#Review: WIZARDS OF SEATTLE, Books 1 and 2

3 of 5 stars


Inheritance is an interesting read to a new series from author John O'Riley. The author does a good job of pulling you into this new world where magic is the norm. This episode introduces Jason, a category 3 wizard who's been unemployed for the past 3 months. Desperate to find a job, he is unique in that he can also read psychometry which is the lingering effects of an event. His abilities bring him to the attention of the police department and a possible job opportunity. In the midst of all of this, he learns that he has inherited a mansion along with his brother and cousin, but there's a catch. They all must live in the house for 10 years. There's magic all around and events start to spiral out of control.

While I enjoyed reading this story, I was never fully engaged with the main character. The author continues to just tell the reader what's going on instead of letting the character's actions reveal the story. It was like looking through a window and watching the story unfold. I prefer to feel the character's anguish, pain, love, etc. and I didn't get that from these stories.

Jason's story continues in Caretaker and once again, the storyline is good, but I think a intense developmental edit would really make this series shine. I was intrigued with the introduction of the Gray Angels and hope the author continues with this element.

I received these books in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.    
InheritanceEpisode 1 of the Wizards of Seattle Serieseattle SeriesJason wonders if his luck has finally turned around when he discovers he will inherit a luxurious home infused with ancient magic and a sizable fortune from a relative he’d never known existed. Of course, there’s a catch. His younger brother and his cousin will inherit equal parts of the inheritance and it is stipulated in the will that they must live together first before they gain possession of the estate. All three of them are potential White Knights with the rare ability to practice advanced white magic. They must learn to use their new power and defend themselves from a secret organization that is armed with potent, black magic. This novella is the first installment of the Wizards of Seattle series.Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and IBookstore. Click here for a free book excerpt.
 CaretakerEpisode 2 of the Wizards of Seattle Series
Jason has recently discovered his new category six wizardry was a result of a genetic experiment performed by a secret organization called the Ebullio. Now that he has broken free of their mind control enchantment, suppressed memories float to the surface and he remembers the terrifying abductions and genomic therapy that he and his younger brother, Benjamin, endured. Meanwhile, the Valituras have set their sights on Jason, unleashing powerful curses designed to kill him and his family. As Jason learns more about the Ebullio and the Valituras, he realizes that danger lurks behind every corner and the enemy could be hiding in plain sight. This novella is the second installment of the Wizards of Seattle series.
Caretaker is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and other book retailers.

John O'Riley began writing at a very early age. In fact, he's been writing for as long as he can remember. He is an award winning writer of novels and screenplays in the category of urban fantasy, comedy, mystery, science fiction and young adult. His movie feature screenplay, Cursed, is an Honorable Mention Winner for the 2012 Screenplay Festival. His most recent accomplishments include the screenplays Cursed, Project Pandora, Pinky Swear, Incipio, and Bad Sister which have been listed as Quarter Finalists, Semi Finalists, and Top Finalists in the 2012 Screenplay Festival, 2012 Filmmakers International Screenplay Awards, 2012 StoryPros International Awards, 2012 Pulsar Sci Fi Screenplay Contest, and the 2012 Reel Authors International Breakout. He loves reading fantasy, science fiction, and humorous fiction. Some of his favorite authors include Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Kay Hooper (Bishop Files/ psychic detective thrillers), Kat Richardson, J.K. Rowling, Angie Sage, Jayne Krentz, and Janet Evanovich. He currently resides in Washington state and owns a very friendly parakeet named Amy who helps spark his imagination.  
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