Review: An Echo Through the Veil (The Price of Magic #4) by Bonnie Wynne

 

Author: Bonnie Wynne

Genre: YA/NA Fantasy

Date Published: June 23, 2022

Publisher: Talem Press

She will shatter the veil between life and death, bringing calamity, pestilence, blight.

The sorceress Ailbhe Ahriddin has cracked wide the gates of Death and loosed hell upon an unsuspecting world. Plague sweeps the land, and the dead begin to rise from their tombs. Gwyn, still reeling from the fallout of her battle with the Scion Iahta, is the only one who can set things right – if she dares to harness the ancient power stirring inside her.

An emperor’s invitation leads Gwyn to the fabled kingdom of Shatse, whose mist-wreathed depths may hold the secret that will save them. But is she willing to pay the price the emperor demands?

With hope fading and reality beginning to unravel, Gwyn may need to go where even necromancers fear to tread – beyond the Sixth Circle of the Lurk, to the crumbling centre of Death itself.

An Echo Through the Veil is the heart-stopping penultimate instalment in Bonnie Wynne’s epic fantasy series, The Price of Magic.

Review

   This series always reminds me of why I love the fantasy genre so much. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the writing in this series will completely consume you until you are finishing the book at 4 AM and asking yourself "where did the time go?". Every time I continue this series I know I need to either prepare to be sleep deprived or start reading as soon as I get up, both of which I have experienced thanks to the Price of Magic series. 

   If you've read my previous reviews then you will know that Gwyn has a special place in my heart and that didn't change in this installment. I could practically feel Gwyn's desperation, confusion, hurt, and defeat, which is a testament to the writing as it takes skill to force a reader to feel a main characters emotions so vividly. All of the characters continued to grow more dynamic and complex as we continued following their journey to stopping Ailbhe, and I really enjoy the fact that the side characters are more developed then most secondary characters in a fantasy novel. That is one aspect that makes this series stand out. The secret to a great novel is to create characters that are as varied and elaborate as a main character. 

   Not only are the characters intriguing, but also the plot itself. I love that Bonnie has created this giant scale of obstacles and trials, while also maintaining a reader's interest. The action and stillness in this series balance out to create this captivating story where readers are easily pulled through the narrative without feeling rushed or bored. Every action Gwyn and her team makes keeps readers on edge and wondering what will happen next. I will say that I was hoping for more romance as we were shot in the hearts in the last instalment, but I know that in the next book we will be fed!

   All in all, I loved this installment and cannot wait to see what happens next! I highly recommend all fantasy lovers and lovers of badass females to pick up this series if you haven't already. 

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Review: The Last Sorceress (The Price of Magic #5) By: Bonnie Wynne

Author: Bonnie Wynne

Genre: YA/ NA Fantasy

Date Published: March 16, 2023

Publisher: Talem Press

Page Number: 708

One sorceress fractured the world. Two may be enough to doom it. Gwyn's victory against the risen dead has come at a terrible cost. 

Aranor has fallen. In the capital, another sorceress rules from a stolen throne. Survivors of the demon war flock to Ailbhe Ahriddin's cause - and at her side: Alcide, captured and bound, his royal blood the key to enacting Ailbhe's ultimate scheme. 

Scarred by loss and the choices she's made, Gwyn now holds Alcide's fate - and the fate of the world - in her bloodstained hands. As she struggles to unite a broken continent, ancient enemies begin to align, testing their powers against her own. 

Lives will be lost and sacrifices made as the final battle looms. And in her darkest moment, the Ninth Sorceress will face an unthinkable choice. 

Because magic comes with a price. But is it a price Gwyn is ready to pay? 

Bonnie Wynne's epic fantasy saga, The Price of Magic, reaches its shattering conclusion in the spectacular final volume, The Last Sorceress.

    First of all, I have to say that I was so thrilled to go on this journey with Bonnie and experience this fantastic series. If you’ve read my previous review of The Price of Magic saga you will know that I really connected to Gwyn and her journey and this time was no exception. I really enjoyed the tension and twists in this finale. They were a constant in this saga, which kept me on my toes. It was something I really looked forward to.

    The relationships in this series were very complex and well thought out, which always makes for an interesting read. One thing I wanted to see more of was Gwyn’s romantic relationship with the male lead (trying to avoid spoilers). We got to see this relationship towards the end, but I wanted more romance and focus on them as a couple in this last installment. However, this series was more focused on Gwyn and her growth more than anything else so I understand it not being as important to focus on. I always crave a good romance so don’t mind me. Even without romance being the focus this series still captivated me.

    In the end, I was satisfied with this finale because the story stayed consistent throughout Gwyn's journey and even though she went through huge challenges and changes I could still see the old Gwyn in the end. I was never bored and was kept guessing as to what would come next. I look forward to seeing what Bonnie comes out with next! 

                             Don't miss out on this great series! 

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Review: The Stars Beyond the Stone (The Price of Magic #3) by Bonnie Wynne!

 

Author: Bonnie Wynne

Genre: YA Fantasy 

Date Published: September 16, 2021

Publisher: Talem Press & Writer's Edit

Page Number: 432 

The Scions roam free, and only the sorceress can hunt them…

After the battle with storm god Molech Suun, a city is in ruins and a new Archmage holds the Syndicate’s leash.

But while Gwyn has accepted her fate – to hunt down and destroy the remaining Scions – her loyalty is still to her old master Faolan, held captive by a cunning necromancer.

Saving Faolan means leaving the wizards and the Clockwork City behind.

With the shapeshifter Lucian at her side, Gwyn embarks on a dangerous journey across the sea, to lands where pirate kings rule and wild magic sings.

But sorceresses are heir to a dark legacy of blood – and Gwyn soon finds that she’s the one being hunted.

The Scions want her dead, and a new enemy sends threats and warnings that can’t be ignored.

As Gwyn struggles to balance her desires and her destiny, she finds herself unprepared for what awaits her beyond the city walls.

And far to the south, amid the ashes of a fallen kingdom, a familiar foe is setting deadly plans in motion…

The Stars Beyond the Stone is the dazzling third instalment in Bonnie Wynne’s epic fantasy saga, The Price of Magic.

     The Stars Beyond the Stone blew me away and I finished it in one sitting! I couldn’t remember where we left off in the second novel, but it didn’t take me long to get my bearings and once I did, I was fully immersed into Gwyn’s journey once again. 

     Gwyn really stuck out to me in this novel because I felt like we got to see who she was meant to be without the struggle of dealing with her magic or coming to terms with it, and readers get to see the powerful main character that makes this novel so addicting. I was also thrilled that we got to see her and Lucian’s relationship progress because I did miss that aspect in the first two installments, but Bonnie more than made up for it in this book! Seeing Gwyn open up to Lucian and show us a different side of her when she doesn’t have to wear this other sorceress persona was the highlight of the novel for me. However, seeing her use her powers and be a badass when needed kept me coming back for more. 

     Along with the continued greatness of the characters, I felt like the plot worked so well with the characterization that this installment seemed to propel me to the finish line, which I loved but also hated. By the end of the book, I felt like I finished way too fast and wanted the book to go on for four hundred more pages! Especially with the ending Bonnie left us with, I was begging for more. Nevertheless, the plot and pacing were seamless and mixed well to create a novel that kept me engaged until the very end. To say that I am desperate for the next installment is an understatement because I need to know what happens to Gwyn next. 

     

     If you love fantasy novels featuring a heroine that can hold her own and fights for what is right with an unmatched passion along with a group of friends who support her to the end plus a little romance on the side then this is a series for you!

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