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REVIEW: The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide
The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide
Set in Regency England, The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide is a queer historical fantasy of magic, murder, high heat and humour.
Lord Nicholas Monterris, the last remaining heir of a crumbling ducal house, must marry to save his family from complete decline. His father chooses Lady Leaf Serral, eldest daughter of his greatest rival, at which point Nic is sure it can’t get any worse. Until he learns the head negotiator is to be Dashiell sa Vare, an old flame he has neither forgiven nor forgotten, a man their rigid class structure forbids him to love.
Locked in the mouldering grandeur of Monterris Court (a house more haunting manifestation of dynastic ambition and ancestral guilt than home), the first dead body is troubling. The second, a warning that someone doesn’t want the contract to go ahead. But while Nic and his wife-to-be team up to banter their way through a secret murder investigation, it’s Dashiell he can’t stop thinking about. What would be worse? To love and have to let go, or to wholly deny the yearning of one’s heart forever?
Perfect for fans of Freya Marske and Alexis Hall, The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide is the perfect blend of gothic and romantic – including a locked room murder mystery, forbidden love and otherworldly automatons.
The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide is a blind read that hooked me from the opening chapter till the end. Half of it is due to new-to-me narrator James Langton, whose storyteller voice immediately drew me in, and the author’s engaging writing style that kept me riveted.
The plot is part romance, part fantasy, and mostly murder mystery, weaving together family drama, bad blood, dark secrets, and vengeful ghosts.
The story is in Lord Nicholas Monterris’s third-person POV. Nic, being the sole heir of a dukedom on the brink of bankruptcy, is about to be contracted to marry Lady Leaf Serral of the wealthy House Serral.
The two families were bitter rivals, so it was a surprise to Nic his father, the duke, is hell-bent on completing the contract despite the numerous tragedies happening during the negotiations.
My favorite aspect is the world-building. This is set in an alt-Regency world where LGBTQ+ is accepted and people with magic abilities are called Brilliants. They are generally the aristocracy. Everything is governed by contracts and contracts are made by vowsmiths.
Vowsmiths are glorified lawyers with magical abilities. They write the contracts and make them binding by smithing, which is the process of inscribing magical runes. It’s actually as tedious as real-world contracts, but I think this paper-based magic is pretty fabulous!
As much as I liked the world, there are also some low-key steampunk elements that I wished were utilized more. The Regency part was also so subtle, I initially didn’t realize this was set in England.
Brilliance, vowsmithing, and other concepts mentioned, like the Care Clause, could have been expanded more. The Care Clause was invoked but what happened after that was not shown.
The vowsmith hired by the Serral to negotiate on their behalf is none other than Nic’s childhood friend a.k.a. long-time crush, Dashiell sa Vare. Dash was the duke’s former apprentice, the duke being a vowsmith before he inherited the title.
Dash and Nic’s interactions weren’t as frequent as I preferred but I lived for those moments they were together. The chemistry is chef’s kiss! Dash is polite and professional but when he makes passionate declarations, it’s swoony as hell!! And those long looks across the table! Also, buying a whole new wardrobe just to impress Nic.
Meanwhile, Nic has perma heart eyes from the moment Dashiell steps into his house. Dash was the one who got away, so him walking back into Nic’s life…our boy isn’t letting him go again!
While the negotiations are underway, the brilliants are magically obligated to stay within the duke’s residence. And this is where the fun starts, because they cannot leave even with ghosts and dead bodies in their midst.
Rather than Nic, our amateur sleuth turned out to be Leaf. She was the best character, smart, determined, and ambitious, even if her sleuthing skills were just based on detective novels. She quickly became Nic’s best friend, their playful natures and mutual understanding of their predicament bringing them together. She’s also a fantastic aro/ace character.
The murder mystery was very intriguing. It built up my expectations and I was looking forward to being shocked. The big reveal was a bit anti-climatic but Nic’s resolution was clever. The epilogue was the cherry on top!
I love standalones but I hope the author would write another book in this setting, possibly another couple with lots of Dash and Nic cameos. I want more of the vowsmith world!
The Gentleman and His Vowsmith is far from perfect but I had a great time nonetheless. It’s a fun, cozy-ish, hella charming tale with a chockful of dark and drama. Overall, as gothic and romantic as promised!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Promised You A Miracle
Artist: Simple Minds
Album: New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Missing by Chelsi Robichaud (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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BOOK TOUR: Right Beside You by Tucker Shaw
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REVIEW: Revelations by Nik Knight
Fire & Brimstone: Revelations – Nik Knight
Riley thought he knew what to expect from college, but he never planned for angels, demons, or a team of attractive, overprotective Guardians.
When one fateful night opens his eyes to a world he never knew existed, Riley Shepard must navigate a host of supernatural dangers, all while struggling with new and confusing feelings for his guardian angels. With the promise of friends, family, and freedom finally within his grasp, he fears not only for his heart but for his life as well.
Lucky for him, some things are worth dying for.
*** Revelations is the first book in the slow-burn M/M+ romance series, Fire & Brimstone, featuring hurt/comfort, swoon-worthy guardian angels, sexual awakening, and an unlikely hero, too innocent for his own good. Trigger warnings include: situations of homophobia (both external and internal), past child abuse, self-harm, mental health, and one instance (Prologue) of non-graphic sexual assault. ***
Revelations is the series opener of the polyamorous paranormal/urban fantasy series Fire & Brimstone. It is a story held together by an intriguing premise, a spectacular prologue, and a talented narrator, Kurt Graves.
Without this lucky combination, I doubt I would have finished the book.
I won’t spoil the prologue with too much details. Just know that demons are on a hunt….
The story is in the 1st-person POV of Riley Shepard, a shy 19-year-old college student with barely any friends. Riley grew up in foster homes, the last one with a Dolores Umbridge of a religious nut who brainwashed poor Riley into thinking every other errant thought or action is a cause for shame or sin.
Our boy is a mass of trauma, anxiety, and guilt. He was once committed to a mental health institution for having “imaginary friends.” Due to his foster mother’s training, he is compelled to punish himself whenever he feels he did something wrong.
Riley’s imaginary friends turned out to be real. Noel, Jai, and Gideon were his guardian angels. Why was he able to see them only now?
While I empathize with Riley’s mental health issues, going through his self-flagellatory internal dialogues is a very unpleasant experience. Add to that him being a doormat and being treated like a baby by his friends, to the point of being literally carried like one, it was hard to like the character.
I loved the three protective angels. Noel and Jai’s interactions were the most fun part, as the two were mirror entities who were also complete opposites. Noel is an albino with a sweet, caring nature, while Jai is the bad boy, tall, dark, and with a taste for trouble. Gideon is their leader, complete with daddy vibes, a gruff manner, and fabulous cooking skills.
The thing with these celestial beings is that they take the hurt comfort to a ridiculously infantile level as if overcompensating for Riley’s loveless childhood.
The plot moves efficiently, largely due to Kurt Graves’ engaging performance, even though not much happens until the final chapters, where secrets are finally revealed. Interestingly, while these revelations are not particularly surprising, they still make me eager to read the next book.
It also helped that the epilogue is in Gideon’s POV, which means, we’ll be getting Noel’s and Jai’s POVs too. Sometimes a different perspective changes how I feel about unlikable characters, and I want to like Riley. Our boy has been through the wringer and deserves some extra TLCs.
Revelations was a mixed bag and very slow burn but hooked me nonetheless. It’s an emotional story about a boy living a monochrome life who discovers the world is far more vivid and colorful than he ever imagined. Overall, it’s not setting my world on fire, but I liked it.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Not Alone
Artist: Otto Knows
Album: Not Alone
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REVELATIONS: Kindle | Audiobook
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AUDIOBOOK TOUR: The Coven Series by Drako (Excerpt & Giveaway + Guest Post)
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REVIEW: The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K.J. Charles
Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune: The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting – K.J. Charles
Robin Loxleigh and his sister Marianne are the hit of the Season, so attractive and delightful that nobody looks behind their pretty faces. Until Robin sets his sights on Sir John Hartlebury’s heiress niece. The notoriously graceless baronet isn’t impressed by good looks or fooled by false charm. He’s sure Robin is a liar, a fortune hunter, and a heartless, greedy fraud – and he’ll protect his niece, whatever it takes. Then, just when Hart thinks he has Robin at his mercy, things take a sharp left turn. And as the grumpy baronet and the glib fortune hunter start to understand each other, they also find themselves starting to care – more than either of them thought possible. But Robin’s cheated and lied and let people down for money. Can a professional rogue earn an honest happy ever after?
The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting is the first book of Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune by my all-time favorite, K.J. Charles. I started this book beforehand but finished the sequel, The Duke At Hazard, first because, for some reason, I wasn’t jiving with the story.
I enjoyed The Duke At Hazard so much, and Hart and Robin had a fun cameo that I wanted to give their book another try.
Second time’s the charm!
Still, it was a bit of a slow start but I had a better appreciation of the cleverness of the plot, the layered characterizations, the scandalous family politics, and the surprising rightness of Hart and Robin’s dynamics once they started their arrangement.
Robin and Marianne Loxleigh of Nottinghamshire are in the business of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. The poor being them. They set their sights on Alice Fenwick, a brewery heiress, and the titled gentlemen of the Season, all of whom were impressed by their manners and attractive appearance.
Alice’s uncle is the grumpy Sir John Hartlebury, a known misanthrope who saw through their ruse from the get-go. Hart tries to convince his sister Edwina that her daughter is being wooed by a fortune hunter, but she isn’t convinced and tells Hart to prove his claims.
This is one of the most amusing parts. Doing his damnest, Hart pointed out all the signs that Robin is a charlatan who uses his appearance and charms to gain advantages and titles. Only for Edwina to counterargue, “It’s what people do” in the Marriage Mart.
I loved the irony and how the author made it seem the Loxleighs are really no different from everyone else, except that they have no illustrious lineage, and that everybody is, in a way, a charlatan when it comes to securing an advantageous marriage.
Another fun part is the unexpectedly endearing relationship between Robin and Alice. Our young heiress might be average-looking, but she’s no fool and a math prodigy, too. Also, she has no interest in marriage. Schemes aside, Robin developed a fondness for the lady and had an enthusiastic appreciation of her mathematical skills.
I loved how he encouraged her to pursue her dream to be a mathematician. Might be that he sees potential use of her math theories in the gaming halls. I could imagine Robin rubbing his hands in glee as he raked in the money. But really, this enterprising fortune hunter is actually soft-hearted and wants to help Alice enter a university.
Also, he’s lusting after the uncle with the thunder thighs.
Hart and Robin’s arrangement started after an unfortunate card game (guess who lost). The author did a spectacular job weaving the hurt comfort, the class difference, the importance of consent, the kink exploration, and the blossoming affections in this clandestine arrangement.
The characters are wonderfully nuanced and if you love words of affirmation, this has swoon-worthy declarations to melt the heart!
Robin more or less trampled the power dynamics with his unbridled sensuality, shameless imagination, and sincere admiration for the “unlovable” Hart.
Robin is easy to like but Hart is the underdog I was rooting hard for. Going against his heartless mother to protect his sister and their family legacy and thus practically a social pariah, he is a man with only three known friends.
He is also considered physically unattractive by even his mother. Add to that his lack of conversational skills and social graces, it was hard for Hart to believe anyone would actually like him.
But Robin saw through the gruffness. Hart is fiercely protective of those he loves. He’s an astute business owner, a loyal friend, kind, generous and fair even to desperate fortune hunting rogues.
This wouldn’t be a K.J. Charles book without a twisty-turny climax. The scene is deliciously sharp, cutting with surgical precision, bringing the bad guys down before they even realized their heads were sliced off. Metaphorically that is, since no blood was shed, just dignity and enemy reputations in tatters.
And you got to hand it to narrator Cornell Collins for performing this scene to it’s most dramatic effect.
The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting is a story of pretty faces and plain janes, false claims, and genuine treasures. Set against the backdrop of dazzling ballrooms, bustling gaming halls, and secluded private rooms, it is a tale where fortune favors the bold (and desperate) in the game of love, money, and privilege. Swoony and captivating, it’s definitely a winning hand!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Fortunately
Artist: Mokita
Album: FortunatelyP.S.
The books in the Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune can be read as standalones. Witness another fortune lost and gain during a card game in The Duke At Hazard.
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THE GENTLE ART OF FORTUNE HUNTING: Kindle | Audiobook
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Earth’s Passion by Emily Carrington (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Warrior Queen by Mikala Ash (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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SERIES REVIEW: Mobsters + Billionaires Books 3 & 4: Attraction & Distraction by Kelly Fox
Mobsters + Billionaires: Attraction – Kelly Fox
I run a high-end escort service. And I’m in love with a virgin. It doesn’t make any sense, this attraction between us. I’m a violent Mafia Don, and Ford is a nervous, perfectly bow-tied, sexily bespectacled money nerd.
But he’s had my heart the first night I laid eyes on him, and while he keeps me at arm’s length, he’s never left my orbit. He’s as bound to me as I am to him.
Hell, I’m becoming a better man because of him.
I’ll be as patient as I need to be to win him over. The one thing I’m not willing to do, however, is let the man who put the fear in his eyes get away with it.
I don’t care how powerful or wealthy he is—I will tear down the world to make Ford feel safe enough to love me.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: I Dare You
Artist: The XX
Album: I See You
Mobsters + Billionaires: Distraction – Kelly Fox
An MM Murder Swoon Romance
From USA Today Bestselling Author Kelly Fox comes a uniquely unhinged Mafia romance.
Look, no one’s ever accused me of being sane, y’know? So when I say that I am crazy over this RICO agent, know that I mean business.
Sure, I’m responsible for getting him fired from the job he’s wanted his whole life, but his grandfather just died and left him 13.1 billion dollars. Dude deserves a break, is all I’m saying. And yeah, I’m a violent mobster with a savior complex, but that shouldn’t get in the way of our epic love story.
Besides, a little gunplay in the bedroom is good for the soul.
Distraction is a Mafia romance that features a frustrated RICO agent-slash-reluctant billionaire, a delightfully deranged mob enforcer with questionable boundaries, and a simple takedown that ends up a little…explosive.
As with all of my morally gray do-gooder romances, there are no cliffhangers, and the HEA is guaranteed.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: I See You
Artist: The Horrors
Album: Luminous
Mobsters+Billionaires by Kelly Fox continues with my two most awaited books in the series.
The billionaire contingent are Rand Wolfe, star of Extradition, Mads Legari, star of Protection, and Ford Bailey, financial genius and fashion icon.
The mobsters are Luca Stefano, gentleman mobster, Anthony Edgerton, Mads’s fiance, Joe Portelli, Rand’s husband, and Hopper, the Stefano enforcer.
The plot involves action, explosions, and a body count but is generally romance-centric. Adding to the chaos are recurring characters Anders and his husband Omar from the Wrecked: Guardian series, Olga, the Ukrainian spec ops, and her wife Ryder, the goth hacker.
Luca and Ford have been circling each other ever since Luca organized Wednesday night poker. They were ridiculously cute and were probably already in love even before they started attending galas together.
Attraction is Luca and Ford taking baby steps, but always moving forward in their relationship. Luca owns an escort service and is known to sample the goods. This makes Ford hesitate because, at the ripe old age of 30, he’s still a virgin.
Major points to the author for handling Ford’s situation respectfully and positively. Ford’s virginity was taken against him in the past. Add to that an attempted sexual assault by a person he knew, and you could understand why the usually confident Ford is anxious.
I loved how everyone, especially Luca, supported Ford, always making him feel comfortable and reminding him that if they finally became intimate, it would be on Ford’s terms. The story painted Luca with a classic Hollywood leading man charm, and boy, does he ooze that Italian Montgomery Clift vibe. The way he courted his man! He’s so sweet and patient with Ford!
On the flip side, it’s cheesy and a bit annoying how everyone, the billionaires in particular, gossiped like mahjong aunties, trying to squeeze the juiciest details from Ford. But Mads’s OTT dance reactions were funny.
I also found the comedic timing was somewhat off when Luca and Ford were talking. Luca would say the swooniest things, then Ford would try to lighten it by saying something funny. Maybe it was because of the narration, but their dialogue didn’t seem to flow well together
One of my favorite parts is the appearance of Liam Hughes, the RICO agent Hopper stalks. The plot sets Liam even more firmly in the world of the Stefanos and their billionaires. Just like Ford and Luca, we have been teased with Hopper and the object of his obsession, Liam, who was initially stalking Hopper, then Hop reversed-stalk him.
Liam became a reluctant billionaire after inheriting billions from his grandfather. His death wrecked Liam and he was grieving so hard, he had Hopper worried. Hop tried to help but seemed to make things worse. He’s not giving up though.
Distraction is Liam finally seeing Hopper. And what a sight it is! Hopper is complex as he is vivid, as deadly as he is gentle. He is the best character in the series. Hopper is everything!
In the previous books, Luca and Anthony consistently went out of their way to help the RICO agent in various capacities. When Liam questioned their motivations, either Luca or Anthony would respond, “It would break Hopper’s heart if something happened to his favorite RICO agent.” This sentiment always resonates with me because it highlights just how deeply Luca and Anthony care for their brother.
Here, we learn why Luca and Anthony is so protective of their Hopper.
Hopper is the most dangerous enforcer for the Stefano family. A serial killer who started when still a teen, he’s wily and cunning and knows a hundred different ways to dispose of dead bodies. He also has the uncanny ability to appear out of nowhere, his intimidating presence frequently scaring away threats from Luca or those he considers family.
Hopper is surprisingly vulnerable. He feels things too deeply. He has ADHD and FASD, and a gutwrenching childhood left him with trauma and a severe case of claustrophobia. He’s triggered whenever somebody mentions he’s a psychopath or his birth name that he associates with terrible memories.
Hopper is also a total sweetheart. He loves with all his heart and Liam is his first love. He’s shy, adorably blushy, and endearingly childlike, whose delight at seeing his favorite animals or spotting his favorite RICO agent is pure and contagious. His golden retriever energy gives me life. He’s loyal and protective of his family.
He’s never malicious, killing only bad guys, especially those who prey on sex workers. And he is incredibly artistic. He shares his creations only with those he trusts.
Among the couples in the series, Hopper and Liam’s journey from opposing sides, one-sided infatuation to mutual love, was perhaps the hardest won, the swooniest, and the most satisfying. Their chemistry has always been fantastic, and they were even more explosive and hella kinky! Their book was an emotional roller-coaster, breaking your heart into pieces, putting it back together again, then making it soar,
“Thank you,” I whisper. “I’m sorry it took me so long to see you, Hop.”
“But you see me now?” he asks, his vulnerability wrapping itself around my heart.
“I do, Hop. Worse,” I say, chuckling as I nibble his ear. “I can’t unsee you. And I don’t want to.”The shift in Liam’s perspective and his growing feelings for Hopper was a joy to witness! It took a while but Liam completely won me over at the end. I loved how he allowed Hopper be himself and understood him at a soul-deep level. He gave Hopper the world!
A romance between a federal agent and a serial killer is a recipe for disaster. Hopper and Liam shouldn’t have worked together. But they did, and they were unstoppable!
Overall, Mobsters+Billionaires is about morally grey love interests, ethical billionaires, and bad guys getting their comeuppance. Packed full of found family magic, hurt comfort goodness, and intense touch-him-and-die vibes to tickle you pink!
P.S.
Mobsters+Billionaires should be read in order. Witness a conservative billionaire get kinky with a Brooklyn boy in Extradition. Be charmed by a sunshiney billionaire and his serious bodyguard in Protection.
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Mobsters + Billionaires. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
MOBSTERS + BILLIONAIRES: Kindle | Audiobook
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REVIEW: The Witch and His Crow by Ben Alderson
The Witch Trials: The Witch and His Crow – Ben Alderson
‘Rule them. Win. Become Grand High.’
My name is Hector Briar, and I live for revenge. It’s been eighteen years since Witch Hunters murdered my parents, and still the night haunts me. A part of me died that night, when six-year-old me was forced to listen to their brutal murder. Since then, I’ve gone from prey to predator. I spend my nights stalking Oxford’s streets for those who’d see me slaughtered for being what I am. A witch. And more than that, the son of the last Grand High.
I’ve spent the last years hidden in the shadows, not only from Witch Hunters but also my own kind. But one fateful night lands me directly in the hands of the people I’ve been evading my entire life-the Coven. Whereas the Witch Hunters want to destroy me, the Coven want me for a darker fate. For my blood. It’s the key to starting the Witch Trials – a contest to find the next Grand High, a contest where witches battle to the death, or madness.
Thrown into the middle of the very contest my mother died trying to prevent, I must make allies with my enemies if I wish to survive the first night. Not so bad when my ally so happens to be an attractive blue-eyed, 6ft-something, tattooed from neck to navel, bloodthirsty rival-Arwyn Morgan.
But I soon discover that not is all as it seems. There are dark forces lingering in the shadows and the truth is a hard pill to swallow. The Witch Hunters seek a Champion of their own. Enemies and allies lose all meaning when a wolf invades the flock.
Surviving the Witch Trials quickly becomes the least of my worries when ancient forces reveal their true natures. Something dark stirs within me, waiting for its inevitable freedom. I’m the key to keeping it locked away, or freeing it.
The Witch and his Crow is the first book in a MM paranormal romance new series of heart-pounding romance, witchcraft, and bloodthirsty enemies, perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and Her Soul to Take
The Witch and His Crow is the first book of The Witch Trials, an intriguing paranormal romance by Ben Alderson. I thought it would be a pairing between the witch and a crow shifter.
The witch is Hector Briar. He was orphaned at the age of six after his parents were murdered by witch hunters. His mother, Heather, then the Grand High of witches, left him in the care of a shadowy entity that takes the form of a crow.
Hector grew up under the care of his familiar, Cayman, hunting the hunters and hiding from the coven. He’s an air witch and a telekinetic. One day, he is caught and coerced to join The Witch Trials since his Briar blood is key to a big secret.
The plot then focused on a Battle Royale/Triwizard Tournament-style contest with three trials. Ever since watching the OG Japanese movie Battle Royale, other stories with this plot tend to pale in comparison. The book didn’t offer anything new, so in this aspect, it was more or less standard fare.
The crow, Cayman, was sadly absent for most of the story. He was the most intriguing character, and I wanted more interactions with him and the other characters. I hope he reappears in future books in one form or another.
The weakest aspect for me was the main characters. Try as I could, I didn’t connect with any of them. The characterizations felt shallow, and I felt Hector. as the 1st person narrator didn’t seem to own the story. I could swap another character, perhaps Salem, the scarred witch, and it would still work.
In the opening chapter, I was genuinely impressed by Hector. He appeared formidable as the lone wolf confronting the witch hunters, with only Caymen at his side. However, during the Witch Trials, he often jumped to rash conclusions and made questionable decisions that left me wondering how he had managed to survive alone for so long.
Arwyn, the enemy-turned-lover-turned-enemy-again, wasn’t necessarily cardboard, but he was the typical tall, dark, and witchy love interest mold. Even his big reveal wasn’t that surprising. But boy, that ending sure changed my mind about it. Darkness is a good look for the hunky witch.
Romy also piqued my interest in the opening chapter. Then she turned into some kind of manic pixie dream girl, conveniently catering to whatever Hector needed. Too bad because her gift is one of the scariest and the most helpful. She’s a fire witch who can melt flesh and bone, or conversely, mend them.
The strongest aspects were the world-building and the magic system. The vibe is wonderfully gothic. Think overcast skies, ancient castles, old graveyards, and secret passageways. This is a world where old magic no longer exists, and witches have gifts, typically associated with an element. It’s immersive despite Hector as narrator and a big factor why I stuck with the book.
They worship Hecate, and as the story progresses, we learn the limitations of Hecate’s powers and that darker forces exist in the periphery, biding their time. I’m hoping the darker forces will come into play more in future books. The combination of old magic and gifts would also make the world richer and more dangerous if they continue with the trials.
Hector, Arwyn, and Romy form a tentative coven and navigate the trials while dealing with betrayals from all sides, even among themselves, and enemies coming out of the woodwork. Everything hinges on Hector’s family legacy, and when it comes down to the wire – BAM! That twist was insidious and hella creepy!
And just like that, Hector became a million times more interesting and I’m super hyped for the next book. It came at the very end but still, a complete gamechanger!
The Witch and His Crow is a mixed-bag but won me over in the end. Atmospheric, fantastically witchy, with a bombshell ending that crept up the spine.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Shadow
Artist: Amigo The Devil
Album: Born Against
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THE WITCH AND HIS CROW: Kindle | Audiobook
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