The Final Days of Magic: Witches of New Orleans, Book 3

New Orleans’s remaining witches are on a collision course with their destiny and the fate of magic in the overstuffed but satisfying final Witches of New Orleans novel (after The Book of the Unwinding). Celestin Marin, former head of the Chanticleer Coven, is dead, and pieces of his body are snatched up as relics. Magic is fading, and Celestin’s son, Nicholas, is forming a cult to usher in new power during a celebration of witches called the Longest Night. Alice Marin, finally free of the Dreaming Road, has formed a tentative bond with psychic Nathalie Boudreau, who hopes love is on the horizon. However, Alice may be the key to stopping Nicholas, which puts both her and Nathalie in harm’s way. Meanwhile, Evangeline Caissy hasn’t quite escaped the reach of those who seek to exploit her considerable power. The massive cast and continuously shifting perspectives keep the narrative from being entirely cohesive, but the prose is rich with mystical lore and the characters are exceedingly well drawn. Alice and Nathalie’s budding romance is especially sweet. Horn’s imaginative, darkly beguiling set pieces will draw readers in, even if they must refer to the included list of characters and their bios to keep up. A bittersweet finale perfectly wraps up this rich and unusual supernatural family drama and will leave series fans feeling fully satisfied. (June)