Tag: JMS Books

Review: Frost and Raine by K.L. Noone

A sweet, fluffy novella that’s night on the supernatural but takes its time to develop the romance.

5 out of 5 stars

 E-book. 138 pages. Published February 13th 2021 by JMS Books

Blurb:

A Frost spirit who runs a coffee shop. A Cupid who works as a divorce lawyer. And magic in the air …

Raine’s never been a conventional Cupid. He likes organization, his job as a successful lawyer, and black coffee, and he dislikes messiness, physical and emotional. He tries hard not to use his powers, because he’d rather not manipulate anyone’s desires, and he’s not planning to fall in love himself – and he wouldn’t trust it if someone fell in love with him. But the owner of Raine’s favorite coffee shop is endlessly patient, kind even in the face of sarcasm, and an artist with flavors and window decorations … and he could even challenge Raine’s resolutions about love.

Don enjoys his life. Even though he’s a Frost, he finds comfort in giving people warmth: good coffee, a cozy refuge from the rain, holiday decorations, and overall cheer. But one gorgeous Cupid seems immune to Don’s cheerfulness – and he keeps coming back, day after day. Fortunately, Don’s always liked a challenge, and now he’s determined to make Raine smile at least once … and he’s discovering that Raine’s sarcasm hides a generous and lonely heart, keeping the world at bay.

And if Don and Raine can learn to trust each other – with new coffee flavors, with their hopes for the future, and with their hearts – the Frost and the Cupid just might find their own magical happy ending. 

Likes:

  • Short, sweet, and fluffy.
  • Hooked me.
  • The way Don and Raine flirted.
  • The idea of Personifications.
  • BDSM being treated in a positive way.
  • Hot smut.
  • The story was complete despite its short length.

Dislikes:

  • Raine didn’t make a great first impression.
  • The way Raine was treated by some people because he was a Cupid.
  • Not much use of anyone’s personification abilities.

I’ve read stories by K.L. Noone before, and have liked them, but this one was longer than most. I’d definitely call it a novella, and I was excited about what Noone could do with more page space. A lot of my complaints about their previous stories was the shortness. And I have to say, the length of this novella was perfect.

At first, I was surprised that the first half of the story took place in a coffee shop. It’s the only place Don and Raine interact, and since their relationship is the core of the story, there’s not a lot of other stuff going on. But I didn’t mind. Each time Raine comes in for coffee, his and Don’s relationship deepens. It was a slow but steady progression, with them getting closer in a believable way.

Don was easy to like. He’s the gentle giant type, someone who wants people to be cozy and warm despite the fact that it goes against his Frost personification. Likewise, it’s strange for a Cupid to be a divorce lawyer, but Raine is good at it, and he’s helping people in his own way. Raine was a little prickly at the beginning. He does it on purpose, and finding out why tells a lot about him. Watching as he warms up to Don was super sweet.

 The story hooked me fast even though there’s no urgency to the plot. The novella covers months of time, but again, that let Don and Raine’s relationship develop. I loved the slightly awkward flirting. It made the story feel complete and fleshed out despite its short length.

The idea of the personifications was interesting too. The novella didn’t show much of anyone’s abilities except Don putting frost pictures on the coffee shop windows. Raine’s cupid powers, though not directly shown, were never far from his mind. I liked that what the personifications were and how they were treated by society, both the good and the bad, was included in the novella.

My favorite thing about this novella is the treatment of BDSM. There was no freaking out or kink shaming. In fact, both men’s desires lined up nicely. It led to some super hot smut, as well as some honest conversations. The only thing Don was worried about was that Raine wasn’t talking good enough care of himself.

Overall, I have to say that I liked this novella a lot. It was different from what I expected it to be, but I’m not mad. I’m glad to see that Noone finally has a full length novel out as of August 2020, and that’s definitely going on my to-read list.

Be sure to check out more of my reviews of K.L. Noone’s short stores – The Arch-Mage’s Firebird, Port in a Storm (Kitten and Witch #1), Fire and Ink (Kitten and Witch #2).

Review: Angel by J.L. Merrow

A thought provoking short story focused on religion and humanity.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. 34 pages. Published March 11th 2017 by JMS Books LLC (first published February 24th 2010)

Blurb:

How do you know if you’re one of the damned?

As a child, Don wanted to become a priest. Now a grown man mostly at ease with being gay, he’s left the Catholic Church and has chosen instead to help people through his work as a parole officer.

His strong faith is shaken when his latest assignment turns out to be Michael, a young man Don hasn’t seen since he took Michael to church as a child – and saw his parish priest cast Michael out of the church as a demon.

Meeting him as an adult re-ignites the obsession Don had with the boy he couldn’t save. But can Michael be saved at all? Or is the strangely compelling demon with a taste for risky sex as damned as he believes himself to be? 

Likes:

  • Thought provoking.
  • Religion presented in both a positive and negative light.
  • Interesting premise.
  • BDSM not being treated like a bad thing.

Dislikes:

  • Wanted more depth to the characters.
  • Don wasn’t exactly likeable.
  • More questions than answers.

I enjoy short stories, despite knowing that I will most likely be left wanting more. But a good short story can leave me thinking about it for days afterwards. This is that kind of story.

I was curious about the premise of the book, and that it clearly had a heavy dose of religion at its core. I’ve read books by J.L. Merrow before, and trusted that the story wouldn’t feel preachy or sanctimonious. In fact, the story does a good job of showing a range of religious people, from the broadminded to those with a much narrower view of what is right and good.

The premise itself is interesting and unique. Is Michael really a demon? And if he is, does that mean he’s evil by nature? Or can there be good in him? They’re questions both Don and Michael struggle with. And in a way, it’s also left up to the reader to answer themselves.

This story had many more questions than answers, both for the characters and the reader. That makes it thought provoking, which I liked. But is also a little frustrating. Because many of the questions are ones that people have been struggling with for millennia. Which means there are no definite answers.

I do wish Don had been a little more likeable. He was flawed, confused, and searching for answers. The perfect example of a human muddling through life, which I think was the point. And he was, overall, a good man. I especially liked that he did research on BDSM instead of assuming it was horrible. Still, I didn’t really relate to him as a main character.

In fact, I think there could have been a little more depth to both men. I know it’s a short story and there’s limited page space, but both Michael and Don were almost caricatures. Both only really showing one side of humanity. Not to mention that Michael’s questions about his birth were brought up once and then ignored completely.

I’m glad I read this story. It’s a nice change of pace from the standard kind of romance novels I’ve been reading lately. And, at the end, I think it’s a good length. A brief glimpse into the struggles humans have when thinking about things bigger than themselves.

Series Review: Blackstone Manor by Kassandra Lea

An interesting series, but it needed more development.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Likes:

  • Unique premise.
  • Gargoyles.
  • Both Io and Cinder are nice.
  • Sweet romance.
  • Short, quick reads.
  • Everything was wrapped up nicely.

Dislikes:

  • Needed more world building.
  • Minor errors in every story.
  • ‘I don’t know how things really work’ style lazy writing.
  • The villain was cliché.
  • Didn’t feel like the author had sketched out the characters well.
  • Wanted more character development.

I am a child of the 90s, and as such I have fond memories of the Gargoyles cartoon show. So when I saw that there was an MM romance short story series featuring gargoyles, I knew I had to read it. Gargoyles are underrepresented in romance, which makes this series really stand out.

Aside from the gargoyle aspect, the series has another unique aspect. Masonry gargoyles protect important old buildings, which keeps the balance between the worlds of the living and the dead. Unfortunately, this aspect isn’t developed. Not only that, but you can be forgiven for forgetting that it’s part of Io’s life at all, since he doesn’t protect any building other than Blackstone Manor, and even that was only to win Cinder’s favor.

My biggest disappointment about this series was the lack of world building. Lots of interesting things were hinted at but never expanded on. A little bit of extra information would have brought the stories up to the next level. I suspect the lack of world building was due to lazy writing. Neither main character knew how or why the old buildings they protected were capable of keeping the balance between worlds. Not only that, but neither man was interested in finding out. I accepted that with Io, but it didn’t fit Cinder’s personality.

Luckily, both Io and Cinder were nice characters. They weren’t perfect, with Io being a little too immature for my tastes, but he had a good heart. Again, I wanted more from the stories, this time in terms of character development. I wanted Io to mature a little. Cinder does relax and learn to let loose at the end, which was nice to see.

Their romance, while quick, was sweet. I was a little worried about their compatibility at first, but it turned out all right in the end. There was some nice smut in the first two stories, but the last two were completely devoid of on-page smut.

The non-romantic plot stretched over all four stories. It wasn’t bad, but I don’t think it was strictly necessary. I would have preferred more depth to the characters or the world building. As it was, the villain was cliché, I never worried that Io was really in danger, and the way everything was wrapped up at the end of story three was really underwhelming. I was glad for the fourth story, which tied up the final loose threads, and ended everything on an upbeat note.

I don’t have much interest in reading anything else by Kassandra Lea. She’s clearly got the imagination and the writing skill, but I felt like she didn’t have a great grasp on the characters. A few times, developments came from left field, making it seem like they were thrown into the story just because.

Review: A Gargoyle Christmas (Blackstone Manor #4) by Kassandra Lea

A fluffy, no angst ending to the series.

3.5 out of 5 stars

E-book.  43 pages. Published December 10th 2016 by JMS Books LLC

Blurb:

Just like he did for Halloween, Io has decided to go all out for Christmas, a holiday not typically celebrated by the family. With the decorations up, the only thing he needs make it perfect is a blanket of fresh white snow. What’s Christmas without snowmen? There’s also the messy task of trying to, yet again, find the right gift for Cinder.

Meanwhile, Cinder has his plate full. Not only is he dealing with the sudden explosion of holiday decorations in Blackstone Manor, but the time has come for him to pick a new beta. Who is right for the position? If he doesn’t pick Io, will his beloved be hurt? 

Likes:

  • Quick, easy read.
  • Mostly fluff.
  • Wraps up the series well.
  • More information about the gargoyle pack.
  • Cinder shows his love for Io in many little ways.

Dislikes:

  • No substance.
  • No tension.
  • Cinder and Daisy are old friends.
  • Cinder doesn’t know why old buildings protect the balance.
  • No smut.
  • Minor editing mistakes.
  • Snowmen and snow angels at the same time.

All things considered, this was a good ending to the series. Despite what the blurb tries to push, no extra drama was introduced. Cinder never seriously considered Io for the position of beta, and once he brings it up, the whole conversation is over in a flash.

This story is more like a Christmas special, with Io desperate to make his first Christmas with Cinder perfect. In fact, he stresses out so much that he drags others into his orbit. Both Daisy and Cinder do things to make Io happy, things they know they shouldn’t do. But, because this is a short story and the consequences are never dire, everything turns out fine.

If I was going to put a good spin on this story, I would say that it’s a quick, easy read with lots of fluff. If I was harsher, I’d say it has no substance. There is one point that is serious and has the potential for character growth. It came out of the blue, and was over without much fanfare.

I did like that there was a little more shown about the gargoyle pack, as well as the mention of another supernatural species. A part of me wishes that all the stories had been written to be more focused on the characters and their actions like this story was. Actions speak louder than words, and the little ways Cinder shows his love for Io really made this story. It’s too bad there was no on-page smut.

The deep friendship between Daisy and Cinder felt like it came from left field. It made me feel like the author didn’t really have a good knowledge of the characters, and was just adding things in willy-nilly. Again, there were minor editing mistakes that really stood out. And I couldn’t help but notice something that went contrary to my personal experience. Io and Cinder enjoyed making both snow angels and snowmen in the same afternoon. But in my experience, you want light, fluffy snow to make snow angels, and wet, clumpy snow for snowmen. I’m sure it was just artistic license to make the afternoon fun, but it definitely caught my eye.

It also made me realize that Io doesn’t really do gargoyle work. He spends his nights baking, decorating, having fun with Cinder, or watching movies with Daisy. What about guarding the old buildings? And speaking of old buildings. The fact that even Cinder doesn’t know how the old buildings keep the balance between the worlds of the living and the dead was bullshit. I believe it if Io doesn’t know, but for Cinder not to know and not to care, struck me as lazy writing.

I definitely prefer this story to the last. It ends on good notes all around. Cinder and Io are happy, the pack has a new beta, all the drama is over. And in the end, my complaints about the story are overshadowed by the happy ending.

Review: Promised (Blackstone Manor #3) by Kassandra Lea

My least favorite of the series.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. 47 pages. Published October 8th 2016 by JMS Books LLC 

Blurb:

Blackstone Manor is complete, and what better way to celebrate than a Halloween party? At least, that’s how Io sees it. He’s already splurged on candy and decorations. Cinder isn’t entirely on board, however, hating the look of disappointment on Io’s face when he nixes the idea.

Yet somehow Io gets his way, and the party goes ahead as planned. It can’t be all that bad, right? But throw in couples’ costumes, Daisy acting weird, real ghosts, and the secret Cinder has been harboring from Io, and it’s sure to be a night none of them forget. 

Likes:

  • All the key plot points wrapped up.
  • Finally met other members of the pack.
  • A little more world building.
  • Daisy is asexual.

Dislikes:

  • My least favorite so far.
  • No character development.
  • No smut.
  • The way things were wrapped up was anticlimactic.
  • Classic ‘don’t know how/why things happened.’
  • Minor editing mistakes.
  • Cinder knows his actions are hurting Io and does nothing about it.

This is definitely my least favorite story so far. It does wrap up all the key points that have been brought up over the past two stories. But because that’s the main focus, there’s no character development.

This story is also low on romance. Chapter one opens with Io lamenting that things between him and Cinder have “fizzled.” The two aren’t communicating and haven’t been intimate in months. Io blames himself, but I blame Cinder. Cinder knows his lack of attention is hurting Io, but he doesn’t do anything about it. His excuse for not addressing the growing rift is lame. Honestly, this story made me feel like Cinder and Io simply aren’t a good match.

I’m not even happy with how things with Ran’imy were wrapped up. It was anticlimactic, with vague outside forces stepping in at the last minute. Add in the classic ‘don’t know how/why things happened’ non-answer when asked about those outside forces, and it wasn’t particularly satisfying.

I am happy that there was a little more world building this time around. We finally get to meet other members of the pack, as well as find out how many members the pack has. But my favorite thing about the book has to be that Daisy is asexual. I love when there’s more LGBTQ+ representation in mm romance books.

Once again, there are minor editing mistakes, that seem much more obvious because of the shortness of the story. There’s even multiple instances of the first letter in a sentence not being capitalized, which struck me as a very simple mistake to catch.

I’m glad this isn’t the last story in the series. Even though everything was wrapped up, I’m hoping for a better overall ending. One that sees Io and Cinder happy throughout most of the story. There wasn’t even any on-page smut this time around. Here’s hoping the final story will end on a high note!

Review: Heart’s Triumph (Blackstone Manor #2) by Kassandra Lea

A cute followup to the first story.

4.5 out of 5 stars

E-book. 38 pages. Published August 13th 2016 by JMS Books LLC

Blurb:

Two months have passed since Masonry Gargoyle Io came clean with Cinder about his feelings. Of course, in the process, he broke a major rule. Cinder stood by him, at a price, as the Council planned to pay a visit to decide their fate. Io may still be thrown out of the pack, and there’s no telling what punishment would be bestowed on Cinder.

As if that isn’t bad enough, Ran’imy is mad, jealous, and no doubt cooking up some nefarious plan. After all, she had her sights set on Cinder, too. How could he pick Io, the bumbling fool, over her?

Io has to stand by Cinder’s side before the Council, but their relationship is still new. Will their love be strong enough to withstand the Council and Ran’imy’s revenge? 

Likes:

  • Not much time passed between the stories.
  • There are consequences of Io’s actions.
  • More from Cinder’s point of view.
  • Some action and drama.
  • Budding relationship.

Dislikes:

  • Io felt childish at times.
  • Continuity error.
  • Lots of minor editing mistakes.
  • Rain’imy is still a cliché villain.
  • Not much world building.

I really liked that this story takes place soon after the first. Cinder and Io have gotten closer, but their relationship is still growing. They both really like each other, but at the same time they’re still settling into a routine.

I also liked that there were consequences for Io’s actions in the last story. It would have felt wrong for Io to get away with summoning a Guardian without consequence. It was a nice touch that Cinder, as the family alpha, got dragged into things too, for not automatically banishing Io for breaking the rules.

While the resolution of the council meeting was simplistic, it fit with the style of the story. It also worked because the council meeting turned out not to be the main point of the story. Rain’imy returned, still a cliché villain, and her actions drove a significant portion of the plot.

I never really worried about Io getting seriously hurt. This series simply doesn’t give off a dark vibe. It’s a light, quick read with the focus on romance with a hint of smut. And I think it does well. It gave me the satisfaction of seeing Io and Cinder grow closer, while also navigating the fact that neither of them has ever been in a long-term serious relationship.

Cinder got the lion’s share of the point of view, which was a nice change from the first story. It did make Io feel a little childish, with Cinder commenting at once point that they were decades apart in age. I wish Cinder had been shown doing things that had more to do with the family of gargoyles in general. As in the last book, there’s not a ton of world building in this one.

I am usually willing to overlook minor editing errors in self-published or small press books. This time, however, there were a number of errors sprinkled throughout the story, as well as a glaring continuity error between chapters six and seven. It wasn’t enough for me to take points off my review, but it was noticeable.

I’m looking forward to the next story in the series. I like Io and Cinder more now, simply because I’ve spent more time with them. I think they’re both interesting characters and I’m looking forward to seeing their romance continue to grow.

Review: Blackstone Manor (Blackstone Manor #1) by Kassandra Lea

A quick read with an unusual spin on gargoyles.

3 out of 5 stars

 Ebook. 38 pages. Published June 4th 2016 by JMS Books LLC 

Blurb:

Io is a Masonry Gargoyle tasked with looking after old buildings to help maintain a balance, and he’s hopelessly in love with his alpha, Cinder. If only he wasn’t such a screw up. With Cinder’s birthday right around the corner, Io is convinced he has found the perfect gift — Blackstone Manor, an estate that has captivated Cinder for years. He just needs to find the deed before the house is demolished.

Of course, keeping the gift a secret from the bitter beta Ran’imy may prove easier said than done. She has her sights set on Cinder, too. But Io is willing to do whatever he has to, including crossing a line that could get him banished from the clan.

He’s about to make a stand for love.

Likes:

  • Gargoyles.
  • The idea of gargoyles as protectors of old buildings.
  • Cinder checked for consent.
  • Short and sweet.

Dislikes:

  • Ran’imy was a typical female mm romance villain.
  • Needed more world building.
  • Strangely dated fashion choices.
  • Is Cinder a good leader?

I both love and hate stories that are this short. They’re great when you want something short and sweet. But more often than not, they leave me wishing for more world building or character development. In this case, a little of both.

The story itself is unique. Gargoyles are a type of supernatural being that I don’t see a lot of in mm romance. I liked that they fit in with the main thing I think about gargoyles in popular culture – they turn to stone if exposed to sunlight. But the author also added her own spin. There are two types of gargoyles, Masonry and Guardian, and the masonry types are responsible for guarding old buildings as a way of keeping balance between the worlds of the living and the dead. Gargoyles live in groups, with an alpha leader, and all the other members are divided into betas and omegas.

I thought the basic setup was interesting, and the main character, Io, wasn’t bad either. He’s basically the lowest rung on the ladder, and is constantly bullied by the story’s main villain, Ran’imy. His single-minded determination to win the affection of the group alpha, Cinder, help make him likeable.

I almost thought I wasn’t going to like Cinder. There was a moment where he was really pushing the boundaries of abusing his position to get Io in bed. Then he redeemed himself by asking “Are you doing this because you want to or because you feel obligated?” That double check about consent made him likeable.

I wish both men had been fleshed out more. I have no idea why Ran’imy goes out of her way to bully Io so much, other than him being an easy target. I also don’t know what specifically it is about Cinder than Io likes so much. Cinder isn’t described physically, and we learn next to nothing about him. In fact, I have to wonder if he’s a good leader. He doesn’t like Ran’imy, despite the fact that she’s his second in command, and he spends a lot of time wondering if his actions will make him look weak.

I also wish the gargoyles had been physically described. They have wings, but otherwise seem human. They wear clothes, including Ran’imy’s bedazzled jeans, which are an unfortunate piece of dated pop culture.

Ran’imy is what I think of as a traditional female mm romance villain. The kind of woman who wants to sleep with one of the men, despite having been rebuffed. It’s not a trope I enjoy, because it lacks depth, and there’s a trend in mm romance to portray women as potential homewreckers.

When I reached the end of this story, I couldn’t help but wonder why it wasn’t a little longer. A few more paragraphs of description would have really fleshed it out. Not to mention that for a story that’s been published by a small publisher, there were a number of glaring errors, including some dialogue at a pivotal moment that was tagged wrong.

I’m glad there are more stories in this series. Hopefully we’ll get more world and character building. I’m also looking forward to seeing Cinder and Io get closer.

Review: Pumpkin Rolls and Porn Sounds by Kris T. Bethke

I felt disengaged and ended up giving up halfway.

2 out of 5 stars

DNF 50%

Kindle Edition. 53 pages. Published September 21st 2019 by JMS Books LLC (first published February 11th 2015)

Blurb:

Will Grant only attends the PFLAG meeting because his mother guilts him into it. But the instant he hears the night’s speaker, Will is glad he showed up. Joshua Rhinehardt is dynamic and engaging. Although Joshua isn’t physically Will’s type, Will can’t get the man out of his head.

Joshua may be comfortable in his own skin, but it isn’t often men like Will are attracted to him, and he’s not comfortable changing for someone else. He wants to make a life with Will, but his own insecurities keep getting in the way.

Will’s unwavering acceptance helps Joshua see that when two people connect, physical appearance just might not matter at all. 

Likes:

  • Will was willing to go at Joshua’s pace.

Dislikes:

  • Didn’t click with Will.
  • No tension.
  • Will feels like a chick with a dick.
  • Didn’t care.

DNF 50%

I once had to listen to a newly engaged couple gush about how they’d met and fallen in love. Reading this story was similar, in that I didn’t care and ended up bored. Now, to be fair to this story, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it in technical terms. But I felt massively disengaged from Will right from the start, which was really strange given that the story was told from his point of view.

Will and Joshua seemed like okay characters. They simply didn’t have anything interesting about them or their lives. Will isn’t exactly the kind of character I generally gravitate to – he’s hot and he knows it, is a self-professed attention whore, and his reaction to the first date gave me strong ‘chick with a dick’ vibes.

“I stood there for a moment, letting the giddy “first date” feelings wash over me. It had been so good, and I had to trust there would be more. I was still hard, but I didn’t do anything about it. I just puttered around the house, slowly getting ready for bed while my brain replayed that kiss over and over.

Eventually, I stripped off my clothes and crawled into bed. It wasn’t that late – not even eleven yet – but I wanted to lie in the quiet and remember every moment of our date. I didn’t care if that put me in the same category as a teenaged girl. I relieved it as though it were happening all over again. I fell asleep several hours later, a smile on my lips and anticipation in my heart.”

I think the strangest part of the passage above is that it doesn’t mesh with my overall impression of Will. He’s bold and flirtatious, going for what he wants because he knows he can get it. His willingness to go at Joshua’s pace was nice, but he admitted several times that he wasn’t good at waiting and got impatient easily.

I’m not used to romance stories that don’t have anything else going on besides the romance. Even in short stories like this one, there’s background stuff happening. I think that contributed to my feeling of boredom, as did the fact that the story is stretched out over the course of weeks. There was a lot of jumping around, from Joshua and Will’s initial meeting, to their second meeting, to the first date, a random phone call, etc.

I honestly feel bad for not finishing such a short story, but I had to force myself to even make it halfway. I kept putting the story down and finding any excuse not to pick it back up. It simply wasn’t worth the time to finish.

Review: The Arch-Mage’s Firebird by K.L. Noone

A good story idea, but way too short.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Kindle Edition. 41 pages. Published February 1st 2020 by JMS Books LLC

Blurb:

Thomas East was meant to be the youngest Arch-Mage in history, a magical genius and a solver of problems. But he hadn’t expected quite so many problems — not to mention the endless meetings, bureaucracy, and political negotiations. So he’s currently hiding in a sleepy California seaside town, working in an ice cream parlor and avoiding everyone he’s let down … until a firebird in need of rescue crashes into his shop.

Nicholas Incandesco has far too many problems. He’s a firebird, a shapeshifter, and a power source, and a lot of magicians could use someone with his gifts. He’s also technically a murder suspect with two magical bounty hunters on his trail. He just wants someplace safe to land, and the attractive witch behind the ice cream counter might offer a sweet refuge.

This encounter might be exactly what both Nicholas and Tom need to find themselves … and rescue each other. 

Likes:

  • Started off right when the action begins.
  • The story was good.
  • Tom wanted to help the familiars and magical creatures.
  • Both Tom and Nicholas seemed nice.
  • Tom was sympathetic.
  • The romance was fast but sweet.
  • Included a playlist.

Dislikes:

  • Way too short for my tastes.
  • Lots of backstory.
  • Hard to form a deep bond with either character.
  • The prose is a bit too flowery for my tastes. Lots of long sentences and semi-colons.

I’ll admit to being sucked in by the blurb and not checking the page length. My mistake. I could tell right away from how the story opened that this was going to be short. I expected a novella, but at only 43 pages, it’s not even that. A short story that’s on the long side, maybe.

I love a good novella, but this story is simply too short for my tastes. It focused basically on two scenes – in the ice cream parlor and in Tom’s apartment. Aside from that, there was a lot of backstory. That’s the downside of starting a story in the middle of action. You then have to explain how everyone ended up there.

From the backstory, I got a good feeling about both Tom and Nicholas. It was a little sad that I was judging them for their past actions rather than for the present ones, but I did approve of how Tom had fought to get magical creatures and familiars more rights in the magical society. I also sympathized with how Tom’s idealistic ideas of changing the world for the better came crashing down in the face of bureaucracy and greed.

The story was an interesting one, and a lot was packed into the few short pages. It definitely left me wanting more. I think there’s enough possibility here to have turned the story into a full-fledged novel, or even a good-sized novella, and I can’t help but wonder why it wasn’t. It was too short for me to form a deep attachment to either man, and left me wanting to watch the relationship actually develop. All that was on the page was the first blush of romance.

Then again, the flowery language, while fine in such a short story, would have gotten overwhelming in something longer. It wasn’t bad, just not suited to my tastes. I like simplicity, not overly long sentences, lots of semi-colons, and abundant similes. I’ve read fiction written by poets before, and that’s what this story reminded me of. I don’t think I could have read an entire novel filled with sentences like, “Companionable sunbeams, plump and indolent, traveled across the end of the bed. Met sheet-hills of white froth and plopped down, content.”

I did like that the author included a playlist of songs she listened to when writing. That was new to me.

Even though this story isn’t listed as part of a series, it’s loosely connected to two other stories, and I plan to read both of those as well. But sadly, they’re equally as short.

Review: Music and Magic by Foster Bridget Cassidy

Took me a bit to warm up to the story, but then it turned out really well.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. 152 pages  Published on April 2, 2020 by JMS Books LLC

Blurb.

Markle Vanrick is cursed by the gods. Nothing in his life has ever worked out. So, when he works up the courage to leave home with only his lute, it’s only natural his money is stolen and he’s stuck without a way to get to his cousin’s farm.

Enter Frye Indori, a mischievous man who lives life to the fullest — only because he’s a few steps away from being caught and killed. Blessed with magic from the goddess Magana, Frye fled his hometown to escape the clutches of the corrupt priestess performing evils in the goddess’s name. When he runs into helpless Markle, he feels obligated to show Markle there is some good in the world.

Like it or not, Markle gets caught up in Frye’s game of fox and hare. When the priestess finally catches them, Markle may have a few surprises of his own.

Likes:

  • World building.
  • The way magic was used.
  • I did eventually get invested in the story.
  • The men, together and separately.
  • A surprisingly well rounded novella.
  • Story wrapped up but with a hint of future books to come.

Dislikes:

  • No immediate hook.
  • Took me a while to warm up to the story and characters.
  • No information about the book up on Goodreads.
  • Blatant withholding of information from the reader.
  • Romance was a little clunky.

My biggest problem with a lot of novellas is that they have a hard time hooking me. It feel like they start off mid-story and I’m scrambling to understand what’s going on. It leads to a lot of backstory so the readers can get caught up, and the forward momentum is dampened. That’s what happened at the beginning of this book.

I’ll admit that I was not hooked right away, either by the story or the men. Happily, it didn’t take too long before I was invested. It’s clear from the beginning that something is different about Markle. His resistance to Frye’s magic added a hint of mystery to the plot. There’s also a feeling that a lot is happening around the two men, and that it will be explained later. And it was

I am pleasantly surprised at how fleshed out this story is. For a novella, it contained a lot of information. The world building was interesting, magic system was understandable, and both men’s pasts got explained. There was even time to set up a hint that this is the first book in a series.

As for the romance, it wasn’t as smooth as I’m used to. Markle and Frye spent a good chunk of time unsure if their feelings were real. Then, like a switch being flipped, they got together. I would actually say that their blossoming friendship was my favorite part of the book. Markle starts off weary of Frye. Watching both men open up to each other was heartwarming, and the romance wouldn’t have been nearly as good without that solid foundation of trust and understanding.

One thing I definitely didn’t like was the obvious way certain information was kept from the reader. It was blatant and annoying. Whenever I come across something like this in a book, I feel the heavy hand of the author. It’s like ‘There’s something important here, so you should pay attention, but also I’m not going to tell you what it is yet.’ Ugh. I’m just glad it didn’t get dragged out.

I am honestly surprised at how much I ended up liking this book at the end compared to how unenthusiastic I was at the beginning. I’ve never read anything by Foster Bridget Cassidy before, but I’ll definitely check out some of her other works in the future. The talent is there. And anyone who writes quality high fantasy novellas is my kind of author.