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The Hidden Mage #4
Crown of Power
Verene is determined to complete her fourth and final year at the Academy, despite her family's opposition to Darius, and his own obstinance about the future of their relationship. And Darius needs to graduate in order to claim his throne. But with the threat of Conall looming over them, they must be more than just trainees if they hope to save both their kingdoms from the coming war—especially since Verene's abilities may be the only thing that can save them all.
Verene lives in a world of written power—a world turned upside down by the first ever Spoken Mage.
Verene lives in a world of written power—a world turned upside down by the first ever Spoken Mage.
348 pages, Paperback
Published February 18, 2021
434 people are currently reading
2125 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Cellier
127 books2,785 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 270 reviews
September 6, 2024
3 stars, personally. (Clean, no faith content, no language, and no sexual innuendoes.)
This series has been a little addictive for me, if it wasn’t obvious by reading all four books within 3 days. But it wasn’t because I was obsessed with it by any means. It was interesting and entertaining. I’m totally gonna blame the covers for making me originally interested in the series because they are beautifully stunning. And also the boarding school plot-line--I don’t know why I love those, but I really do and it made this series stand out from my long TBR because of that setting.
I do feel like in this book and in the third book certain things were added to be convenient, such as having basically a truth detector ability and Verene being squeamish around wounds and blood, that I don’t recall were mentioned in the first two books at all. And I know powers change and grow especially in her case, but it felt a little convenient at times and some things felt too like an easy out for our characters.
I have to admit I really enjoyed Verene and her brother fussing about their parents not wanting them to have their own falling in love stories (with someone they shouldn’t be with) and running off in save the world, since that the irony is not lost on them that that’s exactly what their parents did in the first series. Haven’t even read that series (and I probably won’t), but it was humorous nonetheless of the parents being called out on that.
I had to appreciate that Darius was incredibly concerned getting Verene’s parents’ blessing, and even when she was not concerned and thinking that they’ll be able to change her parents’ mind (even saying that “our happiness shouldn’t be reliant on them”), he still stayed fast that she deserved more it being like he was a thief stealing her away. She’s concerned that they may not be able to convince them and he adds that “Then maybe they have an insight into our situation unclouded by emotion, Maybe I really am bad for you.” Which was an emotional growth that was good to see from him.
That said, Darius was a bit annoying, though, in this book and the third book because he was easily jealous of any other guy showing polite interest in Verene. Like, buddy, you’re the one pushing her away because you don’t think you’re good enough, quit being jealous. It wasn’t cute. 🤷♀️
I did think that this book dragged a bit more, especially if you compare it to the other books in the series. I was interested but also ready for something big to happen and it took a while to get there. And once we did get there it did feel a little rushed, but it was good to see everything work out. But it was a little rushed, and I would’ve preferred a little more at the epilogue, or at least a couple extra chapters, and then an epilogue.
I want to complement the pacing of these books. They have been well done in a sense of it never *really* dragged and they were a good a length to completely binge in a long weekend. They were also incredibly clean which I’m grateful to the author. I have a lot of friends that rave about her other books, but not many have read this series which makes me curious how they compare. This series was original and I appreciated that. I still don’t think I have any interest in reading the connecting series that is about Verene’s parents.
I would still say the first book was my favorite only because Verene was so strong, their political tension with each other, and being introduced to this world. As the books continued, she became a little bit more of that not necessarily flighty female main lead, but one that at times was more attracted to a guy than the main, important mission. Which I was a little disappointed to see.
After nearly 1200 pages, do I understand all the fantasy elements in the powers and energy stuff? Yeah, no. Not at all. I couldn’t explain it—I tried my best in my review of the first book, but I honestly just went along for the ride. It’s fantasy, it’s not real, it’s just entertaining. I needed a fantasy series to take me away for a few days and this series definitely fit the bill. It wasn’t perfection by any means (my favorite part is definitely still the gorgeous covers) but it kept my attention pretty well.
Main content-
Same fantasy elements from the prior books with the addition of more about someone being able to control and influence (brainwash) others with their powers (we see this on page) and Verene having to go into others’ minds more to be able to figure out their secrets and control them; There’s also a newer element of debating if your ability defines you, i.e. if you have an unique ability that can usually only mean harming others, is that all the person can do and amount to (Verene is very much against the thought that your abilities define you and how you use them—saying that if we were given abilities, it was to do good with them—another is determined that his abilities are evil and can’t be used for good, despite Verene talking to him again and again and trying to show him.)
There’s a composition made that has the goal to find someone that has to have a family’s blood on it (Verene is squeamish about this, but it is looked as a necessity for the upcoming battles); A composition used turns someone’s fingers black and Verene is very concerned by this, but is told it is normal for that composition; Seeing a solider that was killed in a battle, seeing a fight and the energy drain out of two people (causing their deaths), major injuries, & others near deaths (up to semi-detailed); A fire, being trapped, & some wishing to die in it because it would be easier or because of a trauma (up to semi-detailed); Someone wishes to die because they will never experience true freedom due to past actions and is glad to have killed others that were in their way (Verene is sadden by this person’s thoughts, fights to save them, and tries to convince them not to give into those feelings, up to semi-detailed); Verene has to “connect” (go into the mind of) to some who is evil and is sicken to do so (but has to for the greater good, semi-detailed); Pain, Injuries, Passing out, & seeing deaths; Fighting & Self-defense in actual battles (up to semi-detailed).
*Major Spoilers*
The truth about Verene’s abilities have been revealed to her parents prior to the start of this fourth book and though she understands why they are hurt by her keeping it a secret, she says that she wanted “the freedom to explore and develop my new abilities before I became a tool to be fought over and bargained between crowns.” (which they understand but wished she would have come to them).
Mentions of wars, battles, deaths, injuries, etc. (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fires, deaths, near deaths, & someone’s major fear of fires (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of villages being pilfered, burned to the ground, deaths/dead bodies, & children being left behind (Verene is concerned that the children will be/are killed by enemies, but is told that the children are being handled safely by others); Mentions of social prejudices between classes and couples of different status; Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of drinking & alcohol.
A couple mentions of curses being said, but not written out; The phrase “what in the kingdoms” is used once; No religious content.
A hair kiss and two semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Nearness, & Warmth (up to semi-detailed); Being in love, longing for another, & some of the emotions; Darius wants Verene’s parents approval for their relationship, but Verene is less desperate for it, being sure that her parents will eventually come around or they will be able to convince them; A few mentions of a man being marked (“sealed”) as a criminal for attacking a woman; A mention of a king needing to procreate.
(See my reviews with content details of the rest of this series: Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, and Book #4)
This series has been a little addictive for me, if it wasn’t obvious by reading all four books within 3 days. But it wasn’t because I was obsessed with it by any means. It was interesting and entertaining. I’m totally gonna blame the covers for making me originally interested in the series because they are beautifully stunning. And also the boarding school plot-line--I don’t know why I love those, but I really do and it made this series stand out from my long TBR because of that setting.
I do feel like in this book and in the third book certain things were added to be convenient, such as having basically a truth detector ability and Verene being squeamish around wounds and blood, that I don’t recall were mentioned in the first two books at all. And I know powers change and grow especially in her case, but it felt a little convenient at times and some things felt too like an easy out for our characters.
I have to admit I really enjoyed Verene and her brother fussing about their parents not wanting them to have their own falling in love stories (with someone they shouldn’t be with) and running off in save the world, since that the irony is not lost on them that that’s exactly what their parents did in the first series. Haven’t even read that series (and I probably won’t), but it was humorous nonetheless of the parents being called out on that.
I had to appreciate that Darius was incredibly concerned getting Verene’s parents’ blessing, and even when she was not concerned and thinking that they’ll be able to change her parents’ mind (even saying that “our happiness shouldn’t be reliant on them”), he still stayed fast that she deserved more it being like he was a thief stealing her away. She’s concerned that they may not be able to convince them and he adds that “Then maybe they have an insight into our situation unclouded by emotion, Maybe I really am bad for you.” Which was an emotional growth that was good to see from him.
That said, Darius was a bit annoying, though, in this book and the third book because he was easily jealous of any other guy showing polite interest in Verene. Like, buddy, you’re the one pushing her away because you don’t think you’re good enough, quit being jealous. It wasn’t cute. 🤷♀️
I did think that this book dragged a bit more, especially if you compare it to the other books in the series. I was interested but also ready for something big to happen and it took a while to get there. And once we did get there it did feel a little rushed, but it was good to see everything work out. But it was a little rushed, and I would’ve preferred a little more at the epilogue, or at least a couple extra chapters, and then an epilogue.
I want to complement the pacing of these books. They have been well done in a sense of it never *really* dragged and they were a good a length to completely binge in a long weekend. They were also incredibly clean which I’m grateful to the author. I have a lot of friends that rave about her other books, but not many have read this series which makes me curious how they compare. This series was original and I appreciated that. I still don’t think I have any interest in reading the connecting series that is about Verene’s parents.
I would still say the first book was my favorite only because Verene was so strong, their political tension with each other, and being introduced to this world. As the books continued, she became a little bit more of that not necessarily flighty female main lead, but one that at times was more attracted to a guy than the main, important mission. Which I was a little disappointed to see.
After nearly 1200 pages, do I understand all the fantasy elements in the powers and energy stuff? Yeah, no. Not at all. I couldn’t explain it—I tried my best in my review of the first book, but I honestly just went along for the ride. It’s fantasy, it’s not real, it’s just entertaining. I needed a fantasy series to take me away for a few days and this series definitely fit the bill. It wasn’t perfection by any means (my favorite part is definitely still the gorgeous covers) but it kept my attention pretty well.
Main content-
Same fantasy elements from the prior books with the addition of more about someone being able to control and influence (brainwash) others with their powers (we see this on page) and Verene having to go into others’ minds more to be able to figure out their secrets and control them; There’s also a newer element of debating if your ability defines you, i.e. if you have an unique ability that can usually only mean harming others, is that all the person can do and amount to (Verene is very much against the thought that your abilities define you and how you use them—saying that if we were given abilities, it was to do good with them—another is determined that his abilities are evil and can’t be used for good, despite Verene talking to him again and again and trying to show him.)
There’s a composition made that has the goal to find someone that has to have a family’s blood on it (Verene is squeamish about this, but it is looked as a necessity for the upcoming battles); A composition used turns someone’s fingers black and Verene is very concerned by this, but is told it is normal for that composition; Seeing a solider that was killed in a battle, seeing a fight and the energy drain out of two people (causing their deaths), major injuries, & others near deaths (up to semi-detailed); A fire, being trapped, & some wishing to die in it because it would be easier or because of a trauma (up to semi-detailed); Someone wishes to die because they will never experience true freedom due to past actions and is glad to have killed others that were in their way (Verene is sadden by this person’s thoughts, fights to save them, and tries to convince them not to give into those feelings, up to semi-detailed); Verene has to “connect” (go into the mind of) to some who is evil and is sicken to do so (but has to for the greater good, semi-detailed); Pain, Injuries, Passing out, & seeing deaths; Fighting & Self-defense in actual battles (up to semi-detailed).
*Major Spoilers*
The truth about Verene’s abilities have been revealed to her parents prior to the start of this fourth book and though she understands why they are hurt by her keeping it a secret, she says that she wanted “the freedom to explore and develop my new abilities before I became a tool to be fought over and bargained between crowns.” (which they understand but wished she would have come to them).
Mentions of wars, battles, deaths, injuries, etc. (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fires, deaths, near deaths, & someone’s major fear of fires (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of villages being pilfered, burned to the ground, deaths/dead bodies, & children being left behind (Verene is concerned that the children will be/are killed by enemies, but is told that the children are being handled safely by others); Mentions of social prejudices between classes and couples of different status; Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of drinking & alcohol.
A couple mentions of curses being said, but not written out; The phrase “what in the kingdoms” is used once; No religious content.
A hair kiss and two semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Nearness, & Warmth (up to semi-detailed); Being in love, longing for another, & some of the emotions; Darius wants Verene’s parents approval for their relationship, but Verene is less desperate for it, being sure that her parents will eventually come around or they will be able to convince them; A few mentions of a man being marked (“sealed”) as a criminal for attacking a woman; A mention of a king needing to procreate.
(See my reviews with content details of the rest of this series: Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, and Book #4)
February 6, 2021
6th Feb 2021
This was the perfect ending to the series that wrapped up the story very well, kept up a steady stream of plot twists and character development moments and other intriguing details to keep us engaged throughout and gave us many a happy couples by the end. And of course meeting Elena and Lucas again (no matter how briefly) and seeing how far they have come over the years was an absolute delight!
It's astonishing, how the stories of both Elena (the Spoken Mage) and her daughter are similar in so many ways and yet so different and the author has very well portrayed this through her writing. Which gives an alluring depth and meaning to the story, especially for the readers who have enjoyed the Spoken Mage series before the Hidden Mage series.
With Lucas and Elena's story everything was more rushed and passionate in that youthful way of the young but in Darius and Verene's story there is a maturity and serenity that shows the influence of their royal birth and life. We can see that grim determination and courage but it is more subdued and refined.
Every character's skillset and values have been thoughtfully expressed and it was an amazing experience to behold. This time I was a spectator to the story who could see everyone and everything and analyze their growth through Verene's description throughout the book. Rather than just being limited by in the main character's emotions and views of the world, I got to see every character evolve and I was acutely aware of all the characters and the story as a whole and not just the two lead protagonists. Infact I almost forgot the fact that there were supposed to be lead protagonists which shouldn't have been possible given how Verene was the one describing the scenes to me. It felt like I was merely observing the scenes play out and every character was a protagonist in their own right. And I liked that very much. And I suppose we have Verene's character for calmly observing and analyzing a situation from other people's perspective, considering their motives, trying to understand them and only then taking actions or forming opinions (and the author's thoughtfulness in making her so )to thank for that . She gives everyone a fair chance to prove themselves. An admirable trait that everyone should certainly hope to emulate.
I suppose this insight was made possible by the fact that the lead characters did not have too much of a frenzy of suppressed and unexpressed emotions nor were they unsure of their own standing in the world or constantly plagued by self doubt to the extent that it paralyzes their ability to simply act and live in the moment . Thus they were able to maintain clarity. Simply by being observant of others and honest to their own selves . While relying on each other when they needed help and admitting their flaws and trusting their mates to point them out to them, to call them out when they were doing something foolish. These characters aren't perfect by any means but they are very much real and mature . Yet there's no maelstrom of conflicting emotions that could hinder their ability to think clearly. And it is important to note that they weren't like this when this journey started. But clearly they have come a long way and have developed and evolved this skill over the years. Especially refining them in these past four years of their schooling. A trait to be admired and worth imitating in our own lives.
I very much hope that the author would soon write a bonus epilogue or short story to give insight into the lives of all characters after their academy years to see what they are doing now that this eminent danger has passed or a few from now just to see how everyone's faring. ( And I mean EVERYONE , not just the main trainees , seeing some (or all) old characters from the Soken Mage and Hidden Mage series would be appreciated too) And maybe we might actually get a companion novel too! One with Lucien at the center probably, given his unattached status so far and stiffy behavior. He is the only sibling we haven't seen much of so far after all!
Some spoilers where I briefly discuss and describe my views on some developments in the story.
30th Jan 2021
Expected publication: 5th Feb
Just 6 days to go!!!!
30th Oct 2020
No specific publication date yet but the cover is GORGEOUS !!!
So looking forward to Feb 2021!
This was the perfect ending to the series that wrapped up the story very well, kept up a steady stream of plot twists and character development moments and other intriguing details to keep us engaged throughout and gave us many a happy couples by the end. And of course meeting Elena and Lucas again (no matter how briefly) and seeing how far they have come over the years was an absolute delight!
It's astonishing, how the stories of both Elena (the Spoken Mage) and her daughter are similar in so many ways and yet so different and the author has very well portrayed this through her writing. Which gives an alluring depth and meaning to the story, especially for the readers who have enjoyed the Spoken Mage series before the Hidden Mage series.
With Lucas and Elena's story everything was more rushed and passionate in that youthful way of the young but in Darius and Verene's story there is a maturity and serenity that shows the influence of their royal birth and life. We can see that grim determination and courage but it is more subdued and refined.
Every character's skillset and values have been thoughtfully expressed and it was an amazing experience to behold. This time I was a spectator to the story who could see everyone and everything and analyze their growth through Verene's description throughout the book. Rather than just being limited by in the main character's emotions and views of the world, I got to see every character evolve and I was acutely aware of all the characters and the story as a whole and not just the two lead protagonists. Infact I almost forgot the fact that there were supposed to be lead protagonists which shouldn't have been possible given how Verene was the one describing the scenes to me. It felt like I was merely observing the scenes play out and every character was a protagonist in their own right. And I liked that very much. And I suppose we have Verene's character for calmly observing and analyzing a situation from other people's perspective, considering their motives, trying to understand them and only then taking actions or forming opinions (and the author's thoughtfulness in making her so )to thank for that . She gives everyone a fair chance to prove themselves. An admirable trait that everyone should certainly hope to emulate.
I suppose this insight was made possible by the fact that the lead characters did not have too much of a frenzy of suppressed and unexpressed emotions nor were they unsure of their own standing in the world or constantly plagued by self doubt to the extent that it paralyzes their ability to simply act and live in the moment . Thus they were able to maintain clarity. Simply by being observant of others and honest to their own selves . While relying on each other when they needed help and admitting their flaws and trusting their mates to point them out to them, to call them out when they were doing something foolish. These characters aren't perfect by any means but they are very much real and mature . Yet there's no maelstrom of conflicting emotions that could hinder their ability to think clearly. And it is important to note that they weren't like this when this journey started. But clearly they have come a long way and have developed and evolved this skill over the years. Especially refining them in these past four years of their schooling. A trait to be admired and worth imitating in our own lives.
I very much hope that the author would soon write a bonus epilogue or short story to give insight into the lives of all characters after their academy years to see what they are doing now that this eminent danger has passed or a few from now just to see how everyone's faring. ( And I mean EVERYONE , not just the main trainees , seeing some (or all) old characters from the Soken Mage and Hidden Mage series would be appreciated too) And maybe we might actually get a companion novel too! One with Lucien at the center probably, given his unattached status so far and stiffy behavior. He is the only sibling we haven't seen much of so far after all!
Some spoilers where I briefly discuss and describe my views on some developments in the story.
30th Jan 2021
Expected publication: 5th Feb
Just 6 days to go!!!!
30th Oct 2020
No specific publication date yet but the cover is GORGEOUS !!!
So looking forward to Feb 2021!
November 28, 2023
I think the five star is as much for the overall series as it is for this final installment. But both are worth the high praise. While it isn’t deep or earth moving in its prose, it doesn’t change the world or even one’s point of view. It does, however, grant readers a thoroughly enjoyable escape that is tightly written and creative. The series truly is a fabulous read and this last book in that series is a culmination of everything we love about the whole.
Verene, Darius, Jarrett, Bryony and the bunch have all grown, made mistakes, learned and are now faced with growing up in ways they never imagined. And, the ending is perfect. It doesn’t abruptly stop after all the action, but allows us to see what happens after - wrapping everything up with a lovely sigh and a smile.
Verene, Darius, Jarrett, Bryony and the bunch have all grown, made mistakes, learned and are now faced with growing up in ways they never imagined. And, the ending is perfect. It doesn’t abruptly stop after all the action, but allows us to see what happens after - wrapping everything up with a lovely sigh and a smile.
February 8, 2021
I was drawn into the story quickly. The world was very well written and detailed. With that said, thee was too much filler for me. Too much unrelatable dialogue between inconsequential characters. I would have preferred more focus placed on dialogue between the main characters (the prince and princess). I continued the series thinking there would be more of a closure between the characters, but was sadly disappointed. Too much build up and not enough reward.
November 24, 2021
That was extremely satisfying.
August 25, 2025
Oh. my. GOSH!!!!!!! Okay, when I first read about the whole plot of this book, I had a way I wanted it to go. AND THIS EXCEEDED IT! I really loved the end, but I did want the epilogue to have a little more than what it did. To see them finally get what they wanted😍 (trying to avoid spoilers.)
Melanie always writes the best books, and I’m dying to read more. Too bad i’m on vacation, and can’t order some! 😭
Anyways, i’m really sad this series is over, and that no one is making a bigger deal about it. I need a whole pinterest fangirl page about this. Please, more people read her books!
Safe to say, I really enjoyed it and did my best to give no spoilers for my friends who read this. 🤩👏
Melanie always writes the best books, and I’m dying to read more. Too bad i’m on vacation, and can’t order some! 😭
Anyways, i’m really sad this series is over, and that no one is making a bigger deal about it. I need a whole pinterest fangirl page about this. Please, more people read her books!
Safe to say, I really enjoyed it and did my best to give no spoilers for my friends who read this. 🤩👏
April 2, 2022
I’m so sad it’s over :(((
I read all 4 last night and today now I’m gonna stay up and read the 4 about her parents and never sleep. I love this world and the magic system it’s so cool.
I would love a series about the best friend, I think her magic is cool
I read all 4 last night and today now I’m gonna stay up and read the 4 about her parents and never sleep. I love this world and the magic system it’s so cool.
I would love a series about the best friend, I think her magic is cool
May 30, 2024
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳 👑
ﾟ･｡･
꒰𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨: 6 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴꒱
꒰𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 4 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 4꒱
꒰𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘦: 0/5꒱
꒰𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦: 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺꒱
꒰𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦 ꒱
They are amazing! I love Verene she is so relatable and so kind and oh my goodness. And Darius give me a man like that! In my opinion I tihnk this is the most mature couple Melanie have wrote. Also Compared to Verene's mom and dad romance her romance was more like a slow burn and mature. While her mother's was more rushed and to be honest stupid.
꒰𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 ꒱
Oh my goodness! They are perfect. They are golden. They are the Power Couple! I love them and I forgot that Jereth proposed so soon! OMG I love him and Bryony. They are perfect! Jereth and Bryony's journey was so cute. They we frenemies to enemies to frenemies to lovers.
꒰𝘔𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 ꒱
I LOVE THIS BOOK SO FREAKING MUCH! I love this book series with all I am!! Also The Romance so beautiful!! I feel like this book was such an emotional book. Since it is the last book and also the most emotional one. This book was a 6 star. While the others were 5 stars. Just the perfectionist!! Also I listened to the audio book and oh my goodness love the narrator. Love how she could inject the emotion of Verene. Anyways, this book was perfect I suggest the whole book series to you!!
Other Reviews on the book series
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝟭 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 2 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 3 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 4 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
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ﾟ。𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳 👑
ﾟ･｡･
꒰𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨: 6 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴꒱
꒰𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 4 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 4꒱
꒰𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘦: 0/5꒱
꒰𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦: 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺꒱
꒰𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦 ꒱
They are amazing! I love Verene she is so relatable and so kind and oh my goodness. And Darius give me a man like that! In my opinion I tihnk this is the most mature couple Melanie have wrote. Also Compared to Verene's mom and dad romance her romance was more like a slow burn and mature. While her mother's was more rushed and to be honest stupid.
꒰𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 ꒱
Oh my goodness! They are perfect. They are golden. They are the Power Couple! I love them and I forgot that Jereth proposed so soon! OMG I love him and Bryony. They are perfect! Jereth and Bryony's journey was so cute. They we frenemies to enemies to frenemies to lovers.
꒰𝘔𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 ꒱
I LOVE THIS BOOK SO FREAKING MUCH! I love this book series with all I am!! Also The Romance so beautiful!! I feel like this book was such an emotional book. Since it is the last book and also the most emotional one. This book was a 6 star. While the others were 5 stars. Just the perfectionist!! Also I listened to the audio book and oh my goodness love the narrator. Love how she could inject the emotion of Verene. Anyways, this book was perfect I suggest the whole book series to you!!
Other Reviews on the book series
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝟭 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 2 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 3 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 4 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
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December 10, 2021
You know when you can't shake that feeling that something is missing while reading a book? Well, I kept having that feeling while reading the first 3 books, but thought that everything would make sense once I read the final book.
I was wrong and I should've dropped the series.
I thought I would get good action and drama with a well written slow burn romance (the series went beyond slow romance). Honestly, I don't mind lack of romance if there's action, and I don't mind lack of action if there's romance. But the series lacks both and it's disappointing.
And why would the author write three books about high school drama and summaries the most important part in the last quarter of the final book? Just why? It would make more sense if the story was a duology, with the fight with Conall detailed in the second book.
And Darius and Verene? Congratulations! You've just made it to my list of least liked ML. Why? Darius was so indecisive but apparently a strong leader? How? And Verene, how could you? I really liked you, but you were prepared to tell Darius about Bryony secret without batting an eye? Bryony who kept all secrets and was there whenever and wherever you needed her? SHAME ON YOU!!
I was wrong and I should've dropped the series.
I thought I would get good action and drama with a well written slow burn romance (the series went beyond slow romance). Honestly, I don't mind lack of romance if there's action, and I don't mind lack of action if there's romance. But the series lacks both and it's disappointing.
And why would the author write three books about high school drama and summaries the most important part in the last quarter of the final book? Just why? It would make more sense if the story was a duology, with the fight with Conall detailed in the second book.
And Darius and Verene? Congratulations! You've just made it to my list of least liked ML. Why? Darius was so indecisive but apparently a strong leader? How? And Verene, how could you? I really liked you, but you were prepared to tell Darius about Bryony secret without batting an eye? Bryony who kept all secrets and was there whenever and wherever you needed her? SHAME ON YOU!!
February 21, 2021
I was very disappointed with this book. Everything is too "lean", too easy to predict and at times ilogical. I really loved "spoken mage" but the quality has decreased progresively in "hidden mage", being this the worst.
The romance, the roles of the royals or the reasoning of the Fl even arent believable at all.
The romance, the roles of the royals or the reasoning of the Fl even arent believable at all.
February 2, 2022
That. Was. Incredible. I am SO happy right now!
I grew so attached to these characters! I love them, and I’m going to miss them all so much! Verene and Darius, Byrony and Jareth, and Elsie and Stellan. Ahh I love them! Vincent and Layna too! Seeing Isabelle and Dellion at the end was fun too.
I am so incredibly proud of Verene. She grew so much throughout this series and it was beautiful to see! Same with the rest of these wonderful characters.
Seeing Elena and Lucas as parents made me so happy. It was so bittersweet! I love those two so much and I’m to say I love their children just as much.❤️
The parallels between their story and Darius and Verene’s was amazing.
The love story was beautiful. Let me tell you, I did a fair amount of fangirling in this series. Darius and Verene are perfect for each other, and seeing them finally together made me extremely happy!
Byrony and Jareth together *squeals*🥰that development made me very happy! I had my suspicions in the last book and I was shipping them all the way. ❤️
This book was an amazing, satisfying finale to an amazing series. Everything wrapped up so well. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I teared up a few times and smiled a lot too. To sum it up, it gave me all the feels!
I love this series so much! It was an epic fantasy that I won’t quickly forget. It’s going to the favorites list. Now I have the desire to reread The Spoken Mage! 😍
“It’s not our strength that makes us great,” I said, stepping around Darius. “It’s our choices. It’s holding on to hope, and making the right choice, even if it’s hard.”
“It was our choices that formed us, not the ability we had been given.”
I grew so attached to these characters! I love them, and I’m going to miss them all so much! Verene and Darius, Byrony and Jareth, and Elsie and Stellan. Ahh I love them! Vincent and Layna too! Seeing Isabelle and Dellion at the end was fun too.
I am so incredibly proud of Verene. She grew so much throughout this series and it was beautiful to see! Same with the rest of these wonderful characters.
Seeing Elena and Lucas as parents made me so happy. It was so bittersweet! I love those two so much and I’m to say I love their children just as much.❤️
The parallels between their story and Darius and Verene’s was amazing.
The love story was beautiful. Let me tell you, I did a fair amount of fangirling in this series. Darius and Verene are perfect for each other, and seeing them finally together made me extremely happy!
Byrony and Jareth together *squeals*🥰that development made me very happy! I had my suspicions in the last book and I was shipping them all the way. ❤️
This book was an amazing, satisfying finale to an amazing series. Everything wrapped up so well. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I teared up a few times and smiled a lot too. To sum it up, it gave me all the feels!
I love this series so much! It was an epic fantasy that I won’t quickly forget. It’s going to the favorites list. Now I have the desire to reread The Spoken Mage! 😍
“It’s not our strength that makes us great,” I said, stepping around Darius. “It’s our choices. It’s holding on to hope, and making the right choice, even if it’s hard.”
“It was our choices that formed us, not the ability we had been given.”
February 7, 2025
Ir pagājuši aptuveni 20 miera pilni gadi kopš iepriekšējās The Spoken Mage sērijas noslēguma. Lai arī izteikti cieša sadarbība starp Ardenas un Kalovejas karalistēm nav izveidojusies, tad arī šķiet drauds par jauna un varbūt tikpat ilgstoša kara atjaunošanos arīdzan nav. Lai censtos jo vairāk tuvināt un varbūt beidzot sākt jēgpilnāk sadarboties, uz Kalovejas maģijas akadēmiju tiek sūtīta The Spoken Mage galveno tēlu Elenas un Lūkasa meita Verīna.
https://poseidons99.com/2025/02/07/me...
https://poseidons99.com/2025/02/07/me...
February 6, 2021
I won't say much since this is book 4, therefore there will be a lot of spoilers if I go into details. But, the ending to this series is fantastic. Full of drama, great story and character arcs, action, adventure, romance, and a satisfying conclusion to all the story arcs. Verene and Darius are such a great couple to read, and their journey was so worth while. Like them way better than Elena and Lucas, they just support each other so fiercely and it's heart warming to read. Bryoney and Jareth became super fantastic as well, and I love their group dynamic.
As far as supporting characters go, Dellion was a stand out for me. Elsie continues to be fabulous, and Stellen coming into the fold and being a support to Verene was great too. There are so many stakes at the end of the book, and the battles and climax play out so well. Both the plot, and character beats are well paced, even though I got frustrated with some characters at times. Not because they were written poorly, but because I wanted to smack them over the head for being dummies. Which is good, because that means they felt like real people. I was super engaged in everything and everyone in this story, and the ending was so heart warming.
Definitely read this series. I like it far better than the Spoken Mage series tbh. Verene and Darius' relationship is a lot better, and Kallorway is an interesting setting and it being set so many years out from the SM series makes it fascinating to see the world building. Maybe we'll get a story about Verene's kids next? Or a side story about Bryoney and Jerith, that would be fantastic! All in all, I love visiting this world, and can't wait to reread both series. Pick up if you like clean fantasy romance with a great magic system, engaging plots, and engaging characters.
As far as supporting characters go, Dellion was a stand out for me. Elsie continues to be fabulous, and Stellen coming into the fold and being a support to Verene was great too. There are so many stakes at the end of the book, and the battles and climax play out so well. Both the plot, and character beats are well paced, even though I got frustrated with some characters at times. Not because they were written poorly, but because I wanted to smack them over the head for being dummies. Which is good, because that means they felt like real people. I was super engaged in everything and everyone in this story, and the ending was so heart warming.
Definitely read this series. I like it far better than the Spoken Mage series tbh. Verene and Darius' relationship is a lot better, and Kallorway is an interesting setting and it being set so many years out from the SM series makes it fascinating to see the world building. Maybe we'll get a story about Verene's kids next? Or a side story about Bryoney and Jerith, that would be fantastic! All in all, I love visiting this world, and can't wait to reread both series. Pick up if you like clean fantasy romance with a great magic system, engaging plots, and engaging characters.
May 2, 2022
This book and this series is so amazing! I adored every minute of it, and this finale was everything I could have hoped and more!
Now I really want to go and re-read the Spoken Mage series again just to dwell a little longer in this interesting magical world!
Now I really want to go and re-read the Spoken Mage series again just to dwell a little longer in this interesting magical world!
September 24, 2024
This is a fairly satisfying end to the series. The kingdoms work together to make a collective plan to defeat the enemy and free those in his clutches. Of course, things don't go according to plan.
I found this series pretty good, but I felt something a bit lacking in the character development, particularly with Darius, probably because it's written from Verene's point of view. But I kept going to find out what would happen, that was enough of a draw for me.
Also, I'd probably recommend reading the Spoken Mage series before this. I haven't and so even the relationship with her parents felt off, but I think the backstory is in the previous series.
A clean fantasy series you'll enjoy.
I found this series pretty good, but I felt something a bit lacking in the character development, particularly with Darius, probably because it's written from Verene's point of view. But I kept going to find out what would happen, that was enough of a draw for me.
Also, I'd probably recommend reading the Spoken Mage series before this. I haven't and so even the relationship with her parents felt off, but I think the backstory is in the previous series.
A clean fantasy series you'll enjoy.
February 6, 2025
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Definitely my favorite out of them all!
Was a bit more intriguing 🤔 because they had to leave the academy 😏
(Clean. No Christian themes. No cussing.)
Had lots of very interesting plots! And was a tad confusing at times with the powers. But overall loved this one!
(Also spoiler. Tyron does die by his father's hand. Tyron was bad... but had some good in him at times. RIP)
Definitely my favorite out of them all!
Was a bit more intriguing 🤔 because they had to leave the academy 😏
(Clean. No Christian themes. No cussing.)
Had lots of very interesting plots! And was a tad confusing at times with the powers. But overall loved this one!
(Also spoiler. Tyron does die by his father's hand. Tyron was bad... but had some good in him at times. RIP)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2021
Amé esta tetralogía, otra lectura buenísima que se suma a mi biblioteca este 2021!
April 28, 2021
3.8⭐
This was a Very straightforward, lowkey, clean, not that deep, stress-free series. Interesting magic-system.
This was a Very straightforward, lowkey, clean, not that deep, stress-free series. Interesting magic-system.
February 19, 2021
Series Review: Kind but clueless, airheaded heroine
I admit, this series was a struggle for me to get through. I had hopes it would be as strong as the Spoken Mage series, but it is a much weaker offering.
First, Verene, the MC. Born a princess and daughter of the Spoken Mage, she has a chip on her shoulder because of her lack of power. Instead of trying to excel at none age activities, she's satisfied herself with being slightly better than mediocre. Aka lazy as all heck and whining about how useless she is. Fast forward to her discovering her power and those flaws are exacerbated. It leads to some extremely selfish actions on her part, and frankly just makes her seem power hungry. Ultimately she has a good heart, though. However, its a good thing she's a princess because she is an idiot. Completely clueless and an airhead, its like she can't draw any conclusions in her own. They ate spoon fed to het by the other characters. Obvious conclusions completely miss her. We waste time in endless scenes where she dithers around before coming too her senses. But don't worry, she knows how to bite her lip, gasp, almost faint, and clutch her throat like a true damsel. And she's awesome at being rescued by others. Said bluntly, she's a delicate flower who doesn't have the brainpower to realize she is unable to stand on her own feet. Even the things she grew up learning as a princess, such as masking her feelings, seem suddenly beyond her. And yet she thinks she can be a queen? When she spends most of the time confused and complaining? Unreal.
Second issue: the romance. It moves fast for being based off of so little. Like less than a handful of kisses and not much interaction. Its so tweeny I was literally wondering why I was even having to read it in the books. It's awful. I Gey they are in their teens for a lot of the series, but if they live in a culture where people marry young, I'd expect greater maturity earlier. But no, we see her mooning after him like a live sick fool while he treats her poorly for the first half. And then she lets him define the scope if their relationship the last half (or really the whole series). And she flushes constantly; when he looks at her, when someone realizes she likes him or he likes her, when she or anyone discusses her having his kids. This was beyond ridiculous. Instead of two adults, I felt like I was dealing with tweens. Which makes the marriage proposal at the end uncomfortable. These two are so far from being ready to be married or run a kingdom; they have no maturity. I certainly don't trust them not to ruin everything..
Third issue: the plot. God was it dragged out. We spend so little time in the intricacies of her learning her power, too much time listening to her thoughts on various inanities waiting for her to do something, only to have someone else move the plot along by doing something. This meant a plot full of fluff and little action, but lots of thinking of: "Oh yeah, I should do something." Seriously, every conflict she could add value to is 5 times longer than it nerds to be because plot time is wasted describing those inanities I previously mentioned. The ultimate result is the story could have been told better in fewer books.
My final issue is the messaging in the series. There are no LGBTQIA characters at all in the universe, which is a real oversight IMO. Second, the romance is too clean for characters of their age. I don't mean sexual contact, but rather there isn't even a sense of that longing. But in point of fact they rarely touch. I dislike this approach in YA novels because it undermines female sexuality. The subtext is that its wrong to have those feelings or act on them with an acceptable partner, and that exact sentiment has constrained and messed up women for centuries. And leads to uninformed and bad decision-making. I am not saying the act needs to happen in the books, but ignoring it as a topic as if it doesn't exist is such a bad message for young women to hear. I felt this issue was compounded by Verene's constant reference to herself in relation to Darius. She has molded herself to meet his needs, rather than deciding who she wants to be on her own. Even at the end, she refers to her future as sitting beside Darius on the throne. Beside him. Not ruling together but beside him. The distinction may be small, but it is meaningful. She frames herself around him rather than as a person, a ruler, in her own right. I get she didn't want to be queen, but that doesn't mean her capability is constrained by her husband. I find this to be a disturbing message.
Ultimately, I would not recommend this series. I did enjoy the Spoken Mage series which prequels this series, but it had a much stronger plot and message to my memory. I am disappointed the sequel series failed to live up to its predecessor.
I admit, this series was a struggle for me to get through. I had hopes it would be as strong as the Spoken Mage series, but it is a much weaker offering.
First, Verene, the MC. Born a princess and daughter of the Spoken Mage, she has a chip on her shoulder because of her lack of power. Instead of trying to excel at none age activities, she's satisfied herself with being slightly better than mediocre. Aka lazy as all heck and whining about how useless she is. Fast forward to her discovering her power and those flaws are exacerbated. It leads to some extremely selfish actions on her part, and frankly just makes her seem power hungry. Ultimately she has a good heart, though. However, its a good thing she's a princess because she is an idiot. Completely clueless and an airhead, its like she can't draw any conclusions in her own. They ate spoon fed to het by the other characters. Obvious conclusions completely miss her. We waste time in endless scenes where she dithers around before coming too her senses. But don't worry, she knows how to bite her lip, gasp, almost faint, and clutch her throat like a true damsel. And she's awesome at being rescued by others. Said bluntly, she's a delicate flower who doesn't have the brainpower to realize she is unable to stand on her own feet. Even the things she grew up learning as a princess, such as masking her feelings, seem suddenly beyond her. And yet she thinks she can be a queen? When she spends most of the time confused and complaining? Unreal.
Second issue: the romance. It moves fast for being based off of so little. Like less than a handful of kisses and not much interaction. Its so tweeny I was literally wondering why I was even having to read it in the books. It's awful. I Gey they are in their teens for a lot of the series, but if they live in a culture where people marry young, I'd expect greater maturity earlier. But no, we see her mooning after him like a live sick fool while he treats her poorly for the first half. And then she lets him define the scope if their relationship the last half (or really the whole series). And she flushes constantly; when he looks at her, when someone realizes she likes him or he likes her, when she or anyone discusses her having his kids. This was beyond ridiculous. Instead of two adults, I felt like I was dealing with tweens. Which makes the marriage proposal at the end uncomfortable. These two are so far from being ready to be married or run a kingdom; they have no maturity. I certainly don't trust them not to ruin everything..
Third issue: the plot. God was it dragged out. We spend so little time in the intricacies of her learning her power, too much time listening to her thoughts on various inanities waiting for her to do something, only to have someone else move the plot along by doing something. This meant a plot full of fluff and little action, but lots of thinking of: "Oh yeah, I should do something." Seriously, every conflict she could add value to is 5 times longer than it nerds to be because plot time is wasted describing those inanities I previously mentioned. The ultimate result is the story could have been told better in fewer books.
My final issue is the messaging in the series. There are no LGBTQIA characters at all in the universe, which is a real oversight IMO. Second, the romance is too clean for characters of their age. I don't mean sexual contact, but rather there isn't even a sense of that longing. But in point of fact they rarely touch. I dislike this approach in YA novels because it undermines female sexuality. The subtext is that its wrong to have those feelings or act on them with an acceptable partner, and that exact sentiment has constrained and messed up women for centuries. And leads to uninformed and bad decision-making. I am not saying the act needs to happen in the books, but ignoring it as a topic as if it doesn't exist is such a bad message for young women to hear. I felt this issue was compounded by Verene's constant reference to herself in relation to Darius. She has molded herself to meet his needs, rather than deciding who she wants to be on her own. Even at the end, she refers to her future as sitting beside Darius on the throne. Beside him. Not ruling together but beside him. The distinction may be small, but it is meaningful. She frames herself around him rather than as a person, a ruler, in her own right. I get she didn't want to be queen, but that doesn't mean her capability is constrained by her husband. I find this to be a disturbing message.
Ultimately, I would not recommend this series. I did enjoy the Spoken Mage series which prequels this series, but it had a much stronger plot and message to my memory. I am disappointed the sequel series failed to live up to its predecessor.
January 7, 2022
I really enjoyed Melanie Cellier's spoken mage series, so I was super excited to find out there was a spin off to it! Unfortunately this series just fell flat and left me feeling unsatisfied and disappointed. It lacked all the things that made its predecessor a fun read: decently developed characters, a new world, and a well paced plot.
I'd say the biggest flaw with this series would have to be the characters. They just ...suck. They remain two dimensional across all the books and give us some of the most boring dialogue I've ever come across in ya. The heroine has no personality, and starts pining for the love interest without anything happening between them. The love literally starts from nothing. The hero is supposed to be the brooding type, but he just comes off as indecisive and filled with self importance without any real personality traits. The best friend is the typical supportive best friend archetype that never gets upset at the heroine even though she's irritating af. So many characters were introduced in the beginning seemingly to have a greater purpose later on, but they never did. We heard little snippets of their lives that had no relevance to the story. On the other hand, more characters were added towards the end for the sole purpose of filling gaps needed to move the plot along. By the end of the books I was so annoyed with most of them that even when they did something good and inoffensive I still got mad.
The plot was also all over the place. The great mystery of the villain was answered without any real struggle. The first three books were pretty much just fillers with Verene getting into trouble and then getting out of it. Over and over again. I kept reading hoping that eventually the story would pick up. When we do finally get the final confrontation the books attempted to build up to, it ended so easily and so lamely that I actually wanted to cry. Because at that moment I realized the moment of redemption I was waiting for reading all of these books would never come. Also major case of overpower in this series. She's literally god and can do whatever she wants without much struggle and is always getting praised for it, after which she says something along the lines of "no it wasn't just me, we ALL did it. It was a team effort!". I can't count the amount of times this happened. Also, any excuse the author had for the characters to attend a ball, she took. Somehow the solution to all their problems most of the time ended up being a ball.
All in all, this series felt like a first draft. All the vague ideas the author had was written, but the irrelevant points were never filtered out of the story. Instead, everything was kept in, leaving little room for proper character development.
I'd say the biggest flaw with this series would have to be the characters. They just ...suck. They remain two dimensional across all the books and give us some of the most boring dialogue I've ever come across in ya. The heroine has no personality, and starts pining for the love interest without anything happening between them. The love literally starts from nothing. The hero is supposed to be the brooding type, but he just comes off as indecisive and filled with self importance without any real personality traits. The best friend is the typical supportive best friend archetype that never gets upset at the heroine even though she's irritating af. So many characters were introduced in the beginning seemingly to have a greater purpose later on, but they never did. We heard little snippets of their lives that had no relevance to the story. On the other hand, more characters were added towards the end for the sole purpose of filling gaps needed to move the plot along. By the end of the books I was so annoyed with most of them that even when they did something good and inoffensive I still got mad.
The plot was also all over the place. The great mystery of the villain was answered without any real struggle. The first three books were pretty much just fillers with Verene getting into trouble and then getting out of it. Over and over again. I kept reading hoping that eventually the story would pick up. When we do finally get the final confrontation the books attempted to build up to, it ended so easily and so lamely that I actually wanted to cry. Because at that moment I realized the moment of redemption I was waiting for reading all of these books would never come. Also major case of overpower in this series. She's literally god and can do whatever she wants without much struggle and is always getting praised for it, after which she says something along the lines of "no it wasn't just me, we ALL did it. It was a team effort!". I can't count the amount of times this happened. Also, any excuse the author had for the characters to attend a ball, she took. Somehow the solution to all their problems most of the time ended up being a ball.
All in all, this series felt like a first draft. All the vague ideas the author had was written, but the irrelevant points were never filtered out of the story. Instead, everything was kept in, leaving little room for proper character development.
February 6, 2021
Gaaaaaah, this was amazing. This was such a wonderful conclusion to this series. I absolutely adored it. Still shocked at how highly underrated and unknown this fantasy series is - it is definitely worth a read. This book made me fall in love even more with some of the characters and has also made me fall in love with completely new characters. I'm in awe.
Now, excuse me, while I go read the Spoken Mage series. I simply need to dive into this world even further.
Now, excuse me, while I go read the Spoken Mage series. I simply need to dive into this world even further.
February 6, 2021
All right, now that I'm done with the series, you can ignore my earlier reviews as I give an overview of it.
There will be some (hopefully) vague spoilers. You have been warned.
Anyway...I can honestly say I objectively liked the series. It had a good plot, expanded the world, and gave ample and satisfying character development for the key players. Not to mention I dont think it sullied Elena or Lucas' characters from the first series. I did think the ending was a bit too rushed but that's the most objective criticism I can give.
So yeah, it's good but it just didn't...ahem...vibe with me. I'm never the biggest fan of romance and I think I was too set against the main couple from the beginning to be fully convinced. Not to say that their relationship isn't healthy or well-developed but I just didn't like them as a couple in general. I'd have preferred them to end as friends with implied future love. BUT the side romances where adorable. And I still enjoy Verene as an MC slightly more than Elena in some ways, though I think I liked her mom's books sliiiightly better.
Speaking of side characters, I kind of liked them more than the main heroine and hero? So...whoops. There was also a certain character I thought was immensely interesting and then just...died. Part of why I think the ending was rushed, but there WERE a lot of moments to tie off. I wouldn't have minded the death if it had been given maybe a bit more room for the tragedy of it to develop because it WAS there. But ah well...
Anyway, personal opinion asides, this was well written and plotted and just an overall good series. :)
Content: A bit of violence, some kissing.
There will be some (hopefully) vague spoilers. You have been warned.
Anyway...I can honestly say I objectively liked the series. It had a good plot, expanded the world, and gave ample and satisfying character development for the key players. Not to mention I dont think it sullied Elena or Lucas' characters from the first series. I did think the ending was a bit too rushed but that's the most objective criticism I can give.
So yeah, it's good but it just didn't...ahem...vibe with me. I'm never the biggest fan of romance and I think I was too set against the main couple from the beginning to be fully convinced. Not to say that their relationship isn't healthy or well-developed but I just didn't like them as a couple in general. I'd have preferred them to end as friends with implied future love. BUT the side romances where adorable. And I still enjoy Verene as an MC slightly more than Elena in some ways, though I think I liked her mom's books sliiiightly better.
Speaking of side characters, I kind of liked them more than the main heroine and hero? So...whoops. There was also a certain character I thought was immensely interesting and then just...died. Part of why I think the ending was rushed, but there WERE a lot of moments to tie off. I wouldn't have minded the death if it had been given maybe a bit more room for the tragedy of it to develop because it WAS there. But ah well...
Anyway, personal opinion asides, this was well written and plotted and just an overall good series. :)
Content: A bit of violence, some kissing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2021
this series was a rollercoaster, whew. overall, i really liked the overall vibe of this series.
i liked every character except for the two main characters. darius was just such an indecisive lil man, and he is most definitely not fit to be king, i dont know how anyone chose to support him. verene was ok, i guess, but there was nothing interesting about her. i really liked jareth and bryony's relationship, although it might be a bit too soon for them to marry in my eyes. tyron was definitely one of my favorite characters. all characters in this books were just too good and pure, whereas tyron possessed just the right mix of being evil and being good. a book focused on him during their 4 years in school would be soooo good.
one of my favorite things in fantasy books are the war scenes, something about those just really get to me. i was really excited for that in this book, but it was just so... anticlimactic. the premise was somewhat interesting, but the execution was not interesting to me at all. i wasn't pulled into the story, it didnt feel as if i was actually fighting with them. overall, i think Melanie's writing style is really nice, but it just wasn't enough to properly convey a scene like this.
i thought it was really interesting how often verene emphasized that she would be never able to be an energy mage such as tyrone, his dad, or stellan, and that she would go absolutely crazy. im pretty sure that she also mentioned how after experiencing that, she somewhat understood why tyrone became the bad guy. and ofcourse in her second year she got a bit too obsessed with her new power. i thought it would have been so cool if instead of being the hero, verene would become the villain, due to her obsession with her power and need to control other people(s powers). that would have been so badass fheiwnebjk.
the series was interesting and entertaining, but in my eyes not anything special. would i recommend it? i dont know, but i would not tell someone not to read these books for sure
i liked every character except for the two main characters. darius was just such an indecisive lil man, and he is most definitely not fit to be king, i dont know how anyone chose to support him. verene was ok, i guess, but there was nothing interesting about her. i really liked jareth and bryony's relationship, although it might be a bit too soon for them to marry in my eyes. tyron was definitely one of my favorite characters. all characters in this books were just too good and pure, whereas tyron possessed just the right mix of being evil and being good. a book focused on him during their 4 years in school would be soooo good.
one of my favorite things in fantasy books are the war scenes, something about those just really get to me. i was really excited for that in this book, but it was just so... anticlimactic. the premise was somewhat interesting, but the execution was not interesting to me at all. i wasn't pulled into the story, it didnt feel as if i was actually fighting with them. overall, i think Melanie's writing style is really nice, but it just wasn't enough to properly convey a scene like this.
i thought it was really interesting how often verene emphasized that she would be never able to be an energy mage such as tyrone, his dad, or stellan, and that she would go absolutely crazy. im pretty sure that she also mentioned how after experiencing that, she somewhat understood why tyrone became the bad guy. and ofcourse in her second year she got a bit too obsessed with her new power. i thought it would have been so cool if instead of being the hero, verene would become the villain, due to her obsession with her power and need to control other people(s powers). that would have been so badass fheiwnebjk.
the series was interesting and entertaining, but in my eyes not anything special. would i recommend it? i dont know, but i would not tell someone not to read these books for sure
February 28, 2021
Crown of Power by Melanie Cellier 👑
( The Hidden Mage Book 4)
A book that I have been excited for and finally got to read it. I completed it in a single sitting and was left feeling empty when it ended. I mean I don't want to move out from their world yet.
This book was not just about the people with abilities but also one without them and the author has given justice in taking all their contribution to a wonderful experience and end. The character development with showing maturity, understanding in them is what I loved. They were not perfect but were aware of their flaws and trusted each other to help them out.
Verene being the one telling us what is happening I enjoyed the analyzing view she was giving helping me picture out the scenes in front of me. She has come a long way in this journey and that tok beautifully.
This is the last installment in The Hidden Mage series and what a perfect ending it give to the journey of Verene and Darius. Keeping us hooked with amazing developments and twisted plots, Melanie Cellier has given us fine details and descriptions.
Being the last one I don't want to say much if anyone of you plan to read this series and I hope you do as it will take you to a fantastic story of drama, romance, action, adventure, great magic with a heart warming ending.
I love how Melanie Cellier has ended the book and a journey with this series was worth it. I hope she just gives an epilogue or short story for I want to know what their future looks like and want to be part of it for one last time. Thank you for writing such an impressive story.
( The Hidden Mage Book 4)
A book that I have been excited for and finally got to read it. I completed it in a single sitting and was left feeling empty when it ended. I mean I don't want to move out from their world yet.
This book was not just about the people with abilities but also one without them and the author has given justice in taking all their contribution to a wonderful experience and end. The character development with showing maturity, understanding in them is what I loved. They were not perfect but were aware of their flaws and trusted each other to help them out.
Verene being the one telling us what is happening I enjoyed the analyzing view she was giving helping me picture out the scenes in front of me. She has come a long way in this journey and that tok beautifully.
This is the last installment in The Hidden Mage series and what a perfect ending it give to the journey of Verene and Darius. Keeping us hooked with amazing developments and twisted plots, Melanie Cellier has given us fine details and descriptions.
Being the last one I don't want to say much if anyone of you plan to read this series and I hope you do as it will take you to a fantastic story of drama, romance, action, adventure, great magic with a heart warming ending.
I love how Melanie Cellier has ended the book and a journey with this series was worth it. I hope she just gives an epilogue or short story for I want to know what their future looks like and want to be part of it for one last time. Thank you for writing such an impressive story.
May 16, 2023
I was happily surprised with this series, and I plan to read more of by the author because of that too. These are a wonderful romance fantasy option for young adults or readers who want a clean, light-hearted, easy to read magical story. I loved the premise of the first book, and the second one was my favorite book of the series. I enjoyed how the rest played out in ways, but I never felt as though the characters or romance really swept me off my feet- even the surprising romantic twists, which I so enjoyed finding out- but there was no emotional connection in the story for me, and that always keeps me at a 3 star.
I do recommend this series if any of the description above or in my review of the first book stands out to you, but if you’re wanting something highly engaging and memorable like ACOTAR or those major fantasies, I’d say having different standards going into this one could help.
I do recommend this series if any of the description above or in my review of the first book stands out to you, but if you’re wanting something highly engaging and memorable like ACOTAR or those major fantasies, I’d say having different standards going into this one could help.
August 6, 2024
Absolutely loved the last part. This series needs more recognition!!😭😭
It was a light, fun read for me. A Fairy tale to be honest. With a happily ever after.
The way Verene's powers are portrayed in this book is perfection. Moreover, I love the fact that since discovering her powers, she only became confident. Her ability was well used in this book.🔥🔥
Finally Darius got his senses back at the end of the book🙃. Also, he proved himself worthy of the crown just the same.
Bree and Jerith!!🤭🤭 I had a feeling about these two from the 3nd book and was really happy that they ended up together. As well as Stellen and Ashlie.
Tylon's death was still heart breaking for me. He actually helped them soo much!🥺🥺
Lastly, every single person got their happy endings, which I love very much in a book. If you are looking for something cheerful and less stressful... This series is waiting for you.❤️✨
It was a light, fun read for me. A Fairy tale to be honest. With a happily ever after.
The way Verene's powers are portrayed in this book is perfection. Moreover, I love the fact that since discovering her powers, she only became confident. Her ability was well used in this book.🔥🔥
Finally Darius got his senses back at the end of the book🙃. Also, he proved himself worthy of the crown just the same.
Bree and Jerith!!🤭🤭 I had a feeling about these two from the 3nd book and was really happy that they ended up together. As well as Stellen and Ashlie.
Tylon's death was still heart breaking for me. He actually helped them soo much!🥺🥺
Lastly, every single person got their happy endings, which I love very much in a book. If you are looking for something cheerful and less stressful... This series is waiting for you.❤️✨
September 12, 2022
The overall series was fine, with the second and third installments superior to the first and fourth for me. The magic and world-building is interesting, as is seeing familiar characters and countries, similar systems with new twists. But I grew weary of ripping parchments and constant conflict in the fourth book.
I preferred the The Spoken Mage, even though I was pleased to read of the next generation.
I preferred the The Spoken Mage, even though I was pleased to read of the next generation.
October 13, 2022
Great end to the series! Sometimes things were a little confusing with all the unique abilities introduced. It was also good to see more of the Spoken Mage in this book and the strength in Varene definitely came from her mother. Darius about drove me crazy at times but at the end he final woke up and stopped his dithering and brooding. The other happily ever afters fir the sub characters were great as well. This is a series worth reading.
November 28, 2023
I will say this was the best book out of this series. Happy to see different part of the country not just the school. Wish I saw more before. Also wish I felt a romantic connection between the main f and main m but still slaps me sideways how do they love one another same with other relationships just come out of nothing. Wish there was more buildup.
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