I will bow to nothing and no one. Not even the fear in my own mind.
Defeated and exhausted after an attack that almost claimed her life, Kaida’s world has been turned upside down. Now, Eklos’s army is advancing in the wake of the Remnant, forcing her deeper into hiding. When Kaida and her allies are attacked and separated, each of them must resort to desperate measures in order to survive. Meanwhile, Kaida’s magic begins to manifest in strange ways, giving her a glimpse into a future she must race to avert. With the total destruction of Elysia looming over their heads, the greatest enemy may not be the one they can see, but the battle within their minds as they face down every fear and piece of darkness inside themselves. Can Kaida and Prince Tarrin finally overcome Eklos’s tyranny in the war for Elysia’s future? Or will their inner demons defeat them before the war has even begun? Don’t miss the thrilling final installment of the best-selling Ash & Smoke trilogy!
Besides it having the most beautiful cover out of all three books, Schneider outdoes herself with concluding the fate of Elysia.
Everything has led to this final face off between the shape-shifter Kaida and her former dragon master Eklos.
For those who have read books 1 and 2, fear not; SOSAS picks up RIGHT where Ice and Shadow left off. We finally get answers about what happened when Rythos...you know.
As with the prior two, the world building and descriptions paint the scene in your head. Sometimes a little too clearly, like how the cold was so intense it froze the snot in your nostrils. (I promise that’s the only mention of snot. 🤣) Love the banter! And I’m always able to glean wisdom through the characters and the circumstances they go through. It’s both entertaining and encouraging.
I had so many favorite moments and quotes in this book. I can’t share any of my favorite moments as they’d spoil, but I’ll share TWO of my favorite non-spoiler quotes:
💜 “Because every storm had an end. You just had to fight long enough to get there.”
💜 “You are stronger than your past, stronger than your pain.”
Trust me and preorder; I promise you won’t regret it.
💜☀️⚡️ 💜☀️⚡️ 💜☀️⚡️ 💜☀️⚡️💜
For those who haven’t read Schneider’s Ash and Smoke books, I HIGHLY recommend them if you like: -dragons (unique take!) -magic -enemies to lovers -strong FMC -epic villain -slow burn -banter -no spice! (YA shouldn’t have spice; go to NA or adult for that!)
Go check them out!!! Book 1: Scales of Ash and Smoke (SOAAS) 🔥 Book 2: Scales of Ice and Shadow (SOIAS) ❄️ Book 3: Scales of Sun and Storm (SOSAS) ☀️
I... ah... must say I reached all the way to the final battle before I gave up hope that things were going to make sense. There's a lot of unnecessary filler scenes that give nothing to the plot.
I'm super sad, because the first book in the series was absolutely brilliant. The second one started to confuse already and the third... I'm afraid, was a waste of my time. I do not enjoy leaving bad reviews and I really, really wanted to like this one. But it is what it is. The characters lost any debth, the plot is not really moving, or at least held no grip on me. Things happened but not a full thought was put behind why they happened. There didn't seem to be much logic behind the world-building.
That's just my opinion and if the last 50 pages do hold a key to whatever transpired beforehand, I'll forever be in the dark.
Once again, Emily Schneider has managed to suck me into this world and keep me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. The enemies get scarier, the stakes get higher, and the non-stop action left me blazing through the pages late into the night.
A fantastic ending, all around, that solidified this series as a long-time favorite I’m sure I’ll be re-reading for years to come!
I need another book!! This book was so good all the way through. I loved all the surprises in this book that you never knew were coming! The only thing I wish this book had was more of life after the battle. The bond Tarrin and Kaida have is just so sweet and perfect and it makes them stronger together and I am here for it. The suspense in this book kept me turning the page and I just couldn’t stop reading it. I 100% recommend this series to anyone who loves a good Fantasy book.
"But in fighting it, was I only harming myself? Perhaps my beast was just as desperate to help me as I was to defeat my enemies."
That's all folks! This is the ending of the series and it went out with a bang. It had the romance, action, and comedy. I didn't love the series but it was fun. It would be a fun series to introduce teenagers into reading more I would say.
A nice end to the story. Admittedly, I skimmed the majority of this one; the writing style is simply not my preference for a fantasy. However, I liked the story overall.
What a PERFECT ending to this amazing series! Kaida and Tarrin have catapulted up my list of favorite book couples!
It's hard because I don't want to spoil anything, but there was so much to love!! For one, the winter setting of the story made everything feel that much more perilous. The stakes are WAY higher in this book and the descriptions of the cold and snow helped me as a reader to grasp that. And of course...Elkos was his usual wicked self but so much worse this go around! He's frightening. A superb book villian if there ever was one.
Second, like I said above...Kaida and Tarrin. I've enjoyed so much reading about their love and how it grew over time. But in this book, you could tell it was special! Be still my heart. ❤️
And the final battle....I'll say no more. No wait. I'll use one word to describe it. EPIC. Basically, just read the book! And if you haven't already...read the first two. You'll love the world and characters that Emily created! I promise you! Release date is Nov. 29th! Plenty of time to get your hands on:
🧡 Scales of Ash and Smoke 💙 Scales of Ice and Shadow
Thank you to Emily Schneider for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! 😀
Scales of Sun and Storm was the prefect ending to the world Emily Schneider created. That’s filled with dragons, good vs evil and all the magic.
The stakes are higher than ever. Eklos and his army are coming and our hero’s ban together to try and defeat them.
Without giving away spoilers I will just say this book is well written, full of adventure, and characters you will fall more in love with! You won’t be able to put it down.
As always Emily Schneider doesn’t disappoint in the mind blowing finale we have all been waiting for.
Emily, thank you for the chance to read an advanced reader copy of your book. It was simply spectacular.
This was a solid wrap up to the series and I really enjoyed getting to know these characters! I was glad to see this was a HEA ending, it felt right for this book. There were more twists and turns in this one than there were in the previous two novels and this one was a bit longer as well. I liked that we got a solid wrap up at the end of the book, I hate when books end with loose ends.
If you are looking for an interesting take on dragons and a YA fantasy I recommend picking this one up!
What an interesting prologue! I loved the imagery, in all that desolation there is a beacon of life and hope.
The book does pick up well after book 2, I was drawn into Tarrin's desperate situation, felt his physical and mental anguish.
I love Z! It was great to find out about his loss, what motivates him. I love how he maintains his stoic demeanor, except in the desert, which incidentally, was a stunning visual delight! I absolutely am delighted his character was expanded and gave us a brilliant insight into what motivates him. I found all the characters wonderful, credible and beautifully well rounded, as well as likeable, each one explored to perfection. The pacing is a difficult one to pin point, it wasn't fast paced BUT the storyline flowed well, at no time did I find myself skimming nor feel frustrated. I loved the steady progress. The world building is outstanding! I loved how it captured so much without it ever being too much. Eklos is the perfect villian! I usually like to find something redeeming in every character but I must say that I wasn't looking for any in Eklos! It felt right to have him as evil from start to finish. Although, one baddie I'm thrilled had sort of redeemed themself is Rythos, I'm really glad he realised how he had been manipulated. There were a few deaths that had me screaming NOOOOOO but that just adds to the credibility of the book. As for the twists! My goodness! I was certainly not expecting Martik to be....well what he turned out to be! Brilliant! I really enjoyed Lita's path in this book, how she "found" herself again, beautiful. The final battle is awesome! So tense, so much drama, I wasn't sure who would win! Exceptionally well written! I absolutely loved all the books in this series and I felt this last book tied up any loose ends and left me feeling very satisfied.
"The dark is only evident by the lack of light. Find the light and the darkness must flee."
This explosive conclusion to Emily's debut series is definitely my favorite book of the three. You could really see Kaida's character growth in this book and I was here for it! There were so many quotes and scenes that hit home with a solid punch to the gut, eliciting an emotional response from me on numerous occasions.
Watching Kaida and her army finish preparations for the impending showdown with Eklos was brilliant and stressful. The details were perfect, and really set the stage for the conflict resolution we had been building toward since page one of Scales of Ash and Smoke. Whenever war is presented in a book, you know that sacrifices are made...it's just the anticipation of *what* sacrifice it will be that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The world of Elysia truly kept coming to life with every page, and maybe a little bit of Emily's dislike of winter.
My favorite part that I can say without spoiling, is I loved watching the elements come to life in the book that make the title. Seeing what Scales of Sun and Storm really mean was exhilarating and earned quite a few breathless cheers and fist pumps (since I primarily read after the family is fast asleep).
My only complaint? (If you can call it that.) Our mysterious Z from the second book has his name spoiled in the pronunciation guide. But even so, the reveal of his name was still a HUGE moment and in still gasped and slammed the book shut in shock for 2 seconds so, did it really harm the storytelling? Not in the slightest!
5 stars. 10/10. If you want a solid fantasy with unique magic, a brand new take on dragons, and quotes to lift you up from a dark place, READ THESE BOOKS.
THE FINALE! After the cliffhanger book 2 left me on, I have anxiously awaited this final installment and now that I've gotten my hands on it and read it--despite the many distractions life tried to throw my way--it did not disappoint. At all.
Let's start with the dedication page because I was highlighting before the story even got started:
"For all those who have fought their way out of the darkness. And for those who are still searching for the light." Um, yeah. This just sets the stage for the story. This could be the entire synopsis, and is all you need to know. But ... if that's not enough for you then let's move on.
Kaida, my imperfectly perfect heroine. She is a character I love to read about. Moving forward despite her past and finding ways to inspire others because of those struggles. It's obvious why she has inspired so many to follow her cause. It's also probably a little helpful that she is a super powerful shape-shifting super woman with some pretty fantastic powers.
The world Emily had created for us is vivid and harsh and sometimes makes me wonder if it's worth fighting for at all. There's so much pain. But she is able to paint a picture of hope as well and she does it so well!
"Accepting your fear but not bending to it or cowering before it is your strength."
Finally:
"The quiet, the stillness, was not unwelcome as my claws echoed against the marble tiles beneath my feet... After being surrounded by an army day after endless day, it was a blessed relief to finally be alone."
That quote was THE moment I realized maybe I can have something in common with a crazy psychopath. I loved the imagery and who doesn't want a minute alone to sit in peace and quiet and read a good book every now and then!?
Such a fun read and so bittersweet to finally have the end of Tarrin and Kaida's story. Thanks Emily for the ARC. It was a pleasure reading this and I cannot wait to read whatever story you come up with next!
“The dark is only evident by the lack of light. Find the light and the darkness must flee.” “But what if there is no light to be found?” Her grip tightened on my shoulder. “Then you make your own.”
It was so hard to choose one quote to use…it helped that Kindle lost my highlights from the first 2 books.
Emily is a fantastic writer and I loved this series so much. It has enemies to lovers, unique dragons, shape shifters, magic, and the perfect amount of romance (all closed door/fade to black). I loved that Tarrin was a cinnamon roll hero and not your typical morally gray character we usually see in fantasy books. Kaida was fierce and strong. They were both vulnerable and showed that they were afraid, but they never let the fear stop them from fighting for each other or their people. I really enjoyed Kaida and Tarrin’s story and how they matured throughout the series. By the last book Kaida and Tarrin really grew into themselves and weren’t afraid to be who they were made to be.
The action in this series was awesome. Usually I find myself skimming fight scenes, but these were well written and interesting and kept my attention. There was a plot twist toward the end that I really wasn’t expecting and my mind was blown. I actually sat up and gasped. Of course, Kaida and Tarrin got their happily every after, but it wasn’t without its cost. I really look forward to Emily’s future books, and encourage everyone to give this series a chance!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
10 out of 10, Emily did it again 🥹 (I’m a poet and didn’t know it too 😉😂)
I was beyond excited to start the final book in the series. And even though I had a million hurdles to read it (lane responsibilities 😜), I still finished as possible because I could not freaking put it down until I ended it. I’m talking reading and brushing your teeth at the same time people 😂
To be able to see Kaida and Tarrins’s story evolve over time, Noam’s beautiful soul, Martik’s surprise, and Rythos’ evolution I could not have asked for a better ending. I usually am not a fan of the “big battle” scenes and tend to skim those but Emily had those filled with exciting tidbits to keep me interested and engaged.
Here are my top three favorite quotes (I have a dozen bookmarked so this was a hard decision 🫣)
1. “Because every storm has an end. You just had to fight long enough to get there.”
2. “Sometimes, Kaida, it’s our biggest trials, struggles, and imperfections that create exactly the right combination to do what is needed.”
3. “But out of these ashes of death and loss, we rise, and we create something even more beautiful than we ever dreamed.”
TLDR: Buy the whole damn series, clear out your calendar, and live in one of the best fantasy world I have ever read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Epic: That's it this series is epic. This series put me back into the hunger games, divergent era of Fantasy trilogies. I was so engrossed in this series I took it everywhere with me. My family caught bits and pieces as I would listen to them on audio book as well as read the physical copies and now they are reading the series and enjoying it. To see Kaida begin as a mere human slave and grow into this beautiful character strong and determined filled with love and hope, to see Tarrin this Jaded spoiled prince grow into himself who he was always meant to be. To see them come together uniting others in this quest to vanquish evil and bring about peace to Elysia was truly an amazing experience. I am so thankful to have found this series and Emily for sharing it with us.
This book in the series was a perfect ending I left it feeling I never will truly leave it because this story is filled with hope, epic battles, beauty from ashes, and the knowledge that trials and pain can either break you or make you stronger and more beautiful. This story is light in the darkness.
I recommend this series for anyone. Absolutely anyone can benefit from reading this series.
I gave up precious writing time because I could not put this book down!
What a PERFECT ending that truly brought together all of the storylines, characters, and themes together for one epic conclusion. With every book in this series, Emily Schneider continued to improve and strengthen in her writing. The best of her work is displayed in this final book. There is overwhelming darkness paired with incredible light that so truly reflects our own world. Her characters battle not only physical darkness, but the darkness within themselves, encouraging her readers to do the same. With a third book, you always run the risk of being disappointed in the ending, but this series does not disappoint. Pick up this book without fear and dive on in!
Thank you Emily Schneider for not only giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy, but for all your hard work and dedication in sharing your wonderful, snarky, loving, enduring, strong, sassy, selfless, brave characters with us!
Synopsis: War has come to Elysia. The fates of shifters and humans alike hang in the balance. Eklos has created a mighty army of dragons to eliminate anyone who will not conform to his perfect world. Kaida is more determined than ever to protect the people she loves and stop Eklos. Kaida must find a way to amass her forces before it is too late.
The final battle will test their limits of body, mind, and soul. Many will have to take drastic measures to survive this war. We are about to find out what it takes to bring down a tyrant or die trying.
Thoughts: Happy publication day! I was given an ARC of “Scales of Sun and Storm,” via ebook for an honest review. I purchased a physical copy of the book as well. The cover is breathtaking and is a must-have in any home library.
This book caused so many feelings while reading it. I cried more than once during the battle scenes (if you have read it, you know why). Anytime I thought my beloved characters were safe, something would happen that sent them scattering to the winds. The characters felt relatable as they put on brave faces despite their insecurities.
Kaida and Tarrin were as cute as ever! I love how they support each other and never stop fighting for one another. Overall, it was a very satisfying ending to this fantastic fantasy trilogy.
If you have not read this series yet, it is a must!
Scales of Sun & Storm by Emily Schneider ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Synopsis: The epic third and final installment of the series. Eklos army is preparing to take Elysia. Prince Tarrin is locked away and the rest of the Allie’s are separated throughout Elysia. They are just fighting to survive and prepare for the final battle against good and evil, to free Elysia once and for all.
My Thoughts: What an amazing finish to this series. Plenty of surprises still awaited me as I jumped into this novel. I was anxious to see just where this one would take me and there was no disappointment to be found. Well written and I found no stone unturned by the ending. The scenes were described so well that I could feel myself in the battle! I have to say for this being my YA Fantasy novel series that it set the bar really high and I enjoyed each and every page. What a way to wrap up an incredible year of reading!
This was my first YA Fantasy book, and I am hooked! A fantastic way to close out this series! Emily did it again! The way she describes the scenes throughout all three books is incredible. The character descriptions and the life that she breathes into them is remarkable! I loved reading about Kaida and Tarrin. The emotions I had throughout this book, might seem silly to laugh, cry and get chills from descriptions Emily provided about Dragon shape shifters but I was here for it! I’m curious to see if there will be a spin off series for some of the other characters.
This book picks up right where book 2 leaves off. Check this series out! You won’t be disappointed.
Book 1: Scales of Ash and Smoke Book 2: Scales of Ice and Shadow Book 3: Scales of Sun and Storm
The end to an amazing series! I'm blown away by how great this story is. It's fantasy but so easily comparable to everyday life with the way Kaida feels about her powers, her past and present in Elysia. The cover- beautiful- the words within- magical. It's so hard not to want to give anything away but through loss and pain Kaida (like so many of us) is learning to trust and love herself and her powers. To know she is the end to the pain and suffering in Elysia by ending the one that put them in so much turmoil. The impending battle is coming and all sides are preparing/training for the fight of their lives and when things come together, people change and find no matter dragon or human it is worth fighting for a better world. There were a lot of gasps of surprise, cries of tears and anger and cheers. This book was a do not put down and I can't wait to have all three on my shelf with her signature. <3
I knew I would love this book because I have adored this series and it will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Kaida grows so much in this book in both subtle and outright ways. We see her powers develop, we see her strength increase, but then we see her learn in the new roles she takes on. She struggles initially with her dragon side and magic but she comes into her own as she learns her own strength.
Poor Tarrin is not in a good place when we find him again. Although,he does a remarkable job of turning himself around in preparation of with face off with The Remanent.
Both Kaida and Tarrin grow up in this book not that they were immature, but we see as they face battles that there will be loss and consequences for all actions they take and the actions of others. Also I loved their bond through this book. It provides us with glimpses of their love and moments of humor that bring a lightness and sweetness to their story.
This book had lots of incredible action, a few plot twists I never saw coming from unlikely friends, and a beautiful story that tells the story of two young souls trying to make the world a better place. I loved the writing and the character development we experience in this finale. I am sad to see this trilogy close but it was beautiful!!
📚OKAY! I really did not expect this book to be this great because this is her first series! 📚I am beyond amazed by the quality of this series😍😍 📚I know about Emily's books from her special IG page. 📚I loved the FINALE!!!!!!!!!!!!😍 📚Characters' development was on point 📚I really enjoyed Zi's character (I hope I wrote his name correctly, as I read to the books via audible 📚The HUMOR in this book is surprisingly so good😂 I can't wait to read Emily's romcom based on the humor I found here! Your majestic tarrin-ess😂😂😂😂😂 What the scales!😂😂😂😂 I LOVED THIS HAHA 📚I really enjoyed that she gave most of the side characters strong roles and I got really attached to many of them🥹🥹
Such an amazing and Epic conclusion. The world-building continued in an expansive and intriguing way that made Elysia feel rich with lore and history. The characters I know and love had their individual moments to shine and did so in gloriously dramatic fashion. The loathsome villains continued to present realistic and daunting challenges. The EPIC conclusion was both satisfying and left me wanting more. This is such a fun trilogy for all fans of fantasy, adventure, dragons, dragon shifters, and budding romance. I really appreciated that the relationship deepened while staying family friendly (closed door romance).
An End to a delightful series! I love these characters! They are sweet and kind and caring and I just need them to be happy. This book was an excellent ending to this trilogy, (Though I would totally read more from this world!) I love the dragon/shapeshifter aspect, I appreciate the content being clean. I had some troubles staying focused in the extra POV chapters, Especially the villains POV. But I think this story is an excellent one for Young Teens and up!!!! The sacrifices made and the love and trust shown throughout all these characters is truly beautiful and I'm very excited to see more from Emily!! I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Emily just up and TORE MY HEART OUT with this book. (Don't worry, she put it back together again by the end.) This book was a fantastic ending to this trilogy. All the little moving parts came back together again in this epic finale. The characters have so much depth and development, the world building grew even more, and the magic system is well built. This book was filled with action and adventure with just enough romance to make me love Kaida and Tarrin even more.
If you like fantasy and dragons and fight scenes - please read this trilogy!
"For I was fire and lightning. I was wrath and destruction. I was dragon."
This book is the epic finale I was hoping for. It's an edge-of-your-seat, get-actual-goosebumps kind of book! The breadth of the magic and the intensity of the dragon battles just kept building throughout and was SO DANG COOL! Schneider did a fantastic job creating a world you could enter into: you felt the danger, the love, the doubt, the magic, and oh man! the evil was so palpable at times it could make your skin crawl! I'd highly recommend this series to anyone who loves new takes on dragon stories, epic battle scenes, rebellions, with a bit of no spice love story added into the mix. So so good!
Well what a book, the final book in this amazing trilogy, written by the talented and amazing imagination Emily.
This was the perfect book to end with, with continuing with Kaida & Tarrin story from where the last book left off. So many moments in this book where your left holding your breath, wondering what going to happen, to laughing and smiling, it really is an great all rounder for producing emotions.
So many moments, where the writing is beautiful and quotes that I was able to resonate with.
Captivating, finding and loving oneself, acceptance and so much more. I highly recommend this series, you won’t be disappointed, I mean dragons, magic and love what’s not to love??
This book was AMAZING! I loved it! I read through all three books in 3 days, the story was that riveting! I love how the author created the characters: each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but by learning to trust each other and work together, they could work toward a better world. The land that she created was nicely mapped and fully filled out in the story. And the story itself moved along at a good pace and made for some truly enjoyable reading! These books have no spice and a very lovely, love story in them. I recommend this trilogy for anyone who likes dragon fantasy books! They are worth your time reading. :)