Review: Demon Magic and a Martini (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #4) by Annette Marie

Title: Demon Magic and a Martini

Series: The Guild Codex: Spellbound #4
Author: Annette Marie
Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Published: April 12, 2019
Pages: 268
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Source: ARC from author
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When I first landed a bartending job at the local guild, I didn't know a thing about magic. These days, I'm practically an expert on the different magical classes, but there's one nobody ever talks about: Demonica.

Turns out they have a good reason for that.

My guild is strictly hellion-free, but some people will risk life and soul to control the biggest bullies on the mythic playground. And now a demon has been loosed in the city.

My three best friends are determined to slay it, but even badass combat mages are critically out-magicked. And that's not all. The monster they're tracking--it's not hiding. It's not fleeing. It's not leaving a trail of corpses everywhere it goes.

The demon is hunting too. And in a city full of mythics, it's searching for deadlier prey.

If we can't unravel the demon's sinister motivations, more innocent people will die, but finding the answers means digging into dark secrets ... and learning truths I never wanted to know.

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MY REVIEW

DISCLAIMER: This review MAY contain spoilers. I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the author. All opinions contained in my review are my own.

Annette Marie has really upped the ante in the fourth installment of The Guild Codex: Spellbound. Emotions, stakes, and shock factors could not be any higher in this book! I have been waiting for this book for so long and I could not have been more pleased with it. Each book in this series gets better than the last. If this book is the middle of the series then I can't even imagine what a blowout this series will have. 

The thing that I love most about this book of the series (besides more EZRA, because yeah...) is the very strong representation of friendship. Friendship has been a theme throughout the series, but I love how important it becomes in this book. Tori hasn't had the best childhood and she has trust issues. She runs from things and closes herself off from things as a defense mechanism. (At least, it seems that way to me.) In this book, she has to choose between that part of herself and her friends. She has to meet that part of herself head-on and make some important decisions about herself or risk losing her friends forever. The lengths that Tori will go to for her friends in this book is inspiring. I love Tori so much. Not only do we get to see a beautiful portrayal of friendship, but we get to see Tori take on her personal demons. I was so waiting for this to happen and I am happy with how it played out. 

Everything that we learn about this world with each book makes me that much more obsessed with this fantasy world. I love every bit of it and I am forever hanging on the edge after I finish each book craving more like an addict. Getting a deeper look into demons and Demonica in this book really made the world feel more real. We finally get to see what Demonica is all about and it really brings this world to life when mixed with all of the other mythic classes that we've seen in the other books. Annette Marie is the queen of creating complex worlds and characters. She introduces her readers to her worlds much the same way as she does with her slow-burn romances. She intrigues us with enough to get our hearts pumping, but she doesn't overwhelm us either. With each book in the series the world grows.

With the expansion of the world also comes more development in the plot of the series. I like how each book in this series has a self-contained plot but also builds upon an overarching series plot. The plot is engaging, exciting, and much more intense than the previous books. This book definitely has a more serious tone, though it isn't without the humor and snark that you have come to expect from the other books in this series. 

I mentioned Tori's character development earlier, but there is also a lot of development for Ezra's character. Though there is still so much to learn about Ezra, we do get to learn about his big secret and how it affects the mages and their friendship. The three of them have such a strong bond. It's really beautiful. They have each other's back no matter what. And Tori is now a part of that so it goes from three mages to the four musketeers. I loved getting to see Ezra on a more personal level. I can't wait to find out more about Ezra's past. I also liked the addition of new characters and how they played into the story. I am excited to see more of them in future books. 

Overall, I am beyond impressed with this book! It obliterated my expectations and left me with a powerful need to start writing fanfiction just so I don't have to wait any longer for more. =P If you haven't started this series yet then I urge you to. This series is spectacular! It has an exciting world, amazing characters, and a plot that will keep you reading until the end. I am overjoyed with the news about the expansion of this world. Now I keep asking myself what demon do I have to summon to bring myself closer to the release of the next book?

Check out my reviews for the other books in this series!

Three Mages and a Margarita (#1)

Find my review here.

Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (#2)

Find my review here.

Two Witches and a Whiskey (#3)

Find my review here.

THIS BOOK CONTRIBUTED TO THESE 2018 READING CHALLENGES

- New Release Challenge
- Let's Read Indie Challenge
- Finishing the Series Challenge

Check out my 2019 Challenge Page to see my progress!

Annette Marie announced that this series will most likely have eight books in total! PLUS she announced a four-book spin-off series that features a new protagonist! The spin-off series will be ongoing with Spellbound series and will interweave a bit so we will be able to see our favorite characters from Spellbound. I am so excited! The first book in The Guild Codex: Demonized series is called Taming Demons for Beginners and it releases September 13, 2019! So before the next book from The Guild Codex: Spellbound which is titled The Alchemist and an Amaretto and released October 11, 2019! So much awesomeness to look forward to! Have a look at the covers for the next two books in this incredibly addicting world!

 

This series has fast become one of my favorite light and fast-paced urban fantasy reads. Even though I typically devour book series with longer books, I find this one quite addicting. What are some of your favorite fast-paced books on the lighter side?