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The Spoken Mage #1-4
The Spoken Mage: Complete Series
In Elena's world words have power over life and death - but none more so than hers.
As the daughter of shopkeepers, Elena has always known that the mysteries of reading and writing are closed to her. Only the mageborn can risk harnessing the power unleashed from putting pen to paper. Until Elena discovers an impossible new ability and joins the elite ranks of the mages.
But with the kingdom at war, the authorities can't agree if Elena is an asset, or a threat they need to eliminate. Thrust into the unknown world of the Royal Academy without friends or experience, Elena will need all of her wits, strength, and new power to carve a place for herself.
Except as the threats to both Elena and the kingdom mount, wits and strength won't be enough. Elena will have to turn to new friends and an enigmatic prince to unlock the mysterious potential of her words - because both her life and her people depend on her becoming stronger than she ever dreamed possible.
If you enjoy strong heroines, fantasy worlds, adventure, intrigue, and romance, then try the Spoken Mage series now. Available for a reduced price in this complete series set.
As the daughter of shopkeepers, Elena has always known that the mysteries of reading and writing are closed to her. Only the mageborn can risk harnessing the power unleashed from putting pen to paper. Until Elena discovers an impossible new ability and joins the elite ranks of the mages.
But with the kingdom at war, the authorities can't agree if Elena is an asset, or a threat they need to eliminate. Thrust into the unknown world of the Royal Academy without friends or experience, Elena will need all of her wits, strength, and new power to carve a place for herself.
Except as the threats to both Elena and the kingdom mount, wits and strength won't be enough. Elena will have to turn to new friends and an enigmatic prince to unlock the mysterious potential of her words - because both her life and her people depend on her becoming stronger than she ever dreamed possible.
If you enjoy strong heroines, fantasy worlds, adventure, intrigue, and romance, then try the Spoken Mage series now. Available for a reduced price in this complete series set.
Audible Audio
Published May 2, 2024
527 people are currently reading
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About the author
Melanie Cellier
126 books2,764 followersMelanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels.
She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
September 11, 2020
This series blew me away. It was absolutely amazing. I read the first book on a whim, doubtful that I'd like it simply because fantasy isn't the genre I normally read. Well, let's just say this series made me want to read a lot more fantasy books because wow!
A slow-burn, forbidden love story, a war, tons of action, plenty of intrigue, nail-biting suspense, memorable characters... this series pretty much had it all. The world was extremely neat as well as the character's abilities to create or destroy with words. I found it so fascinating.
I binge read this series because I just couldn't put these books down. I would definitely recommend them, whether you are a fantasy lover or not, you should check them out.
They are clean which is always something I appreciate so much, and the violence isn't too graphic in my opinion. Although they are perfect for teens, I think adults can enjoy them all the same. Anyways, I just wanted to leave a review because it was an awesome series and deserves a one! :)
A slow-burn, forbidden love story, a war, tons of action, plenty of intrigue, nail-biting suspense, memorable characters... this series pretty much had it all. The world was extremely neat as well as the character's abilities to create or destroy with words. I found it so fascinating.
I binge read this series because I just couldn't put these books down. I would definitely recommend them, whether you are a fantasy lover or not, you should check them out.
They are clean which is always something I appreciate so much, and the violence isn't too graphic in my opinion. Although they are perfect for teens, I think adults can enjoy them all the same. Anyways, I just wanted to leave a review because it was an awesome series and deserves a one! :)
September 22, 2022
So many people have recommended this series to me when I ask for a fantasy romance with a prince as the love interest. Don't ask me why I sat on this, but I did.
I loved this series so freaking much. Every single book was pretty much a 5-star for me. You've got an utterly unique magic system (which I won't spoil), a forbidden romance, and man does that romance build. There is no insta-love here.You actually get to see the relationship between Elena and Lucian grow from mild dislike, to I love you but, - to "I'm all in*
Lucian is such a sweetheart. And is so torn with his duty vs his love. Elena, likewise, is always trying to do the right thing and use her immense power for good. She is the bridge between the illiterate peasants and magical folk who look down on them, and she is VERY aware of her stance and the issues that come with it.
There is quite a bit of war and strategy too if you're into that, but at it's essence it's an academy read (which is one of my favorites!)
I see this as a definite re-read in the future and I'm so excited to read the spin -off about her daughter!
I loved this series so freaking much. Every single book was pretty much a 5-star for me. You've got an utterly unique magic system (which I won't spoil), a forbidden romance, and man does that romance build. There is no insta-love here.You actually get to see the relationship between Elena and Lucian grow from mild dislike, to I love you but, - to "I'm all in*
Lucian is such a sweetheart. And is so torn with his duty vs his love. Elena, likewise, is always trying to do the right thing and use her immense power for good. She is the bridge between the illiterate peasants and magical folk who look down on them, and she is VERY aware of her stance and the issues that come with it.
There is quite a bit of war and strategy too if you're into that, but at it's essence it's an academy read (which is one of my favorites!)
I see this as a definite re-read in the future and I'm so excited to read the spin -off about her daughter!
October 3, 2025
This is a fun series that is easy to get into if you like magic and fantasy. The concept of not being allowed to read without causing an explosion, and the "chosen one" being able to cast magic with her voice while others learn to write it, is unique! The slow-burning romance keeps you on the edge of your seat, but still leaves a little more to be desired by the end of the book. I love the growth of the main character and the political development in this story; I'm not usually one who is interested in political development in fantasy, but Cellier had me intrigued.
August 8, 2022
Still love this series and I really enjoyed this narrator. 🙂
April 17, 2021
3.5 stars. The story was interesting but the characterization was all over the place. Primary characters were 16-19 years old but at times, depending on the situation, acted either 30 years old or 12 years old. Ultimately, the series was a bit drawn out while unexpectedly the ending seemed a bit simplistic and rushed. I sort of recommend it, but if you have something else on your shelf I'd read that first.
June 28, 2021
Another young adult set of novels with magic at it's center. This time, the magic pretty much holds together, with well thought-out rules and consistency in how they're applied, which is nice.
Magic can only be accessed by the written word and only mages are allowed to read & write because if commoners do they can trigger a catastrophic release of energy that has the potential to level whole villages. Wren, a commoner, accidentally sees a piece of paper with writing on it and, later that day, accidentally saves her family by saying a single word out loud. This triggers an investigation by the mages who assume she is a previously unidentified mage because her "spell" included control that only mages can have. She is rushed off to the Academy where they discover that she can not read nor write but can speak spells where all other mages have to write them.
The books follow each of her four years at the Academy where she learns how to use her magic in a world where she is unique. And, of course, falls in love with the Prince (who she initially dislikes intensely). Various political factions first try to eliminate her and then try to use her for their own purposes, so she is alternately protected and threatened and creates her own alliances within the Academy and, eventually, with one of the powerful houses that control the government. All of this while a seemingly interminable war rages on the border.
Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed 98% of these books. My quibbles with it are: eventually Wren gains almost unlimited powers and, while the author manages to make this fairly logical within the framework of magic she's set up, it still feels contrived; and, near the end of the series, Wren & her boyfriend do the most stupid thing they can think of (even given that teenagers can do pretty stupid things) and I had to put the book down for a few weeks before I could finish it.
I would recommend these books overall, even for those of us who haven't been young adults for a long time.
Magic can only be accessed by the written word and only mages are allowed to read & write because if commoners do they can trigger a catastrophic release of energy that has the potential to level whole villages. Wren, a commoner, accidentally sees a piece of paper with writing on it and, later that day, accidentally saves her family by saying a single word out loud. This triggers an investigation by the mages who assume she is a previously unidentified mage because her "spell" included control that only mages can have. She is rushed off to the Academy where they discover that she can not read nor write but can speak spells where all other mages have to write them.
The books follow each of her four years at the Academy where she learns how to use her magic in a world where she is unique. And, of course, falls in love with the Prince (who she initially dislikes intensely). Various political factions first try to eliminate her and then try to use her for their own purposes, so she is alternately protected and threatened and creates her own alliances within the Academy and, eventually, with one of the powerful houses that control the government. All of this while a seemingly interminable war rages on the border.
Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed 98% of these books. My quibbles with it are: eventually Wren gains almost unlimited powers and, while the author manages to make this fairly logical within the framework of magic she's set up, it still feels contrived; and, near the end of the series, Wren & her boyfriend do the most stupid thing they can think of (even given that teenagers can do pretty stupid things) and I had to put the book down for a few weeks before I could finish it.
I would recommend these books overall, even for those of us who haven't been young adults for a long time.
August 21, 2025
There is truly so much to love about this series. I was gripped from start to finish, and it is without a doubt exactly the sort of young adult book I would have loved reading as a teen (when I hated the genre).
World-building:
One of the aspects of this story that stood out for me from the start is the unique magic system. I have never before come across such an intriguing concept! And the author then built an utterly perfect culture around the basis of what life with this sort of magic would look like. it's brilliant and lends itself perfectly to some really intriguing insights into class differences and the types of prejudices they bring with them.
Romantic relationship:
Lucas and Elena grow so much as a couple, and I really enjoyed the antagonists-to-lovers to team-you're-rooting-for approach the author took with them. By the end of the series, they're an absolutely believable power couple, and I really loved how they learned to support each other in wholesome ways and don't lay blame when things go wrong, but instead work together to solve the issue. I also appreciate that Elena had to stand her ground and stand up for herself, forcing Lucas to treat her as an equal before she allowed their relationship to develop into a romantic one. That sort of self-respect is so rare, especially in YA fantasy and I was truly impressed by how well the author pulls it off.
Friendships:
In addition to the romantic relationship, the friendships are what I loved most about this series. Elena's friends are simply the best. How they are established was beautiful. And the fact Elena learns to trust her friends to take care of themselves and to help her, even though she's very much a character who fits the "chosen one" trope, was a delightful surprise. I love that Elena doesn't have to do everything herself and can rely on her friends, and I truly appreciate how carefully the author shows Elena learning these lessons. A lot of fantasy, especially YA and romantasy has the FMC doing everything alone, and this series makes for a very refreshing break from that.
All in all, I highly recommend this series. It's a wonderful read.
World-building:
One of the aspects of this story that stood out for me from the start is the unique magic system. I have never before come across such an intriguing concept! And the author then built an utterly perfect culture around the basis of what life with this sort of magic would look like. it's brilliant and lends itself perfectly to some really intriguing insights into class differences and the types of prejudices they bring with them.
Romantic relationship:
Lucas and Elena grow so much as a couple, and I really enjoyed the antagonists-to-lovers to team-you're-rooting-for approach the author took with them. By the end of the series, they're an absolutely believable power couple, and I really loved how they learned to support each other in wholesome ways and don't lay blame when things go wrong, but instead work together to solve the issue. I also appreciate that Elena had to stand her ground and stand up for herself, forcing Lucas to treat her as an equal before she allowed their relationship to develop into a romantic one. That sort of self-respect is so rare, especially in YA fantasy and I was truly impressed by how well the author pulls it off.
Friendships:
In addition to the romantic relationship, the friendships are what I loved most about this series. Elena's friends are simply the best. How they are established was beautiful. And the fact Elena learns to trust her friends to take care of themselves and to help her, even though she's very much a character who fits the "chosen one" trope, was a delightful surprise. I love that Elena doesn't have to do everything herself and can rely on her friends, and I truly appreciate how carefully the author shows Elena learning these lessons. A lot of fantasy, especially YA and romantasy has the FMC doing everything alone, and this series makes for a very refreshing break from that.
All in all, I highly recommend this series. It's a wonderful read.
February 20, 2024
Interestingly, I preferred the Hidden Mage series, and not just because it has less biting of lips, lol.
I found what felt like plot holes in this one. And if not that, then certainly there were contradictions where "ABC" was absolutely possible, except when they actually needed it and then they either couldn't decide fast enough or...forgot it was an option?
Eleanor seriously needs a keeper, in my opinion. She makes a decision big enough to swallow the planet Jupiter on her own (No, she didn't have to.) and I just about reached into the book to wring her neck. Luckily for her, it turned out so much better than it had any business doing.
I would've loved some more backstory on Bri (my favorite side character from the Hidden Mage series) and if M.C. ever decides to write in the return of the (spoiler), then I'll be all over it.
Oh. I don't mean to nitpick, but in Hidden Mage, their story of how the war ended seemed distinctly different from what happened in this series. I'd say more except I'm afraid I'd get bopped over the head by the library fairies for spoiling one or both series for someone else, lol.
Great series for backstory. Incredible character development, world building, etc.
I found what felt like plot holes in this one. And if not that, then certainly there were contradictions where "ABC" was absolutely possible, except when they actually needed it and then they either couldn't decide fast enough or...forgot it was an option?
Eleanor seriously needs a keeper, in my opinion. She makes a decision big enough to swallow the planet Jupiter on her own (No, she didn't have to.) and I just about reached into the book to wring her neck. Luckily for her, it turned out so much better than it had any business doing.
I would've loved some more backstory on Bri (my favorite side character from the Hidden Mage series) and if M.C. ever decides to write in the return of the (spoiler), then I'll be all over it.
Oh. I don't mean to nitpick, but in Hidden Mage, their story of how the war ended seemed distinctly different from what happened in this series. I'd say more except I'm afraid I'd get bopped over the head by the library fairies for spoiling one or both series for someone else, lol.
Great series for backstory. Incredible character development, world building, etc.
January 16, 2023
After reading many of Melanie Cellier's novels, I realized I hadn't even started this series, and wow I was missing so much. I loved Elena and Lucas as the main characters and their slow, slow burn love story. I loved the friendships Elena continued to develop along the way with all the students in her year at the academy. I also enjoyed watching Elena develop as a character and learn the intricacies of the upper tier of society. I devoured this series and was really glad I had a 3 day weekend to binge read the majority of this, especially with all the characters to keep track of.
This said, it's hard to rank all 4 books together. Book 4 was definitely my least favorite. In books 1-3 there was all this time spent building relationships that weren't there in book 4. I know part of this was the character development we were supposed to watch in Elena, but I missed this. Book 2 was probably my favorite because we got to see Elena learn so much more about her powers and use them in a wider variety of situations and applications.
I definitely will be reading the add-on 5th book in this series.
This said, it's hard to rank all 4 books together. Book 4 was definitely my least favorite. In books 1-3 there was all this time spent building relationships that weren't there in book 4. I know part of this was the character development we were supposed to watch in Elena, but I missed this. Book 2 was probably my favorite because we got to see Elena learn so much more about her powers and use them in a wider variety of situations and applications.
I definitely will be reading the add-on 5th book in this series.
March 5, 2023
This is series is incredible, and the spin-off series is even better! I really liked the mechanics of the magic. It felt well thought out and completely unique. I loved the way it addresses class inequality. The political intrigue was delightful.
The main character was slow to learn with people/politics, which got a bit frustrating times, but I’m glad she had some clear weaknesses. It was a bit painful to experience in the 2nd-3rd books. She grew immensely in the summer between books 3 & 4. I wish we’d gotten to see more of the progression of her improving her political skills.
The romance feels pretty realistic and wholesome. I loved seeing the characters decide how they feel about each other and then deciding if it’s worth the effort of being together while external and internal factors make it seem nearly unattainable.
Overall, the Spoken Mage Series is a delightful combination of unique magic, political intrigue, romance, and even a touch of mystery. It’s a series that I will likely revisit. I can’t wait to share it with my future kids one day.
The main character was slow to learn with people/politics, which got a bit frustrating times, but I’m glad she had some clear weaknesses. It was a bit painful to experience in the 2nd-3rd books. She grew immensely in the summer between books 3 & 4. I wish we’d gotten to see more of the progression of her improving her political skills.
The romance feels pretty realistic and wholesome. I loved seeing the characters decide how they feel about each other and then deciding if it’s worth the effort of being together while external and internal factors make it seem nearly unattainable.
Overall, the Spoken Mage Series is a delightful combination of unique magic, political intrigue, romance, and even a touch of mystery. It’s a series that I will likely revisit. I can’t wait to share it with my future kids one day.
July 20, 2021
The storyline is not new - commoner is discovered to have ability limited to nobility, said commoner is forcibly inducted into nobility, royalty develops interest in said former commoner, chaos ensues. I find Elena to have and insist on using a refreshing amount of common sense as she navigates the various shoals, hidden and unhidden, politically and socially. I also find Elena to be refreshingly human (not as ideal as a vestal virgin statue) in that she is inversely snobbish, has a tendency to speak before she thinks and tends to see only what is directly in front of her until hit over the head with a metaphorical hammer. Despite her flaws or perhaps because her flaws, Elena ends up sweeping her noble academy mates with her as she steps out to change her world - hopefully for the better. Elena is proof that a single person, a single female person, can change the world even as the world changes her.
February 28, 2021
A masterpiece of story telling
Wow what a series. It follows the story of Elena who grew up surrounded by oppression of the higher class (the mages) only to accidentally discover she was so much more than they could ever comprehend. We watch her face societal prejudices and gradually overcome them making new friends and gradually being accepted for who she is. We are taken through her four years in the academy surviving a variety of attempts to harm or abduct her whilst watching her fall in love with the one man who is forbidden to her. This story sucks you in from the start and keeps you gripped till the end in a wonderful masterpiece of story telling. I will be getting the next books which follow on
Wow what a series. It follows the story of Elena who grew up surrounded by oppression of the higher class (the mages) only to accidentally discover she was so much more than they could ever comprehend. We watch her face societal prejudices and gradually overcome them making new friends and gradually being accepted for who she is. We are taken through her four years in the academy surviving a variety of attempts to harm or abduct her whilst watching her fall in love with the one man who is forbidden to her. This story sucks you in from the start and keeps you gripped till the end in a wonderful masterpiece of story telling. I will be getting the next books which follow on
July 14, 2021
Love love love this series!!! It has all my favorite elements: court intrigue, mystery, and forbidden romance. If you’re into all these three, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES! I mean, who doesn’t love forbidden romance??
This series has kept me on my toes always anticipating the next events. I just finished reading the last installment and yet i’m already itching for a reread. This book deserves all the 5🌟 ratings in the world.
To Melanie Cellier, thank you thank you for bringing the world of Ardann into my life! Will surely miss Elena and Lucas and all the characters, heck i think i might even miss the Ellingtons too 🤪🤪 but can’t wait to dig in the next sequel that will feature the next generation.
Oh Lucas, you’ll always be in my heart. 🥰🥰
This series has kept me on my toes always anticipating the next events. I just finished reading the last installment and yet i’m already itching for a reread. This book deserves all the 5🌟 ratings in the world.
To Melanie Cellier, thank you thank you for bringing the world of Ardann into my life! Will surely miss Elena and Lucas and all the characters, heck i think i might even miss the Ellingtons too 🤪🤪 but can’t wait to dig in the next sequel that will feature the next generation.
Oh Lucas, you’ll always be in my heart. 🥰🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2022
Academy series with a difference
This series was a bit slow in the beginning and I was struggling to immerse myself in the story. Lucas was hard to like at first and the series seemed to follow the same generic formula. It got interesting around the second book although the romance was really non existent. A quick kiss at the end of the books and a lot of angst not being together. I liked Coralie, a great best friend and confidant, Finnegan was a flirt but he had a genuine side to him too. The series did get better as it progressed but I would have liked more romance and action earlier on. A different take on most Academy series that I have read. The Spoken Mage Series took a bit to get into but I did enjoy the series.
This series was a bit slow in the beginning and I was struggling to immerse myself in the story. Lucas was hard to like at first and the series seemed to follow the same generic formula. It got interesting around the second book although the romance was really non existent. A quick kiss at the end of the books and a lot of angst not being together. I liked Coralie, a great best friend and confidant, Finnegan was a flirt but he had a genuine side to him too. The series did get better as it progressed but I would have liked more romance and action earlier on. A different take on most Academy series that I have read. The Spoken Mage Series took a bit to get into but I did enjoy the series.
December 13, 2023
Very captivating
Common born Elena of Kingslee discovers she has a powerful ability that causes division throughout the kingdom.
A kingdom where only the mage born may learn to write because written words have power; power that can cause the most incredible things to happen.
Elena has the power of a mage, and yet she can not read or write. Taken away from her family, she's thrust into the world of the mage at The Academy. Her classmates look down upon her, and she has plenty of things to overcome, not least the risk of execution before her first year has passed.
But Elena is learning more than just mage and combat skills. She's learning how to create change; changes that will affect the whole continent by the end.
Common born Elena of Kingslee discovers she has a powerful ability that causes division throughout the kingdom.
A kingdom where only the mage born may learn to write because written words have power; power that can cause the most incredible things to happen.
Elena has the power of a mage, and yet she can not read or write. Taken away from her family, she's thrust into the world of the mage at The Academy. Her classmates look down upon her, and she has plenty of things to overcome, not least the risk of execution before her first year has passed.
But Elena is learning more than just mage and combat skills. She's learning how to create change; changes that will affect the whole continent by the end.
March 16, 2021
Great books!
I LOVED this series. It’s the best set of sword and sorceress (or in this case sword and mange) books I’ve read in years. While the books could stand alone or be read out of order, they’re that well written, I suggest reading them in order for greatest enjoyment. Warning, the characters and the storyline are addictive. I read them straight through all four books and was glad I had all four. Each book individually ends at a logical stopping point, not one of those annoying cliffhangers, but I just couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Cannot recommend highly enough.
I LOVED this series. It’s the best set of sword and sorceress (or in this case sword and mange) books I’ve read in years. While the books could stand alone or be read out of order, they’re that well written, I suggest reading them in order for greatest enjoyment. Warning, the characters and the storyline are addictive. I read them straight through all four books and was glad I had all four. Each book individually ends at a logical stopping point, not one of those annoying cliffhangers, but I just couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Cannot recommend highly enough.
March 20, 2025
A solid fanatsy and over all liked the series but i felt like it vould have been so much more. Every time the plot started to get interesting i feel like the author choose fastest and easiest way out which ended up in anticlimactic endings to almost all the scenes with suspense. I loved the magic system also and would have wanted to know more about it. So yeah great potential over all but quite did not scratch the itch i was craving for. Almost tho actually the best way to describe this series to me is the feeling shen your back is itching but you can not quite reach the spot. So close and you only need a tiny bit more to reach but your hand just wont get any longer than it is.
April 27, 2021
A hidden gem, surprisingly good!
A hidden gem, this series is surprisingly good! The writing is well done, the plot is fantastic, and the world building is just right, with enough to let your mind fill in the rest. I love the characters, especially Elena the main character, she has quite the personality. The characters evolve throughout the books as experience shapes them. The plot is tied together from the very first book, and only hindsight lets you realize it in the end. I highly recommend this series!
A hidden gem, this series is surprisingly good! The writing is well done, the plot is fantastic, and the world building is just right, with enough to let your mind fill in the rest. I love the characters, especially Elena the main character, she has quite the personality. The characters evolve throughout the books as experience shapes them. The plot is tied together from the very first book, and only hindsight lets you realize it in the end. I highly recommend this series!
July 15, 2022
I always like to start by saying I listened to the audio version of this book. I can't remember how I came across this title, but I am so glad I did! I was going on a multi-state roadtrip with my mother and needed something we could both potentially enjoy. The Spoken Mage trilogy fit the bill perfectly! It had magic, teenage angst, simple romance, and addressed societal ills seamlessly through the plot. We laughed, smirked, nodded at each other, and had tears a time or two while we listened. It was a great series!
May 14, 2024
Decent writing and interesting magic system. It relief heavily on all the YA tropes: girl discovers special powers, outsider at school, gains acceptance by being badass, finds true love via balls and pretty dresses, etc. But overall they flowed well. I did wish a bit that the heroine was less Mary Sue and the writing was a bit less anachronistic (It just seems weird for people to talk about "hanging out" or say "she is good people" when they have to ride horses to get around and light. Luckily the narrator had a very atmospheric accent, which helped overcome this a lot!)
September 4, 2024
Amazing!!!
I got this with the audio for my 11 year daughter and she was consumed by it. Her time outside of school was spent listening to this series until it was finished.
She said it was her favourite series to date! She loved the characters and the world building, she said her favourite character was Elena. She’s now requested the set in paperback for Christmas.
She highly recommends and loved the audio cos she could complete her jobs without giving up precious reading time :)
I got this with the audio for my 11 year daughter and she was consumed by it. Her time outside of school was spent listening to this series until it was finished.
She said it was her favourite series to date! She loved the characters and the world building, she said her favourite character was Elena. She’s now requested the set in paperback for Christmas.
She highly recommends and loved the audio cos she could complete her jobs without giving up precious reading time :)
September 5, 2020
Oh my goodness!
This story kept getting better with each book. The world with its magical system, political intrigue, strengths, and weaknesses was very cleverly put together. It was a joy seeing all the characters and their relationships develop throughout the series. I would say the last 2 books are very fast paced and full of so many surprises! Melanie has proven that she can write in multiple genres, and once again this is a great uplifting story.
This story kept getting better with each book. The world with its magical system, political intrigue, strengths, and weaknesses was very cleverly put together. It was a joy seeing all the characters and their relationships develop throughout the series. I would say the last 2 books are very fast paced and full of so many surprises! Melanie has proven that she can write in multiple genres, and once again this is a great uplifting story.
February 21, 2021
Spoken Mage
The Spoken Mage series was right up my alley. It had a strong female lead, a unique, well explained magic system and even a brooding love interest! Though I felt the romance could have done with a bit more development (wasn't really sure what drew Elena to the Prince besides his looks), I still really enjoyed the plot. There were some great fight scenes and some lasting friendships. Would definitely recommend and look forward to reading the sequel series.
The Spoken Mage series was right up my alley. It had a strong female lead, a unique, well explained magic system and even a brooding love interest! Though I felt the romance could have done with a bit more development (wasn't really sure what drew Elena to the Prince besides his looks), I still really enjoyed the plot. There were some great fight scenes and some lasting friendships. Would definitely recommend and look forward to reading the sequel series.
May 12, 2021
A truly exceptional new series.
As an avid, even compulsive, life-long reader, I was intrigued by the premise of magic being tied to the written word, and this series did not disappoint. From the written word, to the spoken word, the series explores how power is exercised, but in a subtle and understated way.
The characters are engaging, the storylines interesting, and it was an all-around good read!
As an avid, even compulsive, life-long reader, I was intrigued by the premise of magic being tied to the written word, and this series did not disappoint. From the written word, to the spoken word, the series explores how power is exercised, but in a subtle and understated way.
The characters are engaging, the storylines interesting, and it was an all-around good read!
November 4, 2021
After reading the whole series as fast as possible. (They are that good). I can confirm this is a series worth starting and finishing. Every single book was really good. Some of the best fantasy I've read in a long time. The main character Elena is delightful. She isn't a silly teenager that I'm used to reading about. She grows through the books but she was never once annoying to me.
Also, it's clean. Nothing graphic or explicit in any way.
Also, it's clean. Nothing graphic or explicit in any way.
June 4, 2024
Honestly if you've read a lot of fantasy, the plots start to look very similar with the main character having some special power or lack of. This series was no different and although it may not be a favorite series it is one you can just read and enjoy.
I didn't and usually don't like a big friend group because the main character is always so worried about them and picking up after them.
The romance was okay.
It had no language that I remember and romance was clean.
I didn't and usually don't like a big friend group because the main character is always so worried about them and picking up after them.
The romance was okay.
It had no language that I remember and romance was clean.
December 19, 2020
Great series
This series is a bit different from what I was accustomed to with books written about academys, magic and mayhem. Ms. Cellier created a world slightly different than the regular books that I have read with older teen students.This was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to reading other books by this author. Excellent story teller!
This series is a bit different from what I was accustomed to with books written about academys, magic and mayhem. Ms. Cellier created a world slightly different than the regular books that I have read with older teen students.This was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to reading other books by this author. Excellent story teller!
March 1, 2021
I loved it. Very interesting world. The plot has many unexpected twists and turns. And, this is from someone that reads ahead because I can't stand the suspense. Also, I don't read depressing books with sad endings. This series has a happily ever after for many characters. I got it on the cheap thru a Bookbub deal, but plan to buy several more books at full price from Melanie Cellier.
April 2, 2021
Totally engrossing tale
Plenty of twists and turns but much more story was left untold.
We had little of king, Queen and the Crown Princess.
And I really wanted to attend the big wedding.
Aside from knowing there is a story about their daughter, what did Elena do with her amazing abilities in the following years?
Plenty of twists and turns but much more story was left untold.
We had little of king, Queen and the Crown Princess.
And I really wanted to attend the big wedding.
Aside from knowing there is a story about their daughter, what did Elena do with her amazing abilities in the following years?
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