Book Review
Title: Geneva Sommers and the Magic Destiny
Author: C.J. Benjamin
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Romance
Rating: *****
Review: I believe that Magic Destiny is the final published book in this series and First Fairytale is a prequel to the series and given how Myth of Lies ended I was eager to jump back into this world and see how Geneva would get herself out of this one. While Geneva is still trapped in Lux her friends have managed to escape to the safety of the Betos but the revelations in Geneva’s letter to Nova turn most of the group against Jemma although Jaka is still adamant that they need to work together to save Geneva.
Benjamin certainly kicks things off with a bang with Nova dying through a blood curse that can only be stopped if he marries Geneva or dies and he refuses to force her into something that she wouldn’t choose willingly. Geneva is Malakai’s prisoner but is actively fighting the Betos to stop them from rescuing her as she knows Malakai will kill them. The worst one for me was Jemma as she runs away from the Betos back to Malakai and begs for a place in his regime which he seems to grant but when Geneva disobeys him and manages to injure Kai and kill a Luxor, he hangs Jemma to make a point to Geneva. Meanwhile, Nova is seeing all of this in his dreams and is trying to find a way to save the woman he loves without killing them in the process. However, these dark events do have a ray of hope as we see Journey and Sparrow finally admit that they love each other bringing a little light into the darkness. Geneva also seems to have radically changed since Myth of Lies as she is now more willing to resort to violence and even though killing the Luxor made her physically sick it doesn’t seem like she regrets her actions.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Geneva finds a way to communicate with Nova and it gives her hope to continue fighting even after Jemma’s death, but Nova is keeping the fact that he is dying from Geneva, but the race is on now to get Geneva back and defeat Malakai before the Blood Moon and it’s too late. Soon Kai remembers something about his childhood that leads him to form a true alliance with Geneva as they now both have the same goal of ending Malakai. Together they come up with a strategy that may just bring Malakai’s plan down around him. As we jump back and forth between the perspective and events the pacing seems a lot faster than in the previous books. Working with Kai, Geneva finds a way to get some of her friends to her rather than getting to them but now she has her powers back it seems to be progressing the curse killing Nova quicker and while the Betos are trying to slow it down without telling Geneva there’s no way to stop it. However, Jaka is resolute in the fact that he can’t force Nova to do anything as he is an adult and with Geneva trapped in Lux telling her wouldn’t do anything except cause her to worry and act rashly which they can’t afford right now.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, Kai and Geneva’s plan is beginning to take shape with the help of Lily, the woman playing the role of Geneva’s maid. During this time Kai is teaching Geneva valuable skills that will come into play later on like patience and strategy while at great personal risk, but both know that Malakai won’t kill them because he needs them both to complete the Blood Moon ritual. When Kai learns his own father is planning to use him as a vessel the only loophole, they find in the ritual is a bone blade needed for the drawing of blood, if they can find and destroy it there is no way that the Ravinori can complete the ritual. When Geneva is allowed to summon 8 friends, four guards, and four ladies-in-waiting to Lux Tower, they have to break the news to Nova who doesn’t seem to have long left, but they all promise to bring Geneva back before it is too late for him.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, the others arrive in Lux and the girls are reunited and it turns out that Lily is Sparrow’s biological mother who had deliberately been kept from reclaiming her daughter after the Flood and she vows to serve Geneva until her dying breath for bringing her daughter back. We see back in the forest that Sadie is using her new gifts to save Nova without tethering his soul to Geneva’s, but she knows owes a debt to the Fae, a similar debt that led to her mother being taken when she was just a baby and if there are casualties Sadie just might be one of them. However, it seems while one group is solidifying the plan, Sadie’s plan to save Nova has managed to complicate everything and may even be putting Geneva’s plan in danger. The rebellion against the Ravinori is building and everything holds a danger of some sort especially when they are never 100% sure who they can completely trust. Ever since Jemma’s death, we can see something broke inside Geneva and surprisingly it’s Remi who brings her back and makes her see that even though they have to end Malakai and the Ravinori resorting to violence is never the answer.
As we cross the halfway mark in the novel, both plans are moving forward, and it seems that Geneva has managed to earn some of Malakai’s trust but Kobel doesn’t buy any of it and comes up with his own plan to control Geneva and Kai that they are completely unaware of. When Mala gets Mali to tell Kai of Nova’s condition, they put their trust in him to help Nova as he doesn’t have much time left, however, the price Sadie is paying to keep Nova alive in steepening and the spell she is going to use might just kill him and shatter everything Geneva has worked so hard to protect. As the engagement ball approaches Nova is going to be there in disguise wearing the same costume as Kai to allow him and Geneva to interact easily. However, the rebel is rising as Geneva convinces the leader of the rebels Hana, to talk with Eja, the representatives of the Betos and together they may have an army big enough to challenge the Ravinori. As the party is in full swing, Nova manages to tell Geneva what is happening without actually telling her but the whole party seems to be a trap, so everyone is on high alert as Malakai and Kobel scheme behind the scenes.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, so much happens at the ball that breaks Geneva only for her to be told that it was their plan all along and those that died didn’t really die. We are then treated to the wedding we have wanted all along but despite their magical night together Geneva has to go back and prepare for another wedding, one they are sure won’t succeed because she has already bound her soul to Nova’s and so it can’t be bound to Kai’s. However, when Malakai figures this out I have no idea who he is going to take his rage out on, and I pray that it isn’t Kai because that boy deserves some happiness after the life he has had. When the truth is finally revealed to Geneva she decides to stop trusting in faith and the Gods and create her own destiny, free of everyone else that seeks to control her.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, the final battle begins, and it is dramatic and full of tension and sacrifice. The ending of the novel was beautiful and heartbreaking all at once and it perfectly finishes off the story arc for all the characters, although the only LGBT couple in this series Eja and Terran I would have loved to have seen more from, but I am happy that there were happy ever afters for everyone although the scars and memories of the sacrifices it took to get here remain. I have no idea where there isn’t more hype about this series and I highly recommend that everyone read this series as soon as possible.
I received this review copy from Booksprout.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
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