Can love survive a nightmare? For fans of The Selection, Ever After and These Hollow Vows, this magical fantasy romance is certain to captivate. Betrayed. Imprisoned. Heartbroken. After her dream life was ripped away, Evelyn finds herself trapped in a new, twisted, and unthinkable reality. Leaning on her fledgling magic offers some hope, but when she’s surrounded by enemies, isolated and alone, there’s a fine line between acquiescence and rebellion. How far can she push back when there’s more than her life at stake? Determined to save Ryker and Evelyn from unspeakable horrors, Liam will stop at nothing to save them. After abandoning them to this fate, he’s more determined than ever to make his way back. But, defeating this enemy isn’t as simple as storming the palace and swinging his sword. Now, he must rely on their small ragtag crew to outwit and outmaneuver the one who holds the lives of those he loves most in his hands. Can they save the kingdom from disaster? Or are they doomed to fail before they even begin? A Luminescent Dawn is the riveting conclusion to the Iridescent Series. Questions will be answered, second chances will be given and surprising twists will keep you turning the page. Guaranteed HEA (mostly) . Perfect for readers who love quietly strong female protagonists overcoming incredible odds, and a dash of steam that may briefly fog up your glasses. The Iridescent Series is an upper YA/NA crossover, romantic fantasy three book series (with spin offs releasing 2023). Be ready to be transported to a brand new kingdom filled with fairy magic, swoon-worthy characters, and surprising twists. Please note there are darker themes throughout this series, note the trigger warning before reading. Trigger This book contains descriptions of trauma including, mind manipulation, death, torture and PTSD. Recommended for ages 16+.
Brianne Wik writes swoony, romantic, and magical tales with mental health representation, while also giving you just the right amount of stomach fluttering moments to make your toes curl.
She loves happy endings that require a lot of hope and perseverance to achieve, and believes that all morally grey characters deserve at least one chance to right their wrongs, maybe two or three.
She believes there’s something special about mixing the sappy and sweet with the dark and dangerous and that there’s always room for humor, no matter the circumstance.
She wants to recognize bravery in all its forms, from the quietest acts to the most outlandish displays.
She shares the constant hope of a better outcome and believes in the power of stories to change not only ourselves, but the world around us.
When she's not writing, you can find her curled up with her precious kitty watching Bridgerton, quoting Gilmore Girls or singing along to Disney Classic Movies.
Visit her website for signed books, character art prints, and special bonuses only available to her mailing list. www.BrianneWik.com
You can connect with her personally on Instagram @BrianneWik Join her newsletter for exclusives updates and bonuses. Click here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f5e88...
Finally read the third and final book in The Iridescent series! It was nice to see all of the different plot threads be wrapped up by the end of the story. Though it had a bit of a slow start, there was a lot happening by the middle of the book. It was also very satisfying to see Evelyn finally settle down with the man she chose. I’m glad that the winning side of the love triangle was the relationship I preferred.
Even though I still enjoyed it, I think this third book was my least favorite out of the three. I would love to binge reread the series at a later date to re-experience the story a bit more fully.
I really loved reading the Iridescent Series, and it feels bittersweet having finished it. But as much I will miss the ride that these books took me on, I’m very excited to read whatever Brianne Wik has coming next!
This book was so cathartic for me! After having what felt like a mental breakdown during book 2 because of the sheer amount of time I spent shouting at characters and wanting to strangle them...this was good.
I loved seeing the growth Ryker had throughout this story and can't wait to see it continue in the next 🤞🤞🤞 book (honestly thought I was reading a completed trilogy, so the ending was kind of a surprise)! I felt vindicated when Ryker had the realizations while in the dungeon that he was in the wrong. That he was using Evelyn to fill the hole inside himself from his parents deaths and wasn't actually taking her wants or needs into consideration. When he realized that he had done all of this at her expense, and even worse at the expense of his best friend and brother, I felt like singing HALLELUJAH! I loved seeing him take accountability for his actions in a way that he had never had to in his life before.
Evelyn! My girl! I loved seeing her grow into herself throughout this book and actually start truly standing up and taking action again Apep. Watching her power grow and change was a fun journey as well!
Camilla easily became a favorite character again lol so I am looking forward 🤞 to seeing her and Ryker again. I have always loved her tenacity, but in the previous books it was usually mixed in with her lesser quality traits like her jealousy. But I enjoyed seeing her grow as well throughout this book. Seeing her take responsibility for betraying them and immediately trying to make up for it, was very heartening for me. Her relationship with Billy was one of my favorite things in this book! I loved how they had such a sibling relationship and how she had someone to look out for her when everyone was still furious (rightfully) with her.
Liam is still Liam. I love him and I'm so glad that he ended up with Evelyn and gets his happily ever after. Rafe and Becca are glorious beings that I want to be friends with. And Apep is a piece of garbage. I knew this slimy little git was going to be Chrissy's son from the moment Ian told Liam about the woman he loved who was married to his brother who had her husband killed and her children taken away, but that reveal was perfection! Finding out Ian was Evelyn's grandfather was a bit if a shock to me, because I was still trying to figure out how Apep's sister could be Evy's mom, but it wouldn't add up. I loved this plot point so much. And I loved to hate Apep. I know there were a few moments that were supposed to show sort of redeeming qualities for Apep, but I didn't feel an ounce of sympathy for him and was very glad when he died. Brutal. I know, but I don't care.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I was sort of scared that I wouldn't after having such a tumultuous reaction to book 2, but I'm so glad I went ahead and read this one!
Rating: 4⭐
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’ve been looking forward to this book since I finished the last one so it’s no surprise that I dropped everything the moment the arc popped up in my email. This story is so close to my heart and the ending made me tear up. It was the perfect conclusion to Evy’s story, emotional and magical. I don’t have the words to express the love I have for this book, all I can say is that this series is a must read. Wik is truly a fantastic writer and I can’t wait for her next project.
"We are not our circumstances. You helped teach me that." "You were far too bright to be kept in the shadows" Silence. Then: "So are you, Ryker."
Ahh! I can't believe this series is at it's end! I have truly loved Brianne's writing!! And I can't wait to see where the next series takes us! Ok this was action packed and all the deep emotional struggles of everyone trying to deal with how book 2 ended. There's forgiveness needed and hard trials to endure. There's so much resilience and some break downs. I love how honest and authentic Brianne is in her writing. There's so much to relate to! Her writing could be seen as hard and down but she writes their struggles and depression in such an uplifting way.
I love the MPoVs and really appreciate a look into Camilla's mind. She's a character I struggle with but seeing her perspective and why she made the choices she did and her remorse really helped me not hate her. The story flows and I couldn't put it down! I ended up reading it all in 1 afternoon. I can not recommend this series more! It's the best Cinderella retelling I've ever read!!
I'm still buzzing! My goodness, that was everything I hoped the resolution could be and more. It felt like a direct continuation of book 2, but with increased stakes that remained perfectly tensioned throughout the whole story so that I was on tenterhooks waiting to see what would happen! As such, I flew through reading it in a day - I can't remember the last time I read a book in a day!
There were plenty of moments of light relief, heart-warming scenes and laughter, but also some of the darkest struggles we've seen these characters face, making me feel anguish for them. Having said that, these scenes are always carried by the current of hope that lies in the secure, reassuring and fairytale-esque narrative tone that remains consistent from the first two books.
Like the narration, the plotting has a clarity to it that I was able to follow in a way that was satisfying, but I still felt my brain working sometimes to figure out the mechanics alongside (or sometimes just before, which was fun!) the characters. There were a few things I 'predicted' or could see coming, but that only added to the exhilaration as there were still events that caught me off guard or left me wondering which way it would go; pieces falling into place before being dislodged again and mixed around, keeping me guessing.
A few of the occurrences made me think "surely the characters would have seen that coming?" or "how come they're not doing anything about that?!", but those questions were always addressed soon after, and that feels satisfying as a reader to have your queries checked with a wink from the author. Sometimes I felt as though the characters were intentionally held back from investigating something in order to serve the plot, with a couple of things happening that they didn't address for a while or make use of. However, with all that they were dealing with, I could see that perhaps they genuinely overlooked them (after all, who knows how I'd have been in their situations?!), and overall I thought all the elements were kept in sight with great skill in terms of plotting. I really got the sense throughout that Brianne had not missed a beat, and I would say this is her best book yet in terms of both technicality AND emotion.
A particular highlight for me, as with the whole of this series, was the clarity of the emotional trajectories. Every main character's arc is distinct, emotionally impactful, and perfectly followed. I was in awe, watching as the threads came together, seeing each character grow and fall and grow again in a way that felt organic for their personality and individual experiences. I feel so proud of these characters whom I've grown to deeply care for, especially seeing how they've developed by the end of this book. One characters' arc was a particularly difficult but interesting one to see happen, and as I hadn't been sure where their path would lead, it kept me wondering where it would go next. When it joined with another characters' journey, one who is in a similar situation, I was pleasantly surprised when it fit together and just made SENSE.
I squealed, I held my breath, I winced, I cheered internally, I chuckled, I "aww"ed, I gasped, I burst out laughing a few times (thanks Becca and Rafe), and my jaw actually dropped at one point to a revelation I genuinely didn't see coming.
I also loved how, even in book 3, there were still hints and moments of "oh will they? Maybe...", reminiscent of the original 'love triangle', guessing whether there might be another twist in terms of coupling; keeping us on our toes.
I was incredibly pleased with the ending, and it left me beaming for a good minute afterwards. In my opinion, it was a perfect balance of emotions, and each mental "checkbox" I had was fulfilled, with little extras that captured my interest and exceeded my expectations. Some additions towards the end hinted towards future projects set in this same world, which is exciting! That helped reconcile the fact this is the series finale, and I can't wait to read what's next!
When I say this was the perfect ending to the sweetest series, I mean it. Without giving the ending away (because love triangle), I was incredibly pleased with the way the three main characters kept me on my toes and I truly appreciate that we got Camilla’s POV in this book as well! It was also fun to read through more action scenes!
Cannot wait to buy the physical copies and re-read these all over again ♥️
This series has been so incredibly emotional to read. The characters wrestle with so much trauma and reading all the different points of view show how each one is dealing with it in their different ways. It's definitely the sort of story that will stick with you and puts such a unique twist on Cinderella. I'm so glad that Brianne is going to write more books set in this world. Evy has gone through so much and it's been wonderful to see her grow as a character. There's also something so sweet and wholesome about the romance that I adore.
I can't believe this is the last book in the series, but man, it was a great ending! I loved getting to know all the characters even more. It's such a deep, emotional look into each of them, and I really appreciate that about Brianne's writing! She handles sensitive topics so well, and you really FEEL what the characters are struggling with.
Holy. Freaking. Crap. This conclusion to the Iridescent series by Brianne Wik was everything I didn’t know I needed!!! Evy, Liam, and Ryker’s story ended with a bang, and I loved every second of their journey. Evy is so freaking strong, and what I admire most about her is that she never gave up, even when things looked bleak. Liam made mistakes, but overall, I think he’s a good person who cares about both Evy and his brother. And Ryker… oh my gosh. I just want to give him hugs, he’s been through so much and he didn’t really get a chance to deal with it. I’m super excited about he and Camilla are getting their own story, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in this world!!! All in all, this was a fantastic read, and I highly recommend!!!
What a magnificent ending to an enchanting Cinderella re-telling! Brianne Wik did a wonderful job capturing the emotion and inner turmoil of each character. The growth of Eveyln and Liam was *chefs kiss*. I couldn't get enough of them two! I'm so excited for Ryker and Camillas story!
I loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I enjoyed this retelling of Cinderella! had a hard time putting this wonderful book down! I enjoyed reading this series!
Pet peeve......I hate when couples take REALLY stupid risks because they "just can't stay away." I know that is a YA thing, but it's still annoying. Anyway, other than that, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the storyline, and the drama. It was a well-rounded story, and I was completely held captive until the end. I am excited to see where else this goes. The characters did blend together in this last book. All 4 MCs had the "everything is my fault, and I'm a horrible person who doesn't deserve love or forgiveness." I get that, and it is a valid feeling. However, having ALL of them feel that same way was heavy and made them seem less like individuals. I totally recommend this series. In fact, I already did twice today. *I rate this as PG. There is some kissing and violence on the page. There is also mention of torture and abuse, but it doesn't happen on the page.
This was a nice ending to the trilogy, but I will be honest it wasn't my favorite. I feel like there were a lot of repetitive thoughts with some of the characters, especially Evy. It kinda made it drag on. I loved the parts with Ryker. I wanted to love the parts with Evy and Liam, but for some reason I just felt disconnected through most of it, and I can't put a finger on why exactly. It might have nothing to do with the writing and everything to do with my mood when i was reading it, I am not really sure! The ending was good and I am so happy for all the characters I love and so excited to know that the author isn't done with this world yet. ❤️ I look forward to more.
Not that I think that this book is bad, cause I can tell a lot of effort was put into this, but I just didn’t care about it as much as the other two. So I basically dragged myself through the whole book and then I was kinda disappointed by the ending unfortunately. Of course it was a “happy ending” but was it really? I thought this last book would be “The End”, but I think I’m going to hate the path the author takes Ryker down. I’m sadly not interested to know what happens to him and Camilla. And I don’t want them to fall in love either. Too cliche, and I love things that are cliche (I love romance books duh). I’m still happy I read this series though because it was definitely a fun adventure and it felt great to support an indie author, especially when they have good writing.
Update:
Okayyyyy so I knew this author had another book out, so I just figured it was about Ryker and Camilla. It’s not. Which makes me even more like… okay so why was that the ending then? Way too open ended, especially for something so dramatic. It’s so out of character for Ryker to kidnap someone and I thought there would be some type of conclusion but nope. So unfortunately this makes me a bit more upset about the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’m glad I got my romantic ending between Evy and Liam. However, I’m disappointed not knowing what happened between Ryker and Camilla. Has Ryker given into his darkness? There was so much setup for this conflict between the two and then a let down to find out nothing about them at the end. Not even the promised book about them that was supposed to be out Fall 2023. So what happened?
4.75 ✨ an amazing ending to an overall 5 star series for me! I loved the ending and it made me excited for Brienne Wik's future books about Camilla and Princess Jada. Ryker isn't my favourite character but I am excited to see what happens after the epilogue.
This book started just a bit slower than the first two in the series, but by the halfway point I couldn’t put it down. Now I’m looking forward to the two spin offs!
Wow, this whole series is amazing!!! It had me on edge of my seat. I loved this whole series... I loved the ending, just wish his brother had not disappeared and !get them. I definitely recommend this book and series. 😍
I love this series and was so excited to get my hands on the final installment of Evelyn’s story! Evelyn is the kind of female lead I will root for again and again. Her journey from book one to the end of book three was 😭🥹❤️. Love her.
This book really picked up the intensity in a lot of ways! It had me gripped from the start. This one had more POVs than the earlier two books, which is something I personally struggle with, but it’s done well and serves a purpose. There was one thing that happened that had me like “whyyyy, [redacted character], why?!”’ (If you know, you know. 😂) But I enjoyed the story and especially enjoyed watching Evelyn rise up! 🙌🏼🥹
This is a trilogy I recommend and can see myself returning to. ❤️