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REVIEW: Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
The Wildersongs Trilogy: Sorcery and Small Magics – Maiga Doocy
Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together.
Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.
He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.
That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.
Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.
Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy puts the charm in this charming not-yet-but-hopefully-very-soon-to-be romance between two bitter rivals brought together by a curse.
The opening drops us right in the thick of things. The new school year is just starting, and our 1st-person narrator and troublemaker extraordinaire Leovander Loveage yet again crosses paths with his nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. The two are students in the magical school The Fount.
Then, in one of their subjects, they were partnered against their will. Putting the force in their forced proximity is a curse Sebastian unknowingly cast on Leo, thinking it was just a simple spell Leo wrote for their lesson.
Leo is doomed to obey whatever command Sebastian says. It even causes Leo to be drawn to wherever Sebastian is. It got progressively worse that, in desperation, Leo and Sebastian decided to travel to the notoriously dangerous Unquiet Woods to search for the sorcerer who could undo the curse.
The world-building efficiently relays the need-to-knows as the story progresses. It’s not as deep and detailed as I would have liked, with the writing focusing more on the dynamics between Leo and Sebastian and their quest to break the curse.
Meandor is a country where people with magical abilities study at The Fount. The graduates usually go on to work for The Coterie, which is like a magical army. They render their services in many villages or patrol the border in the Unquiet Woods, home to outlaws and monsters.
Sebastian is determined to be recruited and has his life planned out with grand ambitions for a seat in their council. Leo has no concrete plans after graduation other than to live in his childhood home. And that he’s determined to be as useless and carefree as possible,
The magic system is reminiscent of Jordan Castillo Price‘s The ABCs of Spellcraft. The magic is created by two individuals. One is the scriver or writer of the spell like Leo. Just like in JCP‘s book, the wording is chosen with care. The language used is the Old Language, although the author does not give examples with Leo relaying them in English.
The other is the caster like Sebastian. Intent is key, and whenever a spell is cast the paper burns. Sebastian is popular on campus since he is an exceptionally strong caster.
Casters rely on scrivers for their spells since they cannot write their own. There are typically more casters than scrivers, and this has an impact on the story. Leo is an odd duck in that he can cast.
A key point in the book is that he doesn’t create strong spells known as Grand Magic because they have disastrous results. But he can cast spells using music, like that which turned Sebastian’s hair pink or made clothes feel warm when the weather is cold, even though he is technically a scriver. This will be significant in future books.
I find most fantasy books too slow-paced, but Leo has an engaging and humorous point of view that makes reading a joy. His thoughts are always full of mischief and, as it later turned out, full of things left unsaid and unrealized until pointed out.
And so I was swept away by his twisty-turny tale, his resourcefulness, and his ability to think on his feet. Because he is limited to small spells, our boy has no choice but to make the most of what he’s got. His ingenuity saved their asses and others a time or two. Mostly though, he’s causing trouble.
Sebastian is a tough nut to crack. He’s a man of a few words, resting bitch face and lovely grey hair. You can tell he’s a good guy by the fact that he hasn’t told Leo to jump off the cliff the whole time they were together with Leo continually pushing his buttons. Sebastian is very conscious not to abuse the power he has over his infuriating nemesis.
Maybe Leo was an oblivious dork, but there were mentions of Sebastian’s subtle expressions that generated ghosts of a squee. But we are not squeeing yet because there’s barely anything truly romantic happening, just the curse at work. In short, this is going to slow burn at a snail’s pace until the next two books.
In the meantime, let’s live for the pining and the tension because lord, those were adding years to my life!!! I love that this is a cozy fantasy, all butterflies and warm fuzzies.
From Leo and Sebastian’s antagonistic interactions in The Fount to their road trip across the wilder, more dangerous areas of Meandor, the book is a fun, immersive experience building up to one grand spellbinding scene.
The writing is easy to digest and both Leo and Sebastian were compelling in their own ways. Together, their chemistry is a tantalizing promise of an epic romance in the next books. Let’s hope it lives up to it.
Sorcery and Small Magics is a story of two rivals, one curse, and a hundred conflicting feelings. Overall, wondrous, whimsical, and a whole lotta fun!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Spells
Artist: Cannons
Album: SpellsP.S.
The book ends rather abruptly. If cliffhangers aren’t your thing, best to wait for the trilogy to complete before starting.
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SORCERY AND SMALL MAGICS: Audiobook
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BOOK TOUR: The Crack at the Heart of Everything by Fiona Fenn
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SERIES REVIEW: A Paranormal Yakuza Duet by C.J. Ravenna
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet: Secrets & Sake – C.J. Ravenna
Jinta
He’s a yakuza with secrets. I’m the reporter determined to bring them to light.
When people start going missing, I sense a story that could make my whole career. I even have the perfect Raiden Noboru, enforcer for the most powerful yakuza organization in Japan.
The plan is go undercover as “Hiro” the photographer, cozy up to Raiden, and discover all he knows about the disappearances.
Problem is? Raiden isn’t the monster I thought he was. The beast beneath his skin is fiercely protective of what’s his, but he worships my body and soul, showing me a tender side of himself he hides from the rest of the world.
But I’ve got a story to tell. All I have to do… is betray the man I’m falling for.
Raiden
I stopped believing in fated mates long ago. Love only ends in heartbreak.
Ever since I was a boy, my only purpose has been to serve the Namikawa-kai.
Until him. The minute I see Hiro smile like a sunbeam and catch his cherry blossom scent, I’ve got to have him. What I thought would be a casual fling becomes so much more. Hiro is mine. Mine to care for, mine to protect. No one else can have him.
Before I realize it, I’m beginning to dream of a life outside the yakuza, a life with Hiro. Too bad that’s all it’ll ever be. A dream. I’ll never make someone as innocent as Hiro happy. I’m a criminal, and I’m no good for him…
…But I can’t stay away from him.
Secrets & Sake is book 1 in A Paranormal Yakuza Duet. It features insta-love, fated mates and wolf shifters, a sunshine undercover reporter and the grumpy yakuza soft only for him, loads of possessive touch-him-and-die vibes, plenty of searingly hot spice, and a Happy-For-Now conclusion.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Unmei no Akai Ito (Red String of Destiny)
Artist: Koshitomo
Album: Atelier
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet: Curses & Kitsune – C.J. Ravenna
Jinta
Nothing’s easy when you’re fated to a yakuza boss.
I’m possessed by an ancient, powerful kitsune hellbent on chaos and destruction. Until we can find a way to lift the curse, I’m a threat to everyone I hold dear. Tensions within the Namikawa-kai, hunters lurking in the shadows, and vengeful ex-boyfriends want to thwart us at every step.
All I want is to be with Raiden, my mate, the man I love. If we stand together, we can get through it all. But when I see a new, ugly side to Raiden, I can’t help but question if we really want the same things.
When the time comes to run, will Raiden leave it all behind for me?
Raiden
I’ll destroy anyone who hurts my mate—but I’m the one hurting him the most.
I’m the boss now. This is my pack. Tokyo is my city. No one will ever control me again. As I fall deeper into my new responsibilities, Jinta and I grow more estranged.
When betrayal strikes from within my own pack, Jinta is the one who pays the price. Jinta has no place in my world. He’s a pure ray of sunshine in the darkness of my life, and I can’t be the reason he gets hurt. I don’t deserve him. Never have.
I’ve got to let him go. Before the shadows of my world consume the only person I’ve ever loved.
Curses & Kitsune is the final book in A Paranormal Yakuza Duet and concludes with a hard-won Happily-Ever-After.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Kisetsu wa Tsugi Tsugi Shindeiku (Seasons Die One After Another)
Artist: Amazarashi
Album: Kisetsu wa Tsugi Tsugi Shindeiku
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet by new-to-me author C.J. Ravenna is a fabulous combination of werewolves and yakuza. Add to that a deft use of Japanese mythology that blended seamlessly into the plot, with action-packed scenes that pulled no punches on the violence and gore, the noir atmosphere, and it was easy to imagine how fantastic this would be as an anime!
Jinta Onodera, an ambitious young reporter itching for that big break, decided to go undercover as a yakuza fan magazine photographer to investigate the case of several people who disappeared in the Namikawa-kai territory. In his first meeting with the Namikawa enforcer, the notorious Wolf of Asakusa Raiden Noburo, the two hit it off immediately.
The romance started the very day they met. Raiden was immediately drawn to “Hiro,” who smelled like cherry blossoms. In turn, Jinta was falling hard and fast for the yakuza, who wasn’t the monster his reputation says he is. As fated mates, they were connected by the red string.
Raiden is growly, possessive, gorgeously tattooed, and drool-worthy in a suit or kimono. He suffered abuse and was groomed by another yakuza when he was just a teenager. He was traumatized by his parents when his father abandoned them, and his mother handed him over to the Namikawa as payment for his father’s debts.
Jinta was treated by his family as less than his golden boy brother. He’s super insecure about his worth, especially after he caught his ex-boyfriend in bed with his brother. Jinta is determined to make it big with the story he plans to write about the yakuza and the missing persons.
I was ready to root for Raiden and Jinta. Raiden calls Jinta, with his beaming smile, “sunshine,” which gives me life every time! And Raiden going after his Sunshine in the afterlife raises the bar for everyone! What I liked about Jinta is he gave Raiden the courage to dare hope for a life outside the yakuza.
While they were a solid unit at first, they soon fell into the hot/cold pattern of bitter fights and reconciliation sex. An incident would trigger an insecurity or trauma. One would lash out (usually Jinta) and then walk out. Then another incident would lead to a meeting, swoony words and grand promises are exchanged, sex ensues, and then all is okay until another trigger.
The first few times, it was emotions and feels. Then, I just stopped paying attention because the drama went on until the second book (Sunshine is a flaky boy, sadly) and I was tired. The real fun is in the paranormal and the yakuza business.
Yakuza politics, much like mafia politics, is a fascinating read. In Book 1, Secrets & Sake, the Namikawa-kai is headed by Namikawa, an elderly man who seemed to be around forever. The yakuza boss is a harsh master to Raiden, using alpha control to make Raiden hurt himself as punishment.
There is tension between the Namikawa-kai and their biggest rival, Takata-kai, headed by Takata, formerly a Namikawa, who thinks he should be their leader. There is also a painful history between Takata and Raiden, with Takata eager to get his hands on Raiden the moment the Namikawa enforcer showed weakness.
Later, we learn that Namikawa was cursed and that curse transferred to Jinta. Meanwhile, Raiden becomes the Namikawa-kai leader.
In Book 2, Curses & Kitsune, the famous nine-tailed kitsune is a bloodthirsty entity, and Jinta doesn’t know how to control it. Raiden drops everything to find a way to lift the curse (the Wolf of Asakusa always comes through). There is tension within Namikawa ranks when two members betray their pack. Wolf hunters are also making their presence known and are said to be working with the traitors.
Raiden is forced to do two unthinkable things: find his father and ask Takata for help. Meanwhile, Jinta made hissy fits. Then he tried to reunite with his family, only to realize it was best to say goodbye to the past and his family, and embrace the present and future with Raiden.
There are almost no lulls apart from the hissy fits. Lots of things are happening, and they’re happening relatively fast. The fight scenes are my favorite! The series also one of the most thorough at dealing with loose ends, with every bad guy given his comeuppance.
Representation of yakuza lore and Japanese culture was done with care, and the books were entertaining, apart from the romance. I am thankful that the author refrained from writing the books like manga in prose. I’ve encountered some books by authors doing very trope-y stories written like manga scenes, and they don’t translate well.
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet is not for the faint of heart. Passions and tempers run hot! Giant wolves and kitsune are on a rampage! Fated mates torn apart and reunited! Overall, intense, dark, and violent.
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SECRETS & SAKE: Kindle I Audiobook
CURSES & KITSUNE: Kindle I AudiobookIf you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
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BOOK TOUR: At the End of the River Styx by Michelle Kulwicki
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COVER REVEAL: Paris and the Reaper by Layla Reyne
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BOOK TOUR: Practical Rules for Cursed Witches by Kayla Cottingham
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REVIEW: Midnight Companion by Kit Barrie
Midnight Companion – Kit Barrie
The horseman comes for you.
Traveling schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane, doesn’t believe the rumors about witches and spirits haunting the idyllic village of Sleepy Hollow. The townsfolk, led by the rich Van Tassel family, are friendly and welcoming to strangers. On Halloween night, Ichabod is caught in the clutches of a frightening specter. But the Headless Horseman is not the devil he has been led to believe, and Ichabod finds himself falling for the lonely spirit.
All is not as it seems in Sleepy Hollow. Something besides the Horseman prowls the secluded woods. Upon learning the disturbing truth, Ichabod is determined to free the village from its evil curse. But, more importantly, he is determined to save the Horseman he has given his heart to, even if he loses his head in the process.
Midnight Companion is an M/M retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving was brought to life in the quirky supernatural gothic horror movie starring Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane, Christina Ricci as the ethereal Katrina Van Tassel, and Christopher Walken as the Headless Horseman. I’ve seen it countless times and still never get tired.
Midnight Companion by Kit Barrie is a retelling written in pitch-perfect gothic tones that captures all the wonderfully eerie scenes and gives it an unexpectedly endearing romantic twist by casting the Headless Horseman as a romantic lead.
The world-building is fabulous, easily conjuring images of an idyllic village suspended in time surrounded by dark, forbidding woods and the unsettling air of wrongness hidden in the smiles and welcomes.
The story opens with Ichabod Crane, a traveling schoolmaster, about to move to the next town up north after finishing his stint in the current one. The kind folks warned him against moving farther up north to Sleepy Hollow as people who ventured there were never heard from again.
Being of rational, scientific inclinations and not a believer of superstitions, Ichabod proceeded to Sleepy Hollow and was welcomed with open arms, particularly by the prominent Van Tassel family. Katrina Van Tassel took a liking to Ichabod and personally invited him to the Harvest Party in her house.
That was when things went awry for Ichabod, and he found himself cursed, hunted by mysterious entities, and rescued by the Headless Horseman. The same Headless Horseman the villagers said to have murdered anyone who ventured into the woods.
This is the first time I’ve encountered the Headless Horseman as the love interest. He’s the opposite of the one portrayed in the movie. As far as supernatural boyfriends go, Reiter, as Ichabod named him, is a complete gentleman, a devoted protector, and a patient lover to our virgin boy, Ichabod (some novel logistics here). A total sweetheart!
Reiter is cursed to remain as a headless spirit in a solitary existence. He was the first victim of the witch, and throughout the century, he tried helping other victims who didn’t survive. When it was Ichabod’s turn, he felt a pull towards the schoolmaster and had to protect him.
Ichabod is the same quirky, likable character as in the movie. The story is in his POV, and his thoughts reflect a logical mind, a kind heart, and a passion for helping others. He understandably freaked out during his first encounter with Reiter but quickly realized the Horseman meant no harm.
And because he’s that kind of person, he befriended the lonely spirit and soon found himself falling for the Headless Horseman’s understated charms. The romance is sweet and beautiful, the beam of light piercing through the gloom and doom cycle of deaths and curses.
My favorite part is Reiter letting Ichabod hold his head when they’re out and about, a sign of complete trust that warms my heart.
Together, Reiter and Ichabod worked to break the curse. It was a suspenseful race against time and an entire village. The story had me riveted from start to finish. I wanted more!
Two things, though. First, Ichabod’s hissy fit when Reiter told him the truth about the witch didn’t impress me. The dork had to be rescued again.
Second, Ichabod had to search for a key item to break Reiter’s curse. He actually found it, but I must have missed something because I was confused as heck why Ichabod just left it in its hiding place. Then they waited until the next Harvest Party to act. Couldn’t they grab the item sooner?
Overall, Midnight Companion did a spectacular job reworking a beloved Halloween tale into a seamless blend of sweet romance and spooky adventure. Also, a reminder to keep your head in the game when your heart is on the line.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Spellbound
Artist: Ghostly Kisses
Album: The City Holds My Heart
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MIDNIGHT COMPANION: Kindle I Audiobook
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BOOK TOUR: So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky
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RELEASE TOUR: Last Resort by Morgan Brice (Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Soul Bond by Mell Eight (Excerpt & Giveaway)
