June Jadus

Review: Stop Dragon My Heart Around (Magic Emporium) by Rachel Langella

Heavy on the tropes, but still a fun read.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 181 pages. Published April 1st 2021 by Independently Published

Blurb:

Sometimes Fate has a bizarre sense of humor.

Or at least it seems that way to Gus, owner of the Rainbow Room, Asheville’s main hangout for gay paranormals. He’s seen Fate catch up with the patrons of his bar while he served drinks and listened to their stories for three hundred years. He found all of it amusing, until his fated mate walks in and suddenly the twists aren’t so funny any longer!

Bear Hickes is a mage who specializes in fire, but life has lost its spark since his twin brother got married and left him alone. His older brother, Whimsy, is determined to help Bear find happiness no matter how much Bear objects, but meeting Gus gives Bear a wonderful idea: if Gus will pretend to be his boyfriend, Whimsy will get off his case. And somewhere along the line, Bear finds he wants it to be for real.

But there are secrets Gus is keeping from not just Bear, but the whole world. And when those secrets catch up with him at last, the danger won’t be just for Gus alone.

This story is set in the Asheville Arcana universe, but can be read as a standalone.

Stop Dragon My Heart Around is part of the multi-author Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit scenes and a guaranteed HEA.

Likes:

Gus and Bear, together and separately.
Good amount of secrets surrounding Gus.
Gus didn’t want to force the mate bond on Bear.
Bear’s art.
The romance’s slow build.
How Gus shifted.
The way the emporium item was used.

Dislikes:

Heavy reference to previous books in the series.
I don’t remember Bear ever telling Gus he wanted to stop fake dating.
Whimsey got annoying.
Book relies heavily on tropes.
Not much world building.

While I enjoyed this book, one of the most memorable things about it was something that annoyed me. Whereas the previous books in this multi-author series have been standalone, this one is part of an ongoing series. And despite the comment in the blurb that it can be read as a standalone, there was a ton of references to previous couples and events. The references happen all throughout the book, and got really annoying. The book ended up feeling like an advertisement for the Asheville Arcana series.

That annoyance aside, I did enjoy the story. Fake dating isn’t my favorite trope, but I liked that Gus immediately realized he and Bear were mates. Since Bear didn’t, Gus was left trying to keep all of his many secrets while trying not to fall in love.

Considering the title, it wasn’t hard to figure out what kind of supernatural Gus was. His backstory was tragic, and it made total sense that he wouldn’t want to subject Bear to the dangers of being mated to a dragon. I loved the way Gus shifted. It was a really unique take on dragons and their hoards.

Bear was a good guy, but he’d become withdrawn after his twin brother got married and moved away. Seeing him open up to Gus and regain his creative spark was nice. The way Bear used his fire magic to work glass was really fun. Plus, I loved that he and his family were keeping their cultural heritage alive.

The romance took its time, but I didn’t mind. The fake dating quickly turned into real feelings, though Gus stubbornly tried to hide the mate bond until the last minute. Yes, the tropes were strong with this book. No, it’s not the most original thing out there. But anyone who read the blurb would have been able to pick up on that. My only real complaint about the romance is that I don’t remember Bear ever actually telling Gus that he wants to stop the fake dating and do it for real.

The sinister presence that leads to the climactic ending could have been more notable. It was there, but neither character did much about the signs. Luckily, the emporium item came to the rescue once again. I loved how unique and seemingly random the item was, and how it was used.

I’ll definitely give the Asheville Arcana series a read soon. There’s not much world building in this book, so I’m hoping there’s more in the previous ones. I’m still unhappy with how heavy handed the references to the previous books were, but hopefully I’ll like the three couples enough that it evens out.

Review: The Young Man’s Guide to Love and Loyalty (Magic Emporium) by Clara Merrick

The romance was lacking and the ending was HFN not HEA. Disappointed because it wasn’t what I expected / what it promised to be.

2.75 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 218 pages. Published March 11th 2021

Blurb:

Loyalty is Lieutenant Owain Morgan’s watchword—loyalty to England’s Queen Elizabeth XII, to her daughter the Princess of Wales, and to the Royal Navy in which he serves. When his loyalty leads him into danger, an unseen something—or someone—lends a helping hand. Is he imagining it? Could it be a guardian angel? Or is it someone—or something—else?

Enter the intriguing Benjamin Fletcher. Owain knows that sharing a drink and a steamy afternoon together doesn’t have to mean anything, but Benjamin’s quiet charm works its way into his heart…. Until Benjamin turns up in the Earl of Essex’s retinue, that same Earl who, rumor says, is angling to marry the Princess of Wales and make her power his own.

Every encounter with Benjamin binds Owain’s heart more tightly to this enigmatic man yet tests his loyalty to Queen and Country. Will Owain be forced to choose between love and loyalty?

The Young Man’s Guide to Love and Loyalty is part of the Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This alternate history contains princesses, palaces, steam trains, fumbling lovers, and a guaranteed HEA.

Likes:

Alternate historical setting.
Women in positions of power.
Owain was an interesting character.
Lots of hints about what was going on behind the scenes.
The non-romantic plot.
Watching Owain try to figure out what was going on.

Dislikes:

I have no idea why Owain was pulled into the central plot.
There isn’t much romance.
Anyone who knows who Mab is figured things out much sooner than Owain.
Owain and Benjamin don’t spend much time together.
The emporium item wasn’t as special as others in past books.
HFN ending, not HEA like blurb promised.

I’m definitely a little disappointed in this book. A big part of that is because the story didn’t meet my expectations. I expected this to be a romance set in an alternate historical timeline. In reality, the romance, what little there is, is far from the most important thing going on.

Owain was an interesting character to follow. He’s a relatively normal guy for all that he’s a naval first lieutenant. He has no idea about anything supernatural or mystical, except for the fact that he gets repeatedly saved by a mysterious force several times within the first 8% of the book.

Despite this, Owain doesn’t think to look into that mysterious force. He just does his job, reporting to the higher ups about his latest mission. When he meets a handsome guy who seems interested in them, they waste no time sleeping together, and while Owain wouldn’t mind doing it again, there’s nothing that ties them together.

I think, if this story hadn’t been a part of a romance series, and was instead presented as an alternate history with a dash of romance, I’d have been happier. Because the non-romantic plot was interesting. Political plots, assassination attempts, betrayal and double crossing, mystical forces, and poor unaware Owain caught up in the middle of it all. I’m not sure why he was brought into things. Him being asked to help protect the princess seemed to come out of left field. Especially because he spent almost the entire book trying to piece together what was going on.

But Owain’s involvement with the princess did allow him to see Benjamin again. They didn’t spend a lot of time together, and there was none of the typical ‘getting to know each other and falling in love’ of a typical romance novel. It was more like Owain couldn’t stop wondering what was going on with Benjamin. Just one more mystery added to the list of things Owain didn’t fully understand.

Everything was explained eventually. Of course, any reader familiar with who Mab is figured out the basics much sooner than Owain did. Unfortunately, with how long it took for Owain to understand everything fully, the ending suffered. It’s definitely not a happily ever after. More of a happily for now. Which, again, I wouldn’t have minded if it wasn’t that the blurb guarantees a HEA (happily ever after).

My final gripe about the book was the item that came form the emporium. In all the other books, the item has been something seemingly random but super specific. Something that, without which, the happy ending couldn’t have been achieved. The item in this book could have been replaced with dozens of other things. In the end, it was nothing more than a distraction, instead of being of vital importance.

A part of me feels like I’m being too harsh on this book. It wasn’t bad. It just didn’t do what it promised. And honestly, it felt out of place in the series. Like maybe it had been written already and the emporium elements had been shoehorned in.

Review: Purgatory Playhouse (Magic Emporium) by E.J. Russell

A fun, low angst story with plenty of things for theater and mythology nerds to enjoy.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 185 pages. Published March 25th 2021 by Reality Optional Press

Blurb:

The very last thing out-of-work theater technician TD Baylor should have done was blow his last ten bucks on a crapshoot. He was one couch-surf shy of homeless, for Pete’s sake. But as he was trudging along suburban Boston streets with all his worldly possessions in tow, the sign in the window of an over-the-top Halloween pop-up caught his eye: Marden’s Magic Emporium. With the way his luck was running lately, he figured magic might be the only thing that could fix his life, so… what the hell.

He didn’t realize that hell was an operative word.

Okay, maybe not hell, per se. But what TD thought were some unnecessarily kickass special effects (the three-headed dog guarding the door of the underground theater was a real winner) turn out to be…more.

Because now he’s helping to mount a musical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Greek pantheon, and there’s more than bad reviews on the line for the performers. A good show could mean redemption for one of them. A bad show…

Yeah, did he mention that part about hell?

Purgatory Playhouse is part of the multi-author Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains a desperate theater techie, a production assistant who’s sort of, um, not alive, Greek gods behaving badly, and a guaranteed HEA.

Likes:

TD and Lonnie, together and separately.
TD thinking of the crew when he negotiated his salary.
Lonnie’s personal journey.
Lots of tidbits for Mythology and theater nerds.
Made me think of the Greek myths in a new way.
The ending was very satisfying.

Dislikes:

Felt longer than it was.
Would have liked for TD and Lonnie to have spent more time together.
The reason why TD could do some special things wasn’t explained.
The ending felt a little rushed.

This book is unapologetic about how nerdy it is when it comes to theater and Greek mythology. I’m not a theater nerd, but enough was explained for me to understand what was going on and why it was important. I do know a fair amount about Greek mythology, and the explanations of who people and gods were was enough without being too much.

While the story didn’t instantly hook me, I liked that TD encountered the Emporium right away. Did I know the reason he was given three dog biscuits? Yes, but I wasn’t mad about that. I liked how TC found himself working for the playhouse, and how quickly the plot got moving.

TD was easy to like, especially when he included the crew in his salary negotiations. Even thought he didn’t know most of the people, he cared enough to make sure they were comfortable. That care lasted the entire story, and it was definitely my favorite part of TD’s character.

Lonnie wasn’t as instantly likeable. He wasn’t bad, but it took a while for him to shine. Part of that was on purpose. Lonnie needed to finally step forward and fight for something he wanted. The journey he went through made me like him a lot.

The book as a whole felt longer than it was. Part of that was because there was a lot going on, and a lot of things pulling both men, especially TD, in many directions. The story makes it clear that a lot goes into a normal production, and that’s without dealing with interfering gods.

Speaking of the gods, I definitely will look at the Greek myths differently after reading this book. The gods really are assholes, and this book holds nothing back in showing it at every turn.

I do wish that TD and Lonnie had had spent more time together. Their attraction was quick and mutual. But I wanted to see them really get to know one another on a deeper level. Really see them fall in love. The spark between them was there, and I definitely felt that they were a good match. But with the looming deadline keeping everyone busy, they didn’t have much time to spare for falling-in-love moments.

I have one big question that was never answered or even addressed. TD could do some things that no one else seemed able to do. Even the other characters commented on it. I want to know why.

The ending was very satisfying in every way except one. Things felt rushed. One minute everything felt normal, like the story was building up to something big, and then TD was back in the human world and the story resolved quickly after that. It felt a little abrupt. I definitely wouldn’t mind a follow up story or novella showing how everyone’s doing a few months or even years down the road. Or even a story about some of the side characters.

Review: Must Love Demons (Magic Emporium) by Meghan Maslow

A super fun book filled with shenanigans and a murder case.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 310 pages. Published February 18th 2021

Blurb:

You’d think being magically tethered to the hottest warden in all Verona wouldn’t be a hardship.

You’d be wrong.

Incubus Nico Azertiran has his dream job as a cherub-in-training. It’s the perfect position for a lust demon who’s more interested in happily-ever-afters than one-night stands. Or it would be, if he didn’t keep screwing it up. When a new cherub gadget misfires, Nico is left trussed to Verona’s most eligible warden, the incredibly grumpy, Sir Flame.

Flambeau Illume has a job to do. Someone’s murdering Verona’s rich and famous, and Sir Flame’s hot on the killer’s trail . . . until he has the misfortune to get magically lassoed to the most infuriating incubus he’s ever had the displeasure to meet. Except, maybe Nico isn’t so terribly awful. But how can he solve his case and keep Nico safe at the same time? Especially when the sweet demon seems to have a bullseye on his back.

Together they need to solve the crime, stay alive, and—if their luck changes—maybe even fall in love. Easy, right?

Must Love Demons is part of the Magic Emporium series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit scenes, a lariat of love, a demon tail with a mind of its own, and a guaranteed HEA.

Likes:

Hooked me fast.
Nico and Flame, together and separately.
Watching them deal with being stuck together.
Good mystery element.
A cute, fun story.
Loved the reason why their relationship might not work.
How excited Nico was to try to find a use for what he got from the emporium.

Dislikes:

The cupids.
Not much world building.
Knew there was something more coming at the end.
Needs a follow up story.

This is easily my favorite book of the Magic Emporium series so far.

Nico was so easy to like. I mean, all he wanted to do was help people find their true love. It was just a shame that the cupids were so awful. But that didn’t keep Nico down. He still did his best to help people, despite the way he got treated for being an incubus who wants to spread love and not lust.

Flame was a bit uptight, but it made sense. He’s hundreds of years old and takes his job seriously. He basically lives for his work, and it was nice to see him realize that there’s more to life as he spent time with Nico.

The two ended up tied together very quickly, and I loved all the shenanigans that followed. A lot of them were fun. Or at least, they started that way. The murder case Flame was working on was woven throughout the story, and was never far from Flame’s mind. Especially since he was angling for a promotion, and didn’t want to be taken off the case, despite being tied to Nico.

Both men were attracted to each other, but there were a whole host of reasons why it was a bad idea. I especially loved Flame’s main reason. It was really unique, and fit with his phoenix shifter side.

Nico’s excitement to use the item that came from the emporium made me laugh. He kept trying to find the perfect fit for it, knowing it would come in handy. And it did. Once again, the item saved the day.

My only complaint about the plot was that I knew something more was going to happen. It’s always suspicious when it seems like everything’s all wrapped up and there’s more than 15% left to the book. I wasn’t mad with the twist, even though it wasn’t the most surprising thing ever.

The story could have used some more world building. I had a fair number of minor questions, like who made the cupid’s list. I would love to see a whole series written like this. Or, more importantly, a follow up short story or novella about Nico and Flame. Even though everything was wrapped up, I wanted to see them settle into their new lives.

Review: Brought to Light (Magic Emporium) by Eliot Grayson

A fun story with a good plot and a quick hook.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 187 pages. Published January 21st 2021 by Smoking Teacup Books

Blurb:

A hitman and a fae walk into a café…

Callum always gets the job done—whether he likes it or not—but this job isn’t like any other. The target’s too young, too pretty, and too appealing for comfort, and the clients are offering more threats than cash. And either the target poisoned his hot chocolate or he’s going crazy, because now magic stores and wizard-looking dudes are appearing out of nowhere. It’s really not Callum’s day.

Linden’s on the run, and the human realm’s a good place to hide from evil sorcerers who think Linden’s the answer to a prophecy. But his enemy has found a way to send a very human and very dangerous assassin after him—a man who could kill Linden with one hand. Linden should be terrified, but his knees go weak for all the wrong reasons.

When Linden’s family is taken hostage, spending the night with Callum ought to be the last thing on his mind, but Linden can’t resist the chance to fulfill his deepest fantasies before sacrificing his own life. Callum knows he should walk away—it’s not his fight. But the beautiful fae is under his skin and now protecting Linden and his family feels more important than his own survival. A human learning to feel. A fae learning to trust. Can two worlds merge into one true love?

Brought to Light is part of the Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit scenes, a magic flashlight, a prophecy that doesn’t quite work out the way anyone expects, and a guaranteed HEA.

Likes:

Good hook.
Interesting item from the emporium.
Callum was surprisingly likeable for a hitman.
Linden was nice.
The non-romantic plot was good.
The last few chapters had a good amount of tension.

Dislikes:

Not a ton of world building.
Easy for the reader to know how the prophecy would be satisfied.
Linden felt a little passive.
I’d like a short story follow up.

I’m always a little leery about books that have a main character who would typically be called a bad guy. So I wasn’t sure how I’d like this book, given that Callum is a hitman, and a good one at that. Luckily, Callum was very likeable. Yes, he kills people for a living, but he had a code of conduct. The fact that he immediately realized that Linden wasn’t like his usual targets definitely earned him brownie points, as was the fact that he cared for his friend and work partner Jesse.

I also found myself enjoying Callum’s reactions to learning about magic and multiple realms. It wasn’t over the top, more of a grudging ‘guess I have to add this into my world view’ type thing. Callum was practical no matter what happened, and watching him go through the story was fun.

Linden was also a likeable character. The fact that he removed himself from a dangerous situation so that the people he cared about weren’t caught in the crossfire was noble. Plus, Linden was a genuinely sweet person. Did he do much to protect himself? No, but that’s what Callum was for. Linden just got swept up in a mad man’s delusions and was trying his best to survive.

The romantic tension simmered beneath the surface between Linden and Callum for a while before they acted on it. Despite their differences, or perhaps because of them, the two fit together really well. The smut was good, and I wouldn’t have minded more.

The non-romantic plot was solid, and did a good job of keeping both men together as well as giving some serious stakes if they failed. The bad guy was the perfect amount of unlikeable, and his minions were plentiful.

There’s not a ton of world building in this book, which I kind of expected given that it’s a standalone. Enough was explained that I didn’t feel at a loss while reading, but looking back, I do have some minor questions.

What I do want is a short story or novella follow up, showing how Callum and Linden have adjusted to their new lives. Both experience some drastic life changes at the end of the book. There is also a hint of romance between two other characters who I’d love to see get their own story.

I loved the item that Callum got from the emporium. I had an idea of how it would be used, which turned out to be completely wrong. I can’t be mad at that, though. The ending was very satisfying, with a good amount of tension through the final chapters. It was easy to tell how the prophecy was wrong, but that just made me eager to see how everything would end up.

I’ve read a lot from Elliot Grayson in the past, and while I prefer their longer series, this was a fun book.

Review: Knight and Day (Magic Emporium) by Jacki James

A by-the-numbers story that was cute and low angst.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 137 pages. Published January 14th 2021

Blurb:

Theodore Knight has a curious nature. Ever since he was a child, he’s loved books that are full of danger and adventure. In real life, he’s a simple bookstore owner. But in his imagination, he’s a hero who goes on great quests to save the princess, or in his case, the prince, from evil dragons.

Until one day, real life starts to look a lot like his imaginary world. . . and the fate of an entire kingdom rests on his shoulders. The world is more magical than he ever thought, and he will have to learn to accept the impossible as possible, if he and Samuel are to succeed.

Samuel Day had never journeyed to the human realm, and he sure didn’t mean to get stuck there. That said, he’s found it all incredibly fascinating. Especially Theodore, the adorable human who holds a piece of the puzzle necessary to stop an evil immortal and save the magic realm known as Evorea. His loyalty is to his king, but it doesn’t take long for Theodore to become equally important.

They come from different realms and are as different as night and day, but together they have everything they need to save Evorea from ruin. They just have to find their way back there.

Knight and Day is part of the Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains a magic realm, a handsome guardian, one clueless human, and a guaranteed HEA.

Likes:

Theodore and Samuel, together and separately.
Both Theodore and Samuel were visited by the emporium.
Theodore acted rationally when faced with the weird stuff.
Samuel’s love for human clothing.
Samuel’s vegetarianism made sense and wasn’t preachy.

Dislikes:

Insta-love.
No excitement towards the end.
Obvious who the dragons were.

This was the third book in the Magic Emporium series that I’ve read, and the first book where both main characters were visited by the emporium. I thought that was neat, especially since what they were given was what got the story started.

Both Theodore and Samuel were easy to like. The story only covers a few days’ worth of time, so there’s definitely some insta-love, but I enjoyed watching them get together. Especially with the way Theodore showed Samuel around the human world.

Theodore won major brownie points by reacting in a sensible way to all the weird happening in his life. He tried to throw away his piece of the dagger, then tried to give it to Samuel without a fuss. There were no theatrics or hysterics despite his crash course in magic and multiple worlds.

Samuel’s interest in the human world was adorable. I loved how much he enjoyed sweatpants. It was also nice to see a character who was a vegetarian without being preachy about it. In return for all of Theodore’s help, Samuel showed Theodore all of the magical things that existed right in his own city.

Unfortunately, it was painfully obvious who the missing dragons were going to be. In fact, this book is very by-the-numbers. There’s nothing too new or unique about it. Don’t get me wrong, it was a fun read. But ultimately forgettable.

With how much damage the dagger could cause, I was expecting some excitement or intensity towards the end of the book. I kept waiting and waiting and…nothing. Maybe I’ve read too many high fantasy books, but I was a bit disappointed that there was no tension. Not with the dagger or the romance.

Overall, this book was about what I expected. For a standalone book set in a series like this, it did well. I liked the guys and the romance was sweet. It was a gentle read. Very little angst or violence. The happy ending was easily achievable. And sometimes, that’s exactly the kind of book you want.

Review: A Dragon’s Fortune (Magic Emporium) by Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes

A cute story, but not the best I’ve read from Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 162 pages. Published January 28th 2021

Blurb:

Cillian Roarke is the world’s sweetest dragon. He’s a great boss, a good person, and he spends his days making honey-glazed caramel treats in the shape of bunnies for his bakery, Honey Bunny. Still, the highlight of every day is watching the adorable college student who’s Much Too Young For Him stuff his face full of Cillian’s sweet buns.

Finnick West is a college student who dreams of baked goods, much to the consternation of his figure-skating partner. She’s not offended by the temptation, but by Finnick’s continuing failure to ask out the cute baker. With pressure from all sides, Finn knows it’s time to take something for himself, if only he can catch Hot Baker’s eye.

While the two of them work up the nerve to ask each other out, an assassination attempt reveals forces working to not only stop their interspecies romance in its tracks, but destroy everything and everyone they love.

A Dragon’s Fortune is part of the Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains dragons, ice skating, a whole bunch of sugar, and a guaranteed HEA.

Likes:

Cute and fluffy.
Cillian and Finn are both nice guys.
Low smut worked for the story.
Enough world building for a standalone.
Everything going on with Oisín.
The non-romantic plot was good.

Dislikes:

The plot is a little slow.
Finn was a pushover.
Wallace was too pushy.
Cillian didn’t have any friends other than his brother.
Overall low impact.
Finn’s confrontation with the bad guy was unsatisfying.

I was in the mood for something light and fluffy, and I knew this book would fit the bill. The blurb makes it clear that Cillian and Finn both like each other, but are having trouble connecting. So I knew that the romance between them wouldn’t be full of angst.

There were things that got in the way of the romance going smoothly of course. And I actually liked that. The non-romantic plot points were interesting, and added to the world building. Oisín was an interesting character, and the glimpses of his life showed a lot about how supernatural beings were treated by humans. For a standalone book, I was happy with the world building.

Both Finn and Cillian were nice guys and easy to like. This book is low smut, but it worked for them. I especially liked that they were both fine with going slow.

Unfortunately, despite all the things I liked about the book, I couldn’t help feeling like it was slow. Cillian and Finn dance around their attraction for a long time. Then, when they finally know each other’s feelings, things come up that cause them to retreat. It always felt like outside influences moved the plot and the relationship forward. Cillian and Finn both felt passive.

I also felt like Finn was a pushover. He’s a people pleaser, and has trouble saying no or standing up for himself. Wallace didn’t help. She’s supposed to be Finn’s best friend, but more often than not she just seemed pushy and fed up with Finn’s inaction. Finn did get a little better at the end of the book. I loved how he was fully prepared to defend Cillian. I just wish his confrontation with the bad guy had a more satisfying ending.

Some books leave me with a big impact, whether from the characters, the romance, or the plot. Sadly, this book isn’t one of those. It was a fun read, but I’m glad it’s not my first experience with Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes, since I’ve read better from them.

Review: Hexes and Horns (Magic Emporium) by Rowan McAllister

A fun, low angst standalone with a unicorn shifter.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 242 pages. Published February 11th 2021 by Independently Published

Blurb:

Ryan O’Byrne has rules: 1) no using his magic, 2) no getting dragged back into his family’s craziness, and 3) no dating supernaturals of any kind, especially shifters … in other words, nothing and no one who will tempt him to break rule number one.

But what if the gorgeous wall of muscle he can’t seem to stay away from just happens to be a shifter? Well, it is only a short-term thing, and he isn’t a master of denial for nothing.

Leo Holt can’t help it if he has a teeny tiny weakness for bad boys—not really bad, just a little prickly around the edges. Even for a unicorn, all sweetness and light, all the time, can get a little boring. But, falling for the eldest son of the dark witch family who runs his little West Virginia town might be getting his fingers too close to the fire, even for him.

For Ryan, it was supposed to be a simple trip back home to show support during a family crisis. But when hexes, secrets, a family demon, and the O’Byrne witches are involved, nothing is ever simple.

Likes:

Hooked me fast.
Good for a standalone.
Leo’s a unicorn shifter.
Both Leo and Ryan, together and separately.
Good smut.
Happy, fluffy read.
The side characters, especially Mo and Kaia.

Dislikes:

Chapter one didn’t explain the setup as well as it could have.
I wish Ryan’s family had suffered more.
Could use a follow up short story or novella.
I want more.

Since this entire series is a set of standalone books by different authors, I read this one first and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I tend to stay away from standalone fantasy/magic books because I usually feel like the world building is lacking. But not this one. There was plenty of information about the magic, especially about why Ryan didn’t want to use his. Could it have used more world building? Sure, but then I almost always say that because I want to be truly immersed in the world.

Ryan’s feelings towards his family and his reluctance to be back in his hometown hooked me straight away. As did his determination not to start using magic again. I liked that Ryan had conflicted feelings towards his family. He doesn’t like a lot of what they do, but they’re family and he can’t turn his back on them. As a queer person with some intensely racist and homophobic family members, I understand completely.

Leo also has a complicated past, though that has more to do with his shifter side and trusting nature. When I started reading, I’d forgotten that the blurb reveals that he’s a unicorn, so it came as a pleasant surprise. The fact that he constantly had to be on the lookout for people wanting to capture him made me feel bad for him, but he didn’t live in fear.

Leo’s bright, cheerful attitude worked wonders on Ryan’s troubled soul. It was sweet watching Ryan open up to Leo. Both of them had secrets, but they were a good match. There were some good smut scenes, and the romance was fluffier than the non-romantic plot, which did have some angst to it.

The non-romantic plot was good, and moved at a nice pace. I liked when the Magic Emporium showed up and how it affected the plot. I do wish that Ryan’s family had gotten a more intense punishment. With everything they’d done, all the pain they caused, not just in the immediate time frame but for decades, I wanted to see something big happen. This is part of why I think there needed to be a novella of some sort after the book. It needed to show what was going on a few months or years later.

Mo and Kaia were great side characters. Again, I wish there was a follow up novella showing what happens with Kaia’s magic. I’m looking forward to the other books in the series. Hopefully they’re all as much fun.

Review: Pentacles and Pelting Plants (Hedge Witches Lonely Hearts Club #3) by Amy Lane

Lots going on in the story, but the romance didn’t hook me until later in the book.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. 227 pages. Published October 19th 2021 by Dreamspinner Press

Blurb:

A month ago, Jordan Bryne and his coven of hedge witches cast a spell that went hideously wrong and captured two of their number in a pocket of space and time. The magic is beyond their capabilities to unravel so, in desperation, they send up a beacon for supernatural aid.

They don’t mean to yank someone to their doorstep from hundreds of miles away.

Once Macklin Quintero gets past his irritation, he accepts the challenge. The tiny coven in the Sierra foothills is a group of the sweetest people he’s ever met, and he’s worried—the forces they’ve awakened won’t go back in their bottle without a fight.

But he also wants to get closer to Jordan. Mack’s been playing the field for years, but he’s never before encountered somebody so intense and dedicated.

Jordan might quietly yearn for love, but right now he’s got other priorities. The magic in the cul-de-sac doesn’t care about Jordan’s priorities, though. Apparently the only way for the hedge witches to fix what they broke is to confront their hearts’ desires head-on.

Likes:

Jordan is the kid from Bewitching Bella’s Brother.
Jordan and Mack were both interesting guys.
Story starts off right where the last book ended.
I was already hooked from last book’s cliffhanger.
Everyone’s emotions at the start of the story were justified.
Mack realizes that the coven is good people quickly.
Jordan is neurodivergent.
Cameo by Asa and Sebastian.
Mack’s foreboding feelings kept the tension high.
Good ending.

Dislikes:

Mack ignoring Jordan’s comments that he didn’t have time for romance multiple times.
The attraction felt poorly timed.
Took me a while to get into the romance.
So much going on with the plot it felt a little chaotic at times.
Wizards seem like assholes.
Alistair.

I was glad to be able to start this book right away after finishing Pentacles and Pelting Plants, since there was a cliffhanger. And I was also glad to see that this book picks up right where the last book ended. The coven asked for help, and the magic delivers Mack.

Needless to say, Mack’s not exactly thrilled at having been kidnapped by the magic. His feelings felt justified, so despite the fact that he came off as an asshole, I didn’t mind. I’d be pissed too. I was glad that Jordan stood up for his coven, and that it didn’t take Mack long to realize that the coven was full of good people who were just trying to fix their mistake.

Mack agrees to help, which is good because the situation with Dante and Cully is getting dire. This puts everyone in the coven under a lot of stress, Jordan most of all. He’s the leader, he was the one who brought them all into magic, and he was the one who wanted to cast the spell because of his own hurt feelings. He’s not in a good headspace, which is why the attraction between him and Mack felt ill-timed.

Both men feel the attraction, but Jordan wants to stay focused on helping his friends. He tells Mack multiple times that he doesn’t have time for romance right now, and Mack ignores him, going so far as to shush Jordan the third time. That really pissed me off, and significantly lowered my opinion of Mack. Plus, it made it hard for me to get into the romance until much later into the book.

There’s a lot going on plot-wise, which made the story feel a little chaotic at times. It was all interesting, but there was a lot of time skips and single paragraphs glossing over large chunks of time to fit everything in without dragging out the boring parts. Luckily, Mack’s foreboding feeling kept the tension high.

I was so excited to realize that Jordan is the kid from Bewitching Bella’s Brother, and that Asa and Sebastian got a cameo appearance. Talk about connected stories! I liked that Jordan’s childhood love of bugs ended with him becoming an entomologist. I also liked that Jordan is neurodivergent but that there’s no discrimination or stigma that takes place on-page.

Mack’s family issues were an interesting addition to the story. His father’s an asshole, and it seems like most wizards are as well. I liked that Mack was able to get some resolution with his family. It’s far from perfect, but it ended on a hopeful note.

In fact, the book’s overall ending was hopeful, but a lot of things still need to be dealt with. I’m definitely looking forward to Dante and Cully’s story. There’s a lot of unknowns about them and their situation. Hopefully, the next book will have less of a hectic feel to it than this one, and will wrap up the series well.

Be sure to check out my reviews for the rest of the series – Shortbread and Shadows (Hedge Witches Lonely Hearts Club #1), and Portals and Puppy Dogs (Hedge Witches Lonely Hearts Club #2)

Review Portals and Puppy Dogs (Hedge Witches Lonely Hearts Club #2) by Amy Lane

A cute, fun read that rekindled my interest in the series.

5 out of 5 stars

E-book. 165 pages. Published February 16th 2021 by Dreamspinner Press

Blurb:

Sometimes love is flashier than magic.

On the surface, Alex Kennedy is unremarkable: average looks, boring accounting job, predictable crush on his handsome playboy boss, Simon Reddick.

But he’s also a witch.

Business powerhouse Simon goes for flash and glamour… most of the time. But something about Alex makes Simon wonder what’s underneath that sweet, gentle exterior.

Alex could probably dance around their attraction forever… if not for the spell gone wrong tearing apart his haunted cul-de-sac. When a portal through time and space swallows the dog he’s petsitting, only for the pampered pooch to appear in the next instant on Simon’s doorstep, Alex and Simon must confront not only the rogue magic trying to take over Alex’s coven, but the long-buried passion they’ve been harboring for each other.

Likes:

Alec and Simon, together and separately.
Cute and fluffy story.
Hooked me fast.
I got into this book easier than I did the first.
How Simon accepts Alec’s witchy side.
Adorkableness made me smile.
Good smut.
Subplot with Simon’s friend’s divorce.
How everyone in the office loved Alec.
Alec bikes to work.

Dislikes:

Not the most exciting book out there.
Ended on a cliffhanger.

I’m a little surprised to be giving this book a 5 star rating when the first book was a ‘just okay’ 3.5 stars. But at the same time, it’s because I wasn’t super impressed by Shortbread and Shadows that I came to this book with somewhat subdued expectations. Which meant that I was pleasantly surprised when this book hooked me fast and was filled with angst-free fluff and awkwardly adorkable characters.

Another reviewer called this book “harmless fantasy romance fluff” like that’s a bad thing, and I disagree. This book might not be the most exciting thing I’ve ever read, but I wasn’t expecting explosions and gun fights. I was in the mood for a book that was a fun, easy read, and Puppy Dogs and Portals hit the spot.

Alec is the least magical member of the coven, and he knows it. He doesn’t have the best self-esteem, but he’s a good friend, a hard worker, and was easy to like. His crush on his boss Simon made sense. Simon is a handsome, successful, take-charge kind of guy. He definitely puts his foot in his mouth a few times, especially when it comes to learning about magic. But he admitted when he was wrong and apologized when his careless comments ended up being hurtful. Best of all, he was able to offer the coven some really useful advice.

Compared to Shortbread and Shadows, I felt like the plot of this book was much more cohesive. The romantic and non-romantic plots are woven together well. The romance is pushed forward when a rogue portal takes Glinda, the dog Alec’s been pet sitting for his two missing friends, and she ends up on Simon’s doorstep. This causes Simon to come to the cul-de-sac and learn that magic is real when he sees all the weird things happening.

I liked the progression of Alec and Simon’s relationship. They’re both a little awkward at times, but it was in an endearing way. Simon was respectful that Alec didn’t have much experience with romance and sex. The smut was good and deepened the relationship. I liked that Simon was open with his colleagues about his relationship with Alec. Simon’s friendship with his co-owners, and his desire to help his friend with his divorce, was a nice side plot. It was easy to see that everyone at the office liked Alec. And Alec got bonus points for cycling to work.

The cliffhanger at the end made me really glad that the next book, Pentacles and Pelting Plants, is already out. I’m excited for Jordan’s story, and glad that I stuck with this series despite my less than stellar thoughts on the first book.

Be sure to check out my reviews for the rest of the series – Shortbread and Shadows (Hedge Witches Lonely Hearts Club #1), and Pentacles and Pelting Plants (Hedge Witches Lonely Hearts Club #3)