Love's Labor's Won

Schooled in Magic #6

by Christopher G. Nuttall

Two families, alike in dignity...and armed with powerful magic.

The Magical Families of Ashworth and Ashfall have been feuding for countless years, ever since something happened to split one family into two. Now, they have been invited to Cockatrice Faire... when no other magician would dare invite them both. And when it becomes clear that the Ashworth Heir and the Ashfall Heir have fallen in love with one another, Emily finds herself caught in the middle between two powerful families, each one capable of destroying her once and for all...

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult, Audiobook, Adventure, Fiction, School

379 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 16, 2015

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

the weakest so far

Nothing much happens until the end of the book, Emily spends a lot of time getting pushed around by almost everyone else, and there's this looming sense that things could go terribly wrong, but they don't really, at least not until the very end. So lots of potential drama, but not many real fireworks set off.

Too many of the books in this series center on Emily's ignorance and the poor decisions she makes out of it. Everyone who is older and/or has authority over her feels quite happy to point out her flaws and tell her "you're arrogant and ignorant and you're going to get people hurt" and yet none of these people, even those who do care about Emily, have ever taken the time to talk to her about her world or to discover what sorts of things she might not know/have trouble understanding/not believe.

Lady Barb is the worst offender. She knows that Emily never had anyone she could rely on, no mother or father worthy of the name, and Lady Barb knows why Emily is ignorant...and yet Lady Barb is constantly saying scathing things about Emily's decisions, threatening to punish her for them and now is complaining that Emily acts 'like a child in a woman's body.' Haven't Lady Barb and the Grandmaster figured out yet that Emily needs some remedial education and training in the history, customs and mores of her new society? Many books ago, the Grandmaster told Emily that Lady Barb would talk to Emily, find out what she was missing or ignorant of, and fill in the blanks. Obviously Lady Barb didn't do it, or didn't do it enough, and Emily is still paying the price. Worse, Emily is being encouraged to blame herself for all her deficiencies, and she ricochets between resentment of other people's authority, grasping at straws during crises, and then blaming herself for making poor choices, all without any real sense of what else she could have done instead or getting any useful feedback from those people who claim to care for her. None of Emily's reactions will lead her to develop the self-confidence and ability to trust herself and others that Emily desperately needs in order to fulfill herself, discipline her powers and ameliorate the consequences of her actions.

Lady Barb spent months helping Emily practice pocket dimension and warding spells, because she knows Emily needs to engage her magic responsibly, yet Barb seems to feel that Emily should just know how to be a baroness and how to carry out her legal, political and social obligations--Lady Barb acts like Emily just should be able to identify all the things that she doesn't know and no one else has thought to tell her, and feels it's Emily's fault if she doesn't know to ask even. It's unreasonable of Lady Barb to have done nothing to help/force Emily to come to grips with her responsibilities as a baroness. If the issue were her magic, Lady Barb wouldn't hesitate to make Emily practice and to punish her if she didn't, yet when the problem is her political/social power, Lady Barb feels entitled to stand back, watch her fail and scold her for it.

No, Emily has not been adult in the way she approaches her barony, but then again, those who know how much help adjusting and learning Emily needs, and why, have not bothered to provide it for her, they have not identified her blind spots for themselves, nor have they made her take the opportunity to address them. Yes, she bears some blame here, but so do they and they seem happy to have her take the whole burden on herself.

It's time for Nuttall to address this imbalance and do something about it. If Emily keeps to her pattern of allowing herself to make desperate decisions in the moment, something will eventually go so wrong that she won't be able to fix or ignore it. At that point, Lady Barb, the Grandmaster and Sergeant Miles all can stand around heaping blame on Emily's shoulders all they like, but their actions won't help their world either.

[Per Gunnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another a very good book in the Schooled in Magic series although I have to say that I am somewhat concerned about the direction the stories in this universe seems to be going. I quite like this world and I would like to continue to read about Emily’s adventures in this magical world. I do not mind the archaic way the world is governed or the outdated way women sometimes are looked at. It is part of the charm of these book and it is fiction after all. Therefore I am not too happy reading about trends where magic appears to be replaced by science. I was even less happy when dissidents where introduced and Emily made references to Karl Marx. Please Mr. Nuttall, do not destroy this lovely magical world!

Now when that is over with as I wrote above this is a very good book. Emily embarks on yet another learning experience and we see some interesting developments of her magical ideas. The base story for this book is not really about fighting magical monsters or necromancers but more of social interactions, family feuds and marriages which normally would put it outside of my comfort zone. However, once again Mr. Nuttall manages to not only keep my interest throughout the entire book but also to make me really like it.

Emily’s friends are present of course as well as a few enemies. Of course Emily manages to make a few new ones along the way although some of the old ones might have turned from foe to friend. The new enemies are more than likely to have quite an impact on future books though.

As usual it is a rocky road for Emily and she stumbles more than once, usually due to her naïve attitude to a great many things. I know that she is young but still, sometimes I wonder what she is thinking. She does manage to resolve her problems though although I am a bit irked by everyone telling her how stupid and reckless she has been and she just sucks it up. I think she did a pretty good job in the end and I quite liked the display of force she made.

The last book ended in somewhat of a cliffhanger or at least a very intriguing mystery involving a hooded man. I had some hopes that this would be picked up on in this book but it appears that Mr. Nuttall decided to “suck on that piece of candy for a while longer” as is the saying is in Sweden. He also added another open thread at the end of this one. I would say that life is about to become even more complicated for Emily in the future.

As usual I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily's mistakes are very frustrating for me as a reader. I feel like she's not really growing as a person. Also, I get a "tell" vibe not a "show" vibe from her emotions.
That being said (for the whole series) I really loved this book's plot line but I feel like the books are being published faster than I can read them, which is annoying for obvious reasons.

Edit: I'm rereading this book because of Caleb, whom I really like. :)

[Doug Sundseth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The core of this book is an interesting take on Romeo and Juliet. I fear that it's less innovative than the author would like you to believe, though.

Good character development for the protagonist and a continued development of the world. But too many foreshadowed future conflicts, which continue to build up with each volume. Also, the continued 'import' of technology from Earth strains credulity.

Entertaining, but not great.

[Kjirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so pleased to see that this latest had been released! This is another "summer vacation" book after Emily's third year of magic school. This time she goes home to her castle to host the magical fair that she visited the summer before. And pretty much everything that can go wrong, does go wrong.

I liked the idea of following a Romeo and Juliet romance from the outside, and considering all the implications of that romance as it would have affected the people who weren't the couple in the middle of it. And the idea of "Romeo as villain" captured my imagination for a bit as well (it was mentioned in the novel).

Emily is still clueless and careless, but in this story, those particular character flaws end up causing her -- and the people around her -- a lot of trouble. She finally appears to grasp some of the nuances of who she needs to be, in order to effectively inhabit this world and use the power that she's been graced with, but the lessons do not come easily.

I like that this story gives Emily a chance to learn and grow in character, but I do wish that it had been alluded to previously -- maybe a hint that she wasn't planning for the fair, or that someone thought she should be organizing for it -- because reading along, I had no idea that she'd been neglectful at all. (I would have liked to have worried about it for her at the end of the last book, for instance.)

Anyhow, a fun story and I'm excited to see what happens next. "Trial by Fire" sounds ominous -- and exciting!

[Henry Lazarus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself jumping in on Christopher Nuttall’s latest Schooled in Magic (ebook) tale, moving it to the top of the pile.. Emily was kidnaped from our world to the no-named lands by a necromancer looking for a child of destiny (Emily’s mother was named Destiny) and rescued by Void, a powerful mage, who sends her to Whitehall for training. In the previous book she finished her third year. She also, with the help of the industrious family of a friend, has been introducing Earth technology like the printing press, steam power, and dynamite to this world and it is making massive changes. She has neglected the Duchy of Cockatrice she was given because she saved the princess heir to the local kingdom and unfortunately agreed to host the Magical Faire this year, leaving her steward in charge. He invited all the magical families, including Ashworth and Ashfall, families who have been feuding for generations and who are never invited to the same event. It’s a case of Love's Labor's Won (ebook from Twilight Times Books) when the heir of one family falls for the heir of the other. Mr. Nuttall is very aware of Romeo and Juliet, so that a far better result occurs. The stage is set for the fourth year in which she has to work on a project with another student. I don’t know where this mixture of Connecticut Yankee and Harry Potter. Is going, but I’ve been enjoying the ride and glad that each book has a solid ending.Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press

[Charles van Buren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time for Emily to grow up, August 2, 2016

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This review is from: Love's Labor's Won (Schooled in Magic Book 6) (Kindle Edition)

Emily continues to make serious mistakes and to recover through a combination of luck and inventive thinking, adding to her reputation and gathering new enemies as she goes. Time for her to grow up and move forward with the story.

[william Goodrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love's Labour's Won

This is very good in the content of the storyline. Emily continues with trials and tribulations as she gets older and more aware of her duties and magical power. The next installment should be totally mind shattering. I can't wait!

[Ben Premack · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, but it doesn't hold a candle to the earlier books in the Schooled in Magic series and feels more like young adult fiction.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm settling into my acceptance of what these books are: quick, enjoyable reads with a main character who is brilliant but simultaneously very stupid. I am frustrated, yet entertained and enjoying myself.

The part that I find most aggravating is the focus on the introduction of dangerous new technologies, something everyone in the story agrees and specifically states as being a no-good, bad, bad, terrible idea. Not just the guns, cannons, and explosives, but also the "Nuke" spell, a profoundly rotten idea, in terms of introducing ideas to an already dangerous world.

Emily's continued infantile blundering is so frustrating to sit behind and try to watch the story unfold. At least this book goes to the trouble of pointing it out at the end, and chiding her for her ignorance. I just hope she will LISTEN!!! In the past, she has not grown up from her experiences, even when they create disastrous consequences.

The intermittent references to pop-culture are infrequent, though still eye-roll inducing. Perhaps I would prefer a straight-up fantasy, but these are good enough that I can't stop reading them.

All my criticisms withstanding, I love the world-building enough to keep coming back. The spectacular set pieces at the end are worth coming back for (generally). This one was a good show of power with a weird, flop conclusion. The possibility of that outcome was so well addressed and talked over, it was kind of a let down when it just... did. No twist, no third choice, just... as predicted. I will still come back and read the next one. It's already on my Kindle.

[Analiese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drinking game idea! Take a drink every time the author says "Emily sighed inwardly", "Emily groaned inwardly", "Emily frowned inwardly". Just kidding don't do that you will be dead by chapter three.

I wanted to enjoy this series. The magic system is good enough, it is very clear how it works and what its limitations are, unlike other magical series where it is very vague. The plot is semi-interesting and I'm intrigued to know what happens next for the characters. Unfortunately I don't think I can get past the book's repetitive writing. I understand a writing style which is clear and free of flowery descriptions especially when there is a difficult plot to follow however the plot isn't all the complicated- interesting but certainly not complicated. The author has a serious case of tell not show and I found myself constantly "groaning inwardly" at his basic and boring descriptions. I also struggle to like Emily as a person. She showed up in this world not too long ago and is enforcing her beliefs on a whole world and expecting them to keep up. She is taking ideas from Earth and I guess passing them off as her own. Her reasoning is that she is morally right and we have to hear it over and over again in repetitive conversations. Also why is everything her fault??

I wanted to give this book 2 stars however I have gotten this far in it because I liked the story. It has some good aspects but there are better things to read.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer break! Oh, good. Time to go to the Faire.
Oops! Emily had agreed to host the Faire at the Barony of Cockatrice but she had left ALL of the arrangements to her steward Bryon, who unfortunately did the minimum possible. Magicians from all over the Allied Lands sent in payments for stalls.
Emily thought she knew something about the Faire, having attended it after her Second Year.
The Faire at Cockatrice, she finds out, will be some two to three times larger (at least) and BOTH of the famously feuding magical families the Ashworths and the Ashfells plan to attend. (Think the Hatfields and the McCoys but with magic! Yes, THAT type of bloodfeud!) She finds out, much too late, that the families are used to hosts throwing a die and then inviting EITHER one, but never BOTH, to a given event.
Plus, Emily gets to the Faire and discovers that the planners had expected her to hire the extra security which would be needed whereas she had expected the planners to provide security as well as all of the other expected details.
Emily can't send half (or more) of the planned attendees home without grievous insult PLUS she would have to refund their stall fees (and who knows what else).
Oh, well. It's not like Emily has had a quiet summer since she came to the Nameless World anyway!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I have my moan, I have to sway I really enjoyed this book, which was both exciting and interesting.
I do continue to have problems with what I presume to be the author's views on political systems. We may no longer kneel or bow, but in many jobs, the boss might as well be an aristocrat, and as we are seeing from the "Me too" send other campaigns, bosses or others in authority like priests, have been demanding and taking sexual favours for a very long time. As for democracy, I don't believe it has ever existed. The inventors, the Ancient Greeks, certainly confined it to male citizens only - wives, sisters, daughters, slaves and foreigners had no say. In our current representative democracy, we seem to be governed by vested interests: coal mine owners, the NRA, or here in Australia the owners of gambling establishments. At least, most countries that still have a monarchy have got their monarch firmly under control, so we can only wonder how awful it must be to live under a truly powerful leader as in the US, Russia or China.

[Jordan Steinhoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable continuation of the series.

One thing that has been bothering me this series finally got magnified, multiple times this book. Everybody tells Emily what she's done wrong, what she's doing wrong or why what she did was stupid. Some know of her extra terrestrial origins and some do not but in either case they rail on her a lot this book. The problem is, nobody actually offers solutions to that. They tell her to do this or that and then berate her for not knowing something that's never been covered in her education. At first it was an acceptable plot device to add some simple drama but it's gotten annoying.

After 6 books, you'd think maybe she'd hire a tutor, read a book, ask around, whatever to better educate herself about her new world. it's book 6 and i think almost 3 years in the world.

That aside, another good story away from the school. feuding noble families. arranged marriages. emily trying to impose her will and morals on her new world.

Enjoyable and if you've enjoyed the rest, this is more of the same.

[Manuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

worst book so far. I still liked it, but it’s completely out of character. It doesn’t fit in with the other books AT ALL! Lady Barb is mean and constantly telling Emily that she‘s doing something wrong and not thinking, even though Lady Barb was there when emily got asked to host the fair and she said that she can host it or not, and both would be fine. Lady Barb hides important information, political knowledge etc. The whole book seems off and like as if the author forgot what he wrote in his other books. Also with lady barb scolding emily about going after her to the necromancer holly and wanting to give her detention for it makes zero sense. Lady Barb told Emily that if she doesn’t come back she can go after her if she sees fit…

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

How and why is everything her fault? I'm not Emily's fan however I love the series and even so I found int unfair that shes attacked every turn.

Like I said I love the series but two thing that drives me crazy are:
1. Calling grown ass men and women, boys and girls.
2. All the times Emily and envy are in the same sentence.

Another thing, I hate Master Grey he is annoying.

not my favorite book from the series but always a good read.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

There weren't many actions in this book, I was actually expecting some epic battle but I guess I need to see if I can get any in the next book...

I really like that Emily's starting to show more and more of her power and capabilities, I think it's necessary for her to show off a little... you know, although her reputations are so great without proof it's hard to believe one's reputations sometimes...

PS: I wish for some romance for Emily, but I really hope it's not with Caleb...

[Jay Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one could be 3 -3.5 stars, Maybe fewer ideas from others in this one but maybe it is me and I am not looking for them anymore or just failed to notice them as much. I do like when a person takes over a kingdom and tries to rule it, changes laws and sees the consequences. I always like those types of scenarios in books. I will continue with the series as I still like it even with all of its problems.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is far and away my favorite of the "summer break" books, thus far. Superbly plotted, and very engaging or at least engrossing characters. I was annoyed with Emily a couple times, especially her reaction to one of the matches in the book, but at least she is a unique/distinctive character. I'm impressed with the author and the series. Really can't stop reading :).

[Cheryl Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series!

Schooled in Magic is an excellent example of really good 👍writing.

This author, Christopher Burrell is on my top ten list! I hope you enjoy this author's work as much as I have.

One of my pet peeves is bad grammar, the other is misspelled or using the wrong word in a sentence. You will not find that in this series.

[Christian Jeffress · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Another fun addition to the series that I thoroughly enjoyed. Emily went through her own struggles and pitfalls, but since she is lacking proper guidance at times, I think she did the best she could. Looking forward to the next book.

[Galen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid fun plot

Interesting retelling of Romeo and Juliet, with better a situation more relatable to most modern day audiences.

Doesn't tie up any loose ends, though, and a bit too much angst from the main character

[Virginia Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

Poor Emily. The harder she tries to make things better, the more things go awry. Continuing to be an interesting series. Everyone continues to grow and mature in believable fashion.

[Danae · Rating 3 out of 5]

gragl Romeo and Julia was never on my favorite story list -and actually that is the part i dislike the most on this book. On the other hand there is a lot of intrigue, plot and new different people. The series really founds its own style.

[Shereen Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did really enjoy this book. There were a few points about it that didn't flow as well, mostly the parts involving Lady Barb and Master Grey. Other than that, it was pretty entertaining.

[Ronny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice read, much like the previous ones, a bit on the nose at times (also surprised she didn't take the whitehall heart warning from the previous book more to heart)

[Rosina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great continuation

Great book to continue the story. With a lot of unexpected twists. I really can't wait to read the next book.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different kind of tension than a quest, and very well handled.

[David Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you haven't grown up with magic the the social rules you're bound to make mistakes

[Dan Melson · Rating 3 out of 5]

All of a sudden writer's monomania. SPends the whole novel writing about various romantic entanglements.