Touched by Magic(Razor’s Edge Chronicles, #1) by Celine Jeanjean – Review

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5 stars, Adventure, Book Review, Celine Jeanjean, dogs, fantasy, magic, series, talking cats, urban fantasy

About Touched by Magic by Celine Jeanjean

I’m Apiva.  No, I’m not a badass magical asassin.  I’m a barber to the supernatural.  My magic is very weak and very niche — it works best with keeping things clean.  I know.  I can sense your awe at my power already.  And I’m sure you can see why barbering suits me well.

Although now that I’ve mastered the art of trimming a weretiger’s regrowth, my biggest challenge is fielding the insults of the shop’s cat. Sometimes I wish I had enough magic to go deeper into the city’s magical underbelly.  You know what they say—be careful what you wish for.

Everything changes when a pair of forest fae come into the shop one night, asking for help to protect their youngling. Something’s got them properly spooked, but they won’t say what. If it’s big and bad enough to scare the fae, it’s most definitely powerful enough to make a mouthful of me—probably a small mouthful, at that. And now that the fae have come to me, whatever’s after them is also after me.

My weak magic and a sarcastic cat for backup are unlikely to be enough to keep me alive and save the fae youngling.  There is someone who’s willing to help me—Sarroch. Arrogant, unpleasant, wealthy, and I don’t even know what kind of magical creature he is beneath his human form. Or what his motives are in offering to help.  I have no idea if I can trust him, but I’m so short on allies, I might not have a choice. I just hope I’m not making a huge mistake…

Grab Touched by Magic to see if I make it. Oh, and don’t get offended if the cat insults you…

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Review of Touched by Magic

I was very excited to get this first book in a new series by Celine Jeanjean.  I loved her Viper and Urchin series, so I have high expectations for this new one.  Book 1 did not disappoint!

The author has created a lovely detailed vision of Panong, the city where Apiya lives and barbers. The east Asian influence is evident in many ways: food, dress, transportation and, most importantly, in the folklore – the magical creatures, also known as the Mayak.  Many of the terms were not not familiar to me, prompting me to do a little research.  But the story gives plenty of definition and context so you will not need to do that research.  The Mayak is comprised of many different magical beings, each with their own agenda.  Those Mayak agendas will play into the story not only in this first book, but in the ongoing story.

Apiya is, as the title says, touched by magic.  That means she is not very magical but seems to be very lucky around things that are familiar to her.  Which explains why Hunter, the dog she loves, mostly sheds outside.  All this animal lover can say is Wow! What a great idea.  As a touched human, Apiya is also aware of all the other more powerful magical beings.  And while most of the Mayak believe Apiya to be beneath notice, a few do notice her.  Which is how she gets into a sticky situation.

Along for the adventure are Mr. Sangong, her magical mentor, her touched friend Chai, and businessman/Mayak Sarroch.  I found Mr. Sangong to be mysterious and not yet worthy of my loyalty because I’m not sure of his loyalty.  Chai is an artist with a talent for shaping any type of metal into whatever he wants.  And he is a great friend to Apiya, so, good guy.  Sarroch is the big question.  Is he good?  Is he evil? Will he help Apiya or eat her?  He is, I must admit, interesting.

I enjoyed Apiya’s relationship with her with parents.  They live in London, so she talks to them by phone.  Dad is a geeky scholar who barely knows how to use a phone and Mom is the calming voice of reason in the family.  Their family sense of humor is delightful!  Humor also comes in the form of a cat.  Timothy is a magical cockney cat, who doesn’t take orders from ‘inferiors’ (humans).  As Apiya says: ‘But that’s cats for you — tiny animals with enough arrogance to think they rule the world.”

The book ends on what I consider to be a cliffhanger.  That is, a major part of the storyline concluded and then the story continued, without the word ‘epilogue’ in between.  So I was a truly disappointed when it ended somewhat abruptly.  Touched by Magic is just 195 pages long and it was over too fast.  The next book is out next month though, so the wait is not long.  I am looking forward to more of Apiya’s adventures!

Thanks to the author who provided a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review.

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Engaging the Heiress (Camden Girls, #2) by Juli D. Revezzo – Review

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4 stars, Book Review, historical, Juli D. Revezzo, romance, Victorian England

About Engaging the Heiress by Juli D. Revezzo

Mr. Edwin Hetherington needs a fiancée he will never have to marry.  Years ago, his family lost everything to an unscrupulous Irish landlord. Now, the fellow offers to make amends by reinstating Edwin’s family title and properties forfeited during the famine, if he weds Miss Jera Camden, a young woman Edwin pines for but has never approached with more than polite conversation.

As far as Jera is concerned, so long as she manages to avoid an unwanted Scottish-born suitor of her mother’s choosing, the bluestocking is happy to play the part of Edwin’s blushing bride-to-be.

Can Edwin and Jera dupe the crafty landlord into making good on his promise before the wedding date arrives … or will their best-laid plans result in disaster?

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Review of Engaging the Heiress

It was easy to like the main characters Edwin Hetherington and Jera Camden.  They are friends and both would like more, but social circumstances make that possibility seem farfetched.   That is until Miles Vassyr comes along.  Vassyr makes an offer to help Edwin, in exchange for Edwin’s help.  There are two aspects to the deal.  Vassyr wants an architect and he wants to retore Edwin’s family title.  Vassyr’s motivation is confusing.  He wants an architect, but his heath is failing and may never live to see the the complete project.  He wants to make amends for what happened in Ireland, but why?  I never really figured Vassyr out.  

The Hetherington family history is only vaguely explained.  Which means I also did not understand how a title would be restored.  The subtleties of British titles and how they are bestowed is often lost on this American.

Regardless, I still enjoyed the story.  Like I say, Edwin and Jera are lovely characters whose lives end up taking a turn they did  not expect.  Dealing with the unscrupulous Mr. Vassyr and his creepy nephew challenge the pair.  Almost as challenging is treading among society (including an aggrieved former suitor) and Jera’s family.  The title is a bit of a giveaway regarding certain events, however those events are not evident until they happen.

Engaging the Heiress is the second book in the Camden Girls series.  The books have overlapping characters and some aspects of the plot are interconnected.  It might help to read book 1 first, but it is not necessary.

The author provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson – Review

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5 stars, Abigail Wilson, Book Review, gothic, historical, mystery, Regency, romance

About The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson

Haunted by the assault she’s kept hidden over the past four years, Charity Halliwell finally has a chance to return home to the quaint village she left more than five years before and the happy life she wants so badly to reclaim. All she needs is good conversation with her old friend and an opportunity to find a governess position, and she can leave the fear and guilt behind. But the family who agrees to her yearlong visit turns out to be a far cry from the one she thought she knew, particularly when her friend disappears and the one man she made certain would not be at the house is forced to return. How can she possibly heal and claim her independence when day in, day out she must face the only gentleman who ever held a piece of her heart?

Piers Cavanagh was branded a coward when he failed to show up for a duel he arranged. He had his reasons, of course, but disclosing them would hurt far more than continuing life as an outcast. And worse, with the mysterious departure of his sister, the strange nightly occurrences in the ruins of an old abbey, and the uncomfortable whispers of a secret organization, Piers must overcome his aversion to society and work with the last person he ever thought he would get the chance to speak to again—the girl whose heart he had no choice but to break.

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Review of The Vanishing at Loxby Manor

Abigail Wilson has perfected the historical mystery/romance formula.  The Vanishing at Loxby Manor  has all the elements that are required: a strong heroine who must overcome her 19th century restrictions, a hero who must overcome his own obstacles, a missing friend, and a secret society.  These elements combined with an atmospheric setting, a country manor with it’s own haunted ruins, imbue the tale with a gothic aura.

Piers Cavanaugh’s family is an eclectic group of characters.  Each seems to be hiding something, but you don’t know if what they are hiding is sinister or harmless.  The same can be said of the group of friends that includes Piers’ brother Avery.   Which means, when Seline Cavanaugh goes missing, there is no lack of questionable characters to suspect.   And there is no easy answer to the mystery.  So many clues, so many plots and sub-plots.  Expect to not solve the mystery until very near the end!

As Charity Halliwell tries to find her missing friend, Piers seems to be the only one she feels she can trust.  These two have a past which should keep them apart.  It is a testament to what can only be described as love that they do trust each other.  However, they both have secrets, so trust may be tested.

Heroine Charity Halliwell has impaired hearing, something rarely seen in romance novels.  Having someone in my life that suffers some of the same crowed-room hearing issues, I was immediately drawn to Charity and also to Piers, who understands Charity’s difficulties and goes out of his way to make sure she can hear him.

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor takes place in the same era as Ms. Wilson’s other books.  There is a teeny bit of overlap between novels – from an historical perspective. But they are completely standalone stories.

I am a fan of Ms. Wilson.  I’ve now read 3 of her 4 Regency mystery romances.  They are all wonderful!

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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