Is it the end?? I really enjoyed this latest book in TIL - esp since I hadn't super enjoyed the last one. I really liked the fact that this explored more of the library and it's founding. I do wish we had gotten back to being more focused on the books as they initially were in the beginning, which is addressed in the book. This book was really descriptive and I love going on adventures with this team. It could all end here or continue. This one is one of may faves from this series.

In this 8th book of the Invisible Library series, our traveling spy librarian Irene is on a mission to learn the truth about Alberich, and his part in her life is he her father? This 8th book is being billed as the final installment in our tale, and it delivers the adventure and mystery that all the previous books in this series. Irene is diving further into the library's origins, and what she finds out about its supposed neutral position in the world is going to change all that we know. Kai, Irene, and Vale are all heavily involved in finding out the roots of the library origins and just where Irene supposed farther are trying to lead them to discover. Every page gripped me, and sorry to see this series end though I would like a spin-off to know how the actions in this book will play out in the future. A great series you will enjoy if you like time travel, spy adventures and some special characters.

The Untold Story is the 8th installment in author Genevieve Cogman's The Invisible Library series. This series began with the introduction of Irene Winters, a time traveling, dimension-jumping spy/thief/librarian who works for the secretive Library collecting a variety of books that is supposed to keep the balance between Chaos and Stable worlds. The Library itself exists between dimensions stabilizing alternative worlds and protecting humans from Fae and Dragons who use them as cannon fodder.

Irene is a rarity in that she was born of two Librarians who gave her up to two additional Librarians to raise in the Library. Even though she is now Librarian in Residence in a Victorian England World, she's still the Library's most efficient and successful book retriever and problem solver. In the beginning of this book, readers will discover that this is not going to be just another action packed run of the mill Irene goes through hell and then saves the day. No, buddy! Certain Librarians are willing to destroy Irene to keep the truth from being exposed.

However, Irene has begun to notice that the Library is no longer sending her and other Librarians on book retrieval assignments which has been the Library's mission since its creation. Instead, the Library has focused entirely on political aspirations, including a treaty Irene helped put together between the Dragons and Fae who have been bitter enemies for thousands of years. Adding to this unease is the news that worlds have disappeared, Albriech has survived his encounter with Irene and is now making peace overtures to the library as long as Irene herself is involved.

When we first met Irene, she was teaching her assistant, Kai, the ins and outs of the Library. He's now the dragons treaty representative. Irene and Kai have met and formed a friendship/alliance with Peregrine Vale who is the Sherlock Holmes of this series and gotten into more scraps than you can imagine. Recently, Irene accepted a new apprentice, Catherine, who just happens to be a Fae, who loves books, and has desires of reading every book possible in the Library if she can find time.

If you've read The Dark Archives, you know that Irene was floored with the revelation that her own father is the most hated man in the multi-verse. He's been labeled as a traitor, has killed untold numbers of Librarians who have tried to stop him, and was shock to learn of Irene's existence. But she has no clue as to who her birth mother is. When the Library orders her to kill him, and then Alberich himself offers to sign a truce, she has to discover why he originally betrayed the Library. She slowly puts together enough facts to discover a dark, deep, terrifying secret that is so shocking in breath and detail, that it will be a miracle if Irene can save herself, Kai, Vale, and Catherine from imminent death.

With what happens in this book, The Untold Story is the absolute perfect title for the book. This story is filled with historical settings, supernatural creatures, romantic entanglements, and heart-pounding secrets, this is a book that can appeal to almost any reader. I always look forward to seeing what the author has in store for Irene, Kai, Vale, and Catherine and hope the author will return to this world even if it means spinning off certain characters to do so. Whatever she decides, it's been a helluva ride.

**This was posted on the authors web page: (Don’t think of it as necessarily the end of the series; just think of it as the end of the current season. There may be more, later – but I have to finish the new trilogy first . . .)

Oh, I was so happy to get to read this ARC! I’m rounding up a bit perhaps but I liked this series so well!
If you’re the sort to wait until the end of a series to see if you want to read it I highly recommend this one if you like your fantasy to be fairly low stress reading and not too dark and grim. I’d compare it a bit to Gail Carriger’s Souless series. It’s not a steampunk romance like those but it has the same air to me of the author having a story to tell and wanting their reader to be able to lean back with a smile and just have a good time with it. It came to a good closing point, if the author thinks of a brilliant idea in the future she could revisit this world but you could also finish the series and be satisfied with where it stops.
I see she’s doing vampires in the French Revolution next. It should be fun!

The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman is the 8th and possible final book in her fantastic historical fantasy, The Invisible Library series. Refresher: Irene Winters, our heroine, is a Librarian and a professional spy for the mysterious Library; which collects all kinds of important works of fictions from different realities. Irene is one of the best there is, having very powerful abilities as a librarian to use to protect and defend; she has great abilities using her voice (special language) to do amazing things, such as open or lock doors, make people do what she says, drop books down on attackers, disable bombs, etc.

In The Untold Story, we finally get answers to many questions, especially who are the true origins of the library. The story starts when Irene finally gets Lord Silver (Fae) to agree to the Fae, Dragon, Human charter, and returns home. Irene is quickly sent on a mission to find and take down the traitor, Alberich (who is her biological father); she is secretly ordered to play rogue from the library. In a short time, as she with the help Kai, her lover (Dragon), Vale (best detective), Catherine (Fae apprentice), to find the villian, Alberich, as well why the worlds are disappearing. Along the way, secrets are unveiled, the danger is intense, and a conspiracy needs to be unraveled. Who can Irene trust?

What follows is an intriguing, exciting, intense, action filled adventure that pits Irene and her friends in danger quite often. The group try to find clues, but walk into a trap, as everything falls apart, and Irene must deal with Alberich, and keep her friends safe. From start to finish, the action was nonstop all the way. To say too much more would be spoilers, and that would ruin it for you; especially with this possibly being the finale.

The Untold Story was a fantastic amazing, fun, exciting story, that was very well written by Genevieve Cogman, and kept me glued to my seat util the wonderful finish. Irene Winters was a wonderful fantastic heroine, smart, savvy, brave, and loyal. The end was a wild climatic finish, which if it is the finale, was very well done

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

One of my favorite series, and this installment was no exception. As it is the finale to the series, it brought a VERY satisfying conclusion to the ongoing story lines. The origins of the Library are finally revealed, as Irene, Kai, Vale and new apprentice Catherine hunt down Alberich.
Though there are no plans to write more in this series (right now) I would love to see more.. maybe from Catherine's experience? Or more from Irene moving up the Librarian ranks? I'm certainly not ready to leave The Library behind.

I have thoroughly loved the Invisible Library series. These characters have made such a home in my heart and it's in my top list of longer fantasy series to recommend. It's perfect for new fantasy fans, for ones who love mystery almost spy-like stories, and who enjoy an episodic approach (like a TV show). One of my favorite elements have to be this world of archetypes and stories. How we, even in our lives, want to believe in character types. In sweet and noble heroes, in grump and gruff but secretly sweet love interests.

And I love that Cogman not only leans into this idea - this premise of us all wanting to be the main character of our story - and the ways our lives deviates. From a world building perspective, I am obsessed. In The Untold Story, Irene, Kai, and Vale have to face the wide reaching consequences, danger, and intrigue from the previous books. This latest installment delves into Irene's revelations about her parenthood and her relationship with Kai. It also deeply dives into the past, into the very foundational building blocks of our world, selves, and loved ones.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First of all, I can't thank the publisher enough for allowing me to review the last book of my favorite series of all time. When I first discovered The Invisible Library series a few years ago, I was intrigued by the lovely characters, witty writing, and original ideas. I had no idea that each book would be even better than the last, and that the series would end up becoming my favorite series. If you haven't started this series yet, pick up the first book (The Invisible Library) right now! Thank you again to the publisher for this opportunity!

The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman is the eighth and final book in an amazing adult fantasy series. Writing this review is bittersweet, because I am sad that there won't be any future books, but I am so happy that the series ends with a bang! The story of the final book revolves around Irene, a Librarian, collector of books, representative of the Fae-dragon peace treaty, diplomat, and now, Library-sanctioned assassin. After the explosive secrets revealed in the previous book, Irene is deemed the best candidate to take down Alberich, notorious traitor and enemy of the Library. Along with her dragon boyfriend Kai, great detective Vale, and Fae apprentice Catherine, Irene must track down Alberich and dodge various dangers, while unveiling secrets of the Library along the way. Who can she trust? Can she even trust herself?

Here is a fantastical excerpt from Chapter 1:

"The snow hissed against the windows, flakes visible in the harsh spotlights which ringed the building. Irene could dimly make out the well-groomed gardens outside and the faint outline of the ornamental lake—and beyond that the guard outposts, the high walls and everything necessary to keep this manor house and estate private and undisturbed. The trail of darkness across the white lawn—fresh blood, left behind by the corpse which had been dragged across it—was rapidly being covered by the snow.
She couldn’t see the Siberian dire wolves, but she’d been assured they were out there. To be honest, she wasn’t even sure that dire wolves were or could be Siberian, but as the saying went, Don’t contradict an autocrat on his own territory unless you have either a very good reason or a very secure escape route.
At this precise moment she didn’t have either of those. While the mansion did have a library, it was one of the few rooms she was strictly forbidden from entering. A logical precaution—after all, they knew she was a Librarian, and she could use a smaller library in any of the alternate worlds, like this one, to enter the secret interdimensional Library that was her home. A place that was, at the moment, very far away."

Overall, The Untold Story is the explosive and dynamic conclusion to what is, in my opinion, the best adult fantasy series of all time. All of the ingenuity and originality of the previous books are present here, and they're heightened to new levels. There were moments when I had to stop reading and just marvel at how much of a genius the author is. One of my favorite aspects of the series has been the slow reveal of the origins and history of the dragons, Fae, and the Library. The author definitely delivers here. All of the answers are finally revealed, and the action-packed, tension-filled conclusion had me unable to sleep. If you're a fan of the series like I am, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in December! And if you haven't started this series yet, I highly recommend that you add it to your TBR list right away!

I liked The Untold Story better than I did The Dark Archive, and if this is the final book in the series I will be satisfied.

This may seem like a strange thing to say about a fantasy novel, but this entry was a little too fantastical for my liking. Within Cogman’s fantasy world, the events that took place in the Library were a little too out there for me. There were also elements that were too reminiscent of other fantasy works. <spoiler>army of the dead, anyone?</spoiler>

I did like that we got lots of time not only with Irene but with Kai, Vale, and Catherine as well. Also we got some answers that have been long coming.

The series overall is still a definite recommend.

In this installment, Irene must figure out who she really trusts. Is Alberich an insane killer or is the Library the problem? Who are her real friends? Conspiracy upon conspiracy needs to be unraveled before Irene can decide where her loyalty should go. I love this series and The Untold Story was definitely a must read. It felt kind of like an ending… hoping there are still more to come?!

Book 8 in the series finds Librarian Irene unsettled by the idea that Alberich is her father. She is requested by the Library to kill him. Alberich offers a truce, he proposes that they meet to sign a treaty that says he will no longer harm any Librarian or try to destroy the Library. Irene is hopeful but she still wants to find out why he originally betrayed the Library. With her companions endangered and her loyalties strained she must search through Alberich's past to find the founders and why he sought to destroy them. It is a story that has never been told completely and collecting the pieces may destroy everything Irene thinks she knows.
This is another fun and exciting read! I enjoyed this book immensely.

Genevieve Cogman does not disappoint in this latest book in the series. I love the characters and their evolving personalities and the quirky and innovative story line.

I believe this is the end of the Invisible Library series and I think that is best for everyone, the characters included. This series confuses me because I don’t love the writing style (it feels forced) and I truly don’t like the main character, yet I can’t stop reading it. In this book we finally see the end of so many random story threads and dive into the founding and behind the scenes of the library - which even after reading, confuses me. There are all the adventures you expect and Irene being unnecessarily stubborn. It was very in keeping with the rest of the series. However, it finally ended with a sense of hope and forward movement that I feel has been lacking in the past several books.

I didn't know this would be the last book (for now) in the Invisible Library series.

As this is a pause to the series, enemies are defeated, and the true ruler of the library gets discovered.

I'm glad I didn't know this was the last because it starts slowly with Irene running around and collecting information. Then when she meets Alberich, the story goes from its normal breakneck speed. The ending is an excellent conclusion to a part of the series.

Irene and Kai's love and partnership are still some of the best things about this series.

Review based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

Another great book in this series. While Irene is trying to come to terms with the fact that Alberich is her father, there are strange things happening inside and outside the Library. Worlds are disappearing, strange shadows are converging. Irene solves it all and saves the Library from its history.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, now that is what I call fun... for me, that is. Not really all that much fun for Irene and her motley crew. No, not fun at all for them. Really, the exact opposite of fun.

Big developments in this one. HUGE ones. Like super uber ginormous. With vast repercussions for the library and every single world.

I really want to be a Librarian, just so I can explore worlds and use the Language. But maybe I'd like it a little more AFTER the events of this book, considering.

I know, I know, I'm beating around the bush a lot. But I really don't want to spoil anything.

Pick this one up as soon as you can, but only if you've read the rest. This one is the culmination of a SERIES WORTH of storyline.

Highly recommended.

The plot thickens in the latest entry in the Invisible Library series. Shocking disclosures about Irene's past have come to light, and the Library is not above using them to put her and her allies, Kai and Vale, in harm's way if they can get rid of Alberich's influence once and for all. This book follows the same general structure as previous books in the series: some interesting setup followed by a breakneck adventure. In addition, at this point in the series, we are so well-acquainted with the characters that it feels like reading about friends. We were very pleased that Vale takes on a starring role here (we have to admit that we were Vale shippers - no offense to Kai!) after his absence from some of the previous books.

What The Untold Story does that's new is a further exploration of the Library's origins. It turns out that it's not as neutral as Irene (and we readers) have thought. Since this is an adventure with a bit of mystery, we won't give away what happens, but it's a satisfying read with familiar characters and some new shocking reveals.

This one didn't jump off the page the way the rest of the series did, for me at least. That said, I'm 90% sure that was just my brain behaving badly and no fault of the book. Still a completely readable installment that answered a ton of lingering questions.

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

A very enjoyable conclusion to this series, it manages to answer enough of the Big Questions to keep us satisfied, yet leaves enough open so that a return to this world at a later time can still be imagined. Now we can look forward to whatever new series the author has in the works.

I was both elated and depressed reading this book because it's so good and I believe this ends the series for a while. As usual, it was great to catch up with the characters and _finally_ (after 7 books) to get some concrete answers. There are still a few mysteries left if the author chooses to come back to this series. Highly recommended, but if you haven't read this, start at book 1 for best results.