Thanks to Del Rey Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

I remember seeing the cover for the first book of this series several years ago and thinking, sure why not! And now after finishing the series I am again so glad to have picked it up, as this series is an absolute delight!!! I truly have a hard time remembering another series that made me laugh so much and still made me tear up at the end. And if you enjoy audiobooks then these are an absolute must to listen to as Luke Daniels just slays it......and be sure to listen to the outtakes at the end of the audio.....hilarious!!! The final book has all the things I loved from the previous books, lots of Buck, Nadia and Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite......as well as some new characters to tickle the funny bone......the whole hobgoblin clans....OMG!!! There are new plots to foil, heists to plan, VAMPIRES, and finally Al gets to find out who cursed him. I can highly recommend this series to anyone who wants lots of fae, magical beings, creatures, good dugs, and just a really good time!! Can't wait to see what Kevin has in store in the future!! So, grab a pint and some cheese and cheers!!!

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available for me.

A nicely wrought ending to this trilogy, it does a nice job of wrapping up most of the ongoing plot lines, and still leaves enough open that it's possible that we could see more more of Al and his friends. It also continues to have good connections to the author's Iron Druid series, which I loved. I would definitely come back to read more about these characters.

From the publisher:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles comes the final book in the “action-packed, enchantingly fun” (Booklist) Ink & Sigil series, as an ink-slinging wizard pursues the answer to a very personal mystery: Who cast a pair of curses on his head?

Al MacBharrais has a most unusual job: He’s a practitioner of ink-and-sigil magic, tasked with keeping order among the gods and monsters that dwell hidden in the human world. But there’s one supernatural mystery he’s never been able to solve: Years ago, someone cast twin curses on him that killed off his apprentices and drove away loved ones who heard him speak, leaving him bereft and isolated.

But he’s not quite alone: As Al works to solve this mystery, his friends draw him into their own eccentric dramas. Buck Foi the hobgoblin has been pondering his own legacy—and has a plan for a daring shenanigan that will make him the most celebrated hobgoblin of all. Nadia, goth queen and battle seer, is creating her own cult around a god who loves whisky and cheese.

And the Morrigan, a former Irish death goddess, has decided she wants not only to live as an ordinary woman but also to face the most perilous challenge of the mortal world: online dating.

Meanwhile, Al crosses paths with old friends and new—including some beloved Druids and their very good dogs—in his globe-trotting quest to solve the mystery of his curses. But he’s pulled in so many different directions by his colleagues, a suspicious detective, and the whims of destructive gods that Al begins to wonder: Will he ever find time to write his own happy ending?
My thoughts: This was a good wrap up for the trilogy. Story threads for Al, Buck Foi, Nadia, the Morrigan, and Gladys-who-has-seen-some-shite are drawn to conclusions. I felt that the endings were open-ended enough that if the author decides to revisit any of the characters, say for a short story, he will have plenty to write about.

I gave this book 5 stars. It's well-written. It's a good conclusion for the trilogy. Things happen at a good pace. My only note is that I felt there wasn't enough foreshadowing about who is responsible for the curses on Al. If you enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy, this is a must read. If you enjoyed the Iron Druid books, you will most likely enjoy this trilogy as well. And the trilogy would make a good Christmas present for your fan of urban fantasy.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This did not affect my review.

Enjoyed this one very much, another great action-adventure fantasy from author Kevin Hearne. Never disappoints, highly recommend!

Candle & Crow is the conclusion to the Ink & Sigil series and thus the likely end of the world of the Iron Druid.

I greatly enjoyed the Iron Druid series as well as Ink & Sigil, I will be sad to see the characters go.

While this book manage to touch on several favorite characters, the story was mostly a series of side quests rather than a cohesive story. I enjoyed the book, but I wish there was more meat to the story. I was glad that we got closure on most aspects of the series.

I can't wait to see what Kevin Hearne does next!

I really wanted to love this series because of how much I adore the Iron Druid series. Unfortunately, this falls a bit flat for me. There's still a wacky cast of characters going on wild adventures, but the storyline isn't quite as enthralling overall. It's not bad but also not amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and del Rey for providing me with this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Al has just returned from Australia with a god, now reformed, in tow. His accountant and hobgoblin have returned as well but his receptionist still seems to be out seeing some shite. Now that he’s back in Ireland Al thinks he will finally get a chance to discover who cursed him. Little did he know, his accountant and hobgoblin were busy completing a heist and starting a cult! That’s just the tip of the iceberg for Al. His next assignment has fallen into his lap with hardly a break. In this final installment of the ink & sigil trilogy, we are on another fun adventure with Al and crew.

This book is a delight! The series as a whole is such a fun adventure. I love all of the characters and I audibly chuckle at them on an often basis. I enjoy all of the mishaps and adventures the crew get into. This final story was such a sweet cherry on top. Kevin Hearne is a master of character creation, a creative with prose, and an overall amazing storyteller. Overall, I gave this 4/5 stars!

Book Three of the Ink & Sigil Series continues the quirky, supernatural adventures of Al MacBharrais, a Scottish sigil-writer tasked with keeping the peace among gods and monsters in the human world. This time, Al finds himself unraveling a long-standing mystery behind the twin curses that have isolated him, costing him both apprentices and loved ones. Yet, his friends bring their own unique chaos: Buck Foi the hobgoblin plots his legacy with a grand escapade, goth battle-seer Nadia builds a cult around a whisky-loving god, and the Morrigan dives into online dating to experience mortal life firsthand. Along the way, Al encounters old allies (including a few Druids and their loyal hounds) while globe-trotting through various magical messes.

While Candle & Crow has Hearne’s signature humor, it relies heavily on juvenile jokes and thick Scottish slang, which can feel excessive. For fans of the series, this installment offers more of the familiar: zany side quests, eccentric side characters, and Hearne’s particular brand of whimsy. However, the humor and repetitive elements may not resonate with all readers, especially those seeking a more mature or focused narrative. It’s a light, playful read that will appeal to a specific audience, but it may leave others hoping for a bit more substance.

I’ve been lucky enough to receive this complete trilogy as ARCs from Net Galley. While I liked the first two books, they just weren’t engaging as the Iron Druid, despite his actually appearing in the second book. I said in my review for both book 1 and 2 that I would keep reading, but hoped the next one would have a little more pizazz. While I thought the likelihood of that happening wasn’t that great, I nevertheless feel as if Mr. Hearne read my reviews and set out to make me happy. This final book in the trilogy pulled out all the stops, it was extremely funny and entertaining, and sweet, with happily ever afters for the hole crew. Now that I have what I wanted, I’m so sorry that it is over!

One mischievous hobgoblin... on the brink of falling in love. One warrior queen... set on founding her own cult. One (former) goddess of death—now trying out life as a human—who thinks online dating is the way to go. One (seemingly) ordinary secretary who... well, is actually known as “Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite” (although the “shite” in question remains unmentioned, so... who knows?).

And, one Glaswegian septuagenarian skilled in ink-and-sigil work (basically, magic spells made by using special inks and symbols)... whose job it is to keep the gods above, and all manner of fae creatures hiding in plain sight here in the human world down below, in line.

Together, they’re about to face what may be their greatest challenge, yet: finally figuring out who placed the twin curses on Al MacBharrais’ (the aforementioned septuagenarian) balding head... curses which killed off numerous apprentices, over the years, and caused his entire family to shun him, for no reason.


If the origin of those curses can’t uncovered—and then lifted? Al is apt to die a very, VERY lonely and unhappy man. (Which just wouldn’t be right.)

Yep, it’s the final episode in Kevin Hearne’s whimsical Ink & Sigil series, Candle & Crow.


Okay, so let’s get a couple of things out of the way, first.

Namely, you shouldn’t read Candle & Crow on its own. (I mean, you could, I guess, but that would take away from soooo much backstory that you really need to know. Trust me—if you haven’t already done so, please DO read them first.)

Also? Check out these non-spoilery reviews, beforehand, to get you in the headspace to tackle ‘em... Ink & Sigil (book 1) review, and Paper & Blood (book 2) review . (Seriously, reading these first, will help.)


Candle & Crow is the clever, silly, delightfully-demented series ender we needed.

We get to meet up one last time with most of the side characters we’ve enjoyed throughout, which is a real pleasure. (Hearne does an excellent job of turning them all into fascinating beings... the kind that--even if they're jerks--you just really want to know more about.)

And more importantly, the author gives us enough of an idea about where everyone is headed that we can walk away, at the end, with a sense of what might happen next—after from the books—for each of them. It’s both closure... and room for more, should he ever want to take us into any of these characters’ lives, in future.

So, do Al and company finally figure out from whence the curses come? Well... I’m not gonna tell you that... but perhaps that isn’t even the biggest question Al will face, you know? Suffice it to say, Al’s ending is sweetly, poignantly lovely.

Which may, in the end, be the very best way to end any series... with a feeling of coming full-circle... or at least, going a lot of the way.

Candle & Crow is an excellent end for this charmingly-offbeat series.

And the fact that I’m going to be keeping my eyes peeled for any potential offshoots, in future? Speaks to the magic of the story... and the storytelling.
~GlamKitty

First off, I want to thank NetGalley and Kevin Hearne. It was because of them that I was able to read this entire trilogy and enjoy the world that started in the Iron Druid series that my dad dearly loved. I enjoyed the previous two books in this series, but this book ended things quite nicely. All loose end tied up with plenty of speculation as to the possibility of more stories to come.

With most books that I really enjoy, it is the side characters that really make or break a story. In this case, while I loved Nadia and Buck Foi, I found myself rooting for the Morrigan, or as she goes by now, Roxanne. I truly enjoyed watching her try to navigate dating. Nadia starts a cult and Buck Foi starts a family. Good stuff. We even get a glimpse into the inner workings of Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite.

The thing that was different about this book was that it did jump around a lot. Poor Al really had a lot on his plate and this book showed that really well. A lot of different mini plots arose and concluded within this book as well as the culmination of several plot points that existed through the whole trilogy. At times it seemed rushed. I would love a novella about this group celebrating together at the holidays. I can only imagine the kinds of chaos that could ensue. With the humor and wit that Mr. Hearne brings to these books, that would be an awesome time. As you can see, I’m not quite ready for this story to be finished. This book was a good conclusion to the series even without extra stories though.

<i>Candle & Crow</i> is the third book in Kevin Hearne's Ink and Sigil series, which takes place in the same world as the Iron Druid series. Al MacBharrais is determined to get the curse on him lifted. He's searching high and low for someone who can tell him who laid the curse on him in the first place so he can get it removed. Of course, nothing is ever going to be easy for MacBharrais. Thankfully, he has his trusty sidekick Buck Foi (a hobgoblin), Nadia (goth queen and battle seer), Morrigan (the former Irish death goddess), and Gladys-who's-seen-some-shite (his ... receptionist!).

Without going into too much detail here, the book centers on a case of a shipping vessel (that was probably involved with human trafficking) being destroyed and all of its passengers drowned. Technically, the incident is within the legalese of the contract created and signed by the sigil agent. Admittedly, it's been a while, so MacBharrais realizes it may be time to update the language of the contract.

Oh, and if Buck Foi isn't enough of a handful already, Buck and Nadia may have started a new religion with a deity that eats people.

Needless to say, MacBharrais has his hands full.

As a whole, I find this entire series highly enjoyable. I strongly recommend reading to anyone who likes urban fantasy or just a little fantasy escapism.

I would like to thank the publisher for giving me early access to this book to read and review prior to publication. While I am thankful for the opportunity, the opinions expressed here are entirely mine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and an all around good romp with plenty of action, funny shite (sometimes literally), and everything else you could possibly want.

I was very happy with how all the major plots were wrapped up, while at the same time leaving room for future adventures following other characters in the series.

The ending felt very rushed, but overall it was still a solid book that was hard to put down. I think with 50-100 more pages it could have been absolutely amazing.

I can never get enough of Kevin Hearn and his writing style. Diving into Candle & Crow is like diving back into the Iron Druid series where the characters are familiar and not too much has happened between each book since we last left them from the previous adventure. This is the last book of the Ink & Sigil trilogy, so just be aware it is the best of them!

Al MacBharrais is a bit different from Atticus in that he uses a different magic system and is not as "immortal" as the beloved druid. Al looks like an older man and has a couple of curses on himself so has to find ways to work around them so the people he encounter frequently don't start to hate him.

In this third installment, we see the usual gang of Buck and Nadia rejoining Al, and we also have some other familiar characters from the Iron Druid series which makes this a fantastic cross-over book. The story weaves together fantastically and we get a really good story (as I am trying my best not to not reveal any spoilers). However, let's just say The Morrigan decides she wants to try being mortal and dating and that's a whole thing in itself to work with.

I am so happy I received this arc from NetGalley and cannot thank Ballantine and Kevin Hearn, himself, enough for the fantastic experience of this series! It has been an amazing ride!

This was the first book I ever received from NetGalley, so big thank you to them for letting me read book 3 of the Ink & Sigil series.

I've read all of Kevin Hearne's work, and I've been a big fan since the Iron Druid series. I always love seeing old characters popping up to join Al and Buck in their adventures, and it was definitely a welcomed experience for book 3.

I think of the three books in this series, this was my favorite. It has the action, the banter, and it seems to wrap everything up nicely for a trilogy.

I loved this book. It showed the amazing plotting ability of Kevin Hearne along with his great imagination. It was the perfect way to end the Ink and Sigil series. It was not the happiest of endings, but that is the way life is sometimes. It was wonderful to finally find out who curved Al and why. It was also wonderful how he eventually dealt with the problem. My only issue with the whole book was how much time iot spent on other characters and a bunch of side ventures. I felt as if Hearne put some of those scenes and side-quests in only because fans demanded to see some of his old characters again and missed the druids, etc... I think a more stream-lined story would have been a better story, but that is just my opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

5.5 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2024/10/08/candle-crow-by-kevin-hearne-review/

Candle & Crow wraps up the Al MacBharrais spinoff with a love-letter to the Iron Druid Chronicles, particularly its MC, Atticus/Connor. But while it gives Iron Druid fans the deep dive and closure they’ve been needing, it doesn’t do justice to Al’s story—at least, not in a meaningful way.

Sure, Al’s story gets wrapped up well enough, but it waits until the absolute end. All the rest—the added Iron Druid lore, the Morrigan’s dating proclivities, even the adventures of Buck Foi—just distract from the overarching plot. A plot that ended up coming in as a mere afterthought to all the hijinks preceding it.

While it’s neither the sendoff Al MacBharrais deserved, nor the most focused adventure (the plot is all over the place), Candle & Crow isn’t without its entertainment. After all, there’s a new cult to be formed, a hobgoblin seeking redemption, and an Irish death goddess trying to go straight. There are sigil agent shenanigans galore, enough that I honestly assumed the author had pulled in cut-out scenes from previous adventures to help make his bottom-line. It’s all good fun—just not meaningful.

Bottom line: Al MacBharrais was ever more than a mere spinoff to Atticus O’Sullivan’s Iron Druid world. He served his purpose, but really, his story was just a way to expand the lore for the ancient draugr himself. Candle & Crow—really, all the entries after Book #1—were just a love-sonnet for Atticus, which is fine so long as you loved the Iron Druid. If you hated his sorry ass (like moi) it was a dead-end one-shot that provided some entertainment but little enough fulfillment, before ultimately squandering all of its potential.

This book is the conclusion to the Ink & Sigil series, and it wraps all the important things up with a really nice, bloody bow. This book includes: hobgoblin legacies, socialist death cults, solved mysteries, Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite (everyone’s favorite!), and an Irish death goddess deep in the perilous mines of online dating.

What gets me about this series is the contrast to the Iron Druid, which is set in the same world (and, yes, you will see some crossover characters in this book). As much as I loved everyone’s favorite Iron Druid, he was arrogant, over-confident, and prone to diving headfirst into danger without thinking. Al is the anti-Atticus: he is aware of his own limitations; is forced to plan ahead when going into danger due to the limitations of his Sigil magic; and, despite being literally cursed to isolation, still manages to have surrounded himself with friends and allies who care about him.

I like Al. I like his fascination with mixed drinks, the way he works around his disability (curse), and the way he’s willing to accept help from his friends. He cares about people in a close-up way that contrasts with Atticus’ aloofness, and I enjoy that. And yes, part of my enjoyment is the wacky group of side characters that Al has gathered around himself. Buck Foi is, of course, everyone’s favorite hobgoblin: foul-mouthed, vulgar, and endearing. Nadia, the goth battle-seer, is my personal favorite because who wouldn’t love starting their own cult based on whisky and cheese? There’s the Morrigan, the battle goddess who is drafting herself into the ultimate war: being a mortal woman in today’s society. Last, but certainly not least: Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite. A seemingly normal, mortal woman working as Al’s office manager and yet all the big bad Gods and Monsters seem to be perilously afraid of her. The why of that is as big a mystery as who cursed Al in the first place — and both of those are resolved in this volume.

If none of that convinces you, then what the hell are you doing here anyway? Go read some fucking mainstream fluff or something and get out of my face. If it does convince you, the entire series is available to read now at your favorite retailers or library.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

I was happy to read more in the world of the Iron Druid Chronicles and we do get a scene with each of the three Druids. As I expected, we are dealing with Al's curse and how Roxanne will live in the human world. Nadia embarks on her own path of creating a religion of whiskey drinking, cheese eating and non-violence to have a tax exempt entity for her van adventures and entertainment.

I enjoyed Al as he worked through his regular sigil agent work, while researching more about his curse. There is a fun visit to the nine ways to Nancy. He also has to stay ahead of the local detectives partly because of Nadia and Buck's shenanigans. I am not really a fan of Buck and the hobgoblins, and just wished his parts to end faster.

I wished we had more time with the dogs, of course. But the time with them and the Druids was fun. I enjoy the magic and the skill and strategy required to utilize it. Owen helped with a vampire issue and that involved some contact with Leif.

Dating Roxanne is a perilous endeavor. Eventually she finds a new calling to ease into human customs. She isn't wrong to be mad about how some dates treated her but her reaction was way harsh.

Being back in the world overall was fun and the ending was well wrapped and satisfying. Al even finds a new candidate to be his apprentice. There could easily be new adventures in this world in some kind of novella, especially with the dogs.