The King's Seal

Addictive and wonderful and I want more. I was sorry to read that The King’s Seal is the last book in the series because just like Penelope I fell in love with Venice and it’s magicians.

I higly recommend all three books because they pulled me out of my everyday life and kept me reading and made me laugh and cry.

The ending left me a dissatisfied though. It felt rushed. I expected an epic fight between Penelope and Thevetat but I was disappointed. So 4 stars from me. I still loved this journey and I’m sure I will reread the whole trilogy someday.

Thank you to NetGalley and BHC Press for my copy and Amy Kuivalainen for giving us this amazing and magical story.

This is book three of a trilogy, so reading the first two is a must before diving into this one.

I always dislike reviewing/finishing a series. There are very few series that live up to my expectations, especially when I've fallen in love with the characters and do not want to see the journey end.
The same definitely holds true for "The King's Seal." I have been obsessively waiting for the third book to be released (publication date: June 24th, 2021)-- and then once I received the ARC edition of the book, I couldn't bring myself to read it. I want Alexis, Penelope, and the rest of the cast of characters to continue to have adventures to read about.

"The King's Seal" was fast-paced at times- there was an urgency to understand how to defeat Thevetat and Abbadon that had been building from the previous book. I felt that the flow of the series was going very well, until I noticed I was 93% of the way through the book and knew the book was at its end. Unfortunately, I felt that the last portion of the book was rushed to completion. There could have been at least another 20-30 pages to pull together all of the loose ends and make the ending more satisfying. There was a lot at stake, and it ended up being considerably anti-climactic.

I still love this series. All three books will definitely be featured in paperback in my collection and recommended to my friends who want to read a fun fantasy/romance. I just wish there was more to the end than there was.
Thank you Netgalley and BHC Press for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Can’t believe this journey is over! I have adored this trilogy!!
Loved every moment and I can’t wait to see what she brings out next!!

I've been a fan of this trilogy since the beginning. I couldn't possibly love these characters more. While the end may appear rushed, it's not. I'm over long drawn out, gratuitously violent battle scenes. I appreciated that they had a well executed plan to defeat the enemy. That's how super dope, 10,000-year-old magicians roll.

I will revisit this series again in the future, and the best part will be that I can now do without a year long wait between books!

I really enjoyed reading this book and flew through the entire series prior to reading this. I loved learning more about the characters and the plot development and did not want the book to end! Thank you Netgalley and BHC Press for this ARC however all opinions are my own.

Loved this series so much! I was so disappointed to see the series end, but only because it was so well written. I enjoyed this book just as much as the first two, and I look forward to more books from the author.

Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars

The story opens with Penelope’s grief. Tim’s death brought the apocalypse much closer to home and Penelope has a hard time reconciling with that. Because of her situation, she hasn’t been able to process the loss so it creeps up on her throughout the novel. Since her relationship with Tim was fraught in the last book, The King’s Seal allows her to remember the good times, making his loss affect her deeply. This also makes her more anxious and prone to being overwhelmed. It isn’t often that the effects of grief are dwelled on, so I really liked what Kuivalainen did here.

Penelope’s relationship with Alexis also changes. The looming end of the world does nothing to dampen their love for each other, neither do the constant challenges that arise. Just like the previous book, they both calm each other’s anxieties, with Alexis being especially attentive to Penelope’s grief. Kuivalainen makes their relationship even more delightful by avoiding tropes that would separate them for the drama of it all, which I found a welcome break from love triangles.

One thing that stood out, however, was Alexis’ need for control. He struggles with letting go, especially when it comes to Penelope’s safety, even towards the end of the series. This left the occasional bad taste in my mouth as it could’ve been done better. As is, it comes off as a lot of telling without many actions to show it from his part.

Amy Kuivalainen looks beyond her main couple in The King’s Seal. While there are few chapters from Lyca’s POV, Marco’s chapters more than make up for it as the book explores their friendship. A welcome break from all the romance, those two make the perfect team and I would gladly experience more of their adventures. Finally, Kuivalainen delves into the relationship between Aelia and Phaidros. The long time rivalry between the two comes to a peak in this final book and it was fascinating to see how it all unravelled. As far as other side characters go, there’s another immortal brought in to stir things up, while Elazar also makes a reappearance.

The plot in The King’s Seal is much like in previous books. There’s a lot of research to further the plot, along with another treasure hunt for Solomon’s Ring. It had a good pace, with mounting tension that cumulated in the final battle and a lovely ending full of hope. There were times when the research or history slowed the book down a little, but not to the extent that I would call it ‘dragging’. Without spoiling too much, the ending felt somewhat rushed. At 275 pages, adding another 20 or 30 wouldn’t have changed the length significantly, but it would have allowed for a more satisfying ending.

As far as the writing goes, I didn’t find much that stood out. Kuivalainen’s dialogue is stilted at times but the prose flows well. She still weaves the Atlanteans throughout history in a fascinating manner, this time delving into the relationships they created along the way. The pacing was good enough, but I continue to think Kuivalainen’s strength lies in her characters.

All in all, I enjoyed The King’s Seal by Amy Kuivalainen. I would have liked to see more character development from some and a little more plot at the end of the novel. This final book outshines its prequel to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. If you were a fan of the previous ones, don’t hesitate to pick this up!

Editor’s note: This book is classified as adult, and as such it contains on-page sex scenes and depictions of violence/death.

The King's Seal is the third and final book in the Magicians of Venice trilogy- here Penelope and the magicians must find the Ring of Solomon to help them defeat Thevatat and his plan to not only provide a body for himself but also unleash more demons on the world. Penelope learns more about the complicated histories of her friends, meets an emperor, and begins to try and understand her place in this magical world- which includes understanding powers of her own.

The Magicians of Venice is definitely a trilogy that should be read in order. Each book builds on the other as pasts are unveiled, alliances formed, and the danger Thevatat and his followers presents build to the ultimate climax. But it isn't all terror at the coming fight. Like in The Immortal City and The Sea of the Dead, Amy Kuivalainen takes time to develop her cast of characters and provide bits of the joy, awe, and sorrow that must come from being immortal. Meeting the emperor Constantine brings up emotions from all of the magician's pasts and when the Sforzas and Medicis are brought into the mix we get to see Phaidros and Aelia at some of their most emotional states (both for better and worse). Thankfully in a house of magicians there's always someone able to put the thrown china and other breakables back together.

I enjoyed the continued thread of Phaidros and Aelia in their will-they-won't-they relationship, especially since we finally get to see Aelia at her most vulnerable and hear why they haven't gotten together when the two of them seem to be the only ones who don't realize they are in love with each other. With the continuing threats Alexis is at some of his fiercest Defender moments, but there are also delightfully sweet and tender scenes with Penelope as she helps him remember the good that was Atlantis and not just the wars. Penelope continues to be her strong and stubborn self, refusing to be overawed by ancient magicians or murdering demons. She and Marco take things in admirable stride, no matter what weirdness gets thrown at them. Constantine helps shake things up but also helps bring together the final battle and fits well into the mix.

At first reading I thought the final battle was a little anticlimactic, but after thinking about it for a few minutes I changed my mind. No spoilers here but I think it ended exactly the way it should have. In the end, life goes on and learning to celebrate the joys as well as the sorrows is something even immortal magicians need to learn. Kuivalainen wrapped things up beautifully, but maybe we can still hope for more in this world of hers. Constantine may be a jerk at times but would be an interesting spin off, as would focusing on some of the magicians we get less of like Zo or Galenos and Lyca Even more interesting would be going back to Atlantis and the first wars that ended the island. But even if this is the last book Kuivalainen writes in this world, it is certainly a world we can be grateful we can return to any time, just by picking up the books. It is certainly one I plan on returning to frequently.

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

The King’s Seal is the third book in The Magicians of Venice series by Amy Kuivalainen and, once again, I loved it. This book brings Dr Penelope Bryne, Alexis Donato, and the fellow magicians in a search for the ring of King Solomon to aid in stopping Thevetat and his priests. Dealing with moody magicians along with her own rising power is proving to be a challenge but one she is well equipped to handle.

The wold building that Kuivalainen does in this book is beautiful and easy to imagine. She truly brings you along in the journey with these characters and makes you feel as if you’re part of the story.

In this third book we really get to know more of the other magicians, not just Alexis and Penelope. All of these magicians have their own history, as well, as their shared one and I love that we get to see more of them throughout the book. I mean, can we get a book just on Phaidros and Aelia, please!!

The Magicians of Venice series has been one of my favorites since the beginning and this book only solidifies it’s place on my bookshelf.

A satisfying ending to a wild adventure of a trilogy. These Magicians will be in my heart forever and the history woven throughout the series will keep me in research rabbit holes for years to come.

I liked this series and liked the final installment.
It's an entertaining and gripping read.
Good world building and character development, a satisfying concludsion.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

this worked perfectly as a conclusion to this series, the characters were what I wanted and I enjoyed going on this journey.

4.75 stars
I'm so sorry it took me this long to get to the final installment. It was great. The ending was a little anticlimactic. I genuinely liked the flow of the story, all the characters working out their drama. I just really didn't want to say goodbye to my magicians.

I think the whole premise of magic and immortals and Atlantis was such a great idea. Penelope and Alexis' relationship is so strong and the bond they have only makes them more powerful. I'm jealous of Penelope being the Archivist because now she can have all the books she wants and the palazzo just makes more space... it's like a freaking TARDIS. Im so happy Aelia and Phaidros finally worked out their shit...sorry stuff.
And can I get more Constantine?
I feel like the story was missing something at the end. I can't even place what exactly but I feel like it ended very quickly, and way too nicely. Not that my magicians needed any more drama. They don't.

If I have to convince you to read the series. Think Da Vinci Code meets Discovery of Witches but it's Atlantis and all the main characters give inner circle vibes and have lived over 10,000 years.

I received this ebook back in 2021 from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.