Tag Archives: magic

Book Review of Hexbreaker (Hexworld #1 ), by Jordan L. Hawk

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HexbreakerI purchased an e-copy of Hexbreaker, by Jordan L. Hawk.

Description from Goodreads:
New York copper Tom Halloran is a man with a past. If anyone finds out he once ran with the notorious O’Connell tunnel gang, he’ll spend the rest of his life doing hard time behind bars. But Tom’s secret is threatened when a horrible murder on his beat seems to have been caused by the same ancient magic that killed his gang. 

Cat shifter Cicero is determined to investigate the disappearance of one friend and the death of another, even though no one else believes the cases are connected. When the trail of his investigation crosses Tom’s, the very bohemian Cicero instinctively recognizes the uncultured Irish patrolman as his witch. Though they’re completely unsuited to one another, Cicero has no choice but to work alongside Tom…all the while fighting against the passion growing within. 

Tom knows that taking Cicero as his familiar would only lead to discovery and disaster. Yet as the heat between them builds, Tom’s need for the other man threatens to overcome every rational argument against becoming involved. 

But when their investigation uncovers a conspiracy that threatens all of New York, Tom must make the hardest decision of his life: to live a lie and gain his heart’s desire, or to confess the truth and sacrifice it all. 

Review:
I really quite enjoyed this one. Well, it’s kind of hard not to when there is a big, lovable teddybear like Tom involved. Don’t get me wrong; I liked Cicero too. But Tom won the show for me.

I liked the idea of witches and their shifter familiars. I liked the world-building, which was never obvious but I still understood the politics and hierarchies of the world. The writing was mostly wonderful. One of my few complaints is that I thought it faltered into clunky, almost cheesy prose sometimes, but mostly not. My only other real criticism is that the sex scenes felt quite abrupt and a little out of character for where the characters were, emotionally at the time.

It’s a complete story, no cliffhanger and I didn’t feel I was missing information having not read the prequel. Gotta appreciate that. I’ve read a couple Hawk books now and I’ve been happy with each one. I look forward to more.

Book Review of Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Jolie Wilkins #1), by H.P. Mallory

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Fire Burn and cauldron BubbleH. P. Mallory‘s Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble is a perma-freebie on Amazon (and probably other sites). I’ve had it on my TBR list for years. In fact, I thought I’d read it already. When I picked it up this afternoon, I’d only intended to read enough to remind myself which book it was, only to discover that I couldn’t remember because I hadn’t actually read it.

Description from Goodreads:
Life isn’t bad for psychic Jolie Wilkins. True, she doesn’t have a love life to speak of, but she has a cute house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a cat and a quirky best friend.

Enter Rand Balfour, a sinfully attractive warlock who insists she’s a witch and who just might turn her life upside down. Rand hires her to help him solve a mystery regarding the death of his client who also happens to be a ghost. Jolie not only uncovers the cause of the ghost’s demise but, in the process, she brings him back to life!

Word of Jolie’s incredible ability to bring back the dead spreads like wildfire, putting her at the top of the underworld’s most wanted list. Consequently, she finds herself at the center of a custody battle between a villainous witch, a dangerous but oh-so-sexy vampire, and her warlock boss, Rand.

Review:
Disappointing. That’s the most concise review I could write. This is one of those standard ‘woman has magical powers that she’s lived 28 years without noticing, until a man comes along and tells her about them’ books. Meanwhile, he controls every aspect of her life while refusing to give her the information she needs to stay safe and chastising her for endangering herself in ways she wasn’t told would be dangerous.

And of course these magical powers she’s gone 28 years without noticing are ultra powerful and she can defeat well trained, long experienced people without even knowing how. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s attracted to every man she meets and they all just have to have her too. But of course, she’s never noticed she’s pretty before.

What’s worse, this is a fairly long book, but almost nothing of significant note happens. Then, it ends on a cliffhanger. The whole thing bounces between rushed scenes and long stretches of ‘training’ or descriptions of what people are wearing.

Nope. I wasn’t impressed with this one.

Justice calling

Book Review of Justice Calling (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress #1), by Annie Bellet

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Justice CallingI picked Justice Calling (by Annie Bellet) up as a freebie at Amazon. It was still free at the time of posting.

Description from Goodreads:
Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress. 

Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she’s finally safe. 

As long as she doesn’t use her magic. 

When dark powers threaten her friends’ lives, a sexy shape-shifter enforcer shows up. He’s the shifter world’s judge, jury, and executioner rolled into one, and he thinks Jade is to blame. To clear her name, save her friends, and stop the villain, she’ll have to use her wits… and her sorceress powers. 

Except Jade knows that as soon as she does, a far deadlier nemesis awaits.

Review:
While there is nothing new here, it’s entertaining enough. I think I’d have preferred to see it bulked into a full novel, instead a novella, in order to allow for more plot and character development. But it was at least a full story arc, with a beginning, middle and end. Yay and thank bloody god for that. I liked what I knew of the characters and, though the plot wasn’t really given the time to deepen, it’s not so rushed as to be unenjoyable. I’d read more of the series.