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The Aloysius Tales #2
Brush with Catastrophe
LGBT Fantasy Paranormal
The Aloysius Tales; Prev Spell Cat
Sammy Raphael is a crappy witch. And on top of that, he can't get a boyfriend. Where other supernaturals can bring down lightning and manifest wealth, Sammy can paint. True, the “prophetic” paintings he does at night always come true, but they never predict anything important.
Then he paints a gorgeous guy and it turns out to be his secret crush, Ryder. But the guy has changed so much he's almost unrecognizably beautiful. And then Sammy paints an angel who turns out to be a witch. But is that witch also a devil? And why the hells does Ryder keep changing? Aloysius, the black cat familiar, always backs the winner. So why is he backing Sammy?
Publisher's This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find male/male sexual practices. While this book is primarily male/male, there is a scene involving m/f anal sex.
The Aloysius Tales; Prev Spell Cat
Sammy Raphael is a crappy witch. And on top of that, he can't get a boyfriend. Where other supernaturals can bring down lightning and manifest wealth, Sammy can paint. True, the “prophetic” paintings he does at night always come true, but they never predict anything important.
Then he paints a gorgeous guy and it turns out to be his secret crush, Ryder. But the guy has changed so much he's almost unrecognizably beautiful. And then Sammy paints an angel who turns out to be a witch. But is that witch also a devil? And why the hells does Ryder keep changing? Aloysius, the black cat familiar, always backs the winner. So why is he backing Sammy?
Publisher's This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find male/male sexual practices. While this book is primarily male/male, there is a scene involving m/f anal sex.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2012
53 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Tara Lain
97 books1,387 followersTara Lain believes in happy ever afters - and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn't believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara's characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara's creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Likely a Gryffindor or maybe a Ravensclaw but possessed of Parseltongue, Tara loves animals of all kinds, diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
October 31, 2012
I was so eager to start reading Brush with Catastrophe as soon as I saw it pop up on my updates. I must be slow or just determined because it wasn't till the half way mark that I realized something was missing. It wasn't as catchy, quirky or magical, that crazy appeal that Spell Cat had was sadly missing, not even close to being as entertaining. Sammy and Ryder didn't stir up much interest and the plot was not as exciting as I expected. Aloysius was as adorable as ever and that eased my disappointment a little bit, sequels can be a curse for the reader and the author!
April 18, 2017
*A copy of this book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
I honestly feel like this book was insulting my intelligence. Sammy was nearing TSTL. Ryder was mostly just.....there. So a renowned familiar suddenly attaches himself to you and starts hissing at the new guy you just met....maybe LISTEN TO THE CAT. I mean that's just a good rule in life. Animal hates someone? Think about why that is. Head Witch having trouble with a certain coven, new guy is from that coven....HMMM CONNECT A DOT. (This does get mentioned later, but it's a blink and you miss it line). Best friend/object of lust named ALVISH suddenly transforms and becomes etherial.....CONSIDER THAT HE MAYBE ISN'T HUMAN. The villain mind controlled & raped a lot of people, and that's never addressed....his victims seem to shrug it off with no trauma. Bleh. This was just so not the book for me.
I honestly feel like this book was insulting my intelligence. Sammy was nearing TSTL. Ryder was mostly just.....there. So a renowned familiar suddenly attaches himself to you and starts hissing at the new guy you just met....maybe LISTEN TO THE CAT. I mean that's just a good rule in life. Animal hates someone? Think about why that is. Head Witch having trouble with a certain coven, new guy is from that coven....HMMM CONNECT A DOT. (This does get mentioned later, but it's a blink and you miss it line). Best friend/object of lust named ALVISH suddenly transforms and becomes etherial.....CONSIDER THAT HE MAYBE ISN'T HUMAN. The villain mind controlled & raped a lot of people, and that's never addressed....his victims seem to shrug it off with no trauma. Bleh. This was just so not the book for me.
June 24, 2020
Greatness doesn't always present itself with a shout; sometimes it appears with a whisper. Sammy Raphael's powers don't dazzle people like other witches he knows do, so Sammy feels unimportant in comparison, but, in truth, he's not. Sammy is a good, decent, kind person who has lots of friends who admire and love him simply for who he is. The measure of a good friend is that they have lots of friends of their own. Sammy has to learn to be a better friend to himself.
Sammy is such an endearing, selfless character. His down-to-earth attitude and humility are his trademarks. He's humble, but he's also strong, brave, and loving. He often puts himself first, ignoring his feelings rather than hurting someone else. Even though he's a bit shy, he's not socially inept; he's just super considerate. What Sammy wants more than anything is for his best friend Ryder to return his love, but their friendship is so important to him, that he'd rather have him as a friend than lose him altogether. Sammy may be considerate, but he's not someone to be taken advantage of, and, if he can help it, he won't let anyone else take advantages of anyone else either. Unlike Killian, from the first book in the series, who is beautiful, flashy, dramatic, and displays his magic literally with thunder and lightening, Sammy is quiet and unassuming. Because his gift is more subtle than some of the other witches', he may not seem as exciting; but it's dangerous to judge by what is only apparent on the outside.
Ryder is an interesting character, because from the start, he seems to be hiding something. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what that might be. Clues are presented at different intervals in the story, but even with those, I couldn't figure it out. It is quite poignant that he loves Sammy but can't tell him. Not only does he not want to lose Sammy's friendship, but Ryder doesn't want to drag him into the dilemma in his own life. If he can save Sammy pain, he's going to do it regardless of what he has to sacrifice personally. Eventually, in order to be in a better position to protect Sammy, Ryder is compelled to reveal his feelings. Sammy and Ryder are so perfect for each other, that it made my heart sing to see the two of them together. Their sexual encounters are hot, but they are also loving and very meaningful. I admired Ryder for following his heart rather than the path his family has chosen for him, but I was even more thrilled that it was Sammy, not Ryder, who makes that possible.
Although it's not fair to compare the first book with this one, I couldn't help but do so. Truthfully, it's a case of apples and oranges; Killian and Sammy are two completely different personalities. Both stories have their own unique charm, but, for me, this book shines even brighter than the first. That's because it presents us with an alternative hero. Sammy reminds us that everyone is special in their own way, and what might not seem like a big deal at the time, may be the biggest deal of all. I recommend this story to anyone with a romantic soul like mine, who believes that quiet strength is just as powerful as is overt strength. Thanks, Tara, for presenting us with such an inspiring story.
NOTE: The first edition of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Sammy is such an endearing, selfless character. His down-to-earth attitude and humility are his trademarks. He's humble, but he's also strong, brave, and loving. He often puts himself first, ignoring his feelings rather than hurting someone else. Even though he's a bit shy, he's not socially inept; he's just super considerate. What Sammy wants more than anything is for his best friend Ryder to return his love, but their friendship is so important to him, that he'd rather have him as a friend than lose him altogether. Sammy may be considerate, but he's not someone to be taken advantage of, and, if he can help it, he won't let anyone else take advantages of anyone else either. Unlike Killian, from the first book in the series, who is beautiful, flashy, dramatic, and displays his magic literally with thunder and lightening, Sammy is quiet and unassuming. Because his gift is more subtle than some of the other witches', he may not seem as exciting; but it's dangerous to judge by what is only apparent on the outside.
Ryder is an interesting character, because from the start, he seems to be hiding something. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what that might be. Clues are presented at different intervals in the story, but even with those, I couldn't figure it out. It is quite poignant that he loves Sammy but can't tell him. Not only does he not want to lose Sammy's friendship, but Ryder doesn't want to drag him into the dilemma in his own life. If he can save Sammy pain, he's going to do it regardless of what he has to sacrifice personally. Eventually, in order to be in a better position to protect Sammy, Ryder is compelled to reveal his feelings. Sammy and Ryder are so perfect for each other, that it made my heart sing to see the two of them together. Their sexual encounters are hot, but they are also loving and very meaningful. I admired Ryder for following his heart rather than the path his family has chosen for him, but I was even more thrilled that it was Sammy, not Ryder, who makes that possible.
Although it's not fair to compare the first book with this one, I couldn't help but do so. Truthfully, it's a case of apples and oranges; Killian and Sammy are two completely different personalities. Both stories have their own unique charm, but, for me, this book shines even brighter than the first. That's because it presents us with an alternative hero. Sammy reminds us that everyone is special in their own way, and what might not seem like a big deal at the time, may be the biggest deal of all. I recommend this story to anyone with a romantic soul like mine, who believes that quiet strength is just as powerful as is overt strength. Thanks, Tara, for presenting us with such an inspiring story.
NOTE: The first edition of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 4, 2017
This is the second book in The Aloysius Tales series. We learn more about Sammy who is half witch and half human. Sammy feels he isn't a very good witch because he doesn't have any real powers.
He has good friends but feels lonely because he doesn't have a boyfriend. Ryder (Alvish) has been one of his best friends since they started college together and Sammy has had a major crush on him since they met.
The premise of this story was good but I felt Tara moved slow for me in the beginning of the story.
Ryder came back from summer break and he looked totally different and I couldn't understand why. Sammy thought he was straight so he just lusted after him from afar. Then we meet Lucian, who is all suave and a witch who is visiting from a different country. You can tell from the beginning that something is fishy about him but Sammy falls for him anyway. Sammy doesn't want to be intimate with Lucian since he is still hung up on Ryder. Lucian tries something with Sammy and Ryder comes to take care of him. From that point on, Ryder cant hold off his attraction to Sammy any longer and they get together. Now I thought the chemistry between Ryder and Sammy was cute but I felt they moved really fast with the relationship. Ryder is hiding something from everyone and I couldn't wait to find out. You know isn't human but aren't sure why he is there and how he will help Sammy and the others. Now Aloysius the cat is back and I loved the way he becomes Sammy's and wouldn't let him go. He is helping Sammy is some way but we don't know why in the beginning. Aloysius likes Ryder but hates Lucian and as we find out , he knowns why. As the story progresses we find out what Lucian is up to and how Ryder and Sammy foil that plan. Sammy finds out he is very special after all. The ending was cute to read how Ryder and Sammy get their HEA. I love all of Tara's writing but this one wasn't one of my favorites of hers.
*ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
He has good friends but feels lonely because he doesn't have a boyfriend. Ryder (Alvish) has been one of his best friends since they started college together and Sammy has had a major crush on him since they met.
The premise of this story was good but I felt Tara moved slow for me in the beginning of the story.
Ryder came back from summer break and he looked totally different and I couldn't understand why. Sammy thought he was straight so he just lusted after him from afar. Then we meet Lucian, who is all suave and a witch who is visiting from a different country. You can tell from the beginning that something is fishy about him but Sammy falls for him anyway. Sammy doesn't want to be intimate with Lucian since he is still hung up on Ryder. Lucian tries something with Sammy and Ryder comes to take care of him. From that point on, Ryder cant hold off his attraction to Sammy any longer and they get together. Now I thought the chemistry between Ryder and Sammy was cute but I felt they moved really fast with the relationship. Ryder is hiding something from everyone and I couldn't wait to find out. You know isn't human but aren't sure why he is there and how he will help Sammy and the others. Now Aloysius the cat is back and I loved the way he becomes Sammy's and wouldn't let him go. He is helping Sammy is some way but we don't know why in the beginning. Aloysius likes Ryder but hates Lucian and as we find out , he knowns why. As the story progresses we find out what Lucian is up to and how Ryder and Sammy foil that plan. Sammy finds out he is very special after all. The ending was cute to read how Ryder and Sammy get their HEA. I love all of Tara's writing but this one wasn't one of my favorites of hers.
*ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
October 23, 2021
Brush with Catastrophe has a good story, I just didn't love the characters as much as in the first book. Next time I need a book shelved magic, I'll still be looking to read Cataclysmic Shift.
Nice work by Kirt Graves with all those miaows.
Nice work by Kirt Graves with all those miaows.
September 20, 2013
2.5
There were a few disturbing dubcon issues with this one for me. Ryder and Sammy were sweet though and I liked them when they did get together. Again Aloysius for the win.
There were a few disturbing dubcon issues with this one for me. Ryder and Sammy were sweet though and I liked them when they did get together. Again Aloysius for the win.
August 15, 2021
Entertaining and sweet, with a little mystery on more than one front. It just failed as a freinds-to-lovers romance; it was not executed well even though the romance was nice in itself. I just didn't see the friendship so I didn't feel the pining either. Sad. I love that trope and I was looking forward to reading Tara Lain killing it. She didn't kill it the way I was hoping she would. Sniff.
Can I say how ridiculously OBTUSE everyone was when things should have been freaking obvious? Drove me crazy, Batman! What the heck. For God's sake, Sammy, I'm so disappointed in your stubborn cluelessness. I'd even call you stupid. STUPID I tell you!
Can I say how ridiculously OBTUSE everyone was when things should have been freaking obvious? Drove me crazy, Batman! What the heck. For God's sake, Sammy, I'm so disappointed in your stubborn cluelessness. I'd even call you stupid. STUPID I tell you!
October 24, 2021
Sadly not quite as good as the previous book of this series. I permanently thought: Come on, Sammy, you have to see what a bad creature Lucifer is!
But I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading book 3 when I need it for a challenge.
But I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading book 3 when I need it for a challenge.
April 15, 2017
Full review available at: https://optimummblog.wordpress.com/20...
Brush with Catastrophe by Tara Lain is part of the Aloysius Tales series and it was absolutely amazing. I have become a huge fan of Tara Lain, and the way she writes has a way of keeping me energized, focused, invested, and guessing on how the storyline is going to go and then being proved completely wrong as she throws in a twist that I didn’t see coming.
Brush with Catastrophe had so much emotion and passion, and I love when the main characters are allowed to cry. So many books are still going with the age old saying that it isn’t manly to cry and I love that Sammy and Ryder are secure enough in their masculinity to show how they are truly feeling at all times.
Sammy is a great character and has some very realistic insecurities. He is a witch, but he feels that the power that he has received is pretty worthless. He would rather be able to call down lightning and manifest wealth. However, he is a prophetic painter, and although what he paints always comes true, he hasn’t painted anything that’s very important. He has also been in love with his straight, human best friend Ryder. And of course, humans aren’t allowed to know about the paranormal world let alone date one.
But Ryder isn’t what he seems. Come to find out, he isn’t straight or human and he is on a quest of his own. He has also been forbidden to have a relationship or interfere with the people around him. He is there only as an observer before having to go home. He has also been in love with his best friend Sammy for a while. However, he hasn’t been able to physically act on his feelings until his body has entered into adulthood. Ryder is there to put Sammy back together after his relationship with Lucien goes bad. And although it was sad that Sammy had to go through what he did with Lucien, I did like that it was the catalyst that was needed to get Ryder to confess his feelings to Sammy.
Brush with Catastrophe has everything that I look for in a book. It had friends that will do anything for you, a lover turned villain (Lucien), a straight best friend (Ryder) that isn’t as straight as you thought and suddenly isn’t as unavailable as you thought when he confesses that he’s wanted you just as much, a glorious battle between good and evil, and some very, very steamy passion-filled scenes.
I recommend Brush with Catastrophe to everybody who likes a little magic with their happily ever after. I can’t wait to read my next Tara Lain book and get swept away on my next adventure.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book***
Brush with Catastrophe by Tara Lain is part of the Aloysius Tales series and it was absolutely amazing. I have become a huge fan of Tara Lain, and the way she writes has a way of keeping me energized, focused, invested, and guessing on how the storyline is going to go and then being proved completely wrong as she throws in a twist that I didn’t see coming.
Brush with Catastrophe had so much emotion and passion, and I love when the main characters are allowed to cry. So many books are still going with the age old saying that it isn’t manly to cry and I love that Sammy and Ryder are secure enough in their masculinity to show how they are truly feeling at all times.
Sammy is a great character and has some very realistic insecurities. He is a witch, but he feels that the power that he has received is pretty worthless. He would rather be able to call down lightning and manifest wealth. However, he is a prophetic painter, and although what he paints always comes true, he hasn’t painted anything that’s very important. He has also been in love with his straight, human best friend Ryder. And of course, humans aren’t allowed to know about the paranormal world let alone date one.
But Ryder isn’t what he seems. Come to find out, he isn’t straight or human and he is on a quest of his own. He has also been forbidden to have a relationship or interfere with the people around him. He is there only as an observer before having to go home. He has also been in love with his best friend Sammy for a while. However, he hasn’t been able to physically act on his feelings until his body has entered into adulthood. Ryder is there to put Sammy back together after his relationship with Lucien goes bad. And although it was sad that Sammy had to go through what he did with Lucien, I did like that it was the catalyst that was needed to get Ryder to confess his feelings to Sammy.
Brush with Catastrophe has everything that I look for in a book. It had friends that will do anything for you, a lover turned villain (Lucien), a straight best friend (Ryder) that isn’t as straight as you thought and suddenly isn’t as unavailable as you thought when he confesses that he’s wanted you just as much, a glorious battle between good and evil, and some very, very steamy passion-filled scenes.
I recommend Brush with Catastrophe to everybody who likes a little magic with their happily ever after. I can’t wait to read my next Tara Lain book and get swept away on my next adventure.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book***
September 10, 2015
Again I loved the story of this one.
A sweet romance, an intense dramatic climax and my favorite HEA.
But over laying it all was the corny over the top sex. Now again I can get behind sex being used to give or take power but OMG the dialogue was so cringe worthy.
There was also a few times the author simply told us an outcome without showing us. Kinda like the whole side story with Jimmy and Lavender, and Lucians ending. I also found it strange that not to mention this is the second time they ignore Al when he makes it clear some one is bad. Whats the point in having a familiar if you ignore him.
So while I knew going in this would not exactly be to my taste, the storyline kept me interested enough to slog on through.
November 3, 2012
As previously mentioned by Vio, this story had quite a few endearing elements (especially Aloysius), some interesting plot devices, but lacked the general attractive chemistry of its prequel. The protagonists' transition from friends to lovers felt a bit forced, so the romance did not appeal to me. It was still a pleasant book, just not among the best I've read from the author.
May 19, 2015
This was fun and sweet, with some magic tossed in the mix. Loved it.
April 9, 2022
I tried, really did but I couldn’t finish it. That saddened me as I did like the first book.
April 4, 2024
3.5⭐
Over-the-top silly and kind of trashy book. The guys are horny and stupid. Well, I guess the whole book is horny and stupid. Still, I did like it. Read it with one sitting.
I like this magical world and the mc boys were cute. But there's once again sex with someone else than the love interest, and it's not completely consensual, seems to be quite common for the author.
This was a wild, stupid ride, but I'll be reading the third book too.
Over-the-top silly and kind of trashy book. The guys are horny and stupid. Well, I guess the whole book is horny and stupid. Still, I did like it. Read it with one sitting.
I like this magical world and the mc boys were cute. But there's once again sex with someone else than the love interest, and it's not completely consensual, seems to be quite common for the author.
This was a wild, stupid ride, but I'll be reading the third book too.
October 13, 2025
My favorite cat familiar is back in this one! Sammy was adorable all the way through. Lucien was a fabulous villain and I didn’t see his true nature coming. I loved Ryder too though his true form? Saw that coming from a mile away. I kinda wish it had been something different for the sake of novelty and bucking predictability. Loved seeing Killian again as a badass Witch Master. I hope he’s in the next one too! Overall a good story!
March 5, 2021
“Angel, do you feel up to dealing with me?”
that was dark, weird and all over the place.
that was dark, weird and all over the place.
June 12, 2023
Almost forgot to voice my view. Another great book. That they were gooners... nothing like a bit of oil based pigment to change one view
January 20, 2021
Great continuation!!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the series. The flow was good, as was the relationships. The chemistry between the two is steamy hot. Loved the action. It didn't take me time to settle into the story like the first. I'd recommend.
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the series. The flow was good, as was the relationships. The chemistry between the two is steamy hot. Loved the action. It didn't take me time to settle into the story like the first. I'd recommend.
April 2, 2017
3.75 stars
‘Brush with Catastrophe’ is the second book in the ‘Aloysius’ series by Tara Lain. Besides the witches, this time another surprise supernatural being is introduced here which was quite nice and added to the thrill of the whole ‘supernatural’ feel of the story.
In this instalment, we get the story of Sammy and Alvish aka Ryder. Sammy has learned recently that he is a witch but whereas his other witchy friends have impressive witchy powers, he has none. The only power which he seems to possess is the ability to predict insignificant future happenings through his paintings. Besides his not too impressive powers, Sam is also severely disappointed in the lack of progress or development in his love life. He has been crushing on his friend, Alvish for years but the guy is straight and Sammy is totally out of luck.
But then a new European witch, Lucien Eshel joins Sam’s school. Lucien is beyond beautiful with his angelic face and ethereal beauty, turning heads wherever he goes. And then the most unexpected thing happens when Lucien shows romantic interests in Sam. Sammy is equally delighted and scared. Lucien is more than Sam could have ever hoped for in a boyfriend, but his lingering feelings for Ryder and a sense of foreboding keeps him from falling in Lucien’ spell completely.
Lucien is hiding a shocking secret. There is evil lurking behind his angelic face and Sam is his target. Will Sammy be able to realize his true powers and save his community from Lucien? Will he be able to finally find love? Read to find out!!
The story was exciting and kept me hooked with the whole mystery behind Ryder and Lucien. I knew that there was something major going on with both of them but it was not revealed completely until the supernaturally charged climax. The last fight sequence felt like the climax from the movie ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ with balls of energy being thrown around willy nilly.
I loved Sammy. He was a total sweetheart. He always thought himself as a useless witch but it turns out that he was the most powerful witch of all. His yearning for love lands him in trouble but he fights it off with the help of Ryder while also rising to the occasion spectacularly when his fellow witches needed him the most.
Ryder and Sammy’s relationship transitions from friends to lovers quite late in the story but when it does, the sizzle factor just exploded. The smut here was intense and scorching and I totally loved it*wink*
I know that the author wanted to make the reveal about Ryder at the very end but Sammy not asking questions about Ryder’s rapidly changing appearance and his need to go back home soon did not feel plausible. Sammy knew Ryder was most likely not a human (I mean I am a mere human, but even I knew!!) but he still does not totally come out and ask him about the real reasons behind it, which kind of felt weird. So this was my one qualm about the whole book.
Killian and Blaine make frequent appearances here which were also very nice. Aloysius once again purred his way into my heart in this story. The powerful familiar was as temperamental as ever as he guides Sammy towards his true self and love.
So overall, I did enjoy reading this supernatural friends–to- lovers story a lot. If you want a light supernatural romance with lots of passion and magic, then this is the book for you.
*This review has been cross posted at GayBookReviews*
‘Brush with Catastrophe’ is the second book in the ‘Aloysius’ series by Tara Lain. Besides the witches, this time another surprise supernatural being is introduced here which was quite nice and added to the thrill of the whole ‘supernatural’ feel of the story.
In this instalment, we get the story of Sammy and Alvish aka Ryder. Sammy has learned recently that he is a witch but whereas his other witchy friends have impressive witchy powers, he has none. The only power which he seems to possess is the ability to predict insignificant future happenings through his paintings. Besides his not too impressive powers, Sam is also severely disappointed in the lack of progress or development in his love life. He has been crushing on his friend, Alvish for years but the guy is straight and Sammy is totally out of luck.
But then a new European witch, Lucien Eshel joins Sam’s school. Lucien is beyond beautiful with his angelic face and ethereal beauty, turning heads wherever he goes. And then the most unexpected thing happens when Lucien shows romantic interests in Sam. Sammy is equally delighted and scared. Lucien is more than Sam could have ever hoped for in a boyfriend, but his lingering feelings for Ryder and a sense of foreboding keeps him from falling in Lucien’ spell completely.
Lucien is hiding a shocking secret. There is evil lurking behind his angelic face and Sam is his target. Will Sammy be able to realize his true powers and save his community from Lucien? Will he be able to finally find love? Read to find out!!
The story was exciting and kept me hooked with the whole mystery behind Ryder and Lucien. I knew that there was something major going on with both of them but it was not revealed completely until the supernaturally charged climax. The last fight sequence felt like the climax from the movie ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ with balls of energy being thrown around willy nilly.
I loved Sammy. He was a total sweetheart. He always thought himself as a useless witch but it turns out that he was the most powerful witch of all. His yearning for love lands him in trouble but he fights it off with the help of Ryder while also rising to the occasion spectacularly when his fellow witches needed him the most.
Ryder and Sammy’s relationship transitions from friends to lovers quite late in the story but when it does, the sizzle factor just exploded. The smut here was intense and scorching and I totally loved it*wink*
I know that the author wanted to make the reveal about Ryder at the very end but Sammy not asking questions about Ryder’s rapidly changing appearance and his need to go back home soon did not feel plausible. Sammy knew Ryder was most likely not a human (I mean I am a mere human, but even I knew!!) but he still does not totally come out and ask him about the real reasons behind it, which kind of felt weird. So this was my one qualm about the whole book.
Killian and Blaine make frequent appearances here which were also very nice. Aloysius once again purred his way into my heart in this story. The powerful familiar was as temperamental as ever as he guides Sammy towards his true self and love.
So overall, I did enjoy reading this supernatural friends–to- lovers story a lot. If you want a light supernatural romance with lots of passion and magic, then this is the book for you.
*This review has been cross posted at GayBookReviews*
November 12, 2012
If you like stories about underdogs, you will enjoy this book, and if you read Spell Cat, you will want to read this so you can cheer for the characters!
Sammy doesn't think he's a very good witch because he cannot sense if someone is a witch and his powers seem to be prophetic paintings, but not exactly life altering prophecies, or at least so it seems.
The first one that jars him is a beautiful painting that seems to be of a college friend Ryder, who has changed drastically over the summer. Where Sammy had always had a crush on Ryder, he is a dream come true now, well, if it wasn't for the small detail of Ryder being straight!
Another painting of a different gorgeous man and in his next art class, Lucien is introduced.
And in all this, Aloysius decides he's going to be spending time with Sammy, which Killian just goes with because he knows Al will do whatever he wants (familiar or not, that is pure cat!), so Sammy has an unplanned house, class and pretty much everywhere he goes guest!
Lucien appears interested in Sammy, and while Sammy still pines for Ryder, anything beyond friendship seems impossible, besides the straight issue, he is also human and with how Sammy feels about his powers, he does not see how he could reveal he is a witch.
But is Ryder "merely" human? He suspects that Lucien may not be all that he claims to be and starts his own investigation, despite being told by phone, to not get involved, which leaves you with questions on who it is, although you kind of guess it's family.
A dramatic turn of events brings Ryder and Sammy in close quarters, where Ryder offers to stay and care for Sammy, and this does alter their relationship somewhat, but helps them with the challenges waiting for them.
I love this series, Tara is easily one of my favorite authors because the world she creates is so full, with the characters, background, and how the characters overlap their storylines. While Spell Cat had two lead characters who were quite confident in themselves, this one goes to the other side of having two leads (Sammy and Ryder) who are uncertain about their place in their world. They are tested individually and together and work through it with care of other people being their motivation for their actions. Sammy makes an interesting discovery about the potential in his powers and the caution he will have to take with it going forward, and they discover that his talent could help Ryder with the choice he must make as well.
Sammy doesn't think he's a very good witch because he cannot sense if someone is a witch and his powers seem to be prophetic paintings, but not exactly life altering prophecies, or at least so it seems.
The first one that jars him is a beautiful painting that seems to be of a college friend Ryder, who has changed drastically over the summer. Where Sammy had always had a crush on Ryder, he is a dream come true now, well, if it wasn't for the small detail of Ryder being straight!
Another painting of a different gorgeous man and in his next art class, Lucien is introduced.
And in all this, Aloysius decides he's going to be spending time with Sammy, which Killian just goes with because he knows Al will do whatever he wants (familiar or not, that is pure cat!), so Sammy has an unplanned house, class and pretty much everywhere he goes guest!
Lucien appears interested in Sammy, and while Sammy still pines for Ryder, anything beyond friendship seems impossible, besides the straight issue, he is also human and with how Sammy feels about his powers, he does not see how he could reveal he is a witch.
But is Ryder "merely" human? He suspects that Lucien may not be all that he claims to be and starts his own investigation, despite being told by phone, to not get involved, which leaves you with questions on who it is, although you kind of guess it's family.
A dramatic turn of events brings Ryder and Sammy in close quarters, where Ryder offers to stay and care for Sammy, and this does alter their relationship somewhat, but helps them with the challenges waiting for them.
I love this series, Tara is easily one of my favorite authors because the world she creates is so full, with the characters, background, and how the characters overlap their storylines. While Spell Cat had two lead characters who were quite confident in themselves, this one goes to the other side of having two leads (Sammy and Ryder) who are uncertain about their place in their world. They are tested individually and together and work through it with care of other people being their motivation for their actions. Sammy makes an interesting discovery about the potential in his powers and the caution he will have to take with it going forward, and they discover that his talent could help Ryder with the choice he must make as well.
August 16, 2014
3.5
This review was posted at Under the Covers
A little bit less humor than I come to expect from Tara Lain, but I guess that might just be the tone this series is written in. Having not read the previous book, I really can’t put my finger on how this series should be.
What I can tell you is that this story was entertaining, with just a touch of magic and a bit of mystery. Sammy is a witch, albeit not a very powerful one. He’s been in love with his straight best friend Alvish for years. When he comes back from summer break a grown, changed man, going by the new name Ryder, and although Sammy swoons, might be time for him to realize that their love will never happen. Cue in the perfectly timed entrance of Lucien, a very powerful witch from Europe who just happens to be model-worthy gorgeous, gay and apparently attracted to Sammy.
But things aren’t always what they seem, and that rings true with pretty much everyone in this book. Everyone is guarding secrets. And it’s not until a major shake up in the witch community that truths come out.
There’s plenty of time in this book when Sammy and Ryder aren’t actually together, even though Ryder is always lurking and trying to be a friend. So the connection wasn’t as strong for me. But maybe that could be because of missing parts from the first book. Once they are together, they do work well. I was rooting for Sammy to get his HEA and that he got.
But here’s my tiny mini rant… Lucien made my skin crawl most of the time, but when he pulls out the cobra shaped penis, I was about to run for the hills. And while we are on the subject of weirdly shaped phallus, after I got over Luciens’, turns out Ryder isn’t normal either! As Sammy said… the week of the weirdly shaped penises!
Loved the friendships in the book and the support they all give each other. And I loved Aloysius…. Errrrrrrrrr. I need to get me one of those!
*Review copy provided by publisher
This review was posted at Under the Covers
A little bit less humor than I come to expect from Tara Lain, but I guess that might just be the tone this series is written in. Having not read the previous book, I really can’t put my finger on how this series should be.
What I can tell you is that this story was entertaining, with just a touch of magic and a bit of mystery. Sammy is a witch, albeit not a very powerful one. He’s been in love with his straight best friend Alvish for years. When he comes back from summer break a grown, changed man, going by the new name Ryder, and although Sammy swoons, might be time for him to realize that their love will never happen. Cue in the perfectly timed entrance of Lucien, a very powerful witch from Europe who just happens to be model-worthy gorgeous, gay and apparently attracted to Sammy.
But things aren’t always what they seem, and that rings true with pretty much everyone in this book. Everyone is guarding secrets. And it’s not until a major shake up in the witch community that truths come out.
There’s plenty of time in this book when Sammy and Ryder aren’t actually together, even though Ryder is always lurking and trying to be a friend. So the connection wasn’t as strong for me. But maybe that could be because of missing parts from the first book. Once they are together, they do work well. I was rooting for Sammy to get his HEA and that he got.
But here’s my tiny mini rant… Lucien made my skin crawl most of the time, but when he pulls out the cobra shaped penis, I was about to run for the hills. And while we are on the subject of weirdly shaped phallus, after I got over Luciens’, turns out Ryder isn’t normal either! As Sammy said… the week of the weirdly shaped penises!
Loved the friendships in the book and the support they all give each other. And I loved Aloysius…. Errrrrrrrrr. I need to get me one of those!
*Review copy provided by publisher
July 6, 2020
*3.5 - 4 stars*
"Brush with Catastrophe" is the second volume in "The Aloysius Tales" series by Tara Lain. What I really liked about this novel is the motif of art and artistic talent. I admit, I don't have any special artistic skills, but the topic of this kind of talent is dear to my heart for many reasons and I'm sure it will always be. That is why I am very happy that in "Brush with Catastrophe" Sammy not only possesses magical abilities manifested through his artistic talents, but also studies art and deepens his interests in this subject. I think it's also important to mention that in her story, Tara Lain emphasized the fact that many types of magic are quite eye-catching, while the magic expressed through art is completely different, requires more time and some essential materials. The way in which Sammy's talent was presented and his talent itself really captured my heart.
I think it's interesting and worth mentioning that in "Brush with Catastrophe" the author shows us Sammy's mind and soul, his problems, such as low self-esteem, and at the same time allows all these elements to effect the whole story through Sammy's decisions. And I admit, his decisions sometimes get on our nerves. Sammy's biggest flaw is the fact that for quite some time he doesn't tell anyone about his concerns and doubts regarding certain incidents and people, which is extremely frustrating. However, what's important in this case is that this situation is the result of his low self-esteem that I've mentioned. Sammy doesn't tell anyone about his doubts because he thinks he is wrong and he misunderstood some things. This relation between his complexes, problems and actions that drive the reader crazy is really a very interesting feature of "Brush with Catastrophe". This is the first novel in which I've seen this type of strong relation that effects the readers.
Another interesting aspect of this novel, and in fact the entire "The Aloysius Tales" universe, is witches', or at least the young witches', general lack of knowledge about the world in which they live and the beings with whom they share it. The world of "The Aloysius Tales" is bigger and more interesting than we think, but we do not see all of it, because the characters know very little or even nothing about it. It suggests that witches don't see the importance of oral or written transmission, because the problems we see in "Brush with Catastrophe" would have been resolved or at least reduced if only someone had looked for information concerning some of the problems they are facing in all available sources, such as magic books, legends, diaries, etc. But it never happened, which suggests that the magical heritage is not based on centuries of experience, but rather on the individual experiences of each witch separately. Well, it's probably not like that but that's exactly how it looks like in this book. This is terrifying because our characters, their families, friends, the entire magical community is simply defenseless against an unknown threat. This clearly shows how much power comes from knowledge and how important it is to acquire and accumulate knowledge.
To sum up, "Brush with Catastrophe" is a very interesting novel that builds the universe of the series by expanding it significantly, but at the same time shows us how limited our possibilities to explore the world of "The Aloysius Tales" are. In this book we can find a lot of extremely interesting themes and events, because of which this novel is even more engrossing. "Brush with Catastrophe" is not perfect, but it's definitely likable and worth reading.
__________________________
„Brush with Catastrophe” to drugi tom serii „The Aloysius Tales” autorstwa Tara Lain. Tym, co bardzo spodobało mi się w tej powieści jest wykorzystanie motywu sztuki i talentu plastycznego. Wprawdzie ja nie mogę pochwalić się jakimiś szczególnymi umiejętnościami plastycznymi, jednakże temat tego rodzaju talentu jest mi z wielu powodów drogi i zawsze takim pozostanie. Dlatego też cieszę się, że niezmiernie, że w „Brush with Catastrophe” Sammy nie tylko posiada magiczne zdolności przejawiające się poprzez jego uzdolnienia, ale także studiuje kierunek rozwijający jego zainteresowania w kierunku sztuki. Wydaje mi się istotne wspomnieć, że Tara Lain uwzględniła w swojej historii także fakt, iż wiele rodzajów magii nierzadko może pochwalić się dużą efektownością, o tyle magia wyrażana sztuką jest zupełnie inna, wymaga więcej czasu oraz niezbędnych materiałów. Sposób przedstawienia talentu Sammy’ego oraz sam jego talent naprawdę mnie urzekły.
Interesującą stroną „Brush with Catastrophe” wydaje mi się fakt, iż powieść ukazuje nam psychikę i duszę Sammy’ego, jego problemy, jak chociażby te z niskim poczuciem własnej wartości, i jednocześnie pozwala aby wszystkie te elementy wpływały na całą historię poprzez podejmowane przez Sammy’ego decyzje. A przyznaję, że jego decyzje czasami potrafią nas zdenerwować. Największą wadą Sammy’ego jest fakt, iż nie mówi nikomu o swoich niepokojach i wątpliwościach względem pewnych wydarzeń i osób przez dosyć długi czas. Przyznaję, że jest to niesamowicie frustrujące. Co jednak istotne, taki stan rzeczy jest wynikiem wspomnianego przeze mnie niskiego poczucia własnej wartości. Sammy nie mówi nikomu o swoich wątpliwościach, ponieważ uważa, że się myli, że coś źle zrozumiał. Ta zależność między jego kompleksami, problemami, a działaniami, które doprowadzają czytelnika do szału jest naprawdę bardzo interesującą cechą „Brush with Catastrophe”. To pierwsza powieść, w przypadku której zaobserwowałam coś podobnego.
Inną interesującą cechą powieści, a tak naprawdę całego uniwersum „The Aloysius Tales” jest ogólny brak wiedzy czarownic, a przynajmniej tych młodych, na temat świata w którym żyją oraz istot, z którymi go dzielą. Świat „The Aloysius Tales” jest większy i ciekawszy niż nam się wydaje, jednak nie dostrzegamy tego w pełni, ponieważ bohaterowie niewiele lub nic na ten temat nie wiedzą. Najwyraźniej czarownice nie przykładają też wagi do szerzenia przekazów ustnych lub pisemnych, gdyż zaprezentowane w „Brush with Catastrophe” problemy aż prosiły o poszukiwanie informacji na ich temat we wszelkich dostępnych źródłach, jak chociażby czarodziejskie księgi, podania itp. Nic takiego nie miało jednak miejsca, co pozwala sądzić, że czarodziejskie dziedzictwo nie opiera się na wiekach doświadczeń, ale raczej na doświadczeniach indywidualnych każdej czarownicy osobno. To przerażające, ponieważ nasi bohaterowie, ich rodziny, przyjaciele, cała społeczność czarodziejska jest po prostu bezbronna wobec nieznanego im zagrożenia. To wyraźnie pokazuje jak ogromna siła płynie z wiedzy i jak ważne jest jej zdobywanie i gromadzenie.
Podsumowując, „Brush with Catastrophe” to bardzo ciekawa powieść, która rozwija uniwersum serii poszerzając je znacznie, ale jednocześnie pokazując nam jak ograniczone są nasze możliwości poznania świata „The Aloysius Tales”. Znajdziemy tu wiele wyjątkowo interesujących motywów i wydarzeń, które sprawiają, że powieść tę czytamy z zainteresowaniem. Nie jest może idealna, ale zdecydowanie może się podobać i warto po nią sięgnąć.
"Brush with Catastrophe" is the second volume in "The Aloysius Tales" series by Tara Lain. What I really liked about this novel is the motif of art and artistic talent. I admit, I don't have any special artistic skills, but the topic of this kind of talent is dear to my heart for many reasons and I'm sure it will always be. That is why I am very happy that in "Brush with Catastrophe" Sammy not only possesses magical abilities manifested through his artistic talents, but also studies art and deepens his interests in this subject. I think it's also important to mention that in her story, Tara Lain emphasized the fact that many types of magic are quite eye-catching, while the magic expressed through art is completely different, requires more time and some essential materials. The way in which Sammy's talent was presented and his talent itself really captured my heart.
I think it's interesting and worth mentioning that in "Brush with Catastrophe" the author shows us Sammy's mind and soul, his problems, such as low self-esteem, and at the same time allows all these elements to effect the whole story through Sammy's decisions. And I admit, his decisions sometimes get on our nerves. Sammy's biggest flaw is the fact that for quite some time he doesn't tell anyone about his concerns and doubts regarding certain incidents and people, which is extremely frustrating. However, what's important in this case is that this situation is the result of his low self-esteem that I've mentioned. Sammy doesn't tell anyone about his doubts because he thinks he is wrong and he misunderstood some things. This relation between his complexes, problems and actions that drive the reader crazy is really a very interesting feature of "Brush with Catastrophe". This is the first novel in which I've seen this type of strong relation that effects the readers.
Another interesting aspect of this novel, and in fact the entire "The Aloysius Tales" universe, is witches', or at least the young witches', general lack of knowledge about the world in which they live and the beings with whom they share it. The world of "The Aloysius Tales" is bigger and more interesting than we think, but we do not see all of it, because the characters know very little or even nothing about it. It suggests that witches don't see the importance of oral or written transmission, because the problems we see in "Brush with Catastrophe" would have been resolved or at least reduced if only someone had looked for information concerning some of the problems they are facing in all available sources, such as magic books, legends, diaries, etc. But it never happened, which suggests that the magical heritage is not based on centuries of experience, but rather on the individual experiences of each witch separately. Well, it's probably not like that but that's exactly how it looks like in this book. This is terrifying because our characters, their families, friends, the entire magical community is simply defenseless against an unknown threat. This clearly shows how much power comes from knowledge and how important it is to acquire and accumulate knowledge.
To sum up, "Brush with Catastrophe" is a very interesting novel that builds the universe of the series by expanding it significantly, but at the same time shows us how limited our possibilities to explore the world of "The Aloysius Tales" are. In this book we can find a lot of extremely interesting themes and events, because of which this novel is even more engrossing. "Brush with Catastrophe" is not perfect, but it's definitely likable and worth reading.
__________________________
„Brush with Catastrophe” to drugi tom serii „The Aloysius Tales” autorstwa Tara Lain. Tym, co bardzo spodobało mi się w tej powieści jest wykorzystanie motywu sztuki i talentu plastycznego. Wprawdzie ja nie mogę pochwalić się jakimiś szczególnymi umiejętnościami plastycznymi, jednakże temat tego rodzaju talentu jest mi z wielu powodów drogi i zawsze takim pozostanie. Dlatego też cieszę się, że niezmiernie, że w „Brush with Catastrophe” Sammy nie tylko posiada magiczne zdolności przejawiające się poprzez jego uzdolnienia, ale także studiuje kierunek rozwijający jego zainteresowania w kierunku sztuki. Wydaje mi się istotne wspomnieć, że Tara Lain uwzględniła w swojej historii także fakt, iż wiele rodzajów magii nierzadko może pochwalić się dużą efektownością, o tyle magia wyrażana sztuką jest zupełnie inna, wymaga więcej czasu oraz niezbędnych materiałów. Sposób przedstawienia talentu Sammy’ego oraz sam jego talent naprawdę mnie urzekły.
Interesującą stroną „Brush with Catastrophe” wydaje mi się fakt, iż powieść ukazuje nam psychikę i duszę Sammy’ego, jego problemy, jak chociażby te z niskim poczuciem własnej wartości, i jednocześnie pozwala aby wszystkie te elementy wpływały na całą historię poprzez podejmowane przez Sammy’ego decyzje. A przyznaję, że jego decyzje czasami potrafią nas zdenerwować. Największą wadą Sammy’ego jest fakt, iż nie mówi nikomu o swoich niepokojach i wątpliwościach względem pewnych wydarzeń i osób przez dosyć długi czas. Przyznaję, że jest to niesamowicie frustrujące. Co jednak istotne, taki stan rzeczy jest wynikiem wspomnianego przeze mnie niskiego poczucia własnej wartości. Sammy nie mówi nikomu o swoich wątpliwościach, ponieważ uważa, że się myli, że coś źle zrozumiał. Ta zależność między jego kompleksami, problemami, a działaniami, które doprowadzają czytelnika do szału jest naprawdę bardzo interesującą cechą „Brush with Catastrophe”. To pierwsza powieść, w przypadku której zaobserwowałam coś podobnego.
Inną interesującą cechą powieści, a tak naprawdę całego uniwersum „The Aloysius Tales” jest ogólny brak wiedzy czarownic, a przynajmniej tych młodych, na temat świata w którym żyją oraz istot, z którymi go dzielą. Świat „The Aloysius Tales” jest większy i ciekawszy niż nam się wydaje, jednak nie dostrzegamy tego w pełni, ponieważ bohaterowie niewiele lub nic na ten temat nie wiedzą. Najwyraźniej czarownice nie przykładają też wagi do szerzenia przekazów ustnych lub pisemnych, gdyż zaprezentowane w „Brush with Catastrophe” problemy aż prosiły o poszukiwanie informacji na ich temat we wszelkich dostępnych źródłach, jak chociażby czarodziejskie księgi, podania itp. Nic takiego nie miało jednak miejsca, co pozwala sądzić, że czarodziejskie dziedzictwo nie opiera się na wiekach doświadczeń, ale raczej na doświadczeniach indywidualnych każdej czarownicy osobno. To przerażające, ponieważ nasi bohaterowie, ich rodziny, przyjaciele, cała społeczność czarodziejska jest po prostu bezbronna wobec nieznanego im zagrożenia. To wyraźnie pokazuje jak ogromna siła płynie z wiedzy i jak ważne jest jej zdobywanie i gromadzenie.
Podsumowując, „Brush with Catastrophe” to bardzo ciekawa powieść, która rozwija uniwersum serii poszerzając je znacznie, ale jednocześnie pokazując nam jak ograniczone są nasze możliwości poznania świata „The Aloysius Tales”. Znajdziemy tu wiele wyjątkowo interesujących motywów i wydarzeń, które sprawiają, że powieść tę czytamy z zainteresowaniem. Nie jest może idealna, ale zdecydowanie może się podobać i warto po nią sięgnąć.
November 1, 2012
I thought this one started out a little slower, but that’s only because I tend to focus on the romance, and this story has a lot of buildup for the mystery and conflict. I really enjoyed getting to know Sammy more, as he was really barely introduced in the first book. We also do get to see a little more of Killian and Blaine (yay!). Everything just added to the anticipation of both the romance and the climactic showdown that you know is inevitable.
The neat thing about this book is that the mystery is written really well. Sure you get hints along the way, but not enough to give the secret away. Tara keeps you guessing right up until she actually reveals everything. I had my theories, but could never nail down anything with conviction, and I love a book that I can’t predict every facet of right from the beginning!
There was a little less blatant magic throughout the book, because Sammy isn’t able to do a lot of the same things other witches can, and Aloysius isn’t shown as quite as powerful either, because of being attached to Sammy whose magic works differently. No worries though, there’s still magic, it’s just a lot more subtle for the most part, which is just another angle in the mystery!
The villain in this book is a lot darker than the first, and I mean a lot darker. He’s powerful and cruel and while thankfully MOST of the badness happens off screen, enough is shown to have you holding your breath and on the edge of your seat hoping that it’ll all be ok. Of course the flip side is that there are happy times that make you sigh in contentment or even cheer.
An emotional thrill ride, Brush with Catastrophe is a nail biter that will have you up all night needing to know how it all turns out. In the end, you’re left a little in awe of it all and you’ll be clamoring for more!
The neat thing about this book is that the mystery is written really well. Sure you get hints along the way, but not enough to give the secret away. Tara keeps you guessing right up until she actually reveals everything. I had my theories, but could never nail down anything with conviction, and I love a book that I can’t predict every facet of right from the beginning!
There was a little less blatant magic throughout the book, because Sammy isn’t able to do a lot of the same things other witches can, and Aloysius isn’t shown as quite as powerful either, because of being attached to Sammy whose magic works differently. No worries though, there’s still magic, it’s just a lot more subtle for the most part, which is just another angle in the mystery!
The villain in this book is a lot darker than the first, and I mean a lot darker. He’s powerful and cruel and while thankfully MOST of the badness happens off screen, enough is shown to have you holding your breath and on the edge of your seat hoping that it’ll all be ok. Of course the flip side is that there are happy times that make you sigh in contentment or even cheer.
An emotional thrill ride, Brush with Catastrophe is a nail biter that will have you up all night needing to know how it all turns out. In the end, you’re left a little in awe of it all and you’ll be clamoring for more!
January 23, 2013
I'm with Vio on this one. I was a bit disappointed too, even though I went into it knowing it wouldn't be more of Killian and Blaine.
In and of itself, it wasn't bad. It's just...
I suppose it really wasn't fair to the book for me to read it so soon after reading the first one...
(What was it that one person said...something about a book hangover? Inability to get into another book because you're still stuck in the world of a previous one?)
I'll put it in WAS before I hand out a verdict, I guess.
Mid-read ETA:
Okay, guilty of commenting as I went. After skimming through a good third of the book, I think I'm settling into it now.
The beginning was a little janky for me.
And yeah, I kind of skimmed. But something happened, like I said, about a third of the way through (don't quite remember what) that really had me starting to pay attention. I think it might have been the Lucien/Killian subplot thing with the chocolate (yeah, yeah, guilty). But still. Thanks to that, I started actually reading instead of skipping through looking for references to Killian/Blayne and I have to say, Sammy and Ryder are pretty awesome in their own separate way.
But seriously, man, they got a lot of this whole arranged marriage trope stuff going on.
Also, I totally called it with Ryder/Alvin/Alvish. Totally called that.
Oooh a LotR reference. It works, too, cuz his name is "Sam"...
The very ending, though, was a little awkward-turtle for me, although yes, Aloysius is still rather adorable.
In and of itself, it wasn't bad. It's just...
I suppose it really wasn't fair to the book for me to read it so soon after reading the first one...
(What was it that one person said...something about a book hangover? Inability to get into another book because you're still stuck in the world of a previous one?)
I'll put it in WAS before I hand out a verdict, I guess.
Mid-read ETA:
Okay, guilty of commenting as I went. After skimming through a good third of the book, I think I'm settling into it now.
The beginning was a little janky for me.
And yeah, I kind of skimmed. But something happened, like I said, about a third of the way through (don't quite remember what) that really had me starting to pay attention. I think it might have been the Lucien/Killian subplot thing with the chocolate (yeah, yeah, guilty). But still. Thanks to that, I started actually reading instead of skipping through looking for references to Killian/Blayne and I have to say, Sammy and Ryder are pretty awesome in their own separate way.
But seriously, man, they got a lot of this whole arranged marriage trope stuff going on.
Also, I totally called it with Ryder/Alvin/Alvish. Totally called that.
Oooh a LotR reference. It works, too, cuz his name is "Sam"...
The very ending, though, was a little awkward-turtle for me, although yes, Aloysius is still rather adorable.
February 2, 2021
I’m totally in love with this series - Tara Lain is an excellent writer and world builder! Aloysius, the powerfully magical cat, takes time out to help Sammy, a witch with the unusual power of being able to paint the future. This was a great supernatural story with two lovely MCs and some nice romance. I really like the 3rd person omniscient narration so we see what’s happening to different characters, including the villain. In this book (and the previous one) my spine actually tingled in some scenes - brilliant writing by Tara Lain and superb narration by the always amazing Kirt Graves. Can’t wait to devour the third book!
January 22, 2023
This book drove me nuts (and not in the good way).
Sammy was whining the WHOLE BOOK about how much he loves Ryder and can't have him. Yet it was made perfectly obvious to us all that if they would just fucking talk plainly they would be fine. Ryder was so caught up in keeping secrets, he would keep the secrets that were quite obvious (but needed clarification for anything to move forward) and revealed secrets that weren't all that obvious (but usually had little to do with what was happening).
Also, Sammy doesn't just predict the future but creates it? Really? That seems like a cop out for an ending.
Don't even get me started on Lucien. I mean, i know he was supposed to be the character you wanted to punch in the face. BUT a fallen angel? That wasn't necessary or really relevant to a story about WITCHES!!!!!!!
Sammy was whining the WHOLE BOOK about how much he loves Ryder and can't have him. Yet it was made perfectly obvious to us all that if they would just fucking talk plainly they would be fine. Ryder was so caught up in keeping secrets, he would keep the secrets that were quite obvious (but needed clarification for anything to move forward) and revealed secrets that weren't all that obvious (but usually had little to do with what was happening).
Also, Sammy doesn't just predict the future but creates it? Really? That seems like a cop out for an ending.
Don't even get me started on Lucien. I mean, i know he was supposed to be the character you wanted to punch in the face. BUT a fallen angel? That wasn't necessary or really relevant to a story about WITCHES!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2022
This second installment of the Aloysius Tales: Brush with Catastrophe was wonderful. I loved how different it was from the first book, Spell Cat. In this story it revolves around Samlyn, a sweet half-human half-witch who has none of the cool powers the other witches have. He can paint prophetically but it's nothing awe inspiring. He's in love with his BFF, Ryder, who is human, or so everyone thinks.
Along comes the bad guy, some wicked cool magic and unforeseen developments. The author did a great job of concealing the direction this story was going in until you we're right on top of it.
All in all I loved where this second book went and hope to read more. As always, thank you Tara Lain for sharing your storytelling gifts with us!
Along comes the bad guy, some wicked cool magic and unforeseen developments. The author did a great job of concealing the direction this story was going in until you we're right on top of it.
All in all I loved where this second book went and hope to read more. As always, thank you Tara Lain for sharing your storytelling gifts with us!
September 11, 2020
Not a fan. The story felt convoluted and contrived, the romance an afterthought. It doesn't help that the main guy is dating someone else than the obvious love interest for about a third of the book.
The first third was especially rough to get through. My main problem was the book makes it painfully clear to the readers who the antagonist is (no subtlety there). The characters act willfully ignorant at times and the contrast is glaring and annoying.
The plot never really forms a nice, seamless story. The elements feel disjointed and rough, the characters aren't really as well fleshed out as they could have been and while there where parts that where enjoyable (Ryder and Sammy together, e.x.), there was always something grating, something off.
The first third was especially rough to get through. My main problem was the book makes it painfully clear to the readers who the antagonist is (no subtlety there). The characters act willfully ignorant at times and the contrast is glaring and annoying.
The plot never really forms a nice, seamless story. The elements feel disjointed and rough, the characters aren't really as well fleshed out as they could have been and while there where parts that where enjoyable (Ryder and Sammy together, e.x.), there was always something grating, something off.
August 30, 2013
This is an interesting and cute follow up to Spell Cat. I think maybe because of the ages and life stage of the main characters in this story I didn't connect with it a much as the previous book. That being said, I still liked reading about Sammy and Ryder and Chen and the rest of the young witches. We do get to see some of Killian and Blaine which is nice :) Lucien has come to stir up trouble and that he does. The star of the show is definitely Al! What an awesome cat ;) I can't wait to see what he gets up to in the next book.
April 6, 2017
I don't know quite what I expected from the second Aloysius tale but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. The mystery of Ryder and the honesty and modesty of Sammy were a complete contrast to the previous Heroes yet they soon enthralled me so that I didn't want to stop reading.
I really loved the background story of mystery and intrigue. Trying to figure out who Sammy would end up with was fun and kept me interested. But what really had me hooked was the way Sammy's witch powers manifested themselves (read the book yourself to find out - I'm not posting spoilers!).
I really loved the background story of mystery and intrigue. Trying to figure out who Sammy would end up with was fun and kept me interested. But what really had me hooked was the way Sammy's witch powers manifested themselves (read the book yourself to find out - I'm not posting spoilers!).
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