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REVIEW: The Enchanter’s Soul by Michele Notaro
The Ellwood Chronicles: The Enchanter’s Soul – Michele Notaro
Many fall as the last enchanter rises…
The first line of the ancient prophecy keeps playing over and over in my head, but I’m afraid to remember the rest. I don’t want to think about what’s coming for us—what’s coming for him. I’ve been keeping Brinnswick safe for years; I’ve been keeping my coven safe my whole life; and now I was responsible for keeping Sebastian safe, too. It shouldn’t have been a problem, he was my vitmea viramore, after all, and I was used to having the weight of the world on my shoulders.
What Seb doesn’t know is that everyone in the magical community is after him—even if they don’t realize it yet. They’ve been looking for him for centuries; not only for him, but for his soul. But they never counted on him having me. I will protect him with my every breath and take down anyone that gets in our way. His soul belongs with me, not in the arms of evil.
The Enchanter’s Soul is the second book in The Ellwood Chronicles and is a continuation of Sebastian and Ailin’s story. It contains explicit material and is intended for mature adults 18 years of age and older.
Recommended Reading Order:
The Enchanter’s Flame
The Witch’s Seal
The Enchanter’s Soul
The Enchanter’s Soul is the second book of The Ellwood Chronicles and picks up after the events following the big revelation about Sebastian. It talks of a prophecy that warned about enchanters and what their magic could bring to the world.
I liked this second book a little bit more than The Enchanter’s Flame. This has a lot of Ailin’s POV and it’s more compelling to see the story unfold from his perspective. We get more insights into the magical world. We also see the mighty Sage’s vulnerable side and his deep love for his soulmate, his vitmea viramore who needed a smack in the head majority of the time. The feelings ran deeper and cut more painfully because Sebastian needed a lot of convincing that what they have is real, magic bond or not and Ailin has to be the patient and understanding one. I enjoyed the push and pull between the viramores but the “I love you, I’ll protect you with everything I have” declarations did get a tad too repetitive.
Seb’s going about this whole enchanter business the wrong way. Dude, you got magic! MAGIC!!! Embrace it.
Sometimes he reminded me of Scooby Doo, a big guy who gets freaked out too easily by tiny critters but, still, loyal and brave where it counts. So I can’t get annoyed with him too much.
The book has a big cast, I can’t even remember how many kids Ailin has in his coven, and you bet he’s willing to die for any of them. It’s easy to like the Ellwoods, even the little shit Basil, who’s breaking Thayer’s heart. But hands down, the best secondary characters were Emerys, Ailin’s ex, and Julius, the vampire, who stood out with so much going on between the two of them that is yet to be revealed. I can’t wait for their book to come out.
The Enchanter’s Soul started slow then kicked into high gear at 65% when they discovered who’s responsible for the explosions. Then it erupted into all out magical battles that almost burned out their magic. And that wasn’t even it! They barely had time to breathe when Seb was captured, skinned alive and worse! What they did to that dragon… The bad guys were EVIL AF!!!
This was quite the roller coaster. Emotional ups and downs, complicated relationships and enjoyable family dynamics all wrapped up in magic and romance.
I am so hyped up for the next Ellwood adventure. More and more evil creatures are coming out of the woodwork, all of them after Sebastian and that prophecy. War is coming.
P.S.
Dragons on the cover (b~_^)b
Book 1, The Enchanter’s Flame here
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: The Magic Hour Is Now
Artist: Hellogoodbye
Album: Everything Is Debatable -
SOUNDTRACK: The Magic Hour Is Now by Hellogoodbye
Soundtrack to The Ellwood Chronicles: The Enchanter’s Soul by Michelle Notaro
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Many fall as the last enchanter rises
The awakened elder commands
He who controls ancient magic unlocks war or peaceBlood, fire and corruption surge
Power will flow and be supressed
Darkness within takes holdA soul absorbed; consumed by evil
Stolen magic conquers all
The hierarchy will fall; chaos rulesOne must die as the other rises
A broken seal breaks the fragile hold
Death and famine
War and bloodThe long-lost magic brings doom
While it flows on this realm, only turmoil can endure
Control it, rule the world
Destroy it, peace prevailsNo hope when hope is needed
Remember the past, look into the future
Purging the power is the key -
MOVIE FEATURE: Evening Shadows
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ABC BOOK CHALLENGE – R
This seems like a fun challenge to participate it. Let’s see how many letters I can get.
R is reckless rakes and ravens.
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MANGA: Ore No Mono Ni Nareba Ii
Ore No Mono Ni Nareba Ii – Chidori Peko
Ore no Mono ni Nareba Ii
The sweet love between a genius chocolatier and a trouble-making kouhai.Complex Love
Tomoki enters the school’s Boy’s Beauty Pageant to find out his rival is the “Perfect Prince” Shiratori who says to him, “If I win the pageant, please go out with me!”Makezu Kirai mo Suki no Uchi
Ginji and Miki have been rivals, competing in everything since they were kids, and this continues in the clothing shop they both end up working in. They make a bet where “the loser has to do whatever the winner says.” Miki wins, and of course his request is rather gay.Kyou Koso Kimi to!
Kotoha and Aizawa started dating a month ago, and Aizawa wants to smash. Kotaha isn’t one to rush things, but he decides to agree if Aizawa helps with costumes for the theatrical company he works for.Otona no Koi no Kudokikata
Jin is a 25-year-old living the average unfulfilling lifestyle. That’s when he hears his young neighbor next door, Kurosu, in trouble. He rushes over to try and help, but it turns out he was just reciting rapey lines from a script. The aspiring voice actor falls for Jin, and hijinks ensue.Kinda cute, kinda cliche stories…
Ore no Mono ni Nareba Ii: Of course the genius sempai is the uke!
Complex Love: A clutzy prince and a guy with a girly face who refused to be called cute. I think I’ve seen this before.
Makezu Kirai mo Suki no Uchi: As the Kaiser Chiefs song goes, “Love’s not a competition but I’m winning “
Kyou Koso Kimi to!: Seme’s making him work hard for that piece of action.
Otona no Koi no Kudokikata: This I want to see as an OVA so I could hear Kurosu’s golden voice.
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REVIEW: Psycho Romeo by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
Ward Security: Psycho Romeo – Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
The Ward Security Series is a spin-off of the Unbreakable Bonds Series.
Geoffrey Ralse is known for being the life of the party. He loves the club scene, hanging with his friends, and flirting with whomever catches his eye. He certainly isn’t going to stop living his life just because some would-be stalker starts sending him threats.
But it all changes when Geoffrey is drugged and wakes up half naked in his own home with a new message from his stalker.
He needs help and there’s only one person he trusts…
Protective Agent Sven Larsen has been fighting Geoffrey’s flirtatious advances for months, even though he’s impossibly drawn to the man. There’s no way he can be around him twenty-four/seven and not finally crack. But one look at Geoffrey’s haunted eyes, and he knows there’s no way he’s letting Geoffrey walk out of Ward Security without him.
Even if it means breaking his own rules, he will keep Geoffrey safe.
Trigger warning: There is a very short section with sexual assault that some could find upsetting
Ward Security is the spin-off series of Unbreakable Bonds. This features Ward Security employees from the bodyguards like Sven to the tech specialists like Quinn. Ward Security is like a family to many of them.
Rowe and Noah had a lot of page time here. My heart gave happy lil jigs every time the UB characters show up on page or there were updates on how they’re doing.
I’m super amused at how the book kept emphasizing that Geoffrey, at 5’5, is smol while here I am, an inch shorter than him and considered ‘tall’ by everyone I know. We’re all hobbits to Sven, who stands at 6’7(?).
“Looks like I am doomed to stand in the land of giants.”
It’s not only the size difference that made up their crazy good opposite-attracts chemistry. Geoffrey is vivacious and talkative while Sven is taciturn and still. The bodyguard tried to put up a distant, stoic front but Geoffrey was adorably relentless. The great Nordic giant stood no chance. And I knew, that moment in Unbreakable Bonds when Geoffrey flipped him over his back with his badass Aikido move, they were IT!
Psycho Romeo has some noticeably wonky parts. The mystery took longer to solve than it was supposed to and the showdown with the villain was a bit meh though I’m happy Geoffrey was no damsel in distress. I hardly felt any suspense but as a whole, these weaknesses could be overlooked because the book delivered where it really mattered.
The thing with JD & RE so far is that they write great romance but the other aspects of the stories are not as strongly executed. These things might or might not be a big deal depending on how good the book is in general. Be that as it may, they have created many memorable characters and it’s quite easy to get hook on their books.
From the look of things, Ward Security is shaping up to be as addicting as the original series. I’m already starting on Quinn and Shane’s story.
P.S.
To fully enjoy Ward Security, it’s best to also read Unbreakable Bonds. The books should be read in order.
Unbreakable Bonds books here
Jocelynn Drake books hereRating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: We Fit Together
Artist: Jess Penner
Album: Love, Love, Love -
SOUNDTRACK: We Fit Together by Jess Penner
Soundtrack to Ward Security: Psycho Romeo by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
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They couldn’t have been more opposite in personality, size, income bracket… pretty much everything.
Except for the loneliness.
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MOVIE FEATURE: Cal
