This is the third and final book in the Fated Mates of Shadowbone Academy. And it lived up to the expectations I had in my head.
We have dark academia, dark fantasy romance, four shadow daddies and why choose, we have secret identities, a demon best friend, a soul bonded animali that is a phoenix and an evil queen. All the makings of a great book. And it is.
This book begins right where book two left off. The demon queen, Blake and Shade’s bestie, arrive with her mates and the demon army demanding to know who is trying to hurt her friend. The shadow queen finds it all hilarious until she realises the truth and tries to broker a deal with the demon queen.
The shadow queen demands Shade stays confided to the academy and takes off to the shadow palace.
Shade finally has most of her memories, though there is still something niggling at her mind that won’t break through. It takes a long time for it to come through and the realisation of why it mattered.
The phoenix has also sacrificed herself for Shade and she is reeling after that. Only to find an egg hidden amongst the ashes. Shade clings to the egg like it is a lifeline.
For now, she has her life, she has her mates and she has her best friend. But what awaits them in the coming days, weeks and months. What about the war, about the threat to Shade’s life.
The threat on her life comes from the prophecy carried by her four mates. Yet we don’t hear anyone else’s prophecies, including the queens. No one else’s is shared except the men because it says they will close the fold and end the war. But their bonded will destroy them. I don’t think that is all to the prophecy and that others will play a part, and that everyone interprets the prophecy a particular way because that is how the queen did, therefore that is the only way.
We go on to learn that the Oracle who spoke the prophecies has disappeared. But with Shade getting her memories, his journals are found. Interesting I think that it relates to her. What is even more interesting is that the zenali, the shadow creatures that can communicate with Shade, have their own prophecy. And we know that the phoenix was waiting for Shade. She tells Shade she was waiting to bond with her.
The shadow queen is keeping secrets and forcing all the originals to keep her secrets.
I kept questioning and requestioning every part of this book as I read. As soon as I had a question or a thought I wrote it down. Though I have terrible handwriting so trying to interpret what I wrote has been somewhat a task.
Then we have to come back to Professor Yaevar who disappears after the games. Shade tells her mates the truth about him. They are pretty pissed at him, but he is nowhere to be found. They assume he has gone to the Xalgith. We get an insight into their side as the book progresses and Yaevar doesn’t stop trying to capture Shade and convince her to his side. Even invading her dreams at night, only for Knox to come save her.
There are some moments of peace as the demons train alongside the shadow warriors, there are even some interesting connections that are made. But the truce between Blake’s mates and Shade’s mate isn’t exactly peaceful. No one likes each other but put up with the other for the sake of Shade. For a young human orphan who thought and was made to feel weak and unimportant she certainly has a lot of strong and powerful beings choosing her and protecting her.
The most interesting thing to happen is Satine. Change is inevitable, and everyone is allowed the chance to change and grow from the mistakes they make.
The whole book feels like an emotional roller coaster. Just as things settle a bit, something happens. Only for something to change again. Nothing is steady, nothing is known, nothing feels real.
The final battle begins and they are set to face the Xalgith on their own. There is death, destruction, sacrifice and a coming together. As well as a final knowing of the truth. Then the true battle begins.
I love all the pop culture references and the fact that Shade is a smut book reader. She is obsessed with them. One of her mates, Galen, even makes her beautiful re-workings of her favourite books with illustrations.
Some of my favourite lines:
‘Holy smut gods.’
‘Holy sin of a demon.’
‘Holy book baby gods.’
Absolutely brilliant and hilarious. It is these moments that break some of the intensity that grows in the book. A much-needed moment to breathe, for everyone, including the reader.
There a quite a few underlying themes to this book.
Looks can be deceiving. Power at the cost of everything. Strength in love and being chosen. Over coming adversity. The strength of a woman with her mates beside her.
Shade overcomes her tragic start to life to be the saviour the world needs, to become the hope of a realm. To be the one that brings them all together. To be the one to show them all the way. Even when the others aren’t sure, she trusts her instincts. And she stands up for what is right. This includes when she saved Satine, even though the girl tried to kill her.
It’s those choices, those moments that make Shade the person she is. That makes her the one worthy of the realm.
This is such a good series, I have enjoyed it so much. There is a prequel series about Shade’s bestie, Blake finding her mates and becoming the demon queen, The Game of Psychos. And we have Shade still cursed and in crow form.