#Review - Soul of the Mage by D.D. Chance #Paranormal #Romance

Series: Twyst Academy # 4
Format: Kindle, 267 pages
Release Date: May 5, 2020
Publisher: D.D. Chance
Source: Author
Genre: New Adult / Paranormal / Romance

Cleaning up the academy just got…personal.

Up to now, my life has been kind of a fairy tale—the down-on-her-luck janitor turned war mage, tapped to help four super-hot college wizards win a magic competition, while they become my very own Prince Charmings.

Except now, as our final and deadliest challenge looms, I’m supposed to bond with the last mage of the group, Rafe. And he’s nothing like I expect.

With the barest smile, he seduces me. With the softest touch, he electrifies me. From our very first kiss, he opens me to a haunting, forsaken power that binds me to him, body and soul.

Even worse, I know—know—that Rafe is hiding a terrible secret. One that threatens to shatter him into a million pieces…or shatter me instead. But I haven’t come this far to lose this gorgeous, tortured wizard to his twisted magic. I haven’t come this far to lose any of them.

So Bring. It. On. 

Soul of the Mage is the fourth and final chapter in author D.D. Chance's Twyst Academy series. So far, readers have met protagonist Maddigan Pierce who for 6 years, was employed at Twyst Academy as a janitor while also solving some difficult assignments by professors like Dr. Anderson. But, after being caught, and learning that she was a War Mage that is not supposed to exist outside of the Mage Trials, Maddie has become part of team Mage Runners. It gives them a powerful advantage.

The winners of the Mage Trial will end up getting a major boost to their powers as well as a fast track to graduating from Twyst Academy. Those who fail, however, are sent packing with no second chances. Maddie’s goal has been to attempt to enter Harvard or MIT. She’d be happy surviving the brutality of the Mage Trial. Maddie's teammates, and yes, lovers, include Connor Waring, Luke Broadham, Marcus Winter, and Rafe Twyst. Readers were introduced to Connor, Luke and Marcus over the course of the first three installments. 

Now, we get to learn more about Rafe and why it seems as though he and Maddie are like oil and gasoline. Rafe has been watching Maddie for a long time now. In fact, he has a specific goal in mind should Maddie decide to go the way of the Red Team. In the meantime, there's an intense pull between Maddie and Rafe that explodes the first time they kiss after discovering a curious secret. Ok, so, this might be a spoiler, but each time Maddie gets with one of her teammates, they power up in a big way. 

However, Maddie's connection to Rafe is en fuego. While Rae and Maddie are figuring out whether they hate each other, or need each other like oxygen, there are factions involved in the Mage Trials that really need to be addressed. They include the previously mentioned Red Team, the Consulate, the Twelve, the unknown Agency, the advisory panel, and a surprise guest or two that make appearances mostly towards the end of this book when the Mage Trials are reaching their epic conclusion.

Overall, I would without a doubt recommend this series to those who love more than a bit of romance, action, suspense, twists, and surprises. I adore Maddie and was happy that her character got even more surprise abilities. I adore Luke and am glad that he and his apparent uncle had a chance to fight against the villains together. Rafe has such a strange background that you cannot help but comparing it to what Luke and Maddie went through as kids. But he has his fair share of secrets to tell. I like Connor, but he seems to have been pushed to the back of the group since the first book. Marcus has become a strong mind mage as well as a healer. Together, there's not a lot that can stop this team except perhaps themselves.

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