The Tethering: The Complete Collection

The Tethering #1-4

by Megan O'Russell

A high school loner in a perfect town—that was Jacob’s life. Until his school was ripped apart by magic. After losing everything, Jacob is thrown into a world of enchantment. But the wonder of being a wizard isn’t enough to hide the danger lurking in the shadows. Emilia is the heir of her clan, raised to help her people hide right under the humans’ noses. She can’t escape her duty as a witch. But there are some wishes even spells can’t grant. When fate binds Jacob and Emilia together, war threatens to destroy all they hold dear. Wizards are under attack, and Jacob and Emilia find themselves at the center of a battle that will decide the survival of magic. Jacob wants to protect Emilia. Emilia has to save the world. Facing an enemy that can shatter their souls, will they find love or be devoured by flames?

732 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 19, 2019

About the author

Megan started writing when she discovered playing Cordelia in King Lear leaves you way too much time waiting backstage. She began her career as an author during an ill-fated trip to Oz. She hasn't stopped writing (even when living on a tour bus) since.

Megan's wanderlust has led her all over the globe. When she's not planning her next escapade, she's diving into fantasy worlds where she doesn't have to worry about what rules she's supposed to follow or how many pairs of socks she can fit in her suitcase.

Her love of storytelling has helped Megan weave her real-life exploits into seven different book series. From the epic fantasy world of Ilbrea to the paranormal dystopian romance of Girl of Glass, there is always is a new way to escape into adventure.

Megan would love to connect with you on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or TikTok but feels obliged to warn you in advance that you will be hearing about her cats…a lot.

If you want to stay up to date on all Megan's books and adventures (and hear about her cats) you can find all her social media links, including where to sign up for her readers community at: https://linktr.ee/meganorussell

Reviews

[Ashley Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to start this review with a side note, I listened to this book with my 3 kids in the car and all 3 of them got really into it. All 4 of us loved the entire series, even my 6 year old followed and was rooting for Jacob, Emilia and the rest of the Grey Clan. The author's writing style and the narrator's voices are great through the entire series. Jacob's love for Emilia is obvious from the beginning. Their friendship is quite obviously something that both of them cherish greatly no matter where they are in life, but the 'could it be more' was the thing that kept me so interested.

Then when it became more, it wasn't how I wanted it to happen (but not unexpected). There are ups and downs through this whole series. I loved the other characters in the books, even one of the traitors isn't all bad. We truly enjoyed the entire series and I loved that everything is happening in modern times and humans are just oblivious to most of it. The magic is really cool and how Jacob got his wand is absolutely memorable. There is a lot that happened through the series and I don't want to give away anything. Lots of magic, centaurs, good, evil, love, betrayal, teen romance, a hag, family love....this series has it all and I loved every minute of it.

5/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent story that pulls you along

Wonderfully written, characters to care about who are locked in a struggle with true evil. No easy answers, no fairytale endings, but so complete and satisfying. My one niggle was the relationship between Emilia and Jacob—at times they seemed a bit mawkish, but then again, perhaps that’s what happens when you know so deeply how the other person feels for you. Definitely in the reread pile.

[#ByFelicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this series! The world building was great. I loved the cast of characters but Clare was my favorite. The pacing was a bit slow for me but I think it’s because I was just so invested in the story I needed to know what would happen. I’m not completely sure what the tethering actually had to do with the whole story but it made for a sweet romance underlying arc. Overall, it was action packed, edge of your seat, worthy of devouring.

[fred jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent storyline which develops at a good pace throughout.. Great characters that grow throughout the series, the story has the length to do everything justice. A YA book that I thoroughly enjoyed although I am be no means its target audience. Excellent stuff. The audiobook is very well performed but a narrator who brings everything to life nicely. I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook from the author and am leaving a honest voluntary review.

[Andra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magical adventure to save the world from evil magic wielders who'd like to overtake the humans. Strong characters. Detailed world building. Lots of adventure and twists.

[Joselyn Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tethering: The Complete Collection by Megan O’Russell is a delightful and immersive read. Having the full collection in one place ensures you don’t miss any part of the plot, making for a seamless and satisfying experience.

The story follows Jacob, a high school loner whose life is turned upside down by the discovery of his magical abilities. The fantasy elements are a refreshing break from other genres, offering a welcome change of pace. The urban fantasy setting is well-crafted, blending the magical and the mundane in a way that feels both familiar and enchanting.

The characters are compelling, especially the dynamic between Jacob and Emilia. Their relationship adds a touch of romance to the story, which is both sweet and well-integrated into the larger narrative. The stakes are high, with wizards under attack and a war threatening their world, keeping you engaged and invested in their journey.

Overall, The Tethering: The Complete Collection is a fantastic read for fans of urban fantasy and romance. It’s a well-rounded series that offers adventure, magic, and heartfelt moments, making it a must-read for anyone looking to escape into a magical world.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The books in this series have just got better and better. The plot is sufficiently complex to be interesting, yet not so much so that we can't easily follow it. There is plenty of action, peril and twists abound, and it is easy to be caught up in the action. More depth and backstory are introduced as the series progresses, without detriment to the pace of the story, and I felt the stories just got better and better as the series progressed.
Personally, I'm neither YA nor a great fan of books about magic, yet I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. I imagine that anyone who loved books about magic would be delighted by these books.
So, why do I like this series? On reflection, I think it is all about the characters - this author is excellent at writing satisfying, well-rounded, well-developed characters that make me care about what happens to them. I find this is vitally important for a good, escapist read. Yet the author also keeps the excitement coming with dramatic twists that I often don’t see coming. I have no qualms in recommending this series to you.