A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers #3) by Brigid Kemmerer

   

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Strong language, A couple of mildly detailed sex scenes (more than I think should be in a YA book) 

 

Face your fears, fight the battle.

 
Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a new era under Grey, the true heir. Grey has agreed to wait two months before attacking Emberfall, and in that time, Rhen has turned away from everyone—even Harper, as she desperately tries to help him find a path to peace.

Fight the battle, save the kingdom.

 
Meanwhile, Lia Mara struggles to rule Syhl Shallow with a gentler hand than her mother. But after enjoying decades of peace once magic was driven out of their lands, some of her subjects are angry Lia Mara has an enchanted prince and magical scraver by her side. As Grey's deadline draws nearer, Lia Mara questions if she can be the queen her country needs.

As two kingdoms come closer to conflict, loyalties are tested, love is threatened, and an old enemy resurfaces who could destroy them all, in this stunning conclusion to bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker series.

 

I loved the first book in this trilogy and I liked the second one, even though some things happened that disappointed me. I was looking forward to reading this conclusion to the series, but after reading it, I have to say that it was a bit of a let down. It took me a long time to finish this book, and I never felt very compelled to read it. I wouldn't say it's because I didn't like it. I mostly liked the way things ended up for everyone, but I felt like some of the things that happened in book two could have been avoided if people would have just talked, and some of the filler in this book could have been left out. Not a lot happens in this book for a good long while, and it just dragged on and on for at least the first half. I think this series would have made a much better duology. 

In regards to book two, I never really understood why Grey didn't just talk to Rhen in the first place. This book tries to explain away Rhen's horrible actions in book two, and even justify them, but I didn't completely buy it. I appreciated getting to see under more of the layers of his character though, and I was able to like him as a character again—to an extent, but at this point, it just feels like the things that happened in book two were there just to add drama and shock us. Weirdly, I didn't feel that way until after reading this book. It's just the way this trilogy is written as a whole has completely changed my opinion of the middle book. 

Would I recommend this series? I can't say that it's a favorite any more, but I still think it's worth giving it a try if you like Beauty and the Beast re-tellings and enjoy YA fantasy.