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stephbookshine's review
4.0
*I received a free ARC of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.*
Cursed Magic is the third book in the Relic Guardians series, and while it does stand alone as a story, I would recommend reading books 1 and 2 first, as they establish both the characters and the rules of the world, magic, etc. This book dives straight on in with the characters and action without as much in the way of background explanation.
I’ve said before, when reviewing the earlier books that if you like the sound of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft, crossed with the paranormal, then these books are for you. The focus is on action: infiltration, fighting, hostages, locating and retrieving dangerous objects, spell battles and so on. The pacing is fast and tense, and the characters are skilled and efficient in their individual fields.
This installment is slightly different as there is an element of romantic relationship built into the characterisation of the main protagonists. The focus is on Zoe and Jamie; Hayley (from Hidden Magic) does make a brief appearance, but remains in the background. The changing relationship dynamics are interesting as it builds on the development of the characters so far and how they relate to each other as a team, rather than as separate people who happen to be working towards similar goals. There is also more character development here about Jamie, who I previously labelled as ‘The Thief’. I’m not taking back that description, but I like that he has more layers now, and this, in turn, shows us the beginnings of a softer, happier (but still kickass) Zoe.
There is clearly still plenty to come for these characters, with the building of a wider story arc, and almost endless opportunities for their future adventures. Due to the mild romance, mild language and lack of explicit violence (deaths occur but the details are left to the imagination), I would also recommend these books for teens and upwards who like their adventures fast-paced, action-packed and magic-filled.
Cursed Magic is the third book in the Relic Guardians series, and while it does stand alone as a story, I would recommend reading books 1 and 2 first, as they establish both the characters and the rules of the world, magic, etc. This book dives straight on in with the characters and action without as much in the way of background explanation.
I’ve said before, when reviewing the earlier books that if you like the sound of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft, crossed with the paranormal, then these books are for you. The focus is on action: infiltration, fighting, hostages, locating and retrieving dangerous objects, spell battles and so on. The pacing is fast and tense, and the characters are skilled and efficient in their individual fields.
This installment is slightly different as there is an element of romantic relationship built into the characterisation of the main protagonists. The focus is on Zoe and Jamie; Hayley (from Hidden Magic) does make a brief appearance, but remains in the background. The changing relationship dynamics are interesting as it builds on the development of the characters so far and how they relate to each other as a team, rather than as separate people who happen to be working towards similar goals. There is also more character development here about Jamie, who I previously labelled as ‘The Thief’. I’m not taking back that description, but I like that he has more layers now, and this, in turn, shows us the beginnings of a softer, happier (but still kickass) Zoe.
There is clearly still plenty to come for these characters, with the building of a wider story arc, and almost endless opportunities for their future adventures. Due to the mild romance, mild language and lack of explicit violence (deaths occur but the details are left to the imagination), I would also recommend these books for teens and upwards who like their adventures fast-paced, action-packed and magic-filled.
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