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The Cassie Black Trilogy #3
The Untangled Cassie Black
Sometimes taking an overdose of magic is the least of your worries.
Cassie Black has just lost two people through a magic portal. Her archenemy, the Mauvais, is threatening to destroy city after city if HQ doesn't hand her over to him. And HQ isn't exactly saying no to that offer.
As HQ debates Cassie's fate, Cassie refuses to sit by and watch the grass grow between the toes of the surveillance gnomes. Biting back her life rule to never get involved, she knows the only way to stop the Mauvais is to go after him herself.
Which is exactly what he wants. Because the instant Cassie falls into his hands, the Mauvais will have unlimited power.
So don't get captured, right? Easy to say. Trouble is, there's a traitor within HQ who's proving to be more devious, more powerful, and to have more tricks up the sleeve than Cassie could have ever dreamed.
In this page-turning conclusion of the Cassie Black Trilogy, the curses are flying, the pastries are plentiful, and the magical batteries are charged to capacity.
If you like urban fantasy with snarky humor, unforgettable characters, and paranormal mystery, and aren't bothered by the slithering of a bookworm, you'll find it hard to pry yourself away from this third book of the Cassie Black Trilogy.
Ready for the final showdown between Cassie and the Mauvais? Ready to discover Cassie's true history with Alastair? And most importantly, are you ready to see what's on the menu at the White Tower? Then pick up your copy of The Untangled Cassie Black today.
Cassie Black has just lost two people through a magic portal. Her archenemy, the Mauvais, is threatening to destroy city after city if HQ doesn't hand her over to him. And HQ isn't exactly saying no to that offer.
As HQ debates Cassie's fate, Cassie refuses to sit by and watch the grass grow between the toes of the surveillance gnomes. Biting back her life rule to never get involved, she knows the only way to stop the Mauvais is to go after him herself.
Which is exactly what he wants. Because the instant Cassie falls into his hands, the Mauvais will have unlimited power.
So don't get captured, right? Easy to say. Trouble is, there's a traitor within HQ who's proving to be more devious, more powerful, and to have more tricks up the sleeve than Cassie could have ever dreamed.
In this page-turning conclusion of the Cassie Black Trilogy, the curses are flying, the pastries are plentiful, and the magical batteries are charged to capacity.
If you like urban fantasy with snarky humor, unforgettable characters, and paranormal mystery, and aren't bothered by the slithering of a bookworm, you'll find it hard to pry yourself away from this third book of the Cassie Black Trilogy.
Ready for the final showdown between Cassie and the Mauvais? Ready to discover Cassie's true history with Alastair? And most importantly, are you ready to see what's on the menu at the White Tower? Then pick up your copy of The Untangled Cassie Black today.
350 pages, Paperback
Published May 18, 2021
101 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Tammie Painter
54 books127 followersTHE RAMBLING BIO AND OFFER OF FREE STUFF
Many moons ago I was a scientist in a neuroscience lab where I got to play with brains and illegal drugs. Now, I take wickedly strong tea and turn it into comic fantasy whodunits full of mythical misfits and magical mishaps that I hope give you a giggle.
My tales run the gamut from the ever-expanding Cassie Black Trilogy with its wryly humorous paranormal mysteries to the comical fantasy whodunits in The Circus of Unusual Creatures , and from light-hearted novellas celebrating my love of books to short fiction in which I really flex my myth-loving and humor-craving muscles!
When I’m not creating worlds or killing off characters, I can be found gardening, planning my next travel adventure, concocting some sort of mess in the kitchen, or working as an unpaid servant to three cats and a guinea pig.
Want to learn more and get free stuff? Then be sure to pop by TammiePainter.com to see everything I'm up to and to grab your free copy of "Mrs. Morris Meets Death," a humorous tale of mortality, time management, cruise ships, and romance novels.
THE QUICK AS YOU CAN STORY BEHIND MY BOOKS...
My fascination for myths, history, and how they interweave inspired my two historical fantasy series, The Osteria Chronicles and my second series, Domna (you can grab your free series starters for those HERE and HERE).
But all those ancient myths and angst-ridden heroes got a bit too serious for someone with a strange sense of humor and odd way of looking at the world.
So, while sitting at my grandmother’s funeral, my brain came up with an idea for a contemporary fantasy trilogy that’s filled with magic, mystery, snarky humor, and the dead who just won’t stay dead. That idea turned into The Cassie Black Trilogy, which has turned into a fan favorite.
Then, because writer brains are weird, a simple elephant story I had in mind somehow morphed into a "hilarious" cozy fantasy series featuring a detecting dragon. So, if you like comic fantasy whodunits that mix in laughs with murderous mayhem, mythical beasts, and a staggering variety of omelets, you’ll want to check out my Circus of Unusual Creatures mysteries!
IF ALL THAT WASN"T ENOUGH, YOU CAN...
* Sign up for my monthly newsletter to get free stuff, exclusive bargains, and insights into my writing world,
* Head over to my Payhip Bookstore to shop directly through me and truly support an indie author.
* Browse this BookFunnel page to check out all my currently available books.
* Follow me on Bookbub to see my top book recommendations and get notified about most of my new releases.
Many moons ago I was a scientist in a neuroscience lab where I got to play with brains and illegal drugs. Now, I take wickedly strong tea and turn it into comic fantasy whodunits full of mythical misfits and magical mishaps that I hope give you a giggle.
My tales run the gamut from the ever-expanding Cassie Black Trilogy with its wryly humorous paranormal mysteries to the comical fantasy whodunits in The Circus of Unusual Creatures , and from light-hearted novellas celebrating my love of books to short fiction in which I really flex my myth-loving and humor-craving muscles!
When I’m not creating worlds or killing off characters, I can be found gardening, planning my next travel adventure, concocting some sort of mess in the kitchen, or working as an unpaid servant to three cats and a guinea pig.
Want to learn more and get free stuff? Then be sure to pop by TammiePainter.com to see everything I'm up to and to grab your free copy of "Mrs. Morris Meets Death," a humorous tale of mortality, time management, cruise ships, and romance novels.
THE QUICK AS YOU CAN STORY BEHIND MY BOOKS...
My fascination for myths, history, and how they interweave inspired my two historical fantasy series, The Osteria Chronicles and my second series, Domna (you can grab your free series starters for those HERE and HERE).
But all those ancient myths and angst-ridden heroes got a bit too serious for someone with a strange sense of humor and odd way of looking at the world.
So, while sitting at my grandmother’s funeral, my brain came up with an idea for a contemporary fantasy trilogy that’s filled with magic, mystery, snarky humor, and the dead who just won’t stay dead. That idea turned into The Cassie Black Trilogy, which has turned into a fan favorite.
Then, because writer brains are weird, a simple elephant story I had in mind somehow morphed into a "hilarious" cozy fantasy series featuring a detecting dragon. So, if you like comic fantasy whodunits that mix in laughs with murderous mayhem, mythical beasts, and a staggering variety of omelets, you’ll want to check out my Circus of Unusual Creatures mysteries!
IF ALL THAT WASN"T ENOUGH, YOU CAN...
* Sign up for my monthly newsletter to get free stuff, exclusive bargains, and insights into my writing world,
* Head over to my Payhip Bookstore to shop directly through me and truly support an indie author.
* Browse this BookFunnel page to check out all my currently available books.
* Follow me on Bookbub to see my top book recommendations and get notified about most of my new releases.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 2, 2021
Original review at JonathanPongratz.com.
4.5/5
Following the last exciting novel in the series, Cassie Black's world has never been more upside down. The Mauvais has escaped with Tobey and Alastair in tow, and he plans to wreak havoc upon the world if Cassie doesn't give herself up. Can Cassie figure a way out of this, or is she destined to become an extracted hollowed out shell of herself?
This was such a good book. Mystery, magic, and pastry-fueled antics abound! Given what the other two were like I feel like we got what was promised with this epic ending. There were so many great elements that worked here.
Cassie continues to be a great reluctant hero for the reader. As usual, I enjoyed the puns and witty humor she sent our way and laughed out loud a couple times to my cat's disdain. I feel that Cassie continues to grow through each book. She does stick to her spunky ways, but the main thing she really conquered here was her trusting of her friends and learning that not everyone is out to get her. That's an insanely hard thing to do given her past and the situation.
I was surprised that Tobey ended up being my second favorite character. He changes quite a bit, and I really cared about him by the end. He wasn't the same scowling jealous guy he seems to be, and that was really refreshing.
The plot was super captivating! The entire world hangs in the balance with this book, and you can't get much higher stakes than that! Cassie's more determined than ever to find the Mauvais, and if she does it'll be a battle to the death. That really spurred me on. There was tons of mystery throughout, and that kept me on my toes. After each chapter I'd stop and think on who might be helping the Mauvais, but darn it, I couldn't figure it out! I really loved the ending and can't wait to read more from this author.
If you love magical hijinks, punny witticisms, and a crazy adventure, then this series is for you!
***I received an ARC copy of this book in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.***
4.5/5
Following the last exciting novel in the series, Cassie Black's world has never been more upside down. The Mauvais has escaped with Tobey and Alastair in tow, and he plans to wreak havoc upon the world if Cassie doesn't give herself up. Can Cassie figure a way out of this, or is she destined to become an extracted hollowed out shell of herself?
This was such a good book. Mystery, magic, and pastry-fueled antics abound! Given what the other two were like I feel like we got what was promised with this epic ending. There were so many great elements that worked here.
Cassie continues to be a great reluctant hero for the reader. As usual, I enjoyed the puns and witty humor she sent our way and laughed out loud a couple times to my cat's disdain. I feel that Cassie continues to grow through each book. She does stick to her spunky ways, but the main thing she really conquered here was her trusting of her friends and learning that not everyone is out to get her. That's an insanely hard thing to do given her past and the situation.
I was surprised that Tobey ended up being my second favorite character. He changes quite a bit, and I really cared about him by the end. He wasn't the same scowling jealous guy he seems to be, and that was really refreshing.
The plot was super captivating! The entire world hangs in the balance with this book, and you can't get much higher stakes than that! Cassie's more determined than ever to find the Mauvais, and if she does it'll be a battle to the death. That really spurred me on. There was tons of mystery throughout, and that kept me on my toes. After each chapter I'd stop and think on who might be helping the Mauvais, but darn it, I couldn't figure it out! I really loved the ending and can't wait to read more from this author.
If you love magical hijinks, punny witticisms, and a crazy adventure, then this series is for you!
***I received an ARC copy of this book in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.***
August 9, 2025
Fun. A good conclusion to the story arc in the first three books.
May 19, 2021
This is the third and final book in the Cassie Black series. If you’ll recall my review of Book Two, I didn’t want to go into too much detail for fear of spoiling Book One. And so now, I face the same problem doubled, because to describe the setting of this book risks spoiling the first two.
But really, if you read my earlier reviews, you know I recommended both. So you ought to go check them out. And for those who already read the first two--well, you probably don't need any convincing. I'll just say that Cassie is snarky as ever, and her sarcastic voice stays with her even into her final showdown with the arch-villain. The supporting characters are once again enjoyable, and I was especially pleased with how the character arc of the ghostly Tower Warder Nigel turned out.
All told, this is a fun series for readers who enjoy fantasy adventures that don’t take themselves too seriously. Painter’s magical world is entertaining and populated with plenty of amusing characters. The Untangled Cassie Black is a fitting way to wrap up the series.
But really, if you read my earlier reviews, you know I recommended both. So you ought to go check them out. And for those who already read the first two--well, you probably don't need any convincing. I'll just say that Cassie is snarky as ever, and her sarcastic voice stays with her even into her final showdown with the arch-villain. The supporting characters are once again enjoyable, and I was especially pleased with how the character arc of the ghostly Tower Warder Nigel turned out.
All told, this is a fun series for readers who enjoy fantasy adventures that don’t take themselves too seriously. Painter’s magical world is entertaining and populated with plenty of amusing characters. The Untangled Cassie Black is a fitting way to wrap up the series.
May 30, 2024
HQ is pretty annoyed with Cassie. With her attempt to defeat the Mauvais having gone drastically wrong, and resulting in 2 people being missing, they're not rushing to refuse to hand Cassie over when the Mauvais demands her. As those at HQ debate Cassie's fate, she is hard at work coming up with another plan to go after him herself. She knows that in doing so she risks giving him everything he wants, but the simple way to avoid that is to not let him catch her. How hard can it be?
This is the finale of the original Cassie Black trilogy. I say original trilogy because there is a second trilogy on its way, with the first book due out in a couple of months (thankfully!)
I read this immediately after finishing the second book because that one ended on such a cliff hanger. There's no quick answers in this book though, Painter keeps you waiting until the end to see whether any of the people you're worried about will be safe. I don't want to say too much else because I don't want to give away spoilers.
One thing I will say is that it seemed obvious to me from quite early in this book who the traitor within HQ was. I was surprised it took so long for Cassie and the others to catch on.
Other than that, this has been a fantastic series and anyone who enjoys magic realism, and authors like Ben Aaronovitch or C.K. McDonnel will definitely enjoy these books.
This is the finale of the original Cassie Black trilogy. I say original trilogy because there is a second trilogy on its way, with the first book due out in a couple of months (thankfully!)
I read this immediately after finishing the second book because that one ended on such a cliff hanger. There's no quick answers in this book though, Painter keeps you waiting until the end to see whether any of the people you're worried about will be safe. I don't want to say too much else because I don't want to give away spoilers.
One thing I will say is that it seemed obvious to me from quite early in this book who the traitor within HQ was. I was surprised it took so long for Cassie and the others to catch on.
Other than that, this has been a fantastic series and anyone who enjoys magic realism, and authors like Ben Aaronovitch or C.K. McDonnel will definitely enjoy these books.
January 1, 2023
This starts very promisingly by referencing the excellent Ben Aaronovitch. Sadly the author doesn't take the same care to properly pace the plot.
It's very stop start. First it's all plans and action, then it's off to bed for a good night's sleep followed by a slap up full English with black pudding.
Plus points for knowing what black pudding is, but what's with the relentless fixation on food? I get that it's magical fuel but it's cream cakes, chocolate and ale every two minutes. If it weren't for glucose fuelling magic, all mages would be diabetic. As it is I can't see how half of the magical community aren't in a diabetic coma. Yes, yes, I know it's a fantasy but even fantasies have to follow some rules.
So, other niggles. Cassie is remarkably sanguine for someone under constant threat of death, if not from the Mauvais then her own side. It also keeps being postponed which must be hellacious.
Also, where are Tobey Tenpenny's parents?
I dunno. It was all a bit scrappy
It's very stop start. First it's all plans and action, then it's off to bed for a good night's sleep followed by a slap up full English with black pudding.
Plus points for knowing what black pudding is, but what's with the relentless fixation on food? I get that it's magical fuel but it's cream cakes, chocolate and ale every two minutes. If it weren't for glucose fuelling magic, all mages would be diabetic. As it is I can't see how half of the magical community aren't in a diabetic coma. Yes, yes, I know it's a fantasy but even fantasies have to follow some rules.
So, other niggles. Cassie is remarkably sanguine for someone under constant threat of death, if not from the Mauvais then her own side. It also keeps being postponed which must be hellacious.
Also, where are Tobey Tenpenny's parents?
I dunno. It was all a bit scrappy
September 16, 2023
I enjoyed this book and this trilogy. I'm glad it is rated more than three because I tend to steer clear of books rated in the low 3s and yet with my scoring system, 3 is a good book. Worth reading because it is enjoyable. Not earth-shattering but certainly a book I enjoy. I guess the thing is that a rating system of 5 doesn't have any wriggle room.
Was this book worth reading? A nice light read.
Would I read it again? I actually think I would 🙂
Would I recommend it? And who to? Yes, anyone who likes a bit of Harry Potter-esk writing would enjoy this trilogy.
My Goodreads star rating... ***
My Goodreads scale:
* waste of time
**filled in time
***good
****excellent
*****absolutely amazing
Was this book worth reading? A nice light read.
Would I read it again? I actually think I would 🙂
Would I recommend it? And who to? Yes, anyone who likes a bit of Harry Potter-esk writing would enjoy this trilogy.
My Goodreads star rating... ***
My Goodreads scale:
* waste of time
**filled in time
***good
****excellent
*****absolutely amazing
May 17, 2021
In this final installment of the Cassie Black trilogy, the vaguely ridiculous and exceptionally lovable heroine fights to save the world from an evil only she is powerful enough to accidentally unleash. Oh, and she also has to try to heal her parents, rescue the man she probably maybe misjudged or not and might actually kind of love, discover the identity of a mole in magical HQ, avoid having her magic extracted and turning into a drooling imbecile, and make peace with the notion that her disgusting worm of a landlord might be a good ally and a decent guy. Fortunately, she is armed with plenty of spunk and a whole lot of dessert. This was a great ending to a truly delightful ride.
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2023
A nice conclusion to the series.
I really enjoyed the series. Great dialogue, nice arc, and some fantastic humor. The ending was a forgone conclusion, but that’s OK. The last book was a bit too long, and it felt like we were rehashing several aspects of the story over and over. Too many little foreshadowing nuggets sprinkled throughout that didn’t really satisfy at the conclusion. It WAS easy to figure out who the baddy was, but I had to chuckle when Cassie broke down the fourth wall to say “you probably figured this out many pages ago…”. Nice plot device! I wouldn’t mind seeing Cassie and Toby paired up as magical detectives on their first case.
I really enjoyed the series. Great dialogue, nice arc, and some fantastic humor. The ending was a forgone conclusion, but that’s OK. The last book was a bit too long, and it felt like we were rehashing several aspects of the story over and over. Too many little foreshadowing nuggets sprinkled throughout that didn’t really satisfy at the conclusion. It WAS easy to figure out who the baddy was, but I had to chuckle when Cassie broke down the fourth wall to say “you probably figured this out many pages ago…”. Nice plot device! I wouldn’t mind seeing Cassie and Toby paired up as magical detectives on their first case.
January 4, 2024
Fulfilling end for this trilogy, although it felt like the weakest of the three books.
The ending was good, but getting there is what lost it the fifth star: it seemed like nothing was really happening for a long time. Additionally, the Mauvais was really a weak excuse for a villain, and one mostly absent, to be fair.
These books are fun and funny, Painter has a real talent and a sharp mind, but it seems like she painted herself into a corner by deciding this was a trilogy, so she had to close the story any which way she could.
Some of the side characters are the better ones (Winston, Nigel, Morelli, Chester, Tobey in the last book).
Give this series a read, it'll be worth it.
The ending was good, but getting there is what lost it the fifth star: it seemed like nothing was really happening for a long time. Additionally, the Mauvais was really a weak excuse for a villain, and one mostly absent, to be fair.
These books are fun and funny, Painter has a real talent and a sharp mind, but it seems like she painted herself into a corner by deciding this was a trilogy, so she had to close the story any which way she could.
Some of the side characters are the better ones (Winston, Nigel, Morelli, Chester, Tobey in the last book).
Give this series a read, it'll be worth it.
May 21, 2024
Who wants to be a human battery?
Not Cassie, that's for sure. Her ability to be one - to provide limitless magical power - however, has arch evil wizard the Mauvais hot on her trail, the folks at HQ want to drain her thus rendering her as sentient as a turnip, she's lost two people through a magical portal and she still can't control her impulsive nature.
All she wants is to destroy the wizard, save the love of her life, and return her parents to health. Why is this so hard?
Darkly funny and with a twist at the end I did not see coming, this is a great weekend read.
Warning - I binge read the entire series in one weekend.
Not Cassie, that's for sure. Her ability to be one - to provide limitless magical power - however, has arch evil wizard the Mauvais hot on her trail, the folks at HQ want to drain her thus rendering her as sentient as a turnip, she's lost two people through a magical portal and she still can't control her impulsive nature.
All she wants is to destroy the wizard, save the love of her life, and return her parents to health. Why is this so hard?
Darkly funny and with a twist at the end I did not see coming, this is a great weekend read.
Warning - I binge read the entire series in one weekend.
August 9, 2024
Wow. I enjoyed the previous two books in this Cassie Black trilogy but things really came together in this conclusion to the set. Cassie is still in London trying to train and to stop the Mauvais, the powerfully magical bad guy. But, now she has the added pressure of knowing she is likely going to have her magic extracted even if she succeeds. It seems like there is nothing she can do to please Olivia, the "CEO" at HQ nor Banna, a member of the leadership tribunal.
I don't want to say any more to avoid giving hints or spoilers. Just that she has a lot to do in London despite missing her cat, Pablo, and some of her friends from Magicland (her term for the hidden Magic community in Portland, Oregon).
I don't want to say any more to avoid giving hints or spoilers. Just that she has a lot to do in London despite missing her cat, Pablo, and some of her friends from Magicland (her term for the hidden Magic community in Portland, Oregon).
May 4, 2021
Another action packed magical mystery in the final book of The Cassie Black Trilogy!
Cassie must fight forces she could not have imagined, there are obstacles and triumphs and tragedies that keep the heart racing! Of course, there is always room for the Cassie Black snarky attitude and general mistrust of others that keep me laughing and relating to her.
It ends with pieces being sewn up quite nicely and happily. Yet... there’s room for the possibility of another book!!! You have to love that!
I was given an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Cassie must fight forces she could not have imagined, there are obstacles and triumphs and tragedies that keep the heart racing! Of course, there is always room for the Cassie Black snarky attitude and general mistrust of others that keep me laughing and relating to her.
It ends with pieces being sewn up quite nicely and happily. Yet... there’s room for the possibility of another book!!! You have to love that!
I was given an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2022
This must be just me as most reviews are so good for this trilogy, but I really didn't like it much. It was just too much of a 'And they all loved happily ever after' book. You didn't really feel any of the bad things that might have happened to Cassie ever would and the repairing the cities and reviving her parents was, I felt (and I accept this may just be me) silly.
I thought the spells were a bit 'Oh we've got a spell for that' all the time and the HQ were pretty useless at their job. I liked the Winston and Nigel though!
I thought the spells were a bit 'Oh we've got a spell for that' all the time and the HQ were pretty useless at their job. I liked the Winston and Nigel though!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2023
I enjoyed this final installment of Cassie Black. I enjoy the lightness of the read of the series and the quick chapters that keep a good pace the whole way through. I feel it's a good traveling book to have with you to keep you in a good mood along the way.
I really enjoy Winston and Nigel and it was good to have them all the way through Cassie's time in London too.
I was sure I knew who the traitor was for a while so every time they appeared I was scrutinising every word on the page for confirmation and I was happy to be correct at the end.
I really enjoy Winston and Nigel and it was good to have them all the way through Cassie's time in London too.
I was sure I knew who the traitor was for a while so every time they appeared I was scrutinising every word on the page for confirmation and I was happy to be correct at the end.
January 2, 2025
The story was overall good (3.5) but the hints were very obvious. I liked the prophecy's bird clue. It would have been better if the hints were only given to the reader (like a third person pov that shows what the bad guys are up to etc.) because i figured it out and Cassie have like a detective type personality and it goes against that if she didn't get it while I did. Also little more clarity on how strong or weak a person is magically, like what it would take or who can beat that person in combat.
Sincerely,a reader.
Sincerely,a reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2021
A fitting ending to the superb series. Though, I must say it was a bit weaker than the first and second books. The story was a bit slow.. there was too much conversation and little action except for right at the end. The ending of Mauvais was, in my opinion, rather hurried and seemed a bit contrived. Painter's writing was very tight in the first two books.. this one was not upto the mark. Still the book was entertaining.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2022
Fun, fun magic series that doesn’t disappoint. Wild ride of emotions as Cassie tries to control her magic, help her parents back to health, keep a madman from destroying the world, and avoid having her magic & mind wiped. I did realize early on who the traitor might be and was mildly annoyed that none of the characters could see what seemed obvious but the author had Cassie herself address their cluelessness.
October 16, 2022
Science fantasy or science magic?
A whole lot of philosophy in that query and the trilogy is also a lot of fun to read. Interesting sidelines viz slavery & sugar, physics & magic. All in, a satisfying combination of thought provoking ideas and a rattling good story. Rushed to read in as few ‘sittings’ as possible & now thinking might well look at Painter’s other titles. Think these books are part of what I’m thinking is a new sub-genre of fiction, steampunk.
A whole lot of philosophy in that query and the trilogy is also a lot of fun to read. Interesting sidelines viz slavery & sugar, physics & magic. All in, a satisfying combination of thought provoking ideas and a rattling good story. Rushed to read in as few ‘sittings’ as possible & now thinking might well look at Painter’s other titles. Think these books are part of what I’m thinking is a new sub-genre of fiction, steampunk.
February 21, 2024
Great overarching story, wonderful magic, some fun characters. I was annoyed it took a whole book of everyone waiting around to get back to where we left off in the last book. Many things that were kinda funny at first (her stair pain, Tower of London facts) became painful after 2 books of repetition. WHY would she not use a floating spell for the stairs? But I inhaled the book, and was very invested in how it ended, which was satisfying.
April 25, 2023
Hard to read
Caesar's character is so depressive and curmudgeonly in the first two books that they were hard to read. She was very hard to like as a protagonist. Interesting twists in the story, and my prediction of who the traitor was was true. Sorry didn't find the humor all that appealing either.
Caesar's character is so depressive and curmudgeonly in the first two books that they were hard to read. She was very hard to like as a protagonist. Interesting twists in the story, and my prediction of who the traitor was was true. Sorry didn't find the humor all that appealing either.
March 22, 2025
This trilogy was enjoyable despite some glaring issues. Chief among them is that, despite Cassie’s allegedly high IQ, she repeatedly misses the most obvious of clues. There are also many dangling, unresolved plot threads. Perhaps those are intended to throw the reader off from solving the mystery, but I found them off-putting. These criticisms aside, I could hardly put these stories down for wanting to know how they end.
Cassie herself is the obvious star of the show, but I also enjoyed getting to know the rest of the cast. And being able to eat copious quantities of sugary treats made be wish for magical cells. Oh well!
Cassie herself is the obvious star of the show, but I also enjoyed getting to know the rest of the cast. And being able to eat copious quantities of sugary treats made be wish for magical cells. Oh well!
August 27, 2021
5 stars for the final installment of the Cassie Black series. This was a fun and entertaining trilogy, complete with quirky characters and fascinating locations. Highly recommend starting with Book 1 and reading all three books in this series!
I’m going to check out the author’s other books.
I’m going to check out the author’s other books.
March 19, 2022
I enjoyed the series as a whole but I did find a lot quite predictable from book 2 onwards I.e. who the traitor was, I found that frustrating as Cassie seemed blind to all the obvious clues. I was happy to see she became a nicer person in the 3rd book too xXx
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2025
Relaxing romp
An enjoyable angle on the more temperate beauties of Portland and London, this is a great beach (or celing fan) summer read, nothing challenging but nothing more horrible than broken bones either.
An enjoyable angle on the more temperate beauties of Portland and London, this is a great beach (or celing fan) summer read, nothing challenging but nothing more horrible than broken bones either.
April 24, 2021
A truly satisfying end to a charming, funny, action-filled trilogy. A happy ending and the possibility for a sequel!
Thanks to the author for letting me read this as soon as it was available!
Thanks to the author for letting me read this as soon as it was available!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2021
Part 3 of of the Cassie Black trilogy. See my review for the series under THE UNDEAD MR. TENPENNY
September 12, 2021
Solid and enjoyable series
June 15, 2022
Really a great short series. I'll even admit I was thrown at the end - at least in part.
June 20, 2022
Une belle fin "happy ending" pour cette trilogie amusante. J'ai mieux aimé ce tome que le 2e qui m'avait un peu laissé sur ma faim.
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