Whilst book 1 of this series was fantasy with a romance subplot, this book felt as though it was the reverse as the romance took centre stage with the fantasy mystery still happening but very much in the background. I am not mad that this was the case because the romance was so good but I also feel a little sad that we didn't get the chance to explore the magic system more.

I enjoyed how this book ends just as feels as though a the stories of our characters are just beginning and the reader is able to imagine where their lives go.

I plan to read more from this author in the future as I found this duology very enjoyable.

3.5 stars = Good+

I didn't find this to be as tight of a story as the first one. I think it was the addition of the romance, which was fine but didn't really grab me. I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the couple, and the "fake relationship" trope wasn't really in full force because both people felt like, given time, they would have ended up together anyway. I liked both characters separately, though.

As with book one, I loved the world building, the magic, and the mystery pieces of this. The ending was satisfying and wrapped up most of the threads. But if the author decides to write more books set in this world, I would definitely read them.

These two books definitely should be read in order. I don't think there is a lot of explanation to help new readers catch up if they start with book two.

Thank you to 47 North and Netgalley for this ARC.
This is the second in the series and offers a neat ending or the opportunity to continue. Elsie is an illegal spellbreaker, the penalty for which is death. In the beginning of this book she is turned in and faces the ultimate end until a spellmaker and new friend convinces the authorities that she just found out about her abilities. One of the conditions for her release is marriage to this person. Their relationship deepens as the story progresses into the real thing. Meanwhile friends and strong spellmakers are being killed or just disappearing and the crew takes on the challenge of finding the villain, adding new allies as they go along.

After the joy that was Spellbreaker , I was ecstatic to begin its sequel, Spellmaker and I am glad that it did not disappoint! This story is a continuation of the first novel and although it is not impossible to start with this one, it would be more beneficial to start with the first before moving on to this novel. Although there is some context for the story and characters, the reader would miss out on a lot of the backstory for the events that take place in this novel by skipping ahead. As this is a duology, I was excited to have the story wrapped up, but also disappointed that it would be over as I greatly enjoyed this magical Victorian world.

Now that we know who the main villain is after the first novel ended, the mystery continues for how to actually stop them. Ogden, Bacchus, and Elsie are working together to try and figure everything out while also not trying to reveal themselves to outsiders. Unfortunately, Elsie is discovered and placed in jail early on and the only way out is for Bacchus to work his charm and state that the two of them are to be wed as a cover story for themselves. Although Elsie has an attraction for Bacchus, she fears that he is being tethered to her and is only doing this to assist in their case and to be chivalrous. The two of them have their fake engagement that may turn out to be what they both wanted all along as they continue to get to know each other. It is a slow-burn romance as the two of them have their images to protect and cannot get too close to each other without it being scandalous.

Along with our previously established characters, we are also introduced to a few new ones that become an integral part of the story, such as, Irene Prescott, Reggie, and the Raven. The adventure becomes a giant puzzle with coded newspaper articles, kidnappings, possession, murders, and attacks all coming together to unravel who is behind the attacks formally and why. In addition to the finding the murderer, Elsie has to pretend to be a novice spellbreaker now that her secret is out and has to start tutoring lessons, despite her knowing more than some masters. The pacing is decent for most of this as we build up to a conclusion as more and more pieces are revealed. The ending though does seem rushed once we get closer to the climax as it seemed that the pacing suddenly sped up when there weren’t that many pages to go to wrap everything up. I wish the book either picked up the pace earlier or added more pages so the ending could have gotten the attention it deserved. There is no epilogue so maybe some of this could have been assisted by adding one just to further add some wrap-up to the story.

The characters to continue to grow as we get to know all of them better. Elsie continues to be a delight to read as a strong character who is both independent, while also wanting acceptance. She continues to get herself in some sticky situations, but instead of sitting back and giving up, she tries to find a way to get herself out of them. Bacchus has some obstacles to overcomes after some secrets are revealed and it was interesting to read about him working through everything while also being an excellent support system for Elsie. He cares greatly for her and wants to do everything he can to make sure that she stays safe and is happy. The motivations are there to also catch the murderer, but his main priority is Elsie. It was very sweet as he let her be her own person and was there to support and not control her. Ogden really comes into his own in this novel and becomes a fairly prominent character. As a continued father figure for Elsie, he wants to support her in this quest while also having his own motivations to join in the search.

Overall, this novel was very entertaining and was an excellent conclusion to the duology. I would absolutely love more books set in this world as the magic system of the spellbreakers and the different types of spellmakers is fascinating. I would re-read this series in a heartbeat as it was a great read. The stories are not complex, but they captivate the reader enough to want to read more. As this novel had a little more focus on the romance between Bacchus and Elsie, there were moments where I felt that there was a little too much and some of the time could have been better spent on the main plot. I absolutely loved the romance, but I believe there could have been slightly fewer sentences dedicated to it and it would still have the same effect. The pacing is faster overall compared to the first novel as the mystery is moving along plus the forwarding of the romance, so it misses the ease of the first novel at times. It is one reason I liked the first slightly better while still loving this one. Once again, I will say that I would love more novels set in this world whether it be an additional novel featuring our same characters or a whole new spin-off series. A great end to an excellent and entertaining duology!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, 47North, for this enjoyable ARC to read. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**

Spellbreaker was the first Charlie N. Holmberg book I read and I got it through an Amazon prime first reads selection. I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of Spellmaker, the conclusion of the duology from NetGalley. This book is due for release on 9 March 2021.

Magic, mystery, betrayal, corruption and intrigue all play a part in this second instalment. The first book sets the scene and this one delves right back in. Elsie, Bacchus and Ogden are trying to find the person responsible for attacking master aspectors and stealing opuses. Their search leads them down dangerous paths where they find themselves in the middle of attempted murders and brutal attacks, under the influence of unwanted spells, being kidnapped and having to decode mysterious newspaper articles.

Elsie is unmasked as a spellbreaker and to save her from a death sentence, Bacchus lies to the magistrate about being engaged. In return for her freedom, while investigating, Elsie has to agree to be trained in spellbreaking and hide her advanced ability.

There is a lot of action and build up to finding the person responsible which is why I think I found the ending slightly rushed. I would also have liked a short epilogue to answer the question about Elsie’s family. This didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book enough to impact on the rating.
I will definitely look to read more books by Charlie N. Holmberg.

Loved this book. There is never a dull moment in any chapter which helped keep me engaged and quickly reading. The series overall gives me “Bridgerton crossed with magic” vibes which it turns out- I’m into.
With the way the book starts, you will want to make sure you read the first book because it jumps right into past occurrences and you’d be a bit lost otherwise.

Readers return to England, 1895 in the sequel to Charlie N. Holmberg’s Spellbreaker novel. Spellmaker picks up where the first book left off; We know the murderer’s identity and now Elsie and Ogden must try to figure out a way to turn the person in without exposing Elsie’s role in the series of crimes. Unfortunately, Elsie ends up in jail by the end of the first chapter.

Luckily for Elsie, Bacchus has a plan to get her out of jail – get married. Bacchus convinces the magistrate that Elsie only recently discovered her powers. We know this is a lie because Elsie has been practicing for about ten years at this point. He explains that he was there when it happened because he was courting her and they are now getting married. While the scheme works, they have to carry out the plan in order for Elsie to avoid being thrown back in jail. To be honest, this doesn’t seem like a bad deal for Elsie – a get-out-of-jail-free card in the form of a dark and handsome Master Magician for a husband? Way to go, Elsie.

So now Elsie can register as a Spellbreaker but has to feign a novice level of proficiency as she receives her training. Meanwhile, she, her new fiance, and Ogden must work together to track down the murderer and bring the person to justice, with a little help from new characters as well. For Ogden, however, it’s personal; he’s been under the spell and feeding Elsie her assignments on behalf of the perpetrator for the past nine years. He works tirelessly in Spellmaker to see the mission through.

I’m a sucker for budding romances, and was not disappointed to see how Elsie and Bacchus’s relationship grew. Even though the marriage is technically a ruse, it’s easy to see that they both desperately want to be with one another – even if it takes a while for either of them to be convinced of the other’s feelings. Our characters are still in danger throughout Spellmaker, so I appreciated that Holmberg still gave them some *very* happy moments. The Bastard from Barbados and Orphan Spellbreaker each got their own Cinderella story in each other – which Holmberg illustrated beautifully.

Throughout the sequel, Holmberg rewards readers by answering questions left from the first book. In an attempt to be spoiler free, I’ll just say that while we know who the murderer is by the end of the first book, we still don’t know what happened to Elsie’s family, nor who the mysterious American is. Spellmaker ties up those loose ends but still leaves room for a possible third novel in the series (which Holmberg has considered).


Overall, the duology is an enjoyable read that entails romance between underdogs, a criminal chase, and hope for the future of our characters

I absolutely love Spellmaker! After reading Spellbreaker, I was so excited to read the follow-up to find out what was going to happen! I was not disappointed. Though I wasn't quite as blown away by this one, it's still a 5 star book! I just loved the first a little more than I loved the second. The characters in both books are so well-written, and the author has this way of making you care deeply for them. The plot drives this story, but these mesmerizing characters make you so much more invested in the story. As much as I love trilogies and series, this is the perfect duology. I love how it ends and the characters will always hold a special place in my heart. If you love magical fantasies, you will adore Spellbreaker and Spellmaker!

I read Spellmaker immediately after reading Spellbreaker, so the story was fresh and I was going into it thoroughly and undeniably invested. Took me no time to adjust or get into the story.

The sequel to Spellbreaker gives us more Elsie, more romance, more mystery-solving.

I liked that the sequel had a couple of more events and twists that were positioned equally throughout the story. Just like the first book, this isn't exactly high-stakes, I'm super scared, terrified of what's going to happen feels.

The Spellmaker felt more like a fusion of romance and mystery, with not so much focus on the magic part, but rather the final resolution, catching the villain, getting some more well-deserved lovey-dovey scenes. I love how everyone is so proper at times, but not too uptight. Elsie was a funny gal, but still a lady.

This is definitely fast-paced, at least it felt like that for me. The writer just has a way of explaining everything in a very understandable and simple way, but it doesn't feel like it's too basic. It actually makes me feel a part of the story even more, because I understand everything so clearly, without being burdened with unnecessary descriptive language.

I'd really like to see more books in this world, but possibly something that involves the magic system even more, because it really has potential! A war of some sorts between spellbreakers or spellmakers, or between ordinary people and those with abilities. An adventure of some sorts!

It isn't a five-star book for me because I didn't feel excitement or relief towards the ending of the book. I always had that lingering feeling that everything will work out in the end, which it did. Once again, this does not mean that it's a bad choice or that I didn't love it. It's just my personal opinion and how I experienced it.

Overall, this duology makes for a very endearing, fun read. It's one of those perfect Sunday afternoon books to cosy up to.

Elsie, Bacchus, and friends return for the thrilling conclusion of Charlie N. Holmberg's magical duology!

I have to admit, Spellbreaker took a little while to draw me in. However, Spellmaker kicks off almost immediately with a resounding bang and kept my interest through to the tense climax and conclusion. I loved the continued growth in Elsie and Bacchus' love story, the development of the supporting characters, and the new additions to the story.

There were a few times I wished the story hadn't skipped over a transition--I would have enjoyed experiencing every moment alongside the characters--but I understand that it's better to leave the audience wanting more than overwhelmed with words. But it would've added a bit more depth to the story that would've pushed me over the edge to a five-star rating.

All in all it was a very pleasant read. Lighthearted, magical, spellbinding, this story and subsequent universe would be a welcome place I'd love to revisit, whether in a reread of this series or future books yet to be written.

Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for an egalley of Spellmaker.

I loved this book. I had to read book one, Spellbreaker, in order to read this book and I was so thrilled to be able to jump straight into book two after finishing book one.

The world in which Elise and Bacchus live is one with magic - there are spellmakers, those who make spells, and spellbreakers, those who can pick spells apart. Set in what appears to be 1800s England, the world building was fantastic.

Picking up where book one ends, Elise and Bacchus are embroiled in a battle of the unseen. Master spellmakers are being murdered and opuses going missing, but to what end? As they get closer to the truth, solving this mystery becomes more and more dangerous.

This was a wonderful duology and engaging from start to finish! I would highly recommend to those who enjoy fantasy books and excellent world building!

Spellmaker is the second and final part of the Spellbreaker Duology. And in this book we just pick up where the first book left off.
In the first book (spoilers) we were introduced to a cast of characters that included Elsie (spellbreaker), Bacchus (master spellmaker), Ogden (spellmaker), Lily Merton (the villain of the story)… We were also introduced to a wonderful magic system. The first book delved in to the magic, explained it to us and gave us wonderful depictions of how it works. This was one of the better parts of the first novel, and one of the weaker parts of this second book – there is not enough wonder and magic on show. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is magic, there are fights even, but it all kind of lacks that je ne sais quoi of the first book.
The plot of this second novel continues after the big confrontation of the first one. Elsie knows who the villain is and knows (sort of) what they want. She is also aware of who are her friends and allies, and she keeps them close.
The government finds out about Elsie being a spellbreaker and now she has to find a way of avoiding prison (or even a death sentence) because she did not report her abilities. Bacchus and Ogden try to help her. As they do, the three of them continue on Lily Merton’s trail and keep trying to stop her in her villainous plans. Alongside this main story we also learn a bit more about Bacchus’ past and about Elsie’s family.
This book felt a little bit weaker than the first one, but all in all I liked it. I am definitely going to look out for more of the author's works.

Picking up immediately after the startling revelations in book one, we find Elsie and Ogden wondering when the other shoe will drop. And it does. Horribly, with Elsie in prison for being an unregistered spell breaker. Obviously no one in her circle would have blabbed, but she, Ogden and Bacchus feel it’s the nefarious Master who notified the Atheneum.
Bacchus finds a way to get her out, but Elsie questions every reason behind this rescue because of her negative feelings about herself.
Meanwhile Team Camden must find a way to thwart the further plans and murder attempts by the nefarious Master, while shopping for wedding clothes.
I liked this second book in the duology. I’ve become quite fond of everyone in Team Camden, and really liked how the author gave us more time with Ogden and Emmeline, allowing us to become quite fond of them both.
There’s also lots of action and peril in this instalment, with enough time left to still give Elsie and Bacchus opportunities to explore their feelings for each other, and for Elsie to deal with her longstanding feelings of abandonment and inferiority and need for her family.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for a review.

Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg is the next thrilling installment of the Spellbreaker series. A story full of dead wizards, stolen enchantments, and broken promises force a young spellbreaker out of the shadows. A captivating story that is sure to wait for the next book in the series.

I was lucky and received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a perfect ending for the duology! If you liked Spellbreaker than you will adore Spellmaker! All the great characters from book one get developed further. You learn even more about the fantastic magic system too!

It's here! The second novel in the Spellbreaker Duology is here, and I couldn't be more excited! Written by Charlie N. Holmberg, Spellmaker is not a novel to skip, especially not if you enjoyed the first half of the tale.

Elsie Camden is what one would call a spellbreaker. She has the natural ability to see and break spells, though it takes more finesse than one might naturally assume. She's hidden this secret for most of her life, and that alone put her into a fair bit of danger.

Now she's trying to right the wrongs made in her past, and hunt down the person who used her and her talents. All while keeping those in her life, such as Bacchus Kelsey, safe and nearby. Preferably as close as possible.

“By all means, she was translating a piece of the spellmaker's corpse.”

If you enjoyed Spellbreaker, then I promise you that you will be pleased with Spellmaker, and the way this duology concludes. Elsie's story is just as charming as ever, and I am sad to see her story end, even while admitting that it did so in brilliant fashion.

I want to start by saying that I adore the world of Spellbreaker. It is set in England in 1895, in a version of the world where magic is real. That is a solid foundation for everything else that follows, from the magical elements to Elsie's backstory.

It all flows and blends together to create something really compelling. Better yet, that really is just the starting point for this novel. For there is still a conniving woman on the loose, and we have yet to understand her motives. Well, until now, that is.

Spellmaker was a fast-paced read, one that really did an excellent job of pulling many different elements together. It has that historical feel, and obviously there's magic and action, plus more than a dash of romance. Oh, and did I mention drama? It's the perfect combination, really.

I'll confess that I went into Spellmaker with really high expectations. I adored Spellbreaker after all, and literally couldn't wait to see what happened next. I'm lucky that the sequel's arc was already available on NetGalley, because I think I would have burst if I had to wait any longer. So, the question is: did it hold up to those high expectations?

Yes. A hundred times yes. I actively enjoyed every minute of Spellmaker, and can promise you that I'll be keeping an eye on what Charlie N. Holmberg comes out with next.

This was a delightful conclusion to the duology. I enjoyed Elsie's growth and her character development. Bacchus is so sweet and encouraging with her.

I love that this book delved more into the romance between her and Bacchus. I just wish there was more in the novel about their romance. I like all the details.

I liked that Elsie is portrayed as being competent while still retaining her femininity and poise. I think the magic system was fairly well developed and fit nicely with the setting. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

This sequel was just as amazingly writing as the first! There is no doubt that the author has a unique way of pulling a reader into another world with her words. The characters are rich and you can’t help but fall in love with Bacchus even more as his and Elsie’s worlds continue to collide together. A must read for fans of the authors other books.

There is something about this author and her books that is so comfortable to me. She writes on the same wavelength as my brain functions, it seems. This latest book is no different. I enjoyed every page, and I will forever want more! I admit I was hoping for a better outcome for the duke, but it is what it is, lol. Loved it.

Loved this book! It is a great ending to the Spellbreaker duology. The characters were great and I loved meeting new people. I really love the magic in this series and will definitely be rereading in the future. .