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Magic Mansion

by Jordan Castillo Price (Goodreads Author)

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 202 ratings · 60 reviews

Professor Topaz is tired of fending off advice that he should retire in Vegas where magicians his age have an easier time finding work.

Ricardo Hart's career has sunk so low, he's resorted to shaking his moneymaker at bachelorette parties.

But there's a casting call for a new reality show called Magic Mansion that could change everything for these two gay stage magicians, on...more

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Published April 10th 2012 by JCP Books, LLC (first published April 1st 2012)

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Best M/M Romance Published in 2012

111th out of 583 books — 1,178 voters

The Curtis Reincarnation by Zathyn Priest

Best Gay Romance with Artists

82nd out of 112 books — 72 voters

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Community Reviews

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Apr 16, 2012 Val Kovalin added it · review of another edition

This book is a pleasure to read for the following reasons. First, it's long. We're talking days of escapism. With this book, you can draw it out as a reward for doing your day-to-day life while looking forward to reading the next chapter at night before bed.

Second, it doesn't drag anywhere and a LOT happens. So you look down at your Kindle, fearing you might be more than halfway through and realize to your delight that you're only 23% done.

Third, the supporting characters are an absolute deligh...more This book is a pleasure to read for the following reasons. First, it's long. We're talking days of escapism. With this book, you can draw it out as a reward for doing your day-to-day life while looking forward to reading the next chapter at night before bed.

Second, it doesn't drag anywhere and a LOT happens. So you look down at your Kindle, fearing you might be more than halfway through and realize to your delight that you're only 23% done.

Third, the supporting characters are an absolute delight. No one lavishes such care and complexity on supporting characters quite like Jordan does. My personal faves here are probably the Math Wizard (modest, yet dazzlingly competent), and Jia (flinty no-nonsense integrity). But I'm fascinated by Kevin for his gangsta-speak, loathsomeness, and ability to generate huge, nail-biting tension. And who could forget Francis (aka "Foxy") who was so memorable in his small scene?

Fourth, the reality show concept is extraordinary. I haven't watched a reality show since the original SURVIVOR when the nudist guy won (ha, ha!) but this is such good stuff here with the magicians jammed into their fishbowl of a mansion with no privacy and ever-present attempts to manipulate reactions out of them. The production crew is made up of strong characters with no scruples about trying to shape, script, and fake alliances, romances, and animosities among the magicians to boost the ratings. The challenges themselves are full of surprises, suspense, and strong emotion -- I mean, my heart just sank for poor Ricardo when he found out the full details for his ring challenge.

Fifth, the (view spoiler) is a total page-turner for me. I'm talking about the (view spoiler).

Sixth, the main characters are deeply appealing. Ricardo the Magnificent is such a sunny-natured charmer, and Professor Topaz (in his sixties!) is elegant, charismatic, and full of hidden depths. You want these two to come together.

I think that Jordan has reached a new level of genius with Magic Mansion. It's like nothing else out there on the m/m landscape, and it's now my all-time favorite of her books.(less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Lady*M rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m-romance, paranormal

4.5 stars

This book is so full of win that I can hardly find the words. Well, I can say that, to the extent of my knowledge, nothing similar was ever written in this genre.

A social commentary, a story about identity and images we project, about magic of living, a love story... rich and detailed... with 15 - 16 major characters... 117,000 words long and never gets boring or drags... this is something only this author can do. Absolutely stunning.

It took me a while to get into a story, considering t...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Cole Riann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, m-m-contemporary, m-m-may-december, m-m-pnr, m-m-magic, m-m-serials-complete, favorites, to-own-in-paperback

Alrighty, I'm finally getting around to reviewing this one. I'm not sure why I waited... I know that part of it, for sure, is the fact that I read up into the wee hours finishing this one because I couldn't put it down. Also, I think I needed to sit with this story a while before I let it go by writing the review. So I decided that, no matter, I'm definitely buying the paperback when it is released so that I can continue to enjoy it.

There are so many wonderful aspects of this story that I just c...more Alrighty, I'm finally getting around to reviewing this one. I'm not sure why I waited... I know that part of it, for sure, is the fact that I read up into the wee hours finishing this one because I couldn't put it down. Also, I think I needed to sit with this story a while before I let it go by writing the review. So I decided that, no matter, I'm definitely buying the paperback when it is released so that I can continue to enjoy it.

There are so many wonderful aspects of this story that I just can't do them justice with a review. As always Jordan's writing just... it just, I don't know it feels like it slams right into me and I just get it, you know? I feel like her writing always takes hold of me right away and it carries me through everything, but enlightening everything along the way. Her prose is so crafty that she really manipulates it to bring across whatever she needs to. This is something that is definitely hard to describe, but I challenge anyone who hasn't read anything she's written to give anything of hers a try and you'll see what I mean. This is an inelegant way to say what I mean, but then again it is something that you really have to read and understand for yourself.

There's also something really magical (hah) about the fact that this was written as a serial, and as such not only is completely perfect for the story and the way it is set up (as a reality show) but also allows the reader to really savor and stretch out this wonderful story for however long they want. I miss being able to vote since I did not read this on her newsletter like some, but I'm also happy that I was able to devour it in one sitting.

Some of these characters are SO FUNNY, I just can't describe it. I love Jordan's characters (from Vic to Charity and Oscar), because they're always quirky and grounded in some way, be it reality, satire, archetype and this story really profiles the characters she comes up with because of the huge cast. She's written before that this story was a labor of love in some ways and I can definitely see that this was a story that just needed out of her. She's really wowed me with this one and made me fall in love with her all over again.

I usually try not to sound like a fanboy (well, girl, lol) but this story deserves it :) I'm excited to read it again as soon as I get my paperback copy!(less)

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Sep 30, 2012 SueM rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr, magic, age-difference, bingo-challenge, ipad-stanza, coming-out

This novel was born out a short story JCP was going to enter in a contest, yet it ended up being initially published via her newsletter, with a new chapter being published with each newsletter. And while the format of the novel reflects those beginnings, it also rather echoes the episode format of a reality television show, which is what Magic Mansion is all about.

John Topaz, an aging magician who is facing financial difficulty, is struggling to find work. At 63, no one is willing to take him on...more This novel was born out a short story JCP was going to enter in a contest, yet it ended up being initially published via her newsletter, with a new chapter being published with each newsletter. And while the format of the novel reflects those beginnings, it also rather echoes the episode format of a reality television show, which is what Magic Mansion is all about.

John Topaz, an aging magician who is facing financial difficulty, is struggling to find work. At 63, no one is willing to take him on, yet on hearing a TV commercial asking for applicants to enter a reality show to find the grandmaster of magicians, John manages to find a place on the show, but not before undergoing a daunting audition.

Ricardo at 35, is a younger man, one who once trained for the Winter Olympics but now aspires to be a magician. He too, has to audition, and it is there that he finally meets his hero - the magician known as Professor Topaz. The attraction between them is instant, and each hopes the other makes it to the final 12 selected to compete in Magic Mansion. And it's no surprise to find that they do.

Being a competition as well as a television show, these two men struggle to communicate, particularly when they end up being in other teams. Yet they do manage to grab a few moments here and there, and their relationship slowly evolves into something more.

This is a slowly built romance, despite the insta-lust, with much of the storyline being built on gaming strategy, as well as the other members of the team. Although the main characters of John and Ricardo are strong, the secondary characters are also strong, and play a significant role in the story. Sometimes though, I did feel the whole TV show/competion sections were a little drawn out, and the development of their relationship was a bit too simple. Yes, it was a sweet May-December romance that manages to work despite the 28 year age difference, but I admit I would have liked to have seen more of their interactions and a little less reality TV show. Overall though, it's still a good read, particularly if you feel in the mood for something without a whole lot of sex.(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Matthew rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

This was quite well put together and I would be interested in checking out more of Jordan Castillo Price's work. I thought the magic system was intriguing and well-presented. But I wasn't inspired to much passion at the end of it.

I think part of it may be the format as a serial with voting on the eliminations. But the emotions and sex were well done, but not quite sufficient to make me excited. The magic and world-building were also well done, but also didn't make me eager to find the end. And I...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Jordan Price marked it as wrote · (Review from the author)

I'm stunned this massive novel has come to fruition so quickly, but here it is: Magic Mansion, the reality show where the serial readers actually got to vote magicians out of the Mansion!

Not only is the novel action-packed and fun, but the emotional notes hit some surprising depths. I feel like it's the most romantic story I've ever written.

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Sep 02, 2012 Reggie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: art-perfoming-art

WOW, AMAZING!

What can I say that hasn't been said....The writing was fabulous. The first time I picked up this book I put it back down. I had been reading a lot of character driven books and wasn't quite in the mood for this adventure. The second time I picked it up, I was ready to be entertained. It was a great experience. We are so lucky to have writers like this among us. When your in the mood to enter a new world and be taken for a ride.... don't miss out...this is an extraordinary experienc...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Jess Candela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, read-in-2013

4.5 stars

I loved it and stayed up waaay too late to finish it because I couldn't put it down. Although I enjoyed the romance aspect of it, that was really a secondary or tertiary focus for me. Mostly I was just caught up in the characters and the intrigue around how the whole Magic Mansion thing would play out, and I loved how threads of the supernatural were woven into the everyday world.

I don't watch much TV and have only ever watched a couple of reality shows, but I thought it made for a gre...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Kaje Harper rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I pick up a new JCP book I always get just a little shiver of anticipation, because I know it will have great characters, a real plot, and a satisfying ending. Magic Mansion is no exception. From the opening scene, John captured my heart with his class, his compassion, and his calm stoic approach to life. He is a wonderful character, an older man with resilience and the courage to go after a second chance at love. Ricardo is sweet as the Professor-Topaz-fanboy whose enthusiasm becomes more...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Nancy L rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, magic-superpowers, kindle-lendables

Im not one for reality TV but Jordan made this story hard to put down. She did a fab job incorporating 12+ personalities into the story without it becoming messy. I got quite a few laughs out of it - thinking it was a cross between Wipe Out and one of the MTv reality shows - hard to resist even when there's characters you don't like and want to vote them off the show! The challenges they face are true to reality TV too lol

(view spoiler)...more

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May 03, 2012 Dumbledore11214 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think the mandatory preamble I feel compelled to make lately to all my reviews about the books by this writer would still hold here. This writer has fantastic imagination. In this book she puts her own twist upon reality TV shows. I got tired of multiple reality shows very fast especially when it was clear and very fast that there is very little "reality" in those shows. I confess to still watching some cooking shows though ;). But JCP again does something amazing here. She picks amazingly fun...more

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May 03, 2012 April (CSI:Librarian) rated it 5 of 5 stars

(Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)

This book mostly just makes me want to flail and make incoherant sounds of delight. I loved it for so many reasons though so let me try and articulate a few of them.

The first is that it's just a darn good book with a lot of romance, magic, sweetness, humor, and charm. From opening line to ending sentence, Magic Mansion basically owned my eyes. I literally could not sleep until I finished it, and even then I sort of wanted to forgo sleep in order to read it aga...more (Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)

This book mostly just makes me want to flail and make incoherant sounds of delight. I loved it for so many reasons though so let me try and articulate a few of them.

The first is that it's just a darn good book with a lot of romance, magic, sweetness, humor, and charm. From opening line to ending sentence, Magic Mansion basically owned my eyes. I literally could not sleep until I finished it, and even then I sort of wanted to forgo sleep in order to read it again.*

Another reason that I am finding it really hard to do anything but gush is that it's such a refreshing change to read a book with gay characters that was just as long and just as romantic as so many of the books out there for straight characters. Don't get me wrong. I am a fan of hot and steamy. I am also ten times more likely to gravitate towards or read a book with a gay character than I am anything else, but the books that stay with me long after I arrive at the last page are books that go the emotional distance. And Magic Mansion is all about deep connections rather than insta-love.

Price's writing was equal parts wonderful, well-done, and engaging. I loved John and Ricardo so much. The way their relationship developed was utter perfection that I could not get enough of. There was such a maturity to both characters, particularly John, that I expected to be there, but was so worried that I wouldn't get. Every moment they spent longing for the other or actually being together made me swoon. Or sigh. Or both. There were also a fantastic and diverse cast of minor characters as well as subplots, and I came to care for just about everyone.

The reality show, which kept John and Ricardo apart while simultaneously bringing them together, was really believable in so many ways, and very well-developed. Although the book is contemporary in terms of its setting and references, there's also a paranormal element. This was provided by some magicians having a gift for True magic, which allows them to do more than simple conjuring tricks or illusions. I loved how it was used, and thought it added another neat dimension to John and Ricardo's story.

Over all, I loved how everything worked and came together. Particularly the ending, which really surprised me in ways that a lot of the eliminations didn't. I was a bit startled at one point when more mention was made of John's deceased lover/partner had only been gone for a year. For some reason I kept thinking it had been longer, but by then I was so emotionally invested and so happy that it just matter or bother me as much as it might have under different circumstances. Besides, my biggest complaint is also my deepest regret. And that is not hearing about this book or paying much attention to its author any sooner than this.

In conclusion, awesome, awesome, awesome! Magic Mansion is one of my favorite books of 2012 so far, and likely to remain that way. It's a book that I am so grateful to have found not to mention overjoyed to have read. It's more than worth $6.99, and I could not recommend it enough.

* I am also have a hard time convincing myself to lend the book to my room mate off of my Nook, which is sort of bizarre since traditionally my Nook sits in a corner collecting dust... But that's neither here nor there.(less)

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Apr 13, 2012 Teagan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 01, 2012 oceankitty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

5+ stars

I'm biased. I freely admit it. Along with Josh Lanyon , Jordan Castillo Price was very much my first “mentor” when it came to reading M/M romance. First I devored everything I could get my hands on of Josh's, then I drooled my way through Jordan's web store http://jcpbooks.com/

Now everything she writes is insta-buy, and nothing of hers can have any flaws. Yes, I'm totally the fan girl. Which means I probably shouldn't write this review, but I'm still gonna do it.

I'm uswually way too impa...more

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Apr 22, 2012 ttg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, favorites, reviews

This book is DELICIOUS.

That's what I kept thinking as I read--I would come up for air occasionally, and feel filled with giddy awe. This is a wonderfully addicting, suspenseful, hilarious, and romantic story about a very diverse group of magicians, "picked to live in a mansion and have their lives taped" as they perform in a Top Chef-like reality show to see who will win the big prize and be named the Grandmaster Magician.

Will the winner be one of our two main POVs? Professor Topaz, a regal "o...more This book is DELICIOUS.

That's what I kept thinking as I read--I would come up for air occasionally, and feel filled with giddy awe. This is a wonderfully addicting, suspenseful, hilarious, and romantic story about a very diverse group of magicians, "picked to live in a mansion and have their lives taped" as they perform in a Top Chef-like reality show to see who will win the big prize and be named the Grandmaster Magician.

Will the winner be one of our two main POVs? Professor Topaz, a regal "old school" magician being pushed towards retiring to Vegas shows, or the younger Ricardo the Magnificent, whose love of magic hasn't been dampened by the lack of good gigs beyond the bachelorette party circuit (and who just found out that he'll be auditioning alongside Topaz, his idol.) Or will it be one of the other ten contestants--who include a posing street magician, an off-the-wagon escape artist, and a "Math Wizard"?

The author adeptly juggles more than 12 characters without having the story (or the reader) feel overburdened. Quite the opposite, it's an exhilarating book to read, and it's just as addictive as when you find yourself caught in hour 4 of some 12-hour Bravo reality show weekend marathon.

The main difference is that as the reader, you get the luxury of being in the characters heads as opposed to being the TV viewer, who has to watch a constructed "real" story that is provided after careful editing and the inclusion of melodramatic background music. You're reading from the contestants' viewpoint, and feeling the same confusion, fear, excitement, and loss without understanding yet the weight of how their stories might be later manipulated for TV. (The author also could work for TV because she created some realistically terrible reality TV show stunts. You really feel for the characters as they move through the competition, but none of it felt over the top. It felt horribly real, like it's probably happening on TV right now…as you read this.)

There's a lot of great humor (I found myself usually laughing out loud at whatever Muriel the medium would say), and a very tender, sweet m/m romance between our main characters, the development of which is as riveting (if not more) than the ongoing competition.

There are also a lot of neat themes and underlying commentaries—about sexism in the field of Magic (and the entertainment world in general), identity, and being yourself, even when that self is in the public eye.

If you've read JCP's works before, then you probably already know that she's an excellent writer--this book is just one more example you can point at to illustrate it. It's an enthralling and engaging story, fantastic characters that each shine with their own authentic voice, and a romance that I can simply describe as "heart-warming" (with a sigh.) I even got all teary in the ending chapter when one of the last Truths was revealed.

Highly, highly recommended. My only other recommendation is maybe try to reserve a solid block of time before sitting down to read--once you start, it's really hard to put down. (Enjoy!)(less)

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Feb 22, 2013 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, author-to-read-again, glbtq

I enjoyed almost every bit of this book and had a real hard time putting it down every night.

I don't know how true it is to what happens behind the scenes, but it felt authentic. I've always been curious about what goes on that the audience doesn't get to see.

Right from the start, John's story drew me in. Which was a good thing because the smut at the bus stop almost made me put it down because it felt unrealistic and like smut for smut's sake (which is a turn off for me). So glad I didn't put i...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Adriana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: male-male, contemporary, paranormal-fantasy, pick-it-for-me

It was a really interesting book.
The way it was written, as a reality show, keep me from reading it at first, then the age-gap was to much, but I keep reading and I realized that this was about magic, about showbiz, about TV... and yes, a little M/M romance, but the sex was no the main issue here, and I really like it.

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Jul 05, 2012 John rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, gay

If an author can lure me through nearly four hundred pages about on magic (about which I know little) and reality TV (which I despise) I'd call it nothing short of wizardry. Wizardry it is, then. I'm very impressed indeed. In truth, it's just really good storytelling: It's knowing when to help her readers sort through the cast of characters (there are a bunch), and doing it with such a light touch you barely realise you're being guided. Or it's guiding us through the nightmare-plot that reality...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Francesca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was a fun read: two magicians, and main characters, decide to enter a talent show and during the challenges they fell in love.
Reading the introduction I knew I would have liked it: I love magicians, and I love how the Price write her characters. But I had some problems reading this story: in the beginning I found the descriptions of the challenges long and a bit boring too and the choice to set everything in a reality show was a bit turnoff for me. Because reality shows are anything but magic...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Goesta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fun-reads, humor-satire, human-magic

4+ stars

EDIT 29.Mar.13: POSSIBLE SLIGHT SPOILERS as to some of the themes.

Flashes of genius, especially in the on- and backstage rendering of the Big Brother type fare of manipulated reality ( to which I am frequently subjected because of my hubby's fascination therewith,) married to my passion for illusionists, and my secret suspicion (or hope) that some of them do hide their more profound gifts in plain sight, and featuring the first truly hypnotic and sexy gay character (for me) in his sixtie...more 4+ stars

EDIT 29.Mar.13: POSSIBLE SLIGHT SPOILERS as to some of the themes.

Flashes of genius, especially in the on- and backstage rendering of the Big Brother type fare of manipulated reality ( to which I am frequently subjected because of my hubby's fascination therewith,) married to my passion for illusionists, and my secret suspicion (or hope) that some of them do hide their more profound gifts in plain sight, and featuring the first truly hypnotic and sexy gay character (for me) in his sixties. JCP pulled so many unexpected rabbits out of her hat here that my slight disappointment at the lack of development into something more substantial, in terms of stakes and surprises, in the last third of the book must be forgiven. My expectations had been raised too high by my sheer delight at the sheer unlimited possibilities of Magic Mansion's ingredients.

I derived additional pleasure while reading from knowing the - to me ingenious and not previously encountered - serialization process JCP originally employed, i.e. readers actually voting off contestants every week, the results of which she includes in an appendix. A daring and hugely successful experiment, with the added bonus, for me personally, that JCP made an absolutely perfect decision by way of the outcome of the competition itself.

There are many elements that feel under-explored, such as the nature and use of True magic, which the characters avoid due to the possible consequences (and which, in this case, provides a fitting metaphor for the homosexual closet without JCP having to overly strain the real one, something I incidentally also, as I frequently express, often find in those fantasy m/m romances I like, where prejudice against shape shifters or ignorance of non-human mating customs stand in for the more depressing portrayal of "real" homophobia.)

Also somewhat disappointing were the illusionist's acts of the main characters, which could have been more innovative and clever to match their in some cases near-legendary reputations, and in others their portrayal as rising stars.

The fact that I harp on these points should suggest that, as far as the characters themselves are concerned, I found every last one of them unique and delightful, the fact that they were based on certain recognizable "types" being easily accommodated within the selection process for this kind of a show.

While I appreciated the milder portrayal of the show's producers, far less vicious than say in Ben Elton's

, something darker going on behind the scenes might have given the story the momentum to truly flourish past the mid-point, developing some of the more disturbing and dangerous elements and issues that were raised but then abandoned in favour of a more fluffy, but ultimately less satisfying, "prime-time" ready resolution.

Less satisfying primarily because I now really and achingly want to see my new favourite magical heroes get a chance to save the world as we know it, one sleight-of-nimble-hand and stroke-of-burnished-skin at a time, as a head-lining double act and assisted by some of their new friends. Which appears unlikely to be in their stars but, you never know, when there's magic and love in the air, miracles do happen.

On a side note, I was delighted to have been able to purchase this ebook directly from JCPbooks, who now also accepts my chosen method of internet payment. With the assumption that more of my money is going directly to the artists featured there than if I buy from a big online store, that's where I'll be picking up my next fix.(less)

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May 21, 2012 Lidia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books with a capital L, an original storyline, complex, articulate, passionate. Of those stories that are read carefully to avoid losing any detail. The times are those of the television to follow the plot that tells its own reality show. The magic and magicians are subject fascinating and Professor Topaz is fascinating and mysterious and Ricardo Hart is a young man full of life and magic ... and is immediately passion and love, despite all the evidence and subterfuge to ove...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Li rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, romance, paranormal-romance, m-m-romance

After a false start, I settled into this story (I was a bit thrown off by True Magic and the very early sex scene). Once I got past the first couple of chapters, I ended up enjoying this quite a bit. The reality TV setting was fun, especially the contrast of the behind-the-scenes setups v. public perception (I admit here that familiarity with reality TV probably helps). I didn't read the original online serialised story, but I thought the story flowed smoothly and didn't feel episodic. I'm still...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mm

The first half was fun, but by the second half I'd grown tired of the reality show gimmick and was starting to pay more attention to what was missing from the story than what was there.

I wanted to know more about John and Ricardo (without the This Was Your Life moment). In addition to wanting to know more about John and Ricardo, the True magic that they both have seems really inconsistent -- who has it, how it works, the side-effects. Even if that was intentional, it was confusing.

Also, I find...more

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May 16, 2013 Deanna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Three and a half stars just for the unique setting of a magician realty show. The characters were interesting but the format limited their full development. I liked the main characters but wanted more interaction between them to show the growth of their feelings. The story did keep my interest but it was not about magic just about stunts. I would have liked more explanation of the Truth Magic. Is the start of a series? Needed to feel the emotion and desire, not just be told about it. Question: w...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Emmie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.25 i had higher expectations. I also felt like Ricardo's physical description changed from the first half to the second. Suddenly in the latter half he was only referred to as the twink which seemed different from the initial description. Maybe I missed something. Also, the age diff was almost too much for me. I kept waiting for the connection to hit but it all felt like I was being told how great they were, but wasn't feeling it thru natural progression. Meh, I think I had a totally opposite...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Mel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Magic Mansion was initially published in the author's newsletter. The story about magicians entering a reality tv show appeared in each issue. In true reality tv-style, readers could vote for the characters they wanted eliminated. All this led to one of JCP's more elaborate works.
With Magic Mansion being as big a project as it is, I had very high expectations. To my surprise, the book wasn't as engrossing and captivating as JCP's usual stories.

Judging by the raving reviews, I'm the odd one out....more Magic Mansion was initially published in the author's newsletter. The story about magicians entering a reality tv show appeared in each issue. In true reality tv-style, readers could vote for the characters they wanted eliminated. All this led to one of JCP's more elaborate works.
With Magic Mansion being as big a project as it is, I had very high expectations. To my surprise, the book wasn't as engrossing and captivating as JCP's usual stories.

Judging by the raving reviews, I'm the odd one out. I'm surprised myself because I have loved pretty much everything that JCP has published. Her stories, however short, always have great plots, a nice twist and superb characters. Unfortunately, this time around, I wasn't blown away.

The love story between the two characters was an almost generic insta-love story. I really liked how the concept of 'falling in love with your hero to realize he's just a regular guy' was handled. But other than that, the conflict was minimal and the "I love you"s came way too fast. Plus all that 'showering each other in kisses' definitely upped the saccharine factor.

Also: JCP's characters are usually multilayered and intriguing. Sadly, this time around I found both Ricardo and the Professor to be two dimensional, even though the latter showed some definite potential in the beginning of the book.

My main problem though, was that the story lacked bite. I don't want to say it's sappy, but Magic Mansion has a distinct mellowness to it that all the other JCP books (thankfully) lack. The only edge was in the reality tv setting, which I found to be both very original and entertaining. The reality contestants themselves sadly couldn't be used to their full potential. For instance: a character like Charity (the crazy ventriloquist with the scary dummy) could have provided some major snark, but was voted out by readers very early in the book. In stead, the ever crying, cheer leader girl, Sue, stayed on till the ending. What a waste.

All in all, an okay story with decent writing, but lacking the usual JCP superbness. 3 stars. (less)

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Apr 17, 2012 A.J. Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This book, though a whopping 120K words, held my interest from beginning to end, from the opening excerpt I read on Ms. Price's blog to the final word on the final page... quite a feat considering that the premise, a reality TV show concerning magicians vying for the title of Grand Master Magician and a quarter of a million dollar prize, could have flagged badly with all the detail necessary to weave the story.

It didn't drag, though. The pacing was excellent, the characters rich and complex (and...more

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May 13, 2012 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

I just finished reading Magic Mansion and I did it again. After I read Starving Years I said I wish I would have read along and voted and now I wish I would have voted this time too. What a fantastic story. I couldn't read it fast enough to see what happens next. I love Jordan's writing and how she is able to put you right into the story. It was so well-researched and believable. What a wonderful imagination and such a gift with words she has.

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Sep 07, 2012 Suze rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A great, fun read that I really enjoyed.
The premise of a reality show blog book, with readers voting off the contestants is a great one and I could see how much fun that would be. As a novel, the fun of the votes has gone but you do get the story all in one go.
The characters were fun, though with quite a lot at the start I did have to go back a few times to see who was who.
I liked the development of Ricardo and John, and whilst we get to know a bit about John's background, Ricardo remains more o...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Tam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, other-paranormal

Not sure why I didn't have this as read. I read it in serial format when it was in that format and LOVED it. I loved all the background about how a reality show is so "unreal" :-) and I really got caught up in all the characters. That whole freak-out by the ventriloquist will go down in my memory as a truly memorable, if disturbing, scene.

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About Jordan Castillo Price

Jordan Castillo Price spent her formative drinking years in inner city Chicago, and is now writing paranormal thrillers from her home in small-town rural Wisconsin.

Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.

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