The Vassal of Magic (The Virus of Beauty Book #3) by C.B. Lyall – Review by Angela Hayes

The Vassal of Magic by C.B. Lyall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Stars

” Wilf’s pulse blocked all other sounds, and his mouth felt drier the closer he moved toward the crystal. He held his hand over it.
“What are you waiting for?” Ermentrude knocked his elbow.
He swallowed and let his hand touch the crystal’s solid, cool surface. He turned his head to look at the others.
“Press harder,” Ermentrude said.
Wilf spread his fingers and thrust down on the crystal. A ripple ran over its surface clouding the scene inside. The tips of his fingers plunged below the surface. He yelped and withdrew his hand.
“Bat’s blood! Get on with it.” Ermentrude squeezed his hand.
He let out the breath he’d been holding and spread his hand over the crystal’s surface once more. Again, his fingers sank through the surface, but this time he refused to pull them back. There was a viscous-like feeling in his fingers, hand,
and wrist. His arm was being sucked in. He imagined being dragged under by quicksand or the black mud of some marshland. He looked over his shoulder at Ermentrude. Her eyes were wide, focused on his arm and the crystal. Every part of Wilf screamed to back away, his mind yelling at him to withdraw his arm as his entire arm was pulled into the crystal. His neck and head were going to be next. What would stop him from drowning if he went in any further? He tried to pull out, but it was too late. He screamed just before his body was sucked into the crystal’s depths…. ”

The Vassal of Magic is the third instalment in The Virus of Beauty series by C.B. Lyall. It continues the adventure we began back in book one, so I highly recommend reading the first two books before starting on this one, as knowing what has happened in the previous books will definitely enrich your reading experience of this book, and the series as a whole.
This fabulous YA urban fantasy series has such a unique, original, and intriguing storyline and wonderful, quirky characters who really make this story come to life. I can see it making a great TV series too, as there is plenty here to love. Woven with lots of action, adventure, magic, witches, wizards, drama, danger, mystery, suspense, tension, friendship, family, politics, and agendas- this story really grabs the imagination.
We follow on from the previous two books and Wilf is still grappling with his feelings towards magic. He really just wants to be ‘normal’ and free- but he can’t even manage to utilize the full potential of his magical powers, so he’s feeling stuck. Then there’s the overwhelming sense of responsibility that’s really weighing heavily in his shoulders. Doubts and fear are definitely holding him back. What happens when he discovers a piece of shattered Mages Crystal- you really should read all the intriguing developments for yourself, because Wilf is about to be challenged like never before and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Adventure awaits…..
Again, Ms. Lyall’s wonderful world-building and attention to detail created a fully immersive reading experience that held me rapt right from the get-go. I have enjoyed this series immensely, and without giving away any spoilers, with the way this ended it made me hope that there might be many more magical adventures for Wilf (& Co) to come…
If you love a richly woven YA fantasy with superb world-building, engrossing storylines, plenty of originality, action, adventure, emotion, and wonderful quirky characters- then this is definitely the book/series for you.
Happy Reading…

Thank you, C.B. Lyall!

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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