End Game

The Foundling #5

by Hailey Edwards

Welcome to the ferocious world of The Foundling, set in an bayou town where men are men - except when they are also dragons, kitties with wings, crocodiles and . . . well, Miller.

Discover why readers are OBSESSED with Hailey Edwards

'An inventive and multifaceted world with serious heart and one hell of an emotional kick, this is a series that needs to be on your TBR' Bookish Em

'Edwards creates amazing fantasy worlds' (Goodreads reviewer)

'A fantasy of a five-star read!' (Amazon reviewer)

'Hailey Edwards has exceeded all expectation' (Goodreads)

'Well-plotted fantasy with intriguing characters, heart-pounding action, suspenseful intrigue and subtle romance' (RT Book Reviews)

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Dragons, Romance, Demons, Shapeshifters

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 23, 2020

About the author

Hailey Edwards writes about questionable applications of otherwise perfectly good magic, the transformative power of love, the family you choose for yourself, and blowing stuff up. Not necessarily all at once. That could get messy.

Hailey isn't on Goodreads.

Please email her via her website:
https://haileyedwards.net/contact-form/

Reviews

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the conclusion to the series and though it's been a while since I read the first four books it didn’t take me long to immerse myself again fully in this action-packed story.
All the previous groundwork finally culminated in an epic showdown with Luce and her Coterie as well as all her rallied allies standing firm and pitted against Ezra and his Malakhim.
There were casualties and shocks aplenty as this battle of will finally played out to its conclusion.

Luce had everything to lose as she took her last stand knowing that to keep humanity and Charon alike safe she would have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
I had no idea how this was going to play out and even if this was going to be an eventual HEA for Luce and Cole.
It was tension-filled and edge of your seat stuff right till the very end.

I totally adored Phoebe she really came into her own in this book and I can just imagine Luce Cole and Phoebe as well as there extended family muddling along together.
I have really enjoyed this series a lot and I definitely recommend, it’s been quite the ride.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed the series and I am happy to report that I was 100% satisfied with the ending. This is the last stand for Luce and her coterie ... the final battle with Ezra and the entire book is a bit bittersweet. After all, we have learned Luce must die in order to save the world. Surviving Ezra, beating him, is not enough. She and Wu must seal off their world to those who would just come in and take his place. It’s a heavy burden to carry, especially when hiding it from the people she loves the most.

This book feels like the finale it is. It is all about pulling together the mish-mashed factions Luce has collected as allies. It is about her learning her daughter, loving her, and seeing her grow into her own person/dragon. And truly it is about the family she has made with the people who once served her as Conquest, including Cole, who is now truly her mate.

I won’t spoil too much, but I will say I enjoyed the read. It felt like it was over quickly, but I think that’s because I was reading so fast trying to see how it would all end. Some might find the resolution a bit easy, though. The final battle with Ezra was not what I expected and I wouldn’t say it disappointed me necessarily, it just felt a little lacking in how he went down. Or maybe, it was about who put him down. I understand the symmetry, I do, it just wasn’t what I thought it would be. All this building and… You know what? I’m not going to say more. (But it's what earned the book 4 stars instead of 5.)

I will say that I loved Phoebe. I loved Cole and Luce together. And how we left them, easy or not, was what my heart wanted. I would recommend this series for fans of urban fantasy who are looking for something a little bit different. Who knows? Maybe there will be a spin off. I would be down for that and spinoffs are right in Hailey Edwards’ lane. Here’s hoping.

[Anne Gregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

End Game is The Foundling finale and, well, now it's over... I'm not sad or bitter or anything. 🤥🤥🤥 Maybe I'm a little sad... FINE... and a smidge bitter.

Who can blame me?! Luce's coterie is my coterie! Me cadre su cadre! Now it's fare-the-wells and fond memories. I'll let my tantrum wind down and get to the actual review... I guess... Let me grab a tissue and dark glasses...

End Game is Luce's last stand against the uber wanker Ezra with a side of world-saving - no pressure. Given what we already knew about Adam's long game - Romeo and Juliet BS - this book promised to be a nail biter and it so is! Chock-full of turncoats, family reunions, tent s... stuff, scaly prodigy, allies, and those that NTDN (need to die now☠), Conquest breakouts, and a fierce determination to right past wrongs - even if you don't recall doing them. Reading the last few lines did make sad in a sigh, I'll miss you kinda way, but wholly satisfied for all that.

*Note - For this review, I've pretty much tried to avoid all book details because EVERYTHING is a bloody spoiler! Btw, Thom is my forever smile😊

Edwards fans have every right to mourn the final curtain of a series but we can also rejoice in the author's creative virtuosity - her imagination and unparalleled character development deliver hectares of possibility.

Kris
Whiskey & Wit Book Reviews

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

This is an action-packed, can’t-put-down story that is well-worth the read and a great ending to an incredibly creative and engaging series. The reason the stars are not higher is strictly a personal one and not something that will affect most readers. I just hate the death trope where the main character knows they will die and there is no way to prevent it - in this instance, in order to save the world. That dark elephant hangs in the room throughout the entire story and ruins the enjoyment of the journey for me.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stopped reading this book at 56% for a few months but it wasn’t because I didn’t like this book.
Life got in the way and I just couldn’t bring myself to read again until today.
I enjoyed this book when I started and continued to enjoy it right up until the end.

I really enjoyed this series and the ending of this book was a awesome ending to this series.

[THall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ending to a great series
We love a spin off of it

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to miss these characters...

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swear I have no recollection of the rest of this series, and I apparently listened to it fairly recently and rated most of the books 3. But in spite of not being able to remember the characters and the story I still found this story engaging and entertaining, and emotionally evocative in a good way.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book spent 60% of the time just preparing for ‘the battle’ which felt like time wasted reading it. I enjoyed the closure with the last bit of the book. I had troubles accepting a certain recovery but oh well. All in all, I enjoyed the series.

[Nate Brightman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can a series be both a slog fest and a page turner at the same time? By the third book in this series I was beginning to feel that way. Which I haven’t written a review book other than for the first one. Not that I didn’t enjoy each book, I did. But for some unexplained reason I also felt like the story wasn’t progressing even as I kept anxiously turning pages and downloading the next book. So here we are in the final book in the series. All the secrets have been revealed to our heroine Luce as she gathers her paranormal forces to do battle along with her sometimes ally Adam Woo whom she can’t completely trust against his godlike father Ezra and his band of angel like forces. A battle Woo has been engineering for centuries that if they win will lead to both he and Luce sacrificing their lives to seal our world off from future invaders from above and below. As you would expect, there’s plenty of action here leading up to and during the final battle. As per the author’s usual M.O. Luce and her now mate Cole have just enough sexy times to spice up the story. I suspect Edwards would be content to keep her stories PG but the genre now practically demands some definitely not PG sex scenes to attract adult readers. There’s plenty of drama as we learn the fate of the characters who have been the main players in this story almost from its beginnings. And just about everyone gets a happily ever after in one form or another. Good book, good series but I’d be lying if I said I thought it was great.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I have loved the Foundling series “End Game,” the finale was a tedious read for me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the book as well as the many moments of humor but I found myself reading a few pages then putting down the book only to come back later to repeat the process. The reason for this was there were way too many moments of filler/ non important details for my brain to handle.

Luce and Cole are at their campground when several of their allies are reporting missing people. As they go to investigate they learn that the missing are dead. Their allies want retribution but that becomes complicated when evidence arises that the person responsible may just be one of her own.

Meanwhile, Phoebe, Is sneaking around masked in invisibility but giving Luce conniptions as she worries for her daughter’s safety. No real sign of Ezra but Sarieh makes her psychotic present know . She need to be dealt with and Luce will find this task to be daunting.

There were many moments of humor and some action but I will say that the epic battle with Ezra was really disappointing. Oh well, we cannot have it all. All in all, this was an almost perfect ending to a great series.

[Jerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely perfection. Loved this book and the series. I wish there was going to be more or maybe a branch off to the series as I loved the character so much from this series. I devoured this last book and hated myself that it was over. I actually made myself devour it in 3 days instead of the normal 1 but still 3 days and it was done and I had to say goodbye to these characters that had taken a space in my heart that I have loved. Ms. Edwards took the characters to a new level in this last book that I didn’t expect and I absolutely loved where she went and the surprises she pulled out. Can’t wait to read another series by her.

[L Bongiorno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying this series... but there r flaws with it. Why would sacrificing herself to seal the opening be successful? Can't her next reincarnation just make a new seal!?! Isn't that what she does!!! Is it so easy to get through after conquest breaks through that other demons keep coming or do the bad ass cadre even need help to get through? Make up my mind. Lots of things don't make sense, Like saying she had a gun, but it was no use so she didn't use it, but she had just recently shot an eye out... why not take out both eyes of the enemy coming at her?!?
Silly things, but I like the characters and the story line enough to enjoy it anyway;)
...
Loved the ending!

[Beebs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall series rating of 4.5. The Foundling series had a slow start for me- but once I got a grasp on it I absolutely loved it. Read all 5 books in the series in about 4 days. This is one of those series with worlds developed enough to support the imaginative creatures and characters so layered that I was equal parts cheering them on and hiding behind my fingers. Lots of action, lots of emotional plots twists, and surprisingly creative. I wish there was more! I'd read novellas, prequels and spin-off's on every single one of the major players.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bitter End

•••NOT for the homophobic, transphobic, closedminded or faint of heart!


This series must be read in order. This is sadly the fifth and final book. I can't wait to read more by this author!



Live is in the end Game now. She has very little choice in th e things that she can and cannot do. They Need to save the world and all the charge and humans within it! Can she survive until the end? Why must she sacrifice herself? Could anything be more unfair? Can the Coterie exist without her? Does she want them to?

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this climax to The Foundling series, Luce, Cole and the coterie must defeat Ezra, save their own lives and the world. That’s a tall order, and Luce is certain that even if she is able to save everyone else, she won’t survive this last war. With lots of deadly danger, Luce and Cole must keep their baby dragon safe, and she doesn’t make it easy on them. This was such a good ending for a wonderful series, I couldn’t see a way out for Luce and loved the way everything turned out. If you haven’t read this five book series, I highly recommend it.

[Lillie Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished the series

Absolutely fantastic. I loved each book and couldn't stop reading until the series was finished..
Ate while reading, nodded off while reading and had to backtrack in the morning, didn't answer my phone or play any games..I was completely entranced. Very, very good work!
I dont give anything away in my reviews...just like I never read title pages or preludes to the story..I like everything to be new, and surprising..
This series is exactly that..new, exciting, enthralling, yet made me cry at times!
Please read, well worth it!

[Mezzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good

I enjoyed the series to the point where I had to know how it ended and whether all the characters got HEA, I always felt that the characters were two dimensional, no depth. But other than that it was a good story, a bit confusing at times and I wished WU lived and there was more Angst with Cole, Phoebe was a baby one minute and a teenager the next, would of liked to have seen more of her in the story and why there was a jump in ages.

[Sandy Schleich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story but I was glad to see it come to an end. This series is starting to get boring and pretty much the same thing in every book. It was starting to get predictable and annoying with all the secrets that everyone was keeping from each other. Santiago was really starting to get on my nerves. It was kind of funny at the beginning of this series but it just got old by the time I got to this book.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ratings - completed series:
#1 Bayou Born: ★★★★☆
#2 Bone Driven: ★★★★☆
#3 Death Knell: ★★★★☆
#4 Rise Against: ★★★★☆
#5 End Game (this book): ★★★★☆

[Lee Kortus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series!

Hailey Edwards is one of my favorites and this series did not disappoint! Great storytelling! Twists and turns and edge of your seat action. I love the world she built here and can’t help but hope I’ll meet some of the characters she introduced in future books.
This series is a must read. You won’t regret it!!

[Chantelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay ending

The books progressively seemed to get less and less interesting for me and this last book really just wasn't impressive. It had the overall happy ending but was lacking and I found myself frequently bored. The first 3 books were amazing and I couldn't put them down but the last two just really lacked something.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yessssss! Satisfaction found...

The series started slowly with a huge amount of character building that was ponderous at times, but it built up the suspense that keeps the reader engaged right to the very end. Hailey Edwards(HE) even concluded with a tie on into her next series. I am hooked on HE as one of my favorite authors and can't wait to see her next set.

[Melissa Tovgaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so loved this final instalment of The Foundling Series! This is how I met Hailey Edwards in the first place.
This world, the people and charun are amazing. I didn’t want it to end but every amazing series must and this didn’t disappoint, going out with a blaze of glory.
Highly recommend 🥰

[Georg Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story line

What a great few weeks I’ve had reading this series of books. Having finished the last book, I will miss Luce and the gang. Thank you Hailey for another wonderful story. ❤️

[P Castor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read as slowly as I could

And still, the last book in the Foundling series is finished. To quote RT Book Reviews, 'Well-plotted fantasy with intriguing characters, heart-pounding action, suspenseful intrigue and subtle romance.'

[Christy Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series!!!

I fell in love with these characters in the first book and now consider them family. Bittersweet that the series had to end... but no regrets since it is a wonderful read!!!

[Michele Solarchick-Akins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect ending

The conclusion of Luce's story was everything I wanted it to be. I'll miss Rixton's boyish charm, Santiago's adolescent pranks, and Cole's steadfast commitment. I would love to read Phoebe's story some day

[Christina Nastos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why oh Why is this Over

This is one of the best series I have ever read and I read a lot.

The twists and turns have you on a rollercoaster of emotion and you can’t help but bond with the characters.

I am not ashamed to admit that I cried at this last installment.