-
REVIEW: That Mafioso Magic by Nicholas Bella
Mages & Mayhem: That Mafioso Magic by Nicholas Bella
Private detective, Adrian Elias, knows what trouble looks like, and ruthless mobster and lion shifter, Sage Tamir, was just that with a capital T. On top of smelling like heaven, the man has the face of an angel, with a body made for unbridled sin. A combination Adrian finds very hard to resist.
Unfortunately, someone is trying to kill Sage and they’re using magic to do it. Sage usually takes these types of matters into his own hands, but this time, he’s out of his league. He believes the only person who can help him is the down-on-his-luck detective. Problem is, Adrian doesn’t want to take his case because he feels it may be too dangerous. Never mind the volcanic-level attraction they seem to share for each other raising the stakes. Magic and mayhem awaits.
Reader Advisory: 18 and older. Strong adult situations and language. A sarcastic PI and a no-nonsense mobster will keep you turning the pages way past your bedtime. Best order that pizza, because once you start this book, you won’t want to stop.
That Mafioso Magic is the first book of the shifter paranormal/urban fantasy series, Mages & Mayhem, by Nicholas Bella. The fated mates pairing of a lion shifter mafia boss and a private detective mage intrigued me right away.
Firstly, Sage Tamir and his pride of all-female lions is so Wakanda-coded, I was imagining Killmonger, yes, him, since Sage is a bad boy after all, and the Dora Milaje as mafiosos. Sage is also a mage, though not a particularly strong one. He makes his spells look more powerful than they really are, so he’s feared as the Lion King who can also do magic.
Adrian Elias is also not a particularly strong mage, but he can do enough to help him beat bad guys and solve cases as a PI. My first impression of Adrian was that of a grizzled John Constantine-type character, so I was surprised to learn he was only 26 years old. I would have preferred him to be older, but Adrian is gritty, resourceful, and doesn’t back down from a fight, not even from a powerful vampire archduke.
The first meeting between Sage and Adrian was a nuclear explosion of uncontrollable primal lust; they had people running out of the room, scrambling to get out of their way. When heads cleared and things cooled down, they learned about a grimoire and their destiny. They agreed to collaborate to find out who is trying to kill Sage while also continuing Adrian and his partner Xavier’s investigation into a missing child.
I really appreciated that the author avoided the training trope but was able to create a believable way for Sage’s and Adrian’s magic to grow stronger. I also liked that they were neither the least nor most powerful but strong enough to stand toe to toe with formidable enemies.
I enjoyed the world-building, the secondary characters, and the dynamics between the main characters, as well as the various plot threads. However, the narrative presented two key plot threads that were exciting on their own, but when combined, they felt diminished. Additionally, there was too much telling instead of showing, which would have been more effective.
The opening chapter where Adrian and Xavier were rescuing children and fighting the bad guy was very suspenseful and chilling. Sadly, the continuation of the search for the missing child possessed by a demon seemed like an afterthought. If the book had been written solely as a police procedural or murder mystery, it would have been quite riveting.
The mafia business where Sage and Adrian had to ask a favor from Sage’s vampire nemesis, Archduke Salino Laurent, was hella fun but all over the place. Salino is fabulously sinister and gorgeous! I wouldn’t be surprised if the three end up a poly.
Kinda want them to poly given how Sage and Adrian are both attracted to Salino while also hating his guts. I can’t wait for the vampire archduke to cash in his favor! Pretty obvious who’s my favorite character here.
Overall, That Mafioso Magic could benefit from a tighter, more cohesive writing that could enhance the story’s impact. Still, there is plenty to like about this series, plot threads I’m looking forward to, and characters I’d love to see more of. It’s not setting my world on fire, but it’s keeping it alive with just enough magic and mayhem,
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Lionhearted
Artist: Porter Robinson feat. Urban Cone
Album: Worlds
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of That Mafioso Magic. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
That Mafioso Magic: Kindle | Audiobook
If 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!
-
RELEASE TOUR: Nine-Tenths by J.M. Frey (Excerpt)
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Burn by Mychael Black (Excerpt & Giveaway)
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Rivers Will Run Red by Keira North (Excerpt & Giveaway)
-
NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Jack & Gil by Emily Carrington (Excerpt & Giveaway)
-
RELEASE BLITZ: Cold Revenge by D.G. Carothers
-
RELEASE BLITZ: Finlay by Lark Taylor
-
RELEASE BLITZ: Taming of a Wolf by C.J. Ravenna
-
PROMO BLITZ: Born To Be Legends by Hailey Turner
-
REVIEW: A Sea of Endless Light by Chani Lynn Feener
A Sea of Endless Light – Chani Lynn Feener
Fox Axford has been tasked with capturing a feared thief who has been terrorizing the Hild Empire, not flirt with the impassive captain he’s been unlikely paired with.
When Fox is assigned to the Hild case by the Intergalactic Police Force, he doesn’t anticipate it taking very long. He’s known for his wits and charm and is confident enough in his abilities to have this thing solved and closed before the week is through. Except, he didn’t account for how distracting working with Captain Jiro Arc was going to be.
Jiro Arc has a secret he’s been keeping all his life, one that he’s never wanted to share with anyone. Until the day Detective Fox appears.
Having lived quietly climbing the ranks of the Hild Comets, Captain Jiro is used to rebuffing attention with his steely disposition. All of his efforts seem to have the opposite effect on the detective, however, who only seems more and more interested in Jiro and his personal life as time goes on. Their main task is to find the mysterious thief Shilling and bring him to justice, but Jiro has an agenda of his own, one that might ultimately lead to him betraying Fox, whether he likes it or not.
Fox grows even more conflicted after meeting the thief they’re after. Shilling isn’t at all what he expected, and when he finds himself sympathizing with the enemy, Fox is forced to acknowledge that there may be things he doesn’t yet know or understand about the vast universe, and the people living in it.
This book is a standalone featuring one charming detective and the captain he’s set his sights on. It is a slow-burn, forbidden romance with depictions of violence (though mild) and explicit sexual scenes not suitable for all readers. While this book is set in the same universe as A Bright Celestial Sea, it is a complete standalone with an all new cast of characters. You do not have to read both books, but if you choose to they do not have to be read in any particular order since there are no connections between the two.
I’m slowly but surely sinking into the rabbit hole of Chani Lynn Feener‘s immersive universe of Intergalactic Police detectives finding adventure and romance while solving cases and catching criminals.
From last week’s dark offering, Between the Devil and the Sea, this week’s tale features more derring-do, secret identities, and beachside confessions. It also has more sci-fi elements and beautiful aliens. One in particular has fabulous purple hair and unique abilities!
A Sea of Endless Light stars Fox Axford, the top detective of the IPF. He’s the detective who helped Shade and Apollo.
He, his partner, Inspector Nova, and his cousin, Jr Detective Dawon, were tasked to solve a series of thefts in the Hild Empire. Upon landing, he met his liaison officer, the taciturn Captain Jiro Arc, with whom Fox had an instantaneous strong attraction. He was rebuffed, but it didn’t stop Fox from shamelessly flirting any chance he got.
Fox is charming as heck, and as most of the chapters are from his third-person perspective, it’s a fun and wily POV. Cavalier and Han Solo cocky, he’s also very good at his job, having a perfect record. He easily puts people at ease with his mask of nonchalance and has the uncanny ability to read people and predict their next three moves. Of course, he immediately tried to read the enigmatic captain in an effort to win him over.
Jiro’s POV is rarely shown, so he’s mostly a mystery. His attitude was off-putting at first, but he slowly loosened up, and when he started bantering with Fox, we see him shine. He’s the type of guy worth taking time to know and it’s very rewarding to discover the nuances of his personality. He’s gorgeous, especially in uniform, formal, reserved, and also unexpectedly needy. I loved the dynamics of his and Fox’s opposite personalities. The chemistry is a total chef’s kiss!
The Captain is a closed book most of the story, but clues are scattered here and there. The author did her magic spectacularly because even though I figured out Jiro’s secret early on, it was still thrilling to watch Fox piece everything together for the big reveal.
There is a love geometry present. I normally loathe this type of conflict, but the author gave us another fascinating character in Schilling the Thief. The man is beguiling and as shameless a flirt as Fox, if not more. I didn’t expect him and Fox to have such fantastic chemistry!
The romantic development between the three characters was beautifully crafted. I seriously can’t choose between Jiro and Schilling, and to be honest, I don’t want to. I loved them both! So, when the pieces started to click, I was ecstatic with the resolution!
A part of the geometry is Prince Obsidian, who claimed Jiro whether the captain wanted him or not. He’s the possessive type who would cut anyone who’d so much as looks at Jiro, so Fox had to tread carefully. This guy was tagged as bad news early on and he stayed that way till the end. We don’t want him anywhere near our boys.
Nova and Dawon stood out as secondary characters. Nova was the voice of reason when Fox got wilder ideas, and Dawon made me laugh with his tactless comments. Their team had an engaging found family dynamics, and them living in their ship Lagoon with Fox as pilot, reminded me of Han Solo and Chewy in their Millennium Falcon.
Slow burn is the way of things, so it took a few chapters for the story to hit its stride. Things got into high gear when Schilling appeared, and Jiro started warming up to Fox. From that point, I was completely hooked!
The plot seemed like a straightforward case of theft. Then it threw me for a loop when it turned out to be something more insidious. And even with the predictable part I mentioned above, it’s still a very entertaining story. It made me want to hop aboard the Lagoon and tag along with the team!
A Sea of Endless Light is a story of public masks, secret identities, and needful lies. It is a novel take on the Gemini star sign that was executed cleverly and will always be memorable. Overall, it’s a space adventure that captivated me to no end!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Endless Light
Artist: O’Brother
Album: Endless Light
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of A Sea of Endless Light. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
A SEA OF ENDLESS LIGHT: Kindle | Audiobook
If 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!
