Book Review: "Modern Magick" by R. J. Johnson

 

Witches, warlocks, and magic spells. They were only stories. Until now.

Everything people think they know about magic is wrong.

Reporter John Jupiter is no stranger to strange news. But when news about the murder of reclusive billionaire Alan Knickerbocker falls in his lap, the story of a lifetime drastically changes his life.

After a mysterious amulet gives John the ability to cast magic spells, it’s up to him and a handful of brilliant misfits to stop a team of mercenaries known as the Triumvirate, who are determined to release an ancient threat and use it to bend humanity to their will.

No one else will believe them. No one else knows. Magic is real… - from Booksirens.com

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

This is the first book in a new series by this author, called 'The Omnichron Chronicles'. The plot description was enough to get my attention, and being a series, I decided to try it. The basic storyline is of a honest news reporter gets a lead on the death of a very rich man, discovers an amulet with an odd saying inscribed on it that once read, gives out 'magical power' to the people around the amulet. As this discovery is going on, and he surrounds himself with a rag-tag team of misfits, they discover there are some baddies that have some magic as well. Needless to say, good guys want to stop the bad guys, who just want to control the world, and unleash a power into our realm that could destroy it.

Okay, sounds great. Except it wasn't. It was just ... okay. There is no major background story on any of the characters. All you learn about them is the very basics. MC is a news reporter that considers himself with integrity and honesty - but we don't know why. Don't know anything about how he got to where he is, etc. And each character is like that. Even the baddies we know not why they are bad. Just that they have done "jobs" and it has always been the three of them. Though, I guess you could say we know they are baddies because they tend to hurt people. 

Of course, there are group dynamics going on. In our group of good people, there is some romantic interests between four of them (two and two, not four on four) that doesn't really seem to go much of anywhere. It is written defintely with YA crowd in mind as it is so basic. There was not much said in regards to the magic. It seemed anyone with it had similar powers, but each had a somewhat individual strength in some area. Practicing the magic seemed to make you stronger in its use, but potions had to be taken to quickly "re-up" the mana. It was never really said where the magic came from (this world, that world, etc) only that it had been taken out of our world to stop a major event several hundred years prior.

Overall I was let-down about how this story turned out. I felt at minimum it is a YA read (which I usually do not care for). I think the character backgrounds could be a bit more detailed, otherwise I felt like I was reading a comic strip, knowing the characters only as how they look. World building was okay. Off the top of my head I don't remember what city this was taking place in, could have been NYC, but it also could have been any larger city. Nothing in particular stood out in my memory as to distinguish major landmarks. I think most of it didn't matter unless it was partial to the story. Well, practice makes perfect, and I would consider reading the next book in the series to see if the author's writing style has gotten better in fleshing out details and maybe more background.

Book Review: "Final Heir" by Faith Hunter

 

The stakes couldn’t be higher in the newest novel in the New York Times bestselling, pulse-pounding Jane Yellowrock series.

Jane Yellowrock is the queen of the vampires, and that makes her a target as she fights to maintain control and keep peace in the city of New Orleans. She has enemies at every turn, because vampires live forever, and they keep their grudges alive with them. That includes the Heir, the vampire sire of the Pellissier bloodline, which gave rise to Leo Pellissier himself—Jane’s old boss and the former master of the city.

With the Heir and all the forces of darkness he can muster arrayed against her, Jane will need all the help she can get. She’ll find it in her city, her friends, her found family, and, of course, the Beast inside of her. - from NetGalley.com

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

This is the fifteenth, and final, book in the Jane Yellowrock series. That saddens me a bit as I have found myself really enjoying the characters and stories in this series. I know there are possibilities of some cross-over stories, and will look forward to any of those coming along.

Easy for me to say I really, really liked this book. As I had an ebook copy, I couldn't swear to it, but it felt longer - like it was more pages than an average book. I just checked and that is not the case. That must mean I was slow to read it as I knew it was the final book, and just did not want it to end. Faith Hunter has doen a wonderful job creating a story world and characters, with background that at times even I could not keep track of. Being able to sort of 'wrap all the loose ends' together in this final book was interesting. I don't think it was loose ends per se, but more of finalizing what happens to the characters, and the state of the world with the effects of said changes. All in all it was wonderfully done, and I would definitely refer this series to anyone that enjoys adult urban fantasy.

Book Review: "Death Replaced" by Matthew Sleadd

 

An untimely death leads to a second chance on the other side…

Riley is at the ultimate low. After leaving pharmacy school with mountains of debt, he accepts a minimum wage job as a glorified shelf stocker in a small Virginia town. He can’t pay his student loans, rent, or afford much food. And his biggest setback: getting shot and killed during a standoff with police.

But unlike most deaths, this one comes with a job offer and an opportunity to turn his life around.

After two-thousand years working as the Angel of Death, Azrael is out of touch with humanity. He needs a replacement—and has his eye on Riley—who hesitantly agrees. The transition goes anything but smoothly; Azrael rushes through training then leaves without warning. Riley is uncertain about his new job responsibilities and mistakenly kills a demon—who retaliates on the mortals. Now lives are at stake, souls kidnapped… and fate lies within the hands of a rookie. - from Booksirens.com

Thanks to Booksirens and the author for allowing me a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

The story synopsis for this one caught my eye. It reminded me of Piers Anthony's On A Pale Horse, and so I had to check it out. The story started out well, giving us a good setting for the MC, and how he ended up to where we are in current story-time. There is brief mention at the start about Death itself, but there are a couple small sections that reveal him, leading up to the replacement. Now the whole idea of Death needing a replacement, due to being 'out of touch with humanity' leaves me scoffing a bit, but for story purposes, I was content.

From this point, the story is nothing more than one philosophical idea of how the"job" of Death should be done. Obviously, a rookie thrown into the position without much instruction is going to screw things up, and that does happen. Demon-type dogs are our anti-heroes, and there are several confrontations between our rookie of Death and the canines. Our MC is constantly remionding the readers about his viewpoints, in fact, for me it got a bit repetitive. I started to skim pages rather than read them.

Overall, it was not a bad read. The idea of a new Death in training is not a new one, though this one had a a little different version. I liked a little of the twist at the end regarding who holds Death as title (no spoiler). I was a bit not happy about the seemingly (to me) repetitive philosophy (-ies) that seemed that the MC had to share constantly.

Book Review: "Friend of the Devil" by Stpehen Lloyd

 

From acclaimed television writer Stephen Lloyd comes a devilishly good debut: a lightning-fast horror/noir mash-up for fans of Jim Butcher and Joe Hill.

It's the 1980s and Sam Gregory, a substance-abusing war veteran turned insurance investigator, arrives at the galactically elite Danforth Putnam boarding school off the coast of New England to find a stolen manuscript of incalculable value. He soon senses that something far stranger than missing books is afoot--and when students begin vanishing from campus, he realizes how serious it is.

At the same time, a reporter is keeping an eye on Sam. Harriet, a physically fragile but spiritually indomitable writer for the school paper, is trying to figure out precisely what he's up to.

As events at the school become increasingly terrifying, Sam and Harriet both venture into increasingly dark territory to crack the mystery. In the end, they uncover a truth more horrible than they could have imagined.

Put the novels of Raymond Chandler and Bram Stoker in a blender, splash in a couple drops of Stranger Things, and pour yourself a nice tall glass of Friend of the Devil. - from Goodreads.com

Not sure where I found this one, but when it showed up in reading list, I was curious. Definitely a good read! I enjoyed the snarky comments, and the 'following the trail' as this insurance claims detective is trying to find the culprit that stole an ancient manuscript at a private school. As the story unfilds, we find out more about our detective, the girl reporter that is trying to get back at the 'jocks' that bully her and her friends. The plot thickens, and I had a hard time putting it down until the end.

I felt the writing was right for what I enjoy reading. There was snarky humor, an interesting tale, some blood and gore, and some real life instances. Showing one possible alternative to students and staff at any given private school. I think the author has given some validity to how people in that setting could be and things they do. Add in a bit of the supernatural into the mix, and this story is certainly entertainably funny.

Book Review: "The Initiate" by Jenny Sandiford

 

Dark magic always comes with a price…

Desperate for a cure for her Shadow Magic that’s spiraling out of control, eighteen-year-old Azalea Sharp steps into the hidden forest deep within the English countryside.

What she finds is the opposite, a way to control magic, and from an unlikely source—her dead father. But she must be willing to pay the price and raise him from the dead.

With her father’s enemies on her doorstep, she is driven into hiding among a secret community of Mages in the Tower of London. There, Azalea quickly learns that not all magic is equal.

But with more than her own life at stake, will the help of a notorious Shadow Mage be enough?

Or will darkness unleash its brutal force on London, leaving no one safe? - from Booksirens.com

Thank you to Booksirens.com and the publisher/author, for allowing me an ARC  for me to provide a honest opinion of this book.

This is Book one of the The Shadow Atlas series, and the plot synopsis sounded good to me. However, once I started reading, I was let down. Right from the beginning, our main character is ahving issues with her magic, has ashort "meeting" with her dead father, who says she can help him return from teh dead with her magic....and then I put the book down. I was only maybe 40 page turns in, but I just could not get into the story. I felt that this being listed as an adult fantasy was not true - reading it I felt like I was back in high school. Characters had no depth at all, and it was like the author was telling the happenings from a dream, that just flitted from place to place.

I did not finish the book, even after trying to go back to it after a few days, therefore, no rating will be given. I do like the plot synopsis, and would like to see some more in-depth story-telling about the characters, and the world. I may not have gotten in far enough to see what the different types of magic were like ro able to do, but that is another aspect to consider as well.

---

Initiate is a spellbinding new adult urban fantasy and the first book in the Shadow Atlas series.

A must-read fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, entwined lives, and forbidden magic. Perfect for those seeking a darker, university aged Harry Potter and for fans of The Mortal Instruments.

Book Review: "The Die Back" by Grayson Steele

 

Ritual death. Young life. Can the one woman from the outside curb the bloodletting liturgy?

Dakota Jones lives and breathes the strange. Unorthodox and willing to follow clues no matter where they lead, the forthright detective is relentless in her pursuit of the truth. So when a member of a remote society off Tasmania’s coast washes ashore dead under suspicious circumstances, the determined detective goes undercover to bring the victim justice.

Delving deep into the isolated culture only to find it more of an unwelcoming cult, Dakota discovers the body belonged to an intended sacrifice who tried to get away. And when she learns the rebellious teen next in line for the murderous ceremony is planning a daring escape, she’s in a race against the clock to uncover a dark revelation.

Can the driven detective save the girl and herself before they’re sucked into a zealot’s maw? - from BookSirens.com

Thanks to Booksirens.com and the publisher/author for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This appears to be the first book of possibly a small series, regaling the cases of Det. Dakota Jones. This particular first story takes place off of Tasmania. I know nothing about that place, so in my head, I pictured it being a remote area of Southern Canada. Anyways, it takes place on the shores of a large lake, with a town on one side, and on the other, a lighthouse (maybe it is a sea inlet?) and a secluded village that has been around for 200 years. 

The plot description for this story caught my eye. A little detective stuff, a little paranormal maybe. A little modern-day ghost tale, perhaps. As I started in on reading it, I did get drawn in, waiting to see how this detective was going to solve the causes behind a couple 'drownings', by working in this secluded community. This community is described as cult-like, with archaic speech patterns, and lifestyle. The key point being no contact with anyone or anything outside their town.

Shortly into the story, we read about 'the die back', a ritual performed in this community, that kills off selected members, who in turn believe they are going to heaven. A bit drastic, but still somewhat believable for me. Let's add in some weird water from the lake, in select areas, that has supposed healing properties, as well as helping prolong a normal life span. Hmmm, still hanging on.

Then, I lost it. My interest just went downhill at maybe mid point of the book. There was not much regarding the background of any of our characters. Just one or two snippets about a childhood memory or past love. It was almost like just reading the walk-through actions of a robot. Even with the thought that police officers are sometimes this way, dealing with the types of death and numerous types of people they have to deal with on cases. Let's add in this town. I get secluded, cult-like, anti-social. I get not wanting people to come there, and refusing to talk to outsiders (even the police) as they feel they govern themselves. But for 200 years? Speaking an old version of the 'english'? All across from an inlet, that has a ferry come to them to transport goods to be traded out to the 'real world'. Sigh. There is more I want to rant about, but am trying not to ruin the tale.

Bottom line: character development and background was not very well done. Worldbuilding was decent - I liked the description of the area, and it gave me a physical location in my mind to picture the story. Like most fantasy-near-real-life stories, there are things that happen that either make you scream in delight, or throw the book away, and this one left me in the low middle. Some of the story did not make any sense to me, and I felt a bit like the author was trying to just find something to fill the gaps, specifically all the crap about Fibonacci number and nature. But, maybe it si just me. Either way, the book was easy to read and understand (even believable for fantasy). Would say a YA reader would easily read this story, though some concepts used may be above their heads (cult, secluded community).

Book Review: "The Martyr" by Anthony Ryan

 

Times have changed for Alwyn Scribe. Once an outlaw, he’s now a spymaster and sworn protector of Lady Evadine Courlain, whose visions of a demonic apocalypse have earned her the fanatical devotion of the faithful. 

Yet Evadine’s growing fame has put her at odds with both Crown and Covenant. As trouble brews in the kingdom, both seek to exploit her position for their own ends. 

Sent to the Duchy of Alundia to put down a rebellion, Alwyn must rely on old instincts to fight for his new cause. Deadly feuds and ancient secrets are laid bare as war erupts, a war that will decide the fate of the Kingdom of Albermaine and, perhaps, prevent the coming of the prophesied Second Scourge. - from Netgalley.com

Thanks to Netgalley.com and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review.

This is the second book of this trilogy regaling the life of Alwyn Scribe. It follows in a simple timeline after The Pariah, advancing the story of the main character. Anthony Ryan has done a wonderful job (again) of creating an epic story and taking the readers on a fantastical journey. Most of this story reminds me of the Arthurian days of legend, where religion and politics fought for control of the country, with large battles against a Duke, or Earl, that did not agree with whatever policy. Ryan does a great job of describing these issues from the viewpoint of our main character, though at this point in the tale he is higher ranking than most.

Ryan has done a wonderful job of worldbuilding. Much of the lands he writes about is easily created in my mind, as well as characters, places and events. I enjoy the lack of reliance upon, the little availability/use of "magic", and how it is used/practiced. The battles were well described, though somewhat slowed down the story for me. Though, looking back, I see how some of it is required for the pacement of this part of the story.

Characters were well developed, and believable for the most part. From zealots, to beggars, the range of personalities, of side characters, or others of minimal interaction, add insight to the growth and developement of the story, as well as the main character. Overall was easy to read and understand, though some concepts maybe above the heads of the teen crowd.