Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Unbreakable Bladesong Druid by Annette Marie Narrator: Cris Dukehart
Series: The Guild Codex Unveiled #4
Published by Tantor Audio on December 20, 2022
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 7 hours, 50 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm
My greatest enemy has always been myself. Over the past few weeks, I’ve painstakingly put my broken pieces back together, from the dark mysteries of my past to the heart-rending conflict of my present.
But just when I finally start to feel whole again, everything around me falls apart.
Lallakai, the newly ascended Queen of Shadow and Death, betrays us and takes Zak prisoner. Echo, the powerful fae I thought would help save Zak, threatens to kill me. And RÃkr’s nemesis, the ruthless Summer Queen, is hunting him again.
With the four ancient fae poised to battle for supremacy, I’m the only one who can prevent a catastrophic clash of their power. But stopping them will require more than druidic magic. It’ll take an act of destruction as devastating as they are.
Guild Codex Unveiled series is a different aspect of the Guild Codex Spellbound world. I thought this was going to be Zak’s story but really it is his and Saber’s stories. I have read all of the Spellbound and Warped series. I would say you can read Unveiled without Spellbound and Warped first but I wouldn’t.  I really prefer to read in order, yes, but there is also background on the world, the guilds and some of the characters which is really helpful. PLUS all the series are awesome!
The Unbreakable Bladesong Druid starts right in the desperate place where The Twice-Scorned Lady of Shadow ended. You really need to read the series in order to have any hope of understanding what is happening. Saber is struggling with how to deal with all the enemies and save Zak.  Rikr doesn’t seem concerned and she starts to wonder about him, especially after a fight with the summer queen and Echo. Zak thought Echo would help but Saber isn’t so sure.
Lallakei uses Zak to gain more power, going after artifacts. But this puts him right in the MPD oversight and his bounty goes up.  It’s great to see Tori and the gang, plus even Kit has his own scheme going. Things are dire and the gang helps as much as they can but bounty hunters might follow them to Zak.
Saber has a tall order for someone without much magic. I really hoped we would see her develop more skills with her natural abilities. But this was more about rescuing Zak and stopping the fae from tearing down the whole area. Both Saber and Rikr have to make huge moral decisions and it taxes their connection.
I loved the thrilling action and serious danger as Saber tries to get Zak free and save the world from the fae. I was heartened to see Saber and Zak find their happily ever after, as unlikely as it seemed throughout the series.
Narration:
Cris Dukehart is the original narrator for Tori in the Spellbound and Robin in the Demonized series. She is back now for Unveiled. Since most of the story is Saber’s voice, this fits well.  Dukehart is one of my favorite narrators.  I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
KC’s Review:
I have my go to favorite authors whom I’ve followed for years. But every now and then a new one comes on the scene that completely blows me away. When I started Annette Marie’s first book in the Guild Codex world a couple of years ago, I didn’t realize the treasures I’d found. She is a phenomenal writer that seems to effortlessly weave an overlapping tapestry of exciting and emotional story arcs with characters that are as dynamic as they are distinct from each other.
The Unbreakable Bladesong Druid is the final book in the Guild Codex: Unveiled quartet. It features a cast of characters whose arcs appeared to be the most challenging to resolve yet. The stars are definitely Zak and Saber. I wasn’t a huge Zak fan in the previous series, but since book one of Unveiled; he has completely captured my attention. I love the complexity of his world, how he seems to be so all-powerful, but is essentially a flawed being struggling to make the right choices. It didn’t seem like there could be any kind of match for Zak, other than the toxic Lallakai, but it is clear that Saber is as much of a hero as Zak. She’s fierce and determined and intent on protecting those she loves. Her loyalty is her salvation.
This is probably the most angsty of all of the books, and there is a lot of dark drama, but that seems to be a given with any story that involves the Fae. The sexual tension is off the charts, and not just between the lead characters. I suppose that also seems to be a given with Fae stories. The Unbreakable Bladesong Druid definitely needs to be read after the first three Unveiled books. To really appreciate this series, I advise starting at the very beginning and following the reading order recommended by the author. The investment is well worth the time, especially for Urban Fantasy fans.
Narration:
Cris Dukehart is a phenomenal narrator. I enjoyed her performance and felt she captured the lead characters emotion and personalities perfectly. I enjoyed listening to this book at 1.25x speed.
About Annette Marie
Annette Marie is the author of YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced urban fantasy, bold heroines, and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She proudly admits she has a thing for dragons, and her editor has politely inquired as to whether she intends to include them in every single book.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad). She shares her life with her remarkably patient, comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
About KC
Reviewer at Books of My Heart
Reading has always been more than just a hobby, it’s been a life-long obsession. Of course, if you are reading my obscure bio-page, you can probably empathize. I read a broad range of genres, but particularly enjoy kick-butt heroines, complex world-building, first person narration, nerdy references, or hockey. I like all of my books to have a romantic element, even just a little bit.
I’ve developed a preference for audiobooks over the last few years, which allow me to complete chores, run carpool, or work on my many building and craft projects while ‘reading.
My all time favorite selections include Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series, and all of Robin Hobb’s books set in the Farseer world. Honorable mentions to Elle Kennedy, Penny Reid, Meljean Brook, Ann Aguirre, Krista and Becca Ritchie, Jeaniene Frost, and Kristen Callihan.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 22-COYER
This sounds really good! 😀
They are. But this is the final book I would start at the beginning.
I keep picking all of these up as the audio goes on sale. One day I’ll start the entire series. I’ve read a few of them but I’d really like to start at the beginning and go on from there.
We’re going to do a Read-along in a few years. I’ve just read them all so I want to wait a bit to do the whole series again. I’m thinking 2026 maybe? There are so many great series.
I do like the sound of this. I really do want to read this author!
I’ve loved every book I’ve read. I plan to do a Read-along of them a couple years down the road since I just finished reading them all.
What an interesting series. I’m glad you enjoyed the books and the series
It’s an awesome series with good plots and some romance. I will probably do a Read-along for it in a couple years.