I read this one so fast because this culmination of The Last Binding series had me on my toes. I had to find out what happened to all my favorites and it was tense! Keep reading this book review of A Power Unbound to find out my full thoughts.
Summary
Secrets! Magic! Enemies to. . .something more?
Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn, would love a nice, safe, comfortable life. After the death of his twin sister, he thought he was done with magic for good. But with the threat of a dangerous ritual hanging over every magician in Britain, he’s drawn reluctantly back into that world.
Now Jack is living in a bizarre puzzle-box of a magical London townhouse, helping an unlikely group of friends track down the final piece of the Last Contract before their enemies can do the same. And to make matters worse, they need the help of writer and thief Alan Ross.
Cagey and argumentative, Alan is only in this for the money. The aristocratic Lord Hawthorn, with all his unearned power, is everything that Alan hates. And unfortunately, Alan happens to be everything that Jack wants in one gorgeous, infuriating package.
When a plot to seize unimaginable power comes to a head at Cheetham Hall―Jack’s ancestral family estate, a land so old and bound in oaths that it’s grown a personality as prickly as its owner―Jack, Alan and their allies will become entangled in a night of champagne, secrets, and bloody sacrifice . . . and the foundations of magic in Britain will be torn up by the roots before the end.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
There were multiple times I thought my heart would break in A Power Unbound. I was also able to listen to some parts on audiobook which broke my heart. Talk about not knowing if all my favorite characters would live and having to listen to them in your ear not knowing. Excruciating. I full blame Josh Dylan the amazing narrator for my pain. Okay and Freya Marske too. But anyway, A Power Unbound is one of those series enders which you need to schedule time off for.
My blood was boiling while reading and I cried at least twice. So be prepared. This unlikely group of characters cobbled together from the past books have united to destroy my heart. Alan’s POV not only grounds the group, but also puts this wrench in their plans. Watching Alan and Jack banter set off fireworks for their characters as they have to realize their own misconceptions about each other, their privileges and choices, and their powers over each other.
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There’s levity, happiness, and fun within A Power Unbound all wrapped up with danger on the tips of our toes and magical ramifications. I adored the magical house with secrets and traps, the ways A Power Unbound examines power dynamics, and the rage at the injustice of those who will stop at nothing to take power without consent. It’s a series ender deeply committed to looking at betrayal, choices, and privilege all entwined. Find A Power Unbound on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, Libro.fm, and Google Play.