Skip to main content

Member Reviews

This is the final book in this trilogy and it was just as magnetic and epic as the other two books in the series. We all know that our first love is always one of the purest and beautiful loved we experience, with all the feels and emotions, and these two were no different. It was a beautiful journey for our bondmates, and I loved that I got to be a part of it. So many emotions and so many feels, I loved, I laughed, I cried, these two just grabbed my heart from book one, and took us all on an epic journey. Because in this world even with a bonded mate it’s never that easy, nothing great in life ever is. We watched them fall in love, become bonded mates and all the heart warming beautiful moments of young love, throw in trying to save their world and overcome the odds and all the obstacles working against them, and it really was an epic journey. And wow were there a lot of obstacles for these two and their band of loyal friends.

Epic ending to an epic series. Thank you Abigail Owen for taking us on this journey, it was emotional, fantastic and heartwarming to read the finale. So sad to see it end, they will all be missed. Gone, but never forgotten.

Was this review helpful?

A completely satisfying conclusion to this trilogy. One of the better conclusions I have read in a while.

This world from Owen has always been a unique one; from the world itself to the powers to the reasoning behind all of the actions, Owen struck a great balance. In the end do I feel like the catalyst for all of the action is super strong? not really, but the rest of the plot and the characters make up for that.

What i truly enjoyed about this conclusion, and indeed all three books, was the fact that Meren was not infallible; in fact she was often weak or the cause of the problems in ways that I don't think other authors allow their characters to be. In this conclusion, I could feel that the stakes were real, and in fact Owen took out some characters that other authors might have deemed untouchable. By the third installment of a book, members of our merry bands are usually safe, or the author pulls some last second magic to make everything better again. Not so with Owen, and the story, and its characters, are stronger for that.

Was this review helpful?

💜ARC Review💜
📖 The Shadows Rule All
🖋️ Abigail Owen
🗓️ Releases November 12th
🧬 Upper YA FANTASY
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
A beautiful completed ending to The Dominion series. The story picks right back up where we left off in The Stolen Throne, throwing us right back into the ride, and I was here for it. The things we see Maren and Reven fight through in this book are heart wrenching. The loss we see each of them coping with is immense, but it all leads up to an epic battle of light vs. dark.

🚨Thank you @netgalley & @entangledpublishing / @entangledteen for my EARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

#netgalley
#entangledpublishing
#entangledteen
#abigailowen
#arcreview
#bookstagram
#books
#bookstagram
#booklover
#book
#bookstagrammer
#bookworm
#reading
#booknerd
#bookaddict
#bookish

Was this review helpful?

The way Abigail Owen tied this series together was phenomenal. I felt every emotion possible reading through Meren and Reven’s story and all their friends struggles to defeat the king. I felt like I was whisked away, once again, by the story that had so much adventure, heartbreak, and love. A masterpiece honestly.

Was this review helpful?

I didn't read the first book in this series. I'm not sure how much it would help but suspect I would get a lot out of it. I did read book two and now this one and enjoyed both considerably. Owen is incredibly imaginative. She creates a hugely diverse world (worlds?) full of colorful characters. The story in The Shadow Rules All is intense. There is so much going on. Almost too much at times. It was all highly entertaining.

Reven can catch a break. After successfully breaking away from Eilodon he's fighting for his very existence again while trying to help Mereneith. Meren is still fighting long and hard to save her land, her sister and their people, from Eilodon. Tabra is coming out of her shell, learning more about the evil in their world and growing as a woman and a queen. The rest of the characters from the previous books are still fighting hard with Meren, Tabra and Reven.

There is so much going on in this book. So much action, all tense and stressful. So much evil. So little big picture knowledge. Meren deals with threat after threat to the best of her abilities but she really doesn't know what all is happening, who to trust, who to destroy, She's often fighting nearly blind knowledge-wise. So many around her have motives that are possibly not what they appear. She must worry about who to trust. Even Reven and her inner circle are questionable at times, including some shocking betrayals.

It's hard to believe that even a fictional, paranormal character can go through all that Meren does. She doesn't know the word "quit" and never seriously considers any course but the one she's on. She must fight the shadows inside of her who are still loyal to Eilodon. She must test and learn her new powers. She must save her people, the world, the worlds by having to fight for life on a daily basis.

This story is well structured and interesting. There is so much action. The characters are very diverse and always complex. It is a very good read.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Wow! What an epic ending to the series! It took me a minute to get into the story, but once I did, I couldn’t put the book down! It’s action-packed and so intense, and quite a bit darker than the first two books.  The romance had a ton of angst, and all of the relationships were so well-developed.  I like that the story explores romantic relationships and friendships alike and how dynamically developed the characters are, especially Meren.

Meren really stands out in this story, as she battles outside forces and ones from within. Now the carrier of the shadows, Meren’s struggle is constant, and that as well as her journey with a small group of her allies, stressed me out! Lol  There’s so much suspense and danger, and I feared for some of my faves.  It was gripping and emotional, and a pretty satisfying and epic ending to the series. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I'm torn between been happy that this was so good and sad that it's over. It's been about eighteen months since the second book, I've been impatiently waiting for the third and final installment and finally it's here. This isn't a standalone book, you do need to have read the first two, and now that you can read one after the other, then why wouldn't you.
I loved the story of Meren and Reven and after the way things were left at the end of The Stolen Throne, I wasn't sure how everything could work itself out. I have to be honest here, there's a lot here that had me on the edge of my seat and hoping that it wouldn't happen that way. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't an ultimately satisfying read. There's heartbreak here, plenty of it, but that's what makes the story really.
This is a fantastic and gripping read. I think that Abigail Owen is really surpassing herself here. I wish I'd got a bit more time on my hands because I'd go back and read the whole trilogy one after the other. That's something I can do in the future though and gives me something to look forward to.
I can't wait to see what Abigail Owen comes up with next. In the meantime, I'm going to have a lie-down to recover from The Shadows Rule All.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily

Was this review helpful?

I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and the series overall. That being said, sadly this book was my least favorite of the trilogy. Without too many spoilers there is a trope in here that I could have done without. But the character growth for so many of these characters was amazing. However, omg so many heart strings pulled throughout. I will for sure read this author again and as soon as this book is officially out I will be buying it or getting it as a gift to put on my shelf as the covers are sooooo gorgeous.

Was this review helpful?

Dammit Abigail! You left me hanging since May 2023, when I finished The Stolen Throne And although I knew this would be the ending of the story, you still made me nearly lose all hope. Meren and Tabra still have a long way to go, before the epic finale of the story. Abigail really knows how to twist your nerves into a giant pretzel. One revelation after the other, where hope is created and crushed within the turning of the pages. Needless to say, you need tissues and a soundproof room to muffle your screams of frustration. So yep, a total rollercoaster of emotions. On one side, I'm happy the journey is over, but on the other side I'm yearning for yet another adventure from Abigail. Five out of five stars from me (if possible, I would have made it six out of five stars) and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Was this review helpful?

What a great end to a fantastic series! Abigail Owen built an amazing world and created such strong characters. I’m so sad to say goodbye to this series. This book kept pace with the momentum set by the previous two books and I finished it very quickly. I’m so grateful for the chance to read an advance copy of this book electronically and will definitely be purchasing my shelf trophy to complete my set!

I really loved how mature love was portrayed here across all the various relationships, not just the romantic one between Meren and Reven, though especially that one. The way the tables turned and Meren now has to carefully monitor herself to keep control of the Shadows Reven gave to her at the end of The Stolen Throne allows her a deeper understanding of her bondmate. The patience and understanding she shows in the face of hurt and grief are also such a great example of what it means to love someone. Vos and Tziah, Cain and Meren, Horus and Meren, even Pella and Meren, all of these relationships are such a beautiful example of love for the family you make.

There were moments that made me laugh out loud and ones that absolutely ripped out my heart. There were slow moments to balance out the tense moments that kept me on the edge of my seat and Heaven help anyone who dared interrupt my reading in them. There was action, adventure, and side-quests. There was angst, tension, and again love. I can’t say too much here without giving the plot away, but suffice it to say I loved being in Meren‘s head while she navigated the romantic conflict with Reven in this book. I also want to say that this book just cements Reven as one of my favorite book boyfriends. I would really have liked to have his perspective more than the small amount we got toward the beginning of the book but I think it was intentional. I have my theories as to why but I still am curious as to the author’s reasons.

What kept me from giving it 5 stars was one of the reveals felt out of left field while the showdown with Eidolon was rather underwhelming, plus conflict with another antagonist left me with many questions after it was resolved.

Still, I really loved the characters and relationships, the world-building was as amazing as ever, and I really hope Pella gets a spin-off. Please, please, pretty please!

If you enjoyed the first two books, you’ll enjoy this one as well. If you haven’t read this series and enjoy a good Romantasy, you’ll enjoy this series!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for the ARC I really wanted to read this book to complete the serties and | was very happy to see the e-mail. I truly appreciate it.

The actual rating for the book is 3.5 but I rounded it up to 4 since I did enjoy the series as a whole a lot. I was very excited to see everything happening and some questions I had being answered. I feel the book completed very well in a good place and I dont feel like some things should be different.

I went back and re read my reviews about the previous books so I can give a rating about te series as a whole and I found myself having the same issue as the second book. Even though the chapters are small and manageble the book still feels long. And even though there are things happening and secrets revealed and questions answered it still gae that too much is going on feeling.

At the end of tyhe day I still recomend the series since I did enjoy it. And the beautiful covers are a good plus.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing LLC, Abigail Owen and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Wow! I loved the conclusion to this book series. It did not disappoint. It was a satisfying end and will leave fans, satisfied, and yearning for more.

thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for a digital copy of this book for my honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

Oh my heart! This was a fantastic ending to the Dominions series but my heart felt every loss that happened to get there. This book actually left me wanting more and I call that a successful series. I think it ended well. The author took me on a fun and sometimes nail biting journey in a fantasy world I could actually envision as I read through this series. I highly recommend it for fantasy lovers.

Was this review helpful?

4.5/5
Truly an amazing ending to this series. The conclusion is what is wanted to play on heart strings you root for the hero'6s and get the epic battle that we have waited for in the last 2 books. The way the characters are created I was sucked into the story and anything happening I felt for them emotionally. Meren is a truly wonderful FMC to follow that confronts her flaws and her inner demons and the other characters are amazing as well. the reason is it not 5 stars it has my most hated trope and although done pretty decently it was really hard for me to get through some parts. Other than that, one of the better mature YA series I have read in a while. Absolutely enjoyed the crap out of this!
Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read this e-arc! This is my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

This book was worth the wait. The Shadows Rule All was simply FANTASTIC! The story took me on an emotional roller coaster ride, but it was worth every emotion I felt. I don't want to give anything away but the characters in this story went through it but no matter what I could not get enough of Reven and Meren, but also Cain, Pella, Vos, Horos, Tziah, Hakan, Tabra and Bene. The chemistry between Reven and Meren was even more intense in this story because of what they went through, but to be honest the whole story was intense, interesting, action packed, emotional, funny and heartbreaking but there's also betrayal, revenge, destruction, memory loss, deaths, redemption, steamy scenes and love. When it came to the battle with Eidolon, so many other characters came into play as the goddesses from the beginning have come out to battle and revenge is the main motivation. There were so many unexpected surprises that I never saw coming and I will say that when it came to the battle scenes and the character's I loved, it hit hard when they were lost. Yes, this book had me in tears and the ending was perfect and definitely heartfelt. This conclusion was everything I needed and more and it's a series I can read over and over because it's worth the tears again. This is a series I will happily be recommending to my book loving friends as this whole series was AMAZING!

Was this review helpful?

This book is a beautiful conclusion to such an incredible series. I absolutely loved it! It took me on a wild ride that had me on the edge of my seat. There was a lot of amazing action with twists and turns that had me wondering what would happen next. This book managed to rip my heart to shreds and then stitch it back together and I enjoyed every second of it. It's just so heartbreakingly beautiful. But everything came together perfectly in the end. And all was wrapped up very nicely. I highly recommend this book and the entire Dominions series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read this book ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Meren and Reven are back in the final book of the trilogy, still trying to stop Eidolon and save their kingdom. The hunt for the goddess's amulets continues, and we get to travel all across the kingdom in search of the final pieces to take Eidolon down.

I didn't think this book was going to make me cry, but it got me. I was dying to know if Meren was going to get Reven back, and I've loved their journey together since the first book. I also enjoyed following the side characters (Pella, Tziah, Cain, Vos, Hakan) and getting to see how their individual storylines played out, even though some made me cry.

This book didn't feel as fast-paced as the first two books, but was definitely worth it to find out what happened. I'll definitely be recommending the series!

Was this review helpful?

The fight continues in this conclusion between the queens of Aryd and the evil King Eiodolon, whose end game is much more devastating then everyone knew. Meren and her allies must save the kingdoms from the evil that could be unleashed, but they must go on a journey to find the missing pieces of a Goddess to possibly have a chance, other wise Eiodolon will remake the world into his own vision. Death, love, and betrayal all play a role in this action packed novel, where nothing is as it seems and the enemy is always lurking. Meren will have to look deep inside herself to fight the shadows that plague her to save everyone she loves. But, she needs the help of her twin sister, for it was twins who sealed the Goddesses the first time, and only they can reverse what has been done. Meren and Tabra must learn about there powers and how to use to them before it is too late, otherwise everything they have been fighting for will be for nothing. An interesting read, but there were some slow moments in the novel. I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

The Shadows Rule All unquestionably and completely obliterated my heart with its tender hope, consuming determination, and unrelenting love. While the previous book in this series broke my heart, this one ensured that there was nothing left of it. When you put your heart, mind, and soul into fighting for your very life and existence, you have nothing left except to hold fast to your faith and hope. Those are two things that will see you through any and every circumstance. They will fly you through the wilderness and see you through any trial. Even in the midst of hell itself, they will carry you to the end kicking and screaming if need be. Never underestimate the power and reach of faith and hope even when they seem like nothing compared to your circumstances.

Meren knows that the time to hold fast and fight with everything she is has finally arrived. No longer able to see past the oppression of the darkness closing in on her, she forces herself to become the driving force of the last chance effort to fight for her life, the lives of her friends, and her world. Above all, she will give her life for what she loves and who she loves no matter the cost. When your heart is no more, there is nothing left but determination, and she is ready to end this fight come hell or high water.

Watching Meren in this last part of her journey, I cannot express in words how much agony I went through walking in her footsteps. If you have read a book that completely shreds your heart, you will understand that nothing quite compares to the visceral pain of devastating loss and the forced removal of love from a life. Nothing will destroy a person faster or more efficiently then ripping the person they love and cherish the most from their grasp. It's like watching a wild storm knowing you can do nothing to tame it power, stop its destruction, or change its course. You are as powerful as a feather in the unforgiving wind, so when I see Meren continue to fight even after her unthinkable devastation, I am encouraged that the human spirit cannot be extinguished by pain or fear. It is made of tougher stuff but only if we allow it to shine and live in a world that has lost its color and brilliance.

Abigail Owen never disappoints when she writes a story. She pour every part of her heart into her astounding characters and their ingeniously lush worlds. Words are never wasted and purposes aren't squandered while we watch the wondrous evolution of the journey set before our eyes. Like watching a breathtaking flower unfold before us, we are gifted with watching marvelous character growth and good win over evil in a battle that will leave nothing unchanged. This is storytelling at it finest and truest! I dare you to read this trilogy and not come out unchanged and reborn.

Was this review helpful?

I love Meren as the FMC. She's fierce in all the ways I hope for all the FMCs.

Our favorite characters are back in book 3. More adventures and most importantly more Reven.

Was this review helpful?