I have really enjoyed this series. In this book Alex shows real growth and is getting more of the training she needs to embrace all of her gifts. Rogue practitioners attacked the Church and took out many of its members, Alex is once again under suspicion and is on the wanted list. As she is turning herself in she is kidnapped by another group who are trying to enlist her services in defeating the rogues. Alex see this as an opportunity to try and broker some sort of peace between the paranormals and humans but each faction has their own agenda and the PTF are making things more difficult especially when the fae threaten to get involved. I liked how Alex’s friends seem to rally around her and pitch in to help. I’m glad she is learning more and more how to use her magic, not just the fae magic but also the practitioner magic. There are many big changes in this book, not all of them good but it makes me want the next book now. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a joint review for books 3, 4 and 5 in this series since I had the same response to all three. I read book 1, Drop of Magic, and thought it was ok. I did not read book 2, Courting Darkness. Netgalley gave me copies of 3 (Faerie Forged), 4 (Casting Shadows) and 5 (Of Mettle and Magic) in exchange for my honest review. I read all three in the course of two days.

I'm giving these three all a like rating because I enjoyed them. However, it is not at the top of the list of UF series I'd recommend.

The stories kept me reading, perhaps helped in part that the storylines don't really stand alone, it's one long saga so when a book ends, you are left wanting to see what happens. Not a true cliffhanger, but there's no overall resolution. I also really enjoy UF because of the strong secondary character development that usual takes place since there's usually time to have lots of character development with 3 or more books. There is some, but not enough and characters just seem to disappear. Sometimes that's due to the storyline taking Alex elsewhere, but a smoother transition would be nice.

Each book had some slow spots, but Casting Shadows and Of Mettle and Magic kicked up the action.

The author's latest release, Demon Riding Shotgun, let's one of the most recent secondary characters take a front seat. I just hope this doesn't mean we won't get another book wrapping up Alex's situation.

This is book 5 in the Magicsmith series and all the main characters are back with major roles. Rogue Sorcerers have destroyed the Church in Rome and the humans and Magics must trust each other to fight them. Alex must bring the fae and the paranormals together before the sorcerers take over the earth. This book should be read following others in the series, it need a lot of background from previous books. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

After reading the first 4 books in the series, I was thrilled to receive this latest installment. It did not disappoint.

L.R. Braden has a way with characters. All of them spring from the page fully realized and individualized. As a reader drawn in by characters that are well depicted, this adds nuance and interest to the story told.

Braden's world building is consistent. The plot is replete with action and moves quickly. I can't wait for book six.

I received a free ARC. I am leaving my honest review.

Absolutely fantastic series it is so action packed from start to finish that I highly recommend reading it in order. This series is full of wonderful characters and plenty of intriguing storylines to keep you turning the pages until the very end.

Alex is back and her life is in shambles she has made an enemy of her grandfather's general but feels no remorse because saving the children trapped in Fae was worth it.

Now on top of the children's care rogue sorcerers are attacking the Fae. At the same time the fragile peace between human and Fae is at the breaking point and on the verge of war.

During all this someone very important from Alez's past is back and that cause even more tension. I loved every page and I absolutely can't wait for more. This series never disappoints snd just keeps getting better with each installment. I highly recommend it!

absolutely enjoyed "Of Mettle and Magic" by L. R. Braden ... have never read this author before, but excited to read more

I thoroughly enjoyed this series as much as I liked the rest of the series.
A fast paced, entertaining and well written story.
Good world building and character development.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Wow! Book five in the series continues the building momentum and action of the previous titles and then goes into overdrive. With the kidnapped children rescued but still addicted to goblin fruit, Alex and her allies have a big task ahead of them, detoxing the kids to a point where they can survive life without imbibing goblin fruit regularly.

However, just as things seem to smooth out the situation with the PTF, paranaturals and the Fae boils over with the appearance of and attacks by rogue sorcerers who have escaped the church’s control.

Alex is forced into taking a leading role with the paranaturals trying to broker a peace with the PTF while subduing the rogue sorcerers as an act of good faith. Action packed once again, this is a rollicking read.

I await the next title in the series.

Of Mettle and Magic by L.R. Braden, a fine next book in the series. Choices made are catching up with Alex and consequences are right around the corner. She will have to decide her future now.

Of Mettle and Magic is the Fifth installment in author L.R. Braden's The Magicsmith series. After saving a dozen human children from Shedraziel, including Emma's younger sister May, and erasing their memories of what happened to them, Alex Blackwood and her friends now have to figure out a way to save them since they are now addicted to goblin fruit. They were promised help from Alex's grandfather Bael, but that help is slow in coming. What's worse is that Alex's recorded confession about being a Fae halfer who can handle iron without any side affects, is now spreading across the country and the PTF, Paranatural Task Force, wants very much to speak to Alex.

Across the world, lines are being drawn, sides chosen. Law-abiding members of the paranatural community, including practitioners and werewolves, are being hunted and sent to detention centers. Including Alex's very pregnant friend Maggie who is human.When Alex decides to turn herself in to Director Harris, unknown people attack the convoy she's in and she ends up in North Carolina. Those responsible are Alex's former best friend David who is a spy, and Uncle Sol who once worked for PTF before creating his own alliance of humans and paras. When a a man thought dead suddenly rises from the grave and attacks the Unified Church in Rome, Alex realizes this is larger than anything she can handle on her own.

She also realizes that she has to return to her grandfather's realm and beg him to not declare war on humanity. She needs the Fae to help her find a way to deal with a dangerous sorcerer/necromancer who is demon ridden and wants to end the world as Alex and her friends know it. That man just happens to be her own father Darius. Bael, the Lord of Enchantment, is like 5 steps ahead of Alex at every turn. If he helps her, she has to swear fealty to him and stay in Fae and learn about her abilities which she has wanted for a long time. If he refuses and goes to war with humans IE PTF, Alex and her friends will need to put an alliance of the willing from vampires, werewolves, practitioners, and even humans together in order to survive the end of the world.

Some good news is the return of some characters like Kai and Hortense who choose to join Alex and her friends as well as new characters who put their faith in Alex and join her alliance. The story also moves outside of Colorado for the first time to Missouri, North Carolina, as well as Arlington and Washington D.C. I highly doubt this is the final book in the series. The ending basically lays out the foundation for at minimum one more book since Alex has a new responsibility and war still hasn't been resolved with the Fae.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is one of my favorite fictional worlds to visit. Each time I see a new part I get so excited and promise myself I'll take my time, but I know that's a lie. As with the other parts, I devoured this like a reader starved for every word, gulping yet somehow managing to savor the delightful taste of the story. If you are up to this part I don't have to tell you the characters are phenomenal, all of them, even the walk ons have reasons. The main and secondary characters are as rich and real as people I interact with outside of fiction. The plot continues to be complex and intelligent yet easily entertaining, making it a series that will appeal to readers that range from those looking for fun and those looking to sink deeper, a brilliant accomplishment. There were a lot of threads that came to satisfying endings in this part, awesome climaxes, and yet the end also promised room for more, which thrills me. I hope the next part is coming very soon. I can't wait to visit this world again... I'll try not devour the next part. Maybe.

Of Mettle and Magic is the fifth book in the MagicSmith series by L.R. Braden. Readers do need to read this series in order to understand the character development and relationships. When the Unified Church in Rome is destroyed by rogue sorcerers, tensions explode. Alex Blackwood will do whatever it takes to prevent a war between the humans, fae, and Earth paranaturals--even turn herself over to the PTF. But when a man she thought long dead walks back into her life at the head of a sorcerer army, surrender is no longer an option. With all the world watching, and half hoping she fails, Alex and her friends scramble to find a peace that won’t cost them everything.

Of Mettle and Magic is a good continuation of the story, and also a building block for further developments. I was happy to return to Alex's world, and it was great to see some of my favorite secondary characters make appearances and some twists that I have been expecting to make themselves known. There is plenty of action, planning, and growth of power and understanding. Some dynamic shifts and some great moments. I was hoping for a bit more on the character growth side, and a little less of the world imploding. Do not get me wrong, there were some great moments and I was glad to read the book. But I love the complexity of the characters, and I feel like the growing complexity of the world and danger around them has overtaken some of what I really enjoy about this series. There were definitely some great growth and moments of revelation and understanding on Alex's part, but there were also moments were I was less engaged as the preparations for fighting and whatnot needed to happen. I still love this series- but this one just did not capture me the way I expected and hoped for.

Of Mettle and Magic is a solid continuation of this story, and I think fans of the series will need to read it, but it just did not resonate with me as thoroughly as the previous books.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! This is a great book to continue the series! I love stories where there is a strong female who takes on challenges including saving a bunch of children. There is fighting and intrigue and more battles. There is a lot going on in the book but it's not overpowering. The pace is perfect. Alex's relationship with James continues to mature and grow. There are also a lot of characters that work very well together. I loved the book which is awesome as often series get strained as they get longer. I still can't wait for the next book!

More than a decade after the Fae Wars, humanity and paranaturals coexist uneasily. Alex Blackwood has recently discovered that she's a "halfer" - half human, half fae, and one of the few who can handle iron. In "Of Mettle and Magic," Alex finds out that she may have even more reason to fear the PTF who police the paranaturals, and who are determined to drive them from Earth, or eradicate them entirely. Alex will have to sacrifice to keep the peace.

I had recently read the first two books in the series, and was approved for this one before I'd gotten to the third and fourth. I'm pleased to say that the storyline was easy to pick up (although I will go back and read the others to fill in a few details). Alex is a likeable heroine and she has a great group of friends. I do question the health of her relationship with the vampire James, but he shows in this book that he is committed to helping her, even at the cost of something he holds dear.

War is imminent. The various groups of fae, weres, and other paranaturals are being hunted by the PTF. A group of sorcerers commits an act of terrorism that sets Alex on a course to stop the war, but she has to make some hard bargains and give up some of her freedom to make it work.

Alex gets help from old friends, such as Kai, Maggie, and Morgan, and her uncle provides backup and support. Alex works well both autonomously and with the team, and it's great to see the bonds she's forged with the others have survived the turmoil of the last few months, especially her friendship with Maggie. I liked how Alex didn't try to go it alone, and worked with everyone.

The series is great for readers who like urban fantasy and a spunky heroine, but a tad less snark than you find in a lot of UF novels.

Recommended.

This series has been building and building and the crescendo was absolutely fabulous.

Alex finds herself in the thick of things once again, as tensions between the PTF, the paranormals, and a group of rogue sorcerers come to a head.

It was edge-of-your-seat, breath-stealing, non-stop action. Throughout it all, Alex is trying her best not to lose herself or her friends. She is fighting for a future that will benefit everybody.

I'm sure the book's not perfect, but I was so immersed in it all that I didn't notice any issues there might be with the story.

After this installment, I'm firmly behind Alex and James as a couple. He has proven himself to her over and over again. The two of them finally got to a point where the trust was absolute.

But we're not quite done yet with this world and I can't wait to continue Alex's journey.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Braden kept up the pace with this continuation but lost a bit of the whimsy. It seems very topical with the magic racism and hateful political powers.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought that, in all, this was a fun and interesting move forward. I think tying up the loose family threads was wonderfully done, and I liked how the fae threat was blunted in the end, but now she has a year to do the near impossible- peace between the factions. Although I wished I could have seen more of the issues with her grandfather the king, after reading, I think it’s better served as a focus for some other time. I think if the father and grandfather were both the main antagonists, it would have been too muddy and had less impact.

I’ve enjoyed this series immensely. Alex is strong and capable. I enjoy that she uses not just her powers, which are increasing, but her intelligence to work through the many dilemmas she encounters. Her friends are loyal to her and work together in whatever capacity they are able. The world building is expansive and well done.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of OF METTLE & MAGIC (Book 5 of The MagicSmith urban fantasy series) by L.R. Braden in exchange for an honest review. Alex Blackwood has solved the most urgent problem at hand and decides to turn herself in to the authorities so that she can work with them to avoid the upcoming war. However, when the Unified Church in Rome is destroyed and Alex fails to establish a hoped-for alliance, Alex must regroup and find new alliances to because war is now imminent on three fronts. In order to succeed, Alex will have to expand her knowledge and control of her powers as well as her knowledge and implementation of both political and battle strategy.

I like this book and enjoy the series. I recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy.

#OfMettleandMagic #NetGalley

To be honest this is probably my least favorite book in the series. I really enjoyed the previous books though, and this one was almost a four star read for me. I think my main issue was Alex’s naivety. After everything she’s been through she still believes the best of everyone. I wanted to shake some sense into her! Despite that I look forward to the next book in the series.