I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is definitely not the series for me. This book had some highlights: Wish, as always, was wonderful and the ending was very clever, but overall, it was a rather disappointing read. I had heard that originally these books were meant to be a trilogy and I think it shows. The first two books were quite action packed but book 3 and now this one feel like they only really had enough material for one book which has been stretched out over two books with some extra padding.

As this is the conclusion of the series, it is difficult to say much without giving spoilers. If you have read the other 3 books, you will have a general idea of what to expect. Wish, Xar and their many followers are still on their quest to defeat the Kingwitch and save the Wildwoods, Xar's witchstain continues to grow and cause problems and time is running out. Just like the other books, this one is told by the mysterious narrator, who does reveal themselves at the end.

The thing I like most about these books is the character of Wish. She is a brilliant creation. She has grown in confidence over the 4 books and this development has been wonderful to follow. She is determined, selfless and eager to see the good in everyone, and all of these traits make her stronger not weaker - someone for children to truly admire.

One of the main issues I have with this book is that it felt like we were told a lot of things rather than being shown them. At one point it was even stated that a particular event happened 'in between this adventure and the last one' rather than showing us what happened. Even when we did see an important event, it was over very quickly. There were some plot points from previous books that I was hoping to get answers to and these just seemed to be forgotten about so overall I was left feeling rather unsatisfied.

If you have been really enjoying this series, I'm sure you will enjoy this last book too. If, like me, you've enjoyed some parts and disliked others, I'm not sure this book does enough to convince you it's a great series.

I cannot quite believe how utterly shocked and satisfied I am with the ending of this Wizards of Once saga, and I really, really want more with how things ended, but at the same time, we don't really need more because [redacted], so when it was revealed that [redacted] was the unknown narrator and that [redacted] was [redacted] and [redacted] was [redacted], well, quite simply, my mind was blown.

This had so many exciting moments, I cannot tell you. It started off with high stakes anyway but the stakes just seemed to get higher and higher and higher with every passing chapter. I genuinely think this is the best book Cowell has written, not just in the Wizards of Once series, but ever. It is so well-rounded and character arcs just had such beautiful moments to them, not just for our main heroes, but for even the smallest of the hairy fairies and ensemble cast.

I laughed. I cried. I gasped. I wept tears of joy. This was everything for a Wizards of Once fan and I know, as soon as you get to that last page, you will be satisfied too.

Wow! What a finale! After buying the first Wizards of Once book at an airport as an airplane read I was hooked and haven’t been able to put them down since. I’ve been avidly awaiting the final book and it didn’t disappoint. This will be a welcome addition to my bookshelf in school alongside books 1, 2 and 3. Not doubt it won’t be on there long before it’s snapped up by one of the children in my class.

It's almost here! The fourth and final instalment of Cressida Cowell's amazing 'The Wizards of Once' series. After following these books from the beginning, this is something I have been waiting for since last September and I jumped to have the chance to review it via Netgalley.

Join Xar, Wish and Bodkin as they continue their quest to rid the WildWoods of the diabolical witches. This time, along with their band of loyal followers, they must journey into the Mines of Happiness to complete the spell that will banish their enemies, before taking on the KingWitch himself. But is Xar's poisonous witchstain too strong to cure? Does wispy Wish have control of her magic-that-works-on-iron? And what if their entrusted spell fails to work?

This is an adventure of epic proportions; a quest involving warriors, wizards, witches, giants and sea-monsters which creaks with ancient magic. Xar is a wizard with no magical powers. Wish is a warrior with a rare magical eye that works on iron. But in this world, magic doesn't work on iron-that is the accepted and proven rule! Yet, as these young heroes throw the rule book out the window and lead their tribes into a chaos that's riddled with curses, will deep wrongs ever be righted?

This is a book of unique, mysterious storytelling from an author who is also guilty of dispensing with the rule book. The ever present but unknown narrator TELLS us the story with large doses of opinions and finger-wagging, yet it works to the point of being masterful. Becoming immersed in this story feels like having a spell woven around you; one that pulls you in and keeps you captivated from beginning to end. The tone is deep and magical as we are transported back to a forgotten age where an eclectic mix of characters merge together to create a intoxicating cocktail of delicious madness.

There's bags of humour, which prevents the story from being too serious. Xar's brilliant tongue-in-cheek, reckless, over-confident character brings a large dose of light-hearted humour, balanced by the more serious Wish. Bodkin and Caliburn, although deeply anxious, also bring their own brand of unintentional amusement and the hugely entertaining Encanzo and Sychorax (Xar and Wish's respective parents) offer a brilliant satirical insight into the demands of being a responsible adult. Squeezjoos is beyond endearing...and then there is the flying door, the parping trumpet, not to mention the animated antics of the key, spoon and fork.

Don't relax too much though! Throughout all four novels the stakes are exceptionally high, danger lurks around every corner and the monsters are knee-knockingly terrifying. From the Kingwitch himself, to the vast jaws of the Nucklavee, to the wily, mine-dwelling Tatzulworm, this story is not for the faint-hearted. Still, it seems that our heroes have it all under control...

The ending was genius! With four books leading up to a conclusion, the question often is, can it deliver? I can honestly say this one did, both in the dynamic action of the final battle but also in the way the characters delivered and in the surprise and hilarious twist at the end. In contrast, the revelation of who the narrator wasn't quite as surprising or satisfying, but it made sense. I also felt that the character of Wish was slightly lost in the final tale and would have liked to have spent more time inside her head, especially in the lead up to her final confrontation with the Kingwitch. However, none of this detracted from the utter brilliance of the overall plot.

So, if you're thirsty for a quest with a difference then I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Don't wait for it to be turned into a movie! Curl up, start from the very beginning and prepare to lose yourself in this fantastic fantasy adventure.