I struggled with this read a bit. I hadn't read the initial books and found myself having to read those first before coming back so I could complete this review. This is definitely not a series you can just jump into, you must read this in order.
The characters are well written and I did enjoy their individual archs but the pacing and the plot did seem a bit everywhere and nowhere which made it really difficult to dive into

Rating : 4.5 ⭐️
Thank you so so so much for NetGalley and Tor Books for sending me a copy of this book! I wouldn’t know what to do if I had to wait for months before I can read it 😭. I asked for it before reading the whole series and I took it as a sign to finally start reading the books when they sent me the ARC. And I immediately got invested with the whole series, especially the characters! I’m still simping over the two guys but Killian takes my heart ♥️.
The stakes just got a lot higher in this installment as everything slowly gets unfolded. Every MC is fighting their own battles and it was so fun but scary at same time following all their POVs and reading in all four perspectives on their own adventures.
Terianna and Marcus still kept secrets which I hope they could just be honest and be with each other but I understand the consequences of this. Lydia and Killian not being together in the first half saddens me but it was very heartwarming to know that they kept on thinking about each other and wanting to be together. Both pairs have shown how much they care and love each other however the situation refrains them to show it and I hate it 😭 they always had to choose between love and responsibility. Those emotional scenes broke my heart in pieces 😭. And I really love all of the MC’s character development, they all grew a lot stronger in all aspects.
The situation was getting worse and I kept on wondering what would happen to everyone and whether they’ll survive or not. Their journeys just got a lot more dangerous and there were a lot going on. I didn’t want to stop reading it but this book is huge! It took me the weeks to finish it. In my defense, we had finals the first half and was busy preparing for Christmas right after.
I was on edge every chapter of this humongous book. It was just too intense! I kept wanting to know how it ends at the same time I was so scared that this will end in a cliffhanger and I need to wait for a couple of months for the next installment. This book was so heavy and it broke my heart a lot of times but I loved it. I’m weird I know 😅. BUT THEN IT FREAKIN ENDED IN ANOTHER HEARTBREAKING CLIFFHANGER 😭💔! I really can’t imagine how the next book will go. This is just mind blowing 🤯. And please just let them all meet with each other on the next book 🤞. Impatiently waiting for the next installment even this book haven’t even gotten released yet.

The Dark Shores series has become one of my top favorites. The writing is exquisite and beautifully detailed.
I loved the swtiching of different point of views as it made the story goes fast. I was in anticipation of each chapter.
This book had it all. Adventure, romance and all the witty banter that I love from this author. Every book I have read of hers has been so wonderful and I never want the stories to end.

Thank you for allowing me to read this early copy.

This series has ruined me. AGAIN.

I freaking loved having all the characters from both Dark Shores and Dark Skies woven into this spectacularly written story. I savoured the heck out of this book, which is why I took so long to finish it, because I didn't want it to end.

I'm super excited for the next installment!

I was lucky enough to be granted my wish for an ARC and HOLY CRAP. This book is spellbinding and I could NOT put it down. The things that Marcus, Teriana, Killian, and Lydia go through and THAT ENDING?! This book isn’t even out for six months and I’m already needing book four pronto!!

The amount of tension and anxiety I felt throughout this whole books just shows the masterful storytelling of Danielle Jensen and uniting all four POVs in such a gripping manner blew my mind.

If you want twists and turns, political intrigue, backstabbing, secrets, adventure, love, and a wild freaking ride, you MUST read this book!!

This surprised me oh so much, and I loved it for that. We actually follow the characters from the two previous books, Marcus, Lydia, Killian, and Teriana (I expected this book to have "DARK" in its title, actually) as they finally come to a head of a possible impending war (OoOoOo). Now, for the actual book, while Dark Skies definitely didn't do for me 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 (this could be possibly because right before I got this arc, I started the series), I was still waiting for the book, and it DELIVERED. Not only did the characters (especially my husband Killian) grow so much, like, seriously, some good character development was made, but the plot also became bigger and more central, and just better fleshed out (that could just be, because I am a sucker for books with a war plot, for some odd reason...?). But, seriously, certain characters went through so much development (like Lydia, who I hated) and truly ended becoming favorites. And the ending (which sounded as if the story came to a wrap, but then again...) was just so good, and perfect, and my heart couldn't handle it.

4.5 Stars! I was really excited for Gilded Serpent and I was not disappointed! This book was really difficult to put down. It was really exciting to see the different stories finally connect. The story is told through the multiple points of view from Marcus, Teriana, Lydia and Killian. I really like all of the characters and care about what happens to them. I did prefer Teriana and Marcus and found myself sometimes pushing through the chapters with Lydia and Killian to get back to them. However, the story between Lydia and Killian heats up toward the end and I think things are going to get more interesting for them in the next book.

Gilded Serpent was filled with epic world building, political intrigue, forbidden romance, heart pounding action and lots of angst. I had been expecting this to be the last book in the series but was surprised to find there will definitely be another installment. This series is so riveting and I really can’t wait for the next book in the Dark Shores series! Fans of this series will fall hard for this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pardon the grammar, but this book was just SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. Danielle Jensen is one of the most talented authors in the current market! The plot, the characters, the world-building, the relationships, the intrigue, everything, literally everything is so well done. For fantasy, she is my favorite author. I just can't get enough of her books. Every one is superb, and this one is fantastic. You won't be able to put it down!! Ten stars

This book. I was so excited for the next book in this series and wow was I not disappointed. I devoured this in only a couple of days and adored it. Being that we have both Marcus/Teriana and Lydia/Killian in their seperate journeys this book was a beast. But I was so here for it. It had me on the edge of my seat through parts and then swooning through others, Danielle just writes the best couple banter. The world building in this series is phenomenal and all the politics and military aspects are just so well done. Now comes the agonising wait for book four 😭

This book just destroyed me. I absolutely loved the 4 POVs we get to follow and I love all 4 of these characters with my whole heart.
This series literally has it all. Amazing world building, the slowest of slow burn romances that actually hurt my soul, intense action packed battles, so much angst and dramatic irony. I honestly don’t know if I will recover from this book. I cannot wait for the next instalment.
If you have read Dark Shores & Dark Skies pick THIS UP, it’s the best of both worlds because we get everyone’s POV.
BRB time to read all of Danielle L Jensen’s previous work.

SPEECHLESS. I don’t really know what to say to convey the emotional turmoil you will go through while reading this book.

the SECRETS. the SLOW BURN. the ANGST. the CHEMISTRY. All my favorite tropes present and accounted for. So many amazing, well-developed characters. Vivid writing. I don’t want to say too much cause *spoilers* but Danielle pretty please if you are by chance reading this can you give at least one of these couplets a well-deserved HEA?

This book was the best so far in the series, which makes sense because she has combined the power of all four mc POVs that made up the first two books. It is essentially two novels woven together. Where some readers might find the switching between storylines frustrating, I love when books are set up this way. Like reading whiplash. I don’t know how long Danielle plans to make this series but there is at least going to be one more book...I just wish I didn't have to wait for it.

In conclusion, please excuse me while I take some time off of reading to emotionally recover from this book.

and a huge thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, via netgalley, for this ARC!

I love the way Jensen writes angst – it’s always balanced by well structured plot and characters I can’t help caring about. This is a sizeable book but it flew by. Best of the series so far imo.

Danielle Jensen once again delivers a story full of action and drama. This time with alternating POV's from all four of the main characters from the two previous books in the series.
An absolute epic addition o the series that up the stakes for both story lines.

This series. Oh man, this series is simultaneously giving me life and killing me. It's such a wild ride and I have no hesitation in saying this is the best book so far. The stakes are higher, the tensions are thicker, and the secrets are being revealed.

I also think the story really benefits from all four of the main characters being in the same book (‘Dark Shores’ had two while ‘Dark Skies’ focused on the other two). I don't care that this book is super hefty because of it - give me 600 more pages. I don't care that there are constant POV switches - it's an adrenaline rush jumping from each adventure to the next. It definitely enhances the story having everyone within the same pages and I am so looking forward to the day when all the POVs finally cross paths.

I feel like getting this ARC is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because this installment is helping to save my 2020, but a curse because who knows how long I will have to wait until the next book. Praying to the book gods it comes soon!

One word review: YES 😍😩

Slightly longer review:
Danielle has delivered another masterpiece in the third Dark Shores/Dark Skies series.

Apparently my brain can’t keep up with more than 2 POV switches 🙃 This one was harder for me to keep straight who’s POV I was reading. It didn’t take away from the story at all, in fact I think it wouldn’t have worked as well without all the POVs, it just meant I had to be more conscientious about who’s chapter it was.

About halfway through, I decided to read all of Marcus and Teriana’s chapters, and then go back and read Killian and Lydia’s chapters after. This did help a lot, so maybe they could have been separate books? Either way, great story, great characters once again!

I found myself much more interested in Marcus and Teriana’s story of their fight to get back to the West, than I did with Lydia and Killian’s fight against the blight. However, the stories played off each other well to develop the world even more.

Also.... AGRIPPA. DANIELLE WHAT THE HECK I NEED MORE ANSWERS.

I’m so excited for the next installment!!

Make sure you read Tarnished Empire BEFORE you read this one. Trust me, it makes this one a lot more enjoyable!

Gilded Serpent comes out in April so make sure you preorder this one! You don’t want to miss it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This series is just the best! In this third installment, the storylines from the first two books are getting closer and closer to intersecting. Lydia and Killian are fighting against the blight, trying to save the West. Marcus and Teriana find themselves back in the East, trying to get back to their fight in the West. This book is like the perfect, chaotic, building to an explosion of plot! I am so happy that I was chosen to receive an ARC so that I didn't have to wait until April, although now the long wait until the next installment seems even longer.

I could not put down this book! It moves along at a brisk pace, with lots of action, like the other 2 books in the series.
The story alternates between the POVs of Teriana, Marcus, Lydia and Killian. Marcus and Teriana are my favorites, and I liked Dark Shores more than Dark Skies although the latter was good as well. The cool thing about this series is that you can read Dark Shores or Dark Skies first, followed by this book which picks up the story of the first 2 books. The 2 pairs do not meet; Marcus and Teriana’s story continues on a separate arc from Lydia and Killian’s. I actually kept skipping ahead to their chapters because I was more curious about their story and then came back to read Lydia and Killian’s story with no problem at all. This is like 2 books in one.
Killian’s story starts out a little slow, then he meets up with Lydia when it starts to pick up speed, and in the end gets really interesting. Marcus and Teriana’s story was awesome. There are a lot of obstacles in their way, which is to be expected since they come from such different and difficult circumstances. How will the the Legatus and the Maarin princess have a future together? It will be interesting to see how their seemingly irreconcilable problems get sorted out eventually. At some points in the narrative, the story started to get a little far fetched but rallied back to the page turner it is.
The ending - well, good news and bad news. The bad news is - you’ll have to wait for the next book. The good news - there is a next book to wait for! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you for the opportunity to review it.

I couldn’t wait to read this third installment of the Dark Shores series. After all of the torment Lydia, Killian, Terriana, and Marcus were subjected to in the previous novels, it was exciting to finally get to see their stories connect. The characters are well developed and we care what happens to them . What Ms. Jensen gave us instead was often disjointed, drawn out, and sometimes unnecessary suffering that leaves the reader feeling robbed of any resolution. Normally, it takes me less than 24 hours to devour a Danielle L. Jensen novel. This one took me a week. Perhaps, prior to actual publication, some sections can be pared down such as the crossing of the mountains and the dire wolves. I hope that future entries will return to some culmination of the stories together versus individually.

**Review to be posted on blog on 3/29/21 nearer to publication date.**

My Attention: read in 2 days

World Building: epic world building and so much more traveling in this one through xenthier stems and a deadly trek through Sibern

Writing Style: kept the intensity throughout

Crazy in Love: slow…angsty, forbidden love stories

Creativity: I love the Dark Shores series, it has everything

Triggers: violence, killing

I Liked:
*I love that even though this book is told through 4 perspectives, the chapters are so short, each person has enough book time. BUT…I was worried I’d be attracted to one couple more and for me personally, I was drawn more to Teriana and Marcus. They two of them are just so intense, so strong-headed and Marcus is just stuck in a tight, tight spot. Killian and Lydia are complicated as well, but they have other problems.

*There is an intense time for Teriana and Marcus and let me tell you it gets so rough for them. All seems lost, they are losing hope but they each carry one another through this difficult time. There is a sex scene between them (honestly it had to happen! haha), so that’s why I thought it was more New Adult than Young Adult. Except for that scene though, they are pretty chaste.

*Killian and Lydia goes through hardships too but their story seems slower because they are apart. It picks up steam in the ending. Most of the book they are apart with Lydia under Quindon’s tutelage now and Killian making his choice of putting they kingdom before anything else. The angst between these two frustrated me, Killian frustrates me! The good thing about Killian and Lydia’s scenes were learning more about the blight and Rufina’s history.

*The distrust growing in the Thirty-Seventh adds so much tension and complication to Marcus’ life and it gets even crazier in the end when Cassius thwarts him again. Seriously Marcus gets such a bad deal!

Random Notes:
*I made a big mistake reading this book assuming this was the LAST BOOK in the series…at the midway point of this 500+ book, I was like…wait a minute this book cannot be ending this way, nothing is being wrapped up. Yeah…it’s not the ending of the series at all! 🤦🏻‍♀️

*These couples cannot be together for so many reasons. Killian and Lydia have a chance, but Marcus and Teriana…what will Marcus do? I just want them all to come out of this happy and ALIVE.

*The author took the characters in this book and seriously put them through the wringer…😭 this can only mean good things are coming in book four, right? But the ending…is madness!

Final Thoughts:
You know, I think I would have been happy for a book of only Marcus and Teriana again because they are my favorite. I think Killian and Lydia’s story is about to get more intriguing because of the reveal at the end but they could have had their own book also. I assumed in this book the four would meet up together, but I was wrong. I’m glad the series isn’t over yet, because I love everything Danielle L. Jensen writes. Give me more romance, angst, political intrigue and action. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!

I really loved this series so I was excited to read the next one by this author. I loved it so much and flew through the whole book! The characters and plot were so interesting and full of action. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends.