This book. What can I really say outside of “I loved it”? As the book was ending, I felt like I was saying goodbye to my family.
The tension was present from like chapter 2 and built so well throughout the book. I was on the edge of my seat.
The triangle between Fallon, Owein, and Cora was so interesting and I never knew where he was going to land with either of them. I was so satisfied with the ending.
Please read this series. It’s so good.

4.5 ⭐️
0 ❤️‍🔥

I found Wizard of Most Wicked Ways to be a most satisfying conclusion to this delightfully whimsical series by Charlie Holmberg. The pacing got a bit bogged down in places, with a lot of introspection on Owein's part and other rambling bits. However, those were offset with explosive action scenes. A most evil villain, I felt his perspectives were unnecessary. I didn't need to know what black depths he was thinking. It was evident in all his actions. This story did spend time on Owein and his introspection in accepting his place in his family, his responsibilities, his perceived obligations, and his conflicted feelings; all of it was touching and really fleshed his character into a three-dimensional character. His love for Merrit, Hulda, Beth, and Baptiste was beautiful, and the daughters of Merrit and Hulda were delightful. I found the story exciting, poignant, and a perfect completion.

Thank you, NetGalley and 47 North, for the eArc!

4.25⭐️ I loved being back with my little found family! Owein, Hulda, Merritt, and the Babineaux’s were waiting for me…taking place 4 years later after Boy of Chaotic Making, we get right into what everyone has been up to!
 
This book was a great addition to the story filled with action, a lil romance, magic, family, and mystery! It made me emotional a handful of times towards the end. I am so excited to see how the final book closes out this story!

The Whimbrel House series perfectly blends a unique magic system, cozy vibes, and historical fantasy with the right amount of romance subplot. I am sad I have to wait a year for the conclusion with the 5th and final book!

((Thank you to the author Charlie N. Holmberg, Netgalley, & 47North for advanced access))

3.5 rounded to 4 stars out of 5.

The 4th installment of The Whimbrel House takes place about 4 years after the completion of book 3.
Everyone on the island is married with children besides Owein, who has been having a secret friendship for 4 years with a certain Druid from Ireland.

It was interesting to see how much the characters changed over the years in-between the books, and I wouldn't say all of them were for the better. This story focused on Owein with snippets of the life between Merritt and Hulda, with and open ending I will be curious how Holmberg will end the series in book 5.

Overall I still recommend this series to Charlie fans, especially those who loved her Spellbreaker duology, and Paper Magician series.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Great action scenes

1851
It has been five years and Whimbrel House is seeing many changes. Hulda and Merrit have kiddos. Owein is a little over eighteen and living with them. Fallon, the shape-shifting druid, is a regular visitor and Owein’s best friend, even if others don’t know about her yet. Owein’s contracts bind him to Cora. The Queen is waiting for Cora to be eighteen so that the wedding can take place.
However, the found family has to first deal with the return of Silas Hogwood. The powerful necromancer is back, intent on vengeance. Owein is worried his powers and the new human body aren’t enough to fight Silas and keep his loved ones safe.
The story comes in the third-person POV of Owein, Hulda, Merrit, and Silas.

My Thoughts:
This is the fourth book in what was originally supposed to be a trilogy. There will be a fifth and final book in the series, so this ends in a cliffhanger.
The central plot with Hulda and Merrit is sort of over in the previous book but there was a lead to this and the next one, where Owein is the main character. Since I loved the kiddo when he was a house and dog, I had to see through and support him find his HEA.
However, I’m not a fan of love triangles in any form, especially if it involves teenagers (like go and study, what are you doing choosing between ‘loves’). What with the poor kid unable to decide, this one didn’t appeal much to me.
However, the pacing is great. Maybe because there’s quite a bit of filler content with some atmospheric and dangerous scenes sprinkled in between.
I loved the scene of the villain’s reentry and the havoc he creates on the island. All scenes with Silas are terrific and filled with tension, fear, and pulse-pounding action.
The book ends on a cliffhanger though one track seems to be resolved (for now). I’m sure it’ll be revived in the next book.
To summarize, Wizard of Most Wicked Ways is a fast-paced read with some drama and danger to keep the plot interesting. Let’s see what happens in the final book of the series. Bring it on!

Thank you, NetGalley and 47North, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

In a world where magic is real, but waning, Owein is a desirable entity. Having spent 220+ years as a magical house his soul was forcibly transferred to a dog by the evil Silas Hogwood before Silas’ death, Owein then found himself in England with the plan to move his soul to a human body and marry him off into the British aristocracy. That was five years ago. Owein received a human body, he signed a contract to marry Lady Cora when they both are eighteen and in the meantime he returned home to his beloved Blaugdone Island and Whimbrel House along with the people who have become his family - Merritt, his many-greats nephew, Merritt’s wife Hulda, their children and the Baptiste family along with Fallon, a Druid friend from Britain. Time passed peacefully but as his eighteenth birthday approaches it appears Silas is not as dead as was reported and he is coming for all of them with revenge and murder in his heart.
Each of the previous books has focused primarily on one of the main characters - Merritt, Hulda or Owein. This time we see all the action from Owein’s point of view as well as him being the primary focus of the plot. Some of the plot left dangling at the end of the last book, such as what Myra is doing in the secret facility, are explained and we have the return of Silas as a vengeful enemy. Owein is torn between Cora and Fallon as well as worried about Silas’ return and the need to protect his family. The main action moves quickly in present time, well the alternate 1850s of this series, taking place in a bit over 6 weeks with explanatory flashbacks from Silas’ viewpoint sprinkled throughout. I read this over the course of a day, unable to put it down as the action pulled me from chapter to chapter. While things for this plotline are wrapped up there are still things to explore both concerning the secret experiments Myra started as well as Owein’s future. The author’s note at the end tells us this was intended to be a trilogy but Owein’s story took on a life of its own resulting in this fourth entry and, if her hint is to be believed hopefully we will get another entry continuing Owein’s story. Highly recommended.

"Has the ability to touch grass grown so monotonous already?"


Whimbrel House is changing. Merritt and Hulda are raising a family. Owein has signed a marriage contract with the magically compatible Lady Cora, a heavyweight of British nobility who’s an ocean away. And the lovely shape-shifting druid Fallon makes a distractingly fetching friend for Owein. But another change is in the air, and this time it’s something wicked.

The greatest wizard of the millennium, Silas Hogwood, is back—after five years dead. New body, same foul scent, and driven by madness and revenge. Owein, fearing he isn’t strong enough to fend him off, seeks Cora’s help and influence in England. Alarms ringing, Queen Victoria dispatches her League of Magicians, including her personal necromancer, to aid in Owein’s defense.

As magic, both good and evil, converges on Blaugdone Island, Owein realizes how harrowing the forces against them are. Combating them will require some digging—literally—for half-formed secrets of magic Hulda doesn’t want him to have. But no promise, lock, or government red tape will keep Owein from doing what’s necessary to protect those he loves; one way or another, Silas will only take Whimbrel House over Owein’s third dead body.

"I'm glad you were the most obnoxious guttersnipe I'd ever met."


Thank the everloving book gods that blessed Adrienne Procaccini and 47North the good sense to let this book happen. Because it wasn't. Holmberg says it wasn't in the acknowledgements.

I'll even admit that I was skeptical of it. Silas, the big bad, is back after five years dead? Please. Explain to me how that makes sense. I am ashamed I had no faith when I should have.

Because I definitely should have.

Because this book is even better than the first in the series.

Because this is the TRIUMPH of this series.

God, I love Owein so much.

Whimbrel House fans will NOT be disappointed.

Enchanting and unpredictable

Another wonderful addition to the Wimbrel House series! I loved finally getting the closure we need with the villain of the series, while it leaves things wide open for the next book. The author masterfully crafts a magical world brimming with endless possibilities, keeping me breathless as the story unfolds, never knowing what twists await.

I've loved watching the characters grow throughout the series, especially seeing Merritt and Hulda making appearances with their family. Being able to learn more about each of their pasts makes them even more endearing, deepening my obsession with following along on their journeys.

My heart was literally in my throat for the final few chapters of this book, and I'm so glad I was listening to the audiobook as I couldn't have seen the pages through my tears. I'm nervous and excited for the next book, but looking forward to seeing how things unfold!

I continue to love this series and the cozy fantasy vibes it brings. I think the different magic doctrines keep me coming back and I love the way each one has a negative effect when you use it. Like how Chaocracy ends with confusion, it feels like a sort of balance.

Owein’s internal battle of being strong enough for his family shows how far he has come. The book focuses a lot on Owein’s character development and the type of person he wants to be.

I was pretty torn between Cora and Fallon and wondering how the final book in the series will bring it all together.

Since this is the fourth book out of five, it did feel heavy on character development and sort of like a filler book in the series. I think it was needed to get us to the last book but I just wasn’t as interested in the plot compared to how much I liked the first three books.

BOOK: WIZARD OF THE MOST WICKED WAYS
AUTHOR: CHARLIE N. HOLMBERG
PUB DATE: 04 MARCH 2025
🧝🏻‍♂️🧝🏻‍♂️
REVIEW- 3.8 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🧝🏻‍♂️🧝🏻‍♂️
This is the fourth book in the series, and I'm so sad that I missed the one that preceded it. That being said, I loved seeing Hulda and Merritt happily married with three kids. It was also nice to see Owein being an actual person instead of the house he was.
🧝🏻‍♂️🧝🏻‍♂️
I still love the world building and the magic aspect. In fact, the villain here is someone I'm familiar with, too. I liked the pace of the book and the different povs. I liked this book, but I was kinda confused in between. The most confusing element was Owein, the MMC. He went through a drastic change, and it felt like I was out of the loop. But, I still got it, and I finished the book.
🧝🏻‍♂️🧝🏻‍♂️
Through the pages, you could feel the palpable danger the Fernsby were facing thanks to the villain and the increased pressure on the MMC to help them vanquish him. Owein was on another type of pressure because he was about to get in an arranged marriage while he was I'm love with someone else. At the end of the day, he made the best decision for himself. In this book, a lot of people died, so be prepared for that.
🧝🏻‍♂️🧝🏻‍♂️
I wish I had been less confused while reading it, but it was my fault. I wish I had more of Hulda and Merritt POV, I'm just glad that their chemistry is still hot. I'd recommend this book, but make sure you read the previous books in the series before reading this. I can't wait to read the next one to see what's next for Owein after his drastic decision
🧝🏻‍♂️🧝🏻‍♂️

👍 I am so excited to be getting Owein's story! He's becoming a man, learning what that entails, having to chose between love, family and duty. I look forward to even more Owein.

👎 Honestly, Silas is just a little old news now. I would like to see some reinvention going forward. It's getting a little tired, reading about the same villain over and over.

First, thank you to 47North for this ARC. This review is my own.

I was really exited to be able to get a copy of Whimbrel House #4 as I have loved this series! I am glad that she decided to do a 4th book because delving into Owein's story even more was such a treat. I have loved seeing the family grow both in numbers and in experiences and be able to witness those experiences though Holmberg's beautiful writing. This book continues the storyline from book 3, this time focused on Owein and we get an inside view of his thoughts and feelings throughout the adventures, big and small. Holmberg did an excellent job of spinning a riveting story that was an enjoyable ride without being obvious in how it would all play out in the end. I enjoyed being a spectator of this world and hope to have more to enjoy in the future!

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways is the fourth (and I believe the last) in the Whimbrel House series penned by prolific author Charlie N. Holmberg. Many have been waiting for it, including me.

Immediately, we begin to get a sense of how life has evolved for the various characters, mostly those on Blaugdone Island, especially Owein, who has only been in human form for a few short years after nearly four hundred years of enchantment as a house. I usually encourage people to jump into a series at whatever point they encounter it. But in this case, it will really be helpful if you would go back and start with Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. You won't regret it, I think.

If you have indeed read the other books in the Whimbrel House series, when you come to this one, you are going to feel like you catching up with old friends. Hulda and Merritt are married and have children. Beth and Baptiste the same. Owein is still in a human body but is torn in his feelings between Cora, his betrothed and Fallon, his shapeshifting Druid friend.

Of course there is going to be danger in this book. Hulda, Merritt and Owein are no strangers to it. They have conquered this particular evil more than once, but here it is. It must be dealt with. Their archnemesis has returned and is more frightening than before. The events that unfold are not for the faint of heart but they will keep you reading. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, but that’s the author’s prerogative.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and 47North. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Spice Level: Anything mentioned is subtle
Language: Seemed pretty clean
Readability: This series really needs to be read in order for the best experience.

I adored dipping into this world again with WIZARD OF MOST WICKED WAYS.

So, why do I love it?
- Historical setting, spanning the Atlantic from England to America
- Unique but understandable magic!
- Sticky family ties
- Druids!
- Letters for communication
- Danger is imminent
- Lovable and layered characters

I highly recommend the entire series. It is so much fun, and handling a large cast while focusing on specific people is masterfully handled.

Happy reading!

This has to be one of my favourite series of books in recent years. The author has produced many of my go to books but this series is just exceptional.

I love this series! I was SOOOOO happy to see there was a 4th addition coming and was able to request it after finishing book 3.

It's like a new age HP, with all the magic.

Absolutely loved this one!! So so good! Kept me hooked the whole time. Right from the beginning I was invested and on edge.

I want to make sure to highlight that this is Book #4 in a series about Whimbrel House. The reason I feel it is important, is because I do not feel you can jump into this series at this point and truly know what is going on. I highly recommend reading the others before picking this one up.

With each installment of Whimbrel House, I feel we focus on different characters a bit more. In book #1, it was more about Merritt but also his meeting Hulda. The Second Book hinges heavily on Hulda with Merritt taking a slight backseat. With books #3 and #4, we explore more about Owein and his life and experiences. Hulda and Merritt are still present but less of the focus than Owein. We also get much more perspective from Silas Hogwood who's mind is clearly fractured, giving a very chaotic narrative each time we enter his sections.

I knew that guy wasn't completely gone. There was just no way after his legacy continued to haunt the other characters. It felt clear we were going to have to face the dark wizard again. The group as well as other forces will come together to try and face Silas once and for all. Owein takes the job of dispatching the dark wizard as his personal task and I think that's one of the things I find bit frustrating. There are a couple other things as well but I suppose I thought an 18 year old (in body, at least) would understand the weight of the world is not his to bear and he needs some adults to actually tell him that. I don't care if he's got the most amount of magic between them all. I also felt the tone of this book was much darker than the first few of the series. I originally picked it up because I love the cozy magic vibes, but this one is not very cozy at all.

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways, the fourth and (so far) final installment in the Whimbrel House series, has left me with mixed feelings.
Despite a somewhat slow start, the story soon picks up speed until it reaches its climax.
This story follows the adventures of Owein Mansel, whom we met as the spirit trapped in Whimbrel House, then as the little dog in which Silas (the villain of the story) trapped Owein's spirit, to young Oliver, the body in which Owein's spirit has finally taken up residence and who has been promised in marriage to Lady Cora.
After several years dead, the evil Silas reappears in possession of a new body, to carry out his revenge against Hulda, Merritt and Owein, not suspecting that the young man is now one of the most powerful wizards.
Hanging over Owein is the weight of his marriage contract and his attraction to Fallon, the young Irish druid we met in the previous book. And although this part of Owein's story seems to be over, the author leaves her readers with the hope that there will be other books in the future that continue Owein's adventures, this time in England, married to Cora and with a noble title.
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

This new instalment of the Whimbrel House series picks up several years after the previous book, Boy of Chaotic Making. If you haven't read the previous books, may I recommend you go back and start with the first one, Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. As this story uses established characters and villains from the previous books, it will make no sense otherwise.

Now that's said, this is a fantastic continuation to the series. I love the fact that it takes place a few years down the line so we see what has happened to Hulda, Merritt and the others during that time. This book is primarily told through Owein's point of view, really giving him a chance to come into his own. Although the main plot of the story was resolved, the ending still shows the promise of another book. I can't wait to see what happens in book 5 which, I believe, will be the final book in the series!