Armed & Magical (Raine Benares #2)

Dec 27, 2008 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-uns

Two Raine Benares books down and I can say three things: first--I am officially a Lisa Shearin fan, second--I liked Armed & Magical just as much as (if not more than) Magic Lost, Trouble Found, and third--it's going to be a long wait for book #3, The Trouble with Demons, to come out the end of April. Lisa has, however, assured me that my wait will not be in vain, as book #3 will have more than enough sizzle to satisfy any Team Tam girl's needs. To be fair, she said the same will be true f...more Two Raine Benares books down and I can say three things: first--I am officially a Lisa Shearin fan, second--I liked Armed & Magical just as much as (if not more than) Magic Lost, Trouble Found, and third--it's going to be a long wait for book #3, The Trouble with Demons, to come out the end of April. Lisa has, however, assured me that my wait will not be in vain, as book #3 will have more than enough sizzle to satisfy any Team Tam girl's needs. To be fair, she said the same will be true for Team Mychael girls, but that's neither here nor there...

Armed & Magical begins immediately after the first book ends. Raine and Co. are on the Island of Mid, restlessly holed up in the finest suite the Conclave and its Guardians have to offer. The paladin has assured Raine that someone within the magical university hierarchy will be able to help rid her of her increasingly uncomfortable link to the Saghred--the ancient, malevolent stone intent on sucking her soul dry. Unfortunately, a notorious elven assassin seems to be targeting the paladin and the archmagus--Raine's two lone friends in this new, hostile environment. After singlehandedly foiling this attempt, Raine joins the hunt to unearth who is paying the assassin and why he seems to be amassing a group of hostage spellsingers. Never more than a step away from death, Raine finds herself embroiled in goblin/elf warfare as well as some nasty political power wrangling at the university. When Tam appears unexpectedly in the middle of a particularly harrowing encounter in a dark alley, their already hazy relationship quickly shifts to an even murkier shade of gray, and Raine struggles to figure out just which shady character is behind which threat and whether or not any of them can be trusted.

One of the best things about these books is the ripping good pace they keep. The first covers only the space of a week, and the second not much more. Yet they are filled to the brim with near constant action, infectious humor, and a wide range of intriguing characters. They are all fun and worth getting attached to, but the best interaction, IMO, is reserved for Raine's encounters with Tam (more than he appears shaman turned nightclub owner love interest) and Piaras (pseudo younger brother more powerful than you spellsinger). I like how saavy Raine is at handling the various male figures in her life. I like how she is exactly who she claims to be (and she never claims to be perfect). And I particularly like how fierce she is when it comes to protecting her family. Here is one of my favorite examples of Raine's lively sense of humor when dealing with said men:

I couldn't keep a little smile off my face. "Most girls get flowers or candy. I get a declaration of martial law."

Well, I can't keep a smile off my face when I read a Lisa Shearin book. So it's a match made in heaven.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 06, 2008 Felicia rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: urban paranormal fans, questers

Shelves: vaginal-fantasy, urban-paranormal

Yet again Raine charms and delights me and forces me to stay up until 2am reading and then pouting because I can't pick up the next one immediately.

I love this series, it is everything I love to read, and everything I'd love to write. Virtually continuous from the last book, it follows Raine adventuring anew with yummy romantic triangles and lots of fun fighting.

The author writes with an enthusiasm and a sense of humor that is in no way forced and incredibly infectious. This is a classic advent...more

6 likes · like · see review

Sep 19, 2012 Kylara Jensen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: vaginal-fantasy

This book was, as is the case with these things usually, much better written than the first book. The books are narrated by the main character and in the first book it was very disjointed, but in this book everything made a lot more sense an the story flowed better.

Action scenes were still a little crazy and a couple times I had to flip back to see what happened to a certain character or item because it wasn't clear the first time.

I'm still not 100% interested in the plot. It was a quick fun rea...more

like · see review

May 21, 2012 Alice Liu rated it 5 of 5 stars

So now the cat's out of the bag and everyone knows about Raine's power (courtesy of the evil rock) and Piaras's spellsinging. Given Raine's usual run of luck, it means the bad guys are out to get her, and the good guys are out to get her. Oddly enough, the bad guys try legal means at first, while the supposed good guys rely on underhanded political maneuvering. Everyone has an idea of how they want to take and use Raine's power, and Raine can't turn anywhere without some political or physical sh...more

like · see review

Mar 11, 2012 Jacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy

I read the first one of these: 'Magic Lost, Trouble Found' last year and though it didn't entirely rock my world it was good enough to try a second one. Glad I did, whether it's because I'm already familiar with the world or whether this really is a better book than the first one, I enjoyed it enormously. It picks up just days after the last one ends. Raine Benares, daughter of the criminally active Benares clan, is a small-time sorceress, a seeker, who has just, in the last book, become magical...more I read the first one of these: 'Magic Lost, Trouble Found' last year and though it didn't entirely rock my world it was good enough to try a second one. Glad I did, whether it's because I'm already familiar with the world or whether this really is a better book than the first one, I enjoyed it enormously. It picks up just days after the last one ends. Raine Benares, daughter of the criminally active Benares clan, is a small-time sorceress, a seeker, who has just, in the last book, become magically twinned with the Saghred, a soul-sucking Goblin stone of unimaginable dark power. She's either its guardian or its servant. Which one of them will come out on top is by no means clear.

She's come to the Isle of Mid, where the Conclave of Mages rules, in order to find a mage wily enough to unhook her from the stone. All she wants is her life back, but the stone has other ideas, and so do the factions that want to use it through her. The Goblins, sexy dark and dangerous, think it's theirs. The Elves, gorgeous, light and equally dangerous want to keep it out of the Goblins' hands and since Raine is an Elf they think she's theirs. The Mages and their Conclave Guardians (think: magical police force) want to keep it locked away where it can't do any damage. Rival mages just want to see Raine dead because they think she's as dangerous as the stone. And its previous owner, nutty as a really poisonous fruit cake and supposedly dead a thousand years ago, wants it back and he doesn't care how many souls he has to sacrifice to get it.

On Raine's side is her dashing, piratical cousin Phaelan, her young spellsinger friend Piaras, now a student at the magic college, and (probably) the archmagus himself, plus Mychael, head of the Conclave Guardians, a hunky, spellsinging elf who is obviously head over heels in love with Raine, but that won't strand in the way of his duty. If the Conclave says lock her up, he'll do it.

This seems much more focused than the first book with a simple but twisty get-out-of-this-if-you-can theme. Raine has to avoid all attempts to gain control over her and the Saghred while keeping Piaras safe, protecting her own hide and thwarting the plans of at least four different factions. There's a slow-burning romance, almost unacknowledged, between Mychael and Raine and a passionate attraction between Raine and her old friend/adversary Tam, a reformed Dark Mage – or is he? (Reformed that is.)

One of the blurb quotes calls this book funny. It's not funny in the least, but it's got a witty quirkiness that's hard to resist. Raine's viewpoint voice is endearingly honest. If I still had reservations after reading the first book, this one had me convinced to order the next three Raine Benares books without delay.
(less)

like · see review

Jun 25, 2011 Paradoxical rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reading-list, books-otherwise

Hm. Armed & Magical marks the second book in the Raine Benares series. Raine finds herself on the Isle of Mid, which is filled with mages, in what is essentially a gilded cage as she's still linked with the Saghred. The Saghred proves to be a rather noisy stone, as the occupants (the villain in the first book, mainly) make themselves known, as well as the stone itself proving to be a temptation of sorts for Raine, as it wants to be used. Raine gets embroiled in an unexpected investigation an...more Hm. Armed & Magical marks the second book in the Raine Benares series. Raine finds herself on the Isle of Mid, which is filled with mages, in what is essentially a gilded cage as she's still linked with the Saghred. The Saghred proves to be a rather noisy stone, as the occupants (the villain in the first book, mainly) make themselves known, as well as the stone itself proving to be a temptation of sorts for Raine, as it wants to be used. Raine gets embroiled in an unexpected investigation and off she goes.

The most irritating part of the books is the exposition. Every time something new comes up, Raine takes a moment and explains it all. It's like the reader gets dragged to the side while the author says what she thinks needs to be said, and then pushed back into the story when she's done. Its like a sledgehammer to the head, there's no subtly at all, and it's all over the place. The pace of the story gets somewhat bogged down, and all I do is repeat in my head, "Show. Not tell". There's also the issue of Raine's witticisms, which were cute in the first book, but seems too frequent in the second. There comes a point when Raine seems too flippant about her life and what's going on in it, and it grates.

Then there are the villains. Who bore me to death. I don't need my villains to be very deep and well thought out, but at the very least, they should not be boring. They are all unrepentantly evil and they do evil things and it's just not very creative or exciting and yeah, still yawning.

This book just left me feeling rather cold. I read it, but I stopped frequently and took a few days to read it (and I usually finish reading my books the same day because I am a fast reader). Instead of seeing the world through Raine's eyes, I feel like I'm being told what's going on--like there's a distance between myself and the story because of all of the exposition. I feel as if the romances that Raine has between Tam or Mychael are lackluster at best. I expect more from Raine and I'm just not getting it. The magic feels like it was just thrown together and just gets more added to it without any real explanations behind any of it. It just doesn't feel real (or that it could be real in some alternate dimension--bah, you get what I mean [I hope]).

It wasn't all bad though. There were some instances where I chuckled (e.g. anything with Phaelen). I love Piaris still. Raine isn't a horrible main character.

Eh, 2 stars. This series is feels like a light read that teeters into serious territory (well, skirts the edges), but it just doesn't carry it off as well as one hopes. Also, too much exposition. I really, really hate that. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 04, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

~* 3.5 Stars *~
When It Raines It Pours
Raine Benares is on the Isle of Mid with hope that the powerful mages there will be able to free her from the Saghred's insidious influence. Since arriving she's been kept under constant surveillance and protection, Paladin Mychael's Guardians keeping her in their sights and within reach. When an assassination attempt forces her hand and displays her magical potential to allies and enemies alike, Raine becomes a political pawn and an even bigger target. Then...more ~* 3.5 Stars *~
When It Raines It Pours
Raine Benares is on the Isle of Mid with hope that the powerful mages there will be able to free her from the Saghred's insidious influence. Since arriving she's been kept under constant surveillance and protection, Paladin Mychael's Guardians keeping her in their sights and within reach. When an assassination attempt forces her hand and displays her magical potential to allies and enemies alike, Raine becomes a political pawn and an even bigger target. Then spellsingers start to disappear and Raine discovers that a malevolent force is working to take control of the Saghred, and what protections and shields are in place may not be enough to stop it - especially when the soul-stealing rock seems to want to be used by every nefarious elf or goblin in the land.

The further I read into the Raine Benares series, the more I love Raine and her family and friends. There's something about her dry wit, her sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek humor, her willingness to risk her life - and her soul - for the people she cares about (and their willingness to do the same for her), and the likelihood that trouble will not only find her, it'll give her a big sloppy kiss and try to lift her wallet, too, that keeps me reading and wanting more. The characters are definitely the driving force of the series for me. There's a subtle romantic triangle - and I normally hate those, but it works well here, and Shearin keeps it from being a mess of angst and drama. Instead it serves to flesh out and add character dimension to Raine, Mychael, and Tam, and adds an emotional component to each of their personalities that is very appealing.

In the first book, Magic Lost, Trouble Found, I initially had some trouble warming up to the 'voice' of Raine and feeling connected with the story. Shearin writes the series from Raine's first person POV, and it's a lot heavier on narration than dialogue, so it took me awhile to get used to the limited emotional expression in the narrative and Raine's no nonsense personality. Once I did, however, that first book really worked for me, and that same sense of personality transferred very well to this book, with an added layer of emotional expression and intensity in Raine that I felt was missing in the previous book.

I wasn't as enamored with the plot of the story in Armed & Magical, however. It started quick and strong, but following an early action sequence that got the book off with a bang, it got bogged down a bit with excessive exposition, then segued into less adventuresome investigation and some political stuff that dragged for me. At several points, I could tell my attention was wandering from what was going on around Raine, and I didn't have that problem with the first book. I really liked the broadened understanding of the world and the societal structure, though, and I love the mix of fantasy and modern colloquialisms that pepper the dialogue and narrative. It gives the series a sense of hip freshness and a unique bent in the genre.

The conflict with the antagonist and the story surrounding it felt a little lackluster to me, though, coming together a bit too conveniently. And perhaps it's nothing more than perception, but it felt too close in nature to the plot of the previous book for my tastes - at least in broad-stroke generalities. Also, where I felt the danger to Raine and friends in the last book was gripping and intense through the whole of that story, in this one there were peaks and valleys, and even the most dangerous scenes seemed less visceral than the entire last quarter of the first book. For me, it made the flow of this story seem a bit choppier and less fluid, and the ending slightly anticlimactic.

There were a few points in the narrative that felt repetitive - one in particular that stuck out as being word-for-word duplication of a previous passage. I wasn't quite sure if it was a purposeful tool on the author's part to drive a point home, but regardless, the aspects of the narrative that felt repetitive - as well as the one that more than felt it - added to the drag in the narration through the middle of the book. I also have a tiny issue with how many times Raine mentions or draws on the fact that she's a Benares and speaks so often as to the many and varied reasons that's important for her or significant to her actions. I was well versed in that by the end of the first book and feel that point has been driven in a little too hard by now.

Despite being slightly less enamored with the plot and conflict of Armed & Magical, I'm completely committed to this series and look forward to spending more time with Raine and her family and friends. They really are the most thrilling and fun aspects of this series and I can't wait to see how things progress from here for all of them.

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 01, 2011 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I gotta say, Lisa totally sucked me in from the first chapter. Of course, I've read and really enjoyed the first book, so I couldn't wait to see what would happen to Raine this time... especially since we were going to be shown a completely different island.
Wow. It didn't disappoint, that's for sure. I love Raine's voice. It's so casual and witty. She's very stubborn too, even if she knows that a situation might be a little too hard for her to deal with, she's willing to do whatever she can. I h...more

like · see review

Dec 13, 2010 Jep rated it 2 of 5 stars

I used to like Felicia Day; I saw an interview she did, via IM telephony, wearing her WoW wireless headset. I mean, c'mon! Cool! Self-employed and not ashamed of it. Hardworking, makes her own opportunities!

Looked her up on goodreads, which she pimped. She recommended this, under the most bizarre category ever invented — 'vaginal fantasy'. Seriously.

What it is is humdrum romance-with-pointy-ears-and-magic.

Lisa Shearin knows one thing fairly well: pacing. Lisa Shearin sets 4 books in the space of...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 23, 2010 Trish rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I possibly gave it the fourth star simply because it was a much better read than the book I just read yesterday. I couldn't help but compare that this book has a general lack of internal anguish in the lead female character. Raine will fight first and then ask questions later. She was not in any way weakened by any moral debates. There was enough snark and humor to give it a less than adult feel, but this book is definitely for adults. I simply liked how the lead male, Mychael, was described as...more

like · see review

Nov 05, 2009 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, fantasy

I'm a sucker for funny books. Any type of humorous book will do, but after stumbling upon Lisa Shearin's Magic Lost, Trouble Found earlier this year, I knew I had found a kindred spirit in one Raine Beranes. She's an elf, a seeker (someone who can find things with magic), and comes from a long line of pirates and criminals. Just how she found herself on the opposite side of the law still baffles Raine but she's good at what she does and is happy doing it.

As a seeker, Raine has always possessed a...more I'm a sucker for funny books. Any type of humorous book will do, but after stumbling upon Lisa Shearin's Magic Lost, Trouble Found earlier this year, I knew I had found a kindred spirit in one Raine Beranes. She's an elf, a seeker (someone who can find things with magic), and comes from a long line of pirates and criminals. Just how she found herself on the opposite side of the law still baffles Raine but she's good at what she does and is happy doing it.

As a seeker, Raine has always possessed a respectable amount of magic but after finding (and bonding) with a magical stone called the Saghred a few weeks prior, she's now got more dark magic at her fingertips than she knows what to do with. Raine's new goal in life? Find a way to get rid of the stone without it killing her in the process. Hoping for an answer, she's traveled with Paladin Mychael Eiliesor to the Island of Mid (home to most mages per capita) along with Piaras, her pseudo younger brother, an aspiring young spellsinger who's hoping to get some much-needed training in Mid. Getting rid of the stone is easier said than done however, since her new found skills seem to be a red-hot beacon - attracting every crazy, power-hungry mage in existence who would like their very own catastrophe-causing stone at their beck-and-call.

If that not enough to give a girl stress: Piaras' awesome spellsinging abilities have garnered no little interest and when several other talented spellsingers go missing, Raine is determined to get her loved ones out of dodge before the sparks really fly. But the Saghred is not about to let Raine off that easy, what with the stone's power becoming harder to resist daily since the arrival of some truly nasty goblins who would like nothing better than to take back what they see is rightfully theirs. Throw in Raine's oh-so-inciting temptation to get a little closer to Tam (goblin aristocrat turned nightclub owner in possession of some seriously sexy eyes) which have begun to have incendiary results - and things just take off from there.

Stepping back into Raine's life was like taking a deep breath and then trying to run flat-out for the next 5 to 10 days. It's non-stop action, full of Raine's hilarious quips and her trademark no-nonsense approach to any situation: get in, get out, don't get killed. Simple enough. I'm still laughing over the things that come out of that girl's mouth, for example:

"My family's big on denial. And if we denied something long enough, we thought it'd go away. I know that's not how it works, but we're in denial about that, too."

Blunt and upfront - my kind of girl. Also one of the most loyal characters I've ever met, Raine would go through fire (or at least a roomful of nasty goblins) for those she loves with both knives drawn and not even think twice about it. Raine does have her faults, but she's the first to admit to them and never tries to be more than she appears. Armed & Magical is an original, laugh out loud funny book and I can't wait to see where it will take Raine next. That is, as long as Tam is coming along.(less)

like · see review

Jan 02, 2011 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series just keeps getting better and better!
Raine Benares is a highly talented seeker and now valuable commodity who possesses a lot of power of the Saghred, an ancient but powerful stone nicknamed the Thief of Souls. She's constantly trying to find ways to prevent becoming its bond servant. In Armed & Magical, the setting is in the Isle of Mid, an island filled with powerful magic users and a sorcery school.

I really like Raine. She's also a very likable character. She's got a lot of sp...more

like · see review

Mar 29, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy

I list this on my Urban Fantasy shelf. I find (that in my opinion...repeat that's my opinion) they have what I'd call an Urban Fantasy feel. I'll say more later but I wanted to open with a nod to those who are emphatic about this being "fantasy" but not "UF". I list it as both.

So, what to say...I'm glad I got to this book. I've had a run of books that I couldn't rate above a low 3 stars and some I had to (in good conscience) rate a 1 star read. This one is the proverbial 4.5 and only misses a 5...more I list this on my Urban Fantasy shelf. I find (that in my opinion...repeat that's my opinion) they have what I'd call an Urban Fantasy feel. I'll say more later but I wanted to open with a nod to those who are emphatic about this being "fantasy" but not "UF". I list it as both.

So, what to say...I'm glad I got to this book. I've had a run of books that I couldn't rate above a low 3 stars and some I had to (in good conscience) rate a 1 star read. This one is the proverbial 4.5 and only misses a 5 by a fraction of a point. I really like this book and only have a couple of minor gripes.

Here we have a well filled out and rounded character who's in a mess that doesn't smack of having been done the same way a thousand times. There is the beginning of, or a touch of romance for you who like/need that but not so much as to drive people like me (who can't stand much of that at all) away. We pick up here a week after the first book in the series (Magic Lost, Trouble Found). The story follows logically and our characters stay true to themselves (Raine is changed by what she went through but it's handled well).

So what are the negatives?...I'm sure your waiting with bated breath.

Well first there's the simple matter of there being a few places where my interest wandered. For some reason in the center of the book things bogged down a little bit...but it picked back up. Then there is the fact that the romance in the book is so (to me) trite. Raine can't decide between 2 men...the "bad boy" Goblin and the "Good Guy" Paladin. THAT has been to done before so often that it drives me up the walls. With that I thought I had to go down by a single (or a half) star.

Still these are excellent books and I can recommend them highly.

Now, yes this is a fantasy in a fantasy world. I list it on my fantasy shelf but I also list it on my urban fantasy shelf. Why? Raine is a city girl, the events take place in fantasy "cities" that have many of the same problems and versions of the same situations you find in cities anywhere.

If you don't like to figure UF in this light, that's okay, it's a personal taste thing. Whether you want to tag this as simple fantasy or include it under UF it's a good book (good series) I recommend.

Enjoy.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 20, 2011 Renai rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book on a bus ride from a field trip with a bunch of 5th graders. The action pulled me right into the zone, even with the children laughing and carrying on in the bus I was sucked into Raine's world. (Hey hey, I wasn't the chaperon on the field trip, the kids didn't even speak my language. I joined them for the sight seeing, so getting sucked into this fabulous book wasn't an issue) Raine is an amazing character.

I read the eBook edition of this book, so I didn't have to look at this...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2009 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-fantasy

Raine benares needs to get rid of her link to the Saghred. With it, she has unlimited power at her disposal - and the evil Khrynsani shamans on her tail. She has just arrived on the Ilse of Mid, hoping one of the mages of the Conclave can help her get loose of the Saghred's grasp. But she's followed by the goblins who want "their" stone back, and now amongst magic users are those greedy for power, who will go to any lengths to get it. And when spellsinging students disappear from the school on M...more

like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Christal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: assassins-spies-and-mercs, favorites, female-lead, goblins-trolls-gnomes, fantasy-aka-swords, magic, pirates, shady-government-agency, smugglers-thieves-bounty-hunters, witches-warlocks-and-mages, dragons, fae, shamans-and-druids

I loved this novel just as much, if not more, than the first. Everything that I enjoyed from the debut was still here and Raine herself just gets better and better.

Raine travels to the Isle of Mid thinking that she can find someone to help her disentangle from the Saghred. Instead, she finds herself in high demand. Everyone seems to have their own agenda and Raine plays into them all somehow. The humor and action were non-stop (except for when snippets of romance slipped in) and I did not want t...more

like · see review

May 06, 2010 Louis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fict-fantasy, nook-kindle-ebook, urban-fantasy, fiction, ebook-nook

I have to say, I think this was better than the first book. We continue to see characters that were introduced in the first one, and had a limited set of new characters being added.

The timeline for the stories is extremely tight as it takes place soon after Raines Benares arrives in Mid.

In the span of a week she finds herself expanding her involvement between the two powerful yet sensual people introduced in the first book of the series. These are Good Paladin Guardian Mychael and the Bad boy...more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2010 Kristen Tucker rated it 4 of 5 stars

I can't help but laugh through this book. The humorous way Raine runs around trying to save her world from falling into the wrong hands is great. Usually she finds herself fighting off the 'the Stone' that has claimed her, and she is trying to keep out of dangerous hands -- kinda like the whole Frodo and the ring idea -- or she is keeping Piaras, her Spellsinger cousin out of danger, or she is just trying to keep the power hungry mages at bay.
The love stories/triangle continue and make fun highl...more

like · see review

Apr 11, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Armed & Magical is the second book in the Raine Benares series, and comes a week after the events of Magic Lost, Trouble Found. Raine has traveled from her home of Mermeia; to the Isle of Mid where she is hoping the cadre of powerful mages on the Isle can help her break the binding that links her to the Saghred. The same binding that also bonded her father who was its last keeper.

Raine is a half elf, as well as a seeker who finds things, along with lost and missing persons. As her attachment...more Armed & Magical is the second book in the Raine Benares series, and comes a week after the events of Magic Lost, Trouble Found. Raine has traveled from her home of Mermeia; to the Isle of Mid where she is hoping the cadre of powerful mages on the Isle can help her break the binding that links her to the Saghred. The same binding that also bonded her father who was its last keeper.

Raine is a half elf, as well as a seeker who finds things, along with lost and missing persons. As her attachment grows, Raine finds that she has become one of the strongest mages around. Not bad for a elf who had minimal magic abilities just a week before.

Traveling to Mid along with Raine, are Paladin Mychael Eiliesor who is commander of the Guardians on the Isle of Mid. Mychael as a cadre of guardians at his disposal to ensure Raine is safe. Her cousin Phaelan, a notorious pirate aka seafaring businessman, and Piaras, her pseudo younger brother, and aspiring spellsinger who's hoping to get some much-needed training in Mid.

Raine finds herself deep into trouble right from the outset as someone tries to kill Mychael and Justinius, the senior mage on Me. Having saved them, and a bunch of guardians who were in harms way, her enemies list grows as well. They each want her dead, or to use the link to the Saghred for their own nefarious ways. These enemies include:

Canades Silvanus, a senior mage and member of the Seat of Twelve. Canades wants to be in charge, but can’t as long as Justinius is alive and well. He can only grumble and undermine his abilities to lead, as well as scheme into having both Raine and Piaras under his control.

Rudra Muralin is a goblin spellsinger who was once a bond servant to the Saghred. He is nearly 1,000 years old, and has come back looking to regain his link with the Saghred at the cost of Raines soul and life.

The Khrynsani, goblins, who followed Nukpana before he was sucked into the Saghred, are also back and irritating as ever.

Banan Ryce, commander of a group calling themselves the Nightshade. Banan kidnaps spellsinger’s for the highest bidder, in this case, Muralin. He is an elf who is an assassin, as well as a rapist and kidnapper. Ryce is a nasty piece of work, who basically has one moment in the spotlight, before vanishing along with his kidnap victim.

Of course, what’s a story about the adventures of Raine without the men in her life and yet another love triangle? Tamnais Nathrach aka Tam, is a former goblin Primara and dark mage for the Goblin Court. When Tam and Raine are near, the heat goes way up. Now that Raine is linked to the Saghred, neither can truly trust themselves aroudn the other. Raine and Mychael also have some hot and heavy moments where you want to scream, Kiss her already idiot! Oh yeah, and Mychael, you can tie me up anytime you want ::wink::

Raine is a likable character, and has lots of back bone. As her power grows, so does her willingness to do whatever it takes to protect Piaras, and herself. Piaras has come a long way from a scared kid, into one of the most powerful spellsinger’s around, and that’s without any formal training.

I'm defintely continuing this story not only because of Raine, but because of the world building and story telling as well. I also want to see in what direction Raine and Mychaels relationship goes.

Next in series: The Trouble with Demons (2009)
(less)

like · see review

Nov 02, 2009 Chrissy Wissler rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was an enjoyable read, although it didn't pull me in as much as the first book. There was a lot more going on in the world than the first one. Everyone seemed to have their own agenda, which unfortunately involved kidnapping Raine or her friend. Since there was so much going on, I felt more disconnected with the characters and their situation. They didn't seem to have a single focus or goal, and the one Raine had set out to solve hasn't gotten solved yet - which is probably why there's...more

like · see review

Aug 16, 2009 Summer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, magic, need-to-buy

I am totally in love with this series. The first book was fantastic and the second completely rocked my socks.
So Raine is on the Isle of Mid hoping that Guardian Mychael can keep her alive long enough to unravel the mysteries of the Saghred. Particularly the part of how you become unbonded to it. In addition to a bevy of evil goblins and greedy elves, she's got missing students to find and Piaras's magical abilities are also attracting some unwanted attention.
Raine is a fantastic heroine. She'...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 29, 2009 Amy or "Ames" rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2009, fantasy, magic-users, historical, do-not-own

Good story, great sexual tension and some ass-kicking action.

The highlight for me is the sexual tension between Raine and Mychael. They've only known each other for about two weeks by the end of this book but they've got quite a spark. Raine's known Tam for two years though so I guess he has an advantage. I class Tam as a former bad guy and Mychael is a good guy willing to break the rules for the greater good. I like them both so I can't choose which one I want to end up with Raine, can't she ha...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 12, 2012 Fred rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like the characters and the world building a lot, but sometime the story takes too many shortcuts, out of difficult situations. Everything works out too easy and convenient. With all these great characters in place I feel that the author could have done more with the story. It's like it's a bit too lightweight. Also the added on romance stuff just feels out of place and makes Raine feel like a girl without substance. I also sat wishing that Raine would start kickin' more ass with her magic. Sh...more

like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Nicole Gozdek rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sword-sorcery

"Armed & Magical", der 2. Band der Raine Benares-Reihe von Lisa Shearin, begeistert wieder mit seiner starken Hauptfigur, tollen Figuren und spannenden Kämpfen mit Magie und Waffen gegen beängstigende Gegner. Besonders die Szenen mit Raines jüngerem Ziehbruder Piaras, der ein außergewöhnliches magisches Gesangstalent ist, und mit Raine berüchtigtem Piratencousin Phaelan haben mir gefallen. Doch auch die Szenen mit Mychael und Tam waren toll, denn es prickelt zwischen Raine und den beiden sex...more

like · see review

Apr 02, 2009 cecilia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: orange-covers

An excellent sequel to Magic Lost, Trouble Found! More rollicking fun with Raine and company - with additional characters to make things even more interesting! Raine travels to Mid to try and remove herself from the Saghred, while preventing the baddies from getting their hands on it. The love triangle between Raine, Michael, and Tam gets even more complicated. All in all, Shearin gives us another deliciously witty delight!

Complete review on my blog

like · see review

Feb 11, 2008 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

I wrote it. ; )

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-in-library, fantasy

3.5 ish? Really fun sequel in the series, although it definitely has that "second part of a trilogy" feel where it doesn't stand on its own at either the beginning or the end. Continuity is IMMEDIATE, so it's worth it to make the effort to read these in a quick marathon; despite the bits of exposition, it took me a moment to remember who was who and what was going on. Fortunately, the change of location meant there were new people and places as well.

I really enjoy the tone of this series -- it's...more

like · see review

Oct 08, 2011 Lynsey (The Demon Librarian) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-boyfriend, favourites, magic-tastic, fae-alicious

I really enjoyed this. The story was a lot more gripping than in the first book, and you got to see a lot more of Raine's character and personality come out as she interacted with people in her new temporary home on the Isle of Mid.

Young magic students and spell singers are going missing, and Raine, as a seeker, is required to find them. Only it's not as simple as that...when is it ever? I'm getting more of a sense of the "world" this series is set in now. The pirate-y, swashbuckling fantasy lan...more

like · see review

Mar 28, 2012 Amy Laurens rated it 4 of 5 stars

Overview
This is book 2 in the Raine Benares series. Raine has arrived at the Isle of Mid, and the Saghred has been placed in the Guardians' most secure containment rooms - only they're not terribly containing, not for the Saghred with its seemingly limitless power. But that's not Raine's real problem. The real problem is that there are about a bazillion different factions on the Isle, and they all want a piece of her - or her in pieces. Some of them aren't fussy.

First Impressions
Fun! Oh yes, thi...more Overview
This is book 2 in the Raine Benares series. Raine has arrived at the Isle of Mid, and the Saghred has been placed in the Guardians' most secure containment rooms - only they're not terribly containing, not for the Saghred with its seemingly limitless power. But that's not Raine's real problem. The real problem is that there are about a bazillion different factions on the Isle, and they all want a piece of her - or her in pieces. Some of them aren't fussy.

First Impressions
Fun! Oh yes, this stands up to my expectations well :) Just like Magic Lost, Trouble Found, the action starts right on page one, setting in place a chain of events that's exciting, dangerous, and above all, fun. I love Raine and her snarky, street-smart attitude :D

High Points
The general snarkiness of Raine, and the awesome, action-filled plot! She has a truly loveable cast of characters, from the rogue pirate Phealan to the sweet and not-quote-so-innocent-anymore Piaras, to the dreamy Guardian Michael, steamy badboy Tam... Ya know. The works B-)

And the plot just never stops; the pace is relentless from page one, and you're never quite sure what's going to blow up next. Lovely. Just the way things should be.

Low Points
The only minor qualm I have with this series of books is that, essentially, they are 'fluff'. I love and adore these books, and they have had a huge impact on my own writing - but they are ultimately there for entertainment. There isn't really any 'deeper meaning' behind them, and thus far in the two books I've read, there isn't a whole lot of character growth in Raine.

Some days, though, you just gotta have something that's entertaining, and easy on the brain... So there's nothing quintessentially wrong with fluff :)

Rating
So, because five stars, or marks-out-of-ten, or whatever, are boring, I'm going to rate my squillions of TBR books by where they're most suitable to read. I know, I'm a little odd, but work with me here...

So, this one has quite literally been my bathroom book for the last week %-) (Just fyi, my bathroom includes the bath, the toilet, the sink and the shower). I haven't really had time to read, but I started it in the bath last week and couldn't bear putting it away until I had time to finish it. So I've been reading it in snatches every time I'm in the bathroom.

It's a pretty good bathroom book, because it's so action-packed you can get a great deal of entertainment out of each chapter, while the plot is linear enough that you don't forget what was happening between times. The strong voice helps to keep the story fresh in your memory, too. The single only problem with it being a bathroom book is the carried-away factor, where someone bashes on the door and you realise you've been there for fifteen minutes O:)

And I confess, as I got to the climax, the book became a never-leave-my-side book until I finished it :D (less)

like · see review

May 17, 2012 Mei-Lu rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book picks up almost exactly where the first book in this series picks up (the way this series is written, each episode is almost like an episode of a television show). In the first book, Raine accidentally bonded to the Saghred - a chunk of alien meteorite rock that feeds on souls - in the process leveling from an average sorceress to one of almost unlimited power and becoming the most popular girl on her particular universe. Everyone with an ounce of magic wants the Saghred and the magic...more

like · see review

title link	preview: Armed & Magical
avg rating	preview: Armed & Magical Goodreads rating: 3.98 (2004 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2310956.Armed_Magical?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1310590672l/2310956.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2310956.Armed_Magical?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Armed & Magical by Lisa Shearin[/url]

Armed & Magical (Raine Benares #2)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (6)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Lisa Shearin

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Armed & Magical

Quotes from Armed & Magical