Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Court of Elves #7

The Last Stand

Rate this book
Kenna's desperate gamble did not turn out the way she had expected, leaving her and her friends to face High Commander Anron alone. Against his legion, they are outnumbered and outmatched. Not to mention that their courts have been taken over and most of the magic-wielding elves in their lands are still kept in shackles. First, Kenna will have to find a way to break the bracelets that block their magic. And then, the final battle can begin.

To succeed, they will have to come up with the scheme of a lifetime. Loyalties will be tested, secrets unearthed, and promises broken. Before the war is over, some relationships will be strengthened while others will shatter completely. Can Kenna and her allies go up against Anron and his godlike High Elves and still come out unscathed on the other side?

The story ends here. With one last stand.

372 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2024

88 people are currently reading
607 people want to read

About the author

Marion Blackwood

34 books1,664 followers
Marion Blackwood is the author of The Oncoming Storm series, the Court of Elves series, the Ruthless Villains series, the Ruthless Enemy trilogy, and the Flame and Thorns series. She has a Master's Degree in English and History Education, and she worked as a high school teacher before becoming a full-time author. When she's not busy writing fantasy books or traveling the world, she reads, binges shows, and loses at video games. Marion has previously lived in the US and China, but now she once again calls the beautiful country of Sweden home. To find out more, visit: www.marionblackwood.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
303 (59%)
4 stars
146 (28%)
3 stars
53 (10%)
2 stars
9 (1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Cat Bowser.
Author 6 books43 followers
September 14, 2022
I received a free ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.

So that makes two series that this author has ended on an absolute bang. I’m am envious of her ability to write endings…especially endings to a series that get consistently better with each book…so damn well.

As is the usual, there are twists in here. Unexpected surprises, both good and bad, but like all her other stories, when you look back over the story, you wonder why you thought it would go any other way. She is a master of story twists and I am here for it.

As always, the characters build, grow and find themselves in beautiful ways but without sacrificing that grey character trait which makes them so intriguing. It’s a character development style Marion has perfected and I never tire of seeing it.

Much as I am sad to see this series come to a close, I am ecstatic to see her next work of art!
Profile Image for Orsika.
96 reviews22 followers
August 22, 2022
A spectacular wrap up for an amazing adventure.
Profile Image for Allu.
46 reviews
September 12, 2022
An epic conclusion, all ends tied up, all questions answered.

description

Whenever I read Marion Blackwood's books, I am prepared for the twisty and unexpected turn of events and the conclusion did not disappoint. But I was unprepared but pleasantly happy for the increase in the intimacy between Kenna and Mordren.
I've always felt this series is appropriate under New Adult, and this book confirms and affirms the notion.
The only disappointment I felt in this book, is that the series ends with it. I would love more of Kenna and Mordren. I will seriously miss Kenna's wit, Mordren's attitude, and everyone else, like I still miss The Oncoming Storm. Its like saying Goodbye to your close friends.But, I will stick to my firm belief that they are living happily abet a villainous life in a parallel universe (Don't judge me, yes, I am an adult, yes, I don't care.)

description

Romance 5/5
Plot 5/5
Side Characters 5/5
World Building 5/5
I usually prefer to wait until the entire series is out, so I can binge read, but this series kept me at needle point for the next book. If anyone was waiting for the series to finish, before starting this series, your time has come, this series will not disappoint.

Thank You so much, Marion Blackwood, for providing an ARC, to this wonderful, exhilarating, and enjoyable book, and everything expressed is my own opinions and thoughts.
I really enjoyed the entire series, and am so looking forward to Ruthless Villians by this same author, releasing on October 24th 2022.
Profile Image for Rachel.
382 reviews12 followers
October 2, 2022
The Last Stand by Marion Blackwood is the final book in the Court of Elves series. It is an explosive and exciting finale to a fantastic series, and I am honestly so sad it's over!

The whole series has been action packed, extremely creative and highly addictive, and The Last Stand is the epitome of all of these things. Marion Blackwood has done such an incredible job of keeping the reader hooked throughout all seven books, the creativity in the scheming and blackmailing plots is second to none.

Just about all of the characters became my favourites, because they were all so unique. The found family trope is super present in these books, and I found myself very attached to the group that they form.

I can't gush enough about how much I love this whole series - I stopped in the middle of any book I was reading when each book in this series came out, because I actually HAD to know what happened next. This is absolutely the mark of a good series for me! Each book improves on the last, and the detail of each plot and scheme gets more and more complex and impressive.

Sometimes you find an author who writes books right up your alley, and this is the care for me! I will read literally anything Marion Blackwood writes, because I already know I'll like it.

Please do yourselves a favour and read the Court of Elves series! It's such a fun, engrossing and entertaining series, and you will 100% fall in love with the characters seven times over.

Ps. Thank you for giving Evander and Monette exactly what they deserve.
31 reviews
October 9, 2022
Such a great book! This book was more for my liking because I didn't get to know all the plans beforehand and I really like that in a book - when the plan gets explained afterward.
All the loose ends got tied up at the end wich is a big MUST for me.

I really liked the part where you could just feel the "teaching of a rasengan - Naruto move".

The love - the power and the friendships that where made in the end was a great thing. After all that happends in this book, it could have ended in ruins.
A lot has happened from the first book.
And it did end with that great twist I really like in a book.
Profile Image for Jennifer Davis.
437 reviews17 followers
September 26, 2022

This is the conclusion and final book in Marion's Elven Court Series, and what an epic conclusion it was! First off let me just say that this has been one of the best fantasy series I have read to date. Marion does such an excellent job of immersing us into the world of the elven court that you just can't help but feel like you're watching these stories unfold right before your eyes. Her character depth and descriptions are just fantastic. I'm not going to lie I absolutely cried at the end of this book, because I was just not ready to emotionally say goodbye to our motley crew. Now for the book...

Kenna, Mordren and their crew finally have the go ahead to wipe out our big baddie Anron, but just like always it is not going to be as simple as we think. There are so many twists and turns amidst all of the schemes and plans. As usual our team comes up with good plans, but they go awry. Yet Kenna and the crew never give up. We finally see Idra and Hadeon admit their feelings for each other, as well as get an awesome twist for Valerie and Theo. Of course, we get more steamy time with Kenna and Mordren which just makes you pull for their happy ending all the more! What I love the absolute best is that ALL of our villains and backstabbers get their just rewards, but most importantly is that our heroes get their happy endings.

This was the most perfect way to say goodbye to Kenna, Mordren and the crew, an absolute gem of a wrap up in a series! Do yourself a favor and start this series!! Thank you, Marion for sharing your words and fantasy worlds with us!
Profile Image for Jessica.
964 reviews24 followers
June 24, 2023
“The friendship that had formed between us was our strength. It was what we were fighting for. ”


Upon returning from Valdanar, Kenna and her friends are determined to get rid of Commander Anron and the rest of the high elves once and for all. But the group is outnumbered and overpowered. They need to succeed. There’s too much on the line.

With the help of old allies, the elven princes, and those against the high elves rules, Kenna and her friends battle Anron one last time. But will they succeed in this final battle and come out unharmed?

I’m literally in tears. As previously mentioned in my prior reviews, I often find myself struggling to find the right words to describe my love for this series. When I first started the series, the thing I loved most about the books (other than Kenna and Mordren) was the scheming and plotting. But as the series continued, I found myself loving the true friendships Kenna formed.

Mordren and Kenna are one of my favorite book couples…ever. They were just so perfect for each other. I loved their relationship development the most. Aside from them, I was absolutely thrilled to see the couples I was rooting for develop. But, overall, I loved the group dynamics and how they accepted and supported each other.

The Last Stand was such a great way to end the amazing Court of Elves series. I will most definitely be re-reading again in the future. For those that have not already read this incredible series, I highly recommend.
October 4, 2022
3.5 stars
2.5 spice

This is the last book in the Court of Elves series and it is a more YA series, so it may not be as smutty as some would like. However, it has an incredible story line that will have you hooked in the entire time. There is always some kind of chaos or plot twist happening that will keep you on your toes throughout the entire series. The Last Stand is probably one my top two favorites of the series. Over the course of seven books, you read about a girl who truly had no family starting out. She was selfless and always tried to work hard for others, but only for it to slap her in the face. She overcame all the adversity and gained a new found family who showed her what it was really like to be cherished. The banter and love between the entire found family had me laughing and crying at times. Their friendship was truly beautiful. I am so in love with Mordren & Kenna's story and how far they have come. This series also reminds me of Throne of Glass slightly, which made me love it even more. I always hate when a series ends, but I am truly happy with the ending of this one.
199 reviews3 followers
October 11, 2022
As always, Marion has given us an absolutely breathtaking conclusion to yet another exceptional series! (Storm and Shade have competition for who my heroes are now!!)

Kenna and Mordren, along with the rest of their found family are back home, preparing to fight their biggest enemy alone, without the aid of the high Elves they had hoped for in the previous book.
But, they aren't ever truly alone when they've made so many friends along the way.

Love, friendship, heartbreak, betrayal, hope and dreams fill the pages of this last book. I have laughed out loud, I have almost thrown my kindle when I've gotten frustrated at the utter betrayal Kenna has gone through and I have cried for all of the characters that I've grown to adore throughout the series. I'm so sad that it has reached the end and yet I know that Kenna and the rest will live on outside of the pages so I can be a little bit happy (I can also cross my fingers that maybe, just maybe, a few characters will get short stories of their own one day!).

Congratulations Marion, on completing yet another epic tale of morally grey characters that are so well written, they could almost jump right out of the book! Love it! ❤️
Profile Image for Gabby.
45 reviews1 follower
September 23, 2022
“The Last Stand” was the perfect wrap up to Kennas journey. Throughout the series I was taken along a whirlwind ride, watching as Kenna overcame both emotional and physical obstacles to become the person she was always destined to be…a badass. ;)

In “The Last Stand” we face the final showdown between High Commander Anron and the elven courts. The battles were exquisitely detailed and vivid, not to mention the scheming/surprise twists were *chefs kiss*. My emotions were literally all over the place as I read. One minute I’m excited, next I’m crying (yes literally cried) then I’m on the edge of my seat freaking out. Suffice it to say there was never a dull moment as I devoured this book. So even though I’m sad to say goodbye to these characters, I look forward to Marion Blackwoods new series that’s on the horizon “Ruthless Villans”.
Profile Image for a.erika.e.
104 reviews2 followers
September 20, 2022
Phenomenal, just amazing. This truly was a last stand, where everything falls into place.

As always, I'm impressed with the impeccable writing. The ability to bewitch the reader - transport me to their world and include me in their lives. I'm astonished.

I feel a bit empty now. Cause this means saying goodbye to Kenna, Mordren and everyone else in Court of Elves. I'll miss them. Also, I agree with the author: I'm satisfied with the ending.

The Last Stand is filled with happiness, devastation, cleverness, amusement and love. Lots of love. My cheeks didn't stay dry. A lot of emotions stirred in me throughout reading this.

It's been a priviledge to recieve an ARC for every book in this series. I've enjoyed every second of it. Thank you Marion ❤️
Profile Image for Short and Sweet Reviews by Sam.
460 reviews16 followers
September 20, 2022
The Last Stand features, but is not limited to, the following themes:
○ NA fantasy
○ Elves
○ Epic battles
○ Found family
○ Romance
○ Magic

My overall rating for The Last Stand is...

5 Stars!

The Last Stand is here and it's as epic and exhilarating as promised! There's something so fulfilling when you finish reading a series, especially one that has lead you on so many exotic adventures, shocked you with unbelievable schemes and teased you with a steamy and slow burning romance. The final instalment in the Court of Elves series is death defying and soul shattering. I cried, I screamed, my heart ached, I smiled and I laughed. This is me bending the knee and bowing down to the Queen of indie fantasy; Marion Blackwood.

Profile Image for Maddye.
417 reviews7 followers
September 25, 2022
An action packed conclusion to this eventful series!

Overall this was a fun and snarky series. Valerie and Theo were my absolute favourite characters that really brought the humour into this story.

I didn’t enjoy this book nearly as much as the others. I found the chapter and story structure extremely repetitive, and personally, the book before this could’ve just been extended to include the main events from this book. I skim read a lot as the scenes and wording were the same, even the way each chapter opened, and unfortunately I just can’t connect with a battle scene that’s life or death, and with people dying, and then a few sentences later the character who was having their world crush would ‘have a villainous smile’ on their face while they did something cool.
25 reviews
September 15, 2022
Here it is! The five star finale to the Traitor Spy series. Good grief Ms Blackwood did NOT disappoint! I took a little longer reading this one then I did the others in this series only because I just didn’t want it to end. Kenna, Mordren, & Co. will always hold a special place for me. Marion has perfected the art of building characters that feel like friends making it so hard for me to say good bye. The Oncoming storm series she put out left me with that same feeling. I honestly cannot wait to see what this author creates next.
Profile Image for Bigred6126.
1,385 reviews3 followers
October 15, 2022
Last stand

There is nothing I can say that can give this series the justice it deserves. If you're looking for an epic romance filled with war, betrayal, justice, lies, cunning, comic relief etc. This has it all. This final book is brutal. It's not for the faint of heart. It's the end and it's full of bloodshed and malice. It's also full of love and family. Parts of it are heartbreaking. I was filled with awe while I was reading it. Marion Blackwood is an artist and the way she weaves this final book and the whole series together is exceptional.
6 reviews
November 30, 2025
really enjoyed this series

I will be the first to admit I read way too much, and because of that I often get easily bored with basic plot lines and don’t make it all the way through long fantasy series unless, like this one, it’s actually a decent read. Not predictable, not basic. This series kept me guessing and I flew through it, with laughter and tears. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Profile Image for Ali.
537 reviews
October 1, 2022
What an epic conclusion to this story!!
So many twists and turns, my heart was in my throat throughout and I couldn’t see how they were going to get through this but they did.

The ending was perfection and I love this found family so much! I highly recommend this entire series and I just completely adore Kenna.

Thank you to Marion for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Mallory.
6 reviews12 followers
October 15, 2025
she used the word “Retarded”

I’ve been a huge fan of her writing and her other series. However… it’s 2025 and it’s not okay to call anyone “retarded” even fictionally. It was also done in passing as if it’s casual and acceptable prose….when there are sooo many other synonyms that can be used.
Profile Image for that_bookish_princess.
15 reviews5 followers
September 17, 2022
This was an amazing end to an amazing series. I love the adventures and the found family. Kenna is my spirit animal for sure. I love that everyone has their thing and are accepted for it. This is a series I wish I could forget just to read it again for the first time!
Profile Image for Fabee.
198 reviews8 followers
September 27, 2022
Another spectacular epic conclusion to a fabulous series!!!! Kenna and Mordren’s schemes and action never cease, interwoven with the twists and turns that are signature to the style of Marion Blackwood - this book is fast paced from beginning to end!
845 reviews1 follower
October 15, 2022
Great book

Wow this book is full of even more action, mischief and love than the other books. Kenna is a kick butt heroin who never gives up and with the help of her chosen family doesn't have to do it alone.
Profile Image for Lydia.
21 reviews
December 1, 2025
After the 4th book it became monotonous. Very few highlights for the last 3 books in this series. I was so tired of the Kenna & Mordren scenes. Also wtf is up with using “r*tarded” just casually? Not even as a dialogue by a shit head character but just a descriptor?? That was weird babe.
2 reviews
February 19, 2023
Best series

This series has the most intricate plots and exciting characters of any series that I have read, and I read a lot.
19 reviews
September 20, 2023
Okay this was absolutely epic! Loved it so much and it had me on the edge until the very end!!!!
Profile Image for Priscilla Torres.
19 reviews
August 2, 2024
love the hea

This was an awesome ending to this series. To see all my favorite characters get what they deserved. All the books were epic and fun to read.
Profile Image for Kerry Morris.
279 reviews14 followers
February 3, 2025
This was a brilliant end to the series. What a ride this series has been, pure chaos from start to end.
Profile Image for Ebony.
5 reviews
April 18, 2025
LOVE LOVE LOVED this series. The character development, the twists. The slow burn 👌🏼👌🏼
58 reviews
November 7, 2025
I’m normally not a series person but I was so obsessed. Best series I’ve read in forever!
Profile Image for Mari Wooten.
22 reviews3 followers
November 13, 2025
Bravo

Bravo it was beautiful I had all the emotions, sadness, happiness, grief, anger, surprise even bewilderment. This series was literally all the emotions thank you Blackwood!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.