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Black Hat Bureau #10
Gray Dawn
Black Hat Bureau, Book 10
In this tenth and final installment of The Black Hat Bureau series, Rue races the clock to find her little moth girl before it’s too late. As much as she wants to believe that Clay will protect Colby, he isn’t himself when he’s under the director’s thrall. And the director would toss a loinnir back like a shot of pure magic if he got his hands on her.
As if Rue doesn’t already have enough heaped on her plate, Luca is spreading her poison west in a twisted game of take-out roulette. Now Rue must decide if saving one life is worth sacrificing the dozens of innocents Luca will kill if Rue doesn’t make stopping her the top priority.
As the director, Rue ought to put her agents’ lives and the Bureau’s purpose above her own, but Colby is her child and—right or wrong—Rue would burn down the world to save her.
In this tenth and final installment of The Black Hat Bureau series, Rue races the clock to find her little moth girl before it’s too late. As much as she wants to believe that Clay will protect Colby, he isn’t himself when he’s under the director’s thrall. And the director would toss a loinnir back like a shot of pure magic if he got his hands on her.
As if Rue doesn’t already have enough heaped on her plate, Luca is spreading her poison west in a twisted game of take-out roulette. Now Rue must decide if saving one life is worth sacrificing the dozens of innocents Luca will kill if Rue doesn’t make stopping her the top priority.
As the director, Rue ought to put her agents’ lives and the Bureau’s purpose above her own, but Colby is her child and—right or wrong—Rue would burn down the world to save her.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2024
717 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Hailey Edwards
104 books2,834 followersHailey Edwards writes about questionable applications of otherwise perfectly good magic, the transformative power of love, the family you choose for yourself, and blowing stuff up. Not necessarily all at once. That could get messy.
Hailey isn't on Goodreads.
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https://haileyedwards.net/contact-form/
Hailey isn't on Goodreads.
Please email her via her website:
https://haileyedwards.net/contact-form/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
February 3, 2024
While I enjoyed the series, this final book felt rushed and underwhelming. It took 10 books and suddenly everything resolved easily. The heart-wrenching cliffhanger of the last book with Colby taken was nothing since she managed to just fly away through the drain and take a freaking plane back to Rue.
Luca died in the minute Rue managed to catch her.
The Director was taken prisioner by Luca (and we don’t know what happened between the time Clay escaped and that) but Rue and her father overpowered him with a punch and bound his powers super quickly.
Calixta accepted the terms of the exhange and Aiden was free without fuss after 10 years.
The Hunk was taking away her free will and powers and no one could find a way to remove it but suddenly she was free of it. All the talk about destroying it and they buried it under concrete.
Asa was pretty much a decoration piece in this book since he didn’t do anything and his contributions were off-page.
We did not see Rue and Asa wedding.
We did not see Colby after these 10 years time jump. We did not see Saint returning to a somewhat normal life.
We did not see Aiden and Rue reunion.
We do not know what happened to Black Hat after these 10 years post-fight.
The book ended with Aiden talking to Arden and in the next page there’s a spoiler chapter for a different book without a single note from the author. I didn’t even know it was a different book and got awfully confused by that.
Luca died in the minute Rue managed to catch her.
The Director was taken prisioner by Luca (and we don’t know what happened between the time Clay escaped and that) but Rue and her father overpowered him with a punch and bound his powers super quickly.
Calixta accepted the terms of the exhange and Aiden was free without fuss after 10 years.
The Hunk was taking away her free will and powers and no one could find a way to remove it but suddenly she was free of it. All the talk about destroying it and they buried it under concrete.
Asa was pretty much a decoration piece in this book since he didn’t do anything and his contributions were off-page.
We did not see Rue and Asa wedding.
We did not see Colby after these 10 years time jump. We did not see Saint returning to a somewhat normal life.
We did not see Aiden and Rue reunion.
We do not know what happened to Black Hat after these 10 years post-fight.
The book ended with Aiden talking to Arden and in the next page there’s a spoiler chapter for a different book without a single note from the author. I didn’t even know it was a different book and got awfully confused by that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2024
This is a wonderful final installment in a series that, for me, has had its ups and downs. The series started with a bang and continued to be riveting UF reading, then somewhere along the way, it kinda lagged a bit. But, the awesome kept popping its head out and I kept coming back. I am really glad I did because this final book gives us everything we have loved in this unique universe.
Admittedly there are a LOT of storylines that needed to be wrapped up in order to end the series in a good way, but the author did a bang up job at deftly weaving every single thread together and tied them all up so beautifully that readers can close that last page with a sigh of happiness and contentment. And the themes of love, loyalty, family given and family made and commitment shine so bright in this story that it truly is a joy to read. Bravo, Ms. Edwards!!!
Admittedly there are a LOT of storylines that needed to be wrapped up in order to end the series in a good way, but the author did a bang up job at deftly weaving every single thread together and tied them all up so beautifully that readers can close that last page with a sigh of happiness and contentment. And the themes of love, loyalty, family given and family made and commitment shine so bright in this story that it truly is a joy to read. Bravo, Ms. Edwards!!!
February 7, 2024
*Source* Kindle Unlimited
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Hailey Edwards' Gray Dawn is the Tenth and final installment in the authors Black Hat Bureau. If you've read this series from the beginning, you are in for a ride. Short summary: Rue Hollis is the de facto Director of the Black Hat Bureau. She is bound to a half Fae/half Demon former Prince in Asa/Blay. Her best friend is a golem named Clay. She is connected to a little moth girl who was once fae named Colby who has helped Rue transition from a Black Witch to a Gray Witch.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Hailey Edwards' Gray Dawn is the Tenth and final installment in the authors Black Hat Bureau. If you've read this series from the beginning, you are in for a ride. Short summary: Rue Hollis is the de facto Director of the Black Hat Bureau. She is bound to a half Fae/half Demon former Prince in Asa/Blay. Her best friend is a golem named Clay. She is connected to a little moth girl who was once fae named Colby who has helped Rue transition from a Black Witch to a Gray Witch.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
February 6, 2024
I'm sad that this book wraps up the series, it's been fun to read.
For so much of this book it seemed like Rue and her crew were just reacting to what was going on, about 3 steps behind and trying really hard to catch up to actually stop/slow the bad guys. Through it all Rue was hampered with the hunk and dealing with that. No one was sure about Colby, let alone Clay, they kept finding people who had been used for evil and didn't remember it. The hits just kept coming. Slowly they started to figure things out, but it took a toll. In the end, they prevailed and made sure that everyone in their group was safe and would have the opportunity to live a free and happy life, even if it took a bit of time.
For so much of this book it seemed like Rue and her crew were just reacting to what was going on, about 3 steps behind and trying really hard to catch up to actually stop/slow the bad guys. Through it all Rue was hampered with the hunk and dealing with that. No one was sure about Colby, let alone Clay, they kept finding people who had been used for evil and didn't remember it. The hits just kept coming. Slowly they started to figure things out, but it took a toll. In the end, they prevailed and made sure that everyone in their group was safe and would have the opportunity to live a free and happy life, even if it took a bit of time.
January 31, 2024
Sad this is last book in this series. It was a wonderful journey. Chef’s kiss for this perfect book. Loved it
June 18, 2024
First of all, when I started to write this, I was shocked to realize that this was the tenth book in this series. I guess I don't always excel at paying attention to the details (and fortunately or unfortunately.... I read A LOT of books). What I DO want to say is that for me, this series started of extremely strong, then had a bit of a lag during the middle books. Then, the last...say 3 or 4 books...I could feel that strength coming back. This last and final book - well, it was a perfect and wonderful ending that brought the level of my reading enjoyment back up to where it belonged. So...bravo! *giving a very deserved chef's kiss*
There are a lot of moving parts, especially when you get to the 10th book in a series and there a lot of ties to be tied up. In this case in particular, there were several "bad guys" that our group had been dealing with and one "good guy" who was in a kind of hostage/ransom situation. What all that means is a lot had to happen, to solve all of the issues, tie up all of the loose ends, answer our worries about a certain captive.....yep, lots had to happen.
Without going into spoilers, I think the easiest way to say what I want to say is that the things that made this series wonderful in the beginning, were what made it fantastic in the end. There was a crazy amount of world building set up early in the series that was easy to follow. There were wonderful, likeable character's (and some really UNLIKEABLE characters) that truly brought this series to the top of a very crowded genre. The whole "found family" aspect of it was done so nicely, that you couldn't help but root for the good guys.
The narration. There are a few times when I will say in a review that this is a book that is actually made better by listening versus reading. This is one of those. The narrator -Stephanie Richardson - made some fantastic choices early on that completely made the story that much more enjoyable. The portrayal of our favorite "moth girl" Colby (*another chef's kiss*, and the best of the best.....BLAY!!!! Oh my gosh, I don't even know HOW I would have heard/pictured his voice in my head on my own, but because of Ms. Richardson...Blay was Blay......and he was freaking adorable.
So, really not that much more to say. This isn't a stand alone. If you are with us for the 10th book in a series, then there is obviously something about the series that has hooked you. This book has MANY things that fill that requirement. And maybe, just maybe, even though this saga is completed, we might one day get back into this world to follow along with some of the other wonderful characters that we met along the way. (we can only hope....)
There are a lot of moving parts, especially when you get to the 10th book in a series and there a lot of ties to be tied up. In this case in particular, there were several "bad guys" that our group had been dealing with and one "good guy" who was in a kind of hostage/ransom situation. What all that means is a lot had to happen, to solve all of the issues, tie up all of the loose ends, answer our worries about a certain captive.....yep, lots had to happen.
Without going into spoilers, I think the easiest way to say what I want to say is that the things that made this series wonderful in the beginning, were what made it fantastic in the end. There was a crazy amount of world building set up early in the series that was easy to follow. There were wonderful, likeable character's (and some really UNLIKEABLE characters) that truly brought this series to the top of a very crowded genre. The whole "found family" aspect of it was done so nicely, that you couldn't help but root for the good guys.
The narration. There are a few times when I will say in a review that this is a book that is actually made better by listening versus reading. This is one of those. The narrator -Stephanie Richardson - made some fantastic choices early on that completely made the story that much more enjoyable. The portrayal of our favorite "moth girl" Colby (*another chef's kiss*, and the best of the best.....BLAY!!!! Oh my gosh, I don't even know HOW I would have heard/pictured his voice in my head on my own, but because of Ms. Richardson...Blay was Blay......and he was freaking adorable.
So, really not that much more to say. This isn't a stand alone. If you are with us for the 10th book in a series, then there is obviously something about the series that has hooked you. This book has MANY things that fill that requirement. And maybe, just maybe, even though this saga is completed, we might one day get back into this world to follow along with some of the other wonderful characters that we met along the way. (we can only hope....)
February 5, 2024
I have a notoriously hard time finishing up series I adore because I really REALLY don't want to end my time with characters I've come to like more than a little. So when I say this ending is both bittersweet and utterly glorious, keep that in mind. (But mostly hold the "utterly glorious" part up to examine.)
RUE AND ASA AND COLBY AND CLAY AND OMG I'M SAD TO SAY GOODBYE BUT BOY DID YOU GUYS GO OUT WITH A BANG. Not a literally bang, thankfully, but all the little threads got tied off and I AM DEEPLY PLEASED.
When last we visited with the crew, Clay had been betrayed by the magic that animates him, Colby was unintentionally moth-napped, Aedan is playing heir to a terrible queen, Rue and Asa (and the rest of the Bureau) are trying to get ahead of the poisoner, and...I don't even know. There's a lot. I mean, Rue is not only dealing with all this, but also a lot of deep-rooted familial things that are MESSED UP.
Now she has to figure out how to save Colby (because there's no way she's letting her little girl deal with things on her own), bring Clay back to himself, stop the poisoner before they reveal the existence of paranormals to humans, and keep her wicked grandmother from taking out her upsets with Rue on Aedan.
So much happens and it's so good and BITTERSWEET, my friends. My heart eyes are strong and I'm so very very happy with how things turned out for all of them.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
RUE AND ASA AND COLBY AND CLAY AND OMG I'M SAD TO SAY GOODBYE BUT BOY DID YOU GUYS GO OUT WITH A BANG. Not a literally bang, thankfully, but all the little threads got tied off and I AM DEEPLY PLEASED.
When last we visited with the crew, Clay had been betrayed by the magic that animates him, Colby was unintentionally moth-napped, Aedan is playing heir to a terrible queen, Rue and Asa (and the rest of the Bureau) are trying to get ahead of the poisoner, and...I don't even know. There's a lot. I mean, Rue is not only dealing with all this, but also a lot of deep-rooted familial things that are MESSED UP.
Now she has to figure out how to save Colby (because there's no way she's letting her little girl deal with things on her own), bring Clay back to himself, stop the poisoner before they reveal the existence of paranormals to humans, and keep her wicked grandmother from taking out her upsets with Rue on Aedan.
So much happens and it's so good and BITTERSWEET, my friends. My heart eyes are strong and I'm so very very happy with how things turned out for all of them.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
May 27, 2025
Arden: "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Rue: "All bad ideas do."
I happen to love much of Hailey Edwards work and have voraciously read quite of few of her series. However, if you're a new reader contemplating getting into her books let me save you some time. Skip this series.
This book continued on as the last - in a much better frame than all the previous novels in the "Black Hat Bureau" series. The characters were honed, the plot had interesting twists, there was real tension...then, everything fell apart in the wrap-up. Honestly, it felt as if Edwards had ideas on where the series should go, but then got bored with the writing of it and just decided to finish all the loose threads in one book. As a reader, it felt like author laziness. It was at least good to know how all the loose threads got tied off, but when the last books' majority have been spent ad nauseum on the nationwide chase of a couple criminals it's a little abrupt when the series ends with what amounts to a synopsis/epilogue of the beloved characters' future lives.
Rue: "All bad ideas do."
I happen to love much of Hailey Edwards work and have voraciously read quite of few of her series. However, if you're a new reader contemplating getting into her books let me save you some time. Skip this series.
This book continued on as the last - in a much better frame than all the previous novels in the "Black Hat Bureau" series. The characters were honed, the plot had interesting twists, there was real tension...then, everything fell apart in the wrap-up. Honestly, it felt as if Edwards had ideas on where the series should go, but then got bored with the writing of it and just decided to finish all the loose threads in one book. As a reader, it felt like author laziness. It was at least good to know how all the loose threads got tied off, but when the last books' majority have been spent ad nauseum on the nationwide chase of a couple criminals it's a little abrupt when the series ends with what amounts to a synopsis/epilogue of the beloved characters' future lives.
February 4, 2024
Life was kind of a dick.This was my favorite book of the series and, sadly, the finale. There could certainly be more. I'm hoping Hailey expands on the series with some novella epilogues, similar to how she's done with Beginner's Guide to Necromancy.
I very rarely read sneak peeks offered at the end of a book, but I read Hailey's peek at her upcoming Body Shop series; Fair Market Value due out in September (per Amazon; July, per GR). I'm intrigued and look forward to reading it.
February 9, 2024
Wow! Although I am devasted, this is the last book in the series it was a fantastic read. Applause given to the author for her creativity & world building with characters that you just want to know more about. And a wish & hope that maybe Rue's magick will reach out to her in the future for a possible "special edition" to enchant us one more time!
February 6, 2024
I'm sad this great series is over. Rue has been one of my favorite heroines of the last few years, and her mother/daughter relationship with "Smarty Fuzz Butt" played out heavily in this book. But if I'm being completely honest, I felt like the ending should have given us more bang. Don't get me wrong, it was good. It just wasn't the smash ending I wanted. I'd love to see more of what's going on with the gang in Samford.
February 20, 2024
A nice ending for the series but I feel like there were a lot of convenient plot turns. Some were a little too convenient.
Overall an enjoyable light reading I would definitely recommend you to check out.
Over and out
Overall an enjoyable light reading I would definitely recommend you to check out.
Over and out
February 7, 2024
5 stars
A 10/10 series.
A 10/10 series.
July 7, 2024
Loved this series!
November 18, 2024
Fajn zakončenie dobrej série.
August 14, 2024
NOTE: Grey Dawn is the tenth and final book in the Black Hat Bureau series. This review contains spoilers from the previous books.
Grey Dawn picks up immediately after the conclusion of the previous book. Clay has been wiped of his memories and is a slave to the Director. He has Colby because she was with him when he was captured. Luca is killing more and more humans by tainting takeout food. Rue is trying to save Aiden’s life and keep Calista satisfied. Rue needs to rebuild Black Hat before all the agents go rogue. Oh, and Rue has to do all of this without magic.
It’s been a journey for Rue, Clay, Asa, and Colby. They’ve fought evil and now they are fighting to save the world. Rue’s world is utter chaos, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The final story in the Black Hat Bureau series is non-stop action and an intensely emotional send off. As the tenth and final book in the series, there isn’t much to say without spoiling the end of the series. It’s a must read for fans of Rue, but it’s also a great exclamation point on the tales. It’s been a joy watching Rue grow from a loner into a leader supported by multitudes of friends and coworkers. The author did a fabulous job with Rue’s character development and romance.
Narration: The story is primarily shared via first person POV of Rue. Richardson uses a strong, confident feminine voice for Rue/the narrator, which suits the character and storytelling. The narrator alters dialogue, giving characters a unique voice, suited to the age, gender, species, etc. Some voices are immediately identifiable, like that for Clay, whose voice is deeper, slower, and large, just like him. I also enjoy Colby, whose young voice sounds a bit cartoonish, which is perfect for the mythological friend. The narrator successfully portrays emotions and has created unique identities for the main characters. There were a few times when I got confused during dialogue. I think part of it is the narration. While the narrator effectively uses multiple voices in distinguishing each character, there are no dialogue tags. So at times the dialogue goes quickly, and I got lost not so much who is speaking, but what they’re talking about.
I wholeheartedly recommend this series to UF fans, but one should start with the first book, Black Hat, White Witch. The journey has been a fun one, and the author does a great job being the series to a satisfying conclusion.
My Ratings:
Narration: A-
Story: A-
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher
Grey Dawn picks up immediately after the conclusion of the previous book. Clay has been wiped of his memories and is a slave to the Director. He has Colby because she was with him when he was captured. Luca is killing more and more humans by tainting takeout food. Rue is trying to save Aiden’s life and keep Calista satisfied. Rue needs to rebuild Black Hat before all the agents go rogue. Oh, and Rue has to do all of this without magic.
It’s been a journey for Rue, Clay, Asa, and Colby. They’ve fought evil and now they are fighting to save the world. Rue’s world is utter chaos, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The final story in the Black Hat Bureau series is non-stop action and an intensely emotional send off. As the tenth and final book in the series, there isn’t much to say without spoiling the end of the series. It’s a must read for fans of Rue, but it’s also a great exclamation point on the tales. It’s been a joy watching Rue grow from a loner into a leader supported by multitudes of friends and coworkers. The author did a fabulous job with Rue’s character development and romance.
Narration: The story is primarily shared via first person POV of Rue. Richardson uses a strong, confident feminine voice for Rue/the narrator, which suits the character and storytelling. The narrator alters dialogue, giving characters a unique voice, suited to the age, gender, species, etc. Some voices are immediately identifiable, like that for Clay, whose voice is deeper, slower, and large, just like him. I also enjoy Colby, whose young voice sounds a bit cartoonish, which is perfect for the mythological friend. The narrator successfully portrays emotions and has created unique identities for the main characters. There were a few times when I got confused during dialogue. I think part of it is the narration. While the narrator effectively uses multiple voices in distinguishing each character, there are no dialogue tags. So at times the dialogue goes quickly, and I got lost not so much who is speaking, but what they’re talking about.
I wholeheartedly recommend this series to UF fans, but one should start with the first book, Black Hat, White Witch. The journey has been a fun one, and the author does a great job being the series to a satisfying conclusion.
My Ratings:
Narration: A-
Story: A-
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher
February 16, 2024
4.5 Stars:)
January 20, 2025
The director’s enemies are circling. His past consorts are wreaking havoc across the United States. Humans are being poisoned in several states with king killer – a black witch group is responsible. Rue and crew are trying to track them down while also searching for the director. Rue is juggling so much – her dad is working with her to get the hunk out of her – but it takes a lot out of her each time he releases one of the holds. Arden is still around and seems very chummy with a vamp and they still don’t have a signed contract to get Aiden back. This is a delightfully wild ride that will stick with me for some time. It was a great ending to this series.
March 19, 2024
Sometimes I just get tired of how one demential and predictable her characters are, but I still enjoy the magic.
February 12, 2024
Lackluster.
August 30, 2024
left me wanting more
I hardly leave negative reviews and I read most everything Hailey writes, but what I don't understand is abruptly ending a story. It seems to be her thing, end the story and start spin offs. Do people need the spin offs? Is there a reason a story can't just move on and involve all the characters and their growth. Other authors seem to be very capable of this, so I just don't understand. I or we get so involved in the main characters' relationship in these stories and then the story ends without any true resolve to the relationships. Ending a series on a cliff hanger. I love this series so much, but now that this is the end and how the book ended, I am disappointed. I am sure others are not and they are craving spin offs, but for me, where does this leave Rue and Asa? Where and what with everyone else. Will Rue and Asa have children? Did i miss them actually mating? Maybe I did. Maybe this is just a way to create another series and drag us readers into it. Is that new spin off going to leave me hanging as well? This really is not a spoiler, other than you know this book will leave you wanting more, especially if you are into the Rue, Asa and Colby relationships. There are other series that go 20 or more books in series and this could be one of those and actually ends naturally and not abruptly. JMO
I hardly leave negative reviews and I read most everything Hailey writes, but what I don't understand is abruptly ending a story. It seems to be her thing, end the story and start spin offs. Do people need the spin offs? Is there a reason a story can't just move on and involve all the characters and their growth. Other authors seem to be very capable of this, so I just don't understand. I or we get so involved in the main characters' relationship in these stories and then the story ends without any true resolve to the relationships. Ending a series on a cliff hanger. I love this series so much, but now that this is the end and how the book ended, I am disappointed. I am sure others are not and they are craving spin offs, but for me, where does this leave Rue and Asa? Where and what with everyone else. Will Rue and Asa have children? Did i miss them actually mating? Maybe I did. Maybe this is just a way to create another series and drag us readers into it. Is that new spin off going to leave me hanging as well? This really is not a spoiler, other than you know this book will leave you wanting more, especially if you are into the Rue, Asa and Colby relationships. There are other series that go 20 or more books in series and this could be one of those and actually ends naturally and not abruptly. JMO
February 14, 2024
When I began reading Black Hat White Witch by Hailey Edwards (a new author to me at the time) little did I suspect I was starting a book series adventure with former black witch trying to leave her wicked ways behind and emulate Holler, her late white witch mother, Rue Hollis and Colby her moth girl lionaire that would last for ten books. In that book Rue has been laying low (hiding from her grandfather and the Black Hat Bureau he runs) living with Colby in the sleepy little town of Samford Alabama, running Hollis Apocathry, making and selling holistic medicines (with a little magic sometimes thrown in) with the help of her two young assistants Arden and Camber. Then one day Clay her former Black Hat partner and only friend shows up with his new partner Asa and notifies her that her grandfather knows where she is and wants her to consult on a case for the Bureau. If she refuses he will expose her true identity to the town destroying the life she’s built for herself and Colby. Thus begins her evolution from reluctant Bureau consultant to its somewhat reluctant director. Gray Dawn the 10th and final book in this series is the bittersweet conclusion to that adventure. While I’m not going to tell you that you must read all 9 previous books in this series to enjoy this one, (it works as a standalone) I will tell you that I can’t imagine myself getting near the enjoyment and probably not understanding all the moving parts of this story if I hadn’t read at least some of them beforehand. At the close of Gray Days the previous book in this series Rue Hollis’s world is in turmoil. The Black Hat compound has been destroyed by Luca a vengeful fairie and her grandfather’s scorned lover, intent on destroying the Bureau, and poisoning enough humans to make the non-para world aware of the existence of paranormals. Her malevolent grandfather the former director of the Bureau has escaped her foiling her plans to trade him to her grandmother Calixta Queen of Hael in exchange for her cousin Aedan’s freedom. Her father has bound her magic so that the grimoire she wears around her neck and hasn’t been able to remove can’t completely take over her being until they find a a way to remove it. Worst of all Clay a golem and her BFF has been taken control of by her grandfather his master and he has her daughter Colby with him. Rue doesn’t even know whom within the Bureau she can trust as some are loyal to her grandfather and others just want to be free of the organization they’d been forced to serve in. So with the help of Asa her mate, her parents, the Mayhew alpha wargs her young human apprentice Arden and a few loyal members of the Bureau a magicless Rue must in no particular order, save Colby and hopefully Clay, recover her grandfather, and stop Luca and remove the amulet that contains the grimoire before it consumes her. See what I mean? If you haven’t read the earlier books it will be easy to get lost in this one.
For those of us who have faithfully read this entire series I think it was a fitting end to Rue’s story. As with all good series where you fall in love with the characters, parting is always bittersweet. You can’t wait to see them get their H.E.A. while being sad knowing like many friendships formed by proximity, your time together is coming to a close. Edwards did a great job of including all the main characters from the previous books in the series. Absent a sentient Clay, Marita and Derry Mayhew the alpha wargs bring their own brand of humor to help lighten the story. In having to live without access to her magic Rue comes to understand just how powerful she is without it and how powerful her magic is without the boost from the sinister grimoire/amulet. Relationships are healed and strengthened, justice is served upon the evil and the good guys live H.E.A.
For those of us who have faithfully read this entire series I think it was a fitting end to Rue’s story. As with all good series where you fall in love with the characters, parting is always bittersweet. You can’t wait to see them get their H.E.A. while being sad knowing like many friendships formed by proximity, your time together is coming to a close. Edwards did a great job of including all the main characters from the previous books in the series. Absent a sentient Clay, Marita and Derry Mayhew the alpha wargs bring their own brand of humor to help lighten the story. In having to live without access to her magic Rue comes to understand just how powerful she is without it and how powerful her magic is without the boost from the sinister grimoire/amulet. Relationships are healed and strengthened, justice is served upon the evil and the good guys live H.E.A.
November 21, 2025
4 feels generous for this one…
Full series review (talk to text so there may be errors because I don’t have an editor or time to meticulously edit.)
The first book particularly hit the sweet spot for me in a lot of ways. Like a lot of books she seemed to get very focused on action, action, action, and forgot about the characters and relationships, and all those story threads she had started on in the beginning. I guess by the end of the series I like the idea of the series and I like the first book there’s nothing particularly wrong with the rest, but it just didn’t hit the same tone.
It’s the general type of story I like etc. I listened to the audiobook version, her voice was fine, but there was a lot of wrong words and it was very noticeable after a while. I’m not sure that it was the narrators fault but I’m pretty sure it was the narrator. I did not keep a list but a lot of words were read as similar sounding words with different meanings. I don’t know if this is true in the print copies also but my feeling/hope is no. At least one error I think may have been printed, in the last book (in a non-pivotal scene) Clay and Colby got mixed up so basically Clay was hugging his own face…
Basically ten books all about the same thing that ultimately is resolved in about 30 minutes at the very end which means not a lot of time to resolve things in a satisfying way.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
OVERALL: After the first book, it lost some of its magic and that is very common because not every book can strike the exact same tone because then you might as well be reading the same book over and over. Worth going through once I don’t see it being a series of return to when I’m looking for a little nostalgia/comfort.
Full series review (talk to text so there may be errors because I don’t have an editor or time to meticulously edit.)
The first book particularly hit the sweet spot for me in a lot of ways. Like a lot of books she seemed to get very focused on action, action, action, and forgot about the characters and relationships, and all those story threads she had started on in the beginning. I guess by the end of the series I like the idea of the series and I like the first book there’s nothing particularly wrong with the rest, but it just didn’t hit the same tone.
It’s the general type of story I like etc. I listened to the audiobook version, her voice was fine, but there was a lot of wrong words and it was very noticeable after a while. I’m not sure that it was the narrators fault but I’m pretty sure it was the narrator. I did not keep a list but a lot of words were read as similar sounding words with different meanings. I don’t know if this is true in the print copies also but my feeling/hope is no. At least one error I think may have been printed, in the last book (in a non-pivotal scene) Clay and Colby got mixed up so basically Clay was hugging his own face…
Basically ten books all about the same thing that ultimately is resolved in about 30 minutes at the very end which means not a lot of time to resolve things in a satisfying way.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
OVERALL: After the first book, it lost some of its magic and that is very common because not every book can strike the exact same tone because then you might as well be reading the same book over and over. Worth going through once I don’t see it being a series of return to when I’m looking for a little nostalgia/comfort.
March 23, 2025
I was kinda disappointed that 90% of the issues were left to be solved in the final book. Therefore it felt so rushed and things were solved almost too conveniently. If the author cut about 50% of the subplots and drama, and put more time and effort into developing the rest, it would have been a much more impactful and compelling read. I don't hate Colby, but I dislike how she pulls all the focus. For example, I like the relationship between Rue and Clay and the closer Clay becomes to Colby, the less we see of him and Rue. I really wanted Rue to be the breakthrough to Clay in this book, considering the decades of their significant relationship but of course it was Colby, who he has know for a few months. Anyway, I really enjoyed the moments with Rue trying to get rid of the Hunk of this one. It showed us her vulnerability and the growing relationship between her and her dad. That subplot was dragging on for so many books, but then it all ended so quickly.
Asa was absent for some of the book, and didn't have much to do on-page. Anything to do with Colby in this one was so corny, like 100 times more corny than other books. We get it, she's so cute and amazing and a genius; it was a bit much how often this was stated. I think I always struggled to connect with her as a moth, because I can't imagine her. Overall it was a fine read. I don't know if I would re-read this series; I loved the first 3 or 4 books and then it all became a bit meh.
Asa was absent for some of the book, and didn't have much to do on-page. Anything to do with Colby in this one was so corny, like 100 times more corny than other books. We get it, she's so cute and amazing and a genius; it was a bit much how often this was stated. I think I always struggled to connect with her as a moth, because I can't imagine her. Overall it was a fine read. I don't know if I would re-read this series; I loved the first 3 or 4 books and then it all became a bit meh.
May 31, 2024
3.75⭐️
I am proud of myself. I completed a series from start to finish without a month long, if not years long, break between books. I wasn't sure about liking this series or its sister series concerning necromancers when I first read it either. I gave both series a second chance and love them both. That is the underlying thread tying both series and their plots. That of second chances. Rue, Colby, Clay, Asa and Aedan, all of them got. second chance at life.
Coming to the action in this book, it was fast paced and like the last 3 books in the series, very jam packed. The final confrontation between all of the big bads in the series - Luca, the Director and the Hunk all happened relatively at the same time. Which was a bit of a let down. Not the showdown, just that it all got lumped together. But that was countered by us getting Clay back! The way he was awakened again was a beautiful moment. I would've loved getting a wedding scene between Asa and Rue with the whole family in attendance but the ending that we got was great too.
All in all I enjoyed this series thoroughly and I am glad I picked it up again after a failed attempt.
I am proud of myself. I completed a series from start to finish without a month long, if not years long, break between books. I wasn't sure about liking this series or its sister series concerning necromancers when I first read it either. I gave both series a second chance and love them both. That is the underlying thread tying both series and their plots. That of second chances. Rue, Colby, Clay, Asa and Aedan, all of them got. second chance at life.
Coming to the action in this book, it was fast paced and like the last 3 books in the series, very jam packed. The final confrontation between all of the big bads in the series - Luca, the Director and the Hunk all happened relatively at the same time. Which was a bit of a let down. Not the showdown, just that it all got lumped together. But that was countered by us getting Clay back! The way he was awakened again was a beautiful moment. I would've loved getting a wedding scene between Asa and Rue with the whole family in attendance but the ending that we got was great too.
All in all I enjoyed this series thoroughly and I am glad I picked it up again after a failed attempt.
January 27, 2025
By Hailey Edwards
Rue and friends still have lots of problems, Clay has been taken over by the director and Colby is with him. Poisoning is still happening and Calixta is more interested in getting the director than actually taking over Hael. The race to fix everything is on.
There are some very interesting actions in this book, several surprises and more danger to everyone.
It was a pretty enjoyable book and I’m very sad the series is over.
There is action, suspense, a lot of surprises, and some humour, again this book is a bit more serious than some of the previous books.
But I did have a couple of problems with the ending, although it is satisfactory, it almost seemed like a couple of chapters were missing.
There are a couple of spoilers below:
There is a gap between solving the director problem and what happens in the next 10 years – nothing is mentioned. Nothing about how the Black Hat agency is doing, whether Rue and Asa or Clay and Morin get married. How Colby and Rue’s parents are doing. Without these answers things felt unfinished.
It’s still a series I would highly recommend and will probably reread.
Rue and friends still have lots of problems, Clay has been taken over by the director and Colby is with him. Poisoning is still happening and Calixta is more interested in getting the director than actually taking over Hael. The race to fix everything is on.
There are some very interesting actions in this book, several surprises and more danger to everyone.
It was a pretty enjoyable book and I’m very sad the series is over.
There is action, suspense, a lot of surprises, and some humour, again this book is a bit more serious than some of the previous books.
But I did have a couple of problems with the ending, although it is satisfactory, it almost seemed like a couple of chapters were missing.
There are a couple of spoilers below:
There is a gap between solving the director problem and what happens in the next 10 years – nothing is mentioned. Nothing about how the Black Hat agency is doing, whether Rue and Asa or Clay and Morin get married. How Colby and Rue’s parents are doing. Without these answers things felt unfinished.
It’s still a series I would highly recommend and will probably reread.
February 17, 2024
I’m so very sad to say goodbye to this series! I think I say that every time I finish one of her series, but it is so true! The way she writes I get so invested in each character that I feel like I know them, and I don’t think I could even name which one is my favorite!
In this final installment Rue is racing to find Colby before her grandfather finds that Clay has her in his pocket. When Clay is controlled by him, he isn’t himself, doesn’t remember people or things and must obey everything he’s told to do, and it breaks him each time he is back to his true self to learn of the things he has done. Rue knows as the director, she needs to put the lives of her fellow agents, other paras plus the human race above the life of one but she just doesn’t know if she’ll be able to do it. If things weren’t complicated enough Luca is now spreading poison throughout the United States and seems to always be just a step ahead of her. If she could just have more hours in the day she might just survive.
In this final installment Rue is racing to find Colby before her grandfather finds that Clay has her in his pocket. When Clay is controlled by him, he isn’t himself, doesn’t remember people or things and must obey everything he’s told to do, and it breaks him each time he is back to his true self to learn of the things he has done. Rue knows as the director, she needs to put the lives of her fellow agents, other paras plus the human race above the life of one but she just doesn’t know if she’ll be able to do it. If things weren’t complicated enough Luca is now spreading poison throughout the United States and seems to always be just a step ahead of her. If she could just have more hours in the day she might just survive.
May 28, 2025
Gray Truths (Black Hat Bureau #10)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
A beautiful ending… and an even more infuriating one.
This final book hits different. Not because it wraps everything up neatly—spoiler: it doesn’t—but because it finally lets Rue be whole. She’s no longer just reacting to chaos; she’s commanding it. And just when she becomes the woman we knew she could be all along—stronger, wiser, powerful without apology—the curtain falls.
The writing?
Definitely tighter. Sharper. The tone matures right alongside Rue. The emotional beats hit harder. The relationships are fully realized, and the stakes feel more personal than ever.
The plot?
Satisfying in that “I didn’t know I needed this” way, with enough danger, heartache, and catharsis to remind you why you stuck around through ten books. Loose ends get tied—but not too tightly. There’s room for hope. Room for spin-offs, maybe. (Hint, Hailey.)
But still, the sadness lingers.
Because just when everything is finally clicking… it ends.
Which is kind of poetic, if you’re into that whole “emotional sabotage by literature” thing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
A beautiful ending… and an even more infuriating one.
This final book hits different. Not because it wraps everything up neatly—spoiler: it doesn’t—but because it finally lets Rue be whole. She’s no longer just reacting to chaos; she’s commanding it. And just when she becomes the woman we knew she could be all along—stronger, wiser, powerful without apology—the curtain falls.
The writing?
Definitely tighter. Sharper. The tone matures right alongside Rue. The emotional beats hit harder. The relationships are fully realized, and the stakes feel more personal than ever.
The plot?
Satisfying in that “I didn’t know I needed this” way, with enough danger, heartache, and catharsis to remind you why you stuck around through ten books. Loose ends get tied—but not too tightly. There’s room for hope. Room for spin-offs, maybe. (Hint, Hailey.)
But still, the sadness lingers.
Because just when everything is finally clicking… it ends.
Which is kind of poetic, if you’re into that whole “emotional sabotage by literature” thing
February 4, 2024
In the tenth and final book of The Black Hat series, Rue must find Colby, after Clay disappeared with her. Clay is under the director’s control and Rue has to believe that Clay will protect her, even when he’s not himself. Of course, that’s not the only urgent matter to be dealt with, Luca is still out there spreading her poison and putting human lives at risk. Rue and her crew must find the director and complete her deal with Calixta as well, plus do something about the magical artifact that is threatening to take her life over. It seems with so many plates in the air, something might have to give, but it won’t be her little moth girl, and everyone knows that finding her is priority number one. There was so much to wrap up in this last book, and it was so hard to put it down when life got in the way, because I had to find out how it all ended up. I’m so happy to say that everything ended just how it should, and I will miss all of these awesome characters so much.
August 3, 2025
This book really wrapped things up so nicely - I am 100% happy and pleasantly surprise. After all the twists and turns along the way, we worked for this one.
So, the last book left two of our favorite team members kidnapped (each in their own way). Rue is, understandably upset and angry at whoever activated the kidnapping. When we finally discover who did that, it seems obvious, but I was with Rue on that one. With hope for rescuing her cousin, Rue is still driving to find him so she could have a trade. To do that, though, we end up going on A LOT of side quests. Oh yeah, and “the hunk” has a definite expiry date for Rue so we also have to manage that threat.
Where do we end up? Well, we get resolution on EVERYTHING. Rue and Asa finally get alone time. Clay ends up getting his HEA. Colby gets more video games, I assume. Lastly, and most importantly, we get a flash forward - thank goodness! This was wonderful and I devoured every moment. This series was so good!
So, the last book left two of our favorite team members kidnapped (each in their own way). Rue is, understandably upset and angry at whoever activated the kidnapping. When we finally discover who did that, it seems obvious, but I was with Rue on that one. With hope for rescuing her cousin, Rue is still driving to find him so she could have a trade. To do that, though, we end up going on A LOT of side quests. Oh yeah, and “the hunk” has a definite expiry date for Rue so we also have to manage that threat.
Where do we end up? Well, we get resolution on EVERYTHING. Rue and Asa finally get alone time. Clay ends up getting his HEA. Colby gets more video games, I assume. Lastly, and most importantly, we get a flash forward - thank goodness! This was wonderful and I devoured every moment. This series was so good!
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