Conquering Reality & Other Misconduct

The Guild Codex: Warped #6

by Annette Marie, Rob Jacobsen

Conman, jailbird, rookie, agent, fugitive…I’ve worn a whole lot of labels over the past year. But the Consilium, AKA the heinous secret league of power-hungry psychos that has been covertly pulling the world’s strings for decades, has slapped a few more on abnormality, keystone of evil, and my personal favorite, “annoying pest that keeps escaping our clutches.”

I’ve battled empaths, mages, demons, rogues, and an astonishing quantity of bureaucratic nonsense, but the Consilium is by far the biggest and most dangerous enemy I’ve ever had the pleasure of clashing with. On my own, I won’t be able to stop the nefarious tide of influence and control they’re spreading across the mythic world.

But with the help of Lienna Shen and my other allies, I’m hoping to earn a few new titles from my ultra-ornery foe, starting with “giant pain in their collective ass” and finishing with “nightmare they never should have messed with.”

I just need to make sure I don’t add “unintentional bringer of the apocalypse” to my resume in the process.

--
Kit's journey from conman to international man of mystery rushes to its epic conclusion in the final book of The Guild Warped. Warped can be read as a standalone series or as part of the larger Guild Codex saga.

The Guild Warped
Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors (#1)
Hellbound Guilds & Other Misdirections (#2)
Rogue Ghosts & Other Miscreants (#3)
More Than A Little Warped (#3.5)
Stolen Sorcery & Other Misadventures (#4)
Mage Assassins & Other Misfits (#5)
Conquering Reality & Other Misconduct (#6)

More series in the Guild Codex
The Guild Spellbound
The Guild Demonized
The Guild Unveiled

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, New Adult, Magic, Fae

442 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 29, 2026

About the author

Annette Marie is the best-selling author of over thirty books, including the expansive urban fantasy series The Guild Codex, epic urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter.

A 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist in Fantasy and an Amazon Charts Bestseller, Annette has sold over 2 million books. Her books have been translated into French, German, Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian, with readers coming back again and again for her addictive blend of fast-paced adventure, tantalizing forbidden romance, and unforgettable characters.

Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minions of darkness. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in her garden or an art project while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

To find out more about Annette and her books, visit www.annettemarie.ca

Reviews

[Teru · Rating 5 out of 5]

No. Nononono. Nope. NAH. There is no way this is the end of GCU 😭💔

The Guild Codex Universe consists of four interconnected series, each one following a different main character. The series can be read as standalones, but there’s also the author’s recommended order so all the plot points go chronologically - and you can bet that one day, I’m gonna do a reread marathon in that order (which I previously didn’t do).

This is not only the last book in the Warped series, but also of the entire GCU, making it number 22 (although I’m absolutely in denial, there MUST be more in the future!). I usually shy away from long series but this is my one exception - I actually have most of them sitting pretty on my shelves, which says a lot (and yes, my account also had a lot to say. Worth it.)

In the Warped series, we follow Kit Morris, a former MagiPol officer, a good silly guy with too much sass and not much of a brain-to-mouth filter, a cinematophile...and now a rogue mage with the biggest bounty on his head in the history of mythics. Everything comes to a head here - the absolute corruption in the mythical hierarchy that’s been slowly creeping in for decades, with not enough people noticing, until the greedy old men amassed enough power to not care if it’s obvious anymore. Well hello, doesn’t that sound kinda familiar to all of us right now?

It’s also the first book with multiple POVs, the main characters from the other series having their last say, and it was SO DAMN EPIC! Like watching all the Avengers coming together for the last time.

If you like urban fantasy and don’t mind MF romantic subplots (because every series has its couple, and I genuinely loved most of them. Coincidentally, Kit and Lienna are my least favorite with the weakest romantic tension, but they’re still a great duo in general), Annette Marie is IT.

Her stories have everything I crave in this genre - fast pace, heart-pounding action, deep emotional connections, interesting magic system with a pretty complex world-building, AMAZING cast of characters that’s big enough without being overwhelming, and finally - one giant found family that makes me more than a little feral.
It’s peak fun and entertainment, making me excited like a kid on Christmas. A bit tropey here and there, but it’s mostly tropes that make me kick my feet in delight, so you won’t see me complaining.

To be completely honest, this last book isn’t among my top favorites in GCU. Some important conversations and reactions to certain revelations between the characters were solely missing; those parts happened off-page, and I almost started to cry because I didn’t get to see it 🥺 The book could have easily been at least a hundred pages longer because so much was happening, and I was missing the opportunity to enjoy the smaller moments and reunions that are as dear to me as the big fights.

But saying goodbye is bittersweet, and the last time I felt this kind of sadness over leaving a story behind was after finishing the Green Creek series. 5-star rating it is, because at the end of it all, I’m sitting here with a wobbly chin, teary eyes, and a hole in my heart where Kit, Tori, Robin, Saber, and all the Crow & Hammer guild members belong.

I won’t stop wishing for more, Annette Marie. I’ll be sitting here, waiting and ready to sell my soul.
(And if that sounds a bit ominous...good.)

Biggest thank you to Annette and Rob for allowing me to be a part of the ARC team for this last hurrah. It's been an honor.

[Noi (in & out)]

WE HAVE A COVER! IT'S REALLY HAPPENING

[Cassandra]

only 8 days left to wait. only 8. i will survive.

edit 5/2/2025: may first 2026??? 6??? is this a cruel joke?? i can't wait, i really can't 😭

Edit 29/05/2025: IT IS HERE!!! IT IS HERE!!! IT IS IN MY HANDS READY TO BE DEVOURED!!! 🥳🤠🥳🥳🥳🥳

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing conclusion to a huge series that I can count amongst my favorites. Not only do we see Kit and Lienna finally battle the corrupt forces they’ve dealt with within the MPD but we also get to see all of the previous characters from the series join them on this quest.

This last book definitely had twists and turns that were both hard to predict and caused even more complications for our two main characters. I’ll be honest, at one point I didn’t see a way out for them. But, alas they managed - with help from some friends of course.

I love everything about this series and if you haven’t read it, you’re missing out on one of the best series out there. I both loved the ending and am simultaneously sad it’s over. Easy five stars. HIGHLY recommend.

[Sam Reads Books *Just the Highlights* · Rating 5 out of 5]

2026: 5.0

So this was basically an anti-ICE manifesto

[Sophia]

When Mage Assassins and Other Misfits concluded, I was strung as taut as a bowstring. How…why…what was that ??? I couldn’t wait for the Warped series conclusion and this grand finale for the whole Guild Codex Universe. The stakes were high and the situation dire. I was jazzed to see how Annette Marie and Rob Jacobsen would finish it.

My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy TBA.

[creohn]

I miss Kit.
I hope you are well again, Annette : )

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from the authors and voluntarily reviewed it.

I was really excited for this one as its the conclusion to the whole Guild Codex saga. And I started this one not long after I received it. Conquering Reality & Other Misconduct is the last book in Kit's series as well as a wrap up for the whole universe and it has point of views from not just Kit, but also plenty of other characters.

I have to say I really struggled getting into this book at first. I checked and it's been 2 years since I read the previous book in this series and I had no clue what had happened and what was going on. It took me a few chapters to slowly start piecing the pieces together, but yeah not a nice feeling and I had wished I had managed to re-read the previous book or have a brief summary of that one first. After that it went a lot smoother and I enjoyed it a lot more.

Kit and Lienna are on the run as they are the most wanted mythics with a big bounty on Kit's head after what he did in the previous book. The evil organization who is after them is consolidating their grip on the magical police and slowly everyone starts to notice something is amiss. The other characters are slowly figuring out what is going on as well as we get some of their point of views as they deal with what's going on. I thought the multiple point of views were a nice touch to check in with the other characters, but at the same time it made the story feel a bit more fragmented jumping across many miles and to different characters. And I felt the other point of views did not add as much as I had hoped, except to really emphasize how much bad stuff the bad guys are doing in Vancouver while Kit is in Europe. I did like the scenes where Kit teams up with some of the characters, I liked when Robin and Zylas join a dangerous mission. And it was fun seeing Kit learn something from Saber and Zak.

This is a very action packed finale to the series. I really wanted to love it and while I liked it, there were also plenty of parts where I struggled with it a bit. Kit is becoming super powerful and it just felt a bit much. I really liked his warp powers, but now he is so much stronger and can do so much more and I just did not find it as interesting. There are some interesting scenes with him trying to get the hang of his pwoers which felt realistic. There are also some moments were I did not get why Kit did something and some scenes where either Kit or the bad guys just seemed to do something not so smart that comes back to hurt them.

Another issue is that it just felt a bit too epic, too much action, too many super big stakes and immense consequences. And it just felt a bit much, but that's probably due to me reading a lot of cozier books with lower stakes. I just missed the softer and gentler moments, I wanted more about the characters, the fun parts and the sweet scenes. Kit is constantly on the run and doing things, which makes sense, but I wanted more of the more normal stuff and seeing him and Lienna spend time together. And I really like these characters and enjoy reading about them, so I just wanted some more of the gentler parts too in this epic series finale.

The big epic battle at the end just felt boring to me and it just felt so over the top. Again this is probably just due to me reading a lot of cozier books recently, but it was just so epic and action packaged compared to a lot of the books I've been reading. There were some parts I liked and there is a lot of cool magic use. I liked the epilogue, but even so I would've liked a bit more to really show how things end up after that big showdown. And I guess I just wanted to read more about these characters.

Despite my issues this was a compelling read and I wnated to keep reading and see what happened next. I liked reading about all the magical powers and seeing how Kit and all the other characters stood up to the evil organization trying to control the mythic world. There is a lot going on with plenty of danger and some interesting reveals.

To summarize: This book wraps up this series and the whole universe. It is told not only from Kit's point of view, but has chapters from other characters their points of views. It is a compelling well written ending to the series and wraps things up well. I enjoyed reading it and seeing how Kit handled things, but there were also some parts that didn't quite hit the spot for me. It had been 2 years since I read the previous book so the first few chapters were a lot of struggling to get back into it. I also struggled with the action packed and epic scale of the book as I've been reading a lot of cozier books lately and missed the more character driven slower moments. This book is filled with things going on and plenty of action. I also didn't really care for how powerful Kit has become and liked his powers in the previous books more, which were already very strong. The big battle at the end felt a bit much to me with a huge scale battle and a lot of action. The ending wraps things up very well and I liked seeing how things got resolved a there's an epilogue that shows what's next for Kit and Lienna as well as some of the other characters. I wouldn't have minded a longer epilogue as it's sad saying goodbye to these characters and world after all these books.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The epic finale to the Guild Codex universe. I always enjoy Kit and Lienna, but I was especially happy to also be back with Tori and Robin, who - along with Saber - all had some POV chapters as the entire Guild Codex family had a part to play in this story. (My favorite Guild Codex sub-series is still a toss-up between Spellbound and Demonized.)
I did realize that I had forgotten a lot of details from the previous books, so now that the series is complete, I definitely plan to return for a full reread soon.

[mith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, what a finale.

I've followed this series since the very beginning, and each new installment made me love the world and its characters a little more each time. Annette Marie is one of my favorite authors, and she—along with Jacobsen—have proved their incredible talent with this breathtaking last book.

When I first found out about the other characters not only making a reappearance, but also have their own points of view, I won't lie... I was skeptical. Typically, other POVs tend to take away from the main story, and oftentimes, just as the momentum had been going, it'll switch to someone else and end right there. None of that happened in Kit's last chapter. If anything, the other characters enhanced his story and added more depth to the adventure and to the story.

That being said, the voices of these other characters did feel disjointed. Granted, it's been a minute since reading the other Guild Codex books, but I didn't really feel any of their personalities—or the other characters'—when they showed up, and it all felt very flat overall.

Still, the nostalgia was nice, as was seeing these characters again.

In regards to Kit, I was kind of hoping for a darker side to him. It felt like, at moments, we would see that, but ultimately it didn't happen and I felt a little disappointed by it. He has always been my least favorite leading character partially due to his constant quips so I never really warmed up to him as I would have liked. But it's nice to see that despite everything, he's still the same personality wise.

I loved the new lore dropped. The world building of this series (as a whole) was always my favorite aspect, and we finally learn more of Kit's powers and the origin behind it. That, sprinkled in with the constant action, made me appreciate Kit's story a bit more.

It feels bittersweet as a reader to come to a series conclusion. When that series had become the entire Guild Codex universe, I was beyond excited to see this multifaceted world from varying angles—mages and demons, guilds and rogues, criminals and agents, it was simply exhilarating. Marie had created such an intricate project here and, as usual, I am in awe. This book was more than what I expected and I loved every minute of it. The twists, the adventure, the stakes were all engaging and exciting to get through.

What a satisfying ending. I can't wait to see what comes next!

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve thought for a long time about this review, how to explain my experience reading through the finale to both the Guild Codex as a multi-series event and also the ending to Kit’s story.

Some of the things I enjoyed in this installment include learning about a new type of magic and well written and interesting magical action scenes.

One of my favorite things about Annette Marie’s books, including 8 books in the Steel and Stone universe and 3 in the Red Winter Universe, as well as these 22 in the Guild Codex universe, is usually the perfect mixture of dynamic characters, mystery, and unique and interesting world building. Unfortunately for the past two Warped books, they have read more as action stories with no character growth or tension. I didn’t actually track it, but if I had to guess 70% of this book is simply action, which left little room for characters to interact. To keep my attention during action scenes, I personally need some sort of character angst or tension, a mystery or backstory to reel me in. While there is a small bit of mystery and world building in the first half of the book, it just wasn’t enough. Additionally, I never felt like the characters were in any real danger. Maybe this is because all of the other characters already had their own happy endings, but the stakes felt low, despite the threat being so high to the mythic community.

[Fahdah · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Kit Morris had finally found his place in the world.
Cue music.
Roll credits."

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
4.5⭐️


A solid ending to this beautiful saga.

My emotions are kind of all over the place over this book, I did enjoy it and am very happy with it. But there's that bitterness of goodbye.

I started this saga of 22 books with Tori's story in early May, and have been devouring every single book up until now. Once I started, I simply couldn't stop. I was hooked.

Each series stood on its own, with intriguing plots and unique characters, I adored every single crumb of it. I love that the plot points and characters overlapped in the books, I was giddy every time a character from another series showed up.


If I had to do a ranking of the series in the saga, I'd say:

1• Demonized (I LOVE ROBIN AND ZYLAS SO MUCH)

2• Unveiled (Loved the focus on fae AND ZAK)

3• Spellbound + Warped (both series are on the same level for me, it dragged at some points but was fun overall)


Now watch me hunt down any new crumb of content for this, because it feels surreal that I finished it.

p.s. I need this saga adapted into a show (it would be awesome)

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic

It was everything I expect from Kit's adventures. Really satisfying end to the series.
I liked how everyone got to be part of the book, and I'm glad Kit finally got his family.

[Katryne · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG SO GOOD!!!

I just LOVE Kit and Lienna but also all the other characters from the other series in this world. What an epic ending and conclusion to the guild codex universe. I gotta read avery book again for sure this is soooo good!

[Amanda Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal conclusion to The Guild Codex. Love all the characters coming together. Fell in love with Kit even more. It was exciting, tense, emotional, and humourous! I'm so sad the series is all over now.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars... Epic conclusion to not only this series but the Guild Codex World overall... Loved hearing the many POVs which allowed the reader to fully sy goodbye to all these memorable characters... Action packed with all the wit and charm of Mr. Kit Morris that we have grown to love, fantastic ending:)

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting/Worldbuilding: 9/10
Main characters: 7/10
Side characters: 9/10
Dialogue: 7/10
Plot: 8/10
Technique: 7/10
Prose: 4/10
Romance: 8/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall enjoyment: 10/10
Total: 79/100 (3.95)

What a perfect, heartwarming send off to the amazing guild codex universe. You MUST read all the series before embarking this one. It will be worth it.

[Phoebe King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe we're here, the end of the Guild Codex Universe. It seems so surreal knowing that after 22 (!!!) books spanning 4 interconnected series, this is the last one! I picked up my first Annette Marie book in 2021 (Red Winter), I absolutely devoured the entire Red Winter series and fell in love with Annette Marie's writing. I then dove into the Guild Codex Universe and followed Annette's recommended reading order. I read through all of them in less than a year and then (im)patiently waited to finish the GC Warped series. Each subseries in the Guild Codex world is based on a portion of the magical world based in Vancouver and settles on a main character with a LI (mostly FMCs but notably warped is an MMC) with an exploration of that subset of the magical universe. My favorite subseries overall is Demonized but I truly adored all of them.

Conquering Reality and Other Misconduct is the six book in the Guild Codex: Warped subseries featuring our MMC Kit Morris and his GF Lienna, who are both on the run from the Consilium and the SI, evil organizations that have infiltrated the deepest potions of the magical government in a bid for power. Kit has gone rogue is at the epicenter of the right with the SI. I'll avoid further discussion on the plot due to spoilers but suffice to say that it was epic! For the first time we have multiple POVs, not only Kit's POV but also get throw backs to Tori, Robin and Saber, which adds another dimension to the story and brought a huge sense of nostalgia. I LOVED seeing the FMCs with all their side characters that I've grown to love, it felt like a homecoming. Each FMC has their own little found family and seeing all of them come together was AMAZING. I loved all of the reveals and explanation we got to so many lingering questions. The ending was fitting and fantastic, not only an epic way to end the GCW series but also a fantastic send-off to the entire GCU. I am still hoping that we can return to this universe in the future (a girl can hope!!).

Things I adored about this book:
- Answers, answers, answers! To all of those burning questions
- Coming together of found family across multiple subseries
- Annette absolutely NAILED the ending, heart pounding and thrilling
- Multiple POVs with throw backs to our FMCs from prior series

Things I would fix if I could:
- I do think it could have been longer, I could have used at least 100 more pages of plot and spending time with cast of characters
- I would have liked to know what Darius was doing, getting his POV for a few chapters would have been so interesting
- I WANT MORE Guild Codex!!!

If you are a fan of Urban fantasy, unique magic systems, multiple interconnected subseries and fantasy with romantic subplot, I highly, highly recommend you pick up this entire series, you will have months of entertainment and honestly I am jealous of anyone who gets to read these amazing books for the first time! I will continue to devour anything Annette Marie writes. Thank you for sharing your amazing writing with us, it has been an absolutely EPIC ride!! It was an honor to be part of the ARC team of such an awesome book, thank you!!

[Lexy Nava · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t wait for this book!

Kit brings the charm as usual. We get POVs from other MC’s in the series. (If, like me, Tori annoys you, then her chapters will have you doing a Lienna eye roll. 🙄) It’s fun to visit those characters again, even if it felt a bit disjointed at times.

In true guild codex fashion, it is fast paced. (a little too fast paced at times.) I felt like we kept jumping into action scenes with no planning. It could’ve been slowed down a little to show those behind the scenes moments. In the other GC books there is usually 1 big bad guy to fight and one POV, so the characters, relationships & plot get to grow. Because this book had SO much going on, (POVs, bad guys, reveals, epic moments, etc) it needed a little more time and detail to flesh out imo.

& leaving a series ender on a cliffhanger (Kit’s powers) is so annoying 😭 whyyyyyyy

also, WHO ARE KIT’S PARENTS !?!? That’s been bugging the shit out of me.

Series Enders are hard books, but I enjoyed spending a little more time with Kit. I just didn’t get that EPIC, heart warming, satisfied feeling I wanted from a big ending like this. I still highly recommend the series as a whole!! But, I’ll have to marinate on this book for a while.

[Yoru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well. Wow. Hard to review without spoiler tbf😂 it was mind-blowing (pun intended xD) and so good! This book have a 100% more serious feeling and less banters and jokes but it is still Kit and his intriguingly funny and surpringly down-to-earth sometimes view of the world eheh. Also we got to have multiple POVs, from all previous MCs in the Guild Codex Universe too!😍
Highly recommend, it's beautiful! Ah but I dont recommend if it's the first you are reading of the series! At the very least read Unveiled and Demonized but I really recommend you to read it in order from Spellbound #1. You will not regret it. This series is such a wonder💜🥰

For everyone else that have already read every books before that one : BUCKLE UP AND GET READY FOR THE RIDE🤩💜

Cue Music.
Roll Credits.

Thank you so much Annette for this masterpiece!!

Cant believe it's already the last book... I'm gonna miss them so much😭😭😭

Note : I had completely forgotten about Biscuit. Probably an auto-preservation mechanism🤣

ARC provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review




-------------------

Under that is ONLY my reading progress comments (and only that so stop there if you aren't interested in spoiler, even slight), which I felt could not really be published as GR progress like usual as it's an ARC with big end-of-series (all the GCU series) spoilers. I tried to make those comments as vague as possible but I'll still say it, there's bits of spoilers!


SPOILER:

Chpt 5 wuuuuut me! Omg did we slightly go back in time? The side story where she got a party for the baby with the gang, Robin and Zylas seems to be after that Warped book, as in chpt 5 she is currently in her second trimester from her first pregnancy!!! I wuuuuut-ed so much lol xD everything has been pretty much in the flow of things so i didn't thing the short side story I've read so long ago was a sort of spoilery one lol although the spoiler isn't really, like, big at all, I still wuuuut-ed xD bcs thought she would have been in her 2nd pregnancy maybe when we got to know she was pregnant in the chpt lol but nope. It's her first pregnancy. The cuties are back inside the womb again for a bit eheh.

Chpt 13 yeeeeees Zak and Kit friendship banters are back babyyyy

Chpt 17 loool the Beauty and the Beast reference xD xD

Chpt 18 omg omg omg is Zak gonna be his mentor!!?? Yeeeees omg, pleeeeease!🤩🤩

Chpt 24: omg! I was not expecting a spell like that!! How could I not!?🤯 I should have at least expect a transfer or similar! OMG It was brilliantly written, with these unreliable POVs😍

Chpt 30: Oh shit. They have a prophet now. Oh no, poor Sabrina!

Chpt 40 lesssgooooo ! Every MCs are in the place now ! Destroy them aaaaall! Chaos incoming!

Chpt 45 omg ! The moment he heard the hooves again! That moment is so cool and classy omg !!! Movie star moment classy! Very Kit💜

That epiloooogueeee omg! And I think I'm stupid 😂😅 bcs I was still thinking about who could the mole be lol didn't think it would that person 🤭

[Lindsey (Lindsey Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This was how we protected our families— by resisting evil wherever it appeared. We protected our families not by barricading our own front doors, but by fighting beside our friends, guildmates, and neighbors.”

I can’t believe I’m writing this review for not only the final Guild Codex: Warped book, but also the final Guild Codex series book overall. It feels like only yesterday that I first fell in love with Tori and her three mages, but it was actually way back in 2018. Today, we are 22 books later, and it is really the end. (Though, is it really, really? I may still be in denial.) I am so happy this series has come into my life, and forever grateful to Annette Marie and Rob Jacobsen for making these characters and their stories so vivid. I know it is a series I will re-read often.

I’m feeling a bit nostalgic, but this book was really one big, action-packed and yet still emotional homage to the series as a whole. It didn’t just wrap up Kit’s story, but also brought back all the main characters from the previous series with their own POVs. I adored being back in Tori, Robin and Saber’s heads for a bit. Everybody really comes together to fight the big bad, corrupt Consilium and that gave me massive found family vibes – and said found family consisted of multiple badass mythics, mages, demons and druids, aka the best kind of found family in my opinion.

That said, Kit still stole the show and proved once again that he’s one of the most memorable main characters in the series. He’s been through such a journey throughout all 6 books, from conman to rookie agent to wanted fugitive, consistently learning more about and growing more into his powers. But with his moral compass and big heart, I’d say he’s the best kind of person to have these powers. All that, and the man still has his quick wit and sense of humor.

This final installment was another epic rollercoaster ride. We quite literally travelled the world with Kit as he’s on the run and that sense of urgency, of never having a moment of peace, really permeated the story. The pace was dauntingly fast, and the stakes are so high that the book was almost impossible to put down.

Overall, this was an epic finale. It gave me everything I wanted for a finale and everything I’ve come to expect from Annette Marie books: an intricate magical world, lovable characters, the best found family vibes, a lot of action and ton of heart. It’s fun, it’s entertaining and it’s highly addictive. It may be over, but I’m ready to start again from the beginning…

Thank you so much to Annette and Jacob for having me on the ARC team for this series. It’s been amazing and an absolute honor.

[CGlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book and really enjoyed it. I don’t think it was the best in the series (I actually gave a couple of 5-star reviews to Kit’s books in the Guild Codex world, and I am one of the toughest 5-star reviewers you can find), but that wasn’t because of Kit, it was because of the other characters. Kit was awesome as always, loved being in his mind, and really enjoyed following his “life as a fugitive” survival adventures. Would have really liked more of those, actually!

Books like this can be tough—the authors need to pack a lot into a book that really does make more sense as a shorter book, so there were many characters and POVs but not where near enough time/space to get into any real depth with any of them. As a result, the other characters besides Kit and Lienna felt more like extended cameos than actual “supporting characters”, which felt a bit like fan service (albeit in an inoffensive way). I’m personally not into that type of thing, but I can understand why others might find it enjoyable.

I also learned during this book (thanks to the multiple points of view) that I REALLY do not care for Tori aside from when she’s working behind the bar. I already knew her series was my least favorite from the Guild Codex world, but I didn’t realize how much more I liked the characters from the other series until everyone was in the same place at the same time in a recurring manner. Tori’s personality just grates on me, and I was glad to have Robin & co. around to lessen Tori’s impact on the story.

However, Kit was great as always, and, for the first time in the series, I started to feel like I was getting to know Lienna a bit more as a character (since she is written in a way that is very “surface-level”, with almost zero depth). As for the plot, I am not sure whether I like or dislike the big question we’re left with at the end (it’s not a cliffhanger, just a question), but I do respect the way it was handled. The reader doesn’t really *need* to know the answer, and to be honest, it really fits Kit’s personality to have that left as a big question mark.

Also, just a side note—the scene that’s around the 79-82% mark really felt like a bit of a gut punch (albeit an inspiring gut punch) in light of the current state of the world, given how hopeless and outnumbered a decent human being can feel in the face of massive waves of people choosing hate instead of love. I was surprised to find it actually helped me feel a lot better about the real-life world, and that feeling is what made me so accepting of that big question that’s left at the end.

Because, whatever the outcome of the question, it was sure fucking worth it, wasn’t it?

[Allison Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has yet to fully sink in that I now have no more Guild Codex books to look forward to. Nonetheless, I have finished the final book in not only Warped but the entire Guild Codex series. This book sees the main protagonists of all 4 subseries interact much more than we've seen before and almost feels like Avengers: Infinity War. The stakes in this book rise for every character and I think this is probably the most intense book in the entire GCU, making it very enjoyable but also in a way making its shortcomings more noticeable.

I genuinely wish this book were longer, as I feel like we really aren't given the time to appreciate everyone's situations with the weight and anticipation that they would have benefitted from. As is, looking back there are some situations in which I feel like it would've made more sense to cut the storyline if it was not going to be elaborated on more, the most obvious instance of this for me is Robin and Zylas being hunted through Europe by SI agents for weeks. There is almost no time dedicated to this, and I feel like it should have more to it.

I also have kind of mixed feelings about the ending of the book. In a way, it feels like it was just a way of getting all of our main characters to belong to the same guild and be working together post-canon. Which, to an extent, I enjoy. But I also feel like it's strange to have Kit leave the MPD to join the Crow and Hammer to be... an agent working for Blythe? We have build up for Lienna wanting to leave the MPD, and that makes sense. But we skip over why Kit leaves the MPD at all, he doesn't really reflect on it, and with him not taking a bounty-hunting position at the guild and having no clarification on what he is doing at the guild other than continuing to work for Blythe, I don't see why Kit needs to leave the agency. Especially when he has reflected on how he wants to return to what his previous life was at one point during the story.

I really would like to say this is 5 stars, given I love Warped, I love Kit, and I had a great time with reading this book. I grinned manically at several sections while reading it. But I do just wish it was at least longer to give more justification to having the extra POVs in there, because while I enjoyed seeing everyone come together for the finale, maybe a little over 400 pages is a bit too short for 5 POVs and 4 connected storylines.

[Katie Pisechko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crow & Hammer, assemble!

What an absolutely amazing end to this incredible journey. I hoped for an epic conclusion to this 22 books series and the authors definitely delivered! Not only was the intensity higher with the grand finale, but the authors also provided us with POVs from the multi-series's other FMCs. It was so great to be able to jump into their perspectives again and see all the different moving parts come together.

Most of the story is still from Kit's POV as he, now on the run, continues to struggle with his powers and his insecurities. Desperate to protect those he loves, he dodges the Consilium while uncovering the history of his power. Even with the stakes higher than ever, Kit continues to keep his clever banter and humorous inner monologs. Hiding behind that comedic relief though, Kit continues to fight his feelings of inadequacy. Despite all the doubt, the story comes to a head where it all comes down to Kit... and it couldn't possibly have wrapped up better!! While trying to avoid spoilers, this whole book I just wanted Kit to see that he is at his greatest strength and power when he is true to himself! While I would have loved for the ending to be even longer, I still can't believe this is the end, it was absolutely everything I hoped it would be and everything I didn't expect it to be!!

From the very start with those "few simple rules" to keeping a job, I have followed all these characters throughout their journeys. While I am happy to get to see how all the numerous threads tied together across all these series, a part of me is sad that it all has come to an end. It has been such an incredible almost eight years in this world. Very rarely do I read a series, especially one as long as this, where I love every character. Annette and Rob manage to not only write amazing MCs, but side characters you crave to have their own spin off because they are just that well written. They truly represented found family so well and that deep connection makes this grand finale even more bittersweet. I think there is plenty to still explore should the authors find themselves missing this world as much as I will miss it. If you haven't read this multi-series yet, what are you waiting for?


Thank you to the authors for the incredible chance to read this ARC!! All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Ro El · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great wrap-up of the series, bringing in all the preceding and ancillary series in the Guild Codex Universe into one Marvel-esque (Mythics assemble!) woven-together well-coordinated conclusion. The Warped sub-series has really good dramatic tension in general and this was no different -- I had to put the book down for a bit in the middle as I struggled, then came right back an hour or so later.

I did get a bit teary at our final (given this book was the finale, this is not a spoiler) cry of: We never hit first but we always hit back!

If you've not read any of the books, you will need to at the bare minimum read the Warped sub-series, but for maximal enjoyment and understanding, you'll have to read all 21(!) books in the series leading up to this.

Kit has grown from a carefree morally grey what-is-he-anyway mythic into something much more interesting and impressive. I really appreciated his arc letting us dig deeper into the history of the world (actual conversations with archaeologists) as well as the exploration of non-American, non-European destinations and languages.

It was definitely a romp, with well-used cameos and sub-plots, painting for us the global scope of the happenings.

If I were to raise criticism, it would be that the big bad (and what was necessary to deal with it) were both so obscenely overpowered... but, OTOH, again, 'Endgame' vibes. Gotta have something typing up the lurking corruption from the previous books to make us really worry about how this is all going to shake out. I guess I would have liked something a bit more complex.

And again, on the other other hand -- I know this has been a lot of work, and I appreciate every moment of that. Annette's recovery has been long and painful, and I'm really grateful this made it through.

It has been an honor to be on many ARC teams along the way (all the way back to the first book) including this one. Thanks Annette, Rob and Jacob!

[Florie Vine · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 rounded up)

This was a really cool ending for both the Kit Morris series and the Guild Codex universe in general, as everyone rallies to combat high-level corruption and the antagonists behind the conspiracy that has grown over the course of the Warped series.

This had everything I like in the Guild Codex books : action, cool magic-related world building, high stakes and impeccable tension management over the course of the book, all the while being character-focused and fun to read.

I enjoyed the “Indiana Jones style” part of the book where Kit and Lienna travel around the world to find answers to Kit’s powers and the antagonists’ plan. But even as things unfold, along with answers, twists and complications, the book picks up to a very satisfying ending.

It is quite rewarding to see how far Kit has come, and how much he’s grown since the beginning of the series. Same for Lienna, who shows her talents and also gets some growth and closure in her personal relationships.

Even though the Guild Codex series are presented as standalone (and they are, to a certain extent, independent from each other in the sense that they each have their own story arc), I would recommend to read all of the series in the recommended order to get the most of this world and characters. This is especially true for this tome, in which we get short pov chapters from the various characters of past series as they all rally to battle the antagonists.

It felt a bit bittersweet, like a heartfelt goodbye to this whole universe, to see what each of the characters has become since their own series, and how they turn out at the end of Kit’s final adventure. It was a very enjoyable way to say goodbye to all of them, although I do hope we’ll get more from the Guild Codex Universe in the future.

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings writing this review, because while I really enjoyed this book and absolutely loved being back in the Guild Codex world one last time, it also left me feeling a little sad and strangely disconnected. (SORRY GUYS! But still, 4 stars so it's not bad! Just not as much as I wanted from Annette and Rob!).

As a finale, this book is HUGE. The stakes are enormous, the action is relentless, and characters from across all four Guild Codex series return to stand together against the corrupt Consilium. If you've loved this world and its incredible cast of characters over the years, seeing everyone reunited is immensely satisfying.

And yet... I also think this was my biggest issue with the book. Because there were so many beloved characters returning and multiple POVs, I often found myself wanting more from my favourites. More page time. More depth. More moments.

Don't get me wrong, every time a familiar character appeared I was ridiculously excited. The first Robin POV? I was grinning like an idiot. Robin and Zylas remain my absolute favourite characters in the entire Guild Codex universe and I was so happy to see them again. But at the same time, a handful of chapters just wasn't enough for me. I wanted MORE.

Kit's story, however, was wrapped up beautifully. Watching his journey across six books - from conman to rogue agent to one of the most powerful mythics in existence - has been such an enjoyable ride. He has grown so much as a character while still retaining the wit, heart and humour that make him so uniquely Kit.

As always, Annette Marie absolutely nails the found family aspect. This entire universe is built on friendships, loyalty and people standing together when everything seems hopeless, and that remains one of my favourite things about these books. Darius, the Crow and Hammer crew, the guild members, mythics, demons, druids - this series has always excelled at making its characters feel like family.

Was this my favourite Guild Codex book? No. For me, nothing will ever quite compare to Demonized and Robin and Zylas's story.

To be fair though, I also think part of my disconnect came from the fact that life has been busy and, unlike usual, I wasn't able to do any rereads beforehand, so I wasn't as immersed in this world as I normally love to be. It wasn't as though I didn't remember who was who or anything - I just usually love to dive in wholeheartedly with everything for weeks and then keep floating along on a cloud of bliss through the latest release. I'm also particularly sad that I didn't get to do that for this, the last (are you SURE sure???) book.

Even so, this was still a thoroughly entertaining, action-packed and ultimately satisfying conclusion to one of my favourite urban fantasy worlds. And honestly? I'm not quite ready to say goodbye yet.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The previous book, Mage Assassins and Other Misfits, caused me a lot of anxiety, but this one was SO ... FREAKING ... STRESSFUL.


It’s hard to talk about Conquering Reality and Other Misconduct without giving away too much, but I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that it brings together a lot of our favorite characters: Kit and Lienna, Tori and the Crow and Hammer crew, Saber and Zak, and Robin and Zylas. As much as I love a good crossover, this time they are all in danger. Every time it seemed like things couldn’t possibly get worse, they somehow did. Then, just when it feels as though there’s no way out, Annette Marie and Rob Jacobsen masterfully tie all the threads together in a way that feels both natural and unforced, and the result is spectacular.


After more than 20 Guild Codex books, you would think we’d know everything there is to know about the characters, but Annette and Rob continue to surprise their readers. Ever since the first Warped book, Kit has been one of my favorites. He’s funny, sarcastic, and always ready with a pop-culture reference at exactly the right moment, and over the course of the series, we’ve watched him grow tremendously as a person. Along the way, he has also gained and mastered several new abilities. Conquering Reality and Other Misconduct gives us some more insight into the why and how behind his powers. And while everyone eventually works together to face the danger, this is very much Kit’s story, and he is definitely the hero.


From the very beginning, Kit’s books — and the Guild Codex books in general — have offered the perfect blend of mystery, action, suspense, humor, and romance. There’s truly something for everyone. Conquering Reality and Other Misconduct is no exception. I think most GC readers will see it as an epic ending to an amazing series, and I highly recommend it!

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I just want to say thank you to Annette Marie for giving me an ARC of this book to read in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given, offered, or taken to alter the opinion.

Conquering Reality & Other Misconduct is the sixth and final book in The Guild Codex: Warped series. Not only is it the conclusion to its own series, but it also serves as the grand finale of the entire Guild Codex universe, bringing together Spellbound, Demonized, Unveiled, and Warped for one last adventure. And honestly? I'm not sure I'm emotionally prepared to say goodbye to this world.

It took me a little while to remember all the details from Mage Assassins & Other Misfits since it had been two years since its release, but I found myself slipping back into the Guild Codex world with ease. One thing I had definitely missed was Kit's personality. His humor, endless movie references, and pop-culture commentary never fail to make me laugh, even in the middle of the chaos.

This book moves at a relentless pace, carrying readers from one high-stakes situation to the next. I was completely hooked and on the edge of my seat the entire time. I especially loved that we didn't just get Kit's perspective—we also got POVs from beloved characters across the Guild Codex universe, including Tori, Robin, and Saber. Seeing these fan-favorite characters return and play a role in the final battle made the experience feel even more special.

Exciting, tense, emotional, and hilarious, Conquering Reality & Other Misconduct delivered everything I wanted from a Guild Codex finale. It was an epic conclusion to a world I've loved for years, and while I'm heartbroken to see it end, I couldn't have asked for a more satisfying sendoff.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am definitely not ready to say goodbye to world of Guild Codex. Having said that, this is about as good a way to wrap it up as I could imagine.

I was VERY confused at the beginning, feeling like I’d missed a short story or a book somewhere. However, the story clarified itself and stayed on track after the second chapter. I can only assume that I really did miss something or it was intentional. I can say that the confusion probably accurately reflects how the characters are feeling in those moments, so I can live with it.

We get so many POV in this book, it’s amazing. We see Kit, Lienna, Aaron, Tori, Saber, Zak, Robin….And outside of the POV, we see all our favorite characters again. I thought “Mage Assassins & Other Misfits” brought all the series together pretty well, but THIS, this is what we’ve really been waiting for.

The Mythic world is upended. The MPD has been infiltrated. The Guilds are not safe. Those who have been trying to fix the system are now the hunted. Primary on that list is Kit: former MPD agent and a type of mythic no one really understands. He has to learn to harness his powers or risk losing it all. The entire mythic world is relying on him to stay just one step ahead of the bounty hunters. The mundane world doesn’t know it, but they are too.

Can Kit learn what his powers really are and how to harness them before time runs out? Can Darius keep ahead of the Consilium and convince the other Guilds to intervene before all is lost? Will teaming up be enough to set things to right, or will our Guildeds, Druids, Demons, and Agents fall? Most importantly, what will be the cost for the magic required to beat the Consilium at a game no one even knew they were playing…