Elementals Academy 4: The Goddess of Magic

Elementals Academy #4

by Michelle Madow

Summer Donovan is the only person who can save the world from a war that will end it all.

If she can figure out who to trust. And who to lie to. And survive long enough to fight her way out of the Underworld.

Piece of cake.

The war between the Greek and Norse gods rages on with no end in sight.

No one is safe from the carnage.

Summer and her immortal soulmate Zane have one chance to stop it before the gods clash in a final battle that will destroy the world.

Their only hope for peace—and survival—is killing King Lucian, the architect of the war and ruler of the immortals. But taking him out is easier said than done. It turns out that the only weapon that can kill King Lucien is locked in the deadly World of Fire.

To get that weapon, Summer needs the help of her not-so-loving father, Hades. And she’ll have to outsmart the trickster god, Loki. But Hades and Loki are only a taste of the surprises waiting for her in the Underworld, where nothing is as it seems—and you never know who you can trust.

Descend into the EPIC conclusion of the Elementals Academy series by USA Today bestselling author Michelle Madow, a journey through the Underworld filled with twists and surprises that will have you gasping, crying, and turning the pages late into the night.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Audiobook, Paranormal Romance

396 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 2022

About the author

Michelle Madow is a USA Today bestselling author of fantasy romance novels filled with forbidden love, elemental magic, and epic twists that readers never see coming. With over three million books sold and translations in multiple languages, her addictive stories have captured hearts around the world.

She wrote her first novel in college and never looked back. Now, with 50 books published (and counting), she spends her time dreaming up magical realms and devastating romances that keep readers hooked from page one.

Originally from Maryland, she spent nearly two decades in Florida before a brief chapter in NYC—and now she’s back in the Sunshine State, where golden days fuel her creativity and moonlight sparks her imagination.

When she’s not writing, she’s likely getting lost in the magical world of reading, plotting her next big twist, or reminiscing about her travels to all seven continents.

Reviews

[Kendall {Book Crazy} · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received ARCs of the other books in this series and I've enjoyed the books and the series so far, so I was really excited to see how the author was going to wrap the series up! I started my ARC of this book as soon as I had the chance and I did have to go back and re-read the last few chapters of book three just to refresh my memory, but I'm really happy that I did this! After reading this book, I can say that I really enjoyed it! The plot developed at the perfect pace and it kept me intrigued and wanting to read on and find out what was going to happen next! This book was also the perfect conclusion to the series! There was also some romance in the plot, but it wasn't the main focus! I'm really happy it was in there though! There was some action and suspense as well, which added a lot to the plot! The characters were again amazing and made this book even better! Summer was again the main female character, and in this book she had her mission and what she had to do! Summer was a very strong character in this book and she had come such a long way from the girl introduced at the beginning of the first book! Zane was again the main male character and love interest of Summer! Zane wasn't really in this book at the beginning, but there were reasons for that! He was in the book more in the second half! Zane supported Summer and he stood by her side! He was protective of her as well, even though she could look after herself, and it was easy to see how much he loved her! This book was only written from Summer’s point of view! This did take me a bit by surprise because the other books have had a few different point of views in them, so I was expecting this book to be written the same way! I understand why this book was only written through Summer’s eyes because it was the end of her journey and it made sense to only be written from her point of view! I was still able to connect with the other characters and a lot still happened in the plot! I’m really sad that this book is the final book in this series! I’ve loved the series and the development of the characters, so I’m sad to say goodbye to them! The ending of this book was also left at the perfect place for the characters and summed up their journey! I’ve also already read the majority of this author’s books, so I can’t wait to see what she’s going to release next, especially as it’s going to be something brand new! I’m looking forward to finding out more information about it and I’ll definitely be reading it! I also love the cover for this book a lot and I love how well it matches the other covers in the series! It shows the progression of Summer and I love that it had the same cover model on it!

[~LoverOfBooksForLife~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loveeee this ending and all i have to say is that it was EPIC!

[Nicole Thöne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michelle Madow - Elementals Academy 4 - Krieg der Götter

Der Krieg zwischen den griechischen und nordischen Göttern eskaliert weiter, und die Perspektive auf einen baldigen Frieden scheint düster. Die Protagonistin Summer und ihr unsterblicher Seelengefährte Zane stehen vor der dringenden Aufgabe, diesen Konflikt zu beenden, bevor die Götter in einer letzten, alles verheerenden Schlacht aufeinanderprallen. Ihr Überleben und die Aussicht auf Frieden hängen von der Elimination von König Lucian ab, der als Hauptverantwortlicher für den Krieg angesehen wird. Doch die Aufgabe, ihn zu besiegen, ist herausfordernd, da die einzige Waffe, die ihm das Leben nehmen kann, sich in einer gefährlichen Feuerwelt befindet.

Um Zugang zu dieser entscheidenden Waffe zu erhalten, ist Summer gezwungen, eine unwillige Allianz mit ihrem Vater Hades einzugehen, der nicht gerade für seine Fürsorglichkeit bekannt ist. Darüber hinaus muss sie den betrügerischen Gott Loki überlisten, was die Komplexität ihrer Mission weiter erhöht. Die Unterwelt, in der sich Summer bewegt, birgt viele Überraschungen, denn in dieser komplexen und undurchsichtigen Umgebung ist es schwierig zu erkennen, wem man überhaupt trauen kann.

Das Buch besticht durch dynamische Charaktere, insbesondere der Hauptfigur Summer, die als starke, junge Frau, die eine tiefgreifende Verbindung zur Dunkelheit hat, dargestellt wird. Leser können sich leicht mit ihr identifizieren, da sie glaubwürdig und emotional entwickelt ist. Auch die Nebenfiguren sind hervorragend ausgearbeitet und tragen zur Tiefe der Erzählung bei. Die Mischung aus Action, Spannung und kulturellem Bezug sorgt dafür, dass die Geschichte die Leser fesselt und in ihren Bann zieht.

Die Handlung ist äußerst vielschichtig und spannend, was sie besonders für Fans von Fantasy und Mythologie attraktiv macht. Obwohl es schwerfällt, spezifische Details ohne Spoiler zu enthüllen, wird betont, dass das Finale der Serie gelungen ist und zahlreiche bedeutende Götter wie Hades, Zeus, Poseidon, Odin und Loki in dem Drama erscheinen.

Insgesamt bietet dieses Buch eine fesselnde Lektüre, die sowohl emotionale als auch actionreiche Momente vereint. Es schließt die Serie auf eine befriedigende Weise ab und bietet gleichzeitig einen Einblick in die mythologischen Elemente, die für die Geschichte zentral sind. Die positive Resonanz auf die Charaktergestaltung und die packende Erzählweise machen es zu einem empfehlenswerten Werk für jeden, der sich für diese Genres interessiert.

[Doug Sands · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I like how the story is continuing. It is compelling and easy to follow. The characters are complicated which makes the story more interesting.

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series. Hope more comes from the Academy. Maybe new MC?

[Astrid Rudloff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily review an ARC.
This is the last book of the Elementals Academy series, the books should be read in order.
I loved this conclusion of the series and of many loose threads as much as I loved the previous books.
This is a great magical story with lots of different characters and mythical creatures, unexpected turns and new difficulties.
I enjoyed the world building as much as the character developments.
A great series, absolutely recommended.

[mrs m milnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

I have really loved this series from start to finish.This book was really good throughout the story and characters will be missed fantastic author .would I recommend definitely totally binge read this book . No spoilers in my review because my advice is read enjoy and share this excellent series with your friends.

[Alicia Scarborough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic

Wow, just wow. Definitely worth the wait. I practically inhaled this last book in the series. The chapters flowed so well into one another that I could not put this final installment of the story down. Well done.

[Renee Marski · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an outstanding ending to the series! Poor Summer just cant catch a break. She haa to go to Hades for help, has to make a deal with Surt for his sword, try to kill King Lucien and stop Loki, all to prevent the 2nd coming of Ragnorok. Talk about a rough time. Throw in Freya meddling and getting hit on by male gods and its quite a lot to handle.

[thebooksuccubus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zane and Summer must prevent the end of the world and it will take all their strength and trust to make this happen. Summer does nothing but continue to grow in strength and grace. Zane wants to do what is best for his people. This book was full of deceit and action. Also I am very proud of Hades.

[Christie Hornung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michelle Never Fails To Impress

I love this series. Combining Norse and Greek Mythology was brilliant. Zane and Summer are a great couple and I couldn't put their story down.

[Kathy Brenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer must do something she never thought she would - kill someone. However, to save the world she would have to do it. Getting the magical sword that is the only weapon that will do the job, was near on impossible. She would have to trust people she was not sure she should. Whatever it took to save the world.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much happened in this book! It could have easily been made into two or three books. I really did enjoy how this story played out. I hope these characters return in the future.

[Silver Surfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, the final book in the series and it’s a more than fitting ending. Summer has her fair share of trials and tribulations to contend with in this one for sure. Gods, goddesses, and magic, what’s not to like. Highly recommended.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic end to the Elemental Academy series! Summer works to save the day and keep the world from war in this page turning read! You'll need to read it to discover if she succeeds!

[Myria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Donovan has had a lot to deal with finding out she has magic, her mother is not really her birth mother that her parents are really Hades and Persephone the rulers of the underworld who had once held her captive well Hades had (long story short he’d just found out he’d a daughter and sorta went into protective mode which let’s just say didn’t go down to well with Summer) and let’s not forget the impending war that could bring about Ragnarok the end of the world that needs to be stopped the destruction that her soulmate Zane’s, Uncle Lucien is starting with the help of the trixter Loki.
Loki the same shifter of appearance that had previously pretended to be Zane and had tricked Summer into kissing him. Yes a lot has happened.
However no matter what Summer and Zane will do everything to save the future for everyone to save their future as well whether as King and Queen of the immortals or as just immortals and princess of the underworld.. they have to do everything they can to save the future with the help of their friends and the Gods of Olympus

[Kayleigh henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about a fast paced book, all ends tied up to a great series. It will take you on a ride to the finish and will keep you gripped till the end.

[Noxwitchbooklife · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really could not have predicted how Michelle was going to wrap up all these threads to finish up this series but it ended up being a fast action-packed ride!

With Hades building more of a relationship with Summer she has his help to travel the underworlds to collect the weapon she needs to defeat the ice immortals but the tradeoff is the underworlds unravelling much faster than expected.

It really was enjoyable and really easy to read like all of Michelle's books and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful ending.
Summer has much to learn and many obstacles to overcome in this conclusion of the very good series. I enjoyed reading this book.
I received this as an ARC.

[AMG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witches/Enemy to Lovers/Slow Burn

SYNOPSIS (of 4 Book Series): FC discovers that she is a witch and is whisked off to the Elemental Academy which is an academy for witches with magic over one of the elements. There she meets the MC and the initial interactions are not friendly before morphing into them being soulmates. The FC is torn however as the MC is not what he seems and there is a bigger plan in motion in respect of which the MC’s views and intentions are not good. The FC is pulled into supporting the MC as she is his soulmate but she does not agree with his plans. The story then evolves into a a bigger storyline involving the Greek and Norse Gods and potential war which the FC and her friends are trying to stop. After a lot of drama and quests that the FC has to complete to achieve her end goal there is a HEA.

Book 1 starts out with the usual FC who does not know she is a witch and then discovers she is much more than just a normal witch. There’s the obligatory BF who she meets on day 1 at the academy but, apart from a short lived storyline, no bitchy girls. Despite the trite beginning I liked the FC initially but found it hard to like the MC. It was hard to get behind his intentions and the actions he was supporting. For me that never went away as even though the MC changed his position he never seemed to see anything wrong with what he had originally intended just the potential unexpected results. I also began to dislike the FC as the story progressed as her intentions and actions towards the MC (although not followed through) became grey for a while.

The story began to drag for me around the end of Book 2 when the storyline seems to become just a series of quests that the FC has to complete in order to stop the potential war brewing. These quests were relatively formulaic and I did not really feel the drama. They were also all mainly focussed on the FC as apparently no one else could do anything except play supporting roles - including the MC who really does absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of the story. The part where she is ***SPOILER ALERT**** trapped in the underworld and goes on a hunger strike was ridiculous. Yes she’s a Goddess and immortal but she starves herself for at least a month and then, after a single meal, is back to normal and, apparently, has lost no weight or muscle?

The FC/MC don’t really connect until Book 3 and there are no real sex scenes just a “fade to black” approach when they apparently have sex. I found it a bit odd the way the author dealt with this as she did not even acknowledge the fact that the first time they have sex it was the FC’s first time. It was dealt with by simply saying that the MC/FC “finished what they had started”.

Whilst well written and edited the story just dragged for me and I could not engage with the characters.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

bland as F

How you take such an imaginative ideas & write so damn boring. I can’t explain how what’s basically the female version of Percy Jackson turns out to be utter mind numbing boredom.
Also… everyone doesn’t need to want Summer. She’s the daughter of Hades not Aphrodite.
She’s also the best ever at every single thing.
Don’t get me started on her & Loki make out & Zane being fine & dandy.
I will not be reading another book by this author. She’s written a lot… this is her style.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great ending. As always I enjoy the journey that comes from reading one of Michelle's books

[Nate Brightman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 4th and final book in Madow’s Elemental Magic series. The author borrows heavily from both Greek and Norse mythology in this series. It’s a Y.A. series I’d give a PG rating to, suitable for teens as sex is only suggested, there’s little if any swearing but there is ample violence. Because in our culture someone being bitten in half or stabbed through the heart is still considered more acceptable for minors to be exposed to than sex scenes. This series is meant to be read in order and each book ends in a cliff hanger to be continued in the next. This series is the story of how introverted 19-year-old Summer Donovan in a very short period of time goes from being a college freshman at a small college in Florida on a partial scholarship, sharing an off campus apartment with her BFF Lara, to first discovering she’s a witch,(that such a thing as witches exist) then a demigod and then a full blown goddess. After a rough start to her introduction to the magical world and her own magic, she begins to find her way and quickly discovers more and more of her magical powers as well as her true genealogy. If you haven’t read the first 3 books and you think you might, I would advise you not to read any further into this review. What I will tell you is that more happens in this book than in the other 3 books combined as Summer completes a series of quests in order to save the world from the 2nd Ragnarök which is the Norse version of the biblical flood that left only Noah and his ark full of family and creatures to repopulate the earth. In this story Ragnarök occurred before the arrival of the Greek gods leaving the Norse gods and most of the Frost Giants (called immortals) dead or buried under several feet of frozen ice and dirt. Loki the Trickster Norse God who is have Norse god and half immortal is stirring up trouble among the Immortals in the hopes of getting a war going between the Norse and Greek gods where after they kill off each other the Immortals can rule the world which they feel is their right. Summer who is the daughter of Greek gods Hades and Persephone with the help of her soulmate Zane an Immortal, and the friends she has made at the Elemental Academy is determined to prevent that war. Doing so requires her to complete several tasks using her magic and her bravery and determination.
Okay, now I’m going to say somethings in a spoiler. It’s called a spoiler for a reason so read at your own risk of me spoiling the series and or this book for you.
As much as I enjoyed this book I had some issues with it. Especially towards the end. Loki is half Norse god and half Immortal. Since at the time Summer was the Queen of the Immortals why didn’t she have an equal say in Loki’s future rather than leaving it all up to Odin to decide? Especially since history showed that Odin had a habit of letting Loki use loopholes to avoid being punished for his actions. As the ending shows whatever punishment if any Odin doled out to Loki wasn’t much considering he was almost responsible for the end of the world. Call me old fashioned but while I’m normally not a supporter of teenagers and twenty-somethings getting married, since Summer and Zane were soulmates and were going to live together as man and wife for the rest of their immortal lives why not just get married? Why put it off for another 3 or more years? And if they were going to wait another 3 or more years to get married why throw a big engagement party now? And what with all of the experiences and situations Summer had already survived what exactly did she have to learn by attending Elemental University for another three years? Life had already given her a crash course in magic that she would never receive in the classroom and her magical powers far exceeded anyone else’s on campus including Kate’s, the other goddess/headmistress. I could see her sticking around in a capacity similar to Blake’s and Nicole’s but not as an ordinary student.

[Jassicca · Rating 5 out of 5]

True to her name, Summer radiates with the sun's intensity during the Summer season in this last book. Her reactions and actions reflect her maturity, and witnessing her evolution into the goddess she is has been an incredible journey.

Had I been reading Elementals Academy right after finishing with the Elementals series, I would have appreciated this book even more, especially since the original Air Elemental, Chris, joins Summer on her quest in Surt's domain.

I honestly enjoy this book more than the other three in the series. It features non-stop action, adventure, and dangers at every turn for Summer. Whether it’s rescuing the person she loves or vanquishing adversaries, nothing can deter her from completing her mission as long as she has faith in herself.

The ending, however, leaves me with an uneasy feeling, and I hope that IF Michelle chooses to write another sequel to the story, we'll be rid of him for good!

One final thought I have is regarding Summer's official Goddess title. While we know that Kate is the Goddess of Education, I'm curious about what title Summer holds. Does the title of the book indicate her role? However, since Hecate already holds the title of Goddess of Magic and Witchcraft, we can't assign that same title to Summer. Therefore, we need to think of an alternative title for her 😉. So, Goddess of ....?

[Barbara Marie Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elementals Academy 4: The Goddess of Magic ❤️

Elementals Academy 4: The Goddess of Magic ❤️❤️❤️  WOW! 😧 What an incredible ending to a series that grabs you in and doesn't let you go!!!!  The author has an incredible way with descriptions of the characters that keeps your head spinning. Once you see the characters that you just totally dislike, keep reading! With more obstacles standing in the way of Summer's successes you are taken through so many twists and turns and a major roller-coaster ride right to the surprising ending. I absolutely ❤️loved  how Michelle brings back the old gods and weaves classic mythology into her stories. The daughter of Hades and Persephone goes on an epic journey, fights monsters, makes allies, and even finds love in the end.  Thank you for a fantastic series that kept me engaged and wanting more with each book! Definitely recommend this book 📕  / series 📚 !!!!

[Venus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Painfully disappointed with the ending. Although I appear to be in the minority here. I’ve read every single one of Michelle‘s books and for the most part have loved them all. The original elementals series was the first I read from her and was by far my favorite. However, Being a writer myself, I’m aware of certain tropes and rules one should follow when writing in this genre. She broke that by killing Chris before the love between him and Kate could ever bloom. She had the chance to reconcile that in this series, and also give us some closure on what happened with Danielle… But no. it was a sad little copout and she let that whole story just die.

But whatever. I did enjoy the new characters from this series and it definitely kept me reading. I’ve just never been so unbelievably psyched up for an ending I didn’t get.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been an incredible series and I love the way the author has bought it to such an epic close. Summer has so many obstacles to face in this fast paced, action packed read as she heads into the underworld to hunt for the weapon she needs to win the day and prevent Ragnorok. Together with her soulmate Zane she will do what must be done to save the future, hopefully with some help from their friends as the Greek and Norse gods continue to battle it out. With twists and turns and a few shocking surprises that have you gasping and on the edge of your seat. Laughter, tears, tricks, no treats as we make our way to having all our questions answered. It’s been one hell of a ride but what a fantastic ride it has been.

[Caitlin Howells · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me this book is barely reaching a 3 star, I would give it a 2.75 I was entertained but the thing we were building 2 books for ended in a single chapter it just felt like the whole book the characters had to go different places to complete some sort of mission that were so random and felt out of place and did not flow. Some of the names were actually so ridiculous, nessarose, fieyro & Indina??? Wicked who.
The ending was also just so underwhelming and confusing.

The good points I did get was action and yes I was still entertained.

AND WHY WAS EVERY SINGLE DAMN CHARACTER ALL OVER SUMMER? Like proper feral for her.

The “I’m not like other girls trope I wear black and not pink” was just in there way too much.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In one word - WOW! What an incredible ending to a series that grabs you in and doesn't let you go! The author has an incredible way with descriptions and characterizations that keeps your head spinning. Once you see the characters that you just totally dislike, keep reading! With more obstacles standing in the way of Summer's successes you are taken through so many twists and turns and a major roller-coaster ride right to the surprising ending. Thank you for a fantastic series that kept me engaged and wanting more with each book! I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Tess Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this book, but as much as I liked it, there was plenty I didn’t like.
This was the 4th book of the series but it was too much for one book, in my opinion. It felt much too rushed to wrap up all of the loose ends of the series. I almost felt like I was reading multiple books during the course of this one, as all at once there was multiple different parts of the plot being wrapped up, and very abruptly. I truly wish this was split into 2 different books so as not to cut off such important parts of the plot with little detail. Overall, the book was enjoyable but I think it could have been done just a little differently.