Descension (Mystic, #1)

Sep 26, 2012 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-fiction, favorites, waiting-for-the-next-one

10/5 stars *********
Oh.My.GOSH. I know I sound like a twelve year old girl who just met the JonasBrothers/JustinBieber/OneDirection, I know. But that's how crazy I am over this book. It was absolutely amazing. I've been looking for a good magic book to read & I found it in this one. I love the Layla/Quin dynamic & the magic aspect of the book is mysterious and fantastical in all the right ways. & the intercalated story of Layla's parents was great.

It starts off with Layla in Oklahom...more

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May 31, 2012 Jillian Dodd rated it 5 of 5 stars

How do I even describe this book? If it was a recipe, I'd throw in some Harry Potter, a dash of Twilight, and a big container of romance and mix it all together and get something delectable. I did not have time to read this book. I put it on my TBR list and figured maybe I'd get to it this summer sometime, but then I had a few minutes and started reading it on my phone. I didn't want to put it down. I stayed up way too late last night trying to finish it, but my eyes kept closing and I didn't wa...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, my-top-faves

A beautiful magical story

This is a must read whether you are a paranormal fan or not. You need to read these words, you need to have them permanently pressed in your brain. I am a paranormal fan, not huge only some get in me but this book is much MUCH more than just a paranormal story.
The words move you and fill you up with so much emotion. Bonnie has done a brilliant job with making you fall for a good guy. Quin. He is magically and humanly perfect. He says and does everything correct. And Layl...more

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May 16, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review to come and will be available at Busy Moms Book Reviews.

Sometimes I really need a good magic book. Something that makes you suspend all logical and realistic thoughts and just read and enjoy with a childlike fascination.

Magic, witches and wizards, oh my!!

"He shot into the air on wings of magic"

Seriously, I had a little jolt of pleasure that ran through my system when I read that line. It was the first magic I had seen in the book and I thought to myself, this is going to be good.

This is g...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Jessirae rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, for-review

Descension by B.C. Burgess was a very different book that centered around a very unique type of witches and wizards, but also dealt with power hungry forces and true love. I can definitely say that Descension was original in many aspects in which I found to be truly interesting and in parts to be very heart-warming.

I commend Burgess for creating a story that does not lack in magic and imagination. What I found in the world of Descension was something super cool and completely wondrous. This mag...more Descension by B.C. Burgess was a very different book that centered around a very unique type of witches and wizards, but also dealt with power hungry forces and true love. I can definitely say that Descension was original in many aspects in which I found to be truly interesting and in parts to be very heart-warming.

I commend Burgess for creating a story that does not lack in magic and imagination. What I found in the world of Descension was something super cool and completely wondrous. This magic that the witches and wizards have in Decension can basically do anything you put your mind and imagination to. I love the dynamics of the coven and how close-knitted they were and the fact that they were all family oriented. I was especially fascinated with the aspect of soul mates through bonding. I liked the way that Burgess twisted into something different. I really loved learning about auras and how a witch is able to read one’s emotions and of course the use of elemental magic and spells. This world was really open to many things and I can see there is still so much to know and discover.

The main character, Layla, was great. I really liked her. She was a very independent and responsible girl. I admired Layla for stopping her life to take care of her sick mother. She really kept it together even when she was really down. It was very sad to see how she came to be after her mother was gone. It wasn’t until she moved to Oregon when she finally came to life. Discovering who she really was gave Layla a reason to live. By the end of the novel, I could see the growth in Layla; the set determination and the hidden strength coming off of her. I can’t wait to see where this journey of hers will take her next.

My favorite part of this book was diving into the past and how Layla came to be in the beginning of the book. It was wonderful to read all about Layla’s whirlwind romance and their fight to stay together. Layla’s family was filled with so much love, joy, and devotion that I felt it go straight through me. Her parents were brave and sacrificed so much. They were extraordinary characters I came to love wholeheartedly.

Burgess writing took some time to get used to, but once I did, I was flying through the book. Descension had a good pace that kept moving along nicely with each new revelation. The descriptions and vivid imagery used to describe the Oregon scenery was breath-taking and had me wishing I could actually see the area for myself. I really loved how she combined two different stories, weaving them together into a one big one. She really made it complex and alluring all at once. I didn’t expect to feel all kinds of emotions but I did and by the end of the book, I was in tears from the heartbreak and unwavering devotion of Layla’s parents. I was left awestruck by such an intense admiration for them.

Overall, I enjoyed Decension immensely. It was well written, had amazing characters and an awesome storyline.

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Aug 05, 2012 Maghon Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-4-author, paranormal

Ok, so one day, I got this cool message asking if I wanted to review this book from the author... I usually don't but this book sounded so intriguing that I accepted. Boy, I'm sure glad I did, as this book was fascinating to me :) I like fun new ideas! Layla is a depressed, boring, monotonous girl. Her friends try their hardest to make her life a little better. I loved the two characters from her diner, which is where the story starts, during her very boring life. :) Then, upon her mother's deat...more Ok, so one day, I got this cool message asking if I wanted to review this book from the author... I usually don't but this book sounded so intriguing that I accepted. Boy, I'm sure glad I did, as this book was fascinating to me :) I like fun new ideas! Layla is a depressed, boring, monotonous girl. Her friends try their hardest to make her life a little better. I loved the two characters from her diner, which is where the story starts, during her very boring life. :) Then, upon her mother's death, she has some affairs to settle and learns something CRAZY!! She is adopted, and boy was her real family gunna throw her for a loop! In a letter from her dead mother, she decides to take the advice and find her biological family.

Upon finding this, large, but awesome, new family, she finds out she's a witch with awesome powers, her family is very very cool, and treat her like royalty, and she has fallen in love! Magic is awesome! And then she really learns some very sad, but honest truths. I cried, literally, like tears flowing and red faced, and nose-blowing cries. I'm not saying this book is sad, but sometimes sad things happen. I should also say it's hard to make me cry for a book- I can count on one hand the times this has happened... Harry Potter for Dumbledore's death, and then Harry's were two of those times!!

Now Quin, I WANT him, is just awesome. He's beautiful, and hot, and sweet, and caring, and willing to go to the ends of earth for her, literally! He loved her before he knew her, as magic has its ways of putting two people together! :)

And of course, there's bad guys! Argo scares me. Not becuase he is necessarily the most powerful, but because he in completely evil with no reguards to anything byt his wants and needs, and no ones life. He is willing to kill the world to get his hands on Layla, as he wants her power!

I really enjoyed this book. It's written beautifully, and the scenes are described so perfectly I could picture them like I were there. I cannot give you too much, as I would never want to spoil anything for you, but I think everyone should check this out. It's a perfect fairy tale, paranormal romance. :) I'm not sure if this is going to continue as a series, but I sure hope so, as I need more, and there's an ending that leaves room for more! :) YAY! 5 PAWS from me!

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Aug 17, 2012 Kimmy rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. With a 4.25 rating (as of 15 August) - which is extremely high, if you don't know, - I certainly was not expecting a simple story filled with cheesy love-at-first-sight romance, a predictable plot and members of the Sue family. And of course fate would have it that I was wrong - what I got was worse.

I had some very serious issues with Descension. I'll list them one by one.

1. The goddamn romance!
I absolutely, utterly, without a doubt, in knee-jerk reaction kind of way abhor books where the girl...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Kristy Francis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I absolutely loved this book. I stayed up until 3 in morning and still had a hard time putting it down. I knew in the morning it was going to be rough getting up with my 5 year old and 1 year old, but it was worth the lack of sleep. I can't remember the last time I read a book that me feel so many different emotions... fantastic!!! I haven't cried like that over a book in I don't even know how long.

I thought you did a great job setting up all the characters. By the end of the book, I felt like...more

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May 09, 2013 Jennifer Diaz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was very lucky to be gifted this book and I am so ecstatic that it was! They say don’t judge a book by its cover but I have to say with this book you can! I believe this author has the most beautiful covers out there and the story matches it perfectly! The book starts out with a great prologue with the evil Argo learning some valuable information that draws in you. You know there is something that will go down but you’re not sure when, where, or what! The story then starts with the beautiful L...more I was very lucky to be gifted this book and I am so ecstatic that it was! They say don’t judge a book by its cover but I have to say with this book you can! I believe this author has the most beautiful covers out there and the story matches it perfectly! The book starts out with a great prologue with the evil Argo learning some valuable information that draws in you. You know there is something that will go down but you’re not sure when, where, or what! The story then starts with the beautiful Layla Callaway turning 21 and celebrating not like most 21 year olds but quietly with her 2 best friends. Without them, she has no one as she lost her mother to a massive stroke just 2 months before and she did not know who here father was. She receives a letter from her mother’s attorney to discuss her affairs. At this meeting, her she is given a packet that will turn her life upside down. Who she thought was her mother her entire life was actually a family friend of her real parents and that she has family that is waiting to meet her when she is ready. They felt that Layla needed to be older and mature to be able to deal with this information. She is just given a couple of clues to help her find her way. She needs to go to Oregon and a small town coffee shop. She decides to follow her heart and search out the family she didn’t have any knowledge of. When she arrives in Oregon, she meets the handsome Quinn who is immediately taken with her. Quinn shows her a new a magical life she knows nothing about. She quickly falls for Quinn as well and feels that they are soul mates and has an instant connection to him. She learns that her true family has been waiting for her but unfortunately her parents have both past and that they are witches and wizards that lived life peacefully with the rest of the world. Before her parents passing, her Father spelled a ring that could only be unlocked by her to show her how much they loved her and cared for her. I seriously loved the story of her parents, Aedan and Rhosewen. Their love for one another just melted my heart and their tragic story brought tears to my eyes! For Aeden and Rhosewen it was love at first sight. Unfortunately, another also had eyes for Aedan, Medea. She becomes bitter and jealous when Aaden falls in love with Rhosewen and decides to go with the evil Argo to get her revenge. When Rhosewen discovers she is pregnant, Medea casts a spell on her that makes her own body sick for loving her child. My heart just breaks from Aaden and Rhosewen at this part because just when they find love and happiness, the evil wench has to show up and seek her revenge. Aeden and Rhosewen decide the only way they can save themselves and their family is to go into hiding and have everyone believe she lost the baby. The more Rhosewen loves her unborn child, the more pain she is in and the more she suffers. I won’t go anymore into the story because I feel I would be giving too much away. This story is so touching and heartbreaking it’s beautiful. It’s so well written and takes my imagination right where the writer wants me to go. I am normally not a big fan of PNR but his story is purely magical. It’s a wonderful story of true love and loss and I felt every emotion and heartbreak along with the characters. This is the first book of three of the Mystic Series and I cannot wait to see what happens with Layla and Quinn as he introduces her to a life she had no idea that existed and she is a part of. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves a good love story where it is a PNR or not because it’s just so damn beautiful! I give this book 5 out of 5 huge stars. Well done B.C. Burgess!!! (less)

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Apr 01, 2013 Inna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed by Inna @Inna's Little Bookshelves
I saw this book and I really didn't know how I felt about it because the blurb doesn't really give that much away. Going into it I expected the typical average girl meets her soulmate they fall in love some bad guy tries to steal her and make her his, our hot and sweet hero saves the heroine. The End they live happily ever after. Well wasn't I shocked this book was so different.
Layla was a decent heroine. She moves cross country after the death of her...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, new-adult, read-in-february-2013, na-reading-challenge

My review copy was provided by the author as part of the blog tour for Descension. Read my post and enter the giveaway at Have Book Will Read

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from Descension when I started it but I’m happy to say that Descension was a good start to a new magical series. It’s rich in detail, it’s romantic, and it’s engaging. It drew me in from the start and I just had to keep reading.

Layla was a very strong independent character. She’d been through a tough few years which result...more My review copy was provided by the author as part of the blog tour for Descension. Read my post and enter the giveaway at Have Book Will Read

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from Descension when I started it but I’m happy to say that Descension was a good start to a new magical series. It’s rich in detail, it’s romantic, and it’s engaging. It drew me in from the start and I just had to keep reading.

Layla was a very strong independent character. She’d been through a tough few years which resulted in her mum’s death. Then she found out that things weren’t actually as they’d seemed all her life – her mum was not her biological mum. She was given a few clues on how to track down her real family and didn’t hesitate in setting off to find them.

Quin was a friendly stranger that Layla met on her first night in Oregon. He helped settle her anxiety over what she was there for. He actually had his own motives – he knew all about Layla, who she really was, and why she was there. He’d been waiting for her all his life. He held all the answers that Layla needed and was there to protect her on her journey to find out about her true identity.

I liked Layla and Quin’s relationship. I don’t normally like insta-love type relationships but I can see how it would work in these circumstances. Quin has known about, and been dreaming about her, all of this life. Being able to finally meet her has allowed him to act upon these feelings he has. Layla has been alone, bar her 2 friends/work colleagues, looking after her mother for 3 years. She has strong feelings for Quin, heightened by the situation she’s in, and wants and needs to act upon them.

I liked the relationship between Aedan and Rhosewen. It was very similar to Layla and Quin’s. It happened fast and they fell hard for each other. The difference was that there were factors conspiring against them, resulting in Layla’s adoption.

Descension was really the book that was needed to set the reader up for the rest of the series to come. There’s a lot of background information that the reader needs to know – how the magical world, and the magic in it, works, how Layla’s parents met and what happened to them to need to have her adopted, why the dark magicians would want Layla on their side. The book ended on a cliffhanger because of this and I have no doubt that the main action will start in book #2 now that Layla is aware of who she is and her important role in her new world. I look forward to reading book #2 to see where B.C.Burgess takes Layla and Quin next.(less)

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Feb 19, 2013 Dia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Read other book reviews at Book Junkie Joint.

Trust me when I say that reading this book will leave you wanting for more. And that's not always a good thing.

Everything starts out with the typical girl mourning over the death of her mother while working as a waitress in a diner. The beginning of the book presents Layla's non-magical background and two of her closest friends and co-workers.

To be honest, the beginning of the book started out too slow. Sure, I understand it was necessary to portray h...more Read other book reviews at Book Junkie Joint.

Trust me when I say that reading this book will leave you wanting for more. And that's not always a good thing.

Everything starts out with the typical girl mourning over the death of her mother while working as a waitress in a diner. The beginning of the book presents Layla's non-magical background and two of her closest friends and co-workers.

To be honest, the beginning of the book started out too slow. Sure, I understand it was necessary to portray how her life was before she discovered her true identity, but I also think that this could have been done faster. I mean, the PDF file of the book had 300+ pages and with no clear ending in sight. The first half of the book was solely dedicated to Layla's non-magical life, and I wasn't really too keen on knowing about that in detail.

The first half of the book bored me to death, but I stuck it out because of the presentation of good-looking wizards and witches later on, which were a lot different than HP wizards and witches, and way different than the ugly ones in children's books. And the idea of witches and wizards living in close-knit covens kind of gave the homely vibe going on for them, which I think is a good thing.

Characterization-wise, Layla was presented as the kind of girl that was guarded and stuck to what was familiar to her rather than being a risk-taker. Taking that long trip to Oregon was already a huge step for her. Then, all of a sudden, she meets this strange guy who volunteers to show her around and she simply obliges? While I do understand that they have that instant attraction/soul mates thing going on, it would have been more believable if Layla had been more cautious of handsome strangers rather than being too trusting. This is where I find the contradictions lie.

The problem by using a "soul-mate" or "bond mate" tool into the storyline is that the romance becomes hard to sell to the readers. Sure, it's understandable because the genre is fantasy, but that doesn't translate to believability or even relatability. In this particular book, the attraction between the main pair seemed like Insta-Love, which is not believable at all.

And what about Quin? I think he's too perfect. That is all I have to say about that.

Also, I don't know if I'm the only one bothered by the portrayal of too much selfless love and noble idiocy in this book. Sure, romance and love added into the mix makes everything interesting, but not too much because it makes everything predictable.

I also didn't appreciate how the book left everything hanging. I was left with more questions and wanting more answers. And I felt cheated somehow because this book started with Layla and Quin but gave the whole story about Layla's parents instead. While I understand that this is only the first book in a series, it would have been great if it gave even a tiny closure for what happens to Layla and Quin next.(less)

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Feb 19, 2013 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-must-read, atomr-book-tours, february-2013

Descension where to start on this review? First I have to say that this book is EPIC! Holy Cow did I fall in love with this story from the first pages. It drew me in and kept me reading and waiting and wanting more to the point where I stayed up all night till 3am in the morning so I could finish the book. I have been known to do that with books I love and I have to tell you I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF THIS BOOK!

Layla Callaway has taken care of her sick mother for three years. Never leaving her side...more Descension where to start on this review? First I have to say that this book is EPIC! Holy Cow did I fall in love with this story from the first pages. It drew me in and kept me reading and waiting and wanting more to the point where I stayed up all night till 3am in the morning so I could finish the book. I have been known to do that with books I love and I have to tell you I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF THIS BOOK!

Layla Callaway has taken care of her sick mother for three years. Never leaving her side until she passes away. It is when Layla meets with her mothers attorney that she finds out she was adopted and has family some where else. The lawyer tells her she has family in Oregon. So with nothing to lose she packs up what she has and moves to Oregon to locate her long lost family. Only when she gets to Oregon she finds out there is way more to her family than she would have imagined.

Layla finds out she comes from a long line of witches and wizards and that she herself is a strong witch. Her real parents left her a ring with their memories in it and she is able to see what she has lost. Along the way she meets a family friend Quin who has been waiting forever to meet her. He has always known he wanted to meet her and that eventually he would but when he finally lays eyes on her he is flooded with emotions he has never felt before.

Quin is rendered speechless and breathless when he meets Layla. He knows he is destined to be with her and to love her and protect her at all costs. Quin knows he has a long road ahead of him because there is someone else who wants Layla but he does not have her best interest at heart. Agro wants Layla and what Agro wants he gets. He is a hunter and he is used to getting his way. he hunts other wizards and witches and sucks the magic right out of them. He is evil and Quin will stop at nothing to keep him away from Layla. Agro wants to take Layla's powers and destroy her.

Will Quin be able to save Layla? Will Agro get her powers? What will happen when evil tries to take away goodness? This is a must read story!(less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

The cover caught my eye, but the story kept my attention. Layla hasn’t had the best life but she had a mother who adored her for 21 years. When her world is turned upside down by just a visit to her mother lawyer, she has two options, continue on with the life she has feeling like she is in a rut or find what has been waiting for her. With a little push from some friends Layla leaves the life she has known to have an adventure that may end with more, but she's not getting her hopes up.

The book...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Donte-aro rated it 5 of 5 stars

Descension was an amazing read, and that's saying a lot because I'm not really a fan of books with wizardry! I loved Travis and Phyllis' character (even though they weren't major characters), and Layla was almost instantly likeable for me. Katherine as well...I would've loved to have a mother like her (not that mine isn't amazing :P). Honestly, I liked the development of all the characters, even Agro.

One thing I love about this book is the emotional tug it has on the reader. I actually almost cr...more

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May 24, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Descension was a story filled with true love, romance, heartache and magic. Burgess writes a beautiful tale that sucks you in. Her characters are real and down to earth. They never once left me unfeeling towards them and wishing they were more than what they were. I absolutely adored the family kinship, their trust in each other and willingness to stand behind each other no matter what decisions they have made. There was such a unity in the Covens that I was truly impressed with their strong mor...more Descension was a story filled with true love, romance, heartache and magic. Burgess writes a beautiful tale that sucks you in. Her characters are real and down to earth. They never once left me unfeeling towards them and wishing they were more than what they were. I absolutely adored the family kinship, their trust in each other and willingness to stand behind each other no matter what decisions they have made. There was such a unity in the Covens that I was truly impressed with their strong morals and love for each other. The story is well written with a very strong plot that will leave you begging for more. I know I am.

So to start off we have this poor young woman who has just lost her mother and learned she is not who she thought she was. The hardship that Layla goes through is heartbreaking. I found myself hurting right along with Layla and wishing some of her pain would just end. She takes us on a journey where she learns what she really is and who she might become. It was more than just some girl going to find family. Layla has opened her eyes to the possibilities of what could be. It was like watching a flower open for the morning sunlight. Shy and hesitant but once she knew what she wanted she went for it. I loved how Burgess mixes both innocence and discovery of ones femininity. Once Layla learns her true power, I have a feeling some nasty people are going to be very sorry they ever messed with her and her family. Her family, so sad! *sobs* Make sure you have some Kleenex near, your going to need it.

Layla's silver lining, Quin. Ah Quin you are just so dang cute, I just want to squish you. Here is a boy who knows how to treat a girl. If ever there was a gentleman, here he is. He is one of few perfect guys out there, or at least to me he is. He is going on my list of fav book boyfriends. I love how he never pressures Layla into anything, he takes his time treating Layla with a gentle hand. He is supportive of her and makes sure of what is in her best interest. I have great respect for Quin and his family. They are just so true to each other. I do have a question though. Quin can I keep you?

B.C. Burgess has written a novel that will stay in your mind for days after you have finished it. Her story will take you on a journey that will have your emotions all over the place. Once you pick up Descension you will not want to put it down. I honestly can't wait to see where Layla and Quin's story leads. I just hope it is out soon so I can get my hands on it. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy, you won't regret it. Fill your minds with the magic of Layla and Quin. <3

Book was provided by the author for an honest review.

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Apr 08, 2013 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Holy emotional and heartbreaking story…

Here is what I knew before I started reading it… This series was recently picked up by Bandit Publishing, it’s a PNR, and Jillian Dodd loves it. Since I love Jillian Dodd, that was all I needed to know before deciding to read it myself. I have to be honest, unlike a lot of other readers, I wasn’t immediately sucked into this book.

The prologue was a bit confusing to me and sort of hard to get through (for me). I actually put the book down and walked away fro...more Holy emotional and heartbreaking story…

Here is what I knew before I started reading it… This series was recently picked up by Bandit Publishing, it’s a PNR, and Jillian Dodd loves it. Since I love Jillian Dodd, that was all I needed to know before deciding to read it myself. I have to be honest, unlike a lot of other readers, I wasn’t immediately sucked into this book.

The prologue was a bit confusing to me and sort of hard to get through (for me). I actually put the book down and walked away from it part of the way through. I went back to it the next day and got through it and another chapter, but still wasn’t initially sold. I decided the book and I needed some time apart and I went ahead and read two other stories before returning to this one. THE THIRD TIME WAS THE CHARM!!!

From the cryptic message on, I started to feel invested in Layla. I wanted to know everything, even though based on the prologue and the letter you kind of know a lot. I felt like we really were on a journey with her. I loved that she was strong for her mom and independent and I felt like I could even related to her a bit.

Her story is one of Love, but not just the romantic kind. It’s the love of and for the woman who raised her, of friends who supported her, of the family she didn’t know she had and parents who were willing to give up the most precious things for her safety…it’s all about love. And even maybe, hopefully *fingers crossed* love for her with Quin, who she meets when she gets to Oregon.

Quin is protective and caring and gentle and loving with Layla, pretty much from the time he sees her…and I’ll be honest, I fell in love. He reminded me a bit of Caleb from the Significance series (not entirely the same, just enough that he came to mind while I was reading – no imprinting though).

There were still times where I thought the story slowed down a bit too much for me, and I found I was coaching myself through, because like I said, you kind of know what is going to happen – and I wanted to get back to Layla and Quin to see what could possibly happen. The bonus was though, that during this time we are looking into the past and OH MY HEARTBREAKINGLY WONDERFUL… we get to spend time and see how it all came to be what it is now. I laughed, I cried, I ugly cried…making that impossible choice and OMG I fell in love with Aedan the last few chapters of time in Idaho with Katherine made everything else fall together so completely that I couldn’t be but thankful for the entire story. My heart on the other hand, torn to shreds. A love like that…beautifully written.

So of course as any girl with a love for the PNR will do when she finishes the first book in a series, I logged on and downloaded the next book this morning. Aedan and Rose, Quin and Layla – it’s all I could think about. How will it all turn out… I cannot wait to read and see.
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Sep 04, 2012 Christina M Condy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-challenge, review-requested

The magical spell that B.C casts upon you the reader will have you turning your pages faster and faster. Layla is a young woman only 21 years old, and in the last 3 years she has endured more than many people far older. Her time was spent working in a diner and taking care of her mother who had a stroke. Layla is struggling to overcome the loss of her mother when a secret changes her life. A secret her mother was sworn to protect to protect young Layla. Now with the death of her mother Layla not...more The magical spell that B.C casts upon you the reader will have you turning your pages faster and faster. Layla is a young woman only 21 years old, and in the last 3 years she has endured more than many people far older. Her time was spent working in a diner and taking care of her mother who had a stroke. Layla is struggling to overcome the loss of her mother when a secret changes her life. A secret her mother was sworn to protect to protect young Layla. Now with the death of her mother Layla not only has a fist full of money but also the knowledge that her mother isn’t her biological mother. Her father left her with Katherine for protection leaving her only a few measly clues as to her true history, and if she could unravel the clues then she will find her real family. With the help of her friends she leaves her home to travel to Portland to begin the search. I don’t want to give away too much of the book, I absolutely hate spoilers.

I will say that there she meets a young man Quin who has sworn to protect her and help her find out who she is. He breaks it to her quickly that he knows not only who she is but who her family is. And the entertainment we get while he is showing her magic is not only fun but you can actually picture the clearing and the actions of these two young people as they not only learn about her magic but also each other. This story does have an abrupt change in it from where we are in Layla’s perspective to being in her Father and Mother’s life. This is done in such a smooth way you barely notice and the heartbreaking and tragic love story that is the parents life is done in such a way to have you in tears. Even the enemy Media is done in such a way that you feel so sorry for her mental instability yet hate what she has done to this young couple. And Agro…. DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON HIM!

I read this book in one day, unable and unwilling to put it down until I finished the last page and then I screamed in frustration when it ended. I have added this author to my favourite’s and that is where she will stay.

I cannot believe how much emotion this author pulled from me. The entire story of the love between Layla’s biological parents had me in tears from start to finish. The pain of losing a loved one, I felt every second of that loss. The pain of giving up your child to a woman you hardly know, knowing you’re going to your own demise, practically tore my heart out.
I cannot say how highly I recommend this book to everyone. It far surpasses in my estimation even a 5 star rating. But since I can only give a 5 star then that is precisely what I will be giving this beautiful and talented author..

Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
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Jun 17, 2012 Tom rated it 3 of 5 stars

This one barely made a 3. I was tempted to throw the stars up and say nothing about this book because I’m more of a “if you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing at all” but I’ll try.

The prologue is about Argo a bad powerful wizard who gets a message that someone is alive.(we assume it is Layla) It pretty much sucked me right into the story and I was excited. Then it was Chapter 1 and it was the story of Layla.
After the death of her presumed mother Layla gets a bomb dropped on her that s...more This one barely made a 3. I was tempted to throw the stars up and say nothing about this book because I’m more of a “if you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing at all” but I’ll try.

The prologue is about Argo a bad powerful wizard who gets a message that someone is alive.(we assume it is Layla) It pretty much sucked me right into the story and I was excited. Then it was Chapter 1 and it was the story of Layla.
After the death of her presumed mother Layla gets a bomb dropped on her that she was adopted and with a cryptic message in hand, sets off to Oregon to find her remaining family. She falls in insta love with Quinn and is set up in his aunts hotel after spending the afternoon with him. He doesn’t come by her by chance and his job is to get her to trust him. We get about 10 chapters of Quinn wooing Layla and Layla swooning over Quinn. Then we get the story of her parents and how Layla ended up being left with her adoptive mom and it is good. It was almost really good.

I’ll start with the good. I started this book that I thought was going to be a cool maybe a little dark (going by the cover) fantasy book about magic. It starts off great. I was excited because the author had a descriptive style that had me immersed in her world immediately. There is a real cool story in there and the characters are likable. Aeden and Rose’s story was good but it took till Chapter 17 to get there.

The bad. Look at that mean ass cover!! Well 70% of this book is puppies and rainbows. There was pages of descriptive writing with the purpose it seemed to be to fill up pages. I could rant right now but I’m going to hold back. There was a lot of you’re the best, no you’re the best and you’re beautiful, no you’re beautiful and I can’t forget about “What are we going to do?” What do you want to do? The book ends wanting more of the story. It is too bad that we didn’t get more of it in this book.

I guess I had to write this review more to vent. I believe the author clearly has some talent and I am intrigued by the story but I don’t think I will continue on with the series. The next book could be really cool but I don’t think I trust that I won’t be drug through the most wonderful relationship of all time to get there.
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Apr 11, 2013 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

I came across this book in an email newsletter that I receive from an author. The cover caught my attention so I read the synopsis and from there, the sample. I knew before I finished the sample that I was going to buy the book. It immediately sucked me into the story. I connected with the characters so easily that I sometimes forgot I was reading a book and not watching a movie.
It's been a few days since I've finished and my thoughts are still a bit jumbled. I would have never guessed when I b...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Kari rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour

**3.5 Stars**
I received a copy of this book for an honest review as part of a blog tour.

MY OVERVIEW: Very interesting concept. I liked how the witches and wizards all lived together and not fully integrated into society. I really want to go on a road trip to Oregon now. All the locations were depicted beautifully. I could almost smell the trees and the salty air. And man, did I want a cup of coffee while reading.

PROS: I enjoyed Rose and Aedan's story the best. You could feel all the love they h...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Helena Ison rated it 5 of 5 stars

Descension is a heart-wrenching story of love and sacrifice that will take your every emotion by storm!

A brief warning: Be prepared to bawl your eyes out, long for passionate true love, and be stunned by unbelievable beauty.

I was fully enthralled with the writing style of this novel. So vividly detailed, I found myself lost in the magical world created by B.C. Burgess. Even the tiniest details make a difference. Without a doubt, you can notice the great care taken to lace together this beautifu...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Andrea C. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, own

Descension started off pretty good. I was intrigued the by the beginning chapters and the mystery that surrounded Layla’s birth family and the “clues” her birth father left behind so she would be able to find them. I thought it was very interesting the Layla had no idea of her adoption, told to her through a letter written by her recently deceased mother, which lead to an every greater mystery effect.

Once she got there, however, I just couldn’t get into the story. She immediately finds family –...more Descension started off pretty good. I was intrigued the by the beginning chapters and the mystery that surrounded Layla’s birth family and the “clues” her birth father left behind so she would be able to find them. I thought it was very interesting the Layla had no idea of her adoption, told to her through a letter written by her recently deceased mother, which lead to an every greater mystery effect.

Once she got there, however, I just couldn’t get into the story. She immediately finds family – though she doesn’t know it, we as readers do – and is thrust into the “Hey, you’re a witch!”

Apparently there are magical families everywhere and Layla’s family is one of two that live in this small town in Oregon. She unknowingly meets some of them before hand, but once she finds out she’s a witch, she has zero interaction with any of them for the remainder of the novel.

The love story reminds me of the beginning of a high school romance. There is an immediate attraction between Quin and Layla, followed by “I can’t believe how awesome/beautiful/talented you are.” Really?

The entirety of the second half of the novel is the relationship between here parents through memories her father imprinted onto this ring. I have a few issues with this: some of the memories are sexual in nature (ew!) and how did the ring/box get to Layla’s grandparents after her parents died (this is not a spoiler, we find out in chapter 1)/how did the memory of her father’s death get to the ring if he had already given it to his parents for safe keeping. (I’m not writing this review right away, so I can’t remember which scenario played out – if he had the ring with him when he died or if he gave it to his parents before hand.)

In general, I thought the story of her parents was interesting, but why did it take us 17 chapters to get there? And why did it take up almost the entirety of the second half of the novel? Personally, I think the story of her parents was a lot more interesting than Layla’s story and these two could have been separated into their own standalone novels.

Aside from the beginning of the novel, we only see the “big bad” Argo in the memories. I get he is this evil wizard who is power-hungry, but…meh. He just didn’t do it for me in the villain-y sense.

I will say that the last chapter was a nicely done cliffhanger. We know there is another big bad – more so than Argo – who wants Layla, but we don’t know who he is or why and he doesn’t appear until the end of the book. It’s mysterious and keeps readers interesting in finding out what happens.

I, however, will not be reading on. No, I didn’t care much for the plot/characters, but B.C. has a very vivid, descriptive, and imaginative writing style. Her descriptive writing is very well done and I know that people have rated this book very highly; it just wasn’t to my liking.

Bottom Line
B.C. is a very talented author and I found the story to be slightly intriguing, but I’m not going to continue the series. I felt like she tried to cram too much into one novel: Layla finding out about her heritage, then reliving her parents’ memories, Argo, and the mysteries villain. (less)

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Jun 08, 2012 Cinta rated it 2 of 5 stars

Since I started reading books written by Indie authors, this novel has been the greatest disappointment. I am a very fast reader, but this book took me forever. I had to force myself to go on reading, because I really felt like stopping reading it for good. I really don't like writing bad reviews, but in this case I cannot do another thing but do it. The book is full of details that reminded me of details in other books. In fact, I could recognise details, situations, and even similar names to t...more Since I started reading books written by Indie authors, this novel has been the greatest disappointment. I am a very fast reader, but this book took me forever. I had to force myself to go on reading, because I really felt like stopping reading it for good. I really don't like writing bad reviews, but in this case I cannot do another thing but do it. The book is full of details that reminded me of details in other books. In fact, I could recognise details, situations, and even similar names to the ones you can read in Harry Potter and Twilight. Clearly, the author is too influenced by her previous readings. Since this happens all over the book, I have to say that it lacks originality.

Plot: Layla is a girl who doesn't know what to do with her life after her mother's death. Then she is given a letter that reveals her everything about her past and why her life seemed to be kept in secret. She starts a trip to find her family in a different state and there she knows that she is a witch. She meets a boy, and he reveals secrets to Layla. When she finds her family, she puts on a magic ring and the ring tells her the story of her real parents and why she was kept hidden. And that's it. That's all you find in the book.

Characters: they are very flat, too perfect to be true, boring, and inexpressive. You don't get any emotion from them. Layla and Quin at the beginning of the book behave and act in the same way as Aedan and Rose in the rest of the book. Both couples of characters are described the same and they behave the same, and even say the same things.

This book is very descriptive, so the pace is very slow. Besides, the descriptions are dull and repetitive. You can find very similar descriptions all over the book, so you feel the action takes place always in the same place. The dramatic situations don't raise any feeling in the reader, and there is no suspense, since you know what is going to happen since at the beginning of the book you are given lots of hints.

This is the first book in a series. It doesn't contain any element to make you feel hooked, to make you look forward to reading more. I am not interested in knowing more about this series. I am sorry, but I cannot recommend this book.(less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Make sure you have tissues ready.

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Sep 14, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book in a Goodreads give away.

The story line is a fresh twist on the average "Witch" novel. Layla is stuck in a rut after her mother dies. After mustering the courage she visits her mother's attorney who gives her a letter that changes everything she knows about her life. She was adopted and has an entire family waiting for her.

When she goes to find her family the super gorgeous Quin finds her. He is the connects she has been looking for to her family. He fawns over her and you...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Mint Bkk rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was told this series is somewhere between Twilight and Harry Potter. I've read all the Twilight series but none of Harry Potter. I was a bit afraid that the characters will be too young for me to relate. But... I was worried for nothing. Quin the main character is already A MAN. A beautiful one at that. :)

The paranormal part of this book are wizards and magics. These wizards live peacefully among us. And one of them own a coffee shop on the Cannon Beach. And that's where the story began.

I love...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Sara Bender rated it 5 of 5 stars

There is so much to say about this book that I don't know where to begin.

First off I won Descension in a give away from Rock Star Romance facebook group! I will not go into detail about the book (you can read the books description for that).

The beginning was very drawn out and nothing interesting happens which started to make me want to give up reading but I am glad I didn't. The main character finds out some history about her self that she never knew then ended up going on to a quest to find o...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Novareylin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, month

Descension is definitely a book that I loved. At 429 pages, I was thinking at first that maybe some of it could have been minimized. As I got more and more into the story, I didn’t want ANY word to be taken out. It was magnificent. I laughed and cried, wanted more, loved the characters and the plot, and even the cliff hanger ending. Yes, another cliff hanger, but soooo worth it!

Although there is a lot of paranormal out there, this is a really great one. It’s different, it’s fun, and it’s a fast...more Descension is definitely a book that I loved. At 429 pages, I was thinking at first that maybe some of it could have been minimized. As I got more and more into the story, I didn’t want ANY word to be taken out. It was magnificent. I laughed and cried, wanted more, loved the characters and the plot, and even the cliff hanger ending. Yes, another cliff hanger, but soooo worth it!

Although there is a lot of paranormal out there, this is a really great one. It’s different, it’s fun, and it’s a fast read even at a tad over 400 pages. The characters are brilliantly written. At first I wasn’t drawn in, like I said the beginning may be a little long, but once you really get to know Layla you want to know more about Layla, and that’s what this entire book is about, getting to know who she is.

There’s so much to this kind of paranormal that I want to say, but I absolutely abhor spoilers, so I’ll just leave it at this, there isn’t MUCH romance but it’s the type of romance that is “love at first sight” which I know can be annoying for some. But Burgess explains why some of these couples are so head over heels for each other, so I would say, if you like paranormal romance, just keep your mind open and enjoy this fabulous story.

Honestly, it was so good at 4% left my hubby came home and wanted to tell me about his day. I shut off my Kindle and politely listened and then started reading again. He came back in the living room to tell me something else NOT important and I listened again. The fourth time this happened I threw the remote control at him. I did make sure he was looking though. I mean come on!! Pivotal part here! Can’t you see my kindle!!? It’s in my hands! RIGHT HERE!

To make up for it he suggested that I buy book two, because I could not go another night without knowing what was going to happen!

Ohh and a bit of a warning… I looked up wanting to see auras and I was really disappointed I couldn’t. I mean, come on, I’m reading this fabulous story about people that CAN see auras, why can’t I? I really didn’t want this story to end and real life to begin. It’s just that good! The hubbster says move on and just rebound to another book. He just doesn’t understand how hard it is to get into another story when you’re so in love with the characters in this one!! Hilarious I know, but true! And now that I have book two, Impassion (currently LOVING it!), I know I’ll be waiting with bated breath for book three!(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Catherine rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is full of explanations - which makes reading interesting but slow, and makes the plot movement almost negligible. Almost a third of the book is dedicated to a flash back of Layla's parents which is fine, but felt excessive. There are lots of characters that are mentioned multiple times, and they're pretty much all related to each other in some way, which was kind of confusing (mostly because I had a hard time remember what gender people were!).

Almost all of this book is dedicated to l...more

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Descension (Mystic #1)

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