The way this kept me hooked..a series I would recommend to those that loved From Blood and Ash. The world building and character development stayed solid to the last word. I am sad this series came to an end but what a ride!

While I really enjoyed this final book in the series, I can't help but feel a little let down, though it’s probably more about my high expectations for a finale than anything else. This could totally be a "me" problem, but still, I expected more.

Writing:
A big thing that bothered me was how abruptly some scenes played out—especially the epic battle between Morgan and Gorlois. I was expecting this big, climactic showdown, but it ended so quickly and wasn’t really explored much from either Morgan's or Draven's POV. The whole battle felt cut short, and honestly, the same happened with a lot of the action scenes. Either someone swoops in to save the day, or the action just stops. The Battle at Tintagel was the only one that really had that epic fantasy feel, but even that left me wanting more. On the flip side, this book has the most action scenes of the entire series, so props for that.

The emotional weight of certain character deaths didn’t hit me as hard as I expected either. There were a few big losses, but the grief didn’t feel fleshed out enough, which made it hard for me to connect. Maybe I’ve just turned into a cold-hearted monster, who knows.

World-Building and Characters:
One thing I absolutely loved was how the gods and goddesses were woven into the story. The twists at the end? I didn't see them coming at all, and I loved how they played out. The world-building in this series has been consistently amazing.

Morgan and Draven? They’re at their strongest, both in character and physically. Their relationship is thriving, and you can't help but root for them. Sure, some of their lines were a little cheesy, but hey, it's a romance! And the spicy moments between them? *Chef’s kiss.*🔥 Their bond felt so deep, especially when Morgan says, “My flames danced in harmony with my mate’s shadows. The light to Draven’s darkness. Together we created a symphony of devastation.” Yes, please.

I also really liked the dual POV between Morgan and Medra. It gave us a fascinating look at Medra's growth—her anger, confusion, and loneliness were so relatable. But the mystery of why she ages so quickly was never fully explained, and it bugged me that we didn’t get closure on that.

Final Thoughts:
This book was still full of dark magic, found family, spicy romance, and non-stop action. But, honestly, it didn’t quite have the same wow factor as the previous two books. It’s a solid conclusion to the series, though, and if you’re into enemies-to-lovers romances with a dark fae twist on Arthurian legends, you’ll definitely enjoy this. The Blood of the Fae series was worth the time I put into it, and even though this final book wasn’t as thrilling as I hoped, I had a blast reading all four books.

Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for the spicy romance and action. ⚔️💫

I couldn't bring myself to read this one until I had gone back and re-read the whole series again...

I feel bereft it is over... even thought it didn't tie everything up the way you would expect a finished series to be tied up... HMMMMM. Probably wishful thinking haha.

Morgan and Draven are hard to say goodbye to. I loved their journey. Morgan is probably one of my fave bad ass MCs ever and the fantastical world that was built around them kept me fully entertained.

The connection between all the characters was the magic for me. It was done with real skill.

I need to get the audiobooks next because I'm just not quite ready to say goodbye.

The storyline through all 4 books was exceptional and the dark fantasy genre will never look this good again!

4.5 stars.

I cannot recommend this series enough and this book really shows the level of story writing Briar Bolyen has..

As the final book in the series, this one disappointed me. It didn’t feel like a final book. There was too much exposition and the action started very late in the book. The ultimate quest felt very meh. And the Medra storyline was very… Renesmee, and I don’t know how I feel about that. Also everyone dies in such an anticlimactic way. Also also that carved name scar she’s had the whole series is wholly ignored in the epilogue where she wears a dress with a plunging neckline… where previously the author went to great lengths to describe the high neck clothes she wore. Did I miss something? The end action was fun and quicker to read but I was expecting more from this final book.

I'm an anomaly, this book was amazing, I can't wa9t f9r the next one! I can't believe i f9rgot to post this, and in sorry it was late, but it's absolutely worth reading!

Knight of the Goddess. My fellow readers. Morgan and Draven set out together to put an end to all who wants cause harm to their small circle of family. This last leg of the story covered so much. I was very happy that it tied up loose ends from the beginning of the series to Meranda’s part.
There were so many characters who contributed their mindset and their skills and their lives to save the lives of their kingdom, so that it may thrive for their children. I always love action and entertainment from a book and this book had a good amount of it.
It kept the book live and a page turner. The romance or shall I say steamy romance that happens with Draven and Morgan is always an added plus. The scene in the Church was a whoah! The book was great. The writing was talented.
I look forward to more writing from this writer. Until next my fellow readers. Read on!

While I enjoyed this series overall, I found myself feeling really bored during this book and just couldn't fully get into it.

Unfortunately, this book is not that exciting, but it is a great conclusion to the series. It's quite long and not that entertaining. It lacked that certain something. The two protagonists Morgan and Draven make a great team. I love their dynamic, their commitment to each other and their strength of character. They have grown so much over the course of the series. It has been fun to follow them. It was absolutely exciting to learn who Morgan really is and to meet her family. There were a lot of great new insights into the world. I really like the worldbuilding of the series anyway. You can feel the author's love for this world. I would have liked to see a few more magical creatures or unusual animals.
I'm really happy that there will be a new series about Medra. I really enjoyed getting to know her. I hope we get to meet Draven and Morgan again in the new series. Looking forward to it!

Most of what I want to say is a spoiler 😂. But this was an action packed ending where the stakes are high and the losses are heartbreaking. I loved getting Medra’s POV, her character intrigues me so much. Morgan and Draven remained unwavering in their love and support for each other as they faced the ultimate battle. The plot twists and big revelations had my jaw dropping, even in the last chapter! I’m hoping some of the unresolved questions are answered in the spin off series.

Overall, this is a fantastic dark fantasy series with a riveting plot, sizzling romance, and found family.

This whole series was kindly sent to me by netgalley!
It was so damn good, and I will be rereading this at some point! Definitely recommended it!

This book was a whirlwind of a ride! It kept me in my toes throughout the whole story, it made me laugh, cry, frustrated and go smacked! I loved all the different points of view and especially loved reading about Medra!

Morgan and Draven are perfect together, and their relationship development is something I really enjoyed. The world building was fantastic and the descriptions of the environments were beautifully done.

I do feel some of the scenes were cut a bit short and would have liked them to be longer, but aside from that I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

I will preface this by saying this that this is one of the very few fantasy romance series I didn't hate and saw all the way through which is absolutely a win in my book. It was quite enjoyable if a little long and spicywhich usually isn’t my preference. However, the romance and the fantasy felt pretty balanced out which is my main criteria for the genre. I believe I would have appreciated the experience even more in audio format since that’s generally how I prefer to consume my romantasy so I might revisit it in the future through an audiobook.

Briar Boleyn has once again proven why we keep coming back for more! She is a master when it comes to the dark fantasy genre! This conclusion is what I live for! Briar was able to bring everything together so beautifully. It left me breathless and glued to the pages like my life depended on it.

Morgan and Draven’s chemistry is something else! And that throne room scene! Talk about hot! 😆

This book had me and my emotions all over the place, but I would definitely come back for more every time. This is a series worth reading over and over again.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a beautifully dark tale woven with rich folklore, an irresistible sapphic academic rivals-to-lovers romance, a gripping murder mystery, and an epic expedition.

The story follows Lorelei Kaskel, a sharp-witted folklorist on a treacherous expedition with six eccentric nobles to uncover a legendary spring said to grant immense power. For Lorelei, this journey is her chance to prove herself and fulfill her dream of becoming a naturalist. But the stakes rise dramatically when her mentor and expedition leader is murdered aboard their ship. With her remaining companions all potential suspects, Lorelei must lead the mission while unraveling the mystery. The only ally she can trust? Her infuriatingly charming academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff.

The worldbuilding in this novel is nothing short of breathtaking, immersing readers in a richly imagined realm. The murder mystery is masterfully crafted, keeping me hooked as the tension escalated. Saft’s prose is beautiful and evocative, breathing life into every page.

Lorelei is a standout protagonist - headstrong and determined, her character arc is as compelling as it is believable. Her dynamic with Sylvia, whose tender nature contrasts beautifully with Lorelei’s fiery personality, adds layers to the story. However, I do wish Sylvia’s perspective had been included to further enrich the narrative.

Overall, A Dark and Drowning Tide is a must-read for fans of dark academia, rivals-to-lovers romance, and richly magical worlds. Saft’s talent shines, and I’ll definitely be reaching for more of her work in the future.

2 ⭐️

Let's start with what I enjoyed about the book.
The scene in the throne room with the castle tour was absolutely hilarious and a much needed bright moment in a dark tale. Lancelet back in full force and happy, I loved that.

Sadly, the book just didn't finish the series in the way that it hoped. Instead of a big battle, we get a small group splitting off. Characters established in book 2 either don't reappear or are there for a very small period of time.

The storyline with the gods mostly confused me. I'm not sure if we were meant to have noticed signs for the reveal or not, but I certainly hadn't. It felt like the author was undoing her own lore.

The author has never shied away from killing her characters off, but this one felt a little like throwing them away. There was little time to mourn them, and the smut scene that occurred after 2 deaths was a little too far for me. Plus, the unanswered questions around the undead children and the curse of bearing no children. Will that end now? Will the children die fully?

Overall, I'm a little disappointed. The potential was so high, and unfortunately, the book just didn't do it for me. I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a captivating read that held my attention from start to finish. The story was well-paced, and the characters felt real and engaging. I’m grateful to the publisher for providing an early copy—it was a pleasure to read!

Definitely one of my favourite series ever. These books have evrything I could possibly want: magic, love, friendship, intrigue, twists, steam and fun.
I raced through the last half of Knight of the Goddess, I skipped some sleep time even because I just had to know how Morgan and Draven’s story ends. Well wow, my heart was beating so fast while I devoured the book and I felt elated and sad at the same time when I finished the last sentence. I love and hate the feeling of finishing a series I’ve grown to love.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. All opinions are my own.

I wrote this book. The female in the book had a lot of great character development and the world also progressed really well. I enjoyed the way the author blended cliffhangers and created a story that left me wanting more. This book had a ton of tension and it also created plots for future spinoffs. I cannot wait to see how the final combination of events occurs in for her to get her happily ever after. I also found that this was the book where the romance escalated, and I really enjoyed the twist interns that the author created as a main goal found her found family.

This is the epic ending to the series. In this book we see the gods that we have learned much about. It was strange to go from our beloved main characters to meeting gods. Spoiler alert, they are not nice.

Of course this epic tale would not be possible without sacrifices. There are some heartbreaking deaths and some disappointment that we see very little of certain characters.

I’m sad to leave this universe but I’m happy to have read such a great saga.

Thank you NetGalley , Starwater Press and Briar Boleyn for this series!

I said in my review of Empress of Fae that so much felt wrapped up to me with the storyline of the overall series. Of course, Morgan still needs to deal with her father. Like many other fantasy series, the evil villain has increased in might and severity with each book. And maybe that was the problem. Morgan's brother was built up as the big bad for most of the series, and he was dealt with in book 3, now we have to deal with Morgan's father. And he's an even bigger big bad than her brother was. Actually, her brother was nothing compared to her father. Sometimes series that follow this path can be frustrating.

Knight of the Goddess starts off with a battle with Morgan's blood siblings that seems like all hope is lost. Automatically losing a battle with no hope of winning mixed with feeling a sense of completion after the previous book left me struggling to feel invested in Knight of the Goddess. And I kept putting it down in favor of reading other things. But of course, there must be hope. There's no point in a book with zero hope. Once things began to turn around, I was finally invested enough to want to finish this book.

-But an Ursidaur mates for a purpose, and when that purpose is over, they are solitary once more. We prefer it that way.”
How exactly does mating work with a they/them non-binary bear creature?

The inclusion of Morgan's niece narrating, Medra, was okay. I had a feeling where it was all leading to in the end. She's a confused kid who grew up way too quickly with the people she needed most not able to be close by her. But if they'd been there, the outcome likely wouldn't have gone as it did.

-"You should hate me." "But I don't," she snapped. "Stop trying to make me. It won't work." I looked away. "It worked with everyone else." "Is that what you think? That you succeeded?" I wouldn't face her. "They left, didn't they?" "Your aunt? Draven? They left to save you, Medra. Not because they didn't care."

-"You don't have to consider me your family," Odessa said quietly. If she was hurt, I couldn't tell. "I can still consider you mine."

One of the biggest pet peeves that I had with Knight of the Goddess was the transformations that Morgan goes through without the reader being aware of it. She's keeping some secrets from Draven, so we know there's something up. But it felt so jarring. I can't discuss it in detail because it would be spoilers, but who Morgan ends up being, and her relation to her father and sisters were confusing, didn't feel like it was planned out the entire series but felt like it was a convenient direction to conclude what had come to be a mess. Pull in the entire system of gods in this world and it just didn't add up to me the way it was supposed to.

-I prayed that they would suffer no further losses along the way to Camelot.
Prayed to who? Morgan didn't believe in or respect the gods in this world. And yet not greater beings were ever offered as a true God.

Ultimately, I found that I was a little disappointed with Knight of the Goddess. I would have been completely fine if the series had stopped after book 3. The entire book felt a little forced to me. I still liked the main characters, Draven and Morgan. But the rest of the cast of characters checked too many diversity boxes to be real. As a matter of fact, more of the secondary characters fall into the LGBT boxes than not. And I don't like to feel like plot, characters, religion, politics, or anything is being forced upon me as a reader. In the end, Knight of the Goddess gets 3.5 Stars. Not terrible, but not great either. Have you read Knight of the Goddess? What did you think? Let me know!