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The Witch Blood Chronicles #1
Binding Magick
Being left behind to hold the fort every time the world needs saving, sucks.
For Carmella Hunter, a witch blood with practically no magick, being surrounded by powerful friends has taken its toll. For once it would be nice to be the one doing the saving. Stuck in a dead end job in Piccadilly’s favourite bakery, Carmella spends her days making cinnamon rolls and her evenings feeding the homeless, all the while dreaming of making a difference.
One huge pastry order for the Covens annual meet and an attack of flu germs leaves Carmella delirious with a fever—too delirious to avoid a fateful bargain with a djinn named Paimon. Bound to do his bidding, his seductive voice in her head and his infuriating arrogance make the partnership a trying one. With Paimon, Carmella gets her first taste of power. A power she must use to track down the monsters hunting Paimon’s people. Suddenly Carmella isn’t so helpless anymore.
Things get complicated when her boss, and close friend, goes missing, and the enforcement agencies don’t seem too bothered about looking for a celestial dancer who likes to sleep around. With the help of Mal Banner, the Piccadilly Coven Elder Witch and self professed playboy, Carmella finally has the opportunity to be the hero she’s always wanted to be.
But someone doesn’t want Carmella digging. Someone will go to any lengths to make her stop.
Embark on a new journey. Scroll up and grab your copy today!
Listening Length: 7 hours and 20 minutes
For Carmella Hunter, a witch blood with practically no magick, being surrounded by powerful friends has taken its toll. For once it would be nice to be the one doing the saving. Stuck in a dead end job in Piccadilly’s favourite bakery, Carmella spends her days making cinnamon rolls and her evenings feeding the homeless, all the while dreaming of making a difference.
One huge pastry order for the Covens annual meet and an attack of flu germs leaves Carmella delirious with a fever—too delirious to avoid a fateful bargain with a djinn named Paimon. Bound to do his bidding, his seductive voice in her head and his infuriating arrogance make the partnership a trying one. With Paimon, Carmella gets her first taste of power. A power she must use to track down the monsters hunting Paimon’s people. Suddenly Carmella isn’t so helpless anymore.
Things get complicated when her boss, and close friend, goes missing, and the enforcement agencies don’t seem too bothered about looking for a celestial dancer who likes to sleep around. With the help of Mal Banner, the Piccadilly Coven Elder Witch and self professed playboy, Carmella finally has the opportunity to be the hero she’s always wanted to be.
But someone doesn’t want Carmella digging. Someone will go to any lengths to make her stop.
Embark on a new journey. Scroll up and grab your copy today!
Listening Length: 7 hours and 20 minutes
7 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 22, 2017
359 people are currently reading
631 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Cassidy
134 books2,804 followersDebbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head. She writes Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.
Connect with Debbie via her website at https://debbiecassidyauthor.com, email her at debbiecassidyauthor@gmail.com or check her out on twitter https://twitter.com/authordcassidy Sign up to her newsletter to grab a free short story, and stay up to date on new releases: http://www.subscribepage.com/f6u2k8 Or join her reader group on Facebook to stay in the know: https://www.facebook.com/groups/17595...
Connect with Debbie via her website at https://debbiecassidyauthor.com, email her at debbiecassidyauthor@gmail.com or check her out on twitter https://twitter.com/authordcassidy Sign up to her newsletter to grab a free short story, and stay up to date on new releases: http://www.subscribepage.com/f6u2k8 Or join her reader group on Facebook to stay in the know: https://www.facebook.com/groups/17595...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
March 21, 2018
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
With the first chapter of Binding Magick, I knew a few things:
1 – I totally loved the main character Carmella because I got her instantly as soon as she opened with
I hear you girl. I am you.
2 - This is not your standard Urban Fantasy with vampires and werewolves. There are things that act a little like them, but it's so much more with Angel like creatures, Demi-gods and goddesses, Djinn (genies to lay folk) AND witching families, just to name a few of the interesting facets to the story. I love it when authors think outside of the box and add in interesting lore.
And 3 – This is the first book in a series but not the first book in this world. That always is a good thing for me especially if I enjoy the world I always want to spend more time in it later. Even though there are other books in this world, I think it read fine as the first of a series and I never felt like I was missing much from the other books.
Carmella is the nice girl, the one that will help you out when you are in a bind and the one who gets left behind as her friends go on to fight big fights and the man she loves dumped her to go after a powerful witch. Carmella isn’t powerful; she might be a witch but she hasn’t really ever been able to do anything with her power. So when something comes along and wants to hide in her consciousness to figure out why some of his people are being kidnapped she of coarse wants to help in exchange for some power. Well, that isn’t entirely true; Carmella might have been a little out of her head when she initially agreed to the bargain and she is a bit resistant at first but after some fun shenanigans she gets on board with it.
I loved that Carmella is a little lost in her life at the moment. The man she thought she wanted is in love with someone else, the job she worked really hard for didn’t really pan out and her family is completely absent because a witch with no magic isn’t exactly valuable to a witching family. She is a little down on her luck and at a perfect point in her life to flip the switch and change everything. With a Djinn in her head, she is picking up a little more confidence all the time. Which is good because I thought Carmella kicked ass.
This is a great introductory story. There are a few potential love interests for the series. One of them completely forbidden so you know that is the one I’m rooting for. A few extra special bad guys and potential bad guys. One big bad fought against but I don’t think it was the bad at the top of the food chain. And just a great introduction to Carmella and some of her friends and allies that I’m sure will fight all the forces of evil in the near future.
Just an FYI. I’m never bothered by language but the F-word is thrown around here and there in this. If you are super sensitive to stuff like that it might bother you. For the most part it was endearing to me, since it was like Bridget Jones swearing and so most of the time I laughed.
I’m excited to continue on with the series.
Audio Note: This is written by an English author and so most of the narration done by Zehra Jane Naqvi is very English accented. I totally thought made Carmella more adorable but I’m completely American and all accents are cool. I think she did most of the voices in this very well and I completely liked the narration.
Notable Quotables:
Listen to a clip here.
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
With the first chapter of Binding Magick, I knew a few things:
1 – I totally loved the main character Carmella because I got her instantly as soon as she opened with
“Nights out sucked. When had that happened? When had I become the comfy pants and slippers woman? Nah, clubbing just didn’t do it for me anymore. The loud music, the flirting, the excessive drinking … no longer fun. Love the getting dressed up bit, but an hour into the night and my slippers would be calling.”
I hear you girl. I am you.
2 - This is not your standard Urban Fantasy with vampires and werewolves. There are things that act a little like them, but it's so much more with Angel like creatures, Demi-gods and goddesses, Djinn (genies to lay folk) AND witching families, just to name a few of the interesting facets to the story. I love it when authors think outside of the box and add in interesting lore.
And 3 – This is the first book in a series but not the first book in this world. That always is a good thing for me especially if I enjoy the world I always want to spend more time in it later. Even though there are other books in this world, I think it read fine as the first of a series and I never felt like I was missing much from the other books.
Carmella is the nice girl, the one that will help you out when you are in a bind and the one who gets left behind as her friends go on to fight big fights and the man she loves dumped her to go after a powerful witch. Carmella isn’t powerful; she might be a witch but she hasn’t really ever been able to do anything with her power. So when something comes along and wants to hide in her consciousness to figure out why some of his people are being kidnapped she of coarse wants to help in exchange for some power. Well, that isn’t entirely true; Carmella might have been a little out of her head when she initially agreed to the bargain and she is a bit resistant at first but after some fun shenanigans she gets on board with it.
I loved that Carmella is a little lost in her life at the moment. The man she thought she wanted is in love with someone else, the job she worked really hard for didn’t really pan out and her family is completely absent because a witch with no magic isn’t exactly valuable to a witching family. She is a little down on her luck and at a perfect point in her life to flip the switch and change everything. With a Djinn in her head, she is picking up a little more confidence all the time. Which is good because I thought Carmella kicked ass.
This is a great introductory story. There are a few potential love interests for the series. One of them completely forbidden so you know that is the one I’m rooting for. A few extra special bad guys and potential bad guys. One big bad fought against but I don’t think it was the bad at the top of the food chain. And just a great introduction to Carmella and some of her friends and allies that I’m sure will fight all the forces of evil in the near future.
Just an FYI. I’m never bothered by language but the F-word is thrown around here and there in this. If you are super sensitive to stuff like that it might bother you. For the most part it was endearing to me, since it was like Bridget Jones swearing and so most of the time I laughed.
I’m excited to continue on with the series.
Audio Note: This is written by an English author and so most of the narration done by Zehra Jane Naqvi is very English accented. I totally thought made Carmella more adorable but I’m completely American and all accents are cool. I think she did most of the voices in this very well and I completely liked the narration.
Notable Quotables:
“There are killers, there are saviors, and then there are saviors willing to kill. You’re a savior Carmella. You’ll always look for ways to save lives, good or bad, and in the heat of battle, when on mission, hesitation will get you killed.”
--- Melody Parker
He sighed. He has a piece of you, and you must claim it back.
A piece of me? “Yeah? And how do I do that?”
By giving it to someone else.
Sod it. I’m not giving anything to anyone ever again.
--- Carmella and Paimon
Listen to a clip here.
January 20, 2021
3.5 Fun series
Debbie Cassidy always writes really good UFs. Her only problem: her series are too short and the characters either grow up too fast and it feels forced, or the story ends a bit abruptly and it feels rushed.
In this particular case, surprisingly, neither one applies.
Why not more? The characters don't have too much depth, I didn't get to fall for them, the series ended too fast for me to actually 'feel' too much.
Still, it's a really fun series to read. It's fast-paced, you have absolutely no time to get bored, and the characters are pretty good. Not much depth and world-building, but it's ok, I don't mind. I still really liked this series.
Definitely worth reading.
Debbie Cassidy always writes really good UFs. Her only problem: her series are too short and the characters either grow up too fast and it feels forced, or the story ends a bit abruptly and it feels rushed.
In this particular case, surprisingly, neither one applies.
Why not more? The characters don't have too much depth, I didn't get to fall for them, the series ended too fast for me to actually 'feel' too much.
Still, it's a really fun series to read. It's fast-paced, you have absolutely no time to get bored, and the characters are pretty good. Not much depth and world-building, but it's ok, I don't mind. I still really liked this series.
Definitely worth reading.
March 13, 2018
Narrated by Zehra Jane Naqvi, we are introduced to Carmella Hunter. She is a witch blood who never came into her powers. She has spent her life feeling like an outcast or misfit. Bad luck, horrible ex-boyfriends and more have caused some emotional baggage, which is sad because Carmella is sweet, funny and likable. She works at the Piccadilly’s favorite bakery and is quite good at baking up their gooey confections. My mouth drooled with the descriptions. When the rest of the staff call out sick on a day when they have a massive delivery to the local Witches Coven, Carmella closes shop and bakes the day away, but as she makes the delivery she realizes she is coming down with whatever the rest of the staff has. Feverish and exhausted she falls into bed entirely dressed not knowing her life is about to change drastically.
Unwittingly she agrees to share her body with a djinn named Paimon. Paimon is hiding inside her and talking in her head. The situation is uncomfortable, seductive and complicated. It was interesting, and I laughed as they worked out awkward issues like bathroom issues and reading one's thoughts. Paimon's people are being hunted, and we get to spend some time in the in-between as Carmella helps him investigate.
Having Paimon in her head, gives Carmella her first taste of power as she can access his. When her best friend and others go missing she seeks the help of the Mal Banner, the Piccadilly Coven Elder Witch. Mal is a charmer and quite easy on the eyes, but Carmella is beginning to have feelings for Paimon. Life is complicated for our little witch, but she is determined to save her friend and finish the task for the djinn.
Zehra Jane Naqvi did a fantastic job narrating, but I must admit her accent threw me based on the cover model. Once I got past that, I quickly slipped in and enjoyed her narration.
I loved the character growth in Binding Magick and the twist that came regarding Carmella. Cassidy developed the worldbuilding as she introduced us to characters and I am curious to continue.
The case wrapped up, and the author set us up for the next book in the series. I am looking forward to seeing Carmella grow and enjoyed the kickass heroine revealed to us. Now if only Carmella would realize how extraordinaire she indeed is. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Unwittingly she agrees to share her body with a djinn named Paimon. Paimon is hiding inside her and talking in her head. The situation is uncomfortable, seductive and complicated. It was interesting, and I laughed as they worked out awkward issues like bathroom issues and reading one's thoughts. Paimon's people are being hunted, and we get to spend some time in the in-between as Carmella helps him investigate.
Having Paimon in her head, gives Carmella her first taste of power as she can access his. When her best friend and others go missing she seeks the help of the Mal Banner, the Piccadilly Coven Elder Witch. Mal is a charmer and quite easy on the eyes, but Carmella is beginning to have feelings for Paimon. Life is complicated for our little witch, but she is determined to save her friend and finish the task for the djinn.
Zehra Jane Naqvi did a fantastic job narrating, but I must admit her accent threw me based on the cover model. Once I got past that, I quickly slipped in and enjoyed her narration.
I loved the character growth in Binding Magick and the twist that came regarding Carmella. Cassidy developed the worldbuilding as she introduced us to characters and I am curious to continue.
The case wrapped up, and the author set us up for the next book in the series. I am looking forward to seeing Carmella grow and enjoyed the kickass heroine revealed to us. Now if only Carmella would realize how extraordinaire she indeed is. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
November 24, 2018
November 2018
Audiobook Re-Read
I stand by my original review below.
March 2018
4 Stars - I Really Liked It
Audiobook
This book was pretty great. Sometimes Kindle Unlimited books are chancy but this story had me right from the beginning.
QUICK REVIEW:
In A Nutshell:: Carmella is a Witch Blood. A Witch Blood is someone whose parentage is one full witch and one human and most witch bloods manifest some level of magic when they hit puberty, but Carmella seems to be a dud. No magic. Having no magic leaves Carmella kinda isolated. She doesn't really fit in with the covens and yet she feels in her heart that she is meant to be doing more. Carmella is having a pretty shitty day when something unusual happens to her and that is the beginning of setting Carmella on a very different course.
Male Lead:: There isn't one male lead in this story. There are a few men who become prominent characters in the story and they are all pretty great in their own way. They are also potential love interests.
Female Lead:: Carmella - she's kinda quirky, clever, loyal, snarky, beautiful and lacking in self confidence. Her mother lost interest in her when she never manifested magic and her father died when she was around 13. She didn't have a lot of love or attention and was made to feel useless. Thankfully she had an Aunt who loved her and she gathered some true friends along the way who always look out for her. At the beginning of the book, Carmella is having an awful day and is feeling very sorry for herself. Understandably. She lacks self confidence but she doesn't come off as whiny to me. She works hard to stand up for herself and to make the tough decisions. I like her a lot. I thought at first she may end up being a "Mary Sue" type character but it never happened. She just seems natural in who she is.
Secondary Characters:: There are some great secondaries in this story. All kinds of different beings but most are still human looking or at least human is one of their appearances. Carmella has some great friends and some male admirers.
POV:: Just Carmella
Dialogue:: This was done really well, especially in the audio version. It felt authentic, like the way people really speak to each other. There is some foul language including the F word but it didn't stick out to me. It wasn't used the way it's used in a biker book, but more like "WTF?" kind of use.
Story ending:: The story ends in a good way but it isn't over. We get some answers but there are threads unresolved that will carry over into the next book. No major cliffhangers but not a finished story either.
HEA:: Romantically? There are some possible romances for Carmella but nothing yet.
Darkness level:: This didn't feel dark to me. There is some violence but nothing really graphic. There are villains but nothing too twisted.
Humor:: There is some banter and witty/snarky dialogue.
Depth of the book:: moderate, nothing heavy but some of the characters deal with real feeling mostly of the romantic kind.
Triggers::
Romance:: Mentioned above
Sexual Tension/Chemistry::
OW/OM Situations::
Audiobook Narration:: Read by Zehra Jane Naqvi. If you are an audiobook lover like I am, I would recommend also following with the ebook as well, at least for the first several chapters. The narrator uses a very strong English accent as well as Eastern Indian accents and a lot of the names of characters, beings and locations are unusual names.... at least they were to me. I'm American and I listen to a lot of audiobooks with English accents but I found this one difficult to follow at first. Once I caught on to the names of the characters and the names of the primary beings in the story, I was then able to put my Kindle down and just listen, but I was really confused at first which is why I used the ebook as well. Otherwise, the narrator was really good! She put a lot of reality into the dialogue.
Would I recommend this book:: Definitely if you enjoy urban fantasy.
Would I re-read this book:: Yes
Would I read future books by this author:: Yes, already started book 2.
Books with a similar feel:: Another Kindle Unlimited gem... The Light Who Shines by Lilo Abernathy
June 12, 2018
I feel like I'm missing something. The "Heroine" is always dumping on herself for this almost entire book. She's totally kickass, she just doesn't know it yet. Although she needs to stand up for herself, she lets people walk all over her wayyy to often.
She keeps mentioning incidents. The Void breaking, her time as a librarian in the assassins guild, and her super badass bitch friend Malina, who has a hellhound companion and guards the gates to the underworld. Then there's whole story about her ex and Penelope.
Was there a series before this? As I pondered this I remember the book still unread on my shelf. Immortal Bound (The Aspara Chronicles #1) then I remember it's by T.G. Ayer not Debbie Cassidy.
Then I did a little bit of searching. The Gatekeeper Chronicles was written by a Dina Givens and a Jasmine Walt. The leading characters were named Emma Hayes (dina's) and Malina Hayes (jasmines) from there I figured it out. Although it's not immediately obvious, Debbie Cassidy co-authored the series which is why you won't find it under the author profile if you view this on a mobile device.
Drake, her ex, used her as a beard the entire time and totally, bottom of the barrel, downgraded her for that waste of life. What the hell is wrong with this picture? She's sweet, careing, pure hearted, will go out of her way to do things for you, and will put your needs above her own. And he dumps her for Penelope. Penn is self-centered, self-serving, possessive, petty, cognitively and emotionally immature, gold digging social climber, and she treats Drake like a second class citizen but tries not to be obvious about it. What The Hell Is Wrong With This Picture?
Let's not forget the sweet caring guy, with a cultivated image, that guenuinely likes her for herself and wants her with him in that "your the first thing I want to see in the morning" kind of way. And she has no chemistry with him, even if he feels sparks. Depressing.
Last but not least, is the guy she fell in love with. He feels the exact same way but is about to loose her in favor of a political marriage to a woman she can't compete with. (I'm not sure about the woman. He doesn't love her. But he's not exactly blind to her beauty and emotional messages either. He doesn't want to marry her, but I get the impression he'd have no problem with having a Fling with her that lasted a couple of months. You'll see what I mean towards the end of the book. Hard to describe but accurate.) from what I've read so far I don't think she'll ever really get over him. Especially since he's going out of his way to make them keep contact even if it hurts her.
Finally we have the immortal who's looking for a mate that the heroine wants to be anyone but her. Sure he's handsome, powerful, can be dotating if overbearing, and is over protective in that patriarchal society kind of way. This is basically how the character feels in my own words, "He's beautiful, but so is a white tiger. Just because it's beauty is enthralling doesn't mean I want to fuck it." That pretty much sums it up.
I can't wait till book 2!!!
She keeps mentioning incidents. The Void breaking, her time as a librarian in the assassins guild, and her super badass bitch friend Malina, who has a hellhound companion and guards the gates to the underworld. Then there's whole story about her ex and Penelope.
Was there a series before this? As I pondered this I remember the book still unread on my shelf. Immortal Bound (The Aspara Chronicles #1) then I remember it's by T.G. Ayer not Debbie Cassidy.
Then I did a little bit of searching. The Gatekeeper Chronicles was written by a Dina Givens and a Jasmine Walt. The leading characters were named Emma Hayes (dina's) and Malina Hayes (jasmines) from there I figured it out. Although it's not immediately obvious, Debbie Cassidy co-authored the series which is why you won't find it under the author profile if you view this on a mobile device.
Drake, her ex, used her as a beard the entire time and totally, bottom of the barrel, downgraded her for that waste of life. What the hell is wrong with this picture? She's sweet, careing, pure hearted, will go out of her way to do things for you, and will put your needs above her own. And he dumps her for Penelope. Penn is self-centered, self-serving, possessive, petty, cognitively and emotionally immature, gold digging social climber, and she treats Drake like a second class citizen but tries not to be obvious about it. What The Hell Is Wrong With This Picture?
Let's not forget the sweet caring guy, with a cultivated image, that guenuinely likes her for herself and wants her with him in that "your the first thing I want to see in the morning" kind of way. And she has no chemistry with him, even if he feels sparks. Depressing.
Last but not least, is the guy she fell in love with. He feels the exact same way but is about to loose her in favor of a political marriage to a woman she can't compete with. (I'm not sure about the woman. He doesn't love her. But he's not exactly blind to her beauty and emotional messages either. He doesn't want to marry her, but I get the impression he'd have no problem with having a Fling with her that lasted a couple of months. You'll see what I mean towards the end of the book. Hard to describe but accurate.) from what I've read so far I don't think she'll ever really get over him. Especially since he's going out of his way to make them keep contact even if it hurts her.
Finally we have the immortal who's looking for a mate that the heroine wants to be anyone but her. Sure he's handsome, powerful, can be dotating if overbearing, and is over protective in that patriarchal society kind of way. This is basically how the character feels in my own words, "He's beautiful, but so is a white tiger. Just because it's beauty is enthralling doesn't mean I want to fuck it." That pretty much sums it up.
I can't wait till book 2!!!
September 16, 2018
Hmmm. Middle of the road with this book. Something about how there is so much going on and our heroine is just standing in the middle all clueless is kind of irritating. I prefer a proactive MC and Carmella is barely even reactive, and kinda a hot mess at times.
There is no world building but hints of a story before this. The amt of different species, the whole multiverse thing is very confusing without some explaining. Once again I have stepped off in something that had already been ongoing this must be a later spinoff of another series so I am going to have to backtrack.
We start with Carmela wallowing in self doubt and basically throwing herself a pity party on being a blood witch with no powers, and having bad luck in the love department. I would say Carmela is a very caring character but the story is kind of playing her off as selfless but a selfless character wouldn’t crave the recognition and the acceptance from these different factions in this world. She is then bonded with a Djinn and used to House his essence basically in order to hide him from whatever is hunting his people and to investigate and capture whatever entity this is. The storyline kind of goes off track here and there but we end up not really knowing what it was or what it was doing. Carmela discovers some important things about herself and then more crap hits the fan. I’m starting to feel sorry for Carmela. It’s obvious she is being played by others and that irritates me.
I’m interested enough in the storyline to maybe try out the next book, but if I can’t get more connected with the characters by the next book I may have to shelve this.
There is no world building but hints of a story before this. The amt of different species, the whole multiverse thing is very confusing without some explaining. Once again I have stepped off in something that had already been ongoing this must be a later spinoff of another series so I am going to have to backtrack.
We start with Carmela wallowing in self doubt and basically throwing herself a pity party on being a blood witch with no powers, and having bad luck in the love department. I would say Carmela is a very caring character but the story is kind of playing her off as selfless but a selfless character wouldn’t crave the recognition and the acceptance from these different factions in this world. She is then bonded with a Djinn and used to House his essence basically in order to hide him from whatever is hunting his people and to investigate and capture whatever entity this is. The storyline kind of goes off track here and there but we end up not really knowing what it was or what it was doing. Carmela discovers some important things about herself and then more crap hits the fan. I’m starting to feel sorry for Carmela. It’s obvious she is being played by others and that irritates me.
I’m interested enough in the storyline to maybe try out the next book, but if I can’t get more connected with the characters by the next book I may have to shelve this.
March 13, 2018
Carmella is a fun character! I loved that she was okay being without magic in a world full of it! There were a bit of twists and lots of unusual supernatural characters that aren’t the normal ones in standard urban fantasy books. I found that refreshing. I’m dying to see what happens next! Well worth the read and a new Author for me to obsess over. Five glittery stars!
March 4, 2023
I was sooo confused. Was this a continuation from another world? I didn't recognize any of the races mentioned in the book and they were presented like we should already know the background of the races. Other than this, the book was frustrating at times, but good. All in all though I left the book feeling a little depressed, not sure if I'll continue.
September 19, 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Witch Blood Chronicles is the spin off series to the hugely popular Gatekeeper Chronicles coauthored with Jasmine Walt, and although it can be enjoyed as a standalone series, the author recommends reading The Gatekeeper Chronicles first for maximum impact.
Binding Magick is the first installment in a new urban fantasy series, The Witch Blood Chronicles. Carmella Hunter, a witch blood, works in popular London bakery. The only magic she’s capable of creating, however, is her delicious cinnamon buns. Carmella has never been able to properly tap into her witch powers. Instead, the talented baker focuses on helping others. As the operator of a soup kitchen and shelter, Carmella’s life is firmly rooted in the daily grind until she finds herself bound to a seductive and all-powerful djinn, Paimon. On a mission from another dimension, Paimon recruits Carmella to help him solve the mysterious disappearance of his people. The disappearance of Paimon’s people coincides with the disappearance of paranormal beings in Carmella’s world, so she’s motivated to help. With access to Paimon’s powers, Carmella finally feels equipped to delve into supernatural mire to find answers.
I liked this story. It has all the ingredients of an excellent urban fantasy. Carmella is beautiful, talented, and sassy, but flawed. Ergo she’s relatable. The storyline is creative and action-packed. Cassidy weaves loads of romantic tension throughout the story, which I love. The table is set for an engaging series; there are many directions Carmella could take in life and love. Another feature I found interesting was Cassidy’s use of Hindu deities as the basis for the story. I found this to be a refreshing and original touch in a genre that more commonly relies on Western constructs.
While reading, however, I felt I was missing loads of backstory. I found that Witch Blood Chronicles is a spin-off series. The Gatekeeper Chronicles, co-written by Cassidy, is the story of Malina Hayes, Carmella’s best friend, and supernatural assassin. While the series are separate, they take place in the same world. I suspect readers familiar with Gatekeeper would’ve had an easier time navigating book one of Witch Blood. Nevertheless, I’ve downloaded book two and am eager to see where Carmella’s newfound powers will take her.
Reviewed for ismellsheep.com
The Witch Blood Chronicles is the spin off series to the hugely popular Gatekeeper Chronicles coauthored with Jasmine Walt, and although it can be enjoyed as a standalone series, the author recommends reading The Gatekeeper Chronicles first for maximum impact.
Binding Magick is the first installment in a new urban fantasy series, The Witch Blood Chronicles. Carmella Hunter, a witch blood, works in popular London bakery. The only magic she’s capable of creating, however, is her delicious cinnamon buns. Carmella has never been able to properly tap into her witch powers. Instead, the talented baker focuses on helping others. As the operator of a soup kitchen and shelter, Carmella’s life is firmly rooted in the daily grind until she finds herself bound to a seductive and all-powerful djinn, Paimon. On a mission from another dimension, Paimon recruits Carmella to help him solve the mysterious disappearance of his people. The disappearance of Paimon’s people coincides with the disappearance of paranormal beings in Carmella’s world, so she’s motivated to help. With access to Paimon’s powers, Carmella finally feels equipped to delve into supernatural mire to find answers.
I liked this story. It has all the ingredients of an excellent urban fantasy. Carmella is beautiful, talented, and sassy, but flawed. Ergo she’s relatable. The storyline is creative and action-packed. Cassidy weaves loads of romantic tension throughout the story, which I love. The table is set for an engaging series; there are many directions Carmella could take in life and love. Another feature I found interesting was Cassidy’s use of Hindu deities as the basis for the story. I found this to be a refreshing and original touch in a genre that more commonly relies on Western constructs.
While reading, however, I felt I was missing loads of backstory. I found that Witch Blood Chronicles is a spin-off series. The Gatekeeper Chronicles, co-written by Cassidy, is the story of Malina Hayes, Carmella’s best friend, and supernatural assassin. While the series are separate, they take place in the same world. I suspect readers familiar with Gatekeeper would’ve had an easier time navigating book one of Witch Blood. Nevertheless, I’ve downloaded book two and am eager to see where Carmella’s newfound powers will take her.
Reviewed for ismellsheep.com
October 20, 2020
This one missed 4 stars by a hair.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. The majority of the plot felt really natural. Personalities were consistent if not super complex and most importantly the book kept me on my toes with where the plot would go which is a high order for me nowadays because I recognize typical patterns far too quickly.
Something that bothered me but I don't really know how to put into words are the emotions of the characters. They feel shallow somehow. Some of the MCs personal issues are well written and feel believable but especially emotions invoked by current events seem like they have no impact. It's like characters act out the expected behaviour for a short while but then it's just abruptly over and done with.
Events which should, by all means, have had a deep emotional impact on me as a reader left me unaffected because of this.
It made it very hard to get emotionally invested.
(This issue becomes even worse in the second book of the series.)
The final plot point was the main reason that stopped me from giving 4 stars.
The entire thing with the chant and all that came out of nowhere and felt forced to me.
I liked how the whole affair turned out in the end (in the second book) but that doesn't excuse the lazy setup.
The main plot of the series seems to be pretty well planned out. There are clues that span beyond a single book and it's not just shotgun clues with lots of dead ends either. The author seems to truly have pre-planned most of the plot and placed subtle hints to it from the start. This seems like it should be a matter of course but it's really not. Only very few books actually display this level of planning together with consistent hinting.
I don't want to go too far with my praise here. The plot isn't that intricate but it still deserves to be pointed out because sadly, this is actually quite rare.
I want to mention that this level of polish doesn't extend to the following books. What I said about the plot stays true but how the characters are steered along it becomes outright artless in comparison to this first book.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. The majority of the plot felt really natural. Personalities were consistent if not super complex and most importantly the book kept me on my toes with where the plot would go which is a high order for me nowadays because I recognize typical patterns far too quickly.
Something that bothered me but I don't really know how to put into words are the emotions of the characters. They feel shallow somehow. Some of the MCs personal issues are well written and feel believable but especially emotions invoked by current events seem like they have no impact. It's like characters act out the expected behaviour for a short while but then it's just abruptly over and done with.
Events which should, by all means, have had a deep emotional impact on me as a reader left me unaffected because of this.
It made it very hard to get emotionally invested.
(This issue becomes even worse in the second book of the series.)
The final plot point was the main reason that stopped me from giving 4 stars.
The entire thing with the chant and all that came out of nowhere and felt forced to me.
I liked how the whole affair turned out in the end (in the second book) but that doesn't excuse the lazy setup.
The main plot of the series seems to be pretty well planned out. There are clues that span beyond a single book and it's not just shotgun clues with lots of dead ends either. The author seems to truly have pre-planned most of the plot and placed subtle hints to it from the start. This seems like it should be a matter of course but it's really not. Only very few books actually display this level of planning together with consistent hinting.
I don't want to go too far with my praise here. The plot isn't that intricate but it still deserves to be pointed out because sadly, this is actually quite rare.
I want to mention that this level of polish doesn't extend to the following books. What I said about the plot stays true but how the characters are steered along it becomes outright artless in comparison to this first book.
November 12, 2017
"Binding Magic" is an interesting tale about Carmella Hunter whose magical powers never materialized. She is basically considered a null and even her own mother seems to feel embarassed by her lack of magical ability. So, Carmella does what she does best, bake the best cinnamon rolls and brownies in the area at the local bakery owned by her good friend.
Carmella has a good heart as demonstrated by the way she lives her life in a small apartment above the bakery so that she can use her money to run shelter that feeds the homeless. That good heart was also badly broken when her ex- boyfriend left her for a high brow witch. Now she tries her best to protect her heart especially from the handsome playboy and Coven Elder, Mal Banner, who is constantly visiting the bakery.
Then, when Carmella is struck with a high fever and is sick something happens to her and she now has another entity, a djinn named Paimon cohabitating in her body. Paimon and his sidekick strike a deal with Carmella to assist them in finding missing Djinn. Things get a little complicated when Carmella's friend and owner of the bakery is also kidnapped. Since no one will help her, she begins to investigate on her own and someone or something is not happy about this.
As Carmella and Paimon launch their investigation and get closer to the truth, she comes into powers that she discovered were bound from her. With her mother leaving town and no one else she can get honest answers from, she will have to manuever in the shark invested waters on her own. If there aren't monsters chasing her it's sexy men who want to be with her. What's a girl to do?
I really enjoyed this read primarily due to the great characterizations and world building. I immediately felt comfortable in the world that Debbie Cassidy creates and wanted to know more. I read this book from start to finish in a matter of hours and enjoyed every minute of it. I cannot wait to go on to the next book in this series. It's great to find a new series that I can truly embrace.
Carmella has a good heart as demonstrated by the way she lives her life in a small apartment above the bakery so that she can use her money to run shelter that feeds the homeless. That good heart was also badly broken when her ex- boyfriend left her for a high brow witch. Now she tries her best to protect her heart especially from the handsome playboy and Coven Elder, Mal Banner, who is constantly visiting the bakery.
Then, when Carmella is struck with a high fever and is sick something happens to her and she now has another entity, a djinn named Paimon cohabitating in her body. Paimon and his sidekick strike a deal with Carmella to assist them in finding missing Djinn. Things get a little complicated when Carmella's friend and owner of the bakery is also kidnapped. Since no one will help her, she begins to investigate on her own and someone or something is not happy about this.
As Carmella and Paimon launch their investigation and get closer to the truth, she comes into powers that she discovered were bound from her. With her mother leaving town and no one else she can get honest answers from, she will have to manuever in the shark invested waters on her own. If there aren't monsters chasing her it's sexy men who want to be with her. What's a girl to do?
I really enjoyed this read primarily due to the great characterizations and world building. I immediately felt comfortable in the world that Debbie Cassidy creates and wanted to know more. I read this book from start to finish in a matter of hours and enjoyed every minute of it. I cannot wait to go on to the next book in this series. It's great to find a new series that I can truly embrace.
October 10, 2020
Torn like the story but...
By the middle of the book I was only reading for the story. The FMC starts out behaving like a scared teen instead of a woman. Then finally she gets it somewhat together but then spends most of her time not really being very helpful to the djinn! Like isn’t that the point? Shoulda been more important than making cinnamon rolls! She could have asked for some days off holy crap so ridiculous. Honestly for someone so keen to be rid of the djinn she certainly didn’t behave in a way conducive to doing just that.
I expect the early behaviour was designed to show growth as a person but it felt awkward. I suppose the swing was too drastic between helpless and competent. Though I wouldn’t describe her as competent. The work was primarily done for her it wasn’t her skills that saved her because someone was always helping her out.
If looking for romance it isn’t here so don’t count on that. The weird thing she did between the djinn and the FMC could have been romantic although it really wasn’t. Though to explain that properly would be too much of a spoiler. There’s a moment with another male character Vritra that had the potential to be utterly romantic but for the FMCs attitude. I’ll put it this way there are a couple of moments where there was “heat” and you experience an “ah here we go” ... a couple of sentences to a paragraph happen and it’s all but evaporated like a dud.
I have read a lot of D.C.’s books and I enjoy her stories. There are a few FMCs I don’t like but read the books because they are really intriguing worlds. Her world building and characters are always what carry me through. Basically, the world is fantastic and it’s worth the read but it does depend on what you hope to get out of it.
By the middle of the book I was only reading for the story. The FMC starts out behaving like a scared teen instead of a woman. Then finally she gets it somewhat together but then spends most of her time not really being very helpful to the djinn! Like isn’t that the point? Shoulda been more important than making cinnamon rolls! She could have asked for some days off holy crap so ridiculous. Honestly for someone so keen to be rid of the djinn she certainly didn’t behave in a way conducive to doing just that.
I expect the early behaviour was designed to show growth as a person but it felt awkward. I suppose the swing was too drastic between helpless and competent. Though I wouldn’t describe her as competent. The work was primarily done for her it wasn’t her skills that saved her because someone was always helping her out.
If looking for romance it isn’t here so don’t count on that. The weird thing she did between the djinn and the FMC could have been romantic although it really wasn’t. Though to explain that properly would be too much of a spoiler. There’s a moment with another male character Vritra that had the potential to be utterly romantic but for the FMCs attitude. I’ll put it this way there are a couple of moments where there was “heat” and you experience an “ah here we go” ... a couple of sentences to a paragraph happen and it’s all but evaporated like a dud.
I have read a lot of D.C.’s books and I enjoy her stories. There are a few FMCs I don’t like but read the books because they are really intriguing worlds. Her world building and characters are always what carry me through. Basically, the world is fantastic and it’s worth the read but it does depend on what you hope to get out of it.
January 15, 2019
I truly enjoyed this book. It was filled with a mysterious new world and fascinating characters that pull you into the story. The characters and dialogue are strong and well-written and story gripping and suspenseful. There are several factions to become familiar with and they are all interesting in their own way. I was intrigued by Carmella; she had so many layers to her. She was a witch with no magic who was shunned by her family and now stuck in a dead end job as a baker and helps out at a soup kitchen. She is ok with what she does but longs to do something more with her life. She really wants to make a difference and is struggling to find a foothold, where she fits in. One fateful night everything changes when she is too sick from the flu to understand the consequences of making a bargain with a djinn named Paimon. Bound to him to do his bidding her life suddenly becomes complicated and exciting and the taste of power she gets from him is not bad either. While working with him to find those responsible for hunting his people, she also learns her boss, and friend, and other magical people are disappearing. Teaming up with some powerful, interesting allies Carmella knows this is her chance to make a difference and be who she always wanted to be. However there is someone or something hiding in the shadows that does not want to be found and Carmella is in their line of sight. Can she unravel the mystery before time runs out or will she be next in line to disappear or suffer an even worse fate? This looks like a great series, I cannot wait to read more. *I voluntarily read/reviewed an ARC of this book.
September 29, 2017
This is a really fun book and the start of what I suspect will be a great series. It's a spinoff of Gatekeeper Chronicles that Debbie Cassidy coauthored with Jasmine Walt. I haven't read that series, so when I write that this book can be read on it's own merits that's clearly the case, but I suspect that if I'd read that then this book would've been enhanced. As is I waffled between 4 and 5 stars on its own, but an giving it that 5th star on the presumption that the missing background would make the difference between borderline and firm five stars.
Carmella Hunter, the lead character here, is a neat leading lady. Brains and beauty she only needs real magical ability to be a true kick-a** heroine. Delirium from a nasty flu plus a bargain with the djinn Paimon lead her to getting that missing ingredient. And so adventure is born with a small to do list of tracking down the monsters hunting Paimon’s people and finding her missing friend (and boss) Urvashi, a celestial nymph as nobody in authority is concerned about her disappearance. And what an adventure it is, well written with lots of thrills, twists and turns, great supporting characters (such as, Mal Banner, the Piccadilly Coven Elder Witch) and a wonderful set of parallel universes full of witches, djinn and gods.
Highly recommended.
Carmella Hunter, the lead character here, is a neat leading lady. Brains and beauty she only needs real magical ability to be a true kick-a** heroine. Delirium from a nasty flu plus a bargain with the djinn Paimon lead her to getting that missing ingredient. And so adventure is born with a small to do list of tracking down the monsters hunting Paimon’s people and finding her missing friend (and boss) Urvashi, a celestial nymph as nobody in authority is concerned about her disappearance. And what an adventure it is, well written with lots of thrills, twists and turns, great supporting characters (such as, Mal Banner, the Piccadilly Coven Elder Witch) and a wonderful set of parallel universes full of witches, djinn and gods.
Highly recommended.
August 19, 2017
book 1 Binding Magick is a continuation of the Gatekeeper Chronicles... and is totally awesome.
The main character is Carmella Hunter, a witch blood with practically no magick. Carmella used to work in the Library as the artifacts librarian of the Assassins Guild of which now is no more. Carmella is still friends with Malina Hayes who has now taken over as the Gate Keeper of Hell's mouth. And Drake the High Witch's Grandson is friends with Carmella or so he thinks.. He broke Carmella's heart by going after Penelope and dropping Carmella like a burning stone fresh out of the fire... not the best thing to do... shame on you Drake...
In Binding Magic many exciting things happen.. Carmella is a Baker at the Delightful Bakery owned by Urvashi, a celestial nymph who is also good friends with Carmella. This book is fast paced and you must read the Gatekeeper Chronicles trilogy to know and understand what is happening and why it has happened. it is full of action and surprises.. and some I wouldn't of thought it to happen...
a super awesome book all in all.. I loved reading this one and can't wait till the next one comes out
The main character is Carmella Hunter, a witch blood with practically no magick. Carmella used to work in the Library as the artifacts librarian of the Assassins Guild of which now is no more. Carmella is still friends with Malina Hayes who has now taken over as the Gate Keeper of Hell's mouth. And Drake the High Witch's Grandson is friends with Carmella or so he thinks.. He broke Carmella's heart by going after Penelope and dropping Carmella like a burning stone fresh out of the fire... not the best thing to do... shame on you Drake...
In Binding Magic many exciting things happen.. Carmella is a Baker at the Delightful Bakery owned by Urvashi, a celestial nymph who is also good friends with Carmella. This book is fast paced and you must read the Gatekeeper Chronicles trilogy to know and understand what is happening and why it has happened. it is full of action and surprises.. and some I wouldn't of thought it to happen...
a super awesome book all in all.. I loved reading this one and can't wait till the next one comes out
January 10, 2018
This book is the first in the Witch Blood Chronicles series which is an offshoot of the Gatekeeper Chronicles. However, you don’t have to have read those to enjoy this one, but I do recommend them because they are a great series. Back to this book. One of the reasons I decided to read this book was because I really loved the writing in the series I mentioned above. I am so glad I did. This book was very well-written, and I just loved the characters. They are truly fun, multi-layered, and interesting, and I have to confess the author kept me guessing with Carmella’s love interest. To be fair, I don’t know which one I wanted her to end up with because each one had good and bad points. However, don’t think this book has a lot of romance. It has some but not a lot. I also loved the action in this book. There was never a dull moment, and I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it, the mark of a truly good book. I enjoyed it so much, I’ve already picked up the second. To conclude, if you love urban fantasy, give this book a try; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! Highly recommend!
August 9, 2018
Interesting read
I really loved this book. This story features djinn and asuras, devas and witches and humans, and a plethora of other gods and demi gods. It's not the typical vamire/were shifter story, which makes it intriguing and unique to explore these new paranormal characters. The main character is strong, a warrior who isn't actually a warrior, but someone who is struggling and fighting to find her place. First she was an archivist, now she's a baker by day and she's helping out homeless paranormals at her soup kitchen in her off time. It's a different kind of kickass, and I really enjoyed it. And her world takes a turn for the unusual when one day, she wakes up to find she's sharing her body with a djinn. What happens next was interesting, thought-provoking and entertaining.
I'm currently downloading the other books in the series. I cannot wait to see where the story goes from here
I really loved this book. This story features djinn and asuras, devas and witches and humans, and a plethora of other gods and demi gods. It's not the typical vamire/were shifter story, which makes it intriguing and unique to explore these new paranormal characters. The main character is strong, a warrior who isn't actually a warrior, but someone who is struggling and fighting to find her place. First she was an archivist, now she's a baker by day and she's helping out homeless paranormals at her soup kitchen in her off time. It's a different kind of kickass, and I really enjoyed it. And her world takes a turn for the unusual when one day, she wakes up to find she's sharing her body with a djinn. What happens next was interesting, thought-provoking and entertaining.
I'm currently downloading the other books in the series. I cannot wait to see where the story goes from here
September 3, 2020
When bored by another book, pick up an unknown series from an author you've had good experiences with so far. Worked. Absolutely worked. Although I might have picked up the second series in this world..... but who cares. The story works as a stand-alone-series (though the previous series might be interesting).
(++) Indian mythology (nearly first time for me - exception Ilona Andrews with Magic strikes - and I loved these themes)
(+) a struggling, but powerful heroine
(+) heroine is a baker (I loved that idea although it seems that's only the introduction)
(+) slow burn - ohhh, there might be some love interests or several as in RH? I don't know and I love it!
(+/-) As a series in an already established world, there's already much worldbuilding. That's good (generally), but might be confusing sometimes/ too much at once
I try to think of negative aspects... but I really can't think of any. Hence, 5 stars and next book in the series.
(++) Indian mythology (nearly first time for me - exception Ilona Andrews with Magic strikes - and I loved these themes)
(+) a struggling, but powerful heroine
(+) heroine is a baker (I loved that idea although it seems that's only the introduction)
(+) slow burn - ohhh, there might be some love interests or several as in RH? I don't know and I love it!
(+/-) As a series in an already established world, there's already much worldbuilding. That's good (generally), but might be confusing sometimes/ too much at once
I try to think of negative aspects... but I really can't think of any. Hence, 5 stars and next book in the series.
August 24, 2017
I adored this book! If you liked the Gateway series you will love this, even if you havent read it it doesnt matter it can stand alone. I read a LOT of fantasy books, particularly urban with strong kickass female characters, and just the other day i wondered why there cant be one who actually is a 'nice' person, a kind unselfish one. One who doesnt always make dumb rash decisions and puts themself in dangerous situations, someone so stubborn you dont really like them much...then along comes Cassandra! She's still a fantastic character and badass when she needs to be. She's someone i actually like and respect. If only other authors could 'take a page from her book' (ironic saying) and not make the female lead someone you cringe and shake your head over with their stupidity. Anyway rant over, clearly i loved this book and will eagerly await the next sequel.
January 7, 2018
This book and the entire series was really good, I have read the gatekeeper chronicles and finally got around to picking up this companion that can be read as standalone but I do suggest reading the gatekeeper series as well. I read three of the books in one night I stayed up until about 4 AM because I was so into the book. The story was fun the characters for fun the main character at first I didn’t really like I thought she was really whiny but as the story progresses so did she I totally did not see the storyline where ended up going in a couple books as a starting book of the series it was amazing. I’m really sad that there’s so few books in the series because it was so good but I also understand it. You cannot go wrong by reading this book I am so glad I decided to read it and I looked Forward to more books by this author.
January 29, 2020
Well, other reviewers went into so much detail. I actually loved it, but I had to pick it up twice to get into the story. It was wonderful, but I read so many stories they get lost in my reader.
I am currently on the second novel after getting overwhelmed by all the academy romances. I love romance plus urban fantasy, and I really like a strong feeling of sexual attraction, and this series rocks it. The noteworthy statements appeal to my brain as well.
So read other reviews for the plot synopsis, but know that there is a very strong plot, great characters, noteworthy moments of romance, and mystery. Even the romantic options invoke some wonder over who is going to be the romantic interest.
BUT: the djinn is not very lust-worthy to me. Just saying Paimon's name is more exotic than his character. He is more of a boy-next-dimension. LOL.
I am currently on the second novel after getting overwhelmed by all the academy romances. I love romance plus urban fantasy, and I really like a strong feeling of sexual attraction, and this series rocks it. The noteworthy statements appeal to my brain as well.
So read other reviews for the plot synopsis, but know that there is a very strong plot, great characters, noteworthy moments of romance, and mystery. Even the romantic options invoke some wonder over who is going to be the romantic interest.
BUT: the djinn is not very lust-worthy to me. Just saying Paimon's name is more exotic than his character. He is more of a boy-next-dimension. LOL.
July 15, 2018
The ties that bind us - are they ever broken?
Absolutely stunning. Being a witch with no powers and having yet to find her place in the world. She is currently working as a baker. Thrust into a mystery when her body is inhabited with a male Djinn she tries to find answers. Will the answers be what she is looking for or will they lead to more questions? Witches, Djinn, parallel universes and gods make for a terrific read. She is a character that is a mix of innocence, trust and pure guts. Her male counterparts are all alphas and all are intent on making her their own. A stunningly woven world that draws you in and leaves you wanting more. A thoroughly great read. Can't wait for more.
Absolutely stunning. Being a witch with no powers and having yet to find her place in the world. She is currently working as a baker. Thrust into a mystery when her body is inhabited with a male Djinn she tries to find answers. Will the answers be what she is looking for or will they lead to more questions? Witches, Djinn, parallel universes and gods make for a terrific read. She is a character that is a mix of innocence, trust and pure guts. Her male counterparts are all alphas and all are intent on making her their own. A stunningly woven world that draws you in and leaves you wanting more. A thoroughly great read. Can't wait for more.
August 19, 2022
Initially I wasn't sure what to make of this book. It dumped us into a world, used terms like Asura that had no context and seemed to rely on the world building of another series. That was a little disconcerting. I found myself confirming twice that this was the first novel in a series, and was unsurprised to find it was a spin off series but should stand on it's own.
That confusion aside, once you got into the world and learned the rules of the species it had a compelling story. By the time I felt I was across everything I was gunning for Carmella and wanted her to kick ass. The quasi-romances felt a little off sometimes, but added to the mystery of the story.
It's worth a good read, and on Kindle unlimited you can't lose.
That confusion aside, once you got into the world and learned the rules of the species it had a compelling story. By the time I felt I was across everything I was gunning for Carmella and wanted her to kick ass. The quasi-romances felt a little off sometimes, but added to the mystery of the story.
It's worth a good read, and on Kindle unlimited you can't lose.
Read
July 27, 2022Review to self:
I DNF’d this book and I don’t want to risk reading it again, so I’m making this notation to remind myself. I accidentally read a review that had a spoiler in it. I learned there was a love triangle throughout the entire series. I learned about a close betrayal as well.
None of that mattered…until I started reading the book and realized love triangle guy and evil guy were one in the same.
When I read the story I realized I hated that djinn from the very start regardless. How he gets FMC to fall in love with him is beyond me. I don’t want to read and entire 4 books about the FMC being in love with the bad guy.
I DNF’d this book and I don’t want to risk reading it again, so I’m making this notation to remind myself. I accidentally read a review that had a spoiler in it. I learned there was a love triangle throughout the entire series. I learned about a close betrayal as well.
None of that mattered…until I started reading the book and realized love triangle guy and evil guy were one in the same.
When I read the story I realized I hated that djinn from the very start regardless. How he gets FMC to fall in love with him is beyond me. I don’t want to read and entire 4 books about the FMC being in love with the bad guy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2018
Witches , Djinns oCarmella is a witch with no magic . She works at a bakery and runs a kitchen to feed the homeless , and as she is filling orders for catering . As she is going home everything goes wrong and she makes a deal with Djinn. Not her best hour , Now she has to solve who is stealing Djinns , her boss goes missing . I loved reading this book . There was so much going on I didn't know if Carmella could keep up and help everyone who needed it . I loved that we had a lot of different paranormals . The story flowed smoothly and i rushed to start the second book.h my .
April 23, 2019
Has potential. I didn't bother reading the series before this... but reading about the characters from the original spinoff sounds interesting... Too bad I don't have the books.
Anyways, this series is definitely a long book cut into regular length books with cliffhangers. Better to get ahold of all the books before you start reading one.
If you don't mind a woe-is-me protagonist, the story is actually pretty good.
Anyways, this series is definitely a long book cut into regular length books with cliffhangers. Better to get ahold of all the books before you start reading one.
If you don't mind a woe-is-me protagonist, the story is actually pretty good.
April 25, 2021
I liked it. I wasn't a fun of the heroine in the begining but during the story she grew on me. The concept was interesting enough and the characters intricate. Even if the heroine wasn't really a badass but not a doormat (she was somewhere in the middle), the problems she faced and the circumstances that shaped her made you dig her in the end. The paranormal elements were unique with a mix of demigods, ginies, some kind of shifters and demons.
May 26, 2025
❌ The word ‘f$ck’ is mentioned 111 times in this not very long novel 🫠
❌ It doesn’t feel like the first book at all. You probably need to read another series in this book-universe first. I am at 70% of the book already but A LOT of world building is still unexplained.
❌ Of course, the main character is a special snowflake 🙈
I would probably have quit reading already but I love the narration of Zehra Jane Naqvi too much so I will try to listen further.
❌ It doesn’t feel like the first book at all. You probably need to read another series in this book-universe first. I am at 70% of the book already but A LOT of world building is still unexplained.
❌ Of course, the main character is a special snowflake 🙈
I would probably have quit reading already but I love the narration of Zehra Jane Naqvi too much so I will try to listen further.
August 26, 2017
Wonderful story
I am glad I decided to read this one. It continues in a way the story we did not want to end, from a source we thought we knew. I enjoyed Carmella in the glimpses through Malina, but she truly shines all on her own. Oh and the men she has falling at her feet! But the Djinn is the one that has my vote! Can't wait for the next one!
I am glad I decided to read this one. It continues in a way the story we did not want to end, from a source we thought we knew. I enjoyed Carmella in the glimpses through Malina, but she truly shines all on her own. Oh and the men she has falling at her feet! But the Djinn is the one that has my vote! Can't wait for the next one!
August 27, 2017
Surprisingly good book!
I really liked this book. Carmella is one of my favorite characters from the Gatekeeper Chronicles, and her own story has proved just as exciting. Lot of unanswered questions that I'm sure will be answered in the upcoming sequel, which I'm looking forward to. Debbie Cassidy is an author I'll be looking for more of for sure!
I really liked this book. Carmella is one of my favorite characters from the Gatekeeper Chronicles, and her own story has proved just as exciting. Lot of unanswered questions that I'm sure will be answered in the upcoming sequel, which I'm looking forward to. Debbie Cassidy is an author I'll be looking for more of for sure!
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