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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Refreshing take on the typical heroine
This book had a great flow to it that helped take me on the wild start of Harley's adventure. While there were moments of typical tropes I found more often Harley went beyond my expectations. The writing is also wonderful and helped guide me in seeing the world of magic as it was being discovered.
This book had a great flow to it that helped take me on the wild start of Harley's adventure. While there were moments of typical tropes I found more often Harley went beyond my expectations. The writing is also wonderful and helped guide me in seeing the world of magic as it was being discovered.
Wow. That pretty much sums up my feelings of the book. I am a total sucker for magic in books. I eat that stuff up. I really enjoyed the character development in this book and I am really looking forward to continuing this series to see how they progress. My only gripe is that the romance is a tiny bit cheesy for my taste. But that's how any YA romance is for me nowadays.
“Harley, you have your father’s eyes.” (Page 295)
That’s it. That’s the review.
————
You want me to expand? Okay, sure.
disclaimer: this novel is definitely more YA than it’s host of 19-20something characters might suggest. I’m not the target audience.
Harley Merlin and theSorcerer’s Stone Secret Coven is one of the most derivative pieces of urban fantasy I’ve read in a looooong time. If you told me that this was someone’s attempt at an edgy fanfic for a Very Famous Wizard Franchise, I would be inclined to agree. Red-haired orphan (with black haired and red haired mother), rich kid ‘bully’ antagonists with fathers of great influence, rag-tag group of misfit heroes, and a strange institution which ‘isn’t a school’ and yet still sees our heroes act exactly like teenagers at a school. Hmmm.
Our main character suddenly finds herself whisked away and finds herself landed within this magical institution, wearing leather jackets and tossing her long straight red hair that curls at the end, and surrounded by ‘twenty-somethings’ who wear cream chinos that she cannot stand.
I know what you’re thinking — yes. Harley Merlin is literally a palette swap of everyone’s favourite magical protagonist : Ebony D’arkness Dementia Raven (Tara) Way. If you don’t know who that is, then get the f@!* out of here. So yep, she describes her outfits in great detail, is attractive to literally all the boys in school and hates preps. You know you’ve fucked up when you’re reminding your readers of My Immortal.
So is this a bad novel? I’ve said a lot about it but did I hate it? Well...meh. Meh. There was clearly a professional editor and cover artist involved. Credit where it’s due, this book feels like a book. I can’t fault that. It was somewhat interesting, in terms of setting. Would I read more?
Um. There were enough unanswered stuff at the end of the day honestly? The main character is a bit bland. The author tried hard to make her biggest character flaw a chip on her shoulder due to her time in care. But it’s not a flaw — it doesn’t actually have any ramifications for the character except for every so often we learn she can recognise particular accents because she had an Iranian foster mother, or how so-and-so isn’t as scary as any of her ‘particularly unstable’ foster fathers. It’s backstory, sure. But it’s really only surface level meaningful. I did like how the main character discussed her fear of rejection but I wanted a bit more of that sort of emotion.
That’s it. That’s the review.
————
You want me to expand? Okay, sure.
disclaimer: this novel is definitely more YA than it’s host of 19-20something characters might suggest. I’m not the target audience.
Harley Merlin and the
Our main character suddenly finds herself whisked away and finds herself landed within this magical institution, wearing leather jackets and tossing her long straight red hair that curls at the end, and surrounded by ‘twenty-somethings’ who wear cream chinos that she cannot stand.
I know what you’re thinking — yes. Harley Merlin is literally a palette swap of everyone’s favourite magical protagonist : Ebony D’arkness Dementia Raven (Tara) Way. If you don’t know who that is, then get the f@!* out of here. So yep, she describes her outfits in great detail, is attractive to literally all the boys in school and hates preps. You know you’ve fucked up when you’re reminding your readers of My Immortal.
So is this a bad novel? I’ve said a lot about it but did I hate it? Well...meh. Meh. There was clearly a professional editor and cover artist involved. Credit where it’s due, this book feels like a book. I can’t fault that. It was somewhat interesting, in terms of setting. Would I read more?
Um. There were enough unanswered stuff at the end of the day honestly? The main character is a bit bland. The author tried hard to make her biggest character flaw a chip on her shoulder due to her time in care. But it’s not a flaw — it doesn’t actually have any ramifications for the character except for every so often we learn she can recognise particular accents because she had an Iranian foster mother, or how so-and-so isn’t as scary as any of her ‘particularly unstable’ foster fathers. It’s backstory, sure. But it’s really only surface level meaningful. I did like how the main character discussed her fear of rejection but I wanted a bit more of that sort of emotion.
DNF. Probably one of the most over explaining intros I’ve ever read. Also bothered me that just when the plot was getting interesting we had to stop for some exposition about her family. I didn’t even get two chapters in.
adventurous
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven is the first of an as-yet incomplete series of at least nine books. In the beginning, Harley works at a casino spotting card cheats, though no one knows why she is so good at it and she intends to keep that secret. However, an after-work encounter with a gargoyle of all things leads to her meeting another person with extraordinary talents. His name is Wade and he introduces her to the San Diego Coven and the knowledge that there are magical people all over the world.
This is all new to her. She grew up in foster homes with no knowledge of the magical world. And now she learns she is just one of many. She has an extraordinary complement of powers, telekinesis, empathy, and control of all the elements. However, she is classified as a Mediocre. She has powers, but not very strong ones. Still, the teachers at the coven work with her to better control and use her powers.
Of course, it’s all not so simple as it seems. The magical beasts like gargoyles are escaping the bestiary and someone is sabotaging the coven. Harley and friends are on the case.
Someone mentioned Harley Merlin’s series as a great source for folks who loved Harry Potter. I think that does the series a disservice as it brings it into comparison with a cultural movement. Harry Potter is a series that grows over time, the characters age in the series. Harley Merlin’s series keeps the characters more or less the same age throughout, aging months, not years.
Nonetheless, the plot is exciting, there is a villain that will drive the story over several books, and they grow in their powers and their understanding of their power. The characters develop greater depth and interest over time. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven at Amazon
Bella Forrest author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2019/07/17/harley-merlin-and-the-secret-coven-by-bella-forrest/
This is all new to her. She grew up in foster homes with no knowledge of the magical world. And now she learns she is just one of many. She has an extraordinary complement of powers, telekinesis, empathy, and control of all the elements. However, she is classified as a Mediocre. She has powers, but not very strong ones. Still, the teachers at the coven work with her to better control and use her powers.
Of course, it’s all not so simple as it seems. The magical beasts like gargoyles are escaping the bestiary and someone is sabotaging the coven. Harley and friends are on the case.
Someone mentioned Harley Merlin’s series as a great source for folks who loved Harry Potter. I think that does the series a disservice as it brings it into comparison with a cultural movement. Harry Potter is a series that grows over time, the characters age in the series. Harley Merlin’s series keeps the characters more or less the same age throughout, aging months, not years.
Nonetheless, the plot is exciting, there is a villain that will drive the story over several books, and they grow in their powers and their understanding of their power. The characters develop greater depth and interest over time. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven at Amazon
Bella Forrest author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2019/07/17/harley-merlin-and-the-secret-coven-by-bella-forrest/
I really hate the current trend for not giving an actual description of books, and just saying (as has happened with this series) “what Harry Potter fans are reading now”. Like it’s not good enough to give me the description without drawing on something more popular to suck me in! Sadly, might have been the case.
A little cliched. Beautiful loner, red headed blue eyed witch with no parents turns out to have a rare set of powers and be the daughter of someone famous. Finds a little set of friends who are her misfit tribe and is still madly attractive to her antagonist who isn’t so bad really, and a villain who was fairly predictable.
That having been said, the actual storyline was fun and easy, it kept my interest and despite the main characters falling a bit flat the others made me want to know more about them. I liked the world building, and yes, a lot was obviously ripped from Potter. The “point” system possibly, and “Undesirables” being two that come to mind! However living so closely with the human world and managing things the way they were was very good!
A comfortable enough read, and I might pick up the rest of the series as and when I need something light between books.
A little cliched. Beautiful loner, red headed blue eyed witch with no parents turns out to have a rare set of powers and be the daughter of someone famous. Finds a little set of friends who are her misfit tribe and is still madly attractive to her antagonist who isn’t so bad really, and a villain who was fairly predictable.
That having been said, the actual storyline was fun and easy, it kept my interest and despite the main characters falling a bit flat the others made me want to know more about them. I liked the world building, and yes, a lot was obviously ripped from Potter. The “point” system possibly, and “Undesirables” being two that come to mind! However living so closely with the human world and managing things the way they were was very good!
A comfortable enough read, and I might pick up the rest of the series as and when I need something light between books.
Enjoyed this book. The first chapter hooked me and it grew from there. Even though I could only read bits of it at a time for the first few days at about the 64% I settled in for the ride to the finish and it kept me up until the wee hours. I like the arc being set up and look forward to reading the next few volumes. I'm not sure I'll go though all 18 (as of now) books but I'll see.
Neat premise, but the dialogue is clunky and some of the gender dynamics feel like they came straight from the early 90s. Some blatant "borrowing" from the Harry Potter universe leads to the occasional non-sensical plot elements (the covens are like businesses . . . but they also get points?). An easy read, but I'm not inclined to pick up the rest of the series.