully written. As an aside, I also want to make a shout out for Sid the shadow cat for being the MVP of book 3 while I’m recognizing stand out characters in this book.

I found that the previous book lacked the focus of Smoke and Scar and sometimes it felt meandering, but Shadow and Son felt more focused as it moved us towards the end game. There were some great battle sequences, which I feel Gretchen Powell Fox does well, which felt like a call back to the action in book one as they went through the trials.

Like its predecessor, there is more time devoted to Elyria and Cedric as a couple with increased spice. Book 2 took us from glimpses and kisses to open door spice, and this book took us home bumping up the spice to be explicit. The tone of the romance was a personal taste mismatch with me, but in case it’s a fit for you, I’d characterize the romance to be very sweet— a mouth full of cavities sweet, and at the worst of times, a little cheesy. “I love you” is mentioned no less than 18 times, and the leads describe each other as “perfect” ~14 times (the latter on par with book 2). The use of cutesy terms of endearment just wasn’t for me (Trouble, Sir Worrywart, Sir Sleepyhead, Sir Manners, Sir Knight). I found the frequent declarations of love by Cedric a bit over the top for my own taste; I prefer it demonstrated through actions over declarations in romance.

Another one of my issues with the 2nd book that got resolved in this book was Cedric’s naiveté. This book’s self awareness of it through the juxtaposition of Cedric making naive assumptions always followed by ribbing from other characters turned something frustrating to an inside joke for readers.

While I generally enjoy the author’s writing style—particularly in the cinematic, descriptive quality of how she writes about the manifestation of magic, sometimes I found myself skimming, when the story would go longer than necessary about something not important to the plot. There were some stylistic writing quirks during intense moments that were jarring for me like the repetition of a word 3 times for emphasis (e.g. [word], [word], [word]) and generous use of em dashes (e.g. 4 em dashes in one sentence). There were also redundant words and information shared (e.g. same information shared with very similar response in two different POV chapters of different characters) as well as repetition of certain words or phrases (e.g. “there was nothing” x9) that pulled me out of the story.

There were a handful of continuity issues that hopefully will get resolved by the time this is published. For example, objects already having been prepared for a specific ritual ready in Elyria’s tent, when moments earlier, her father was surprised that she was even entertaining the idea of doing said ritual so it was confusing that he apparently had the foresight to procure ritual objects. Another example would be Lord Church stating that thousands of nights had passed since he last spoke and yet it was only days/weeks ago when he spoke to Elyria when she was captive (as noted by his amber eye color).

In the previous book, I noted that Kit felt less developed than the other characters. In this book, I felt like a reveal regarding Kit and another character felt surprising, since I didn’t pick up on its development at all. It looks like the book is setting us up for a future novella with Kit.

Should you read this book? If you loved the action sequences of Smoke and Scar and wished that it was spicier, then you should give this book a try so long as you don’t mind a romance that’s very sweet in nature. If you loved the second book, what are you waiting for?

1. Smoke and Scar ⭐ 4.5 | ❤️ 1/5
2. Splintered Kingdom ⭐ 3.25 | ❤️ 3/5
3. Shadow and Son ⭐ 3.5 | ❤️ 4/5

CW: suicide ideation, graphic violence

This review is based on an ARC provided by Scarlett Press & the author. All opinions are my own.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic end to such an amazing trilogy. Gretchen truly outdid herself with the final installment in the Shattered Crown trilogy. We got love, anger, grief, humor, loss and overall, we got family.

The found family that developed over the past 3 books continued to grow and flourish in book 3. We were able to get into the minds of some fan favorite characters with chapters dedicated to their POVs and it was fantastic. The world building continued to grow and expand and the way that Gretchen writes makes me envision Arcanis in my mind so vividly that I would think it was actually real.

Thinking of what Elyria goes through in this book makes a tear come to my eye. I want to say out of the three books this one was slightly darker in themes. Watching Elyria, who is always so brave and ready to fight, struggle to cope with what she went through was so heartbreaking. But there was hope within that made it much more powerful when she finally rose up and took back what was lost to her.

And throughout it all, Cedric was by her side. He was on a whole another level in this book, he was always down bad for Elyria however Cedric Thorne in book 3? He was going to go through any lengths to make sure his girl was safe and in his arms. I believe I said this in my other reviews for the trilogy but, he is the blueprint for men. Men need to be more like Sir Cedric Thorne! I also love the evolution of him being the damsel(knight) in distress in book 1 to being an absolute machine in book 3.

This book hurt a lot. Especially towards the end, I was fully sobbing and I went to bed with tears in my eyes. I’m not fully ready to let go of this world so I’m so glad that there was a few little openings left here and there that can hopefully make for a good little novella or spin-off. I need to know more about the fate of some characters endings that felt a bit ambiguous.

Thank you to Gretchen and her team for letting me read this early, I had an absolute blast! Count me in for the next books you’re writing.

[ciana · Rating 5 out of 5]

“you were always you. you always will be. perfect in every rendition.”

—

cedric will forever be a top-tier book boyfriend for me. i LOVE this man. he practically worships the ground she walks on. i loved watching him come into his birthright, especially as he learned to navigate his magic.

elyria… this book made me cry. she went through so much, but never let it break her. seeing how close she came to losing herself and reading about her internal struggles was heartbreaking. but in the end, she proved just how strong she is—not only for herself, but for the people she loves and for a better future.

“𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅.”

this series has one of the best found families ever. you seriously can’t help but feel for all of them, and getting to see a lot of their povs this book was so fun.

the ending stakes were INSANE. i’ve never been more stressed in my goddamn life, fearing for every single character. a few things were actually diabolical… gretchen? you do know you didn’t have to do that to me, right?

dare i say i’m sensing a spin-off? and if not, i’ll scream, because what do you mean a certain character’s story just ends like that??? i damn near threw my kindle at the wall.

thank you soo much to gretchen and her team for allowing me to be on the ARC team!! this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it didn’t disappoint! ♥︎

“𝒊 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆.”

[Unnamednonsense · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never at any point did I want this book to end. I stayed up really late last night reading it, and I just couldn’t put it down. I loved this series so much.

I genuinely feel like part of myself is gone now that this series is over. I’ve been so obsessed with this world and its characters since I first picked it up so long ago now.

This one is definitely slow in pacing just like the second. While the first is a constant, fast motion, book two is slower and dives more in to the world and character development. Book three takes the pacing of the second, the action of the first, and combines them into their own unique and addicting story.

I love Cedric. I want to protect this man at all times. He deserves the world. I’m so sad to know we won’t have more of him. I genuinely need more of him.

Thank you so much to Gretchen Powell Fox for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[✨Gretch✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In darkness and in daylight, in peace and in ruin. What you carry, I carry. What you become, we become.”

“I don’t think anyone in the history of this wretched world has ever loved another person as much as I do you.”


I'm sitting here days after finishing the arc of this book, and I have no words. Well I do, but they aren't coming to me quick enough. This was such a beautiful, and emotional conclusion to easily one of my favorite fantasy series I have read so far.

This book picks up days after the ending of Splintered Kingdom. Everyone is doing about how you would expect after that ending, with Sir Worrywart really earning that nickname this go around. Everyone is off in different directions and split up, but they are all working towards a single goal: find Elyria and put a stop to Malakar before he changes the world for the worse. There is so much that happens in this book, but it was so well written that I was able to keep up with all the events going on.

A bonus in this book that I really enjoyed was getting the POV's from some of the other characters. It really helped bridge the "chasm" so to speak, and helped to move the story along when we weren't inside Elyria or Cedric's heads. It also helped me fall more in love with some of the side characters I've grown to love reading this series. It's just something about being inside their heads that does it for me.

The ending of this book and series was everything I wanted it to be. It was so beautiful and wrapped up our favorite couple's story very well. I laughed, I cried, I cheered with all the characters. From the moment I picked up this series I was completely enamored with it. It was everything I was searching for in a fantasy at the time, and it kept the momentum going until the final book. I truly can not wait to see what Gretchen writes next, and this series will forever hold a special place in my heart, and is going to be added to my "comfort books/series" list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow. What an ending, I’m absolutely speechless, and in awe. Full review to come 💜

[Kelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally cannot express into words right now me feelings about this book, but know that they are many and I hope I can get them down soon. This conclusion was everything I hoped it would be, and I’m so glad I both took my time with it and also sped through the parts the way I did. This was such a satisfying conclusion to this trilogy, and I will be dreaming about Cedric and Elyria for many moons to come.

****************

Thank you so much to the author, Scarlett Press, and Simon Maverick for the gifted eARC and ALC.

Did I really just let this story wreck me THREE SEPARATE TIMES? Yes, yes I did. And I have no regrets. Getting to complete this series has been such a joy. Elyria and Cedric are so very dear to me, and I feel like I’m going to be able to return to their story many more times to come. I just love it that much.

Elyria went through so so much in this book especially. And she had the best people at her side. I adore the found family in this series, and seeing the way everyone, especially Jocelyn, came alongside her gave me all the feels. I really enjoyed the many POVs in this story, and I eagerly await a future in which we might return to this world again and see more of them.

It’s been a long time since I finished a series. Especially one that I’ve had to wait for each release for. But this book was worth the wait. The emotional journey of the characters, paired with the epic scope of the story and a badass final conflict, made for such a fantastic conclusion. I felt so many emotions throughout each read. I think I might have been more emotional on this third read than any of the previous ones. And I already look forward to a reread of the whole series once again.

Congratulations Gretchen on such a fantastic conclusion to a series that I absolutely adore. I’m so excited for this story to finally be in everyone’s hands, and I can’t wait to finally get to force everyone to experience it with me.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 rounded up

A solid improvement from books 1 & 2 in terms of pacing, and the battle scenes were fleshed out wonderfully. Sometimes authors can get a bit long-winded or overly descriptive in the climactic moments, but Gretchen did a great job in Shadow and Son.

Not going to say anything to spoil it, but I’m thinkingggg we’re getting a spin-off series or a novella at the very least revolving around Nox; which I wouldn’t be mad about in the slightest. There were some interesting revelations in book 3 that I’d be interested to read more about. 👀

My only complaint… is with Cedric and Elyria.😅 Their relationship was hard to read in terms of cringe level cheesiness. It wasn’t all the time, but it was enough that it sticks out in my mind. Elyria had a tendency to call Cedric “Sir worrywart” at the most inopportune, mood killing-est of times. 😅 I don’t know. Maybe I’m a grump. They just felt so gushy over one another that it got old to read for me personally.

The variety of POVs kept the plot interesting, and they all had actual depth to them instead of irrelevant filler- which was nice given the size of the book. Often times the bigger the book the more fluff you get with the side characters, but that wasn’t the case here.

Overall, this was a great end to the trilogy and one I’m glad to have been able to read early. Huge thanks to Gretchen and her team for the chance to read the advanced digital copy. 🫶🏼

[Ella (DearFuturePublisher) · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Book Described in Emojis:
🌑⚔️🏡❤️‍🔥👑✨

Reading Mood | Read This When You're Craving...:
In the mood for an emotional romantasy filled with high-stakes battles, swoon-worthy romance, and a found family worth fighting for? ⚔️❤️‍🔥🫂 This one's for you!

Quick Summary:
The final installment of the Shattered Crown trilogy brings Elyria, Cedric, and their found family together for one last journey filled with magic, love, loss, and high-stakes battles. ⚔️

Worldbuilding, Characters, Plot & Pacing:
Easily a five-star read for me! One of my favorite things about this entire trilogy is how beautifully developed the characters are. Each one has their own personality, flaws, strengths, and struggles. They genuinely feel like people I could know in real life, and that makes everything they experience feel so much more personal. ❤️ Watching Elyria and Cedric grow throughout this series has been such a rewarding experience. BUT, can we talk about Cedric's character arc?! I'll admit in the first book I really wasn't impressed; he was a very "meh" MMC. But by book 3?! Huge transformation. By far watching his growth has been one of the best parts of this series for me. Their relationship feels earned, and I absolutely LOVE how their personalities complement one another. The found family is another highlight! Every character brings something different to the story, and I loved seeing their individual journeys come together in this finale.

Tropes / What to Expect:
🌑 Shadow and light magic
❤️ Fated mates and soul bonds
🏡Found family
⚔️ High-stakes battles
✨Emotional character journeys
👑 Fantasy romance

Final Thoughts:
Seriously, what a beautiful conclusion to this trilogy! I'm so happy with how everything came together, but I'm genuinely sad to say goodbye to these characters. They've become the kind of fictional people who stay with you long after you've finished reading. Also, quick mention on the character art at the end, LOVED it. ✨

Thank you, Scarlett Press for the ARC! As always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

[meg *ੈ✩‧₊˚ (semi ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

It's so bittersweet finishing a series, truly. Especially when you feel so attached to so many characters and the end was so devastating and also a perfect ending at the same time.

We see Elyria and Cedric's growth so much in this book - Sir Worrywart and Trouble, trying to reconnect and come to terms with what happened, never letting it happen again, and stop the ending of the world at the same time. I do feel like we 'skated' by some of Elyria's trauma - like we got authentic parts and her character obviously wouldn't wallow in it but she also seemed more emotional in this book due to the circumstances and no one really acknowledged it except her. I kind of wish we could have gotten more from that or even the crew making jokes if that makes sense?

I also felt like during her recovery and the circumstances, everything felt like we were holding our breath just waiting for the enemy to come and some of it seemed like filler, idk. Those are my only two complaints cause otherwise as soon as the tragedy started, I WAS ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT UNTIL THE VERY END!

It also pacing was took me a moment cause the other two books were dual POV, whereas this one was multi-POV (no complaints), I just had to get used to reading more than Cedric's and Elyria's and it makes sense and truly opens how the side characters view's tie in and I love them all anyways. (Wish we could have a Thraigg POV).

This was an amazing series all around and I enjoyed every book - sad to see it come to an end, but I'll think about it for quite some time!

[JensBookishWays · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so satisfying!!! I laughed, I cried, and I cheered on these amazing characters 💜

Chapter 14 is sheer perfection!!!

I am really heartbroken that this series is complete! I’m hoping and praying for a spin off series, prequel, anything really (fingers crossed).

FYI: There are some dark events in this book including torture and attempted SA. Also lots of battle gore and blood.

These characters have my heart! Elyria and Cedric’s love story and bond is magical. I love their love! Elyria is one of my all time favorite FMCs, and Sir Worrywart Cedric is officially on my book boyfriend list. Sid will forever be my favorite 🐈‍⬛ Thraigg was joined by six dwarves who are actually mercenaries, which was a fun play on the traditional seven dwarves.

The plot was medium paced throughout with lots of plot twists and lots of anxiety over if my favorite characters would survive! I love Gretchen’s writing style. Each time I had a question, it was immediately answered like she was in my head.

The world building is expanded past books 1 and 2. The imagery is fantastic! The bonds and binding of powers were interesting.

This book has spice, 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Overall, such a great final book in this trilogy! I absolutely love this series and recommend it to everyone!

[Amy | romantasy.myromanempire · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ 2.5🌶️

I loved this conclusion to the Shattered Crown trilogy, it was full of so much emotion, heart stopping action and steamy romance. I adore Gretchen's writing and the characters she has brought to life through this series. Cedric and Elyria have the best dynamic, and I loved how their relationship has grown and evolved over the series. Shadow and Son brought some heavier themes as we navigate how Elyria faces the events that unfolded at the end of book 2 (I want to be vague to avoid spoilers 😉) and I think Gretchen did an excellent job navigating her emotional healing ❤️‍🩹. The found family vibes are immaculate as we follow our crew into battle, and I loved the new POVs added. The ending was perfection, perfectly satisfying and I will sure miss Cedric and Elyria and all their banter (and sizzling chemistry.) I have a feeling there will be more stories told in Arcanis and I, myself, will be here to read them.

Thank you so much Gretchen and Scarlett Press for the arc to read and review.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Gretchen Powell Fox for an eArc of Shadow and Son, the 3rd and final book in the Shattered Crown trilogy. I am so grateful to be a part of the Feral Foxies. This review is spoiler-free and more about how this book/series made me feel. I think I felt every emotion possible reading the final book in this series. The amount of love I have for this world and these characters is unmatched. Seeing Cedric and Elyria's character progression has been everything I could want or need in a romantic fantasy. The slow burn and anguish these two had, and the ultimate payoff we get as the readers of witnessing their love story flourish, is incredible. There was so much emotional whiplash in this epic conclusion, but it was absolutely perfect. I have no notes, and I can not wait until this book's release, and I can get a physical copy to complete my collection. These characters and this world will stay with me for a long time. Gretchen is an incredible writer, creating such a unique and interesting world. She created this incredible sense of found family where you are rooting just as much for the side characters as the main ones. I am so sad this series is over, but what an incredible journey we were taken on, and this book has such a satisfying conclusion packed with so many emotions.

[Becca Werbowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Shattered Crown series has been one of my favorite book series to read so far this year. I read book one and two in the beginning of the year and was so excited and grateful to be given the opportunity to read the final book of the trilogy early before I get into my critiques I want to say that overall I really enjoyed the series and would recommend it to others!!

I enjoyed this book, but it was my least favorite of the trilogy. I could have read it at the wrong time and therefore made my reading experience less enjoyable, but I felt more invested and connected in the other two books than I did in this one which made it less exciting.

I love the two main characters and their banter is top-tier; one of the best things about this book! However, their connection in this book seemed almost too good… it seemed like every interaction they had was too lovey-dovey and heartfelt which made each interaction after that less special. Maybe that is a problem with me, but when you are over the top every time you see someone it seems less important the following time. THAT BEING SAID - Sir Cedric Thorne is one of my favorite book boyfriends! The guy knows how to yearn 🫦… and Elyria is a total bad ass! I love her attitude

This book also introduced more POV’s, which is a change I did not prefer. I think the side characters should have been kept more on the side, I wasn’t as invested in them and didn’t need to know more about their love stories. There was some information that they conveyed that was important, but I never wanted to go back and read more from their perspective. It wasn’t that I didn’t like them, I just didn’t think their POV added much to the storyline and would have tried to center around the main characters more.

With the return of the big bad villain at the end of book 2, and the beginning of this book, I expected more from their story. I was a little confused what his motivations were and how he received so much power… I could have missed details in how the magic system worked and specifically the blood magic that he used, but I think it could have been pointed out more as well how he had so much power. I know that the villain was mad and wanted to take over the lands, but I don’t really know why? O wish there was more reasoning or explanation of what he was going to do to the lands. Maybe I am trying to overcomplicate a simple thing.

The battle scenes were done so well! The final battle specifically was paced very well and those were the most exciting parts of the book to me.

The pacing of the book, especially in the beginning, seemed to gloss over some events which made it harder to connect to the characters and their emotions. I think that was one of the hardest barriers for me in this book and why it is rated lower than the other books in the trilogy. Would I still recommend the series as a whole? Absolutely!

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series had me locked in from the start, and I’m so so glad that Elyria and Cedric finally have a happily ever after. They deserve a break after all they’ve gone through lmao. This was literally such a perfect ending to a trilogy but what do you MEAN it’s over?!!? I’m really hoping for a surprise novella of a certain character bc I’m in denial that that’s just it 😭😭😭😭.
Thank you Simon maverick for the alc 🖤