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dawn_marie's review against another edition
1.0
All in all, I thought the story, while full of potential, failed miserably in the execution. The writer did little world building and did not explain the mythology of the wizard world; what makes a Dark wizard different than a Light wizard, why do practicing dark wizards go badly wrong? The characters were flat, one-dimensional, and generally boring. I didn't like David, worse I found him dull; the kids were all caricatures (moody teenager, mouthy pre-teen); and the fringe characters were plot devices. I found Amanda be particularly shrewish, reprehensible, manipulative, and hypocritical; I feel like I read a different book than the rest of the reviewers because I loathed everything about this story.
Spoiler
Her stealing/wiping David's memories and then refusing to talk about the stolen memories (once David learned of the missing memories) was abusive. Worse, bringing in her sister-in-law (Jess) to "read" David's mind to "see if he was hiding anything else" felt very much like rape. And for good measure, Jude ends up actually raping his brother's girlfriend ... why? Because that's what Dark Wizards do.missjessie182's review against another edition
4.0
I don’t know where Sharon Bayliss came from, but her talent for telling a new tale with a fresh twisted on magic, paranormal and fantasy is amazing. Destruction isn’t like anything I have read before with characters that feel real and a story that moves at a pace that keeps you guessing but doesn’t feel rushed. I love that is dark, but has a little light like how much David the main man in the story loves this family even if he has made bad choices. I loved this book and enjoyed the characters, but there are a lot of them, at times making it a little confusing and hard to keep up with who was who. A character map or family tree would help at to keep up with who’s who and who is related to whom. If you’re looking for something new and fresh with great story building this is the book for you. 4 out of 5 stars.
sadiecass's review against another edition
3.0
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Three and a Half Stars
I'll be honest. I had a hard time rating this one. I had to let it sit for a few days to figure it out.
When I read the description I thought "Man I'm going to love this one!" Then partway in I thought I was disappointed...and then the story went so fast and at the end I was mad it finished, so I figured I ended up liking it, but I wasn't entirely sure. :)
David is a driven business and family man with a guilty secret--and affair he carried on years ago. He ended the affair, but when the woman disappeared with his children, he never stopped looking for them.
The book starts with David getting "the call". His kids are alive and in a children's shelter. He learns they've been abused and their coping mechanism is to believe they are dark wizards.
For the rest of the review, click here to read it on my blog.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Three and a Half Stars
I'll be honest. I had a hard time rating this one. I had to let it sit for a few days to figure it out.
When I read the description I thought "Man I'm going to love this one!" Then partway in I thought I was disappointed...and then the story went so fast and at the end I was mad it finished, so I figured I ended up liking it, but I wasn't entirely sure. :)
David is a driven business and family man with a guilty secret--and affair he carried on years ago. He ended the affair, but when the woman disappeared with his children, he never stopped looking for them.
The book starts with David getting "the call". His kids are alive and in a children's shelter. He learns they've been abused and their coping mechanism is to believe they are dark wizards.
For the rest of the review, click here to read it on my blog.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
kyshakitty's review against another edition
3.0
I was supposed to have this read and reviewed prior to release day, which was April 14. Oops!
The author gave me this ARC to review. You can see my release day post here.
Now I really liked the synopsis of this book and hoped to enjoy it. But I didn’t. I feel like this is a 3 star book at best.
I usually fall in love with at least 1 character in a story, but in this one I felt nothing. None of the characters. The main character David is very flat and boring. He is too typical white middle class America and so is his clueless wife. Their 3 kids are self absorbed spoiled brats like most kids these days. The new kids are out of touch with reality and obviously mentally disturbed. The chemistry between the characters was forced and/or nonexistent. Their all being witches just made the story that much more unbelievable. I know this is fiction, but it is contemporary fiction so it needs to be believable in some places. The poor girl that gets dumped on them and then assaulted is useless to the story. I would rather the oldest son, Jude, beat someone up or even kill someone instead of raping a 13 year old girl. Seriously that was unnecessary.
The whole magic makes you crazy thing was too much for me. The characters used that excuse for everything that anyone did wrong and anytime something bad happened. They treated magic like a disease.
I love reading stories about witches but them being witches didn’t further the plot at all. This seriously could have been a story about them secretly being black and set in the 40′s or 50′s and would have made just as much sense.
I am sorry that I have to write a negative review because I usually just do not review a book I don’t like. I told Ms. Bayliss I would write and honest review and this is my personal opinion. I am sure there are lots of people who love this book and cannot wait for the sequel, but I am sadly not one of them.
The author gave me this ARC to review. You can see my release day post here.
Now I really liked the synopsis of this book and hoped to enjoy it. But I didn’t. I feel like this is a 3 star book at best.
I usually fall in love with at least 1 character in a story, but in this one I felt nothing. None of the characters. The main character David is very flat and boring. He is too typical white middle class America and so is his clueless wife. Their 3 kids are self absorbed spoiled brats like most kids these days. The new kids are out of touch with reality and obviously mentally disturbed. The chemistry between the characters was forced and/or nonexistent. Their all being witches just made the story that much more unbelievable. I know this is fiction, but it is contemporary fiction so it needs to be believable in some places. The poor girl that gets dumped on them and then assaulted is useless to the story. I would rather the oldest son, Jude, beat someone up or even kill someone instead of raping a 13 year old girl. Seriously that was unnecessary.
The whole magic makes you crazy thing was too much for me. The characters used that excuse for everything that anyone did wrong and anytime something bad happened. They treated magic like a disease.
I love reading stories about witches but them being witches didn’t further the plot at all. This seriously could have been a story about them secretly being black and set in the 40′s or 50′s and would have made just as much sense.
I am sorry that I have to write a negative review because I usually just do not review a book I don’t like. I told Ms. Bayliss I would write and honest review and this is my personal opinion. I am sure there are lots of people who love this book and cannot wait for the sequel, but I am sadly not one of them.
storieswithsoul's review against another edition
5.0
Destruction by Sharon Bayliss Synopsis
David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice. Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children. Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.
Review
Another 5-star read!! Fantasy is my most favourite genre and well, who doesn't like witches and wizards? ;) The best part of the book was its beginning. It started in a way that one would not be able to put it down. There was a lot of mystery and intrigue and a want to find out what will come next. And it will not disappoint the readers because what will come is quite exceptional. One unique thing about this book is that you can't put it into a box with "adult book" or "young adult book". It cannot be defined that way. As it involves main characters including adults and teenagers as well. So in that respect, I think, people from all ages can enjoy it equally.
David just found out about his lost kids and he is scared to tell the truth to his wife. She will be mad if she found out and demand a divorce, rightly so. But he cannot lose her, he may not be a one-woman man but he was most definitely a two-women man. After losing Crystal (mother of his lost children), he cannot imagine losing Amanda (his wife) too. But now that he is bringing his kids (a son and a daughter) home, there is no way to hide his secret affair, which happened eleven years ago.
Xavier and Evangeline have been abused by their stepfather and now that David has found them he wants to protect them at all costs. His other three children, Jude, Patrick and Emmy are not so welcoming towards their step siblings. To top it all of Evangeline claims to be a witch. May be it is some kind of coping mechanism, something she can use as a shield to all the abuse and difficulties they had faced in the home of their stepfather.
As soon as Amanda finds out that Evangeline is a witch she forbids her to use magic. This results in a confrontation between David and her. That's when she admits that she is a dark witch too, so is David and all of their children. After that bad things started happening as all the kids started practising magic. They did not care much for Amanda's no-magic rule. Teenagers simply cannot help themselves. they thought it was so cool to be able to use magic. The believed that even though they were dark wizards, they can be good but were they right or not is still to be determined...
The story is engaging and well written. It was interesting to begin with and ended well too. Although its part of a series but can be read as stand alone. I will recommend it to all fantasy/paranormal fiction lovers.
David Vandergraff wants to be a good man. He goes to church every Sunday, keeps his lawn trim and green, and loves his wife and kids more than anything. Unfortunately, being a dark wizard isn't a choice. Eleven years ago, David's secret second family went missing. When his two lost children are finally found, he learns they suffered years of unthinkable abuse. Ready to make things right, David brings the kids home even though it could mean losing the wife he can’t imagine living without. Keeping his life together becomes harder when the new children claim to be dark wizards. David believes they use this fantasy to cope with their trauma. Until, David's wife admits a secret of her own—she is a dark wizard too, as is David, and all of their children. Now, David must parent two hurting children from a dark world he doesn’t understand and keep his family from falling apart. All while dealing with the realization that everyone he loves, including himself, may be evil.
Review
Another 5-star read!! Fantasy is my most favourite genre and well, who doesn't like witches and wizards? ;) The best part of the book was its beginning. It started in a way that one would not be able to put it down. There was a lot of mystery and intrigue and a want to find out what will come next. And it will not disappoint the readers because what will come is quite exceptional. One unique thing about this book is that you can't put it into a box with "adult book" or "young adult book". It cannot be defined that way. As it involves main characters including adults and teenagers as well. So in that respect, I think, people from all ages can enjoy it equally.
David just found out about his lost kids and he is scared to tell the truth to his wife. She will be mad if she found out and demand a divorce, rightly so. But he cannot lose her, he may not be a one-woman man but he was most definitely a two-women man. After losing Crystal (mother of his lost children), he cannot imagine losing Amanda (his wife) too. But now that he is bringing his kids (a son and a daughter) home, there is no way to hide his secret affair, which happened eleven years ago.
Xavier and Evangeline have been abused by their stepfather and now that David has found them he wants to protect them at all costs. His other three children, Jude, Patrick and Emmy are not so welcoming towards their step siblings. To top it all of Evangeline claims to be a witch. May be it is some kind of coping mechanism, something she can use as a shield to all the abuse and difficulties they had faced in the home of their stepfather.
As soon as Amanda finds out that Evangeline is a witch she forbids her to use magic. This results in a confrontation between David and her. That's when she admits that she is a dark witch too, so is David and all of their children. After that bad things started happening as all the kids started practising magic. They did not care much for Amanda's no-magic rule. Teenagers simply cannot help themselves. they thought it was so cool to be able to use magic. The believed that even though they were dark wizards, they can be good but were they right or not is still to be determined...
The story is engaging and well written. It was interesting to begin with and ended well too. Although its part of a series but can be read as stand alone. I will recommend it to all fantasy/paranormal fiction lovers.
angelastl's review against another edition
4.0
Received a free copy for my honest opinion
This book took me by surprise. It's about a normal ish family that discovers they are witches and wizards. The story made it seem so real by not being fanciful about it. It's like this sort of thing can happen to any family. Can't wait to read the next book
This book took me by surprise. It's about a normal ish family that discovers they are witches and wizards. The story made it seem so real by not being fanciful about it. It's like this sort of thing can happen to any family. Can't wait to read the next book
book_dragon_of_wv's review against another edition
5.0
GREAT book!! It was dark and full of magic!!! It left me wanting to know more about this family!!!
urlphantomhive's review
3.0
READ IN ENGLISH
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
After eleven years David receives a call, the children he had with his girlfriend-on-the-side-for-seven-years are found and since their mother is dead, he takes custody. Bringing two new children to his 'actual' family is even the weirdest part. They have suffered from terrible abuse claim to be dark wizards, a tale David believes they've created to cope with the abuse. But then he learns the truth. Everyone around him - himself included - is a dark wizard.
Being a dark wizard doesn't necessarily make you bad, but destruction is your main trait. And for quite some time in this novel, shattered glass is about all the magic you will get. In the beginning I had some troubles to really get into the story because I kept waiting for something to happen. But this isn't a story with a murder to solve nor is there an epic quest of some sort. This is a novel about David and his family, trying to live with the new knowledge of being wizards, in a world where the use magic isn't always helping you, and things can backfire quite badly. I don't think this is a book for everyone, but once I got that, I didn't mind at all and really enjoyed the rest of the story.
It would have been nice to see some more world building, and to know some more rules of the use of magic. So far. limitations aren't really known, and the exact differences between the good, the bad (and the ugly :P) witches haven't really been explained properly. Which would be understandable given the fact they are all extremely rare and hard to find as they try to mix in with the Mundane (or the normal people), but everyone in this book is. Not only David and his wife and children, also his girlfriend-on-the-side-for-seven-years, his brother, parents, brother-in-law and his wife, and almost all other characters are wizards. And all this in the extremely magical setting of: Texas.
So, if you don't mind a slow story where magic isn't always helping the main characters, try this book. It's the first in the new December-people series (Months are given to each wizard to decide just how dark they are, December is pretty bad though) and I'm planning on reading the sequel as well.
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
After eleven years David receives a call, the children he had with his girlfriend-on-the-side-for-seven-years are found and since their mother is dead, he takes custody. Bringing two new children to his 'actual' family is even the weirdest part. They have suffered from terrible abuse claim to be dark wizards, a tale David believes they've created to cope with the abuse. But then he learns the truth. Everyone around him - himself included - is a dark wizard.
Being a dark wizard doesn't necessarily make you bad, but destruction is your main trait. And for quite some time in this novel, shattered glass is about all the magic you will get. In the beginning I had some troubles to really get into the story because I kept waiting for something to happen. But this isn't a story with a murder to solve nor is there an epic quest of some sort. This is a novel about David and his family, trying to live with the new knowledge of being wizards, in a world where the use magic isn't always helping you, and things can backfire quite badly. I don't think this is a book for everyone, but once I got that, I didn't mind at all and really enjoyed the rest of the story.
It would have been nice to see some more world building, and to know some more rules of the use of magic. So far. limitations aren't really known, and the exact differences between the good, the bad (and the ugly :P) witches haven't really been explained properly. Which would be understandable given the fact they are all extremely rare and hard to find as they try to mix in with the Mundane (or the normal people), but everyone in this book is. Not only David and his wife and children, also his girlfriend-on-the-side-for-seven-years, his brother, parents, brother-in-law and his wife, and almost all other characters are wizards. And all this in the extremely magical setting of: Texas.
So, if you don't mind a slow story where magic isn't always helping the main characters, try this book. It's the first in the new December-people series (Months are given to each wizard to decide just how dark they are, December is pretty bad though) and I'm planning on reading the sequel as well.
paperbackstash's review against another edition
4.0
This book took me by surprise - I really didn't think I'd love it as much as I did.
The first chapter read a little awkwardly; I think the writer was finding their footing. It thankfully took off from there - fast. David had an affair and now it's come to haunt him - as he has to take custody of the two kids from that relationship. The children were kept in hiding by the mother and her abusive boyfriend, and they practiced a dark sort of magic.
The story doesn't stop with the surprises. Every few chapters I would sit there stunned, learning something new that changed the game. Changes about the children, or the main characters like David himself. The world building was creative and not like anything else I've read before. A mix between dark and light magic. It's not really in your face types, though, more of a subtle magic. Fascinating stuff.
The wife took awhile to grow on me, but I ended up liking her more later. Each kid had their own personality and current story, which became fascinating.
I can't wait for the second book to see what happens. I'm especially curious about David and the friend's parents. It didn't end on a cliffhanger per se, but definitely makes me want to keep reading.
It's not strictly a young adult, it's as suitable for the adult genre. A fantasy type story. Highly recommended if you enjoy stories with magic as part of the world building.
The first chapter read a little awkwardly; I think the writer was finding their footing. It thankfully took off from there - fast. David had an affair and now it's come to haunt him - as he has to take custody of the two kids from that relationship. The children were kept in hiding by the mother and her abusive boyfriend, and they practiced a dark sort of magic.
The story doesn't stop with the surprises. Every few chapters I would sit there stunned, learning something new that changed the game. Changes about the children, or the main characters like David himself. The world building was creative and not like anything else I've read before. A mix between dark and light magic. It's not really in your face types, though, more of a subtle magic. Fascinating stuff.
The wife took awhile to grow on me, but I ended up liking her more later. Each kid had their own personality and current story, which became fascinating.
I can't wait for the second book to see what happens. I'm especially curious about David and the friend's parents. It didn't end on a cliffhanger per se, but definitely makes me want to keep reading.
It's not strictly a young adult, it's as suitable for the adult genre. A fantasy type story. Highly recommended if you enjoy stories with magic as part of the world building.
samanthabryant's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting take on magic. I'm intrigued by the world Bayliss has created and looking forward to reading more. The intermix of "mundane" concerns like money and marriages with the impact of magic and its use or not-use made for a tense story.