Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Fae Unbound #1

Magic Unbound

Rate this book
Not-quite-sixteen year old Lizbet Moore expects a boring last month of summer vacation -- and she gets what she’s expecting until a fifteen hundred year old Fae named Eamon shows up in her backyard disguised as a down-on-his-luck garden gnome. When Eamon slips an ancient amulet around her neck, the memories of Lizbet’s many past lives come slamming back to her to change her summer plans in a way she could never have expected.

Forced to go on the run when murderous monks show up at the back door, Lizbet hops a plane to Scotland accompanied by Eamon, the whispering voices of her past lives, and geekily cute James, the college boy from next door. Not only does she have to dodge the monks, but she’s racing against time and greedy land developers to prevent the entire race of the Fae from being destroyed.

The only thing Lizbet knows for sure is that if she fails and can't produce a few live fairies at the end of her journey, she is going to be grounded for life...and probably for her next life, too.

ebook

First published January 1, 2013

172 people are currently reading
1195 people want to read

About the author

Jill Nojack

12 books86 followers
Jill Nojack is a writer, musician and artist. She has rarely managed to make a living from the pursuit of her creative endeavors. Instead, she is a corporate drone who stays up late to indulge her passions. This passion paid off in 2015 when her book The Familiar: Book One in the Bad Tom Series was selected by readers for publication on Kindle Press through the Kindle Scout award program.

Ms. Nojack has cred. Way back in the long ago, she romped through a degree in English. She followed it up with a Master’s degree in Sociology. During her time at University she served on the staff of the school’s literary magazine. She eventually stepped in to the editor’s role.

When she isn’t exploring her creative side, Jill enjoys laughing too loud and long in public and talking about herself in third person. She resides in the great American Midwest with a long-suffering cat.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
157 (30%)
4 stars
155 (30%)
3 stars
133 (26%)
2 stars
37 (7%)
1 star
26 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
Profile Image for C.P. Cabaniss.
Author 11 books141 followers
August 30, 2015
I don't tend to read books surrounding fae, but this one sounded pretty interesting so I decided to check it out. I did enjoy it a lot. It wasn't the best book, but there were some interesting things.

The characters were likable and their story interesting. Basically, they had to save the tree of life to prevent the destruction of the entire fae population. No big deal. The writing was alright, not great but not bad. It switched between multiple perspectives, which I like, but at a few points it got a bit jumbled.

Overall it was an interesting read. Short, fun, pretty enjoyable for an afternoon.
Profile Image for Max Tomlinson.
Author 13 books196 followers
March 16, 2015
Will Sean Connery play Eamon the Scottish garden gnome in the film adaptation?

I enjoyed this book much more that I thought I would. It was clever and fun and fast-paced, with just the right amount of Arthurian myth thrown in to keep it all centered. I actually learned a thing or two, which is not easy.

The dialog is very good and snaps right along. When Lizbet, our suburban teenage girl linked to a fabled past through previous lives, is asked to go on a grave-robbing jaunt, at first she recoils--as one might. But when told that one character was romantically linked to her in a previous time, she replies: “Cool! I guess we better go dig him up, then.”

Al Pacino might make a good gnome as well. He has some Shakespearean acting chops and is short, which helps in the gnome department.
Profile Image for Heather.
379 reviews20 followers
August 26, 2014
Really good read

This book was really good. I was really expecting a teenage romance and to quit reading a couple chapters in. Actually I almost didn't even read it for that reason. I have been out of college for years. High School is just a vague memory. I couldn't quit flipping the pages. I just couldn't get to the next line fast enough.
Profile Image for Pauline Creeden.
Author 76 books578 followers
December 9, 2013
Fascinating concepts about the Fae, gnomes, and young adult love. The Arthurian legends were a bit twisted in this tale but they were handled well,and kept the book fun. Well rounded characters made the book interesting. *I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Sue  .
321 reviews27 followers
April 15, 2015
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Fifteen year old Lizbet is given a magical amulet which shows her that she has connections to another realm and also who she was in her previous lives. She travels from America to Scotland together with James, the cute boy from nextdoor and a magical gnome named Eamon, on a quest to save the fae from being destroyed forever when a land development threatens the Tree Of Life.

What I liked about this story was that it was fast paced and full of adventure and I really loved the Arthurian references, it gave a new spin on the tales of Arthur, Merlin and Morgan Le Fey. It was a nice fantasy story with a little bit of romance thrown in, and the ever amusing no nonsense Eamon the garden gnome was a hit with me.

However, the book to me seemed aimed at a much younger audience than I was expecting, and while reading it I was constantly being taken back to the days when I was a young teenager and the types of books I read then, because the way this novel was written was very similar in that respect. The book was written in the third person, which isn’t done very much in the world of Young Adult books these days, however, it was a nice story, simple plot development, slightly rounded characters, easy to read, well written and with nice descriptions, so overall it was a good book and quite entertaining.

This is the first book in the Fae Unbound series. Although the story didn’t end on a cliff hanger, there were clear indications that the story will go on. I don’t think I will continue reading the series, mainly because it seems written for a younger teenage audience who will overlook certain things in a story because they will be caught up in the quick paced fantasy adventure (for instance, a young teenage girl suddenly leaving home to travel to another country with relative strangers to save the fairy realm but not worry about the details).

I would recommend this book to younger teenage readers who like fantasy adventure stories involving magic, good versus bad, fairies and other magical folk.
Profile Image for Lindberg.
94 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2017
Great Story with lots of magic

I found this book to be a joy to read. The plot was a well thought out one with the right touch of magic and human interaction.I have always been fascinated by time travel stories and this one has a nice twist to it. I am confident that you will enjoy this as much as I did.
Profile Image for Ginny Lurcock.
Author 3 books41 followers
April 21, 2016
So Magic Unbound is the YA tale of a half-fae girl tasked with rescuing the Tree of Life and saving all the fae. All she has to do is put on an amulet to remember all her past lives and figure out some cryptic messages left by a long dead druid.

Total cake walk …

What I liked:

All in all, I really liked the idea behind the story. Even when the author took Arthurian Legends and shifted them around to fit their story ideas. Especially since she managed to explain the differences between “history” and legend well.

What I didn’t love:

That being said, there execution of the story wasn’t exactly where I would’ve liked it. It’s not a bad story, by any stretch of the imagination, it was just that there wasn’t as much detail as I would’ve liked, and at points the story was a bit too obvious for my liking. Also, near the beginning, if I had to read the name “Lisbet” one more time I was going to punch someone in the throat.

Am I going to read the next book in the series?

Fuck yes. And I know that this isn’t part of the new PT review format, but I feel like it gives a better feel for if the cons outweighed the pros. Which they do not.

Who would I recommend this book to?

People (teenagers and up) looking for a different spin on the whole YA fae thing.
73 reviews28 followers
October 9, 2015
If you're looking for a fae book. That has a socttish gnome/fae, then unbound fae is the book for you.

*spoiler*

Where do I start, maybe that eamon is a Scottish gnome/fae. Is a witty and I was very wary, he was acting very weird within the tenth chapter.

I thought when the way jill (the author) had made lizzy pretend to her mum she was saying at her dads. and her dad that she's staying with her mum, was kinda stupid because what parent would check to make sure their isn't lying.

it's not like I need to impress anybody." "Not even the young lady, then?" James blushed. Lizbet turned her face away because she realized that she was blushing, too. Eamon smirked, "Deary me, look at that. Everybody turning red. Was it something I said?" "Eamon, shut up." Lizbet

I love how eamon, loves to embarrasse them. He was the only reason I keep reading, and I actually ended up enjoying some of it.
The only scene I like with james was.

James gave a broad smile. "We get to tie him up and tape his mouth? Nice! Where do I sign up?"

She rushed the blot too fast. And maybe could have been better, on the hole I might read the next book to find out what happens next.
Profile Image for Bookfandom1001.
38 reviews
August 6, 2016
I rated this book 3.5/5 stars if you're looking for a fae book. That has a socttish gnome/fae, then unbound fae is the book for you.

*spoiler*

Where do I start, maybe that eamon is a Scottish gnome/fae. Is a witty and I was very wary, he was acting very weird within the tenth chapter.

I thought when the way jill (the author) had made lizzy pretend to her mum she was saying at her dads. and her dad that she's staying with her mum, was kinda stupid because what parent would check to make sure their isn't lying.

it's not like I need to impress anybody." "Not even the young lady, then?" James blushed. Lizbet turned her face away because she realized that she was blushing, too. Eamon smirked, "Deary me, look at that. Everybody turning red. Was it something I said?" "Eamon, shut up." Lizbet

I love how eamon, loves to embarrasse them. He was the only reason I keep reading, and I actually ended up enjoying some of it.
The only scene I like with james was.

James gave a broad smile. "We get to tie him up and tape his mouth? Nice! Where do I sign up?"

She rushed the blot too fast. And maybe could have been better, on the hole I might read the next book find out what's next
Profile Image for Megan.
98 reviews10 followers
April 22, 2015
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

I loved the plot of this book. A girl who expects a boring last month of summer vacation suddenly finds herself in this exciting adventure. There's a gnome in her backyard which isn't really a gnome, but a fifteen-hundred year old Fae. And her geeky next door neighbor likes her.

There wasn't a lot of romance in this book, and that was a little disappointing. I really think that James and Lizbet would be cute together, and through out the book you know they like each other but there wasn't really any flirting between them. Maybe there will be more romance between them in the next book. I would have liked to have read more about the Fae and their world, but there will probably be more mention of them in the next book.

The writing in this book was really smooth. Some of the books I have read that are like this one they always seem to not transition all that smoothly into the next scene, but the writing in Magic Unbound was really good.
Profile Image for Nikki Bennett.
Author 6 books93 followers
January 8, 2014
The story behind this novel is actually pretty good. It pulls bits from the Arthurian legend into an interesting, modern-day twist. The character of Eamon the fae is funny, and the quest Lizbet and James enter is full of adventure and danger.

But, the characters fall a bit flat. There is nothing particularly interesting about Lizbet or James--the only well drawn-out character is Eamon. And the story is very linear--from start to finish nothing is left out, and most of the book comprises of the journey from America to Scotland. Nothing really happens on the journey part of it, it's when they get to Scotland that the action picks up.

I think, with some reworking, this could make a more interesting story. Grammatically, it's well-written, but it lacks in giving its readers a good empathy for the characters and their plight.

Nikki Bennett
Nik's Picks Book Reviews
www.nikki-bennett.com

(The author provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.)
Profile Image for Deborah Andreasen.
Author 3 books400 followers
July 7, 2015
Fantastical journey of a young girl who is the vessel for Morgan le Fae's memories of past lives. It's up to Lisbet to save the future of the Fae. With the help of a garden gnome and the cute college boy next door, she aims to do just that. Even if it means she'll be grounded for the rest of her life...that is, if she survives.

I thought this was a great read. It was fast and kept me interested the whole time. There were just a few times where I was confused or the the suspension of disbelief was just a tad too much to ask. (Like her parents wouldn't be mounting a full out search for their runaway 15 year old?) There were twists and turns. Some things were predictable. Some were not. I loved seeing it all come together at the end.

Great clean read for all ages.
Profile Image for Anne-Rae Vasquez.
Author 17 books154 followers
August 10, 2014
A delightful read! Magic Unbound, an adventure for the young at heart

I enjoyed the style of the author's Nojack's writing which thrusts us from the perspective of Lizbet's normal teenage girl's reality into a world where a garden gnome is not what it seems. The story is filled with magic and surprises-- Lizbet is not who she thinks she is either.

A very entertaining read and definitely a book I'll share with others who enjoy fantasy and magic with a down to earth conundrum - if our teen protagonist fails to deliver the fairies, she'll be faced with the grounding of her life...and probably for her next life too ;)



15 reviews1 follower
February 17, 2014
This book was great fun, if a little short! But that just made me wish it was longer. I guess I'll have to be patient and wait for the next book in the series for more.

There wasn't much in the way of sub-plots (maybe because this is a YA book?), but the action was very good, and it just kept chugging along to a dramatic ending. There were a lot of funny lines by the characters as they traveled from the US to Scotland to try to save the fae, who have been hidden from everyone in their own shadow realms for hundreds of years.

I am looking forward to the second book in the series.
290 reviews1 follower
November 2, 2015
This story line is a little hard to track sometimes with the hero and heroine being reincarnated so many times but it was still a decent read. Still believe the gnome and Morgan Le Fay have something they are hiding that our heroine does not know about so far. Not sure I'm planning to read the rest of the series unless the price drops a bit. I have too many other books I can read instead that I am anxious to get to and this one was a bit strange.
Profile Image for Brünnhilde.
53 reviews6 followers
May 10, 2015
No siempre leo YA, los que me conocen ya saben las razones; creo que no estan escritos de forma como a mi me gusta, son muy vagos a la hora de describir, y en algunos libros de YA los personajes no se desarrollan muy bien, cosa que me parece importante.
Este libro no fue malo, pero tampoco fue la gran cosa. Aunque me aburría en otras partes, pero tengo que reconocer que fue bien original y esta perfecto para alguien que quiero un poco de lectura ligera en el verano.
Profile Image for Emily.
1,050 reviews27 followers
June 1, 2015
A light and easy read with fun dialog. The author did a good job of keeping the story grounded with actual, realistic repercussions for a teenager's actions that somehow made the fae world more believable. Only in the last few pages did the book lose some of its great pacing by seeming to rush the ending, like they were trying too hard to leave cliff hangers for the next book. Despite that I'll be picking up the next one in the series!
Profile Image for Valery.
Author 3 books23 followers
April 14, 2016
I like the story, it's cute, but a 15 year old girl and a 19 year old "man" just isn't right. Granted, the man is conflicted about the whole thing, but he still ends up kissing her. Thumbs down on that one.

For my clean readers:
The only language, per say, is taking the Lord's name in vain.
And then the above mentioned relationship will require extra thought for a parent to decide whether they want their term to read it or not.
Profile Image for jenelle walker.
3 reviews
March 17, 2015
Magical excitement revealed

Fae. Gnomes. History rewritten. Spells cast and broke. Chased by bad guys and tricked by fairy folk. This book has it all! Unveil the magic and reveal the mystery of e very child's perfect adventure come to life. If it were not for some slow spots I would have given enough it 5 stars.
Profile Image for Kathy.
93 reviews
May 20, 2015
What if your boring self turned out to be a legend?

I really enjoyed this short novel. A teenage girl, whose most pressing issues included avoiding her younger brother and what she was going to do while her best friend was away, finds out she's Morgan, from Arthurian legend and half fae. And now the fairy kingdom needs her to save their world.
Profile Image for Laurie D'ghent.
Author 5 books10 followers
July 13, 2015
I hate not giving an absolutely raving review of clean teen fiction (it's so hard to come by), but this book was just average for me. I guess I wanted more fantastical stuff...because spirit possession and split personalities aren't enough for me...yes, I'm very picky...
Well written, minor swearing.
Profile Image for Kathy Williams.
30 reviews
October 13, 2015
This book is positively upbeat. (See what I did there? Ha!) About a nearly-but-not-quite sixteen year old, it is an optimistic book with some surprisingly real life problems while being planted firmly in fantasy fiction. It's an easy, fun read.
I honestly don't know that I would've read it had it not been given to me as a gift, but now I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Profile Image for Terrie Stamey.
302 reviews4 followers
March 11, 2015
Magic Unbound-Wonderful trip into fantasy!

Fun read about fairies and magicians of old. Keep my interest the whole way also kept me guessing what would happen next. Very good read!
Profile Image for M.L. Keller.
Author 1 book4 followers
June 3, 2015
Clean, easy read. Just enough sexual tension for a young teen, without being graphic. I had difficulty with suspension of disbelief at times, and also felt the author could have increased the stakes. But I liked the overall idea. Might recommend to a tween.
Profile Image for Sarah Hammel.
278 reviews4 followers
July 12, 2015
Definitely wish it had more of the myths and legends of Morgan and Merlin, but I fully enjoyed this book nonetheless. Very fast read and easy to follow along with. Can't wait to read the rest of the series or try them out.
201 reviews2 followers
March 30, 2016
Fantasy at its finest!

Unusual cast of characters drew me in from the beginning . Each character was given a definite roll to play. The main character, Lisbet, was a young teen but had the memories of several lifetimes to wade through before the final scene that surprised me.
26 reviews
November 26, 2014
A very good book

Great story, Jill Nojack needs a proofreader; and, we're already reading her next book. Great storytelling Jill! Don't stop writing!
802 reviews
March 8, 2015
This was a really interesting ya novel. This book had characters to love and a nicely twisted plot. This book was enjoyable from start to finish.
Profile Image for Jaime Wiechmann.
8 reviews1 follower
April 18, 2015
Couldn't put it down!

I love remakes of Morgan's story. This was a great one, that I can share with my kids. Well written and the story flows.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.