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romancejunkie1025's review
4.0
Definitely not a romance but a fun fantasy first in a series by one of my favorite wiccan authors. Look forward to the rest of it. 3.75 stars just cuz I wanted more romance
hgranger's review
2.0
Veiled Magic had some promise but didn’t deliver. After reading enough UF with kick-ass protagonists, Donata was bland and disappointing. The budding love triangle was trite. She had more chemistry with her boss than with either of the two manly men - so handsome, so alpha, blah blah. (Side note; why is it cute when someone persists in using a nickname someone else hates? Isn’t that just obnoxious?)
The story didn’t really grip me or make me feel like I as sucked in in any way.
At the end of the book, nothing was resolved and the story was right back where it started. Except one of only a couple of likable characters sacrificed himself for what turned out to be no reason at all.
Finally, the title has nothing to do with the story/ the characters - what does it even mean?
The story didn’t really grip me or make me feel like I as sucked in in any way.
At the end of the book, nothing was resolved and the story was right back where it started. Except one of only a couple of likable characters sacrificed himself for what turned out to be no reason at all.
Finally, the title has nothing to do with the story/ the characters - what does it even mean?
chllybrd's review
4.0
I gave it 3.5 stars
I really enjoy books where the main character is a police officer and I have enjoyed Blake's Baba Yaga series, so picking up a review copy of VEILED MAGIC was an easy choice.
VEILED MAGIC starts off on the slow side, but things really pick up when multiple people start threatening and giving Donata ultimatums to get her to do what they want. I enjoyed Donata's character. I liked what she does for a living with her magic and I liked her personality. There are actually some great secondary characters —as well as some animals— that are involved in VEILED MAGIC. Grimalkin and Elymr in particular really stole the show when they were in a scene.
Are you ready for a love triangle? Donata meets Peter for the first time in VEILED MAGIC, and they certainly have an attraction. I really thought there would be more romance between them, but then enters Magnus. Donata had a previous relationship with him and they are just friends now, but they have a history that shows and they actually DO get romantic in VEILED MAGIC, but Donata is adamant that their relationship would never work because of who and what they are and she is still pulled towards Peter. I wasn't too thrilled with the way the love triangle part of the story line left off, but maybe book 2 will make it up to me.
I enjoyed reading VEILED MAGIC, but I wish we got more of the cop feel I was looking for. Donata is an officer, but the case she is working on takes her out of the police station where she investigates with those that aren't officers, which to be fair, is stated in the blurb. I am hoping book two—which I will be reading—will have a bit more station action.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoy books where the main character is a police officer and I have enjoyed Blake's Baba Yaga series, so picking up a review copy of VEILED MAGIC was an easy choice.
VEILED MAGIC starts off on the slow side, but things really pick up when multiple people start threatening and giving Donata ultimatums to get her to do what they want. I enjoyed Donata's character. I liked what she does for a living with her magic and I liked her personality. There are actually some great secondary characters —as well as some animals— that are involved in VEILED MAGIC. Grimalkin and Elymr in particular really stole the show when they were in a scene.
Are you ready for a love triangle? Donata meets Peter for the first time in VEILED MAGIC, and they certainly have an attraction. I really thought there would be more romance between them, but then enters Magnus. Donata had a previous relationship with him and they are just friends now, but they have a history that shows and they actually DO get romantic in VEILED MAGIC, but Donata is adamant that their relationship would never work because of who and what they are and she is still pulled towards Peter. I wasn't too thrilled with the way the love triangle part of the story line left off, but maybe book 2 will make it up to me.
I enjoyed reading VEILED MAGIC, but I wish we got more of the cop feel I was looking for. Donata is an officer, but the case she is working on takes her out of the police station where she investigates with those that aren't officers, which to be fair, is stated in the blurb. I am hoping book two—which I will be reading—will have a bit more station action.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
alexk02's review
3.0
I RECEIVED THIS BOOK OFF OF NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST OPINION.
I liked this book.
So I went into this book not really wanting to continue it after reading the first 10% of the book, but I continued on. The beginning was really slow for me and it seemed like it was packed with all the information needed to understand the book but within the first 10% of the book. It wasn't spread out that much and it seemed to just be plopped right on the reader. Also, the beginning, though there was a lot of information did not seem to explain things as well as I would have liked, it left me a bit confused and it left me questioning things. It seemed to me that it was a bit contradictory to itself at one point, too and the ending was just a bit stupid.
The good news is, I really loved the diverse characters within this book, Friar Matthew and Ricky were my all time favorite and I might have shed a tear or two at that one part where that one thing happened. The writer obviously put a lot of research into what she was writing about which makes the book a better read because the author knew what she was going to write and going to say. It was fast paced once you got past the first 20% of the book and it did have some romance which I enjoyed. There was no insta love within the book, just a love triangle that was a bit dysfunctional. It was cute. I liked Donata and Magnus together a lot more than Donata and Peter but that's okay. I absolutely LOVED Grimalkin (her cat) and Elymr (Peter's dog) I just, ahhh. Animals make me so happy. The book had some really funny parts within it that I actually laughed out loud at. Overall, I rated this book 3.5/5 stars. Just a bit confused on if this book is part of a series or something??
I liked this book.
So I went into this book not really wanting to continue it after reading the first 10% of the book, but I continued on. The beginning was really slow for me and it seemed like it was packed with all the information needed to understand the book but within the first 10% of the book. It wasn't spread out that much and it seemed to just be plopped right on the reader. Also, the beginning, though there was a lot of information did not seem to explain things as well as I would have liked, it left me a bit confused and it left me questioning things. It seemed to me that it was a bit contradictory to itself at one point, too and the ending was just a bit stupid.
The good news is, I really loved the diverse characters within this book, Friar Matthew and Ricky were my all time favorite and I might have shed a tear or two at that one part where that one thing happened. The writer obviously put a lot of research into what she was writing about which makes the book a better read because the author knew what she was going to write and going to say. It was fast paced once you got past the first 20% of the book and it did have some romance which I enjoyed. There was no insta love within the book, just a love triangle that was a bit dysfunctional. It was cute. I liked Donata and Magnus together a lot more than Donata and Peter but that's okay. I absolutely LOVED Grimalkin (her cat) and Elymr (Peter's dog) I just, ahhh. Animals make me so happy. The book had some really funny parts within it that I actually laughed out loud at. Overall, I rated this book 3.5/5 stars. Just a bit confused on if this book is part of a series or something??
redhairedashreads's review
3.0
Police officer and witch Donata Santori spends her days interrogating dead witnesses by summoning their ghosts. When she is called in on the case of a murdered art restorer, she finds herself in possession of a dangerous painting that both the human and paranormal communities want.
This was a very fascinating world. Donata was a witch officer who raises the dead as witnesses to their own deaths, which is just a fascinating and unique concept. I liked how strong and capable she is, even when everything seems to be falling apart.
The paranormal races in this world are both common and unique at the same time, especially the ulfhednar, who are almost like shifters. Between Peter, who is half-dragon, and Magnus, an ulfhednar, and Ricky, a kobold, this was a great, and very diverse, group of characters to introduce us to this world.
My only real complaint about this book was the lack of world building around the city in which Donata lives. It isn’t clear on if this is our current world or just an alternative one. I prefer a little more world development for urban fantasy books, but there are still two more books that can help flush out this world.
Overall, this was a good urban fantasy and an interesting world. It was fast paced, had interesting characters, and had just a hint of romance.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
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Romanceopoly 2020 Sun - Killer Crescent
This was a very fascinating world. Donata was a witch officer who raises the dead as witnesses to their own deaths, which is just a fascinating and unique concept. I liked how strong and capable she is, even when everything seems to be falling apart.
The paranormal races in this world are both common and unique at the same time, especially the ulfhednar, who are almost like shifters. Between Peter, who is half-dragon, and Magnus, an ulfhednar, and Ricky, a kobold, this was a great, and very diverse, group of characters to introduce us to this world.
My only real complaint about this book was the lack of world building around the city in which Donata lives. It isn’t clear on if this is our current world or just an alternative one. I prefer a little more world development for urban fantasy books, but there are still two more books that can help flush out this world.
Overall, this was a good urban fantasy and an interesting world. It was fast paced, had interesting characters, and had just a hint of romance.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
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Romanceopoly 2020 Sun - Killer Crescent
chelsjulian's review
2.0
So many problems, so little time. Baba Yaga is one of the archetypes but Blake turned her into some passive Mary Sue. Along with the world's most incompetent sheriff, I can't get past eye-rolling enough to finish.
larisa2021's review
4.0
Bring on book two! Fun crime adventure with a paranormal twist and a dash of family dysfunction.
glennisleblanc's review
3.0
This is an introduction to a new urban fantasy series. Witches are out in the open and working with their powers in the mainstream life. The Church still doesn’t care for them and would love to get their hands on an item that can identify witches and other supernatural creatures that have remained hidden from the public. Donata works for the police as a witch who calls the dead back and get the truth from them about how they died and what they were doing. After solving a missing person’s case before the story starts she is now a rising star in the police chief’s eyes. The ghost of the crime victim begs Donata to destroy the painting before it is taken by the Church to use against other supernatural. Everyone wants the painting and they go about several means of exerting pressure on her to have her do what they want.
A fun fast read and the story setting is interesting enough that I’ll be picking up the next one.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
A fun fast read and the story setting is interesting enough that I’ll be picking up the next one.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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