<i>ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.</i>

I want to preface this by saying that I was not aware this was a series when I requested this ARC but in order to be as impartial as possible, I read book 1 and 2 so I had context for the ARC read.

Both the first and second book were okay and it seemed like there was going to be a great redemption and character development opportunity for Gwen but what we got was… subpar. In order for my reasoning to make sense I first need to discuss the magic system.

I understand that books written within the realm of King Arthur are common and offer a variety of different retellings. While I can appreciate this, it should not be used as a way to avoid world building or explanations of the magic system. There is absolutely no world building, everything is just… is. This goes in coordination with the magic system. With all these powers being shown and existing in the book, you would think there would be some explanation for them but there isn’t. It also makes no sense to me how Gwen, who has pretty much all the elemental powers, has no vote in a trial, but elementals, who only possess one power, have a vote. In any normal fantasy story, Gwen would be more powerful and valued as such. There should have been some kind of explanation for all of this other than that it is just the way it is.

All of that being said, given the way the plot was being driven by Gwen becoming something more and wanting to save everyone, you would’ve expected her to actually do something or help right? Yeah, no. That never happens and nothing goes her way. Which is fine if the next book will dive into her new opportunities, which I don’t see happening.

Also, I’m all for spice but why are characters doing it right before a big battle or using it as a form of communication after a disagreement? Not ONCE did it feel like the characters actually communicated and talked about their issues or ever opened up to each other and that’s probably why Gwen feels like she can’t tell Mordred anything.

All in all, if you are looking for a silly little story with no world building, no established magic system, and some spice… this series is for you. It may have just not been my taste but I want a little more substance to books.

After reading the first two books of this series, I can confidently say this is the best book by far. Although the FMC is still a bit childish and submissive, I don’t hate her as much lol. This book has great plot development from the beginning and it flowed very naturally, which I feel like some of the earlier books lacked. My main complaint is that I feel like the MMC is just the w same in every book, he gets pissed and can’t expires his feelings and then he does something he regrets and then has to work to redeem himself yatta yatta. HOWEVER, I think that this ending as crazy as it was sets the MMC for major changes and I’m here for it. I went for being pretty annoyed with all the characters to now having some affection for the villain, appreciation for the whiny FMC, and gratitude for the MMC…..so I guess the author has done a pretty good job haha. I am excited for the next book! Thank you netgalley and the author for the ARC

This is a fantasy slow burn with great banter between the main characters. Enemies to lovers with a morally grey MMC is one of my favorite things to read if done right, this one was. I was unaware of the fact that this book was book 3 when I was picking this book, however I was still able to grasp what was going on and understood the plot. The action and interactions were very captivating, but I do recommend reading book one and two to get a better sense of character growth. This author did an excellent job with keeping the reader wanting more, cant wait to read what happens in book 4.

The book was entertaining and exciting at the same time, but I feel that it lacked things for me to love. The premise promised a lot, but I feel that the book doesn't meet my expectations as I thought it would be.

I found it addictive and easy to read 💗

Another fun outing for this series! Rooted in King Arthur mythology and mixed with the grumpy/sunshine vibes of Beauty and the Beast, what's not to like? Kathryn Ann Kingsley does such a great job creating digestible stories with plenty of fantasy elements and plenty of spice, and this was no exception. Mordred may be one of my favorite MMCs out of all the ones I've read from her. I like 'em broody and murdery, what can I say?

Picking up right where we left off in book 2, the elementals (including the demon Grinn) are free of the iron crystal and chaos is sure to follow. Mordred attempts to send Gwen away, back to Earth, to keep her safe... Gwen has other ideas. The two main characters grew and evolved so much in this book, which was great to see. Gwen gets stronger and stronger, speaking her mind and coming into her power. Mordred, by contrast, finally begins to learn to relinquish control and extend trust to those around him. (To his own dismay.) We even got to learn more about Avalon in this book, why it is the way it is and how it came to be. Eagle-eyed readers familiar with the Maze of Shadows series may even find an Easter egg along the way!

There were a couple of plot points that didn't unfold as I had expected, but with this being the penultimate book, I really SHOULD have expected that things would be looking pretty bleak at this point. I have every faith that the series will end in a way that's both satisfying for the reader and makes sense for the characters. Kathryn Ann Kingsley hasn't let me down yet!

If you're looking for an easy, fun escape into fantasy romance with a dark edge, look no further! And thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the DRC of one of my most anticipated books of 2024!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this book, delving deeper into Mordred and Gwen's story and also the drama of Avalon! This book definitely brought a bit more excitement with it and some twists, although I did think the fight once it came to it would be a bit longer. That ending as well, I can not wait to see what Gwen comes up with in the next book to change things and hopefully reunite them.


This review will also be posted on Amazon once the book is released.

Thank you Kathryn Ann Kingsley, Second Sky and NetGalley for the arc of To Break a Dark Cage!

I really love Kathryn Ann Kingsley. She is the queen of the morally grey MMC (missing you Puppeteer), and I love Mordred. It's really perfection when the MMC is actually a bad guy, and not a good guy disguised as a bad guy. Mordred sort of has OK intentions but for pretty much all the wrong reasons. And of course he goes about achieving those ends in the absolute wrong way. I cannot get enough. This has been a very fun series, and I've liked where the story has gone. Book 3 expands the conflict on Avalon and it sets up book 4 to be quite the fight. I'm so glad going into the next book Gwen and Mordred are on the same team.

The side characters in this story are silly and great, like all of KAK's series, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with them!

Its weird to me to say that this series is so cute, but honestly, it kinda is. I really enjoyed this third book and that end... I have no clue what to expect anymore... but like poor Mordred.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advanced ePub.

This slow burn has amazing world building. I truly enjoyed the characters. Gwen was so funny and witty... I give this 🌶🌶🌶 for spice and 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟 for overall feeling this read gave me.

The cover artwork for this book is beautiful and definitely drew me in!

I really enjoyed the overall premise of this book and the world that it’s set in. The story itself fell a bit flat for me. We spend the majority of the book hearing about and discussing the rivalry between Mordred and Grinn and the final battle between them felt very anticlimactic and short to me.

The conflict between Gwen and Mordred after the battle was also barely addressed, which I understand given the circumstances that happen towards the end of the book but I would’ve liked to have seen a bit more in that regard as well.

I am curious to see how this all plays out in the fourth book though and plan on checking that one out when it’s released!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc and chance to review this book!

Kathryn Ann Kingsley is an AMAZING writer
Mordred and Gwen are one the best slow burning couples I’ve ever read about. It just kept getting better and better. I absolutely LOVE THEM! Gwen is hilarious and very relatable
I felt sad, happy, excited, stressed out, and basically every emotion possible.
I give it about 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was an amazing 3rd book and if you’ve read the other 2 you 100000000% need to read this one! I am so sad that I finished it, I wish it kept going on forever! The ending absolutely broke me!

Pause a moment at the eye candy cover art—the striking glow with the fiery hair makes it eye-stopping material. This book series of artwork lured me in, and then the story gutted me.

Why was I drawn into this addictive rolling saga of cliffhangers? Naive me opened this one with eager anticipation, believing it to be a trilogy (warning, it’s not!) and would conclude with at least a favorable outcome. My feelings (ego) may be a little bruised and torn from this one.

Even with this reaction, is it worth a read? Yes, this is an entertaining work of thoughtful world-building, character development, side stories, history, and a unique magic system set in a loosely based version of the mythic Avalon. Yes, Avalon and King Arthur. I’m usually a skeptic with this area of overdone storylines, but this is tangential- more like a long-lost Cousin.

Key descriptors: Sensual Fantasy Tragic Romance.

A note to the sensitive crowds: It has prolific swearing and some sensual scenes.

4/5 stars (Sponsored through NetGalley for an honest review).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
😭😭

I will NEVER stop loving Kathryn Ann Kingsley or her work.

Mordred & Gwen are one of my MOST favourite angsty slow burning couples in the Romantasy realm.

This book made me cry, hyperventilate, sob, hurt, yell and, well, yes. You catch my drift.

If you read the first 2 books then you will NEED this book so damn badly.

And if you haven't read this series - get started now. Thank me later.

This is one of those series I find myself truly enjoying - the story, the plot, the banter. This is book 3 and it leaves you wanting for more, and I need to know what happens to Gwen and Mordred.
This is a quick and really entertaining read and I recommend the series to anybody who enjoys a good portal fantasy, great banter, a true morally grey MMC (who is a bit of a softie) and an FMC who gets to grow and finds herself.

★ ★ ★ ★ • 4

There’s a couple authors who I’d read just about anything they’ve written, and Kathryn Ann Kingsley is one of them. Her books are a solid go-to if you’re looking for dark fantasy, romance with characters that… Wake up every day and choose violence.

To Break a Dark Cage is the third book in the Iron Crystal series, and can’t be read as a stand-alone. Although I’d generally recommend the series to fans of movies like The Labyrinth and tv shows like ABC’s Once Upon a Time.

The best part about the books is probably the two main characters… I didn’t enjoy the way their relationship developed in To Break a Dark Cage, because it felt like the plot kept going around in a circle. Other than that, I did like the general direction the storyline went in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

To break a dark cage by Kathryn Ann Kingsley is perfect for a slow burn book reader. This is the 3rd book from the series. I haven't read the 1st and 2nd book which make me hard to understand the storyline at first.

✅ Immortal/ witch
✅ slow burn
✅ Spicy scenes : medium spice
✅ Angst
✅ Suspense

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I will preface by saying I did not read the other books in this series which is my own fault, but didn’t realize this wasn’t a standalone/first in its series. That being said, I did feel like there was enough description and detail provided that I was easily able to pick up where things had been left off and all of the plot lines and relationships made sense to me.

That being said I really struggled with this read. I started off with super high hopes and was immediately drawn in after the first few pages. I liked the initial world and relationship building and was eager to get into the rest.

However, very quickly I felt like things were just dragging. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Kathryn Ann Kingsley’s writing, and yet this just did not deliver. It almost felt like they were trying to squeeze in every possible fantasy/magical trope into one world. Just felt like a bit much for me.

While I did like our FMC and MMC, I felt like they were both just too stubborn and the entire book was just one dragged out conflict. There didn’t feel like any real resolution or closure, other than Mordred and Gwen finally admitting their feelings to one another. I was waiting for more redemption for Grinn but other than one or two sentences, I was left feeling pretty indifferent about him and wanting to shake Gwen for loving him still.

While there were elements of the storyline I’d enjoyed, and I am somewhat curious as to what will happen next, I don’t really see myself picking up the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an Arc of To Break a Dark Cage.

I am excited to read this book, I am a big fan of Kathryn Ann Kingsley other book series!

Full review to come :)

Before delving into the details, I'd like to point out an initial mistake I made when requesting this book: I didn't realize it was the third volume in a series I hadn't read. This made it difficult to fully grasp the plot initially, as I wasn't familiar with the characters and events from the previous installments. However, despite this initial obstacle, I was able to gradually immerse myself in the story and appreciate the medieval fantasy elements that characterize the novel.
"To Break a Dark Cage" is a medieval fantasy with fairy tale elements that, if I understood correctly, serves as a retelling of some event related to King Arthur. The plot revolves around Mordred and Gwendolin as the protagonists, although being the third book in the series, I would have preferred to have a better understanding of their previous developments.

The "spicy" parts of the novel made me cringe a bit, as they weren't entirely to my taste, but I acknowledge that they may be appreciated by those with different preferences.

Despite the initial difficulties, I enjoyed the fantasy elements present in the book, although I won't be reading the sequel due to the final cliffhanger and the need to catch up on the first two volumes for a complete understanding of the story. Overall, "To Break a Dark Cage" is a novel that has its merits, but requires prior knowledge of the saga to be fully appreciated. Would recommend tho.

To Break a Dark Cage is the 3rd book in the Iron Crystal series and is my favourite so far.

We continue to follow Mordred as he strives to defeat Grinn and save Avalon in the only way he knows. Will Gwen be able to save the demon and the island or are they all doomed?

Other than the spice (of which there isn’t a huge amount) I do find that the book reads quite young compared to my usual choices but it is still very enjoyable . I love an angsty soul and Mordred fills that role beautifully. Having said that, Eod the dog is my favourite character this time round.

I can’t wait for book 4 to see how the series concludes.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy of this book.