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Crown of Ruin and Redemption
I thought losing our child was the worst thing that could happen to us. I was wrong.
Four months ago, a shapeshifter murdered my unborn son. Four months ago, Kaan chose to save me instead of our baby. Four months ago, our bond shattered beyond repair.
Now Kaan's cousin Yasar has arrived with violet eyes and dangerous secrets. He says he's here to help. But when he touches my hand, I feel something I shouldn't—a pull I can't explain.
Because Erlik didn't just cleanse me of shadow magic. He bound me to Yasar. Soul to soul.
My best friend Banu is trapped in the Veil Between—a nightmare realm accessible only during the Twilight Eclipse. We have three hours to save her before the Veil closes forever.
Three hours with a husband I can't forgive, a cousin whose binding makes me crave what I shouldn't, and the discovery that I'm twilight-born—carrying both shadow and light magic.
The key to ending a war. Or the weapon that destroys us all.
Four months ago, a shapeshifter murdered my unborn son. Four months ago, Kaan chose to save me instead of our baby. Four months ago, our bond shattered beyond repair.
Now Kaan's cousin Yasar has arrived with violet eyes and dangerous secrets. He says he's here to help. But when he touches my hand, I feel something I shouldn't—a pull I can't explain.
Because Erlik didn't just cleanse me of shadow magic. He bound me to Yasar. Soul to soul.
My best friend Banu is trapped in the Veil Between—a nightmare realm accessible only during the Twilight Eclipse. We have three hours to save her before the Veil closes forever.
Three hours with a husband I can't forgive, a cousin whose binding makes me crave what I shouldn't, and the discovery that I'm twilight-born—carrying both shadow and light magic.
The key to ending a war. Or the weapon that destroys us all.
545 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 28, 2025
162 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 4, 2026
Maybe 2.5⭐️ but honestly eh.
To start with the pros: the editing and story telling was much improved over the previous two books. Like worlds apart. With the exception of some repetition and discrepancies (which could be put down as different POVs experiencing things differently) there were few glaring issues with continuity or inconsistencies. There was one paragraph early on that appeared to be an editorial comment or communication from one author to the other about a character/plot-point which made me chuckle because it was so unexpected and took me out of the story, but I'd guess that will be corrected in future editions/updated in the ebook.
The Cons: The lore in this book was inconsistent with the previous books. All that we learned previously had no real bearing on the story. The world building is much more in depth, but they do so by throwing out all we learned before. Once again new characters are introduced who are pivotal to the plot, who could replace our MCs in terms of power and succession, but who didn't exist before.The war escalation is ramped up in this book, although we don't see much of it as we are trying to find allies, but then it resolves in the space of three chapters.
*** Mild Spoilers Ahead ***
These are some inconsistencies or things that just irked me and kept me from rating higher. And tbh, 99% are probably about the FMC. But to be fair, she was the focus of the entire book. Even in the MMC POV. Even when dealing with other crisis, it still had to revolve around her.
- Confession: I hate read the first 35% (at least). I just couldn't deal with Nesilhan's attitude and the way everyone placated her. She was grieving and I understand. I also understand that in grief you say and do things you don't mean/wish you can take back later. But at no point (until the father "revelation") does she assume a portion of responsibility/guilt for what happened. Even her inner monologs are all about blaming Kaan, never herself. Sure he chose to save her, but she skipped gleefully into the trap after being warned multiple times in the space of 10 minutes. And not only does she loose her venom on him, but he fully blames himself as well. And no one around him seems to empathize with him and the fact that he also lost a child. Even his best friend has more care and empathy for her than him. And then his cousin shows up and of course Nesi has another love interest. She needs a new triangle every book to feel seen. And when she finds out about the bond, does she talk to Kaan about it? Nah, he sucks and this is all his fault. And when he finds out, he needs to be understanding cause if not he's just toxic and controlling... did I mention that the first third of the book pissed me off? And then she breaks down, says sorry once (and is immediately forgiven) and everything is back to normal, with minimal mentions of their son unless drama needs to occur.
- Nesi's introduced as an Assassin badass. But she never really shows it. And I don't mean she cannot kill all her foes when mortally wounded - that's just realistic. I mean, fully healed and still gets her ass handed to her by non-assassins. Needs to be rescued, including by her previously lilly-livered brother who only has two or three months of battles behind him.
- Since when does Nesi have Twilight magic. She had Light magic. Strong (unseen) light magic. The child was going to be a mix of light and dark and bring about the prophesy. But all of a sudden she has Twilight magic and the prophesy was about her. I have no issues with the prophesy ultimately being about her, but set it up. Don't just announce it. Also, she doesn't fulfill the prophesy. She doesn't reshape the realm. The war just ends.
- The loose threads are less than before, but they're still there. Plot points that go nowhere : Kaan's father, the genie and her last price, the bond that is severed yet again (but with no consequences), the inability to lie that comes and goes ...
- We are once again surprised that Nesilhan's father was the villain all along. And by we, I mean the MCs and supporting cast. We've been knowing that since the start of the first book so why is it treated like some great revelation? For someone who is apparently just one lord of many on the side of the Light, the whole war seems to revolve around him. His wants, his manipulations... and when he dies, so does the war.
To start with the pros: the editing and story telling was much improved over the previous two books. Like worlds apart. With the exception of some repetition and discrepancies (which could be put down as different POVs experiencing things differently) there were few glaring issues with continuity or inconsistencies. There was one paragraph early on that appeared to be an editorial comment or communication from one author to the other about a character/plot-point which made me chuckle because it was so unexpected and took me out of the story, but I'd guess that will be corrected in future editions/updated in the ebook.
The Cons: The lore in this book was inconsistent with the previous books. All that we learned previously had no real bearing on the story. The world building is much more in depth, but they do so by throwing out all we learned before. Once again new characters are introduced who are pivotal to the plot, who could replace our MCs in terms of power and succession, but who didn't exist before.The war escalation is ramped up in this book, although we don't see much of it as we are trying to find allies, but then it resolves in the space of three chapters.
*** Mild Spoilers Ahead ***
These are some inconsistencies or things that just irked me and kept me from rating higher. And tbh, 99% are probably about the FMC. But to be fair, she was the focus of the entire book. Even in the MMC POV. Even when dealing with other crisis, it still had to revolve around her.
- Confession: I hate read the first 35% (at least). I just couldn't deal with Nesilhan's attitude and the way everyone placated her. She was grieving and I understand. I also understand that in grief you say and do things you don't mean/wish you can take back later. But at no point (until the father "revelation") does she assume a portion of responsibility/guilt for what happened. Even her inner monologs are all about blaming Kaan, never herself. Sure he chose to save her, but she skipped gleefully into the trap after being warned multiple times in the space of 10 minutes. And not only does she loose her venom on him, but he fully blames himself as well. And no one around him seems to empathize with him and the fact that he also lost a child. Even his best friend has more care and empathy for her than him. And then his cousin shows up and of course Nesi has another love interest. She needs a new triangle every book to feel seen. And when she finds out about the bond, does she talk to Kaan about it? Nah, he sucks and this is all his fault. And when he finds out, he needs to be understanding cause if not he's just toxic and controlling... did I mention that the first third of the book pissed me off? And then she breaks down, says sorry once (and is immediately forgiven) and everything is back to normal, with minimal mentions of their son unless drama needs to occur.
- Nesi's introduced as an Assassin badass. But she never really shows it. And I don't mean she cannot kill all her foes when mortally wounded - that's just realistic. I mean, fully healed and still gets her ass handed to her by non-assassins. Needs to be rescued, including by her previously lilly-livered brother who only has two or three months of battles behind him.
- Since when does Nesi have Twilight magic. She had Light magic. Strong (unseen) light magic. The child was going to be a mix of light and dark and bring about the prophesy. But all of a sudden she has Twilight magic and the prophesy was about her. I have no issues with the prophesy ultimately being about her, but set it up. Don't just announce it. Also, she doesn't fulfill the prophesy. She doesn't reshape the realm. The war just ends.
- The loose threads are less than before, but they're still there. Plot points that go nowhere : Kaan's father, the genie and her last price, the bond that is severed yet again (but with no consequences), the inability to lie that comes and goes ...
- We are once again surprised that Nesilhan's father was the villain all along. And by we, I mean the MCs and supporting cast. We've been knowing that since the start of the first book so why is it treated like some great revelation? For someone who is apparently just one lord of many on the side of the Light, the whole war seems to revolve around him. His wants, his manipulations... and when he dies, so does the war.
January 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (a generous 4 stars)
This one hurt… but also mildly tested my sanity.
It didn’t quite live up to book two for me, but it was still emotionally heavy. The entire story is soaked in grief, loss, and emotional damage, and the FMC’s arc revolves almost completely around that pain. It’s understandable given everything she’s been through, but it did make this book feel slower and heavier. I really do wish more of her baddass assassin would shown more.
And can we talk about the emotional whiplash? Watching these two break up or fight or whatever it is every single book is starting to feel like a personality trait, not a plot device. At some point I just wanted to gently shake them and whisper “please stop doing this to yourselves and to me.”
Also. the overuse of the quote “I felt something I haven’t let myself feel in a long time. Hope.” every few chapters started to grate on me. It went from impactful to distracting real fast. And isnt nes supposed to be light magic? When tf did she get twilight magic unless I completely misinterpreted the first book?
So… not quite a 4. Not bad enough to be a 3. Therefore, she gets a generous 4 stars
, because it still hurt me emotionally and I still kept reading.
Messy. Painful. Mildly annoying. Still worth it.
This one hurt… but also mildly tested my sanity.
It didn’t quite live up to book two for me, but it was still emotionally heavy. The entire story is soaked in grief, loss, and emotional damage, and the FMC’s arc revolves almost completely around that pain. It’s understandable given everything she’s been through, but it did make this book feel slower and heavier. I really do wish more of her baddass assassin would shown more.
And can we talk about the emotional whiplash? Watching these two break up or fight or whatever it is every single book is starting to feel like a personality trait, not a plot device. At some point I just wanted to gently shake them and whisper “please stop doing this to yourselves and to me.”
Also. the overuse of the quote “I felt something I haven’t let myself feel in a long time. Hope.” every few chapters started to grate on me. It went from impactful to distracting real fast. And isnt nes supposed to be light magic? When tf did she get twilight magic unless I completely misinterpreted the first book?
So… not quite a 4. Not bad enough to be a 3. Therefore, she gets a generous 4 stars
, because it still hurt me emotionally and I still kept reading.
Messy. Painful. Mildly annoying. Still worth it.
January 2, 2026
CROWN OF RUIN AND REDEMPTION is the third instalment the adult KINGDOM OF SHADOWS dark, epic fantasy series co-authored b Vi Carter and Joanna Maz. This is the continuing story of Prince Kaan Karanlikoglu, Lord of the Shadow Court, and his consort Nesilhan. CROWN OF RUIN AND REDEMPTION should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events of book two Crown of Storm and Silence.
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Kaan and Nesi) CROWN OF RUIN AND REDEMPTION follows in the aftermath of the attack on our story line heroine. Four months earlier, a shape shifter murdered Kaan and Nesi’s unborn child but in the aftermath Nesi is unable to forgive the man she loves, a man she blames for choosing her life over the life of their unborn child’s but the betrayal goes deeper when our couple discover their bond has been fractured by a manipulative family member who is determined to take control. A war between the dark shadow and the light shadow courts is threatening Kaan’s tenuous hold over his people and the land,and the our couple must, once again, give up something in an effort to help everyone else.
The world building is detailed and complex as Nesilhan is determined to rescue her friend, a fairy trapped in the Veil Between, but the rescue will come at a cost to everyone involved. Nesi is so blinded grief and loss, she is willing to sacrifice everyone including herself and the man whom she loves, to save the life of her friend. A deal made with the Fae, threatens the future, as there is always a caveat, a disclaimer, and a play on words even friendships are threatened by deception and lies.
The relationship between Nesi and Kaan is fractured and strained. Grief leads to blame, to vengeance, and pain, and in this Nesi struggles to forgive the man whose heart is breaking with each rejection. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including the return of Nesi and Kaan, Kaan’s second in command Emir; Kaan’s cousin Yasar; Nesi’s siblings Zoran and Solene, and their father Lord Eldric Alari; Nesi’s best friend Banu, guardian Elcin, Fae Queen Morwenna, and Peri Ayse.
CROWN OF RUIN AND REDEMPTION is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, secrets and lies, dysfunctional family dynamics, forgiveness and love. The premise is intricate and intimate, as our couple find themselves at odds, pulled apart for the sake of all others. The characters are broken, determined and desperate as the betrayals run dark and deep; the romance is negligible as our couple must sacrifice everything to protect the one’s they love.
copy supplied for review
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Kaan and Nesi) CROWN OF RUIN AND REDEMPTION follows in the aftermath of the attack on our story line heroine. Four months earlier, a shape shifter murdered Kaan and Nesi’s unborn child but in the aftermath Nesi is unable to forgive the man she loves, a man she blames for choosing her life over the life of their unborn child’s but the betrayal goes deeper when our couple discover their bond has been fractured by a manipulative family member who is determined to take control. A war between the dark shadow and the light shadow courts is threatening Kaan’s tenuous hold over his people and the land,and the our couple must, once again, give up something in an effort to help everyone else.
The world building is detailed and complex as Nesilhan is determined to rescue her friend, a fairy trapped in the Veil Between, but the rescue will come at a cost to everyone involved. Nesi is so blinded grief and loss, she is willing to sacrifice everyone including herself and the man whom she loves, to save the life of her friend. A deal made with the Fae, threatens the future, as there is always a caveat, a disclaimer, and a play on words even friendships are threatened by deception and lies.
The relationship between Nesi and Kaan is fractured and strained. Grief leads to blame, to vengeance, and pain, and in this Nesi struggles to forgive the man whose heart is breaking with each rejection. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including the return of Nesi and Kaan, Kaan’s second in command Emir; Kaan’s cousin Yasar; Nesi’s siblings Zoran and Solene, and their father Lord Eldric Alari; Nesi’s best friend Banu, guardian Elcin, Fae Queen Morwenna, and Peri Ayse.
CROWN OF RUIN AND REDEMPTION is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, secrets and lies, dysfunctional family dynamics, forgiveness and love. The premise is intricate and intimate, as our couple find themselves at odds, pulled apart for the sake of all others. The characters are broken, determined and desperate as the betrayals run dark and deep; the romance is negligible as our couple must sacrifice everything to protect the one’s they love.
copy supplied for review
January 9, 2026
The repeated phrases in this drove me nuts, feels like the book missed some editing.
Nesilan referred to her magic as a ‘candle’ of something twice across two pages, there is a section where two paragraphs are just repeated word for word and so many other repetitions it became frustrating to read.
Nesilan for more than half the book was infuriating, I get that she was grieving but the hate she had for Kaan felt immature, and then suddenly she decides she needs to forgive him. It was like ‘nope it’s all his fault we’ll never get back to where we were’ to ‘I think we can learn to trust each other again’ without much mental dialogue in between.
Now for the plot, I generally thought the story had potential but there were so many things that felt like they went nowhere. The build up of Kaan’s father didn’t go anywhere, the veil ripping in places felt like it came out of nowhere, Nesilan is apparently a warrior and has twilight magic which is not mentioned in the first two books?
Her sister is alive and been trained be her father, Nesilan and Kaan say they will do anything to get her back and after the first meeting Solene switches sides without much fight.
Shout out to Kaan’s POV though, his sassy narration held the book together.
Won’t be reading the other ones in the series but glad I got through the end of this one.
Nesilan referred to her magic as a ‘candle’ of something twice across two pages, there is a section where two paragraphs are just repeated word for word and so many other repetitions it became frustrating to read.
Nesilan for more than half the book was infuriating, I get that she was grieving but the hate she had for Kaan felt immature, and then suddenly she decides she needs to forgive him. It was like ‘nope it’s all his fault we’ll never get back to where we were’ to ‘I think we can learn to trust each other again’ without much mental dialogue in between.
Now for the plot, I generally thought the story had potential but there were so many things that felt like they went nowhere. The build up of Kaan’s father didn’t go anywhere, the veil ripping in places felt like it came out of nowhere, Nesilan is apparently a warrior and has twilight magic which is not mentioned in the first two books?
Her sister is alive and been trained be her father, Nesilan and Kaan say they will do anything to get her back and after the first meeting Solene switches sides without much fight.
Shout out to Kaan’s POV though, his sassy narration held the book together.
Won’t be reading the other ones in the series but glad I got through the end of this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2026
“ Please , I beg, my voice cracking with desperation. Whatever’s you want, I’ll give you anything. “ “Anything? “ she asks with dangerous sweetness, rising from the throne to approach my bound from. “Even your control? Even your pride?”
Book 3 in the trilogy does not disappoint!!
Its epic stuff!!!! Im hooked. I can not and will not part with them. I need more…. My precious x
I do think this world is big and luckily the authors loves it too so will continue on in this world. I do have some unfinished threads still needing answers.
Can I just say…. WOW
Kaan is the best Shadow Lord in like for eeeeveeer. Love love love. Can not put in enough loves here.
Nesilhan and her twilight magic is superb.
The trauma we were left with in book 2 escalates to Mountain heights.
The spice and drama and war is gritty and all encompassing.
Banter and seriousness blends together in the best way making even the worse war moments palatable.
Blown away by this trilogy!!!
“You dont love a monster. You survive him.”
Book 3 in the trilogy does not disappoint!!
Its epic stuff!!!! Im hooked. I can not and will not part with them. I need more…. My precious x
I do think this world is big and luckily the authors loves it too so will continue on in this world. I do have some unfinished threads still needing answers.
Can I just say…. WOW
Kaan is the best Shadow Lord in like for eeeeveeer. Love love love. Can not put in enough loves here.
Nesilhan and her twilight magic is superb.
The trauma we were left with in book 2 escalates to Mountain heights.
The spice and drama and war is gritty and all encompassing.
Banter and seriousness blends together in the best way making even the worse war moments palatable.
Blown away by this trilogy!!!
“You dont love a monster. You survive him.”
January 12, 2026
love it love it love it
I can’t describe enough how much enjoyed this series! I genuinely can’t believe it doesn’t get more hype on social media.
Kaan is just the best, shadow Daddy. Completely relentless, with seriously questionable morals, a total lack of respect for propriety. When he loves, he loves something fierce, which makes him all the more endearing. Add on the wicked sense of humour and hilarious one liners and you have the shadow daddy to end all shadow daddy’s!
The dynamic between Nesh and Kaan was just beautiful. It’s always been full of chemistry, both positive and not so positive at times. However their relationship really grew and emotionally developed, I was completely here for it.
The plot was actioned packed. So much adventure, details, intrigue, but written in such a way that it kept me engaged throughout.
Loved the side characters and I’m so onboard with the next book I can’t wait!
I can’t describe enough how much enjoyed this series! I genuinely can’t believe it doesn’t get more hype on social media.
Kaan is just the best, shadow Daddy. Completely relentless, with seriously questionable morals, a total lack of respect for propriety. When he loves, he loves something fierce, which makes him all the more endearing. Add on the wicked sense of humour and hilarious one liners and you have the shadow daddy to end all shadow daddy’s!
The dynamic between Nesh and Kaan was just beautiful. It’s always been full of chemistry, both positive and not so positive at times. However their relationship really grew and emotionally developed, I was completely here for it.
The plot was actioned packed. So much adventure, details, intrigue, but written in such a way that it kept me engaged throughout.
Loved the side characters and I’m so onboard with the next book I can’t wait!
January 7, 2026
What a wild ride! I have read the other 2 novels in this series and really enjoyed them. This novel did not disappoint. I have been patiently waiting to jump back into this series after the last novel ended in a cliffhanger. From the first chapter this novel reached across the pages and grabbed my attention and held on tight. Once I started reading I was on the edge of my seat trying to guess what was coming next. I love Nesilhan and Kaan's story is getting their conclusion although it was a wild ride to finally get there. So so good! I can hardly wait to see what this author will have coming next. Loved it!
January 13, 2026
So. many. plot. holes.
I wanted to like this so much....but I ended up having to force myself to read it. FMC was so cruel to MMC, and so were all their friends !! Twilight magic? Genies last wish? What about all the questions behind Elcin and the fae court? All the mystery behind Banu and the fae court? No hints of what everyone who made a bargain with the Queen ended up having to endure. Nesilhan was supposed to be this badass assassin.....and literally got her ass handed to her time and time again. sigh. 🫠
I wanted to like this so much....but I ended up having to force myself to read it. FMC was so cruel to MMC, and so were all their friends !! Twilight magic? Genies last wish? What about all the questions behind Elcin and the fae court? All the mystery behind Banu and the fae court? No hints of what everyone who made a bargain with the Queen ended up having to endure. Nesilhan was supposed to be this badass assassin.....and literally got her ass handed to her time and time again. sigh. 🫠
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2026
Intensely moving and emotionally fraught, Kaan and Nesilhan are caught in a web of intrigue and sorrow. At each turn, they are thrown more chaos and horror. Nesilhan’s grief blinds her to reason and comfort. My heart broke for all the characters because there seemed to be no end in sight to the heartache and tragedy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 8, 2026
I had a hard time with this entire series. It’s poorly written and needs a lot of editing. The 3rd book needs more editing than the last 2. There was what appears to be an editorial note in the beginning that caught me off guard. A lot of repeats or info that doesn’t make sense, then what happened comes up in the next chapter. A lot of contradictions….at the same time, I wanted to know how it ends. The story was just ok….
January 5, 2026
This intriguing story is filled with thrilling twists and turns that are tumultuous for and drew me into the main characters as they embark on a dangerous journey that has lies along with betrayals for Kaan and Nesilhan.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 6, 2026
Unimaginable Loss
Losing her child has devastated Nesilhan and caused her to hate Kaan. With war on the horizon and now Kaan’s manipulative cousin Yasar thrown in the mix the outcome seems disastrous. Especially when Kaan’s father has magically created a bond between Nesi and Yasar. Can Kaan overcome everything thrown at him or will he lose the only light in his existence?!
Losing her child has devastated Nesilhan and caused her to hate Kaan. With war on the horizon and now Kaan’s manipulative cousin Yasar thrown in the mix the outcome seems disastrous. Especially when Kaan’s father has magically created a bond between Nesi and Yasar. Can Kaan overcome everything thrown at him or will he lose the only light in his existence?!
January 11, 2026
I finished them at least
I wanted to love these but there are just too many holes in the story. So many random occurrences that are unresolved or seem to have nothing to do with the main story line. It was hard to get through but I did finish but I don’t think I will bother reading any spin offs.
I wanted to love these but there are just too many holes in the story. So many random occurrences that are unresolved or seem to have nothing to do with the main story line. It was hard to get through but I did finish but I don’t think I will bother reading any spin offs.
January 6, 2026
Not a standalone book, you must read Crown of Light and Ashes, as well as Crown of Storm and Silence in order to understand what is going on in the lives of the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 10, 2026
Well I thought I had family dramas.
What a fabulous read can not wait for the next book. This is a series worth your time
What a fabulous read can not wait for the next book. This is a series worth your time
January 15, 2026
So good
I cant wait for book 4!!!!
I just love the banter, the love, the intensity. Wonder when all the prices will have to be paid?
I cant wait for book 4!!!!
I just love the banter, the love, the intensity. Wonder when all the prices will have to be paid?
January 14, 2026
What a wild ride! Loved this so much.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews