Wraith's Revenge

Lizzie Grace #10

by Keri Arthur

You can’t run from the past forever…

Lizzie Grace has finally returned to Canberra, the city where she grew up and a place that holds so many bad memories. Not only does she have to testify at her father’s trial, but also deal with her ex’s will and relatives unhappy that she’s inherited a good chunk of his assets.

Yet Canberra holds more than just memories of an unwanted marriage. It’s where her sister was murdered, and the man responsible was never caught.

Witches are once again being ritualistically sacrificed, and it holds terrible echoes of those past deaths.

As the murders draw closer to home, Lizzie finds herself in a race to hunt down the wraith of a man after the ultimate revenge…the soul of the woman who once escaped him.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Witches, Romance, Shapeshifters

338 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2023

About the author

Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson, Guardian series, has now written more than 25 books. She's received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards, and recently won RT's Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives in Melbourne with her daughter and two crazy dogs

Reviews

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

(sigh, sigh, sigh)

What a journey Lizzie has been on, a journey that I have followed with bated breath, through tears, laughter, hope and heart-break and I am still grasping at every page, every sentence... every word!

Unexpected events, shocks and surprises throughout this book although I could say the same thing with each of this book's predecessors and I know that some events are bound to happen in the next installment (hopefully) but I have no doubt there will be more shocks, surprises and unexpected events!!

Keri Arthur has done it again 🩵

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

Although I still love these stories greatly, in this, the ninth of the series, I’m seeing a few things that are giving me pause. Enough so that I’m unable to fully embrace the 5 stars (and even a full 4 stars) that I truly want to. Let me explain:

By this time in any long running series, and especially this one, it is the characters that readers comes back for. We have deeply bought into Lizzie, Belle and the entire gang. They are the heart of every single story. We have laughed and ached and rooted for them for nine books now. So, they are what we want to follow… Especially since this book takes Lizzie back to Canberra to confront her parents - and most importantly, her dad who committed the most unspeakable offenses towards her that sent her into hiding for 13 years! Yet that storyline is barely a blip in the overall plot. The balance is still about 80% the next ugly to fight (and be destroyed by the end) and only 20% the fight for her rights and those of her friends. I can’t even give her “romance” with Aiden a percentage point because it is non-existent in this book. There are a couple of quick phone conversations but that is about it.

Now the big, bad ugly of the day makes for some fun and exciting action and I’m not expecting that to change. I just wish we could get more time spent on the plot lines of the actual characters and their just-as-exciting action, as well.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very very awesome and the best so far.

[2TNWalkers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok installment, the dragging out of the relationship between Aiden and Lizzy is boring now…it has not moved forward for 2 books..also KA has gotten touched with the authorsplaining….started skimming over the long drawn out dialogue. The hashing out of an idea, how to handle something or type of creature they are dealing with, to death…is a lot…beginning of this series has been interesting but last couple books it has fizzled.. Also the folding like a wet towel when come to getting your fair share from your ex’s estate…you just made getting mistreated and those in the getting rewarded for turning a blind eye.

[fiore ♡♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sobbing and crying, this isn't at my local library so I can't just nip in and get it because it doesn't exist in the citywide library catalog 😭😭😭 I've never been so sad

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suspect book 11 will be the last :)

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

** SPOILERS SPOILERS. HUGE ONES **
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As the author said... This is Canberra book. Lizzie, Belle, along with Ashworth and Ira, go to Canberra for Lizzie's father's trial. However, when they are there, a blast from the past appear when a wraith start killing Lizzie's family.

I must say that this book doesn't pull any punches. Lizzie's aunt and cousin... dead. Lizzie's brother... dead. And of course there's the wraith's revenge to Lizzie's father, by taking his magic away (though not sure whether it is permanent or not, since Lizzie - with the help of her dead sister, Cat, who apparently has turned into a spirit guide - killed the wraith (again).

I totally felt relief with the whole thing. Same with Clayton's death few books ago. So Lizzie has TWO things finished and done. No need to worry about Clayton and Lizzie's father anymore. Maybe now the story will focus on Lizzie and Aiden and the explanation of wild magic that makes Lizzie's stronger.

Oh... and Monty proposes to Belle (she accepts!) and Lizzie is pregnant (though she hasn't told Aiden yet when this book reaches the end). Yeah, those will be interesting development

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew...boy...was there a lot going on in this one! I liked that we got to see more of Lizzie's family, to see more of what went on in the past and how it affected things in the present. It feels like Lizzie beat them with all the bad things that happened, but it came at a great cost to everyone. About the only good thing to come out of it was that Lizzie can firmly put the past in the past and cultivate a relationship with the one family member that seems open to it. I'm also intrigued to see what happens going forward for Lizzie, lots of changes look to be coming her way.

[Dallass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revenge is sweet.

After the emotional carnage that went down in the last book for Lizzie, I was wondering how being forced to confront her father would affect her. However, someone from their past also has a bone to pick with the Marlowe’s, and boy, did they go all out. Loved Lizzie and her connection to Belle, and how Belle doesn’t mind getting on her father’s nerves to prove a point. Ashworth and Eli are just sweetie’s, and I rather enjoyed meeting Saska. This was a very personal vendetta, and I loved how it played out - especially the spirit that was helping Lizzie, and also Lizzie’s parting conversation with her sire.

My only (slight) problem was the very limited Aiden interaction, but even that was understandable, however I can’t wait to see what the wild magic has done to the reservation during Lizzie’s absence, as it sounds like it was pouting and causing trouble because of what the werewolf council thought of Lizzie. Colour me intrigued.


4.5 ⭐️

[alicat ♡➹♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another good one - lots of development. One thing was kind of a bummer to me I think Lizzie should ditch Aidan and find someone else - the story should go one for a bunch of new books too with the new guy. But obviously that is not to be the case. The pregnancy, ugh. I don't like this development at all... and I'm not one of those people who hate pregnancies in books, usually I'm indifferent or like them, but I hate that this ties her to Aiden. Oh well - I hope he redeems himself in the next couple books. The grovel better be spectacular.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars = I liked it

I enjoyed this, but it was a little side trip as Lizzie goes back to her old home city to deal with the trial against her dad. While there, the evil of the past rises again. One more book to go.

[Imani Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read!

[ROMEOISNOTFUNNY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe facing horrible monsters while dealing with a monster of a family should be enough drama. But I wanted more from Aiden and Samuel... kind of wished them two met, and some kind of tug of men happened. But nope, that's too crazy to ask, instead a perfectly sensible slow evolution of a romance stopped and disrupted due to one being a witch and the other being a Werewolf...

Anyway I wanted more, but I understand this bit with her family needed to be addressed and this is the sign of a good book, I still want more, I also want lizzie to get her HEA...but if that happens the story ends... damn the book trap I am in now!

It's just, it's the tenth book!!! I wanted more from the running plot line. The news at the end and the phone call was a nice link. But I am disappointed that it was so..flat in that one part. The action, court case and all were great and make it a book worth reading...but could of been a second book in the series with the lack of link to the major plot line we have been reading this series for. We are invested in these characters, I wanted more development towards a HEA...urgh, so meh now...

Basically, I could have skipped this book and read the clif notes, I don't think it developed the character that much, and I could have been a small 9.5 novella in the series.

No smut
Chosen family
Bad family issues
Attempted rape mentioned
A mystery that needs solving without dying
No romantic development
Suggested more to come next book

Besides my meh...it is still written well, just didn't deliver what i wanted, but that doesn't take away from a good book, so 3.8 stars

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie Grace has returned to Canberra, to deal with her father’s trial and her ex’s will. Besides it being stressful to deal with all of that, there are killings that are very reminiscent of her sister’s murder, and once again Lizzie, Belle and their allies will have to deal with a killer and his minions, which causes untold horror, danger, and takes an emotional toll as well. There are answers and some closure in this story, and it’s good that going to Canberra is taken care of and Lizzie and Belle can move on with their lives. Of course Lizzie can’t escape trouble no matter where she is, but she’s gotten good at dealing with all the nasties that show up on the reservation, and has lots of help there. I look forward to seeing further episodes at their home base, and learning where her relationship with Aiden will go from here.

[Mariaan Belinfante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never a dull magic moment with Lizzie, her familiar and the gang around. This book centers on her sister's killer coming back as a vengeful wraith. Excellent writing as usual. Ending with Lizzie getting a happy surprise and Monty finally asking Belle the big question. Missed Aidan though. Hopefully there will be more reveals in the next book re Lizzie and Aidan .

[Lael Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything I've read by Keri Arthur. The Lizzie Grace series is definitely one of my favourites. The books are always action-packed and so enthralling. I'll be sad when the series finishes.

[Teela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite

This is one of my favorite series and I eagerly await the new releases. But , this was not my favorite at all. It is hard to explain why. It did finish up a storyline or two, but made no headway at all on the Aiden front. It just feels like everything has drug on…

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the previous books -- I wish we got more of the witch drama and families, but this is likely a one-time deal. Also gave a small break from Aiden drama that is finally resolved. I'm glad all the "problem people" in her life did not simply die as I like them around - even if not good people - for interest sake with the storyline.

[Katyana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit of a "side quest" book - the trip to Canberra.

It wrapped up some side plot threads that have been running through the series thus far. To be clear, I consider them side plot because the series, for the first 9 books, has been firmly set in the reservation and the primary plot relates to the wild magic and the werewolves on the reservation. We've had mention, of course, of the dark sorcerer that killed Liz's sister, and of course her hideous father and what caused Liz and Belle to run. But the father side plot was largely resolved alongside the child-rapist ex-hubby plot (may he ever rest in pieces), so it was really the dark sorcerer that was the only major unresolved thread from Canberra. Mentions of him - and his body never being found - have been landing like a heavy-handed hint (read: anvil) from the earliest books, so it was always inevitable that we'd have to deal with him. And so here, we do, alongside putting (I hope) an end to her shitty father's continued looming over her life.

It was nice to get these things wrapped up, and to see Liz return to Canberra with strength and spine, finally getting closure from her time as a brutalized girl forced to flee Canberra. And I am satisfied where all that wrapped up (though I think she should have charged Clayton's estate for far, far, far more than she did - fuck them all, seriously).

But I can't rate this higher than 3.5 stars because the ongoing Aiden stuff annoys the crap out of me.

I don't want to beat the dead horse here - my previous reviews on this series make it clear why I honestly hate Aiden, and all the werewolves on the reservation. And why, quite frankly, I consider Aiden's mom to be the actual villain of this series (this dark sorcerer is barely a blip compared to her, imo)...and after the previous book that asshole should be in jail AT LEAST.

I was optimistic 2 books ago when Lizzie finally grew some self-respect and left him. That optimism took a beating in the last book, when she just pined over him endlessly. The optimism is gone in this book. He's still do-nothing-Aiden. He's still going to barely accept her, reluctantly, because he feels forced into it by unfortunate feelings. She's still going to be an awkward outsider in his life. And that's all goddamn inevitable because of the spoiler in this book (which honestly, most of us probably saw coming because of the heavy-handed (anvil) hints in the last book. And it is really just disappointing, because Liz deserves so much better than Aiden. She deserves someone who sees how amazing she is, who believes she hung the sun and the moon, especially because her life in Canberra was filled with people who all barely tolerated her and constantly made clear what a disappointment she is. It feels like she's just resigned herself, as if that is her truth - she's not good enough, she's not ENOUGH, but maybe someone might care at least a little about her anyway - because that's what Aiden is doing to her too. At this point, he's gone so far into shithead territory with her that I cannot imagine any way this relationship feels satisfying to me. There's nothing he can do to make me believe he loves her the way she deserves to be loved. Everything about him screams reluctance - he cares about her, but man does he wish he didn't... but he does and he's kind of becoming resigned to it now, so he guesses he can probably find some way to make this horrible situation work.

That's just gross to me. Completely and totally gross. Even more gross is that Lizzie shares his resignation. There has been no progress. No change. But in this book she says she's taken, thinks of Aiden constantly as her partner, in literally every way from her POV they feel like they're still a couple in this book.

UGH.

Lizzie deserves what Belle has found. But at the very fucking least, I wish she'd not just resign herself to whatever crumbs Aiden finally is going to drag himself to offer. Because it's clear she's going to accept whatever it is already - as I said, in this book it reads as if they are still together, when that douchebag can't even bring himself slap down his monstrous villain mother. And it says something - it really does - that Liz has been on the front lines beside Aiden for all his troubles on the reservation, but in this book, where she has to face down her shitty family, her past, the trial, and even the monster who murdered her sister ... Aiden is nowhere to be found. Yeah, yeah, Lizzie told him not to come. But Aiden has told her to sit stuff out too, and she shows up anyway, because that's what you fucking do when you care about someone: you don't let them fight their battles alone. Lizzie didn't want Belle to come to Canberra either, she wanted Belle safe on the reservation, but Belle was like fuck that, you're not leaving me behind. Because that's what people do when they love each other. Period.

So yeah, 3.5 sad stars.

One last thing to say: I was super gratified by the angry wild magic smashing up the reservation, because they deserve that kick up the ass. I just wish it was worse. Like, a house falling on Karleen, and the res overwhelmed with demons. They deserve that, too, given how those shitheads have been trying to blame the witches for all the monsters. I was hoping for them to be utterly overwhelmed, so much so they had to BEG the witches to come back. That's what should have happened - those assholes should have been forced to eat their words and fucking grovel.

[Amyiw · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the last two books, this was just not what I was wanting to read about Lizzie though it was interesting. Here she goes back to her old home to confront her dad in court. Just like the last book I took some off of the rating because I just didn't like the deaths of so many that she is just too late. She loses a cousin and her brother and is now the only child of her parents. I'm hoping we don't get more of her family as it just wasn't as interesting to me though it did entertain, so good. Glad I got it from Hoopla.

[Marion · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I was disappointed with this book. The story was protracted and dull. The contents could have been condensed to fit into a chapter rather than dragging things out to create a book. The author needs to wrap the Aidan/Lizzie storyline and either end the series or start moving the characters forward.

[Bluebyyou · Rating 2 out of 5]

So very disappointing.

After nine books, Lizzie is finally returning to Canberra, the place where she grew up, to redress, on a legal level, the wrongs done her and her human familiar by her family and her former husband.

Except Lizzie relegates all that to the back burners so she can (uselessly) run around, endangering herself, her human familiar and a possible unplanned pregnancy, trying to save various blood relations, who either have no relationship with her or have actively neglected and/or abused her in the past.

Again and again, her choices make it clear she cares nothing about justice or fair reparation for her and her human familiar or preventing more forced marriage/rape scenarios for other underage girls. Nope, all she cares about is saving the family that sees her as nothing more than a disposable pawn in their power games.

There is self-sacrificial and then there is desperate for validation and self-worth and this was clearly the latter. She doesn't have low self-esteem, she has no self-esteem.

SPOILERS
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WARING SPOILERS GALORE BELOW

The Good (warning: spoilers)
1) The twist with the brother. Well set up and executed.
2) The first meeting with her former husband's four male relatives.

The Bad (warning: spoilers)
1) Lizzie had no agency in this story. She was basically a big gun that was told where to go and shoot.
2) The repeat scenario where the ghost indicates someone was in danger, there is a tedious discussion on what to do, Lizzie is then pointed at the target, becomes Action Girl and.... villain escapes. (This happens four times!)
3) All the contrivances involving the ghost (ie Belle, the spirit talker, can't feel/hear/see her but Lizzie can /eye roll) and the villain (ie just happens to be all set up in town in time for Lizzie to return).
4) Lizzie's mother tells Lizzie she has already lost two children and doesn't want to lose her third and Lizzie is so touched by her mother finally showing her this sliver of care, that she rolls over and within an hour is sharing her greatest secret. (And this is right after Lizzie put off telling Samuel who has proven his loyalty and discretion to her beyond a shadow of a doubt.)
5) Lizzie's mother indicates concern over her granddaughters possibly having this ability and Lizzie immediately thinks at least her mother is on her side. Ummm... no Lizzie. First off, your mother is on her grandchildren's side (at least in this moment), not yours. Second off, your father set you up to be RAPED, your mother now knows all about it and is STILL at his side after everything falls out, so clearly she is not on your side.
6) The change in having the connection to the earth power be heredity, not from the wellspring her mother closed while carrying her, and activated by her almost being raped. Skipping all the issues of rape creating a positive, it opens a giant plothole involving why she couldn't access the earth power for the the ten years between the attempted rape and moving to the reservation.
7) Throughout the book Lizzie's two pseudo-fathers keep assuring Lizzie her father will get more than a slap on the wrist. Turns out this is because the Society and Black Lantern are aware of all sorts of other cases of forced marriage/rape of underaged girls and is threatening to investigate them if Lizzie's father does not receive real consequences. Wait, what? So the Society and Black Lantern knows of all these young women trapped in basically sexual slavery and is just letting it go?!!
8) After being assured throughout the book that Lizzie's father will get more than a slap on the wrist, he gets.... a slap on the wrist and it is slap on the wrist that turns out to be advantageous to him in his present reality.
9) The idiocy of Lizzie threatening to expose his present reality at the end if he didn't stay away from her and hers. Ummm.... Lizzie, he can't hide it, everyone is going to know sooner than later. If you wanted to exercise any real power, you should have demanded reparation from him for what he did you ten years ago. Or better yet, a little revenge where you took control of him and walked him around downtown where everyone could see his present reality.
10) Lizzie holds all the cards for receiving fair financial compensation for all the wrongs her former husband inflicted on her and her familiar from his husband's estate. She sets a figure due to each of them which she thinks in fair. Her former husband's family treats her like dirt on their heel, she stands up to them for one meeting and then folds like a wet paper towel in the next, taking less than half of what she originally demanded.
11) But the worst is: Lizzie delivers no consequences or comeuppance to any of the antagonists of her past. That should have been the conclusion to this part of her story arc, finally having the power to right the wrongs of the past and create a better future for young vulnerable women in powerful families, leaving her free to move into her new life with her convenient surprise pregnancy. But no, the plot delivers everything for her, leaving her once again ineffective and impotent.

So very disappointing.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book. I love this series. This was great.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 10th book in the Lizzie Grace series. I really love this series. All the characters are well thought out and I find myself having a hard time putting each book down. Each novel has Lizzie battling another foul entity while to trying to navigate a difficult and upsetting personal life. However, reading about her evolution into a more confident and powerful (both physically and magically) person with each new book in the series is a joy. I have found myself really eager to see how her story ends up and am always looking forward to the next book in the series.

Lizzie is a younger daughter of one of the elite witch families but had always been a disappointment to her father due to not being powerful enough to suit him. He had used drugs and magic to coerce her into a marriage with a friend of his despite it being illegal and underage, which caused her and her witch familiar and friend, Belle, to run away and be in hiding for 10 years (as detailed through the previous volumes in this series). However, now that her marriage is not only annulled but her ex is deceased it's time to take her father to court in the hopes he'll get punished by the higher witch council for his crime of forcing her to marry as a minor. At the same time her ex had her written in his will and it was never changed so she must also fight with her ex-husband's family as well. This means she must leave the reservation and go back to Canberra for the trial. However, on top of the emotional trauma of facing this past another more horrific one to her is the realization the dark wizard that had murdered her sister still exists and has begun targeting witches again. Except this time he seems to be focusing on her family alone. The question is does she really want to risk her life for a family that disregarded her and if she tries will she be in time unlike with her sister?

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Lizzie book.
It isn't my favorite, I wasn't crazy about shifting to Canberra, but it was a book that needed to happen to finally shed light on Lizzie's childhood and maybe close some doors for her.
This has all the usual, wonderful elements of a Lizzie book, multiple plots happening, crazy evil, snarky banter, fun characters. I really love Keri Arthur's books.

I am struggling with something, but to explain it means BIG spoilers, so read at your own risk!
I have enjoyed Aiden and Lizzie's love story for the most part. I was glad to see them take some space so that Aiden could realize what truly mattered. I was hopeful, but cautious that the realization started in the last book, but honestly after this one I'm not sure I think he's the best thing for Lizzie. It was understandable last book that she would despair, but she had conviction. In this book, she's still not sure about his commitment, but what's worse, it seems like she's willing to settle for whatever he will give her. Her internal debates about it make me sad for her. I want the fun and passion that they had in the beginning. I want them to make each other better. Aiden isn't a big part in this book, but the couple interactions they do have show that he is still not willing to do what needs to be done for her. I also kind of hate now that Lizzie has confirmed that she is restricted to the reservation. It makes it feel like he's going to be her only choice, which is not how I wanted the relationship to work out. And don't get me started on the epilogue.
At this point I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic about the next book. Arthur has a knack for handling big issues in such a way that maybe she can redeem him.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up as it kept me reading to finish past my bedtime.

Am I the only one who expected more out of the whole testing process? For all the buildup of worry/fear of the evaluation, it felt like a nonevent. Read like someone taking the SAT in a refrigerator. Also, a little frustrated that we don’t know how/what gave her father’s lawyer confidence. I’m sure it had to do with wild magic, but how exactly was that going to play out in such a way to make them think they had an ace in the hole.

That said, some of my favorite parts:

*I’m a fan of Samuel and Saska. Wouldn’t mind reading more featuring them. I’d really love it if Saska accompanies Samuel to the Reservation for that big talk over big cake.

*Belle on the stand

*Cat (whose identity didn’t come as a surprise) as a spirit guide and an opportunity to show her love to/for Lizzie. Regardless of her parting words, I do wonder if we’ll “see” her again?

*Ice Queen mother is thawing and has strong start to redemption

*Poetic justice for her father *chef’s kiss* (although honestly, I wish he had been taken off the board as definitively as Juli was.) I just hope Lizzie’s mother finds a way to contain him so she doesn’t have to deal with him. Divorcing him and saying good riddance would be awesome, but their society being what it is, I don’t see that happening anytime soon

*Monty’s surprise. I’m interested to see if Monty’s family steps onto the stage.

*Not sure how I feel about Lizzie’s positive test before she and Aiden are strong on a course to HEA. Especially if she’s stressing not to detract from Belle’s happy event. I am, however, looking forward to Eli and Ashworth as grandpas

Pre-ordered Killer’s Kiss, of course. Looking forward to reading you in October, Lizzie, Belle and Company!

[BeDazzling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been following this series for years now and every day I love it a little more. I will admit it took me two tries to get hooked though. The first time I read book one I didn’t continue on for reasons I consider very very stupid right now. But then after a few months I decided to read it again, and so started this amazing journey.
Lizzie Grace series has become one of my favorite series that I’ve ever read. Ever. Lizzie is everything I wish for in an MC and I love her so so much. I don’t think I’d be lying if I said I read these books just to find out more about her.

I did have some reservations about Aiden though. Its probably cause he’s a werewolf. I am highly biased against werewolves so the fact that Aiden is one and his actions throughout the series makes me want to drop kick him and then pummel some sense into his dog brain. But then he does and says just the right things and I feel myself slowly melting into a puddle just like Lizzie. Now by no means has my regard towards the werewolf population (in general) changed for the better, but I will say Aiden is cool enough. But he better get his head out of his ass and see Lizzie for the catch she is or else my thoughts will start wandering to another hunky chunk that’s hanging around Lizzie.
Samuel.
Sigh. (I think we’re being set up for a spin off with Samuel and Saska but I really can’t be sure.)

All in all this book was great, amazing, astounding, incredible, you name it. One of the slowest slow-burns in all of slow-burn history. I do wish I knew how long this series is going to be though. I read Sorrows song such a long time ago I had a hard time remembering what went on. I would like to reread the series before I read the last book so I can end it with a bang.

[Beth Shares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wraith’s revenge

This book started out very slow, but it finally began to get interesting.
The reader met Cat, the late sister of Liz, in ghost form. Cat was Liz’s spirit in this book but made clear that she would move on and see Liz in the next life or after life.
Members of royal witches were the focus of the wraith, the responsible person who killed Cat years ago. He killed the aunt, cousin, and Julius and then took what they valued most of themselves. Aunt Frankie- her brain, cousin Demi - her soul, and brother Julius - his heart. Then he went after Lawrence.

Dear ol’ dad, Lawrence, was still an ass (I hope using ass like this makes the author feel at home with her foul language in each and every Lizzie book), but he got a well deserved comeuppance in the end by losing his magical powers when the wraith took them away by spell. Liz hoped it would be a forever spell.
Court was strange. The way Belle was questioned certainly made clear her feelings toward Lawrence. Liz never took the stand.
I hate to admit it, but Julius sort of got what he deserved by thinking he was above listening to warning. Like father, like son was the case.
As for how much Lizzie’s mom really knew of Lawrence and his illegal happenings with Liz’s relationship with Clayton, Liz may be right in questioning it.
Samuel was of some help, but Saska was really there to help Liz.
Meeting Belle’s family was nice. Ava and Edward were special in many ways. Perhaps that’s why Belle was the type of person, not just a familiar, she turned out to be.
Eli and Ira continued being supportive of both Belle and Liz. Their magic was strong as were their ideas to ridding the area of the wraith and its demons.
Monty proposed. GO, BELLE!
Liz confirmed she’s pregnant.

[Laurla2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

-5 stars. grabbed my attention and pulled me right in. the ending - what happens to her father is especially fitting.

"they were expecting a mouse. and when the mouse roared, it blew their tiny little minds."

i was up here to prove i could stand on my own two feet, and it was about time i started doing just that. "i'm good."
"no, you're not, but i understand the need to not lean too much."

"here's to being underrated. may it win us the war in the end."

"you need to hush up because i need to concentrate."
"it is my duty to provide snarky comments to ease your tension."

"superstition would have us believe that wraiths are nothing more than the tortured souls of dark witches or sorcerers, created when something goes wrong with their spelling - usually when they're trying to extend their life in some way. in reality, they're dark sorcerers or witches who have actually died, but who have 'unfinished' business that keeps them on this earth in an undead form. Wraiths have all the skills and reason they had when alive."

"when did you become the sensible one in this outfit?"
"i can be sensible. on occasions. rare occasions."

"were you always this difficult?"
"my father would say yes."
"i didn't ask your father."
"it's a trait that's developed from having to deal with bloodthirsty entities and insane exes."

"you haven't been gone that long."
"according to him, it's been centuries."
"for him, or his little swimmers?"
"the latter, no doubt."