This one is a temporary dnf, I need to re read books 1 and 2 and I felt completely lost when I tried to read this one!

I'm also slightly confused at why there are audiobooks for books 1 and 2 in this series but not the last one.

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from the publisher and Caffeine Book Tours as part of my participation in their tour. This has not affected my review. This review will contain spoilers for the first two books in the series, The Wolf of Oren-Yaro and The Ikessar Falcon.

Where do I even start with this epic of a book? I am raw after reading the final installment of the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, that feeling you only ever get after reading the very best of books. My heart feels hollowed out and empty, my eyes stinging with tears at this ending, this ending that has ruined me. The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng was always going to be a difficult read, wrapping up the stories of characters we love and those we hate, and K.S. Villoso absolutely nailed it. This is one of the best finales I’ve ever read, and it will be for a very long time.

The last installment in this series is a book about monsters, about the impact our actions have even if we don’t intend it, about the harm inevitable when you have power over others, and about the people willing to suffer themselves so that others can live. We start immediately where we left off, in Jin-Sayeng where Tali awaits trial to prove whether her son’s father is the Crown Prince, Rayyel, or Agos, her lover and former guard. But with Yuebek now on their doorstep with an army in toe, a gash in the fabric of reality letting monsters through in the Sougen, and her son kidnapped, it’s safe to say Tali has far more important problems. We are taken on a huge journey as all of the plotlines begin to come together and huge machinations are revealed that bind everything together. There is something so so satisfying about the mysteries and puzzles of a mammoth fantasy series all coming together and making sense in the last book, and Villoso managed this absolutely perfectly and in a way that left me guessing all the way to the very last pages. I started this book with no idea how Tali was going to get out of this mess, and I felt that all the way to the very last pages. Villoso expertly managed to tie up what I wanted to see tied up, but left the ending open in such an honest way that I think really speaks to the messiness and trauma of living and trying to rebuild after a war.

This book is one about monsters, Tali even says so herself. It’s about the way society creates monsters, how people can be twisted to become a monster but also how those in power cannot be anything other. Throughout this trilogy I think we’ve seen this play out in front of us, seen how a person can be driven to monstrosity, both in Tali’s journey and in Khine’s, both who are driven to awful actions in this last book. Tali really confronts her own monstrosity in this book, and I found such a brilliant duality in the way we see her have to take terrible, terrible actions (I’d argue by far the worst we’ve seen across the trilogy) that affect the poorest and most marginalised the most, in her bid to save the country, but with her first person POV we get to see the other side of the coin as well. We see so closely into how much Tali suffers for Jin-Sayeng, we see how much she bleeds, we see those in power around her continue to ask for more and more and in spite of the cost, Tali suffers and bears the anger and guilt and horror of what is needed to unite a nation and destroy the monsters on their shore. Tali is a monster who was made: by her father, by those around her, by the very power she has as royalty, her monstrosity is inevitable and horrific and despite this, it is still necessary for the survival of Jin-Sayeng. I adored how Villoso explored this, the idea that impact is more important that intent. It doesn’t matter that Tali does not intend to hurt those around her, doesn’t mean to hurt the poorest in her community, but her role in this requires her to sacrifice for the greater good—what else could she have done? Tali is a true morally grey character and I think this book explores this aspect of her best out of the whole trilogy. I started the book completely convinced that Tali’s actions were justified, knowing what she trying to do, believing her intent was what mattered and it wasn’t her fault that some were hurt in the process. But The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng really makes you, as well as Tali, confront and examine that idea in such a deep and impactful way. What else could Tali have done? Should she have suffered to save her country, offered herself and her loved ones up as a lamb for slaughter to Yuebek? Would that even have saved her country, or merely delayed the inevitable? Should she have fought the past, fought those begging her to destroy herself for them, instead sacrificing the people around her, her country, the poorest and most vulnerable in society, for the chance she could save both her country and herself? There are no right answers, no easy answers to this question, and I loved how much this book made me think in trying to find answers for myself.

In fact, I adored how much my opinions of some characters changed throughout this book. In addition to my thoughts on Tali, I found my feelings for Rayyel took a complete U-turn! I started the book hating him, as I have for the first two, because he is a hypocritical arse. And then you find out something early on which makes you even more disgusted in him. But after the latter half of the book, how can you ever hate him? When you see what he goes through for Tali, for Jin-Sayeng, for his son? There are so many layers to every single one of these characters, with each subsequent book in the series my opinions have changed and developed as more and more is revealed. And it takes such skill to do this so expertly, to slowly reveal the many facets of these characters as if peeling back more and more of them every time.

One of my favourite things about Villoso’s writing is how sensuous it is – by which I mean Villoso is an author that makes use of the senses so much when writing. In such a close POV, we are pulled into this world by Villoso’s use of description. We see, hear, taste and smell everything Tali does and it makes for such an intimate story. From the very height of action in the midst of battles to the quiet moments between when Tali travels, Villoso uses the senses to envelop us in this world so we feel everything Tali does, from her fear to her peace. These moments of peace were really perfect as well. In such a confronting and traumatic story, these moments of peace and calm were so necessary to break between the terror and horror. And of course, Khine was at the centre of so many of these, his presence like a ray of sunshine through the darkness of this story. His hope and love just shines on the page and he remains my favourite character.

There is so much to wrap up in this book, so many different plots and threads to bring together, none more important than Tali’s son, who was kidnapped by Dai Kaggawa for leverage at the end of book 2. This is what makes The Chronicles of the Bitch Queen so fresh and unique for me: this entire series has been driven by the love Tali has for her son, and I really can’t think of a single other fantasy which does this. So often fantasy focuses on orphans, on absent parents or parents who weren’t there, and I find it so brilliantly wholesome and fresh to read a fantasy where the defining relationship, the one that drives the main character’s actions the whole way through, is the love a mother has for her son. Because of this, there is an inevitability to this book that stuns you. You can see what has to happen, for Tali to save her son, there is no question of whether she will do it, because it her son and she loves him beyond anything else. He is her weakness, she knows it, and she does not care. And so you can only read on in stunned silence as everything you feared has to come true, because Tali will do whatever it takes to save her son. It was so lovely to see her finally get some time on page with him, to see her joy at seeing him, it makes my soul hurt and eyes tear up just thinking about it again.

I feel like this getting to be an essay so I better try wrap this review up… I am in awe of what K.S Villoso has created with this series. It’s a story about monsters, power and the love a mother has for her son. It has one of the best characters in any fantasy in Queen Talyien, a morally grey character who must confront and accept her own monstrosity as the cost in order to save her son and country from even worse monsters. It is a journey of such epic proportions I will never be able to sum it all up in just one review, but suffice to say, I think it’s one of the best fantasy series I’ve ever read.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the books in this trilogy, and this third installment is no exception. I think Villoso does a wonderful job of building tension by pacing the narrative slowly, giving the reader plenty of time to sit with the characters and suffer along with them. The book and trilogy as a whole are pretty political in nature and the machinations of generations past impact heavily on the present. With that being said, there is also plenty of magic woven through the narrative and I thought that the climax of the book was fantastic. Overall, this was a very satisfying finale and I look forward to whatever Villoso offers up in the future.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Whoooaaa, what the fuck happened here?! This book was so awesome, it's a very fitting and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. I was hooked throughout the book, there was never a dull moment to find. But some parts could've been cut, this book is too long at times.

Full review available on my blog on July 1st.

Thanks to Orbit for the eARC of this book. It has not affected my honest review.

Content Warnings: violence, non-graphic rape, mutilation, threat, death, animal death.

I never got around to reviewing THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO or THE IKESSAR FALCON so some of these points are more about the series as a whole than THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG specifically. Especially when it comes to the characters. All of the characters, but particularly the main cast, are so complex. There’s no black and white moral stands to take. Instead I found myself flipping back and forth throughout the series between loving and hating so many of the characters. Even Tali, our beloved protagonist, had me desperately loving her in one chapter and being furious with her the next. It was incredible, K.S. Villoso has created characters so real that they’ve got more complexity and depth than some real people I’ve met.

THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG is one of the most action packed books I’ve ever read, holy shit. Every chapter had me gasping out loud at plot twists and reveals that I didn’t see coming, and it felt like there was something happening on every few pages. It felt like threads I didn’t even realise were there suddenly pulled tight and I could see the epic scale of everything that had been unfolding over the entire trilogy, and I was overwhelmed by how clever the entire series had been.

This book was not a happy-go-lucky story. It was downright dire in a lot of places, and I remember telling my fiance ‘everything is awful’ on several occasions. It was never an overwhelming misery-fest though, the whole story was well balanced and the awful moments were necessary for the tone of the whole series. THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG delves into the cost of breaking the cycle, and the self-sacrifice required to develop a nation and move past its history. Talyien is desperate to improve conditions for her people, to fix the problems in her nation and save lives. She’s desperate to move out of her father’s shadow, no matter the cost, and it’s that desperation that makes for such a sharp and brutal storyline. I wanted so badly for everything to be fixed, and so her uphill battle had me on an emotional rollercoaster until the last page. The ending wasn’t quite what I had envisioned, or what I wanted, but it was an incredible ending to an incredible series and K.S. Villoso has solidified herself as a master of fantasy writing and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

The perfect end for an excellent fantasy series.
It's a dark, gripping and highly entertaining story that kept me reading.
Great plot and storytelling, fleshed out characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Phew! This is an absolute beast of a book in all sense of the word. By the end I was almost as much in need of a lie down as Talyien. Villoso weaves plot threads together expertly and her grasp of character and action is as firm and hard-hitting as ever. You really felt for all of them, even as they made awful decisions and sacrificed so much for honour, country, and love.

However, at times it was just too dark. I don't know if I'm a weenie (I probably am) but certain scenes were a really difficult read, especially when the brutality of figures like Yuebek had already been well established.

All in all though, it was a twisty, hard-hitting read that did the most difficult part of any trilogy- sticking the landing- with a fierce grace that Talyien herself would envy.

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng is a perfectly satisfying conclusion to a true trailblazer of a series.

Queen Talyien has come full circle with her return to Oren-Yaro, yet in so many ways nothing is what is once was. This installment turns things completely on its head in the best way possible. Separate plotlines are woven together to form an overarching scheme that has been present throughout the series all along, and it unravels in such a clever way that suddenly all the previous hints become clear. Things that Tali has always believed to be senseless are revealed to have been done by design, while things that she has always believed were done by design have become senseless as she realizes that not all is what it seemed.

We first rejoin Talyien’s plight just as things seem to be at their worst. Her son has been kidnapped and taken hostage, but she is a prisoner on her own home and unable to do a thing about it. Her impending trial over her son’s parentage – and therefore her right to the throne – seems all but destined to result in a guilty verdict if her ruthless mother-in-law has her way. Then there’s the cruel Prince Yuebek, who hovers over them all merely biding his time before he tries to trap Tali into the marriage he believes he is promised.

On top of it all, she needs to find a way solve the greatest natural threat to all of Jin-Sayeng and is frustrated by the challenge she knows it will be to gather the support to face it. The same old grudges and grievances that have always plagued Jin-Sayeng politics still surround her, after all, and many of the major players are too prideful to set aside the past or their own agendas. Not to mention that Yeshin’s influence still permeates throughout Jin-Sayeng with ringing force – much to Tali’s detriment.

There are also shocking new discoveries Tali uncovers that force her to reckon more than ever with the themes that have always haunted her: How does she escape being defined by her father’s actions and decisions? How does she honor her duty when it stems from and leads to injustices? How does she juggle being a good queen, a good daughter and a good mother when trying to be any of those things directly conflicts with the others? There is one question Tali poses that seems most apt overall: “How do you fight when you are fated to fail?”

And every one of these questions are addressed in a thoughtful way. Tali is still very much a morally grey character who evaluates all she considers through her own experiences, but it’s fascinating to view her growth and how the way she views the world has changed since the beginning of the series. Her understanding of things such as heroes and villains, royals and commoners, or consequences versus intent – have all been completely reshaped throughout her tumultuous travels. The weight of Yeshin’s legacy still has its grip on her heart, but her forever-changed worldview now forcefully strains against the expectations of the man she once dutifully obeyed.

These troubles and realizations unfold with the same introspective narrative that was found during the previous books. The story could be quite slow-paced and a bit of work to get through at times, but the steady emotional build up towards many of the pivotal scenes does make it worth it. There are still a few instances where I did feel like some plot and character musings become a little repetitive, but this could have been the intention in order to hammer certain messages home.

Tali’s journey is also again accompanied by the return of many memorable characters who are as rich and nuanced as ever. Side characters such as Ozo, Ryia, Namra, Anya, Lo Bahn and the Anyus truly feel like fully fleshed out characters no matter how brief their appearances, while hard hitting characters such as Rayyel and Khine still have deeply memorable roles throughout the final book. (Khine is ever my favourite, but Rayyel’s character arc is possibly the most well done after Tali’s.)

As for the ending? Truly the only way that it could have ended. I honestly think it was the perfect finale for Tali’s story and I applaud all the work that it took her to get there. It was an honor to have seen this world and tale unfold through her eyes. There really isn’t anything else like it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Orbit for providing the free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng continues a theme that began with The Wolf of Oren-Yaro and carries it out to the very end. When I say every little thing that happened from the very beginning is important, I well and truly mean it. Villoso forgot nothing, so much so that you can be sure if she pointed it out in the text earlier, it made a reappearance and was explained in The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng.

I often say that Villoso is a master of genre-bending, and her writing in this installment proves it beyond a doubt. Although this is indeed an epic fantasy, I would also say it’s difficult to truly pin down this book’s vibes. It’s a character study, but it’s also a discussion of privilege, but it’s also a condemnation of family toxicity. This entire trilogy is not just one small thing, and therein lies its strength.

The characters also play a crucial part in bringing this magnificent story to life. In my opinion, Talyien’s character development is unparalleled. When this alll started, she was a brash young queen who only cared about the fact that she was betrayed by her husband. Her growth began in The Wolf of Oren-Yaro. Then she opened her eyes to the plight of her people in The Ikessar Falcon. Finally, in The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng, we see her acknowledgment of the reality her country faces.

The thing I adore about Talyien is that she is so imperfect, and she finally makes her peace with it. She’s been raised to be the perfect Dragonlord. “Yeshin’s bitch pup”, as she’s always called. At last, she lets go of those expectations and learns that what really matters is doing what’s right and best for her people.

I loved how Villoso ended the series. For all the character development that Talyien endured and got, her character arc in the whole series is astounding and satisfying.

I wanted to reread the first two books so my review is a little bit late than I wanted to. Okay so first of all I wanted to say that how gorgeous all the book covers in this series. As for the story, it was definitely the most powerful and emotional one for me. I definitely wasn't ready to say goodbye to this series but I loved reading all the character's journeys and their character growth. Overall, this was the perfect ending for this amazing series. I'll recommend every epic fantasy reader out there. You won't regret it.

‘A Wolf of Oren-Yaro Is Not Tamed’ and Talyien is a wolf, a lone wolf now, but a wolf whose teeth are still bared and manner still untamed.
The Dragon Of Jin-Sayeng, by K.S. Villoso is the explosive, phenomenal and powerful finale to the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen and it was perfect.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Synopsis: Queen Talyien is home but home is not a comfort. Hated by the Warlords, still torn away from her son, and with war on the horizon, can Talyien hold Jin Sayeng together? As more dangers and secrets threaten her and her nation, Talyen must fight to stop the madness of magic and Prince’s alike – and in the midst of the chaos, Yeshin’s secrets haunt her. But how powerful can a dead man’s secrets be? In this phenomenal finale, can Talyien save her nation, and herself?

CW/TW: mentions of rape/off page rape, animal abuse/animal death/torture/abuse/emotional+psychological torture/manipulation/death/mention of abortion/child death/ableism/others may be present.

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng, by K.S Villoso is the phenomenal finale to the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen trilogy and was the perfect ending to an astounding series.

For Previous Reviews – Book 1 Book Review: The Wolf Of Oren-Yaro, by KS Villoso | Book 2 Book Review: The Ikessar Falcon, by KS Villoso

SPOILER WARNING: This review may contain spoilers for Book 1 and Book 2 in the Bitch Queen series. It will, however, be a spoiler free review for this book/Book 3/The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng.

So BookNerds, I have been absolutely loving this series so far with it’s twisty plot and messy characters but this final installment blew me out of the water! K.S Villoso once again proves she is a strong voice in the fantasy genre with this captivating, complex and compelling finale that perfectly brings all the threads together and weaves a web of sacrifice, deceit and war.

Villoso again impresses with her gorgeous and striking prose that hits hard and deep. The entire series is beautifully written, it is a raw and powerful story infused with emotion but book 3 is the most potent of them all. The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng truly feels like a raw depiction of Talyien’s heart and story, the prose feels personal and emotional – it is a conclusion to an epic story of fights for the throne and for family but it is so much more than that. It is a Tali’s conclusion. It is her ending, her realisation of who she is, of her heart, of what she is beyond what she was made to be. It is her recognition that she is a wolf, but perhaps it doesn’t mean what she first thought. From start to finish, the prose holds this emotional and raw power which is only heightened by the rich, beautiful and brutal descriptions of the world, people, wars and monsters.

I honestly cannot praise the prose enough, from vivid scenes to strong characters with undeniable presence, Villoso hits the mark at each turn. The book is written in the first person narrative which was truly the perfect choice – it leaves a strong impression and gives us a story from one view which is layered and complex. Talyen’s character is the perfect type to have in conjunction with the first person narrative, she is flawed and messy but strong and determined – she is a realistic character that brings authenticity to the narrative and makes it easy to connect with. Moreover, the narrative and prose make this the perfect finale, perfectly creating memorable scene and characters as well as deeply resonating with the reader on all levels.

Villoso also does something interesting with the prose/narrative that I absolutely loved that ties into the idea of who writes history. The unfortunate concept of history being written by the ‘victors’ is one we all know well, the writer has power to make heroes and villains or to erase you from history entirely. Talyien’s story is told to us by her, and the subtle changes in prose and narrative, the choice to paint her flaws and mistakes, makes this book such a powerful read because at the end you ask yourself what does winning mean?

Ok so I’ve babbled a bit on how much I loved the writing in the final book (and series as a whole) but now let’s talk about the story/plot! Book 2 ends with lot’s of possibilities and problems; monsters, dragons, magic, Yuebeck, Rayyel and paternity, her father’s past – Talyien literally has problems coming at her from ever possible angle. It’s as though a game of chess is being played and Tali’s suppose to be the Queen, but her moves are limited and she seems more of a pawn. The whole of book 3 weaves together a very intricate plot that is far more connected than it originally appears, with our long dead Warlord seemingly at the center.

I loved every element of the plot in this book, everything tied up perfectly. I loved how the influences and plans of the past came together to weave each element into a rich and explosive web. From the magic, monsters and dragons, to Yuebeck and Yeshin’s plans, it all worked together to give us an epic finale that played out devastatingly and perfectly. I especially loved how we got to see more of how the magic worked and interacted with the dragons and the history behind it all. The plot had the perfect balance of heart-break, horror, shock and surprise – there were so many twists and turns that made perfect sense but kept you on your toes and upheld an element of tension and surprise throughout. This was a truly unpredictable finale with an excellent conclusion.

I adored how Villoso had actual monsters and dragons as a threat that kept you terrified and horrified and yet in the face of these monsters she still created human villains that were every bit as, if not more so, horrifying. Every character has flaws in this book, and many of them are morally grey or villainous, but even the outright villains like Yuebeck are multi dimensional and well built to the point where as soon as I read his name I was already filled with rage. I hate him so much – and this book really plays on that so well. Yeshin is the character who, despite being dead, is mentioned a lot and (though I hate him too) his character was also fascinating – especially seeing just how strong his influences were and still are on Tali. This book masterfully depicts the effects of parent’s on their children whether they are present or not and Tali’s story is so incredible because of the real conflict she goes through in relation to her father. We get a lot of reveals in this book and it kept me tearing through the pages.

Sidenote: this book will break your hearts. I do not forgive some certain scenes that ripped my heart in two.

Honestly, I just loved the whole plot, every element, layer, choice came together to create an epic action filled story full of emotion and shock. We get to see so much more of each of the characters which was so fantastic (I may have wanted to slap Rai SO many times in this book for so many reasons though). Every character was so memorable and dynamic, I am still in love with Tali and Khine and will forever be so. The characters are so authentic and real that you can’t help but fall into the pages of the book with them.

The ending was, in my opinion, perfect. Did it hurt? Absolutely. But I really loved how Villoso decided to end the series, the final scene is just perfect and everything about the ending was excellent. This is how you wrap up a series, surprise your readers and embed your story in their hearts.

This was an incredibly hard review to write because it is the final book with so many possible spoilers so I’ll end by saying this. This book was a powerful, emotional and memorable conclusion to an already epic series and it ties everything up perfectly. This is a series I highly recommend and I loved this conclusion in every single way.

If you love epic fantasy, character driven stories, monsters and dragons, flawed messy characters, and emotional stories then this series is for you.

*I received an eARC via #Netgalley in exchange for an honest review – thank you!*

I was not prepared.
It’s a lie we always tell ourselves when we’re approaching the end of a series, particularly one like this that touches on so many deep and far-reaching emotional notes. That we are prepared for what is coming, trick ourselves into thinking that we’ve shored up our hearts in preparation for the ending, only to be proven wrong and oh dragons, this book destroyed me in all the best ways possible. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that cover! I have loved all the covers for this series, but the one for The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng has to be my favourite, and I could look at it all day.
This series has gone from strength to strength, and The Wolf of Oren-Yaro set the bar high from the very beginning, but this book really took everything to the next level – from the writing to the stakes and the choices that are facing the characters as everything moves towards the conclusion.
I have loved Talyien from the moment we met her in the first book. She’s not always been the easiest character to follow, but that is what makes her so interesting. She is messy and human and real, and it has been an absolute delight to follow her through her journey and to watch her develop between the hardships she’s experienced, the weight of the expectations resting on her from herself and from far too many directions and caught in the web woven around her by her father, by her husband and so many others. The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng is a testament to her character and how far she has come, and it was wonderful to see a softer side in her interactions with her son, with her changing relationships, even as she stands to sacrifice everything,
‘Strange how we leave these ghosts of ourselves in our children.’
This was a book of revelations. The many threads that have unfolded over the course of the previous two books, came to fruition here, and Villoso does a fantastic job of bringing all those different aspects together in this final volume while bringing more twists and turns, and surprises. It was also a book of sacrifice, and looking to the future, both on the personal level of parents to children – and there were some secrets revealed that took my breath away here – but also on the large scale of looking to future generations, and it was a beautiful mirror to the influence of the past that has permeated so much of this story.
We got to see more of Khine who is probably only second to Talyien in terms of my favourites, and also enjoyed the fact that we got to see more of the side characters. Rayyel was another one that I enjoyed seeing in this book, as it showed a different side to him than we had seen before, as some of the layers were stripped away and some of his scenes with Tali were incredibly powerful.
The revelations and character development leaned into the world as well. There was a deep questioning in this book, about the state the world was in and how it had been shaped by the past. About how much of the conflict and politics, and human messiness was the legacy of those who had come before, and how much stemmed from a world that was not equal.
Villoso’s writing has always been one of my favourite aspects of this series, and this book was no different, and there were so many parts that resonated that I could have quoted all of it. There’s a richness to the storytelling, a depth that goes beyond the immediate situation – memory and history and emotion underneath each word, even as the characters move forwards and try to look ahead. It’s a book about life, about family – past and present and future. Dragons, magic and fantastical settings don’t take away from that, instead, they enhance it – this is a book about people, and the whole messiness that comes with humanity and their politics, relationships and choices.
‘It is the desire for illusion that sustains us. We want to believe there is a happily-ever-after and it involves those who cannot possibly be as we are. And so if we cannot be heroes… if we feel we cannot make a difference or make our words carry weight… we create them – idols we praise to the highest heavens, sparkling figures who can do no wrong. We hold them as examples of what we could never be and use them to explain away our own deficiencies, tell the world we won’t bother because of what we are not. We create heroes so we never have to try ourselves.’
The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng confronts you and forces you to think and feel, treading a delicate balance between action and conflict, and reflection – internal and external – and doing so in a way that leaves a lasting impression. It is not necessarily an easy read, and there are some truly dark moments in this book, but it is a powerful, consuming read.
This is how you bring a series like this to an end. The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng was everything I could have wanted and more, and I’m already itching to pick it up again, because there is so much depth and meaning in its pages that I feel like it will take me more than one reading to truly absorb it all. This was a book that when I reached the end, I just sat there and felt it. It’s bittersweet, because I have loved this series from start to finish, and while it is a delight to see it brought to such a satisfying conclusion, it is also an ending, and I would quite happily return to this world and characters as many times as possible. The Chronicles of a Bitch Queen is a series that you need to read and reread again and again, and I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough.

I thoroughly enjoyed books 1 & 2 in this series. I wasn't ready for the end. I'm sad that it's over, but "The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng" is a fitting finale to what has been a cracking series. The plot, characters, setting - all are perfect (as with the first 2 books). But what shines most brightly is K.S. Villoso's writing, taking you deeply into the story and characters' lives. Top marks!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng was always going to be a five star read for me. We all knew this. I have so thoroughly enjoyed the Bitch Queen series and this finale is the perfect ending. This series is devoted to examining difficult choices, wondering what kind of ruler we would be, and to Tali's journey to figure out who she wants to be. Where does the line between daughter, queen, mother, woman fall? I immediately fell back in love with The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng.

In these long cons, these movements and power plays begun before our first steps, do we inherit this legacy? The mistakes, the sins, the bargains of our parents? Just exactly when do we stop being the sum of the expectations of our parents? Could it be possible we can never escape? The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng balances action and introspection. The ways women are held up to unfair standards. Seen as pawns and what alliances they can broker. So how can Tali fight for a future that does not discard her, mention her in footnotes, and in relation to others?

4.5 stars

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng is the final book in the bitch queen chronicles, and is probably my favourite installment. It has all the elements I loved from previous books (tali being an absolute milf, khine !!!!!!!! , dragon antics, lots of poltics and betrayal) and makes it even more epic and heart-wrenching.

We start the book with Tali in custody in her own castle, facing trial. Events quickly escalate and we end up on magical quests, in emeny camps, finding out about the history of Jin-Sayeng and the dragons and the threat of the agan, Warlord Yeshins secret plans that continue to haunt Tali and much more!!! I don't want to talk too much about the plot because I feel it's best just to let the book take you for a ride!!

Taliyen has always been a great character and this book is no exepction. In this installment we see her desperately trying to live up to her fathers legacy and intentions for her, while also wanting a simple life for herself and Thanh. We also see her more vunerable side, she has always been a very human character, who is incredibly resilisent and refuses to let the world break her.

Khine is another character who is an all time favourite of mine and I loved all his scenes in this book!! I esepcially loved seeing him working as a surgeon (since I love medicine lol) and also the progression of his relationship with Tali ~looks respectfully~

I really liked the themes of sacrifice, especially the sacrifices parents will make for their children. There was one scene in paticular where a group of characters stand round and agree that the conflict will end with them and not pass the burden onto future generations - this was a very powerful scene and showed Tali and Rai's character growth beautifully with them finally taking responsibilty for leadership. Also seeing Tali and Thanh's interactions was so heartwarming and you can really feel the love she has for her son.

I liked getting to know some more of the side characters in this book, we learn more about Tali's mother Liosa, whose storyline was incredibly interesting, as well as General Ozo (side note I really need a Ozo and Taraji spin off prequel PLEASE!!), Thanh who we haven't seen much of in previous books, just heard about Tali's love for him however in ths book we really get to see his little personality and hoenstly he was one of my favourites. I also loved getting to know more of Rayyel, in previous books he has been more of a villain but in this book we see him in a more sympathetic light and he begins to earn Tali's forgiveness - I actually really liked his character in this book. Some other characters I love are the brothers Huan and Eikaro, I really liked them in Ikessar falcon so I liked seeing more of them here and the way they tied into the dragon's stroylines. I also (no surprise if you know me at all lol) really liked Rayyels mother Ryia, I would have loved to know more about her character - it seems like she probably had a bit of a tragic backstory, and her struggles as a woman with power before this was socially acceptable.

I thought the conclusion was very fitting, and left me feeling satisfied, there are a lot of plot threads to keep track of but everything is woven together beautifully in the end and really shows both the devastating consequences of war and the very personal sacrifices people make for the hope of the future. I think the book does end in quite a hopeful way, and this is my favourite kind of ending!! In conclusion this was a incredible epic finale to an already great series!