Grace (irisroman & evajacks' version) ✧'s Reviews > The Beauty of Darkness

I ended up enjoying this one a decent amount!! 🤩🤩 There were lots of things I liked about it- but it definitely is my least fave in the series. I just had a few issues 😬😬 Still, a pretty good read! 💕

“Love didn’t end all at once, no matter how much you needed it to or how inconvenient it was. You couldn’t command love to stop any more than a marriage document could order it to appear. Maybe love had to bleed away a drop at a time until your heart was numb and cold and mostly dead.”

The Beauty of Darkness is the third and final book in the Remnant Chronicles, which concludes Lia, Rafe and Kaden's journey. No spoilers, but this book is filled with politics, scheming, and kingdom rivalry, with our main trio fighting to defeat the villain from Book 2. In reading this series, I've spent so much time with these characters and in this world that it felt almost surreal to turn the last page. I'm honestly still trying to absorb everything that happened in this series! But I've had a very fun time overall 💗

“Darkness was a beautiful thing. The kiss of a shadow. A caress as soft as moonlight.”

Starting with what I liked! ✨ First off, I really really liked the characters in this book!! 🤩🤩 I was a little unsure about them at the start of the series but I've really grown to appreciate them throughout this journey. Rafe still isn't my fav tbh, but I really like both Lia and Kaden! Lia's growth throughout this series has honestly been SO good- she went from a whiny, kinda annoying mc in Book 1 to a super fierce lead and I love her for that 💗 Honestly, she slayed in this book- queen 👑👑 I also really like Kaden and seeing more of his past has been great. He's so loyal to Lia and feels like a big softie inside despite the tiny detail of him being an experienced killer 🤩😂 But yeah, i've grown to love these characters!

Another thing I really enjoyed was the overall storyline in this book! Despite only starting very far into the book (which I'll get to in what I disliked), it had more of a central plot than the first 2 books and I liked that. Lots of scheming and politics, but they weren't super complicated so i could still understand everything. Also, I loved the ending!! 🙌 it was literally so sweet help 🥺🥺💗💗

“Truth is as free as the air and we all have the right to breathe as deeply of it as we wish. It cannot be held back in the palm of any one man.”

Now, onto the things i didn't like 😪 My main problem with this book (and why it's my least fave) is the PACING. As I said above, this book had a much stronger plot, but that plot only started around 50% through the book. Which means that for just under 350 pages, NOTHING WAS HAPPENING 😤😤🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ This book was really long- nearly 700 pages- and in no way NEEDED to be. If the first half had been shortened so that the book was well-paced, it could've wrapped everything up in 500 pages. Ugh I'm so annoyed ☹☹

Also, the romance drama in this book gave me a headache. The main couple went from being all lovey-dovey and cute in Book 2 to fighting SO MUCH 🙄 And when they had what was essentially a third act breakup, i got so irritated. Third act breakups in romance books are bad enough, but in fantasy books??? I can't-- 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Also, the final battle was way too short. There was a big exciting leadup and then it was under 50 pages. See what I mean about bad pacing??? 🙈🙈

“It doesn’t matter how many universes come and go, I will always remember who we were together.”

Overall tho, I did enjoy this conclusion!! 💕 It definitely could've been better but i think it's worth picking up if you like the series. This series was a lot of fun in the end and I would definitely recommend:

✔ Likeable characters (especially the mc)
✔ Easy to understand politics
✔ Easy and enjoyable writing
✔ Fun YA fantasy!!

I can't wait to read Dance of Thieves and return to this world!! 💜💜

~ 3.5 stars

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A few conflicting thoughts on this one! ✨ It was still very enjoyable and ended so sweetly, but the plot was waaay too slow. Still, pretty good! 🤩🤩

RTC!