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jlaynereads's review
4.0
NOTE: I have not read the other stores in this Anthology:
Book review of Mail Order Witch by Joynell Schultz
“The magic in our world is dying
and its Ettie’s duty to save it.”
This book is a fresh take on a genre that is very familiar to all of us though Joynell Schultz has managed to add her own flare and to create something new or at least less familiar.
This is a very short, enchanting read; I thought it was very enjoyable & fun to read and I had a really hard time putting it down. Ettie is a fun and lovable character that you just want to see continue to develop and find out what happens to.
Magic in the world has been weakening; many are pretty sure it is due to witches and warlocks inter-marrying humans. The theory is that is weakening the magic in their blood. In order to save the magic, those with pure bloodlines are strongly encouraged to marry. In order to do her part, Ettie decides to become a Mail Order Bride. You want to know more? Read it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book review of Mail Order Witch by Joynell Schultz
“The magic in our world is dying
and its Ettie’s duty to save it.”
This book is a fresh take on a genre that is very familiar to all of us though Joynell Schultz has managed to add her own flare and to create something new or at least less familiar.
This is a very short, enchanting read; I thought it was very enjoyable & fun to read and I had a really hard time putting it down. Ettie is a fun and lovable character that you just want to see continue to develop and find out what happens to.
Magic in the world has been weakening; many are pretty sure it is due to witches and warlocks inter-marrying humans. The theory is that is weakening the magic in their blood. In order to save the magic, those with pure bloodlines are strongly encouraged to marry. In order to do her part, Ettie decides to become a Mail Order Bride. You want to know more? Read it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
marimoose's review
3.0
This review is for "Six Hooves" by Stephen Wallace, which I had the opportunity to read through Reedsy Discovery in exchange for an honest review.
It's difficult for me to get into an epic fantasy without the backdrop of worldbuilding behind it. I think this is because many of the epic fantasy authors I've read in the past have over 100,000 words in their first book arsenal, so a short story of epic proportions had me suspect. Seriously, how do you fit so much of a world in one novella anyway?!
That being said, I think "Six Hooves" does its job surprisingly well, even for a short story epic fantasy.
The story is part of the Hidden Magic anthology, and works in a magic system based on religion and belief. It revolves around two interesting characters, Al'rashal (a centaur) and Urkjorman (a minotaur), a wife-and-husband monster duo out to protect a set of Wayfarers on a pilgrimage. It takes place in a land of desert sands, and honestly, the author paints well enough a picture that you could almost see the setting itself.
I liked the premise of the adventure. I liked that the two main characters (and Eihn, the third minor POV) were monsters and thus shunned from regular human society. Even the gnomes had their misgivings over hiring Al and Urk as bodyguards, but they found the necessity considering both are pretty much powerhouses. They were both pretty darn indestructible throughout the story, you almost wish there was a weakness to them. (I mean, there was...but I won't get into that...)
My only caveat was the magic system itself. I know it was based on a sort of religion that was mentioned and returned to throughout the story (a marriage of powers between the monsters and the...gnomes? Or humans?), but it definitely had holes to the workings of the actual magic. Did the magic work on blind faith? Did the magic only work on gnomes and monsters? Then where did the spellcaster get his magic and why can't he get his power off of the same source? What are the rules of this magic? Too many questions, I suppose, could have been answered in a longer epic.
All the same, "Six Hooves" was a good read, and not too taxing as far as the plot goes. It wasn't the most riveting adventure I've come across, but worth reading for Al and Urk's numerous quips to each other, if nothing else.
It's difficult for me to get into an epic fantasy without the backdrop of worldbuilding behind it. I think this is because many of the epic fantasy authors I've read in the past have over 100,000 words in their first book arsenal, so a short story of epic proportions had me suspect. Seriously, how do you fit so much of a world in one novella anyway?!
That being said, I think "Six Hooves" does its job surprisingly well, even for a short story epic fantasy.
The story is part of the Hidden Magic anthology, and works in a magic system based on religion and belief. It revolves around two interesting characters, Al'rashal (a centaur) and Urkjorman (a minotaur), a wife-and-husband monster duo out to protect a set of Wayfarers on a pilgrimage. It takes place in a land of desert sands, and honestly, the author paints well enough a picture that you could almost see the setting itself.
I liked the premise of the adventure. I liked that the two main characters (and Eihn, the third minor POV) were monsters and thus shunned from regular human society. Even the gnomes had their misgivings over hiring Al and Urk as bodyguards, but they found the necessity considering both are pretty much powerhouses. They were both pretty darn indestructible throughout the story, you almost wish there was a weakness to them. (I mean, there was...but I won't get into that...)
My only caveat was the magic system itself. I know it was based on a sort of religion that was mentioned and returned to throughout the story (a marriage of powers between the monsters and the...gnomes? Or humans?), but it definitely had holes to the workings of the actual magic. Did the magic work on blind faith? Did the magic only work on gnomes and monsters? Then where did the spellcaster get his magic and why can't he get his power off of the same source? What are the rules of this magic? Too many questions, I suppose, could have been answered in a longer epic.
All the same, "Six Hooves" was a good read, and not too taxing as far as the plot goes. It wasn't the most riveting adventure I've come across, but worth reading for Al and Urk's numerous quips to each other, if nothing else.
claireylou's review
4.0
I recieved a copy of 'Hidden Magic' by H.B Lynne to review. My opinions are my own!
Disclaimer I have not read the whole anthology, just one story.
I don't normally read short stories or novellas as I feel they aren't long enough to get into the "world". This story however really throws you into the world head first. It was immediately engaging and you really get a feel for "Felix' the main character very quickly. It is of course still short but it's being a great set up for the rest if the story and I can't wait to see how it will turn out and to read other books in this world.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer I have not read the whole anthology, just one story.
I don't normally read short stories or novellas as I feel they aren't long enough to get into the "world". This story however really throws you into the world head first. It was immediately engaging and you really get a feel for "Felix' the main character very quickly. It is of course still short but it's being a great set up for the rest if the story and I can't wait to see how it will turn out and to read other books in this world.
Enjoy!
lin00's review
3.0
Hidden magic was a fun, engaging and enjoyable book, even though it was surprisingly short.
The story is quite intriguing and original, and I loved how imaginative the characters were. I especially liked how the fantastic world and the real one collied.
However, I found the writing a bit confusing. It was hard for me to understand what was going on exactly, as it was so short I did not have the time to have the full picture.
I want to thank Anela Deen for kindly give me a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
The story is quite intriguing and original, and I loved how imaginative the characters were. I especially liked how the fantastic world and the real one collied.
However, I found the writing a bit confusing. It was hard for me to understand what was going on exactly, as it was so short I did not have the time to have the full picture.
I want to thank Anela Deen for kindly give me a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
aworldshapedbybooks's review
4.0
I'm reviewing an ARC for Anela Deen's novella in the first part of the Magic Underground Anthologies, A Veil is Parted. I got the ARC for this novella in an exchange for an honest review, which I'm here to provide. To be honest, I love Anela Deen's writing, I wish that she were more popular because I've yet to read something by her that wasn't great.
In this novella, Jessa lives in a small town in Michigan. She's just been dealt some earth-shattering news, and she's had to deal with a lot of earth-shattering news in the last couple of years. As she's stewing on her news and trying to walk home from her neighbor's house, she stumbles into an active fight between creatures that she has never seen before. Simith is a pixie, but he's not probably what you imagine when you think of a pixie, he's a trained soldier who has been at war for over a decade. When the two meet, they both have a lot of issues. They're helping each other grow and I'm super excited to see where it goes.
My only criticism would be with the pacing, novellas always have a weird vibe for me because they're so short and yet so packed with information. I'm excited for the rest of the anthology to come out cause I really need more from this universe.
This review and all my others can be found at: https://aworldshapedbybooks.blogspot.com/
phantomofthelibrary's review
I have to say, the idea of having a series of anthologies where the stories run throughout was really intriguing to me. In Hidden Magic, the first installment of this series, we get introduced to some amazing characters. Each author creates a unique world filled with magic and – in many cases – mayhem.
While I enjoyed reading all of the different tales, I thought I’d highlight a couple of my favourite stories in the most spoiler free way possible.
A Veil is Parted by Anela Deen: 4.5 star read for me. I found this tale to be a great way to start the anthology off. It’s eye catching and gave me everything I want from a fantasy short. The characters were complex and the story left me on the edge of my seat waiting to see where the story will take Jessa and Simith next.
The Mail-Order Witch by Joynell Schultz: 4 star read for me. I have a soft spot for witches, especially if they’re misfits in their community. It can’t be easy to uproot your entire life to try and make a marriage work – let alone a new business – but thankfully Etta and Roman are in it together. They might not have known each other long, but they stand by each other no matter what.
Even aside from these tales, this book is filled with fantastic/al reads. Any fantasy reader is bound to find something to enjoy in this wonderful bindup. If you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend picking these tales up. Some of these tales are standalones, while others tie in to the authors’ other works. If you’re looking for a one off or a new series to try, you might just find your next read in these tales.
While I enjoyed reading all of the different tales, I thought I’d highlight a couple of my favourite stories in the most spoiler free way possible.
A Veil is Parted by Anela Deen: 4.5 star read for me. I found this tale to be a great way to start the anthology off. It’s eye catching and gave me everything I want from a fantasy short. The characters were complex and the story left me on the edge of my seat waiting to see where the story will take Jessa and Simith next.
The Mail-Order Witch by Joynell Schultz: 4 star read for me. I have a soft spot for witches, especially if they’re misfits in their community. It can’t be easy to uproot your entire life to try and make a marriage work – let alone a new business – but thankfully Etta and Roman are in it together. They might not have known each other long, but they stand by each other no matter what.
Even aside from these tales, this book is filled with fantastic/al reads. Any fantasy reader is bound to find something to enjoy in this wonderful bindup. If you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend picking these tales up. Some of these tales are standalones, while others tie in to the authors’ other works. If you’re looking for a one off or a new series to try, you might just find your next read in these tales.
marjories's review
4.0
Featuring half a dozen of my favorite authors as well as several others that have been recommended to me, this was an easy one click purchase. This is the first in a set of three anthologies of inter-related stories.
Druid's Heir by Tiffany Shand - this is a prequel to the Rogues of Magic series. This short story manages to pack in a rich fantasy world with magic, a mysterious foretelling, a strange magical woman who leaves no trace and devastating betrayal as well as a bit of romance. Intrigue on the family level as well as the kingdom, both with potentially life-altering ramifications. This is just the beginning of the nightmare.
*review in process, I will continue adding to it
Druid's Heir by Tiffany Shand - this is a prequel to the Rogues of Magic series. This short story manages to pack in a rich fantasy world with magic, a mysterious foretelling, a strange magical woman who leaves no trace and devastating betrayal as well as a bit of romance. Intrigue on the family level as well as the kingdom, both with potentially life-altering ramifications. This is just the beginning of the nightmare.
*review in process, I will continue adding to it
errantdreams's review
4.0
Hidden Magic (Magic Underground Anthologies Book 1) is the first in a “trilogy” of anthologies, with each author writing three linked stories, one for each volume. It’s a really neat format. Some of these stories take place in pre-existing worlds, but they’re made to stand alone from that. I had no trouble making sense of all of them.
The only authors in here I was already familiar with were Lee French and Erik Kort, who wrote a story that fits into their Greatest Sin world (although it doesn’t involve the main characters of those books). That series happens to be one of my favorites, and The Greatest Sin: A Sacrifice of Blood lived up to my high expectations. Teenaged Algie and his Grandma Katona are practicing magic and playing chess when murderous thieves break into their mansion. Algie has been taught his whole life that killing is the greatest sin, but in order to keep his grandmother alive, he’s going to have to do more than run away. This was a riveting story, and I was able to really empathize with Algie’s despair at the idea of having to kill. The authors managed to get it across so well. (In most stories where a character is reluctant to kill when it seems the only way out, it’s hard to imagine how they struggle against it for so long. Here, I could get it.)
Anela Deen’s A Veil is Parted is another excellent story. Jessa stumbles across the existence of a whole other world of beings, and nearly dies when she gets in the way of a battle. There are some unexpected twists to what’s going on, and events get quite tense.
H.B. Lyne’s The Hunter was an engrossing tale of veteran Felix Jones. He’s going to a support group for veterans when his sister, who was supposed to go for emotional support, never shows up–and her phone number is out of order, and he can no longer remember where she lived. He’s neither the first nor the last person to suffer a bizarre loss of memory regarding part of the city, which seems to have disappeared. As he struggles to figure out what’s going on, he comes across a group of shapeshifters who are looking into the same thing. Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? Will he be able to get into the missing part of the city? Can he save his sister? Felix is not wholly a likable character, but he’s understandably damaged and willing to do whatever it takes to get his sister back. I’m curious to see where this one goes in the next two volumes.
The Catch, by Gwendolyn Woodschild, is an intriguing story of Viking Brandur and his Jarl wife, Torhild. When Brandur, who prefers the life of a simple fisherman, returns to find his village under attack by invisible forces, he ends up setting out to find his grandmother. She lives in the woods, and has a reputation of having supernatural abilities. Brandur finds out that these abilities have been passed down to him, and he gets a crash course in interacting with the souls of the dead. But will he be in time to save his village? I like the characters in here. Brandur and Torhild in particular are layered and interesting. I’d like to find out what happens to them next.
The Druid’s Heir is Tiffany Shand’s story of Rhiannon (Ann) Valeran, the archdruid’s heir. She has a guard and friend named Edward who wishes he could be more than that to her, two half-brothers (their father seems well-known for his many affairs–some with very ill-considered partners–and this is treated with odd glibness), and a doting, if perhaps stifling, father. Her father is working to put together a treaty that would bring peace to the various lands, but of course not everyone wants that. A mysterious seer tells Ann her house will fall, and she rushes to figure out what might threaten her family. Edward and Ann are very good characters, and I look forward to finding out what happens to them next. This tale was a little rough around the edges, but it was still gripping to read.
Leah W. Van Dinther’s The Amethyst Window introduces us to Carol Conley, who can see spirits associated with objects. When she visits her supplier to look for new items to buy, she meets Mr. Fred Archegon. The spirits are terrified of him, but he seems so elegant, friendly, and nice! The characters in this one are really interesting; Freddie is genuinely charming and a little bit forbidding, while Carol is a sweet lady who isn’t sure who to trust, or what to do about Archegon. I’m very curious to see where this one goes!
The Mark of the Red God, by Majanka Verstraete, is another favorite from this collection. Saleyna had the mark of the Red God branded into her forehead as a child in order to subdue her outlawed magic. The priests of the Red God still persecute magic-users, looking for reasons to kill them. If they knew that some of Saleyna’s empathy abilities remained, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill her. Saleyna doesn’t want to join in the quiet resistance against the priests, but her brother is in over his head and in order to save him, she agrees to infiltrate the priesthood as a new acolyte. I found this world intriguing and gripping, and I very much want to see where it goes next.
Amaskan, by Raven Oak, is a story about brother-and-sister pair Bredych and Shendra. The Order of Amaska is an order of trained killers, but they serve at the behest of the king and carry out “Justice.” Shendra thinks that murder is murder and thus wrong, but the Order picked her up out of the gutter and she feels she has no other choice than to finish her final trial and move on to the next stage of her training. Her trial, however, involves killing the madam of a brothel who’s believed to be involved in human trafficking. The woman has seemed fairly untouchable so far, and Shendra really doesn’t want to kill anyone, so naturally things go terribly wrong. I’m very curious to see how things continue from where this left off.
The Mail-Order Witch, by Joynell Schultz, was a sweet, cosy, and fun story. Ettie is a witch and a mail-order bride. Arranged marriages like hers and Roman’s aren’t unusual in their magical community, as pairing off with normal humans dilutes the magic in their bloodlines, and Roman’s a warlock. I like how they’re falling in love with each other, and how Roman sticks with Ettie even when people start to believe she’s cursed the children of the town into growing foxes’ tails. This is a fun little mystery that wraps up enough to stand on its own, while leaving plenty of questions for the further stories.
There are some negatives in this anthology. One story that seems set in a fantasy-land uses terms like “kamikaze” and “sword of Damocles,” which are cultural references from the real world, and thus jarringly out of place. Some of the stories have bizarre pacing, cartoonish action sequences, or stilted dialogue. One names its comic-book villain “Count Repugnian,” which is far too on-the-nose. One character we’re supposed to like muses on how much he wants his sons back, and then seems to indicate that one is trans, so suddenly he seemed much less likable since apparently he wants to reverse that. One story is apparently based on a philosophy piece, and unfortunately it shows–the philosophical parts of things make the story unbelievable as a fantasy story.
One princess pretty much spends her entire story doing nothing, having amorphous things happen around her, with no agency on her part. Some authors spend too much time trying to tell us what everyone feels, when they should just let us see it for ourselves. Other authors spend too much time on irrelevant details to the story, working in too much background information and taking away from the urgency. One witchy main character we’re supposed to identify with comes across more as the mean popular girl from high school, and she just isn’t very likable, even when she’s the wronged party. (Also, I’m not fond of the “I’m not good at social stuff but somehow I’m dating the most popular guy in the school” trope.) Another story has way too many weirdly hostile characters for no apparent reason. It doesn’t feel natural at all.
Some of the stories I haven’t called out by name do have some excellent action sequences, however. Overall I really enjoyed this anthology, and I look forward to reading the next two.
Content note for “Ariana’s Hope” by H.M. Jones: it involves body-policing of and lechery toward a thirteen-year-old girl. General content note: there are some mild sexual situations and some blood and death.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/03/review-hidden-magic-various-authors/
The only authors in here I was already familiar with were Lee French and Erik Kort, who wrote a story that fits into their Greatest Sin world (although it doesn’t involve the main characters of those books). That series happens to be one of my favorites, and The Greatest Sin: A Sacrifice of Blood lived up to my high expectations. Teenaged Algie and his Grandma Katona are practicing magic and playing chess when murderous thieves break into their mansion. Algie has been taught his whole life that killing is the greatest sin, but in order to keep his grandmother alive, he’s going to have to do more than run away. This was a riveting story, and I was able to really empathize with Algie’s despair at the idea of having to kill. The authors managed to get it across so well. (In most stories where a character is reluctant to kill when it seems the only way out, it’s hard to imagine how they struggle against it for so long. Here, I could get it.)
Anela Deen’s A Veil is Parted is another excellent story. Jessa stumbles across the existence of a whole other world of beings, and nearly dies when she gets in the way of a battle. There are some unexpected twists to what’s going on, and events get quite tense.
H.B. Lyne’s The Hunter was an engrossing tale of veteran Felix Jones. He’s going to a support group for veterans when his sister, who was supposed to go for emotional support, never shows up–and her phone number is out of order, and he can no longer remember where she lived. He’s neither the first nor the last person to suffer a bizarre loss of memory regarding part of the city, which seems to have disappeared. As he struggles to figure out what’s going on, he comes across a group of shapeshifters who are looking into the same thing. Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? Will he be able to get into the missing part of the city? Can he save his sister? Felix is not wholly a likable character, but he’s understandably damaged and willing to do whatever it takes to get his sister back. I’m curious to see where this one goes in the next two volumes.
The Catch, by Gwendolyn Woodschild, is an intriguing story of Viking Brandur and his Jarl wife, Torhild. When Brandur, who prefers the life of a simple fisherman, returns to find his village under attack by invisible forces, he ends up setting out to find his grandmother. She lives in the woods, and has a reputation of having supernatural abilities. Brandur finds out that these abilities have been passed down to him, and he gets a crash course in interacting with the souls of the dead. But will he be in time to save his village? I like the characters in here. Brandur and Torhild in particular are layered and interesting. I’d like to find out what happens to them next.
The Druid’s Heir is Tiffany Shand’s story of Rhiannon (Ann) Valeran, the archdruid’s heir. She has a guard and friend named Edward who wishes he could be more than that to her, two half-brothers (their father seems well-known for his many affairs–some with very ill-considered partners–and this is treated with odd glibness), and a doting, if perhaps stifling, father. Her father is working to put together a treaty that would bring peace to the various lands, but of course not everyone wants that. A mysterious seer tells Ann her house will fall, and she rushes to figure out what might threaten her family. Edward and Ann are very good characters, and I look forward to finding out what happens to them next. This tale was a little rough around the edges, but it was still gripping to read.
Leah W. Van Dinther’s The Amethyst Window introduces us to Carol Conley, who can see spirits associated with objects. When she visits her supplier to look for new items to buy, she meets Mr. Fred Archegon. The spirits are terrified of him, but he seems so elegant, friendly, and nice! The characters in this one are really interesting; Freddie is genuinely charming and a little bit forbidding, while Carol is a sweet lady who isn’t sure who to trust, or what to do about Archegon. I’m very curious to see where this one goes!
The Mark of the Red God, by Majanka Verstraete, is another favorite from this collection. Saleyna had the mark of the Red God branded into her forehead as a child in order to subdue her outlawed magic. The priests of the Red God still persecute magic-users, looking for reasons to kill them. If they knew that some of Saleyna’s empathy abilities remained, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill her. Saleyna doesn’t want to join in the quiet resistance against the priests, but her brother is in over his head and in order to save him, she agrees to infiltrate the priesthood as a new acolyte. I found this world intriguing and gripping, and I very much want to see where it goes next.
Amaskan, by Raven Oak, is a story about brother-and-sister pair Bredych and Shendra. The Order of Amaska is an order of trained killers, but they serve at the behest of the king and carry out “Justice.” Shendra thinks that murder is murder and thus wrong, but the Order picked her up out of the gutter and she feels she has no other choice than to finish her final trial and move on to the next stage of her training. Her trial, however, involves killing the madam of a brothel who’s believed to be involved in human trafficking. The woman has seemed fairly untouchable so far, and Shendra really doesn’t want to kill anyone, so naturally things go terribly wrong. I’m very curious to see how things continue from where this left off.
The Mail-Order Witch, by Joynell Schultz, was a sweet, cosy, and fun story. Ettie is a witch and a mail-order bride. Arranged marriages like hers and Roman’s aren’t unusual in their magical community, as pairing off with normal humans dilutes the magic in their bloodlines, and Roman’s a warlock. I like how they’re falling in love with each other, and how Roman sticks with Ettie even when people start to believe she’s cursed the children of the town into growing foxes’ tails. This is a fun little mystery that wraps up enough to stand on its own, while leaving plenty of questions for the further stories.
There are some negatives in this anthology. One story that seems set in a fantasy-land uses terms like “kamikaze” and “sword of Damocles,” which are cultural references from the real world, and thus jarringly out of place. Some of the stories have bizarre pacing, cartoonish action sequences, or stilted dialogue. One names its comic-book villain “Count Repugnian,” which is far too on-the-nose. One character we’re supposed to like muses on how much he wants his sons back, and then seems to indicate that one is trans, so suddenly he seemed much less likable since apparently he wants to reverse that. One story is apparently based on a philosophy piece, and unfortunately it shows–the philosophical parts of things make the story unbelievable as a fantasy story.
One princess pretty much spends her entire story doing nothing, having amorphous things happen around her, with no agency on her part. Some authors spend too much time trying to tell us what everyone feels, when they should just let us see it for ourselves. Other authors spend too much time on irrelevant details to the story, working in too much background information and taking away from the urgency. One witchy main character we’re supposed to identify with comes across more as the mean popular girl from high school, and she just isn’t very likable, even when she’s the wronged party. (Also, I’m not fond of the “I’m not good at social stuff but somehow I’m dating the most popular guy in the school” trope.) Another story has way too many weirdly hostile characters for no apparent reason. It doesn’t feel natural at all.
Some of the stories I haven’t called out by name do have some excellent action sequences, however. Overall I really enjoyed this anthology, and I look forward to reading the next two.
Content note for “Ariana’s Hope” by H.M. Jones: it involves body-policing of and lechery toward a thirteen-year-old girl. General content note: there are some mild sexual situations and some blood and death.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/03/review-hidden-magic-various-authors/
trinah's review
4.0
Have not read all the books in this anthology, but the one by Joynell Schultz, is a great read. I felt it was a bit too short. Ettie and her husband Roman find what caused the problem in the town but not who caused it, will have to read the next book.
llamareads's review
4.0
Content warnings: death of family (in a plane crash), grief, depression, unexpected pregnancy, torture
This review is for Anela Deen's "A Veil is Parted," though given the quality of the story, I'm definitely going to be checking out the rest of the anthology once it's out! This is the first in a three-part novella series that will be published in the Hidden Magic anthologies. I grew up reading early-90s portal fantasies – where someone from the real world ends up in a magical land, or vice versa – so I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for them, and the novella definitely hit all the high notes of that subgenre.
Simith, a pixie knight, has known war for so long that he’s not sure he can remember anything else. But he knows the only hope for peace is to negotiate with the trolls in secret, but when he’s ambushed and injured, he’s forced to flee to a land he’s never seen before – and one completely without magic. Jessa, reeling from the latest event to shake her world, is heading back from a costume party when she runs into Simith and his attackers. Rescuing him is possibly the stupidest thing she’s ever done – or perhaps it’s the smartest. Because things aren’t exactly what they seem, and more than pixies and trolls have found their way to rural Michigan.
Simith’s never heard of humans before, and while Jessa’s been told fairy tales, seeing them with her own eyes is something completely different. My favorite parts were Simith and Jessa’s conversations, and her attempts to explain the human world to him. Jessa’s life changed eighteen months before, and since then she’s been wrapped in a haze of grief, unable to find anything that makes her feel anymore – well, except for an encounter with a visiting professor, but that’s left with with another unexpected complication. Simith is fighting his own demons. After his village was razed to the ground by trolls, he joined the fairy legions to fight against them. But a decade later, it still seems peace is no closer, and he’s beginning to have doubts about his commanders’ true intentions, fed by grief of his own. So despite coming from very different backgrounds, they recognize something kindred in each other.
While the book stars the common fairy tale characters – pixies, fae, trolls, fairies, even a pooka reference! – they’ve got enough of a spin on them to make it feel fresh. The pacing is tight, and quite a bit happens for such a short novella. It’s very easy to gobble up the whole thing in one reading – or, at least, it was hard for me to put down, and that’s what happened! While the main plot line is wrapped up, it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I’m definitely looking forward to the next novella.
Overall, this is my second Anela Deen book, and I’ll definitely be back for more!
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This review is for Anela Deen's "A Veil is Parted," though given the quality of the story, I'm definitely going to be checking out the rest of the anthology once it's out! This is the first in a three-part novella series that will be published in the Hidden Magic anthologies. I grew up reading early-90s portal fantasies – where someone from the real world ends up in a magical land, or vice versa – so I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for them, and the novella definitely hit all the high notes of that subgenre.
Simith, a pixie knight, has known war for so long that he’s not sure he can remember anything else. But he knows the only hope for peace is to negotiate with the trolls in secret, but when he’s ambushed and injured, he’s forced to flee to a land he’s never seen before – and one completely without magic. Jessa, reeling from the latest event to shake her world, is heading back from a costume party when she runs into Simith and his attackers. Rescuing him is possibly the stupidest thing she’s ever done – or perhaps it’s the smartest. Because things aren’t exactly what they seem, and more than pixies and trolls have found their way to rural Michigan.
“She didn’t know anything about war, but she understood the look in his eyes; the devouring grief, the vanishing self. She, too, had seen the stranger staring back from the mirror.”
Simith’s never heard of humans before, and while Jessa’s been told fairy tales, seeing them with her own eyes is something completely different. My favorite parts were Simith and Jessa’s conversations, and her attempts to explain the human world to him. Jessa’s life changed eighteen months before, and since then she’s been wrapped in a haze of grief, unable to find anything that makes her feel anymore – well, except for an encounter with a visiting professor, but that’s left with with another unexpected complication. Simith is fighting his own demons. After his village was razed to the ground by trolls, he joined the fairy legions to fight against them. But a decade later, it still seems peace is no closer, and he’s beginning to have doubts about his commanders’ true intentions, fed by grief of his own. So despite coming from very different backgrounds, they recognize something kindred in each other.
“I don’t often contemplate mythical creatures, but I wouldn’t have thought pixies would be so…”
He shifted the weight-laden table behind a few crates. “Yes?”
She waggled her fingers, adjectives abandoning her utterly. “Sturdy.”
While the book stars the common fairy tale characters – pixies, fae, trolls, fairies, even a pooka reference! – they’ve got enough of a spin on them to make it feel fresh. The pacing is tight, and quite a bit happens for such a short novella. It’s very easy to gobble up the whole thing in one reading – or, at least, it was hard for me to put down, and that’s what happened! While the main plot line is wrapped up, it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I’m definitely looking forward to the next novella.
Overall, this is my second Anela Deen book, and I’ll definitely be back for more!
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.