Echoes of Shadows:

by N.K. Leem

The battle for Itothia rages.

Ill-prepared for war and badly outnumbered against Haskia’s fearsome army, all seems lost for the kingdom.

Thaleon hopes to save the country that has condemned him all his life using the deadly, forbidden spell believed to have been forever lost—the same spell that had nearly broken the world and had begun the bloody banishment of valekyns from Itothia.

But following in the footsteps of the most feared and hated mage in Itothian history demands a terrible price. One that will leave everything forever changed.

Witness the end of Thaleon and Dawyn's journey in this epic conclusion to Ledgers of a Dark Mage.

388 pages, Paperback

Published November 24, 2025

About the author

You can often find me in the corner with a laptop, lost in my own world adventuring with the people inside my head. Sometimes, those daydreams turn into books!

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Reviews

[Milena Ognjanovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great ending to the series. Echoes of Shadows was fast paced and I was constantly on the edge of my seat as I was reading. I've been following these characters for years and I am very satisfied with how the story ended.
Ledgers of a Dark Mage is an amazing series and it deserves to have more readers. It's dark, adventurous and it has great characters. It has dark and heartbreaking moments but also some sweet and heartwarming moments that give you hope. I highly recommend reading this series.
Thank you to N.K. Leem for the review copy. I truly enjoyed following you through this journey.

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[Cookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

#cookiereads Ledgers of the Dark Mage Echoes of Shadows by @n.k.leem 🐉
Thaleon and company have been taken prisoner by Riel Vold reagent of Itothia. He has a way to beat the Haskian army but it means sacrifice or possibly death. Can he convince Riel, his former friend to win the war? Will valekyns be destroyed forever? Can everyone live elarlyns and valekyns live in harmony? 🐉
Furiends this a bittersweet feeling….this is the end of the #ledgersofadarkmageseries and I am semi sad. I am glad of the ending. But dude N.K. Leen sure does know how to make the characters suffer along. Yikes! Should I have the blue vial or the white vial??! 🧪 eeek! 😨

Thanks to @n.k.leem for the ARC! Super awesome! Go give her a follow and check out her series. ❤️

3.5 out of four paws. #corginstagram #corgilife #booksbooksbooks #booklover #bookworm

[Nadja Petković · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a journey! I honestly can't believe that this is the end of this series - I grew so attached to all the characters that I just don't feel like this is the end yet.

And still… This is the last book in the series, and after a few days that I needed for my thoughts to calm down and actually write this - here comes my review.

A few spoilers ahead, so be warned!

First of all, I need to say that Echoes of Shadows got me emotional like no other book in the series did before. Don't get me wrong - I read and loved every book that N. K. Leem wrote, but in all honesty, nothing compares to the feelings I had while reading this one, especially at the end.

The war is raging, and Itothia fights to see another day. Haskia is progressing with their attacks. Thaleon, Dawyn, and the rest of the company seek a way to win - and there is a way, but at what cost? Thaleon is such a strong-willed character, and I often found myself admiring him for his sheer power of will. He knows he has a spell in his pocket that will change the course of the war, but he also knows he will have to pay a tremendous price if he uses it. That's why he hides his plans from everyone until the very last moments.

As it goes with brothers and family, you just can't hide your secrets from your own brother forever. In the end, Dawyn will see through Thal's armor, through the walls Thal built to protect his loved ones from being hurt. But what Thal doesn't realize yet - and he will - is that Dawyn is so ready to go to those same extreme lengths to save Thal's life, just as Thal tries to save everyone else's.

That's why this book is also a character-driven story, alongside its fantastic world building and very rich political background. It truly has it all. Be very ready to experience a whole rollercoaster of emotions, because this is it - this is the end. It's all or nothing.

However, the part of the book that I loved the most was the sweetest romance between my favorite character, Fanvi (he has all our hearts, right? Speaking to all other fans now!) and Dawyn. And yesss it has its spicy moments! 🔥 The way they love each other, the way they are ready to sacrifice everything for one another, is what made me tear up at the end. Their romance truly peaks in this book. It involves beautiful, gorgeous gifts ~ a silver bracelet with shining citrine, and elareum - a fallen star. Two precious gifts for two most precious souls.

"𝘔𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘮, 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺."

I lived for this moment, just as much as I lived for every moment with Fanvi and Dawyn from the very beginning, when they first met. My ship has sailed, and I'm one very happy person!

All of them have been through so much - Thal, Dawyn, Fanvi, Laurits, Lyris, Riel… And yet, they kept fighting, and in Riel's case, doing her best to make up for her mistakes. I felt so proud of Riel, the way she owned up to all the wrongs she did in the past and truly tried to make things right in the end.

I must admit, I feared for everyone throughout the whole book, as this is a dark fantasy after all. In my mind, no one was safe. The whole series is filled with angst, with lots, lots of precious moments and sweet emotions sprinkled throughout the pages.

And yet, the author absolutely, 10000% delivered the most perfect ending I could have ever asked for! I'm still grateful for it, days after finishing the book, as it truly stayed with me in the best possible way.

So trust me, if you're looking to read this series, know that all the pain, all the hardships are so, SO worth it in the end. You will cry, you will laugh, you will close the last page, and you will sit there wondering what the hell you're supposed to do with your life now.

You will be hit with the best kind of book hangover after finishing this one - and that's the biggest compliment I can give to this series!

Dawyn, Thal, happy journey to Ae'lis. You deserved it. 💚

[Alena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Echoes of Shadows is the sixth and final book in the Ledgers of a Dark Mage series, and as is typical of this author, it is full of fantasy, Angst, and moments that keep you on the edge, wondering if your favorite characters will survive. It is a great conclusion to the series, which is about siblings, forbidden magic, royal kingdoms at war, battles, sacrifices, and a little humor, despite the dark and dramatic moments.

The book takes off where the last one left off, so it starts off with a semi-intense moment and then builds up between heartwarming reunions between the siblings, and getting ready for battle, seek allies and have discussions about which side they are on. It's a story about characters, and you grow fond of them, so when the author decides to torture them, you suffer along with them. And the conclusion is no exception; it is truly an adventure, a roller coaster of events and emotions.

Overall, it’s a great series, there are six books, but they are quick reads. They are intense, with dark but entertaining moments, and strike a good balance between an interesting magic system, politics, cute romance, strong friendship and sibling bonds.

Thanks to N.K. Leem for the review copy.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that the Ledgers of a Dark Mage series has come to a close, I can finally say this has been one of my favorite fantasy series, and one that has a mainstay on my bookshelf. This last book takes you on a wild ride that is the final battle - the war that the previous books have been building up to. And you get to find out the fates of the main characters, primarily Thaleon and Dawyn. One of my favorite things about any story is character growth - being on a journey with the characters and seeing them change and become more of themselves from beginning to end. The author has painted a very clear picture of the characters and this world that you feel a part of it and it lives on in your mind. I found myself begging that none of the main characters meet an ill fate in this series because I adored them too much. Not to mention, the way she writes about the different types of mages and the summoning spells makes this series feel even more magical. I'd recommend this series to anyone who enjoys magic, action, and suspense. But beware, a lot of it is dark and pulls on your emotions, but that makes the series even better.

[Beth O’Halloran · Rating 5 out of 5]

In some ways, I almost regret giving Fractures - the first entry in the Ledgers of a Dark Mage series - five stars. Not because I didn’t enjoy it (I absolutely did) but because the series has only grown stronger and improved with each book! This is a dark fantasy series that, despite the magic, often reflects the harsh realities of our own world. And bear in mind that it is very dark! The author does not shy away from violence or the above mentioned harsh realities of the world. But just as in real life, despite darkness and difficulties, there can also be found moments of love, friendship, trust, sacrifice, transformation, and hope. And of course, plenty of fun! Following along with these characters on their adventures has been an absolute joy from the beginning all the way to the stunning, tense, bittersweet conclusion. These characters - Thaleon, Dawyn, Fanvi, Laurits, and Lyris - will be dearly missed. Thank you N.K. Leem for allowing us to journey with them! I can’t wait to read what you write next!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The end of an era, book six. The final book in The Ledgers of a Dark Mage series. This book was a beast, meaning the entire book took place on the battle field which was pretty epic.

I truly am going to miss the characters, especially my favorites. Nief, Riel, Cedrick, and Laurits all are amazing and I miss them already.

I feel like Fanvi and I would not get along 😅😂 (I know you’re reading this Leem).

Anyway, I’m sad it’s over, but it went out with a literal bang!