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SERIES REVIEW: Signs and Wonders & Cursed (Witchbane Books 7 & 8) by Morgan Brice
Witchbane: Signs and Wonders – Morgan Brice
When a coven of dark warlocks killed Seth Tanner’s brother, Seth became a man driven by vengeance, sworn to stop the cycle of ritual killings, willing to die for the cause. He never expected to fall head over heels in love with the witches’ next intended victim. Evan Malone didn’t believe the supernatural was real until Seth swept in with his magic and motorcycle to save him from being the next sacrifice.
Now they’ve gone on the road together, hunting the rest of the coven while they figure out how to keep the white-hot, once-in-a-lifetime bond between them. Days are filled tracking their paranormal quarry, honing their monster hunting skills, and gaining control of the small magics that have made a life-or-death difference. Nights are spent together, entangled in adrenaline-fueled passion, learning how to make this love last forever despite the odds. Seth fears that if they don’t eliminate the rest of the coven, they’ll be on the run forever, and more people will die. Evan is afraid that Seth’s obsession with revenge means they might not survive to get a happily ever after.
Seth and Evan head to West Virginia to confront one of the dark warlocks, a master con man running a cybercrime empire. Can Seth and Evan save the warlock’s next target, bring down his crime syndicate, and live to tell the tale?
Signs and Wonders is a thrill-packed supernatural thrill ride with plenty of paranormal suspense, hurt/comfort, hot nights, found family, deadly magic, immortal witches, determined hunters, haunted places, creepy ghosts, impressive explosions, spooky chills, and sexy thrills, and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Vigil
Artist: The Mars Volta
Album: The Mars Volta
Witchbane: Cursed – Morgan Brice
Seth Tanner and Evan Malone head to Savannah, Georgia, to hunt the seventh of the coven members responsible for the death of Seth’s brother and so many other victims over the past hundred years.
Seth and Evan fell in love when Seth rescued Evan from one of the dark witches, and they went on the road together to stop the murders. Their relationship is new and intense, growing deeper with the danger, giving them both a reason to survive and gain vengeance.
Sterling Vernon is a prominent restaurateur with a thriving array of businesses, and he’s also the seventh witch-disciple with a new victim in his sights. His reputation and wealth protect him, and his dark magic enables him to evade consequences. Vernon needs to work his ritual to replenish his power soon, and that requires a new sacrifice.
Paxton Miller is Vernon’s next intended victim. When Vernon puts a killing curse on Evan to force a confrontation with Seth, it’s going to take all of Seth’s courage and cleverness, as well as help from their friends with supernatural abilities, to save Evan and Paxton and stop Vernon once and for all.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: The Curse of the Fold
Artist: Shawn James
Album: The Dark & The Light
Witchbane by Morgan Brice has become my comfort read, and by now it’s easy to see how the series has evolve while still delivering everything we love about Seth and Evan’s scenic paranormal quest.
Signs and Wonders, the 7th book and possibly the shortest installment so far, takes our boys to West Virginia’s National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ), where radio transmissions are heavily restricted due to scientific and military reasons. What started as a mission for two now involves a network of friends across states, with delightful cameos from the author’s other series.
This time, the witch they’re hunting runs a wellness retreat inside the zone and taking him down is tricky as magic and technology don’t mesh well. Seth and their hacker allies target the witches’ cybercrime empire while Evan infiltrates the wellness orientation seminars.
While the plot is straightforward, the writing is fast-paced and there’s plenty of tactics and action to keep things exciting. I loved going over the how-tos of the mission and Seth and Evan collaborating with the secondary characters made it even more dynamic.
There’s also a change in internal dialogue, Seth and Evan think less of revenge and more about life after the mission. Despite lingering fears, they remain rock solid, comfortable and settled yet always passionate. I enjoyed their cozy boyfriends dynamics and how they’re still as endearing as ever.
Cursed, the 8th book, took our boys to the food havens of Savannah, Georgia which seriously made me hungry. The witch is a prominent restaurateur mentoring his next victim, a food truck owner. This is another tricky setup because how would Seth and Evan convince him of the danger? Also, Evan was hit by a curse which left him in the sidelines.
Like in the previous book, our boys had help from friends and the local good witches. The culinary angle has a gruesome aspect with monster meat being sneaked in. The victim’s boyfriend is a musician and I loved the neat musical spell he and Evan used in the end to power up the good guys.
There’s a change in Seth and Evan’s hectic pace, our boys finished dealing with the bad guys early and took some downtime. They went on a proper date, sight seeing around Savannah and enjoying the food. There’s more talk about dreams of a life after the mission and while I’m rooting hard for a happy ending for our boys, I couldn’t help but feel a pang that the series might be ending soon.
Witchbane is my tour guide across America, taking us to real life weird and wonderful places. I hope the author could give us a map of Seth and Evan’s roadtrip because if ever I could afford a trip to the US, I want to trace their journey.
Overall, I’m happily tagging along till the end!
P.S.
Witchbane should be read in order. Follow the map below:
Burn
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SIGNS AND WONDERS: Amazon UK | Audiobook
CURSED: Amazon UK | 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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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Black Parade by Ilana M. Lindsey (Excerpt)
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COVER REVEAL: Never Apart by Dani Grimes
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Devil’s Garden by Jack Bumgardner (Excerpt)
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RELEASE TOUR: Cursed by Morgan Brice (Excerpt)
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PROMO BLITZ: Broken Highway by Logan Rivers
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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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RELEASE BLITZ: The Embrace of Evergreen by Rayne Hawthorne
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Teardown by William Campbell Powell (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Silk & Sand by Katherine Diane
Seth & Raider: Silk & Sand – Katherine Diane
The only thing worse than trekking across a dangerous desert on a nearly impossible mission? When your guide is intolerable—and irresistible.
Seth spends his days hunting down mystical artifacts. As a Curator for the Arcanum College, that’s his job. But when an arcanist murders a fellow scholar, Seth finds himself assigned instead to a dusty, thirsty, frustrating manhunt. But why him? Because, he’s been told by his superiors, he’s the only Curator sufficiently tenacious and brutal for the job. (Seth resents that.)
When the murderer vanishes at the edge of a deadly desert, Seth finds himself in need of a guide. Unfortunately, the “only one crazy enough” for the job is Raider—a man with an easy grin who is clearly a thief, liar, and rogue. (He also has illegal quicksilver in his veins, and that arcane enhancement positively screams “I’ve done bad things.”) The only thing worse than having to rely on such a reprobate? Finding him irresistibly attractive.
Raider might think the manhunt a foolish endeavor, but he’s delighted by the prospect of breaking past the barriers of the gorgeous, rigidly self-controlled Curator. That kind of intensity needs the right outlet (and Raider has such ideas). But Raider just might be asking for more trouble than he realizes—because he has barriers of his own, and some very dark secrets lurking behind them.
But that’s not the only trouble looming. Because if Seth and Raider can survive their desert journey? Seth’s manhunt will lead them into even greater dangers and mysteries.
Silk & Sand is a high-heat fantasy adventure that will take you to the most exotic locations and into the most twisted secrets. It will lure you in with action, humor, and sizzling tension—and will hook your heart with its emotional intensity and beautiful love. So be prepared to laugh, cry, and stay up all night with these two gorgeous, complicated, irresistible men.
Silk & Sand is Katherine Diane’s first book of the Seth & Raider duology. It is a Middle Eastern-flavored fantasy adventure in which the only thing hotter than the blistering desert sun is the nuclear-intense chemistry between Seth and Raider.
Fantasy books are hit-and-miss, because of info dumps that slow the pace. After two tries in the opening chapter, I was glad the story quickly hit its stride and maintained a steady, brisk pace until the end.
The story is set in the desert, where Seth, a Curator from the Academy, hopes to cross in search of another Curator wanted for murder. He crossed paths with Raider and spectacularly got off on the wrong foot with the man. But after a couple of antagonistic interactions, Seth swallowed his pride and hired the infuriating man as his guide because he was the only one who knew how to navigate the deadly sands.
Curators are scholars + archeologists + artifact dealers who typically work for the Academy but might also work for a rich patron. There is magic here, but low-key present. Info dumps were kept to a minimum yet deftly executed. The fantasy elements, such as Seth’s weapons and Raider’s quicksilver, blended seamlessly with the Middle Eastern culture.
The plot is a fabulous blend of action-adventure and romance, with a heavy (almost too much) focus on the romantic development. However, there were also plenty of heart-thumping fight scenes against bandits and giant monsters, court intrigue, dark secrets, betrayals, and forbidden magic.
Seth is scowly, intimidating, and almost soldierly in his discipline and fighting skills. It makes sense since curators venture into dangerous territories for their artifacts. Seth carries a variety of weapons and other survival gear. He’s dressed in all black with protective coverings.
Seth is also hella toppy, dominant, and surprisingly caring and considerate of Raider’s needs, as Raider soon discovers.
Raider is well-liked, shamelessly flirty, carefree, and generous with his smiles. He’s dressed in colorful silks and carries a scimitar. His secret weapon is the quicksilver running in his veins. Silver is his gift, his curse, and his safe word.
Raider isn’t too proud to beg. Our boy is casually sexual but is scared by intimacy. He may be sunshine, but inside is pain and darkness.
The only thing more delicious than the chemistry is the heart-warming care Seth is showering Raider. Our sunshine boy badly needed some TLC, and now that he has some, he doesn’t know what to do with it. And Seth keeps giving those delicious massages…
Our boys protect each other from bandits and monsters, but they also harbor some distrust. Despite this, they still share a tent at the end of the day.
One of my favorite parts was when the two MCs were caught by the bad guys, forcing Raider to reveal his dark secrets to Seth. Seth, disappointed and heartbroken upon learning the truth, stalked off. Later, Raider was sitting in a cell, marinating in his misery, when he heard Seth coming. Seth, expecting Raider already freed himself so they could disappear into the night, said, “Why are you still there?”
I loved this scene because, despite their doubts, they always find their way back to each other.
I was so absorbed by the story that I didn’t see the cliffhanger coming until I walked right into it.
Silk & Sand is one of those books that would make a great movie. The breathtaking desert landscapes, the rich colors of the court, the death-defying stunts, the chase scenes, and the fan-favorite gay romance are made for a Hollywood blockbuster!
Overall, the thrilling adventure, and the dynamic chemistry between them make me eager to follow Seth and Raider across the dunes again!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Desert Night
Artist: Rufus Du Sol
Album: Atlas
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SILK & SAND: Kindle | Audiobook
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