The Sky Weaver is the final book in the Iskari series by Kristen Ciccarelli.

Much like the previous book, The Sky Weaver is set in the same world and follows on from the events of the first two books. However book one told the story of Asha, Torwin and the dragons. Book two the story of Roa, Dax and the battle for control of the kingdom. Book three focuses on Safire, the King’s Commandant and cousin, and her battle to catch a thief known as the Death Dancer.

Safire’s job is to keep the royal family and people of Firgaard safe. When a thief strikes, stealing a valuable jewel, she’s determined to capture this notorious pirate and bring them to justice.

The Death Dancer has the ability to evade even the most determined of pursuers by moving from one world to another. Can she find the Namsara and earn her freedom or will Safire stand in her way?

Wonderfully written, the story is crafted together to combine enchanting world building and an intriguing plot.

The characters are strong and well developed throughout this series and this book is no different. In Safire and Eris we get two kick-ass heroines, pitting their wits against each other and their growing list of adversaries. The relationship between the two is the most compelling yet and we see this grow and develop over the course of the book. Both try to fight their attraction however they can’t quite forget about each other and move on.

Full of magic, The Sky Weaver manages to bring action, romance and mythology together to create a fantasy adventure that will keep you reading until the end!

The only thing I would change - more dragons!

4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers (Orion Publishing Group and Hachette) for providing a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

The Sky Weaver by Kristen Ciccarelli is the third book in the Iskari series, and while a familiarity with the previous works will help with an understanding of the relationships and the dynamics between the characters, the book can be read as a stand alone without any real difficulty since it focuses on different characters. There are dual narrators, Safire and Eris, who are often at opposing agendas yet find themselves strangely drawn to each other. Eris is a notorious thief, known as the Death Dancer because of her ability to seemingly disappear without trace. Safire is a warrior princess, once an outcast among the nobility because of her mother's humble origins but now commander of the King's Guard and implicitly trusted by her cousin Dax , the King. When Eris breaks into the palace to steal a valuable jewel , a tapestry displaying the "Sky Weaver " catches her eye and reminds her of a tragedy from her past. When she steals the tapestry she comes face to face with Safire who does not realise she is the Death Dancer until later, much to her chagrin. Safire is determined to catch the thief, and Eris is strangely drawn to her, like a moth to a flame and so a dangerous cat and mouse game begins that takes both girls on a series of adventures involving pirate ships, sea monsters, dragons and the gods and goddesses of lore.
A beautiful blend of romance and action, I really enjoyed this book.The balance tips slightly more towards the romance , but it is so well handled and beautifully drawn out that I did not mind at all. The main characters are interesting and well developed and it was nice to see another aspect of some of the characters we meet in previous books. I really liked the legend that the author wove into the story, creating a mythos for her world that paid off beautifully in the last few chapters of this book .
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I won't beat around the bush - I still think The Last Namsara is a great book and that every book in the series since has failed to live up to it. I'm not saying that they aren't decent enough books, but when the first book was so strong it was disappointing to find these didn't hit quite so hard. I fell in love with the magic of the first book, the idea of dragons who just wanted to be told stories, I fell in love with the main character Asha and her defiance of all that she had known to be true. I mean - it was great YA fantasy! And then the later books The Sky Weaver included, decided to ignore most of that and follow blander characters doing less interesting things. 

I think it hit me harder with The Sky Weaver because I should have loved this book:

Gay
World with dragons in it
Pirates
Magic teleportation
Weird folklore-esque backstory

But somehow all those elements which ought to make a book five stars for me just...didn't coalesce. There were some moments of the book that I enjoyed - the way that the beginning connects into a later part of the story for one, and the truly gruesome nature of one's hands being gradually severed by corrosive manacles - there were ideas there! But something just didn't quite click and I've been desperately trying to work out what it was. 

I think it comes down to the plot, this series followed three different protagonists, none of them bad. But they were nonetheless three very different books, which meant that the end of a trilogy, which ought to be the moment where all the different elements come together to defeat the big bad...kind of fell flat because there wasn't really a big bad. Or...there was but it wasn't something that had been building for three books - each book felt like a new beginning and there was simultaneously too much to go into for a standalone book and too little to feel like something big enough to end a trilogy. 

It's exceedingly frustrating because I can see how in theory, writing a trilogy with a book from the perspective of three amazing women who have very different lives could be a great idea - but honestly, I would much rather have just read three books featuring Asha - and I don't think I ever got over book one. 

I wonder if this would be a different reading experience now, going back and re-reading all three? Well, The Caged Queen is on my TBR for April - so I suppose we'll see. 

My rating: 3/5 stars

I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley - all opinions are my own.

The Sky Weaver is available now!

This book was fantastic! Highly anticipated and well worth the wait! The characters were rich and believable and it was thrilling to take this journey with them.

The Sky Weaver is a great book, it is a bit of a slow burn but by the end, I couldn't put it down!

Different from the rest of the series, less typical fantasy action but still enjoyable with plot twists that I didn't see coming but made sense all the same.

I would recommend this as a great YA fantasy book, read alone, or as part of the series.

3 stars

I really loved some parts of the book. The relationship between the two main characters was just amazing. I also loved that it wasn't the usual hetero trope.

However, there were some issues to it which is why I'm only giving it 3 stars.

Ive always been a fan since the writing of the last namsara. I must admit i struggled with this story until i got to around 50% into the book. I think because i havent read the last books since they first came out soi was a bit lost in trying to remember the side characters who have bigger roles in this book. I think if i done a refresher, i wouldnt have struggled as much.

Story was wonderful and i wouldnt expect any less from Kristen Ciccarelli. Nice even pacewith a good few twists and a great romance intwined. 4* from me.

I loved this book, and the earlier two in the series. The characters are well-expressed, and the world is fully authentic. Perfect for the younger YA audience, it will also show them people can love all kinds of people, whether or not they think they will. Beautiful.

While The Sky Weaver is nominally the third in the Iskari trilogy, each of the books works just as well as a standalone. In this one, Safire, commander of armies, is vexed by Eris, a pirate and thief until they are forced to cooperate for the good of the realm. Throughout their quest to find Asha, the last Namsara, their lifes and fates become entangled and their hate evolves into something more... Beautifully written and well paced, this thrilling and action packed story will captivate you from start to finish! While the romance is not at the centre of the narrative, it is one of the most well-crafted slow-burn relationships I have ever read, and I have been on the lookout for something similarly well written ever since I read The Sky Weaver! The book also features dragons, aka the best animals ever, so there's absolutely no reason not to order this from your indie of choice!

The third in a trilogy, I had to go back and read the first two before reading this one, and it's been a good thing that I did. While each of them are good and almost standalones, having all three under my belt made it far easier to enjoy The Sky Weaver.
Rich, sumptuous and well-written, it's an engaging trilogy, solid characterisation and more. Highly recommended!

Lavish, romantic, and magical is what the blurb for this book promised and it didn't disappoint. This is the third book in the series and although it can be read as a standalone, it will make a lot more sense if you have read the first two books.

This book tells the story of Safire and Eris sworn enemies who find themselves on a mission to find Asha, the last Namsara. This fantasy novel is filled with adventure and stunning prose that brings everything to life on the page. The plot is very cleverly constructed and the story is told in dual POV from the main characters.

The world-building is superb and the relationships very real. The romance is well done too. The legends included added to the magic of this book and if you are a lover of fantasy you are sure to enjoy this trilogy.

The Sky Weaver is a spellbinding novel that is full of fantasy adventure in a world that is animated with beautiful writing and clever plotting. Across multiple vividly portrayed landscapes, the wonderful array of characters bring this world of myths, Gods, pirates and dragons to life. The characters are well layered with diverse capabilities and personalities, some new to this novel and others as they take on the next stage of the trilogy. The two main characters in this story each narrate from their POV, and as the story unfolds their relationship turns on its head with interesting dynamics and develops towards a touching intimacy.

Safire is a soldier, a fighter and the commander of the King’s guard. She has a harsh history covered in the previous novels but is in favour with the current King, her cousin, Dax. Safire is dedicated to her role of protecting King and country, and when a jewel is stolen and robberies continue, she vows to catch the thief.

Eris is a fabled thief known as the ‘Death Dancer’ and she watches Safire from the shadows always just evading her glances. Eris’ background also underpins a fascinating character with a complex personality and intriguing motivations. Safire feels the presence of Eris and sets a trap to catch her, only to watch her disappear again, and unfortunately, Safire ends up being captured herself and held on a pirate ship.

As the story develops with twists and surprises, Safire and Eris find themselves on a similar journey to find Asha, but for different reasons. The weaving of plots, journeys and relationships sees high drama as they encounter mythical creatures and an enthralling adventure that is fascinating. The world-building in this trilogy is amongst the best I’ve read and the use of mythical creatures, magic and the fantasy elements are wonderfully placed. The careful reveal of romance and the wider array of characters is excellent and it is easy to connect with several of the characters.

The Sky Weaver is the third book in the Iskari trilogy written by Kristen Ciccarelli. This book can be read as a standalone but I couldn’t help feeling I was missing a lot of the background of Safire and the history of the region by not previously reading the first two books. Eris is a new character introduced in this novel which helps in that context and her appeal certainly grows throughout the story.

My rating is 4.5 stars and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good fantasy stories. I’d like to thank Gollancz, Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

My first book by Ciccarelli, and it is probably not wise leaping into a trilogy on book 3! I obviously do not know what I may have missed in the previous two novels, but this was enjoyable enough as a standalone read and I didn't feel overwhelmed by not being familiar with the world. The story was engaging enough and characters likeable enough if perhaps a little two dimensional compared to other high fantasy writing - and the lesbian romance made a comparison with The Priory of the Orange Tree fairly obvious.

A nice read to while away some hours, but I'm not rushing to buy the previous two in the series.

The third and final (never say never) book in the Iskari trilogy focuses on Safire, Commander of the guard at Firgaard, and Eris, an unwilling thief, who foils Safire’s every attempt at catching her… until Safire ends up being caught instead. These are our two heroines, although we are treated to cameo appearances of the others.
While there are fewer dragons (mega-sigh), there’s lots of magic to make up for it. The beginning was somewhat confusing about where (or when) Eris and the Pirates were, but it became moot once Safire found herself in the pirates’ clutches.
Eris and Safire dance around and ignore their attraction, constantly finding themselves on opposing sides, mistrustful yet concerned. They each try to escape in their own way, eyes forward on fulfilling their tasks, while we root for them to recognise their importance to each other.
The Last Namsara remains my favourite of the Iskari trilogy, and this tale takes us in a slightly different direction, while remaining true to the original goal of creating a combined kingdom.

I'm so tired but I just couldn't put this book down in the final pages. And, let's face it, that's always a great endorsement.

So The Sky Weaver is the third and final installment in the Iskari trilogy. This time it focused on Safire, the mixed-race cousin from books 1 and 2 with the second narrator being a thief with a magical spindle named Eris. When Safire decides to chase Eris down she winds up being a pawn in a conspiracy to hunt down Asha. But Eris isn't as cruel as people think she is and Safire won't let her touch her cousin. Cue them falling in love as they travel across oceans and islands.

As usual the lore in this book was spectacular. I love reading the legend between the chapters and the gods and magic are completely fascinating. Its one of my favourite things about this series.

But parts of the final battle felt a little rushed and aspects of who Eris really is felt a little obvious. I still really enjoyed this book, just not as much as The Caged Queen. Though the Sky Weaver is definitely a great example of enemies to lovers and is wonderfully queer.

The Sky Weaver was a great end to the trilogy and its a series I'd recommend to all.

This was the first time I've ever read a book by Kristen Ciccarelli and I loved it. Even though, The Sky Weaver is part of the Iskari series it was easy enough to read as a stand-alone novel. I love this book and Kristen Ciccarelli's writing. So readable and a world you just fall right into. There is so much action, so many high stakes and I love the way the author writes. I am a massive lover of fantasy and have read such a range but this series has truly been so unique and had dragons written in the right way. Highly recommend.

This is an altogether amazing tale of truth, love and unwavering loyalty and I am excited to read the other books in this Iskari series plus any other publications written by the author.

BOOK REVIEW: The Sky Weaver by Kristin Ciccarelli
4.5 stars
What an amazing ending to the series! I loved this series from start to finish and really hope there are some spin off books or even novellas.
This storyline was quite different to what I was expecting but it was SO imaginative and I really enjoyed it. Eris was a brilliant character whose wit always made me smile. Although I had an idea about the twist, I didn't guess it because I was enjoying it way too much to even try! Safire has been a favourite throughout the series so I loved that she was a lead character with Eris.
I adored the magic and of course the dragons. Sorrow was the absolute cutest.
Half a star knocked off because I wanted the ending to last a little longer!
What an amazing series and one I will recommend to all fantasy lovers.
This ebook was #gifted to me in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know this was sapphic! So that was a lovely surprise, and I really did love the romance.

However, this was still my least favourite installment in the series. The first two books had a captivating plot and I was especially interested in the politics and intrigue. Here, I felt like that was missing, and I have to admit I found myself a little bored reading this.

As the final book in Ciccarelli’s beautifully-written fantasy series, The Sky Weaver does not disappoint. I read books one and two independently and was so thrilled to receive book three via Netgalley. I adored the first book, felt the second one was a little “meh”, and had high hopes for this concluding volume.

The Sky Weaver is Safire’s story, which brings the cousins full-circle. The Last Namsara was Asha’s, The Caged Queen was Dax and Roa’s. This book follows Safire, the King’s commandant, and Eris, a pirate who is constantly on the run. Unexpectedly thrown together, the two must find Asha, the Last Namsara. With a backdrop of dragons, pirates, vengeful Gods and an interweaving of myth and legend, this is an enjoyable read.

I liked the two leads and their slow-burn enemies-to-lovers F/F romance. This is a trope that can be difficult to pull off, but it works here. Be aware murder, abuse, and torture feature. The way the narration alternates and then eventually ties in with the previous two novels is well handled. I loved the world building and the dragons, though my favourite is still The Last Namsara. That said, this is a great conclusion to the series and as a whole it’s magic.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Gollancz, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to be given a change to read an advance copy of this book.
The author tells a compelling story, and you feel like you are a part of it. The characters are very complex. And with this third book, there is an even more dive into this world the author created.
The mythology in the trilogy is fascinating and makes the reader explore even more.

I really liked this third book and can’t wait to see what other stories the author will tell next.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.