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The End of Magic by Amber Benson – Review, Spotlight & Giveaway

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The End of Magic by Amber Benson – Review, Spotlight & Giveaway

 

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The End of Magic
Echo Park Coven series – Book #3
by Amber Benson
Release Date: May 16, 2017

The End of MagicAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Lyse MacAllister used to be like everyone else blissfully ignorant of magic, of the dire battles being fought in shadows and secrecy. But that was before her Aunt Eleanora died, leaving her in control of the Echo Park coven; before she found herself in the middle of the witches clash with the anti-magic zealots known as the Flood; before her blood sisters turned against her…

As the Flood begins turning humans across the globe against the witches, Lyse must find a way to regain the trust of her former magical family and once again unify them. Because the final battle between good and evil is looming and if the witches don t stand against it together, all of humankind could be lost…”

 

Review:

The End of Magic by Amber Benson is the 3rd and final book in her Witches of Echo Park series.  The Witches of Echo Park series is urban fantasy revolving around witches and an evil group trying to destroy all witches and magic.  In the last book, Lizbeth, the last dream keeper was able to restore magic, but the end result is The Flood, an evil group that has successfully turned humans against the witches. 

The End of Magic picks up soon after the last book, with Lyse, who is now the leader of the Echo Park Coven.  Many of the members are hurt, missing, in the dreamlands; with the police and The Flood collecting and killing witches all over the world, Lyse must find a way to get her coven together and stop The Flood.  

As I had noted in the previous book, this series shows the POV of the various members of the coven.  Lyse  is the leader, who has various powers, since she has the ability to harness other peoples powers at touch. Arrabelle (Bell), Devandra (Dev), Daniela (empath) and Lizbeth also have their POV’s during the story line.   Eleanora makes an appearance helping them in the dreamlands.

With all the witches separated, Lyse will use her new found powers to move the group to various places to bring all of them together again to fight and stop the evil Flood. What follows is an exciting, at times dark adventure that puts them all in danger, especially in the last 1/3 of the book.   Despite mistakes they have all made along the way, their closeness will keep them together determined to stop evil at all costs. At the last stand, Lyse is sent back in time to find a way to stop The Flood before it all began. 

Switching to various times, Lyse sees no changes and upon returning to the present, she sees a horrifying sight.  Will she be able to go back again to find the right time frame in the past to stop the evil?

Rather than give spoilers, the ending was very exciting, but I would have liked more about what truly happens to our coven, not having to use our imagination.  I enjoyed The End of Magic and if you like Urban Fantasy, with witches and magic, I suggest to read the first book in this series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

About the Author

 

Amber-Benson
AMBER BENSON is the author of the Echo Park Coven Novels, including The Last Dream Keeper and The Witches of Echo Park, and the Calliope Reaper-Jones Novels, including The Golden Age of Death and How To Be Death. She cocreated, cowrote, and directed the animated supernatural Web series Ghosts of Albion with Christopher Golden, which they followed with a series of novels, including Witchery and Accursed, and the novella Astray. Benson and Golden also coauthored the novella The Seven Whistlers. As an actress, she has appeared in dozens of roles in feature films, TV movies, and television series, including the fan-favorite role of Tara Maclay on three seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Benson wrote, produced, and directed the feature films Chance and Lovers, Liars and Lunatics.

 

giveaway

Amber’s Publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of the first book in this series, THE WITCHES OF ECHO PARK to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow Amber Benson on Facebook.

4. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

5. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Giveaway is open to USA/CANADA only

8. Giveaway runs from May 17-21, 2017

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The Last Dream Keeper by Amber Benson – a Review

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The Last Dream Keeper by Amber Benson – a Review

 

The Last Dream KeeperAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
Lyse MacAllister did not step into an easy role when she took over as master of the Echo Park coven of witches after her great-aunt Eleanora’s death. As she begins to forge the bonds that will help her lead her sisters, she struggles to come to terms with her growing powers. And she soon faces a deadly new threat. A group of fanatics intent on bringing about the end of times has invaded the witches Council—but the Council is turning a blind eye to the danger growing in its midst.

Only one witch is prophesied to be able to stop the encroaching darkness. And if Lyse and her blood sisters are to have any chance at protecting all we know from being lost forever, they must keep her safe—no matter what the cost…

 

 

 

Review:

The Last Dream Keeper by Amber Benson is the 2nd book in her The Witches of Echo Park series. This is an Urban Fantasy series about a coven of witches in Echo Park, Los Angeles. In the first book, Lyse MacAllister , learns that she is a witch, after she comes to visit her dying aunt. Eleanora, who turns out to be Lyse’s grandmother (not aunt), is near death, and explains to Lyse that she will need to take over the responsibility as head of her coven. The Last Dream Keeper picks after Eleanora’s death, and Lyse becoming closer to the members of her coven, as they all know the danger they face with the rise of the evil group, The Flood, who are trying to destroy all the covens in the world. The Echo Park Coven members each have their own specialties, which we get to see, as each member has their own POV throughout.

Lyse is the new leader; she is a hybrid, which supposedly gives her a little bit of power from each of the others.

Arrabelle (Bell) was scheduled to be the heir apparent until Lyse was chosen. Arrabelle, a herbalist, accepts Lyse, and is very tough & independent.

Devandra (Dev) a diviner, is caring and has a family of her own to worry about.

Daniela, an empath (seer), who wear gloves, as no one can touch her. She is a strong member, who can get information at the touch, who will fight for her blood sisters.

Lizbeth, is the youngest and half sister to Weir. She doesn’t talk, but early on she comes out of dream to become a very strong member, who is destined to be the last dream keeper.

What follows is a suspenseful tense tale of evil slowly separating the coven members, and placing them in grave danger, as well as pitting some against each other. Rather than give spoilers, I enjoyed the concept of this storyline, and generally liked all the main characters. I will say that at times early on I thought it was a bit slow, due to the many POV’s that we had to follow. I am used to a two person POV, but this was a 5 person POV all throughout, which did make it a bit confusing.

This series has a lot of potential to be great, and despite the going back and forth between all the characters, I am invested to keep reading, as I want to know what will happen. Amber Benson pulls us into this series, with some great characters, and I look forward to seeing how this will turn out.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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