The Shadows Rule All

by Abigail Owen

Read Dates: 4/18/25 to 4/19/25

Review

This final installment totally lived up to the bar set by the first two books—I was hooked from the start. Watching the twins continue to grow into their own identities was such a satisfying journey, especially as more people started learning the truth: their queen wasn’t an only child after all. That reveal alone added so much depth and tension. I loved seeing how their relationships with others evolved along the way, too. It wasn’t just about their bond with each other but also the connections they built with those around them. You could really feel how far they’d come since book one.

And let’s be real—what’s a fantasy series without some good old-fashioned side quests? There were plenty thrown into their path (as expected!), but every twist felt earned and meaningful. Whether they were working together or taking separate routes, their trust in one another stayed at the heart of the story, and I loved that. It made the stakes feel real but still full of hope. The epilogue? Chef’s kiss. It wrapped everything up in a way that hit all the right emotional notes and gave me exactly the kind of ending I was hoping for.