This is such a hard review for me to write. I loved A Curse So Dark and Lonely and when I received an ARC of A Vow So Bold and Deadly in the mail, I damn near fainted. Now, the series is over and I just – I’m dead. This review might be a mix of coherent thoughts and babble, but bear with me! Just know that this book is amazing and I loved every second of it!

I received an ARC of A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer from Bloomsbury YA in exchange for an honest review. This has not impacted my thoughts or opinions of this book.

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A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer
Publication Date: January 26th, 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9781547602582
Goodreads

Face your fears, fight the battle.
Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a new era under Grey, the true heir. Grey has agreed to wait two months before attacking Emberfall, and in that time, Rhen has turned away from everyone—even Harper, as she desperately tries to help him find a path to peace.

Fight the battle, save the kingdom.
Meanwhile, Lia Mara struggles to rule Syhl Shallow with a gentler hand than her mother. But after enjoying decades of peace once magic was driven out of their lands, some of her subjects are angry Lia Mara has an enchanted prince and magical scraver by her side. As Grey’s deadline draws nearer, Lia Mara questions if she can be the queen her country needs.

As two kingdoms come closer to conflict, loyalties are tested, love is threatened, and an old enemy resurfaces who could destroy them all, in this stunning conclusion to bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker series.

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Writing this review is so hard. I read A Curse So Dark and Lonely when it first came out after attending Brigid’s first event near Washington D.C. Hearing her story about this book, how it was the final straw for her as a writer, how her husband wouldn’t let her give up, helped me push away my fears of writing and allowed me to write two manuscripts. I have so much love for this series. I love Harper’s journey, I love Grey’s growth, Lia Mara learning to stand up for herself and be strong, and Rhen’s struggle with his trauma. This series spoke to me and now, it’s over.

Yes, I’m crying. No, don’t judge me!

Vow picks up a few months after the end of A Heart So Fierce and Broken and things aren’t going well. War is on the horizon as Grey and Rhen are at a stalemate. The enchantress, Lilith, is back and aching to torture Rhen and bring him and his kingdom to their knees. Meanwhile, Harper is struggling with her failure as “princess of Disi” while also trying to find a way to end this war before it even began. Lia Mara is struggling to earn the respect of her people after becoming Queen and allowing magic into their kingdom, which leads to some deadly conflict in Syhl Shallow. And Grey is actively preparing for war and dealing with his new responsibilities as a prince. Everyone is struggling and things only get worse.

It’s total chaos!

My thoughts during this book were so jumbled. I jumped from “Ugh Rhen, shut up” to “Holy crap! Harper is a badass!” to “Aww Lia Mara is such a good Queen – OH MY GOD” to “Ohhh Scary Grey is BACK!” – As we jump POVs, my thoughts jumped with them. It was actually great to step back to Emberfall and see what is going on with Rhen and Harper. Though, I would have loved more scenes with Grey and Lia Mara! Seeing everyone’s characters grow was so nice, if not intense. I loved the growth we see in all of the characters and Tycho is still my favorite! Ugh, he’s such a cutie!

In terms of plot, I love how this book progressed and ended! While it’s not peaches and roses, it’s one of the best outcomes I could have predicted, and it ends in such a way that we could definitely have more books added or a spin off if we wanted. Or, I guess, if Brigid wanted. But seriously though, I NEED MORE. I need more of these characters in my life, especially after the ending because AH IT’S JUST SO GOOD. 

Thankfully, I had Alexa @ Writing the Universe reading it at the same time because I had way too many feelings with this book! We were texting each other all day talking about what happened, how we’re feeling, and lots of other events that happen. I highly suggest getting a reading buddy for this book because you’re going to need one!

Overall, I love how the series ended, though I wish we got more books. I love the growth and development of all the characters and while I wish I got more Grey and Lia Mara, it was nice to see how Emberfall was handling the events from Heart. Such an amazing book, I’m still crying over it. // 5 stars. 

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If you liked A Curse So Dark and Lonely, you’ll love Shielded by KayLynn Flanders or The Queen’s Council: Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault. 

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