Tag Archives: fantasy

a mage's guide to human familiars

Book Review: A Mage’s Guide to Human Familiars, by A.J. Sherwood

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I accepted a review copy of A.J. Sherwood‘s A Mage’s Guide to Human Familiars through Eliza Rae Services and I read it as my FIRST book of 2022! It was also featured over on Sadie’s Spotlight.
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One mage, Bel Adams – needs a familiar, gun shy about being rejected by one again.

One familiar, Nico di Rossi – Army Ranger, needs a change of pace and a new purpose in life.

Plus one familiar, Garen Dallarosa – Secret Service, needs his ex-lover Nico back.

One second chance – all for the taking.

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My Review:

I thought that this was really cute and I enjoyed the heck out of it. I liked all of the characters, including the side characters and I was really rooting for the relationship to work out. However, I also thought that the book dragged in the middle, with too much time dedicated too many random things and going on equally random missions, as all the men mulled over the same things. I would have liked to know a bit more of the world in general, how magic, mages, and familiars fit into it, for example. I thought the dialogue tripped into cheesy occasionally and the whole thing just got too childishly ridiculous at points (especially around Nico’s character). All in all, however, I liked a lot more than I didn’t and I’d happily read more.

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Other reviews:

Review: A Mage’s Guide to Human Familiars by A.J. Sherwood

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Book Review: Twenty-One Arrow Salute, by Kasia Bacon

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I purchased a paperback copy of Kasia Bacon‘s Twenty-one Arrow Salute some time ago. I’m not sure why it’s sat unattended for so long.
twenty-one arrow salute

Verhan Tŭrryés of Black Mountain is a handful.

Freshly enlisted in the Highland Regiment, he does all he can to steer clear of responsibility and commitment. Just not his cup of mead, that. Loose of tongue and even looser of morals, he rarely misses an opportunity to get into trouble—and into the other archers’ knickers, too.

In a unit composed almost entirely of Dark Elves, Hernan Seinnés, with his green eyes and auburn hair, is an outsider. When Verhan, up the creek again, is blackmailed into helping Hernan, he never expects to fall for him. But during the long hours spent training Hernan for the Honour Guard, feelings strike the Highlander right in the heart—and with the force of an arrow.

Unversed in relationships, Verhan finally plucks up enough courage to tell Hernan how he feels, only to drive the Asirhwӱnian away instead. If Verhan can swallow his pride, he might get one last chance to show Hernan what he means to him—and maybe this time he can hit the mark.

my review

I had this marked as READ in my Calibre file, but hadn’t written a review for it. Which left me in an uncertain space. Had I read it? Yes…no…maybe. In the end, I decided to either read it or re-read it. And I’m glad I did. I so love Bacon’s use of feels, sarcasm, and characterization. But so many of her works are too short for me. (Just a personal preference kind of thing.) This is a bit longer, but still full of all the character, feeling, and wit I adore in her shorter works. (In fact, it’s longer, so it has more even.) I’m so happy to have read it…for the first time or not. twenty-one arrow salute photo

Other Reviews:

What I Think about Twenty-One Arrow Salute by Kasia Bacon

https://thenovelapproachreviews.com/review-twenty-one-arrow-salute-by-kasia-bacon/

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Book Review: Moon Scorned, by Marty Mayberry

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Moon Scorned, by Marty Mayberry was featured over and Sadie’s Spotlight and I was so taken with the cover that I picked it up for review from R&R Tours.

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I fell hard and fast for the alpha of an elite pack.

Then he rejected me.

Everly

Asher took off when I needed him most, rejecting me and my inner wolf. Then my half-sister is murdered at an exclusive college that’s enshrouded in magic and secrets. When the school offers me a scholarship, I accept and move onto campus. I’m going to find out who killed her, then rip them apart. And if I run into Asher while I’m there? He’ll learn I’m no longer his sweet little thing. He’s about to taste the fury of a wolf shifter scorned.

Asher

Everly’s everything to me, but to protect her, I had to shove her away. If I go near her, the Drudge Pack will discover who she truly is. My father—their enforcer—will kill her. But when she shows up at Ravenmire College, my inner wolf hungers. I’ll do anything to keep her safe—even if that means sacrificing myself and betraying my dangerous family.

my review

I think that this book will appeal to a lot of readers. It’s not a bad book at all. Everly is admirably willing to stand up for herself and shrug off mean-girl BS. Asher is sweet in his desperate desire to do the right thing, even as it hurts and he’s scorned for it. There’s an interesting world here and the writing is quite readable.

However, the book also starts out feeling as if there must be a previous book and then ends on a cliffhanger with absolutely nothing concluded. Here’s my feeling on cliffies. It’s one thing to wrap-up part of a story and leave some threads open for continuation of a story. The reader finishs the book with at least some sense of completion. It’s another to publish part of a story, ending it with nothing concluded. Those are not the same thing. I have no interest in further committing myself to series that do the latter, because I just assume the next book and then the next book and the next will end the same and I have no faith in ever actually getting an ending.

However, none of this is uncommon and I doubt everyone is as annoyed by this as I am (since it’s become a pet peeve of mine). If this doesn’t bother you and you’re looking for a familiar feeling academy(ish) YA/NA paranormal read this one is probably worth your time to pick up.

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Giveaway:

Win a copy of the prequel novella, Moon Hunted.

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