What do you think?
Rate this book
Blackhollow Academy #1
Smoke and Mirrors
A girl who uses her illusions to fool the world into thinking she's just like all the other magi.
A dragon who sees through her lies.
Together they just might survive a world that wants to control or destroy them both.
Kimberly may wield ultimate cosmic power, but even a mage has to pay the rent. No one will hire her for her magic talents until she's got the credentials, so she’s stuck in a crappy rent controlled apartment with her mother, yearning for treats she can't afford at her part time job in a café, counting down the days until she graduates the secret Blackhollow Academy school for magi. Only then will she have the certificate she needs to land her dream job in a coven.
The problem? She needs a familiar to graduate.
As an illusionist, she doesn't have the ability to summon or create a familiar of her own. Her only option is to convince a supernatural creature to let her bind it instead. Since having a powerful Other at her beck and call would guarantee her a place in a coven after she graduates—and legendary treasure hoards are an added bonus—she thinks binding a dragon as her familiar will solve all her problems...
Because sometimes a girl needs a dragon, not a knight....
A dragon who sees through her lies.
Together they just might survive a world that wants to control or destroy them both.
Kimberly may wield ultimate cosmic power, but even a mage has to pay the rent. No one will hire her for her magic talents until she's got the credentials, so she’s stuck in a crappy rent controlled apartment with her mother, yearning for treats she can't afford at her part time job in a café, counting down the days until she graduates the secret Blackhollow Academy school for magi. Only then will she have the certificate she needs to land her dream job in a coven.
The problem? She needs a familiar to graduate.
As an illusionist, she doesn't have the ability to summon or create a familiar of her own. Her only option is to convince a supernatural creature to let her bind it instead. Since having a powerful Other at her beck and call would guarantee her a place in a coven after she graduates—and legendary treasure hoards are an added bonus—she thinks binding a dragon as her familiar will solve all her problems...
Because sometimes a girl needs a dragon, not a knight....
290 pages, ebook
First published May 1, 2016
44 people are currently reading
914 people want to read
About the author
Jess Haines
20 books525 followersI'm a USA Today and international bestselling author. I consider myself a displaced New Yorker with a penchant for the silly, the obscure, and the fantastical. These days, you can find me in the Tampa area. I'm currently working on the H&W Investigations urban fantasy series and the Blackhollow Academy young adult/new adult contemporary fantasy series. Find out more about my books, drop me a line, or join my mailing list at www.jesshaines.com!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
August 31, 2016
In a world where mages and other magical and paranormal beings reside, the one thing you do not want to be is a sorceress, especially when you are a teen just trying to get through her last days of school unnoticed. Kimberley has a secret, although a diligent student at Blackhallow Academy for mages, she must hide the fact she is a sorceress or waking up dead one morning would not be out of the question. Although she is far more powerful and creative than her classmates, everything she does could be dangerous as all of the sorcerers were long though killed off in the belief they are evil and practice dark magic.
Like every student at the end of the year, there are finals, and Kim is told she will need to find a familiar to bond with, one more powerful than any other, a dragon. It isn’t like she can go to the school supply store and get one, nor can she conjure one, but she has a name, a contact who may just be able to do the impossible and get her a volunteer.
Enter Cormac, handsome, brash and a bit of a rogue, he is also her last hope to find a familiar. But Cormac has a secret, a very BIG secret and only when Kimberley is in danger does he give it up. But instead of being her hero, he discovers the wrath of a woman lied to and let’s just say, I fell in love with Kimberley’s character even more! Few have what it takes to stand up to Cormac, but kudos to Kimberley and kudos to Jess Haines for a fabulous tale that made me smirk, get angry and forget that it is all fantasy!
To say that Smoke and Mirrors is entertaining, filled with tense, tender and quirkily funny moments would be an understatement! Easy to read, easy to follow and completely engrossing, I loved every minute of the banter between Cormac and Kimberley, not to mention the amazing cast of characters that made them look even better! Guess it goes to show that even the big dog on the street is no match for a determined woman who knows her own mind and heart.
I received this copy from Jess Haines in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Blackhollow Academy - Book 1
Publisher: Jess Haines (April 30, 2016)
Publication Date: April 30, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 321 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Like every student at the end of the year, there are finals, and Kim is told she will need to find a familiar to bond with, one more powerful than any other, a dragon. It isn’t like she can go to the school supply store and get one, nor can she conjure one, but she has a name, a contact who may just be able to do the impossible and get her a volunteer.
Enter Cormac, handsome, brash and a bit of a rogue, he is also her last hope to find a familiar. But Cormac has a secret, a very BIG secret and only when Kimberley is in danger does he give it up. But instead of being her hero, he discovers the wrath of a woman lied to and let’s just say, I fell in love with Kimberley’s character even more! Few have what it takes to stand up to Cormac, but kudos to Kimberley and kudos to Jess Haines for a fabulous tale that made me smirk, get angry and forget that it is all fantasy!
To say that Smoke and Mirrors is entertaining, filled with tense, tender and quirkily funny moments would be an understatement! Easy to read, easy to follow and completely engrossing, I loved every minute of the banter between Cormac and Kimberley, not to mention the amazing cast of characters that made them look even better! Guess it goes to show that even the big dog on the street is no match for a determined woman who knows her own mind and heart.
I received this copy from Jess Haines in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Blackhollow Academy - Book 1
Publisher: Jess Haines (April 30, 2016)
Publication Date: April 30, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 321 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
September 2, 2016
I've long been a fan of Jessica Haines's The Others series and this story takes place in the same story universe, but with different characters (Although there is a slight nod to the vampire master Alex Royce as well)
I loved Kimberly the sorcerer who is trying so very hard to put herself though mage school while trying to hide that she does not have mage powers, but is instead a gifted illusionist. To pass her final exam however she needs to bin a familiar and that is well being her level of magic. And so begins the hunt for a willing familiar. She never knew that this familiar could be so formidable as the Dragon in disguise that takes an interest in her.
I loved this story and will gladly read the next in line. The only reason why I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I normally prefer a little more *ahem* smut in my reads and this was clearly more of a YA story. Nevertheless it was an excellent addition to Jess' extended Other universe. Anxiously awaiting the next one.
~I was gifted an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review~
3.75 stars, rounded up.
I loved Kimberly the sorcerer who is trying so very hard to put herself though mage school while trying to hide that she does not have mage powers, but is instead a gifted illusionist. To pass her final exam however she needs to bin a familiar and that is well being her level of magic. And so begins the hunt for a willing familiar. She never knew that this familiar could be so formidable as the Dragon in disguise that takes an interest in her.
I loved this story and will gladly read the next in line. The only reason why I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I normally prefer a little more *ahem* smut in my reads and this was clearly more of a YA story. Nevertheless it was an excellent addition to Jess' extended Other universe. Anxiously awaiting the next one.
~I was gifted an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review~
3.75 stars, rounded up.
March 26, 2017
Smoke and Mirrors has some good parts and I liked the base story line but the writing grated a bit. Our heroine Kimberly is told she needs to get to cooperation of a dragon to pass her finals and she seeks to find one. Kimberly I’m afraid has the personality of milk toast and seems to be extremely naive for someone that is supposed to live in the projects of NYC. Kimberly is supposed to be 21 but about half the time she reads more like a 16 year old and I feel like the author made her 21 so her hanging out with immortals wasn't creepy. There is forced drama that dragged the story down; you cannot expect someone who has only known you a couple of days to spill all their secrets nor can you expect them to just trust you, it’s just unreasonable. Kimberly feels betrayed when she finds out who the dragon really is but since she wants to put him into a master and slave type of arraignment it’s pretty over the top. I think the first 35% of the book was alright but it kinda started going downhill from there and never truly recovered.
June 13, 2016
This book is so meh that I can't find it in me to start a rant. It's not worth it at all.
Just know this: it doesn't know what it is or who is its target: teens? THE OH MY GOD NEW Adult? Surely not an adult woman or does it???
The heroine is a 21 yo girl who attends high school. Yep you heard. The rest of the book is the same, tetering between pnr, ya, uf- maybe.
I have read Ms Haines' other series, and while I don't consider it particularly strong or memorable, it was still a good read.
I can't say it regarding Smoke and Mirrors.
Please, read Jennifer's review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just know this: it doesn't know what it is or who is its target: teens? THE OH MY GOD NEW Adult? Surely not an adult woman or does it???
The heroine is a 21 yo girl who attends high school. Yep you heard. The rest of the book is the same, tetering between pnr, ya, uf- maybe.
I have read Ms Haines' other series, and while I don't consider it particularly strong or memorable, it was still a good read.
I can't say it regarding Smoke and Mirrors.
Please, read Jennifer's review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 11, 2019
This was an ok story. I liked the different types of creatures that were involved in the story. The characters were ok but I just didn't connect with them like I wanted to. It might just be because this is the first book of the series. I might get into the story more in book 2. I may give it a try later.
May 18, 2016
Mon avis en Français
My English review
Jess Haines had wrapped me with her vampire series and it was a real pleasure to read it but it is true that it has been a long time since she had not released a new book. So when I was contacted to read the first volume of her new series, I could not but be intrigued. How not to be? Do you see this synopsis? Dragons, wizards … what more can we ask for?
I admit that by starting the novel, I did not expect to have a story in the same world as her H & W Investigations series, though it is not necessary to read it as the two series are completely independent. It’s just that it’s pretty funny to have winks like the mention of Alex Royce in the story. I admit that this is something that made me smile when I saw it. But as I said the two series are different and we are focusing here on the Magi and wizards. Thus we discover Kimberly, a girl who evolves hidden in an universe that is not hers and she knows that if her identity was revealed, her life would be threatened. But then, differences begin to be felt and the only solution is to get her degree, which would finally help her find a job worthy and so to get out of poverty. To help achieve her goal, and so have her exam, Kim must find a supernatural being to bind him/her to her and thus make him his familiar. However, she knows that it’s something important to do, and especially to protect her family once her secret will be released. That’s why she must find a powerful creature like a dragon. Alas, it’s not so simple to find a dragon and even less one who agrees to be bound to a magi who takes generally them as slaves. For this, Kim will go to Cormac, a man recommended by her teacher to help her find the correct person. Yet nothing will happen as planned.
It’s quite sad to see all that our heroine must endure here between the little money she earns to pay the rent or the disparaging remarks of her comrades but fortunately for her, not everyone is like that. Despite everything she endures, Kim is a young very strong girl who does not hesitate to act as she wishes to follow her principles even if it doesn’t end well for her. I really enjoyed her character and liked her a lot. We can only fall under her spell and hope that everything will be better. And then there’s … Cormac. Ah Cormac … it is difficult to identify this man and to understand what he really wants. Moreover, we totally understand the feelings of the young woman for him whatever his actions. In any case, I did not necessarily expect the revelations offered by the author and I had a great time with the story. It was perhaps a bit difficult to get into the story but once done, I could not get out until finishing it. It really is a very good book and I can not wait to see what we will have now, hoping that it will happen soon.
My English review
Jess Haines had wrapped me with her vampire series and it was a real pleasure to read it but it is true that it has been a long time since she had not released a new book. So when I was contacted to read the first volume of her new series, I could not but be intrigued. How not to be? Do you see this synopsis? Dragons, wizards … what more can we ask for?
I admit that by starting the novel, I did not expect to have a story in the same world as her H & W Investigations series, though it is not necessary to read it as the two series are completely independent. It’s just that it’s pretty funny to have winks like the mention of Alex Royce in the story. I admit that this is something that made me smile when I saw it. But as I said the two series are different and we are focusing here on the Magi and wizards. Thus we discover Kimberly, a girl who evolves hidden in an universe that is not hers and she knows that if her identity was revealed, her life would be threatened. But then, differences begin to be felt and the only solution is to get her degree, which would finally help her find a job worthy and so to get out of poverty. To help achieve her goal, and so have her exam, Kim must find a supernatural being to bind him/her to her and thus make him his familiar. However, she knows that it’s something important to do, and especially to protect her family once her secret will be released. That’s why she must find a powerful creature like a dragon. Alas, it’s not so simple to find a dragon and even less one who agrees to be bound to a magi who takes generally them as slaves. For this, Kim will go to Cormac, a man recommended by her teacher to help her find the correct person. Yet nothing will happen as planned.
It’s quite sad to see all that our heroine must endure here between the little money she earns to pay the rent or the disparaging remarks of her comrades but fortunately for her, not everyone is like that. Despite everything she endures, Kim is a young very strong girl who does not hesitate to act as she wishes to follow her principles even if it doesn’t end well for her. I really enjoyed her character and liked her a lot. We can only fall under her spell and hope that everything will be better. And then there’s … Cormac. Ah Cormac … it is difficult to identify this man and to understand what he really wants. Moreover, we totally understand the feelings of the young woman for him whatever his actions. In any case, I did not necessarily expect the revelations offered by the author and I had a great time with the story. It was perhaps a bit difficult to get into the story but once done, I could not get out until finishing it. It really is a very good book and I can not wait to see what we will have now, hoping that it will happen soon.
June 4, 2016
**We received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
3.5x5 Stars from Elizabeth S. at The Reader's Hollow
I have mixed feelings about Smoke and Mirrors. I was intrigued by its description as an urban fantasy with a dragon shifter. The story’s backdrop has marked similarities to that of many other urban fantasies, though that’s tough to avoid in a saturated genre.
About 70% of the novel, however, follows a paranormal romance formula hitting all the milestones and ticking off all the check boxes for that genre. It is well written (in terms of mechanics) and many romance fans will enjoy it. The writer made Cormac both interesting and decent - a welcome deviation from most paranormal romances, where the love interest is generally a jerk. The novel pivots from paranormal romance to urban fantasy in the last 30% and sets up the foundation of a potentially interesting UF series. I enjoyed that, but it didn’t completely save Smoke and Mirrors for me.
That mix of genres is not my main problem with Smoke and Mirrors. Inconsistent character development, flawed premises, and unclear world building are. Many things are unexplained.
At the beginning of the story, we know Kimberly Wells is a sorcerer at a school for mages, but for half the book, we’re not told why sorcery is different from magecraft. Her only ability is to cast amazing full-sensory illusions — but later, we find that she can do far more. We are told that mages hate (and kill) sorcerers, but no reason is given (or even hinted at) until very late in the book. This withholding of information was frustrating, but there were bigger problems.
What caused me to lose sympathy for Kimberly was an odd dynamic between her and Cormac, highlighted in at least six different passages from Cormac’s POV that made no sense to me. In short, Cormac kept his true nature from Kimberly for half the story, she threw a hissy fit when he revealed it, and he constantly apologized and berated himself for the rest of the book. But he had every reason to be reticent and, by the time he trusted her with the truth, they had barely known each other a week. At no point does she admit that she’d overreacted. He constantly says things like ‘I can never be sorry enough for how I treated you’ even though he was never anything but kind and helpful, even mounting a heroic rescue when she’d stupidly gotten herself in a very dangerous situation. Why would Kimberly expect trust right away, given that human mages & sorcerers enslave non-human supernaturals whenever they can? That tension between human magic-users and Others is a central theme.
CONCLUSION:
Despite those flaws, there are some very interesting elements to Smoke and Mirrors. Romance fans, especially, will probably enjoy it and urban fantasy fans might find it an interesting set up for an on-going series. I give it 3.5 X 5 on the Reader’s Hollow scale.
3.5x5 Stars from Elizabeth S. at The Reader's Hollow
I have mixed feelings about Smoke and Mirrors. I was intrigued by its description as an urban fantasy with a dragon shifter. The story’s backdrop has marked similarities to that of many other urban fantasies, though that’s tough to avoid in a saturated genre.
About 70% of the novel, however, follows a paranormal romance formula hitting all the milestones and ticking off all the check boxes for that genre. It is well written (in terms of mechanics) and many romance fans will enjoy it. The writer made Cormac both interesting and decent - a welcome deviation from most paranormal romances, where the love interest is generally a jerk. The novel pivots from paranormal romance to urban fantasy in the last 30% and sets up the foundation of a potentially interesting UF series. I enjoyed that, but it didn’t completely save Smoke and Mirrors for me.
That mix of genres is not my main problem with Smoke and Mirrors. Inconsistent character development, flawed premises, and unclear world building are. Many things are unexplained.
At the beginning of the story, we know Kimberly Wells is a sorcerer at a school for mages, but for half the book, we’re not told why sorcery is different from magecraft. Her only ability is to cast amazing full-sensory illusions — but later, we find that she can do far more. We are told that mages hate (and kill) sorcerers, but no reason is given (or even hinted at) until very late in the book. This withholding of information was frustrating, but there were bigger problems.
What caused me to lose sympathy for Kimberly was an odd dynamic between her and Cormac, highlighted in at least six different passages from Cormac’s POV that made no sense to me. In short, Cormac kept his true nature from Kimberly for half the story, she threw a hissy fit when he revealed it, and he constantly apologized and berated himself for the rest of the book. But he had every reason to be reticent and, by the time he trusted her with the truth, they had barely known each other a week. At no point does she admit that she’d overreacted. He constantly says things like ‘I can never be sorry enough for how I treated you’ even though he was never anything but kind and helpful, even mounting a heroic rescue when she’d stupidly gotten herself in a very dangerous situation. Why would Kimberly expect trust right away, given that human mages & sorcerers enslave non-human supernaturals whenever they can? That tension between human magic-users and Others is a central theme.
CONCLUSION:
Despite those flaws, there are some very interesting elements to Smoke and Mirrors. Romance fans, especially, will probably enjoy it and urban fantasy fans might find it an interesting set up for an on-going series. I give it 3.5 X 5 on the Reader’s Hollow scale.
May 6, 2016
*Source* Jess Haines
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4
*My Thoughts*
The first thing you should now is that I received this E-Galley from author Jess Haines who I know and adore and am an avid reader of her H&W Investigations series featuring Shiarra Waynest. This story is set in the exact same universe with Others like vampires, werewolves, Mages and a slew of other paranormal creatures making appearances. In fact, there are mentions of a few Easter Eggs that show up in this book.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 05/05/2016*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
Published May 1st 2016
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4
*My Thoughts*
The first thing you should now is that I received this E-Galley from author Jess Haines who I know and adore and am an avid reader of her H&W Investigations series featuring Shiarra Waynest. This story is set in the exact same universe with Others like vampires, werewolves, Mages and a slew of other paranormal creatures making appearances. In fact, there are mentions of a few Easter Eggs that show up in this book.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 05/05/2016*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
Published May 1st 2016
July 15, 2016
I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book couldn’t’ have come through my inbox at a better time. I was looking for a good, solid romance that I could effortlessly sink into for an afternoon… and staring at me was a long list of books I’d been asked to read that I wasn’t sure fit into that category. I couldn’t have been happier that this was the book that I picked up.
Technically speaking, the book was flawless. I didn’t catch any obvious typos or grammatical errors. The narrative and dialogue flowed smoothly, and at a good pace that was neither too fast nor too slow. I never came across a moment where I had to re-read or roll my eyes at what the characters were saying or doing.
Though there weren’t a lot of characters to the cast, the ones I got to know were well fleshed out and for the most part, likable. Kimberly was a great main character, and although I wish the romance between Kimberly and Cormac had been a bit more solid, it was easy to see why the surly dragon was so drawn to her. I think, for me, there just wasn’t enough of a build up to the romance between the two main characters. Obviously, there was an attraction between the two – but there was also a lot of distrust from both ends, and I just didn’t see them falling in love as quickly as they did. Despite that, their romance was entertaining, so I won’t fault it too much.
The world building by far was one of my favorite aspects of this book. It was an interesting mix of Harry Pottery meets Lost Girl, meets Dresden – and it worked. I liked that there were familiar aspects of urban fantasy (such as a magic academy, magical creatures living in a real life setting, and prejudices against certain types of magical creatures) that I’d seen in other series, but they were put together in a way that was new, and entertaining.
Overall, although the romance was an aspect of this book, I don’t think it was the strongest point. But it didn’t need to be. The story stood up in a lot of other ways, and all together, it made for a solid read. Would I read it again? Yes. Will I continue on with the series? Definitely. If you like Urban Fantasy with a little romance and a hard working heroine that delves into some pretty serious topics without getting too dark or gritty, this is something I’d recommend to you.
This book couldn’t’ have come through my inbox at a better time. I was looking for a good, solid romance that I could effortlessly sink into for an afternoon… and staring at me was a long list of books I’d been asked to read that I wasn’t sure fit into that category. I couldn’t have been happier that this was the book that I picked up.
Technically speaking, the book was flawless. I didn’t catch any obvious typos or grammatical errors. The narrative and dialogue flowed smoothly, and at a good pace that was neither too fast nor too slow. I never came across a moment where I had to re-read or roll my eyes at what the characters were saying or doing.
Though there weren’t a lot of characters to the cast, the ones I got to know were well fleshed out and for the most part, likable. Kimberly was a great main character, and although I wish the romance between Kimberly and Cormac had been a bit more solid, it was easy to see why the surly dragon was so drawn to her. I think, for me, there just wasn’t enough of a build up to the romance between the two main characters. Obviously, there was an attraction between the two – but there was also a lot of distrust from both ends, and I just didn’t see them falling in love as quickly as they did. Despite that, their romance was entertaining, so I won’t fault it too much.
The world building by far was one of my favorite aspects of this book. It was an interesting mix of Harry Pottery meets Lost Girl, meets Dresden – and it worked. I liked that there were familiar aspects of urban fantasy (such as a magic academy, magical creatures living in a real life setting, and prejudices against certain types of magical creatures) that I’d seen in other series, but they were put together in a way that was new, and entertaining.
Overall, although the romance was an aspect of this book, I don’t think it was the strongest point. But it didn’t need to be. The story stood up in a lot of other ways, and all together, it made for a solid read. Would I read it again? Yes. Will I continue on with the series? Definitely. If you like Urban Fantasy with a little romance and a hard working heroine that delves into some pretty serious topics without getting too dark or gritty, this is something I’d recommend to you.
May 3, 2016
Kim is a sorcerer, the rest of the school are magi. Sorcerers gets killed, magi prospers. She does not have it easy. And hey I get it, but just cos there are a few bad apples does not mean all sorcerers are bad.
She is also really poor, she lives in the projects with her mum. She does nothing else but study and work. She is in her early 20s, but her life is on hold. She is not kick-ass, she is normal, exhausted and very proud.
Ok let's talk Cormac now. See she needs a familiar, a professor told her to get a dragon, that will show them! So she is sent to Cormac Hunter, and he introduces her to New York's Others. Someone must say yes...or? Anyway, forget the hunt for a familiar so she can pass her exams. I want to talk about Cormac, yes he was all alpha. But not an alpha.hole that drags you by the hair to his cave. No, he was a gentleman, he totally started to fall and have those MINE feelings, but, he did not act in the alphahole way, he stood silently by since he knew that dragging someone by the hair would scare her. Awww, Cormac, forget about her and let's run away together.
The Academy, idiot students, Others (good and bad), daily life and the need for an Other to pass her exam (cos if you don't you are out). I liked being back in this world, yes, it is set in the same world as another awesome series, hint hint.
I enjoyed it, and mmm Cormac.
She is also really poor, she lives in the projects with her mum. She does nothing else but study and work. She is in her early 20s, but her life is on hold. She is not kick-ass, she is normal, exhausted and very proud.
Ok let's talk Cormac now. See she needs a familiar, a professor told her to get a dragon, that will show them! So she is sent to Cormac Hunter, and he introduces her to New York's Others. Someone must say yes...or? Anyway, forget the hunt for a familiar so she can pass her exams. I want to talk about Cormac, yes he was all alpha. But not an alpha.hole that drags you by the hair to his cave. No, he was a gentleman, he totally started to fall and have those MINE feelings, but, he did not act in the alphahole way, he stood silently by since he knew that dragging someone by the hair would scare her. Awww, Cormac, forget about her and let's run away together.
The Academy, idiot students, Others (good and bad), daily life and the need for an Other to pass her exam (cos if you don't you are out). I liked being back in this world, yes, it is set in the same world as another awesome series, hint hint.
I enjoyed it, and mmm Cormac.
May 3, 2016
surprisingly light with a downplayed romance. I love the mishmash of creatures, a dragon and a wyvern? Yes please!
May 21, 2016
I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
Jess Haines brings us a delightfully new series that rings of some familiarity of her previous one. In fact, Smoke and Mirrors takes place in the same world, only we get a new cast of characters. I think one familiar name was dropped, but that was about it. Of course, I’ve read this one sporadically over the course of a busy few days, so my memory might be playing tricks on me!
Anyway, here we have a young sorcerer Kimberly, who is just trying to get herself through mage school and find a place for herself in the magic community that she and her mom won’t have to worry anymore. As it is, she and her mom are always overworking themselves just to pay the rent. It really hit me hard to see them struggle so much. I mean, these poor women are so focused on trying to pay the rent that there’s hardly ever any groceries for them to eat. So it’s Kimberly’s hope to get into the right coven so she can find a good paying job and put an end to all their struggles.
It’s Kimberly’s professor who recommends that she find a powerful familiar, such as a dragon, before graduation. That would be good for her in the long run and she sends her to a man named Cormac Hunter who could be the key to finding exactly what she needs. Only Cormac isn’t the most personable of people. But he does take Kimberly under his wing and sort of introduces her to the hidden magical world that she didn’t realize was right before her (Granted, she is a sorcerer so she’s not unfamiliar with magic, it’s only that the place he takes her to is a secret of sorts and meeting other new paranormals was an eye-opener for her in some ways).
Kimberly is hard pressed to make it on her own. She’s a very strong-willed and independent individual. I loved her moxie! She isn’t one to cave, not even in face of Cormac, who again, as I said isn’t the friendliest of types. He also harbors a dark secret and at times feels that Kimberly may be more deceitful than anyone else. Since this is told in third person, we kind of get both of their points of view and we quickly learn that both of them are a little clueless as to who the other one really is.
Sparks explode and fly once things get rolling and secrets get revealed. Then Kimberly is dealing with a sinister wyvern who has his own evil agenda that involves Kimberly. She will have to use all of her talents to get herself out of the danger she finds herself in.
Naturally, we see a bit of chemistry between Kimberly and Cormac. I gotta say, I loved it! I love seeing the strong willed type, like Kimberly stand up to the stingy Alpha male types like Cormac. And then once the two realize what they feel for the other, I get all those gushy feels for them! Cormac being the Alpha male sort really crumbles once he falls for Kimberly and for some reason this always makes me smile! I loved it! And just because these two start falling for one another already, don’t expect it to be all insta-love, because it’s not! There’s some real struggles between them and they have issues to work out between them.
I also really liked how involved Kimberly’s mother was in her daughter’s life. Yes, they live together and both struggle to make ends meet, but still. It’s rare to see the young 21 or so year old living with her mom. I guess that rang home for me as well because I was always very close to my own mother. And as you can see from my teaser earlier yesterday, Kimberly’s mom is very protective of her daughter.
The ending was pretty surprising and it leaves you with a nice feeling that more should be on the way. As of this time, I have no clue if this was a standalone or not. It feels like it could be series, but it’s too soon to tell.
The pacing to this one was pretty decent! Just the right kind of speed, not fast, not slow, but just perfect! There was quite a lot of excitement going around, and since we got multiple points of view, you were really kept on your toes!
If you’re looking for a story filled with magic and other powerful creatures and of course, a nice dose of romance, then this is the read for you!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
Jess Haines brings us a delightfully new series that rings of some familiarity of her previous one. In fact, Smoke and Mirrors takes place in the same world, only we get a new cast of characters. I think one familiar name was dropped, but that was about it. Of course, I’ve read this one sporadically over the course of a busy few days, so my memory might be playing tricks on me!
Anyway, here we have a young sorcerer Kimberly, who is just trying to get herself through mage school and find a place for herself in the magic community that she and her mom won’t have to worry anymore. As it is, she and her mom are always overworking themselves just to pay the rent. It really hit me hard to see them struggle so much. I mean, these poor women are so focused on trying to pay the rent that there’s hardly ever any groceries for them to eat. So it’s Kimberly’s hope to get into the right coven so she can find a good paying job and put an end to all their struggles.
It’s Kimberly’s professor who recommends that she find a powerful familiar, such as a dragon, before graduation. That would be good for her in the long run and she sends her to a man named Cormac Hunter who could be the key to finding exactly what she needs. Only Cormac isn’t the most personable of people. But he does take Kimberly under his wing and sort of introduces her to the hidden magical world that she didn’t realize was right before her (Granted, she is a sorcerer so she’s not unfamiliar with magic, it’s only that the place he takes her to is a secret of sorts and meeting other new paranormals was an eye-opener for her in some ways).
Kimberly is hard pressed to make it on her own. She’s a very strong-willed and independent individual. I loved her moxie! She isn’t one to cave, not even in face of Cormac, who again, as I said isn’t the friendliest of types. He also harbors a dark secret and at times feels that Kimberly may be more deceitful than anyone else. Since this is told in third person, we kind of get both of their points of view and we quickly learn that both of them are a little clueless as to who the other one really is.
Sparks explode and fly once things get rolling and secrets get revealed. Then Kimberly is dealing with a sinister wyvern who has his own evil agenda that involves Kimberly. She will have to use all of her talents to get herself out of the danger she finds herself in.
Naturally, we see a bit of chemistry between Kimberly and Cormac. I gotta say, I loved it! I love seeing the strong willed type, like Kimberly stand up to the stingy Alpha male types like Cormac. And then once the two realize what they feel for the other, I get all those gushy feels for them! Cormac being the Alpha male sort really crumbles once he falls for Kimberly and for some reason this always makes me smile! I loved it! And just because these two start falling for one another already, don’t expect it to be all insta-love, because it’s not! There’s some real struggles between them and they have issues to work out between them.
I also really liked how involved Kimberly’s mother was in her daughter’s life. Yes, they live together and both struggle to make ends meet, but still. It’s rare to see the young 21 or so year old living with her mom. I guess that rang home for me as well because I was always very close to my own mother. And as you can see from my teaser earlier yesterday, Kimberly’s mom is very protective of her daughter.
The ending was pretty surprising and it leaves you with a nice feeling that more should be on the way. As of this time, I have no clue if this was a standalone or not. It feels like it could be series, but it’s too soon to tell.
The pacing to this one was pretty decent! Just the right kind of speed, not fast, not slow, but just perfect! There was quite a lot of excitement going around, and since we got multiple points of view, you were really kept on your toes!
If you’re looking for a story filled with magic and other powerful creatures and of course, a nice dose of romance, then this is the read for you!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
May 16, 2016
I got a really good vibe from this book, folks! It was fun, fast-paced and packed with vivid characters. Overall, a great urban fantasy!
If you are familiar with Jess Haines's books, you'll be happy to know this story is based in the same universe as The Others series, but instead of vampires, it concentrates entirely on magical creatures. If you are unfamiliar with this author, you won't miss anything, and it will remind you of Rachel Aaron's recent work Nice Dragons Finish Last.
Kimberly is in a bind. She is the only sorcerer in a school of magi, and her magic is so different from her fellow students, that she would fail her final exams if she can't secure help of a powerful familiar. Without a degree from Blackhollow Academy she won't get a profitable job as a skilled illusionist with one of the covens and her and her waitress mother will starve. They are extremely poor and it takes all their strength and working extra hours to just keep paying rent.
So when a teacher who looks after Kimberly at school sends her to a powerful individual who might help her to secure a dragon as a familiar she is ready to do anything to succeed.
Hunter is a fab character and it takes time to guess who he is. He dresses like a dapper gentleman, keep an antique shop and even vampire master of New York keep way away from him. Kimberly intrigues and frazzles him, and he agrees to make some introduction for her.
The chemistry between those two is undeniable, but there is also sheer determination, good intentions, misunderstandings, jokes and rows which shakes the city proper.
You fly through the plot with a smile and an occasional giggle, grumble about the shortness of the book, but enjoy the hell out of it. So, yes, I totally recommend it. Refreshing, light and leaves you craving for more.
* * *
Прикольный настрой у этой книги, ребятушки! Она задорна, полна экшна и напичкана живыми, сочными персонажами. В общем, классное городское фэнтези!
Если вы знакомы с творчеством Джесс Хэйнс, то будете рады узнать, что Дым и Зеркала выстроена в той же вселенной, что и серия Другие от автора, только сосредоточивается на магических существах вместо вампиров. Если автор этот вам не известен, вы ничего не теряете из сюжетной линии. Книга мне эта напомнила один из последних романов Рэчел Аарон: "Хорошие Драконы Заканчивают Последними".
Кимберли отчаянно нужна помощь. Она единственный чародей в школе магов и знает, что последние экзамены она провалит, так как её магия отличается от магии ее однокурсников, и привязать к себе фамильяра она не сможет. Проваленные экзамены означают потерю шанса хорошей работы с одним из ковенов ведьм, а значит Кимберли и ее мама не смогут выкарабкаться из нищеты, в которой они пребывают с её рождения. Обе перебиваются работой официанток, чтобы хоть что-то есть и платить счета за квартиру. Один из учителей девушки жалеет её и отправляет к профессионалу, который вполне возможно поможет ей получить согласие дракона на то, чтобы стать её фамильяром.
Хантер - интересный характер. Данди, владелец антикварной лавки и настолько влиятельное лицо в магической иерархии Нью-Йорка, что даже мастер-вампир города обходит его стороной. Между ним и Кимберли сразу же видны искорки заинтересованности друг в друге, влечения и привязанности, однако он не доверяет её мотивам. И всё же, он соглашается ввести её в круги, где она вполне возможно найдёт дракона, который согласится стать её партнёром.
Множество шуточек, недопониманий, перепалок и опасных моментов спустя, Кимберли получает то, что хотела, да и Хантер тоже *смеясь*. Книга прекрасно написана, читается на одно дыхании, полна юмора и потенциала. Читала с огромным удовольствием и вам советую не проходить мимо!
June 20, 2016
At A Glance
Meh. Nothing special.
The Good
Smoke and Mirrors had so much potential. I mean, come on, dragons! I love me a yummy dragon-shifter. And we do get some dragon fun in this story.
The first 30% was exciting and seemed to be leading to a great story. Kimberly needs a familiar to graduate from an academy full of mages that want to kill her. She needs a familiar that will make an impact, like a dragon! So Kimberly goes on a dangerous adventure to find a dragon.
I liked Kimberly in the beginning. She and her mother have it rough. They are poor as church mice and Kimberly is despised by magi because she's different. She has to work her butt off every day of her life. She was strong and determined and I respected her. Then Cormac got all obsessed with her and things went down hill.
The Bad
First is this YA, NA, or Adult? I'm so confused. Kimberly acts like a 12 year old. Cormac acts like an old man. I guess it was a mixture of young adult and new adult. I don't know, I gave up on trying to figure out this book.
The plot was a little all over the place. Slow and draggy in some parts, childish in others. The big battle was limp in my eyes, over quick and with little excitement. Misunderstandings were resolved through flirting and pouting. The ending was wrapped up too fast and way too easily. I was expecting a lot more excitement with how scared Kimberly was all the time.
Cormac and Kimberly's relationship happens within days as Cormac goes all "Mine" and Kimberly "Can't help herself." *rolls eyes* So over it.
The Snuggly
I'm pretty sure there's no sex (wow, my mind is gone today) but we get some petting and kissing.
Final Thoughts
I'm so indifferent with this story I can barely write this review. The beginning was awesome and a lot of aspects were interesting but the characters were not entertaining and there was not enough excitement. Not recommended.
Quotes
"Mage! Get out of my store!"
Every eye in the place turned on Kimberly. Before she could move a muscle, the tiny woman flung her hand in her direction. Kimberly flinched back, but between one blink and the next, Cormac had stepped in front of her and snatched the projectile out of the air. He passed the shiny silver dagger to her, and she fumbled and dropped it in her nervousness.
This review was originally posted on Bad Bird Reads
Meh. Nothing special.
The Good
Smoke and Mirrors had so much potential. I mean, come on, dragons! I love me a yummy dragon-shifter. And we do get some dragon fun in this story.
The first 30% was exciting and seemed to be leading to a great story. Kimberly needs a familiar to graduate from an academy full of mages that want to kill her. She needs a familiar that will make an impact, like a dragon! So Kimberly goes on a dangerous adventure to find a dragon.
I liked Kimberly in the beginning. She and her mother have it rough. They are poor as church mice and Kimberly is despised by magi because she's different. She has to work her butt off every day of her life. She was strong and determined and I respected her. Then Cormac got all obsessed with her and things went down hill.
The Bad
First is this YA, NA, or Adult? I'm so confused. Kimberly acts like a 12 year old. Cormac acts like an old man. I guess it was a mixture of young adult and new adult. I don't know, I gave up on trying to figure out this book.
The plot was a little all over the place. Slow and draggy in some parts, childish in others. The big battle was limp in my eyes, over quick and with little excitement. Misunderstandings were resolved through flirting and pouting. The ending was wrapped up too fast and way too easily. I was expecting a lot more excitement with how scared Kimberly was all the time.
Cormac and Kimberly's relationship happens within days as Cormac goes all "Mine" and Kimberly "Can't help herself." *rolls eyes* So over it.
The Snuggly
I'm pretty sure there's no sex (wow, my mind is gone today) but we get some petting and kissing.
Final Thoughts
I'm so indifferent with this story I can barely write this review. The beginning was awesome and a lot of aspects were interesting but the characters were not entertaining and there was not enough excitement. Not recommended.
Quotes
"Mage! Get out of my store!"
Every eye in the place turned on Kimberly. Before she could move a muscle, the tiny woman flung her hand in her direction. Kimberly flinched back, but between one blink and the next, Cormac had stepped in front of her and snatched the projectile out of the air. He passed the shiny silver dagger to her, and she fumbled and dropped it in her nervousness.
May 29, 2016
Resolve was too easy and some other faults but worthwhile MC
Interesting MC and love interest.
Finely drawn, nuanced understanding of MC's emotional reactions to being different, poor, endangered and reviled.
Somewhat confusing relationship between Kimberly and her mom. Why is Kimberly so frightened that her mom will become a target, and why isn't her mom as afraid of the same thing? During the first part of the story, I thought the mom feared or hated Kimberly or her powers, and just wanted the money she brought in from work. During the last part, though, the mom seemed more pragmatic about needing Kimberly to work, but also loving, proud and protective of her, especially vs. a vs. Conrad. So which is it? Part of the problem figuring out how their relationship works is how little they saw each other-Kimberly would stagger in while mom was still working and they only had a few minutes together in the mornings. There did seem to be real mistrust toward her daughter on the mom's part, for whatever reason. Would have helped to know more of what that was really about.
Choppy plot seemed to get resolved entirely too easily: major relationship screwups were all sorted in a couple of days; big battle took a para or two; graduation, which had been portrayed as this enormous deal, was disposed of in a page, ditto job interview -- all over with nothing so bad happening. An awful big buildup with all this prospective danger, and somehow it just fails to appear or quietly peters out? Anticlimactic, to say the least
SPOILERS
Not much info on the historical differences (other than the fundamental one) between magi and sorcerers, which made magi reactions to MC somewhat less understandable. Why are the Dean and Prof. Reed supporting Kimberly so strongly? Why are the other professors and school okay with Kimberly's attendance at school even though parents and students are not?
And why is Conrad so sure Kimberly has immense power, power he's afraid the Circle will try to use against them both? Author just puts that one out there in a brief para from Conrad's viewpoint, then never mentions it again. Was she just putting in a teaser for the next book? If so, that's irritating.
I did really like the MC and her challenges, though, so will try the next in series.
Interesting MC and love interest.
Finely drawn, nuanced understanding of MC's emotional reactions to being different, poor, endangered and reviled.
Somewhat confusing relationship between Kimberly and her mom. Why is Kimberly so frightened that her mom will become a target, and why isn't her mom as afraid of the same thing? During the first part of the story, I thought the mom feared or hated Kimberly or her powers, and just wanted the money she brought in from work. During the last part, though, the mom seemed more pragmatic about needing Kimberly to work, but also loving, proud and protective of her, especially vs. a vs. Conrad. So which is it? Part of the problem figuring out how their relationship works is how little they saw each other-Kimberly would stagger in while mom was still working and they only had a few minutes together in the mornings. There did seem to be real mistrust toward her daughter on the mom's part, for whatever reason. Would have helped to know more of what that was really about.
Choppy plot seemed to get resolved entirely too easily: major relationship screwups were all sorted in a couple of days; big battle took a para or two; graduation, which had been portrayed as this enormous deal, was disposed of in a page, ditto job interview -- all over with nothing so bad happening. An awful big buildup with all this prospective danger, and somehow it just fails to appear or quietly peters out? Anticlimactic, to say the least
SPOILERS
Not much info on the historical differences (other than the fundamental one) between magi and sorcerers, which made magi reactions to MC somewhat less understandable. Why are the Dean and Prof. Reed supporting Kimberly so strongly? Why are the other professors and school okay with Kimberly's attendance at school even though parents and students are not?
And why is Conrad so sure Kimberly has immense power, power he's afraid the Circle will try to use against them both? Author just puts that one out there in a brief para from Conrad's viewpoint, then never mentions it again. Was she just putting in a teaser for the next book? If so, that's irritating.
I did really like the MC and her challenges, though, so will try the next in series.
May 28, 2016
I first became aware of Jess Haines when I came across her H&W series. Since I’ve started that series, I’ve really enjoyed every book from beginning to end, and Jess Haines has become one of my favorite authors. So you can imagine my excitement when I had the opportunity to read Smoke and Mirrors, which is the book 1 in an all new series! Favorite author. New series. What’s not to like, right? Absolutely nothing! Smoke and Mirrors was a fabulous read, and let me tell you why.
First, the world building and the characters were amazing. In my opinion, this novel falls under the urban fantasy genre. When you read a lot from the same genre, or different series by the same author, sometimes worlds start to run together, or characters are all alike. That wasn’t the case here. Although this story takes place in the H&W universe, the reader was given a good look at the ‘other side’ so to speak. The Others’ were well developed, and that made this a really enjoyable read.
Kim is a well written heroine. From the very beginning, I found myself rooting for her. She was working, going to school, and keeping secrets for the right reasons. I enjoyed reading her and Cormac’s interaction, and I’m looking forward to more between them as the series progresses. So far, my feeling is that the pacing for this series is just right. It’s funny I took a creative writing class and was told that I needed to read Cormac McCarthy to get a good idea pacing, and the heroes name is Cormac.
I think that anyone that reads this one will be pleased overall, and looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I know I am!
First, the world building and the characters were amazing. In my opinion, this novel falls under the urban fantasy genre. When you read a lot from the same genre, or different series by the same author, sometimes worlds start to run together, or characters are all alike. That wasn’t the case here. Although this story takes place in the H&W universe, the reader was given a good look at the ‘other side’ so to speak. The Others’ were well developed, and that made this a really enjoyable read.
Kim is a well written heroine. From the very beginning, I found myself rooting for her. She was working, going to school, and keeping secrets for the right reasons. I enjoyed reading her and Cormac’s interaction, and I’m looking forward to more between them as the series progresses. So far, my feeling is that the pacing for this series is just right. It’s funny I took a creative writing class and was told that I needed to read Cormac McCarthy to get a good idea pacing, and the heroes name is Cormac.
I think that anyone that reads this one will be pleased overall, and looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I know I am!
June 14, 2016
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2016/06/june-mi...
Grade: C+
Fans of Jess Haines are sure to enjoy her newest UF series which exists in the same world as her popular H&W Investigations series. Smoke and Mirrors takes us back to Seattle and introduces us to Kimberly, an older than average high school illusionist who needs a familiar to graduate. With a little help from a professor, she is dragged into new and well-hidden world filled with shapeshifters and mages on her quest to convince the greatest predator of all to be her familiar-a dragon. The action, intrigue, and humor meshes well with the slow building romance. I did have some issues with the heroine in that she is written as almost too perfect an underdog. Poor, hungry, struggling, beautiful, nice, shy, bullied, misunderstood, etc… Readers might question the thin line between YA and HA that Haines balances the heroine on. She is 20 but in high school and her narrative sounds young at times. New and some old faces are seen in this ambitious cast of characters that help to round out the story. Haines uses their stories to push forward the arc and drop clues towards new adventures. I look forward to book two in this series.
Grade: C+
Fans of Jess Haines are sure to enjoy her newest UF series which exists in the same world as her popular H&W Investigations series. Smoke and Mirrors takes us back to Seattle and introduces us to Kimberly, an older than average high school illusionist who needs a familiar to graduate. With a little help from a professor, she is dragged into new and well-hidden world filled with shapeshifters and mages on her quest to convince the greatest predator of all to be her familiar-a dragon. The action, intrigue, and humor meshes well with the slow building romance. I did have some issues with the heroine in that she is written as almost too perfect an underdog. Poor, hungry, struggling, beautiful, nice, shy, bullied, misunderstood, etc… Readers might question the thin line between YA and HA that Haines balances the heroine on. She is 20 but in high school and her narrative sounds young at times. New and some old faces are seen in this ambitious cast of characters that help to round out the story. Haines uses their stories to push forward the arc and drop clues towards new adventures. I look forward to book two in this series.
May 23, 2016
Jess Haines has done it again. In fact this series might be even more intriguing than her H&W Investigations series, though that's a tough call because I loved that one too. Kimberly was a fantastic heroine, interesting and VERY easy to relate to. The world building was rich and delicious to sink your imagination into. Also loved the Easter eggs related to the H&W Investigations series. ARNOLD!!
The writing was tight and well structured and Cormac was also a fascinating character. The only issue I had was wishing the romantic arc and the characters' reasons and emotions was fleshed out more. But that's a minor nitpick.
Anyway, I ADORED this book, stayed up until 2am reading it and I can't wait until the next one.
The writing was tight and well structured and Cormac was also a fascinating character. The only issue I had was wishing the romantic arc and the characters' reasons and emotions was fleshed out more. But that's a minor nitpick.
Anyway, I ADORED this book, stayed up until 2am reading it and I can't wait until the next one.
May 11, 2016
You must read this book!
I found the book impossible to put down. I was drawn to so many of the characters and can't wait to see them develop more in future stories. Loved the story line. I also love that Jess Haines has a sense of humor, even though the book can be gritty at times. She brings you up, down and up again and it seems effortless. The "bad guy" is definitely someone you will love to hate. It also doesn't go off on raunchy side trips to create its interest; it doesn't need to. Buy it and read it for yourself. I promise you will enjoy it!
I found the book impossible to put down. I was drawn to so many of the characters and can't wait to see them develop more in future stories. Loved the story line. I also love that Jess Haines has a sense of humor, even though the book can be gritty at times. She brings you up, down and up again and it seems effortless. The "bad guy" is definitely someone you will love to hate. It also doesn't go off on raunchy side trips to create its interest; it doesn't need to. Buy it and read it for yourself. I promise you will enjoy it!
September 1, 2016
Smoke and Mirrors follows Kimberly, a sorcerer in a mage’s world, as she tries making her way by finding a familiar. She’s hoping to convince a dragon to give her a shot, and her mentor sends her to meet Cormac, a mysterious bridge between mages and shifters.
While I have a few favorite series, I’m not the biggest fan of paranormal romance. New Adult is even more fraught with issues and I support the idea behind it, but I have even fewer in this category.
And here comes along Smoke and Mirrors, which is both.
The instant I heard “dragon” I wanted in, but the genres did make me hesitate.
The good news is it surprised me in a lot of ways and I can highly recommend it.
The Good The Bad & The Other
+ Loved Kimberly - Standard genre tropes and plot so I knew in general what would happen
+ Loved Cormac, NOT an alpha-hole - Wish we saw more background with Kimberly’s mom
+ Loved the setting - Kimberly freaked out and didn’t realize she was being unreasonable
+ Accurate depiction of poverty
+ Enjoyed the ride
+ Kimberly’s fight at the end was awesome
+ Want to find out more about the history
+ Will be continuing the series
One thing that often irritates me is the alpha “protective” male, that’s really domineering, controlling, and possessive. Behind it is the idea the woman is worthy of such affections, like it’s a privilege won, a goal met, an achievement earned.
Yet the woman also had to “tame” the man, to earn back her independence, as little as it maybe, from him to operate as her own person after being claimed. It’s everywhere – the woman who can make him love again and correct his behavior by being able to withstand and stand against him.
I often wonder why it’s so common and popular. It’s one of my biggest issues with NA and paranormal romance, especially with shifters. I was hesitant at first to read/review Smoke and Mirrors, but when I couldn’t forget the book I knew I had to sign up.
It does have the aforementioned trope but I didn’t hate it. I actually…liked it. WHY? HOW? Am I corrupted now?
Nah, I just understand the appeal better, I think. And no, I’m not attacking anyone for their preferences or questioning their feminist cred, I just don’t get it. I’m also an abuse survivor so I’m more cautious and willing to raise the red flag. The topic is fascinating in the history of the romance genre.
It is very important to note that Cormac isn’t an Alpha-Douche. << So much problematic and abusive behavior. It’s unconscionable. As a NA Paranormal romance, it not only doesn’t double down on the trouble, it dials it down to reasonableness I can support.
1.) Obsessive, borderline stalker >> He does track her and follow her home at one point. But he stops and backs off. A major event in the book happens because of this. He does visit her job and makes a scene but it’s not a jealous mess. He’s just an idiot.
2.) Moody and Quick to Anger >> He does get angry when she spurns him, but he doesn’t lash out at her or the people in her life. And he’s not moody. At least not that I recognized.
3.) Jealous >> Considering she has a male best friend, he’s leagues ahead of other Alphas. And doesn’t prance around with other women. What gets him going is her picking another as a familiar and it ending up being a strong young male. However, it’s nothing romantic. Kimberly’s choice is never in question though Cormac pleads his case, it stops there. That’s the only reason he doesn’t like other shifters sniffing around and it has nothing to do with gender or relations.
4.) Controlling >> He doesn’t try to change how she looks, her job, or her life. Like the jealously passage, it’s only the bonding ceremony where he wants his way. He also tries to pay his way improving her life, but she insists on working for everything she earns like she always has and he eventually grasps the concept. It’s been awhile, okay?
Funny how someone so old-fashioned for obvious reason is far more liberal than many modern male love interests. Whaddayaknow, age isn’t a fucking excuse.
I think it has to do with the characters, I really liked them and enjoyed seeing his perspective. I don’t like how he became a tagalong at first, but seeing him control himself and realize he’d been a bonehead was wonderful.
I LOVED Kimberly. She’s determined, hardworking, caring, and formidable. Her upbringing, lifestyle, and circumstances properly influence how she sees the world and response.
Her relationship with her mother is tricky. The financial burden plays a huge role and we don’t see much of her because of it. I do wish we saw more background, but what we see is a mix of traditional single motherhood, wariness of magic, and role reversal. However, it is nice to see when she’s needed, she’s there.
The depiction of poverty is spot-on with one “What?” moment. The interesting bit is when Kimberly says they live in a rent controlled apartment. I thought that would be better…I suppose that’s naïve of me. (And yes, at this point I’d entirely forgotten it was mentioned in the blurb and only re-realized that putting the review together.)
I adore the setting. I never really thought about differences between mages and sorcerers. I love how it’s part of the foundation with shifters, discrimination and oppression. It feels so real with the shifter underground hidden from everyone, and the mage’s system.
I can’t wait to find out more about the history. I don’t like how her fatherly parentage is so typical though. While it’s a mere sentence, it makes me uneasy because of how the trope works.
However, Smoke and Mirrors hasn’t disappointed me thus far. While I knew where it would go because of the genre, Kimberly being an Extraordinarily Empowered Girl with a rare talent, and Cormac the Alpha, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
Except I do think Kimberly overacted when Cormac revealed his secret. I understand her initial response and thoughts, but she really should’ve realized “oh, of course he didn’t trust me right away, hardly anyone else knows outside their community”. And I do wish Cormac stood up to her pissy antics with that reasoning. But then he had something to really apologize for so it all got lost and muddled.
Bottomline:
It's just a feeling that leads it to be 3.5 stars instead of 4. Mainly if I had better feel for Kimberly's mother, the setting history, and Kimac saw how she messed up, it'd rate higher. I'm sure this will be better in the next book and I'm looking forward to it. I will definitely be continuing the series and checking out Haine’s other work.
For NA and paranormal romances lovers, I highly recommend Smoke and Mirrors. The only thing I'd really warn against is letting the cover stop you.
Smoke and Mirrors isn't perfect, but it's a great start that has a dragon and fills me with hope to follow along.
While I have a few favorite series, I’m not the biggest fan of paranormal romance. New Adult is even more fraught with issues and I support the idea behind it, but I have even fewer in this category.
And here comes along Smoke and Mirrors, which is both.
The instant I heard “dragon” I wanted in, but the genres did make me hesitate.
The good news is it surprised me in a lot of ways and I can highly recommend it.
The Good The Bad & The Other
+ Loved Kimberly - Standard genre tropes and plot so I knew in general what would happen
+ Loved Cormac, NOT an alpha-hole - Wish we saw more background with Kimberly’s mom
+ Loved the setting - Kimberly freaked out and didn’t realize she was being unreasonable
+ Accurate depiction of poverty
+ Enjoyed the ride
+ Kimberly’s fight at the end was awesome
+ Want to find out more about the history
+ Will be continuing the series
One thing that often irritates me is the alpha “protective” male, that’s really domineering, controlling, and possessive. Behind it is the idea the woman is worthy of such affections, like it’s a privilege won, a goal met, an achievement earned.
Yet the woman also had to “tame” the man, to earn back her independence, as little as it maybe, from him to operate as her own person after being claimed. It’s everywhere – the woman who can make him love again and correct his behavior by being able to withstand and stand against him.
I often wonder why it’s so common and popular. It’s one of my biggest issues with NA and paranormal romance, especially with shifters. I was hesitant at first to read/review Smoke and Mirrors, but when I couldn’t forget the book I knew I had to sign up.
It does have the aforementioned trope but I didn’t hate it. I actually…liked it. WHY? HOW? Am I corrupted now?
Nah, I just understand the appeal better, I think. And no, I’m not attacking anyone for their preferences or questioning their feminist cred, I just don’t get it. I’m also an abuse survivor so I’m more cautious and willing to raise the red flag. The topic is fascinating in the history of the romance genre.
It is very important to note that Cormac isn’t an Alpha-Douche. << So much problematic and abusive behavior. It’s unconscionable. As a NA Paranormal romance, it not only doesn’t double down on the trouble, it dials it down to reasonableness I can support.
1.) Obsessive, borderline stalker >> He does track her and follow her home at one point. But he stops and backs off. A major event in the book happens because of this. He does visit her job and makes a scene but it’s not a jealous mess. He’s just an idiot.
2.) Moody and Quick to Anger >> He does get angry when she spurns him, but he doesn’t lash out at her or the people in her life. And he’s not moody. At least not that I recognized.
3.) Jealous >> Considering she has a male best friend, he’s leagues ahead of other Alphas. And doesn’t prance around with other women. What gets him going is her picking another as a familiar and it ending up being a strong young male. However, it’s nothing romantic. Kimberly’s choice is never in question though Cormac pleads his case, it stops there. That’s the only reason he doesn’t like other shifters sniffing around and it has nothing to do with gender or relations.
4.) Controlling >> He doesn’t try to change how she looks, her job, or her life. Like the jealously passage, it’s only the bonding ceremony where he wants his way. He also tries to pay his way improving her life, but she insists on working for everything she earns like she always has and he eventually grasps the concept. It’s been awhile, okay?
Funny how someone so old-fashioned for obvious reason is far more liberal than many modern male love interests. Whaddayaknow, age isn’t a fucking excuse.
I think it has to do with the characters, I really liked them and enjoyed seeing his perspective. I don’t like how he became a tagalong at first, but seeing him control himself and realize he’d been a bonehead was wonderful.
I LOVED Kimberly. She’s determined, hardworking, caring, and formidable. Her upbringing, lifestyle, and circumstances properly influence how she sees the world and response.
Her relationship with her mother is tricky. The financial burden plays a huge role and we don’t see much of her because of it. I do wish we saw more background, but what we see is a mix of traditional single motherhood, wariness of magic, and role reversal. However, it is nice to see when she’s needed, she’s there.
The depiction of poverty is spot-on with one “What?” moment. The interesting bit is when Kimberly says they live in a rent controlled apartment. I thought that would be better…I suppose that’s naïve of me. (And yes, at this point I’d entirely forgotten it was mentioned in the blurb and only re-realized that putting the review together.)
I adore the setting. I never really thought about differences between mages and sorcerers. I love how it’s part of the foundation with shifters, discrimination and oppression. It feels so real with the shifter underground hidden from everyone, and the mage’s system.
I can’t wait to find out more about the history. I don’t like how her fatherly parentage is so typical though. While it’s a mere sentence, it makes me uneasy because of how the trope works.
However, Smoke and Mirrors hasn’t disappointed me thus far. While I knew where it would go because of the genre, Kimberly being an Extraordinarily Empowered Girl with a rare talent, and Cormac the Alpha, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
Except I do think Kimberly overacted when Cormac revealed his secret. I understand her initial response and thoughts, but she really should’ve realized “oh, of course he didn’t trust me right away, hardly anyone else knows outside their community”. And I do wish Cormac stood up to her pissy antics with that reasoning. But then he had something to really apologize for so it all got lost and muddled.
Bottomline:
It's just a feeling that leads it to be 3.5 stars instead of 4. Mainly if I had better feel for Kimberly's mother, the setting history, and Kimac saw how she messed up, it'd rate higher. I'm sure this will be better in the next book and I'm looking forward to it. I will definitely be continuing the series and checking out Haine’s other work.
For NA and paranormal romances lovers, I highly recommend Smoke and Mirrors. The only thing I'd really warn against is letting the cover stop you.
Smoke and Mirrors isn't perfect, but it's a great start that has a dragon and fills me with hope to follow along.
March 15, 2018
I grabbed this at the library because familiars and sorcerers fall within my interests.
Kimberly is a student at Blackhollow, a school for wizards. Problem is, she's a sorcerer, and that's patently different. She makes life-like illusions, rather than what wizards do (actually make physical things? I was kind of unclear about that as we focused so much on what Kimberly did to make them believe she was a wizard). To graduate from school, she needs to bind a familiar.
As Kimberly wants to get into The Circle, a coven of high-ranking wizards, she knows she'll need to bind a spectacular familiar, like, oh, a dragon. She explains this to the one professor who knows her secret, and said prof sets her up to meet Cormac, an older guy who runs an antique store and is known to have connections to the Other (all magical creatures are lumped under this moniker).
Cormac is of course, arrogant, stupendously wealthy, and dresses in archaic clothing. He takes Kimberly to an Other tavern run by Rieva, who is some sort of Other and very hostile toward any of the magical humans (actually, it seems like a lot of people are hostile toward both the Others and the magical humans - the"Kumbaya" harmonizing is lacking in this story). Rieva offers to let Others know Kimberly is looking for a familiar for two-three days, just long enough to prove she can do the binding.
Unfortunately, this attracts the attention of Viper, a wyvern, who has personally turned the tables and made a sorcerer his own familiar. And Kimberly, after getting mad at Cormac, decides she can take him on and get the deets on Cormac, who is remarkably reticent.
So, spoilers-feelings below.
About the time Kimberly met Cormac, I found this book to be entertaining. Right about then, though, my immediate thought was, "This book is a magical Harlequin romance."
1. Young, poor woman with a lot of dreams? - check
2. Older, wealthy guy, who has the ability to make the young woman's dreams come true? - check
3. Mad attraction between the two? - check
4. Various misunderstandings which have a way of cementing their Twu Wuv? - check
5. Friends/family who think this is a terrible match? - check
It's not a bad book because of this but whether the author intended to go down the Harlequin romance route or not, that's exactly how it felt to me. That made me more inclined to stop reading it than recommend it.
There is a chapter toward the end where things are glossed over and we're told everything rather than shown that is disappointing - felt very hand-wave-y to me.
It's not a very deep book but it's good for what it is. I actually would've liked to know more about the school and the machinations of the professors. That seemed like some real power there.
Kimberly is a student at Blackhollow, a school for wizards. Problem is, she's a sorcerer, and that's patently different. She makes life-like illusions, rather than what wizards do (actually make physical things? I was kind of unclear about that as we focused so much on what Kimberly did to make them believe she was a wizard). To graduate from school, she needs to bind a familiar.
As Kimberly wants to get into The Circle, a coven of high-ranking wizards, she knows she'll need to bind a spectacular familiar, like, oh, a dragon. She explains this to the one professor who knows her secret, and said prof sets her up to meet Cormac, an older guy who runs an antique store and is known to have connections to the Other (all magical creatures are lumped under this moniker).
Cormac is of course, arrogant, stupendously wealthy, and dresses in archaic clothing. He takes Kimberly to an Other tavern run by Rieva, who is some sort of Other and very hostile toward any of the magical humans (actually, it seems like a lot of people are hostile toward both the Others and the magical humans - the"Kumbaya" harmonizing is lacking in this story). Rieva offers to let Others know Kimberly is looking for a familiar for two-three days, just long enough to prove she can do the binding.
Unfortunately, this attracts the attention of Viper, a wyvern, who has personally turned the tables and made a sorcerer his own familiar. And Kimberly, after getting mad at Cormac, decides she can take him on and get the deets on Cormac, who is remarkably reticent.
So, spoilers-feelings below.
About the time Kimberly met Cormac, I found this book to be entertaining. Right about then, though, my immediate thought was, "This book is a magical Harlequin romance."
1. Young, poor woman with a lot of dreams? - check
2. Older, wealthy guy, who has the ability to make the young woman's dreams come true? - check
3. Mad attraction between the two? - check
4. Various misunderstandings which have a way of cementing their Twu Wuv? - check
5. Friends/family who think this is a terrible match? - check
It's not a bad book because of this but whether the author intended to go down the Harlequin romance route or not, that's exactly how it felt to me. That made me more inclined to stop reading it than recommend it.
There is a chapter toward the end where things are glossed over and we're told everything rather than shown that is disappointing - felt very hand-wave-y to me.
It's not a very deep book but it's good for what it is. I actually would've liked to know more about the school and the machinations of the professors. That seemed like some real power there.
December 16, 2017
So Kimberly is a sorcerer among mages, which is bad but I'm not exactly sure why. It was not explained very well at all. She apparently needs a dragon to be her familiar to pass. She goes to Cormac who says he will help her and then all of a sudden a bunch of creatures are after her for one reason or another.
The first thing I disliked about this book was Kimberly's age. The first half of the book she read like a a young 17 year old and then all of a sudden she was 21 constantly thinking of doing naughty things with Cormac. That threw me off a lot. The other problem was that she totally cut Cormac off when she found out he lied. Despite the fact that he apologized, saved her multiple times and agreed to give her what she wants...which would put him in a vulnerable position. I don't know why she deserved to know everything about Cormac right off the bat, that is ridiculously unreasonable. Especially on top of the fact that she gave that creep Viper the benefit of the doubt. I just didn't like where the story went, I ended up not liking any of the characters, and it was just a huge disappointment.
The first thing I disliked about this book was Kimberly's age. The first half of the book she read like a a young 17 year old and then all of a sudden she was 21 constantly thinking of doing naughty things with Cormac. That threw me off a lot. The other problem was that she totally cut Cormac off when she found out he lied. Despite the fact that he apologized, saved her multiple times and agreed to give her what she wants...which would put him in a vulnerable position. I don't know why she deserved to know everything about Cormac right off the bat, that is ridiculously unreasonable. Especially on top of the fact that she gave that creep Viper the benefit of the doubt. I just didn't like where the story went, I ended up not liking any of the characters, and it was just a huge disappointment.
June 26, 2020
This was my first encounter with this author and world so I wasn't sure what to expect. And what I got was Urban Fantasy with a romantic streak. The world and characters are vibrantly depicted. It took me a bit to understand the world and situation because there isn't a giant infodump on page 1, but it was an enjoyable, tantalizing read. I really liked the third person POV too, despite getting such detail into the POV characters' thoughts that it may as well have been first person.
I really want more of these characters! Very charming and sweet, even if the main characters did stupid things too often. Waaay too often... OMG my notes are filled with "nooo idiot!" comments. I shouldn't be so hard on them, but several things were too predictable.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really want more of these characters! Very charming and sweet, even if the main characters did stupid things too often. Waaay too often... OMG my notes are filled with "nooo idiot!" comments. I shouldn't be so hard on them, but several things were too predictable.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 2, 2024
If you are into TSTL characters, or a 21 year old who reads like 16. Also this academy is what age level high school she was talking about getting GED , but she is taking college classes and if she can’t get into a coven then going to mundane college…too fucking confusing, but the 21 reads like 16 so yeah high school. Think author started off story as a high school teenager then tried to age up the character so it’s not creepy. But it was a fail, no smooth transitions. A guy in her class who has ignored her for 4 years all the suddenly pays attention to you after it has been announced that there is a sorceress in the school. You have repeatedly been bullied but you jump right in with him as soon as he turns his eyes to you…and you just spill any secret on the others who you know don’t care for magi…
March 4, 2018
The first volume in this series is pretty good. It introduces Kimberly who is attending the Blackhollow Academy for Mages. Problem is she's a sorcerer and some years before the sorcerers were nearly wiped out by the Mages. Worse yet in order to pass her final exam she needs to bind a creature to her and the only type that will get her a high enough grade to pass is a dragon.
Kimberly comes from a single-parent home and they have very little money. She often goes hungry but fortunately works at a bakery type cafe and is given food by the owner from time to time.
Fortunately Cormac Hunter might be able to help her with that. The fact that she along very well with a Naga is a point in her favor. Still, Hunter is not sure exactly what her powers and limitations are. Worse than that someone, or some group, is out to kill her while another person wants her for The Circle, whatever that is.
Still, things won't be easy. She still has to face Viper, figure out how to get a familiar to bond with her for her class project and figure out her relationship, if any, to Cormac. A lot happens in the story.
It's actually a cute story in spots and Kimberly is a very interesting character.
Kimberly comes from a single-parent home and they have very little money. She often goes hungry but fortunately works at a bakery type cafe and is given food by the owner from time to time.
Fortunately Cormac Hunter might be able to help her with that. The fact that she along very well with a Naga is a point in her favor. Still, Hunter is not sure exactly what her powers and limitations are. Worse than that someone, or some group, is out to kill her while another person wants her for The Circle, whatever that is.
Still, things won't be easy. She still has to face Viper, figure out how to get a familiar to bond with her for her class project and figure out her relationship, if any, to Cormac. A lot happens in the story.
It's actually a cute story in spots and Kimberly is a very interesting character.
June 26, 2020
Kimberly is a half-blood sorcerer attending a school for Magi. She is not good at spells but excels at illusions. Her professor suggests she find a dragon familiar. She is referred to Cormac Hunter for that task. She knows he is “something” but not sure what. And he tells her he will find her a dragon. Who exactly is this guy? Will he help Kimberly with her mission?
I wasn’t crazy about Kimberly’s personality. And sometimes the interactions of the characters were sort of juvenile. But there are surprises to keep the reader involved. Grab your copy and see if Kimberly can obtain and train her dragon.
I wasn’t crazy about Kimberly’s personality. And sometimes the interactions of the characters were sort of juvenile. But there are surprises to keep the reader involved. Grab your copy and see if Kimberly can obtain and train her dragon.
September 2, 2018
This book was okay. There were typos, duplicate words, that had me rereading at times, though not often. There was a smattering of adult language but no sex. There was kissing, handholding, and hugging. The story had a good premise, but no background to solidify things in the book, like the magi hatred of all sorcerers, Heather's cluelessness to Others. The story flowed okay, though there were a few places I felt dragged a little.
Overall it was an okay read. I am not sure if I want to continue the series, but it was an okay story.
Overall it was an okay read. I am not sure if I want to continue the series, but it was an okay story.
June 20, 2019
Smoke and mirrors
I really enjoy this book. Have read it several times as well. The characters all have their failings that they have to struggle through to be able to grow. Its a story of the pains of having to grow up... not just from child to adult, but in many other ways as well. Definitely a book ill revisit repeatedly. Would like to know what happens with Xander though... hes a great guy, a good friend, and a character worthy of having a story of his own. Of course, with Kim and Cormac and Rieva showing up as well.
I really enjoy this book. Have read it several times as well. The characters all have their failings that they have to struggle through to be able to grow. Its a story of the pains of having to grow up... not just from child to adult, but in many other ways as well. Definitely a book ill revisit repeatedly. Would like to know what happens with Xander though... hes a great guy, a good friend, and a character worthy of having a story of his own. Of course, with Kim and Cormac and Rieva showing up as well.
September 21, 2019
A definite page turner
Kimberly is a sorcerer secretly going to a mage school in a modern day society that knows, but doesn’t always like the Others. Others are those of supernatural or magical breeds and abilities. In order to graduate from school she must bind a familiar, but with her breed of magic it needs to be a strong one. A teacher suggest she see Cormac Hunter, who might be able to point her into the right direction. With many plot twist and points that could be a cliffhanger for a sequel you’re always glad to see more pages to come!
Kimberly is a sorcerer secretly going to a mage school in a modern day society that knows, but doesn’t always like the Others. Others are those of supernatural or magical breeds and abilities. In order to graduate from school she must bind a familiar, but with her breed of magic it needs to be a strong one. A teacher suggest she see Cormac Hunter, who might be able to point her into the right direction. With many plot twist and points that could be a cliffhanger for a sequel you’re always glad to see more pages to come!
July 4, 2020
Exciting
This book have me everything I wanted: romance, character development, struggle; a feisty Dragon, a scary Wayvern, new friends, political intrigue. I've read a lot of book the past few weeks and this is honestly I'm my top 5 books at the moment. Can't wait to read more.
Also, if anyone is wondering, the romance is PG13. Mostly kissing and some mention of wanting to do the dirty but no actual action.
This book have me everything I wanted: romance, character development, struggle; a feisty Dragon, a scary Wayvern, new friends, political intrigue. I've read a lot of book the past few weeks and this is honestly I'm my top 5 books at the moment. Can't wait to read more.
Also, if anyone is wondering, the romance is PG13. Mostly kissing and some mention of wanting to do the dirty but no actual action.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews