Beautiful photo by @myfriendsarefiction!

Hey fairy friends!

Welcome to our fifth and final day of The Wren in the Holly Library by K.A. Linde readalong! Grab a snack and a drink, and let’s dive in and see what awaits us!

Today we’re reading from Chapter 51 to the end of the book.

When you’ve finished today’s section, catch up with me in the comments down below so we can discuss the ending of the book. Happy reading!

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Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Wren in the Holly Library by K.A. Linde from Chapter 51 to the end of the book. Please only read on if you have finished this section!

–!SPOILERS!–

We kick off our final day of reading with Kierse returning to Graves’ residence and I’m on the edge of my seat!

Luckily for us (and Kierse), he answers and lets her in. They sit down, and she explains why she had to keep in contact with Nate as a backup in case anything went wrong. She finally admits that, although this was just a job at first, it’s now more to her. He’s gone from being a stranger to a friend to something more. Eeeeekkkk!

She also tells him what happened with Ethan and the wolves, as well as her magic.

“We’re better together.” Well, I’m taking that to mean they’re now together. I refuse to take it any other way.

We learn more about Graves’ past: born a monster, his mother died in childbirth, and his father blamed him. At six, his father sold him off, but he eventually escaped and went to Ireland to find his mother’s kin. This is likely where he met Lorcan and the Druids, though their history remains a mystery…

Graves smelling like leather and new books is so on brand for him. I wish I could bottle that scent up! 😍

When Kierse had been overwhelmed by Imani’s magic, Graves could read her and saw what Jason had done to her. I like how they’ve both learnt pieces of one another’s history/pain, giving them a deeper understanding of each other.

Anyone else shocked at how old Graves actually is? I expected him to be a couple hundred years old maybe, but not 500. I am SHOOK.

The time for their heist has finally arrived and I am SO nervous. Kierse enters King Louis’s party disguised as a new girl working at the vampire brothel alongside Torra. After entering, she meets up with Graves and their plan is finally set in motion.

King Louis finally enters the party with Walter and they notice that Walter has some kind of protective shield around both of them. Well it’s a good job that won’t get in Kierse’s way!

Of course something would go wrong straight away, sighhh. Dr. Mafi appears behind them with a gun to Graves’ back, accusing him of being there to kill her. Eventually, they calm her down enough to go into a room and talk. Dr. Mafi tells them she was blackmailed by King Louis to find monsters with magical components in their blood which would make him stronger. I have a bad feeling he may have been keeping tabs on Kierse during her recon.

Arriving at the vault, they end up fighting two vampires and eventually kill them. Kierse then begins figuring out the lock and breaking the wards. However, when Kierse finally enters the vault Graves yells at her to get out of there but the door suddenly shuts and someone knocks her unconscious.

No one’s coming to help her… King Louis has her trapped. It takes a while for Kierse to realise Graves isn’t coming, but once she does she vows to save herself! Yaaaas! “Surely one little girl can’t wield the Spear of Lugh”. Oh Louis, you clearly don’t know Kierse! She makes quick work of decapitating him and NOW Graves appears. You couldn’t have come quicker?

Damnnnn. Kierse is piecing it altogether! Graves is the Holly King… and she’s the Wren from his story. You’d think she’d have caught on sooner with his library covered in holly and his nickname for her. Panicking, Kierse realises she’s a bad omen and asks him why he’d work with her. He simply says it was a gamble worth taking, although he didn’t mean to fall for her. Cute!

He shows her the truth sword, they have two out of four now! The excitement’s short lived, though. The wards are down – Lorcan’s here.

Graves has kept things from her. He uses the truth sword to uncover her form. She’s a wisp. Wisps are capable of killing warlocks. Was Graves threatened? He knew for a while!

So she’s a fae, and she realises the spear actually rightfully belongs to her. A battle ensues, with Ethan and Gen caught in it too. Kierse… explodes? That can’t be good?

From head to toe, she’s coated in God magic. It was meant for Graves. I can’t deal with him begging her not to die. “You have to herald spring” least of her worries right now, Graves! It takes a lot, but Kierse finally manages to start transferring the power over once Graves shows her the memory that her smell reminds her of. Is that cute or is it giving Edward Cullen?

It’s a miracle!!! Kierse is ok, phew!

We’ve also learnt now that Ethan is a Druid, and Gen is a High Priestess. Is NO ONE human???

Kierse commands Lorcan away, but not before he calls her the pulse of his heart.

She’s leaving to get answers. Understandable, I’d want them too! Despite their hatred for one another, Lorcan and Graves both tell her to start her search in the same place which is kinda funny!

Graves does ask her to stay – but she can’t. Instead they depart on a note that what they had was real, and that Kierse isn’t quite done with the city just yet.

In one final interlude, we see that Graves has located the cauldron, magical object number three, and he’s going to need a clever thief to get it!

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Wow, what an action packed, intense and romantic story!

What did you think of The Wren in the Holly Library by K.A. Linde?
How do you feel about Ethan going to train with Lorcan? Do you think it’s the right decision?
What do you think Kierse will do next? 👀

As always, thank you so much for taking part in another FairyLoot readalong! We hope you had the best time and enjoyed the book – we’ll see you again soon for another!

Love,
Jodie