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Magic and Claws #1
Forbidden Magic
How can my enemy want me when no one else ever has?
Oil and water. Shifters and mages. There are certain things that just don’t mix. But I’m in Porter’s Peak for a reason, and I’m not about to let a pack of wolves drive me away. And I’m certainly not going to fall into bed with the alpha … not even if he says we’re fated mates.
But evil magic is swirling around town, and the only way to keep my new home safe is to team up with the alluring older shifter and try to find the cause of the problems. As we grow closer, my resolve to stay out of his arms is slipping. No one has cared about me enough to stick around before … why should I trust an old enemy to be any different?
But evil magic is not the only problem, and when secrets threaten to tear us apart, we might bring the whole town down with us. Can we put aside ancient hatred and forge a new path? Or is our bond doomed from the start?
Oil and water. Shifters and mages. There are certain things that just don’t mix. But I’m in Porter’s Peak for a reason, and I’m not about to let a pack of wolves drive me away. And I’m certainly not going to fall into bed with the alpha … not even if he says we’re fated mates.
But evil magic is swirling around town, and the only way to keep my new home safe is to team up with the alluring older shifter and try to find the cause of the problems. As we grow closer, my resolve to stay out of his arms is slipping. No one has cared about me enough to stick around before … why should I trust an old enemy to be any different?
But evil magic is not the only problem, and when secrets threaten to tear us apart, we might bring the whole town down with us. Can we put aside ancient hatred and forge a new path? Or is our bond doomed from the start?
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2020
322 people are currently reading
336 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
April 18, 2020
I’ve read the theory Liam Kingsley isn’t an actual author. It’s a name a writing collective uses and, honestly, I think it’s true. Kingsley’s book are so vastly different in writing style they can’t possibly be from the same mind. Now I think even the blurbs of his books are written by different people. This book, for example, the blurb states “ I’m not about to let a pack of wolves drive me away. And I’m certainly not going to fall into bed with the alpha … not even if he says we’re fated mates.” Except that’s exactly what Zac does.
Leo is incredibly hostile to Zac. Zac is hostile to Leo. Leo is aware Zac is his mate, but he resists it. Zac has no idea what Leo is and is irritated by him. So the entirety of their encounters is Zac irritated by Leo and hostile to him. Not the romance book staple of “he’s so hot, I wanna do him, shame he’s an ass.” No! Just plain, this guy’s a d-bag and I don’t like him.
Leo goes on to accept Zac is his mate. The timeline is then...
Second 1 Leo tells Zac they’re mates.
Second 2 Zac accepts it without any argument whatsoever.
Second 3 they’re kissing.
Second 4 there’s a small scuffle with a pair of mages.
Second 5 Zac and Leo fall into bed.
Unbelievable! How is a blurb so wrong? Maybe because it’s 1,000 monkeys bashing at a typewriter?
The book is equally inconsistent with Leo demanding Zac get out of his town in one breath and then declaring he has to protect him in the literal next breath. Yes, literally! One chapter ends with Leo growling “get out of my town.” The next chapter (the same scene from Zac’s POV) starts with Leo following Zac telling him he has to protect him.
Awful writing aside, the plot is barely strung together. It starts with a 16 year old Zac discovering his powers. A stranger arrives to whisk him away. Time jump of 8 years. Zac is now 25. Do we learn anything about the past 8 years? No! Just that Dylan (the aforementioned stranger) took him somewhere and then left and Zac hasn’t seen him for 5 years. What Zac has been doing for 5 years.... who knows. He finished school, that’s 2 years. Presumably he was learning magic with Dylan, that’s an additional year, but beyond that nothing. The reader only casually learns Zac’s job because he decides to stop by a body shop to see if they’ve got any vacancies.
Dialogue is so clunky it’s cringeworthy. Years ago I read a book where a character is an author. She’s somewhat successful, but her editor tells her you can’t write relationships. The author privately muses “maybe it’s because I’ve never been in one.” Sometimes I’ll read books with such clunky dialogue I wonder if the author (or roomful of monkeys) is struggling because they’re writing something they have no experience with. Zac and Leo have first date small talk like they met on Tinder. It’s not awkward small talk that’s a plot point, i.e. Zac says something stupid and inwardly berates himself for being a nervous dolt. It’s just awkward dialogue.
I am so desperately tired of Kingsley’s books. The only saving grace is I’ve never had to directly pay for them.
Leo is incredibly hostile to Zac. Zac is hostile to Leo. Leo is aware Zac is his mate, but he resists it. Zac has no idea what Leo is and is irritated by him. So the entirety of their encounters is Zac irritated by Leo and hostile to him. Not the romance book staple of “he’s so hot, I wanna do him, shame he’s an ass.” No! Just plain, this guy’s a d-bag and I don’t like him.
Leo goes on to accept Zac is his mate. The timeline is then...
Second 1 Leo tells Zac they’re mates.
Second 2 Zac accepts it without any argument whatsoever.
Second 3 they’re kissing.
Second 4 there’s a small scuffle with a pair of mages.
Second 5 Zac and Leo fall into bed.
Unbelievable! How is a blurb so wrong? Maybe because it’s 1,000 monkeys bashing at a typewriter?
The book is equally inconsistent with Leo demanding Zac get out of his town in one breath and then declaring he has to protect him in the literal next breath. Yes, literally! One chapter ends with Leo growling “get out of my town.” The next chapter (the same scene from Zac’s POV) starts with Leo following Zac telling him he has to protect him.
Awful writing aside, the plot is barely strung together. It starts with a 16 year old Zac discovering his powers. A stranger arrives to whisk him away. Time jump of 8 years. Zac is now 25. Do we learn anything about the past 8 years? No! Just that Dylan (the aforementioned stranger) took him somewhere and then left and Zac hasn’t seen him for 5 years. What Zac has been doing for 5 years.... who knows. He finished school, that’s 2 years. Presumably he was learning magic with Dylan, that’s an additional year, but beyond that nothing. The reader only casually learns Zac’s job because he decides to stop by a body shop to see if they’ve got any vacancies.
Dialogue is so clunky it’s cringeworthy. Years ago I read a book where a character is an author. She’s somewhat successful, but her editor tells her you can’t write relationships. The author privately muses “maybe it’s because I’ve never been in one.” Sometimes I’ll read books with such clunky dialogue I wonder if the author (or roomful of monkeys) is struggling because they’re writing something they have no experience with. Zac and Leo have first date small talk like they met on Tinder. It’s not awkward small talk that’s a plot point, i.e. Zac says something stupid and inwardly berates himself for being a nervous dolt. It’s just awkward dialogue.
I am so desperately tired of Kingsley’s books. The only saving grace is I’ve never had to directly pay for them.
May 31, 2020
This book started out strong and had potential but ultimately fell flat for me. There are little to absolutely no character descriptions which is such a pain. There also seemed to be too much going on in the plot & a lot of elements and characters fall to the wayside. For example, Cade is supposed to be Zacs best friend and integral to his character development but I felt like that character appeared like every 100 page. At one point I forgot who he was?
I will say though that this book did have some fun moments
I will say though that this book did have some fun moments
April 22, 2020
I couldn't get into the characters AT ALL. Zac seems like a big baby and don't even get me started on Leo "I know this guy is my mate and I have to protect him and he lives here now but I'm going to constantly growl at him to 'Leave my town' like I'm trying to be cool" LastName. The way Leo acted right off the bat just didn't make a lot of sense, among other issues. There was really no coming back from that.
This doesn't quite rate a Yikes! but I definitely didn't want to finish it.
This doesn't quite rate a Yikes! but I definitely didn't want to finish it.
November 23, 2020
2.5 stars..
Ehh.. not the greatest shifter romance I have ever read...
There were things missing and it didn't flow as well as I wanted it to..
Also I don't fully remember this book since I read it a week or so ago... hehe
Ehh.. not the greatest shifter romance I have ever read...
There were things missing and it didn't flow as well as I wanted it to..
Also I don't fully remember this book since I read it a week or so ago... hehe
October 10, 2020
2,5 stars for this ....oh it could have been so much better.
The timing was totally off for me and the relationship just didn't click.
Leo really frustrated with his attitude and I didn't see how or when these two fell in love.
Nevertheless the second half was better and I am interested in seeing Dylans story, so 2,5 stars upgraded to 3
The timing was totally off for me and the relationship just didn't click.
Leo really frustrated with his attitude and I didn't see how or when these two fell in love.
Nevertheless the second half was better and I am interested in seeing Dylans story, so 2,5 stars upgraded to 3
April 21, 2020
very interesting storyline.. good characters and made me smile.. it was sexy and fun.. good plot.
June 6, 2020
Rating: 3.5 stars
I thought this a good start to a new series and while I enjoyed it, I’m just not sure I’m invested in the series enough to keep on reading it.
I thought this a good start to a new series and while I enjoyed it, I’m just not sure I’m invested in the series enough to keep on reading it.
May 2, 2020
Wanted to read the next one right away.
Like the cover.😊
Like the cover.😊
April 22, 2020
I loved this story. It is the kind that you can identify with the characters and immerse yourself in the story. Very well written and characters to win the heart make this book a must read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 13, 2020
Read by Shon
2 Stars
This book and these characters...
I probably shouldn't have finished this...
2 Stars
This book and these characters...
I probably shouldn't have finished this...
December 18, 2020
Fairly OK Read
3.5 stars
While typical for the genre, I enjoyed the story. The characters are well rounded and realistic, the plot is interesting. The bit at the beginning is a little jarring, but things smooth out quickly.
3.5 stars
While typical for the genre, I enjoyed the story. The characters are well rounded and realistic, the plot is interesting. The bit at the beginning is a little jarring, but things smooth out quickly.
May 27, 2020
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3,5🌟
Liam's books always catch my attention, but I've never read any until now. And I have pending a series written by Jill and Aiden Bates, but this was my first time with her too.
I enjoy this kind of book, don't get old for me. Give me romance, a little bit of fantasy, magic, shapeshifters and a little action and you got me. There are better and worse books... But it has to be too bad not to win me.
This one was not the best, but was pretty good. I liked the enemies to lovers and I'm grateful for the true mates trope not to be too rushed. It's not my favorite trope because most of times authors use is as some kind of means to justify an instalove. And it gets on my nerves.
Here Leo's wolf feels the bond between Zac and him but the love between them doesn't feel rushed. It didn't feel totally well developed either for something I can't quite put a finger on. It just felt a little bit off but not too much... That's the best way for me to describe it hahaha
I liked the magic in this universe. It was full of variety and it was exciting discovering more and more things about it. The shapeshifters, on the other hand, are left a little bit behind. They are there, but don't do that much. Or that's how I felt it.
I'm specillay intrigued by Cade, a character that got me confused because I wasn't sure if he would be up to something or not hahaha but I guess he will be the hero of a future book... Or so I hope. And Dylan. Oh, Dylan. I'm so dying to read his book. I so new who his mate would be since the second chapter (not exaggerating lol).
Overall, it's an entertaining and light read that I enjoyed.
3,5🌟
Liam's books always catch my attention, but I've never read any until now. And I have pending a series written by Jill and Aiden Bates, but this was my first time with her too.
I enjoy this kind of book, don't get old for me. Give me romance, a little bit of fantasy, magic, shapeshifters and a little action and you got me. There are better and worse books... But it has to be too bad not to win me.
This one was not the best, but was pretty good. I liked the enemies to lovers and I'm grateful for the true mates trope not to be too rushed. It's not my favorite trope because most of times authors use is as some kind of means to justify an instalove. And it gets on my nerves.
Here Leo's wolf feels the bond between Zac and him but the love between them doesn't feel rushed. It didn't feel totally well developed either for something I can't quite put a finger on. It just felt a little bit off but not too much... That's the best way for me to describe it hahaha
I liked the magic in this universe. It was full of variety and it was exciting discovering more and more things about it. The shapeshifters, on the other hand, are left a little bit behind. They are there, but don't do that much. Or that's how I felt it.
I'm specillay intrigued by Cade, a character that got me confused because I wasn't sure if he would be up to something or not hahaha but I guess he will be the hero of a future book... Or so I hope. And Dylan. Oh, Dylan. I'm so dying to read his book. I so new who his mate would be since the second chapter (not exaggerating lol).
Overall, it's an entertaining and light read that I enjoyed.
October 6, 2021
3.5 stars. Mainly for the potential that the story had before it lost steam. Zac and Leo are supposedly fated mates but it seems to be hate at first sight. But, then they are in lurve, and then back to hate, then apathy, and then back to love. I don't know. Zac and leo weren't really engaging as characters for me. Also, Zac had this best friend, Cade, one who supposedly got into trouble wherever they traveled, and they apparently moved around a lot. This was made evident with the repeated "stay out of trouble" and "make the most of the fresh start" and "trouble follow you" lines that peppered their conversations blah, blah, blah. Yet, he disappears for days at a time without a word with his new friends in this new town and Zac doesnt' spare a moment of thought for him? Seems a bit odd. Then there was Zac's savior when he was a teen, Duncan. A stoic man who showed up out of the terminator with the "come with me if you want to live" line and off Zac went. Most of the book he was a guy who rarely answered the phone and then some truths come out and Zac is mad and then unmad. I'm sure this book was written by several different people it reminded me of those group stories we did in school were everyone wrote their own chapter and you had to play off the last chapter.
May 19, 2022
uh 3/5 i guess... this an okay read, but i feel more bothered instead of satisfied rn.
i think they had little "romance" scenes that progress into them falling in love? they were cute tgt but i dont feel the love? i like that the romance actually stretched out throughout the book.
zac annoyed me so much at the end..... he... was kinda childish? i dunno..
the fight was... underwhelming?
and if they were gonna fight against mages, shouldnt the mages and shifters train tgt to know limits and each other?
cade aidan/aiden went missing halfway thru.....
miranda being super touchy??? and her mate is just there??? like no keep your hands to yourself. was how landon came about explained properly? (omg landon was shocking i wasnt expecting a kid bruh i disliked lmao)
talking about the kid, did leo think how his extended life will affect his son/aidan everyonnnnne?
i think they had little "romance" scenes that progress into them falling in love? they were cute tgt but i dont feel the love? i like that the romance actually stretched out throughout the book.
zac annoyed me so much at the end..... he... was kinda childish? i dunno..
the fight was... underwhelming?
and if they were gonna fight against mages, shouldnt the mages and shifters train tgt to know limits and each other?
cade aidan/aiden went missing halfway thru.....
miranda being super touchy??? and her mate is just there??? like no keep your hands to yourself. was how landon came about explained properly? (omg landon was shocking i wasnt expecting a kid bruh i disliked lmao)
talking about the kid, did leo think how his extended life will affect his son/aidan everyonnnnne?
June 30, 2023
DNF 69%
I tried. I really tried. At first I thought that it was just rough in the beginning because I was giving the authors the benefit of the doubt. However, the writing never got better which was surprising for Liam Kingsley, who I’ve read before and enjoyed. This had such potential, but in the end the writing was stiff and blocky. The world building was drawn out and undynamic. Zac is too bitchy for the little information he actually knows. I liked Leo, but even he wasn’t strong enough to support this entire story.
I tried. I really tried. At first I thought that it was just rough in the beginning because I was giving the authors the benefit of the doubt. However, the writing never got better which was surprising for Liam Kingsley, who I’ve read before and enjoyed. This had such potential, but in the end the writing was stiff and blocky. The world building was drawn out and undynamic. Zac is too bitchy for the little information he actually knows. I liked Leo, but even he wasn’t strong enough to support this entire story.
February 1, 2021
Interesting enough story for something to pass the time. Honestly I read it a few days ago and forgot the character's names.
May 1, 2020
Zac is a foster kid who on his 16th birthday he is rescued by a mystery man. Turns out Zac has magic and goes on the run with this guy for years. Eventually Zac and his best friend are sent to a small town where there is a house. Only problem, it's in a wolf-pack and the wolves hate mages and most were killed years ago. Turns out, including Zac's parents.... who lived in the house he's sent to, but Leo the alpha's father swore to protect Zac. No one knows why.
So there is a fair bit of surliness with Zac and Leo sniping at each other even though Leo realizes Zac is his mate and "evil is coming". Seems mages want Zac dead and are trying to get to him but the wolves will help. Oh but wait, the mage/wolf war has pretty close roots. Too difficult to explain. But there's some "why didn't you tell me? I'm sorry" going on, a big battle and the end up together... of course. Wouldn't have read it otherwise.
I like the mage aspect to this, was not impressed with Zac's guardian. Hate all that "I don't tell you to protect you" shit, but on the whole it was a good read with more action than the other shifter books. I like plucky Zac a lot. Although I kept expecting something to happen with the best friend who moved with him (human) who was "always getting himself in trouble" but nothing much happened, he got a job, found some friends and that was it. Unless he has a bigger role in the next book, except for one moment of spilling the beans, he didn't serve much purpose.
So there is a fair bit of surliness with Zac and Leo sniping at each other even though Leo realizes Zac is his mate and "evil is coming". Seems mages want Zac dead and are trying to get to him but the wolves will help. Oh but wait, the mage/wolf war has pretty close roots. Too difficult to explain. But there's some "why didn't you tell me? I'm sorry" going on, a big battle and the end up together... of course. Wouldn't have read it otherwise.
I like the mage aspect to this, was not impressed with Zac's guardian. Hate all that "I don't tell you to protect you" shit, but on the whole it was a good read with more action than the other shifter books. I like plucky Zac a lot. Although I kept expecting something to happen with the best friend who moved with him (human) who was "always getting himself in trouble" but nothing much happened, he got a job, found some friends and that was it. Unless he has a bigger role in the next book, except for one moment of spilling the beans, he didn't serve much purpose.
April 22, 2020
I love a good enemies to lovers, and rejected fated mates trope. This book seemed to have it all until the point of the major conflict between Leo and Zac. When Leo explained the actions of his grandfather and Zac's dad, in starting the shifter-mage war, I thought that the truth of things was blatantly self evident. I mean, who else would have the authority to declare war? Even Leo's statement, while not explicit, certainly implied the truth and any somewhat intelligent listener would have picked up on it. So it really ruined the whole thing, for me, to see that Zac was so incredibly clueless as to not have realized what had happened as soon as the story was told, and then to go so far as to use that as a reason to reject Leo was simply ridiculous and I, freshly, lost respect for Zac.
The worst thing was that it would have been fairly simple to change Leo's explanation to be less clear, or to have him outright lie in order to conceal the truth, which, in turn, would have made the conflict work so much better.
If that, key piece, had been different, I could see myself giving this book a five star rating, but, as it stands, the book was merely ok.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
The worst thing was that it would have been fairly simple to change Leo's explanation to be less clear, or to have him outright lie in order to conceal the truth, which, in turn, would have made the conflict work so much better.
If that, key piece, had been different, I could see myself giving this book a five star rating, but, as it stands, the book was merely ok.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
September 22, 2022
Zachary is a foster kid who dream of escaping. After being bullied by his foster brother, his magic presented.
There a weird time jump, nine years later.
Leonardo is the alpha shifter from the Porter’s wolf pack. He is not mated and have no interested unless is with his one true mate. The guy can seem to relax and somehow know that something is coming.
Zachary is sent into town by his mentor, but mages and shifters are longtime enemies. Of course, Leo realizes that Zac is his fated mate, but reject him. He is always angry and wants him out of town.
50% od this book was push and pull between Leo and Zac, not the greatest romance.
I have read this book at the beginning of the year and I don’t remember much of it, to be honest, not sure I will continue this series.
There a weird time jump, nine years later.
Leonardo is the alpha shifter from the Porter’s wolf pack. He is not mated and have no interested unless is with his one true mate. The guy can seem to relax and somehow know that something is coming.
Zachary is sent into town by his mentor, but mages and shifters are longtime enemies. Of course, Leo realizes that Zac is his fated mate, but reject him. He is always angry and wants him out of town.
50% od this book was push and pull between Leo and Zac, not the greatest romance.
I have read this book at the beginning of the year and I don’t remember much of it, to be honest, not sure I will continue this series.
June 20, 2023
A brilliant start to a brand new series!
Leo fought against his heart and fate but will he succeed? Leo made me laugh when he got all alpha growly at Zac. I admired Zac; he wasn’t intimated by Leo and faced him head on. I was laughing out loud, every time Leo bumped into Cade - his jealous streak was fantastic entertainment.
This was a gripping instalment; with plenty of magic, danger and romance. Leo and Zac were beautiful together, once they stopped fighting their heart.
I’m really looking forward to reading Dylan’s story - keeping my fingers crossed, I won’t have to wait longer.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 31, 2020
Another book falling flat. There is absolutely no world building. No real back stories. No true character depth. No descriptions or teaching how magic works and how mages came to be. No lore or history on werewolves. The whole town knows about the wolves. Are werewolves common knowledge everywhere? Is there other magical creatures? If Leo is such a loving father, how come he was so okay with but he is just ecstatic about him never leaving his mate a widow?
June 15, 2020
I do have to say, I was a little disappointed. I wanted to see more magic and more actual shifters doing shifter things.... There were almost no *special effects* and I really missed that. The romance was also quite badly done. They hated each other at the beginning (or at least were mean to each other) and then just decided...okay, I'm gonna mate with this guy since the fate wants it!! Didn't make any sense. There was no real angst, no real feelings, nothing. And lastly, the whole Dylan fiasco. Why wouldn't he tell Zac he's his uncle?? He really did not have a reason. WTF
April 20, 2020
On Zac’s 16th birthday, he returned to his shared room to get some things. His roommate, who seemed to hate him, started picking on him since his friends were there. He insulted him and shoved him on the bed as Zac got angrier and angrier. When he could not take being treated that way anymore, he shoved Miles in the chest. Suddenly a loud electrical crackling sounded and Miles flew against the wall. It seemed that everything around him stopped and stood still. Then a tall stranger with a powerful and commanding voice walked in the door and called his name! Dylan said he was there to take Zac away now that his magic had shown itself! Magic? But he had nothing to lose, so he reached out and took the stranger’s hand.
Leonardo (“Leo”) Easton, Alpha shifter of the Porter’s Peak Wolf Pack, was a powerful wolf. He was still unmated, waiting for but no longer expecting his fated mate, and he was on edge more and more often lately. It felt like “something” was coming, a terrible feeling of apprehension, but he had no idea what it was. But this “something” was big enough to affect his entire pack. Aiden, his best friend and second-in-command of the pack, told him he was wound up tighter than he had ever seen him, and he ordered Leo a drink from the bartender.
Leo met with Elder Hun and the other elders in the woods. Elder Hun had the gift of sight and told Leo something was indeed coming and it would change his life. He would need an open mind and must trust his instincts. But why did he feel danger? Why did he need to be open to change?
When Zac shows up in Porter’s Peak, he feels the evil magic swirling around the town from a spirit or apparition. Right now, it is weak. But it will find someone to possess and become strong. He will need to team up with the local alpha of the wolf pack, even though mages and shifters do not normally get along. Can they find a way to work together for everyone’s benefit? Can they begin to accept the strong attraction they feel for each other, and the strong protective feelings the alpha can’t explain?
This is a well-written story that keeps the reader’s interest, especially when Zac angers Leo so badly that he gets to meet his wolf up close and personal for the first time! Zac and Leo start out with a deep-seated hostility as enemies but they will need to put everything aside and come together for the protection of the townspeople and the pack. Can they protect everyone from the evil that threatens? Will working side by side let them see each other as partners even beyond the current crisis?
Leonardo (“Leo”) Easton, Alpha shifter of the Porter’s Peak Wolf Pack, was a powerful wolf. He was still unmated, waiting for but no longer expecting his fated mate, and he was on edge more and more often lately. It felt like “something” was coming, a terrible feeling of apprehension, but he had no idea what it was. But this “something” was big enough to affect his entire pack. Aiden, his best friend and second-in-command of the pack, told him he was wound up tighter than he had ever seen him, and he ordered Leo a drink from the bartender.
Leo met with Elder Hun and the other elders in the woods. Elder Hun had the gift of sight and told Leo something was indeed coming and it would change his life. He would need an open mind and must trust his instincts. But why did he feel danger? Why did he need to be open to change?
When Zac shows up in Porter’s Peak, he feels the evil magic swirling around the town from a spirit or apparition. Right now, it is weak. But it will find someone to possess and become strong. He will need to team up with the local alpha of the wolf pack, even though mages and shifters do not normally get along. Can they find a way to work together for everyone’s benefit? Can they begin to accept the strong attraction they feel for each other, and the strong protective feelings the alpha can’t explain?
This is a well-written story that keeps the reader’s interest, especially when Zac angers Leo so badly that he gets to meet his wolf up close and personal for the first time! Zac and Leo start out with a deep-seated hostility as enemies but they will need to put everything aside and come together for the protection of the townspeople and the pack. Can they protect everyone from the evil that threatens? Will working side by side let them see each other as partners even beyond the current crisis?
April 19, 2020
The Circle of Life ...Past... Now... Future...
by and1515
Tomorrow was Zac's birthday and he was excited about taking the driver's test after school. He was over the moon he was sixteen and just got his driver's license and he had the day off from work.
He unfortunately shared a room with Miles and he could hear them talking and of course he had to be a jerk as he started to harassing me the next few minutes he still not sure what really happened but then there was someone he'd never seen before asking him to trust him.
Leo's life had become so mundane he was tired of all the meaningless moments he was am Alpha and he carried a mountain of stress with him.
He honestly couldn't shake a weird feeling that seemed to come out of nowhere and as the seer spoke to Leo he assured him fate was calling.
Zac had been thankful when Dylan pulled him out of the nightmare he'd been in and now he was following the instructions in the envelope he'd left him years ago.
The instant Leo knew something was different as he was walking through the door he absolutely knew and he made he's feelings known right then an there the stranger needed to go even if something was blatantly telling him the last thing he wanted to hear.
Zac couldn't understand why Dylan didn't tell him about them being in that town.
Its easier to mistrust someone when your not willing to look beyond hate and animosity.
Now Zac was left bewildered trying to figure exactly how Leo crawled his way into his fantasy.
In one breath he was blasting him for being reckless and the next telling him not to fight it he needed an anchor.
Leo contemplated how to tell Zac what he knew deep down like he knew his name but sometimes you just grab the bull by the horns and hold on.
But how can we be anything else but foes? You can no more hold back the wind any more than you can fate she'll have her say and her dues.
Being a strong Alpha didn't make him impervious to fear and Leo knew his family history was a waiting time bomb but fear kept him silent.
Zac was tired of half truths and lies he'd been blind to what he should have seen.
When push come to shove with the final pieces in place will Zac be able to stand against unwavering adversaries hell bent on destroying him and those who matter the most.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
by and1515
Tomorrow was Zac's birthday and he was excited about taking the driver's test after school. He was over the moon he was sixteen and just got his driver's license and he had the day off from work.
He unfortunately shared a room with Miles and he could hear them talking and of course he had to be a jerk as he started to harassing me the next few minutes he still not sure what really happened but then there was someone he'd never seen before asking him to trust him.
Leo's life had become so mundane he was tired of all the meaningless moments he was am Alpha and he carried a mountain of stress with him.
He honestly couldn't shake a weird feeling that seemed to come out of nowhere and as the seer spoke to Leo he assured him fate was calling.
Zac had been thankful when Dylan pulled him out of the nightmare he'd been in and now he was following the instructions in the envelope he'd left him years ago.
The instant Leo knew something was different as he was walking through the door he absolutely knew and he made he's feelings known right then an there the stranger needed to go even if something was blatantly telling him the last thing he wanted to hear.
Zac couldn't understand why Dylan didn't tell him about them being in that town.
Its easier to mistrust someone when your not willing to look beyond hate and animosity.
Now Zac was left bewildered trying to figure exactly how Leo crawled his way into his fantasy.
In one breath he was blasting him for being reckless and the next telling him not to fight it he needed an anchor.
Leo contemplated how to tell Zac what he knew deep down like he knew his name but sometimes you just grab the bull by the horns and hold on.
But how can we be anything else but foes? You can no more hold back the wind any more than you can fate she'll have her say and her dues.
Being a strong Alpha didn't make him impervious to fear and Leo knew his family history was a waiting time bomb but fear kept him silent.
Zac was tired of half truths and lies he'd been blind to what he should have seen.
When push come to shove with the final pieces in place will Zac be able to stand against unwavering adversaries hell bent on destroying him and those who matter the most.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 22, 2020
4.5 stars...I really, really enjoyed this first book in a new series. Shifters and mages, love and dark magic, lies, secrets, and fated mates, action and steam. The book has it all.
The MCs in this book are Leo, the alpha of the Porter’s Peak wolf pack, and Zac, a mage who grew up not knowing his background and is only now discovering his destiny. And, oh yeah, it appears to be with his mortal enemy, a wolf shifter.
The world building and the story arc pacing are a bit uneven. At times the story moves at a perfect pace, combining character building and storyline advancement and at other points things seems to slow down and stall the storyline. There is a ton of back story that Zac doesn’t have which not only puts him at a disadvantage but infuriates him as well. His trusted mentor Dylan, it turns out has been withholding A LOT of information. Things keep popping up out of nowhere and shocking the heck out Zac.
I really wanted to know much more about Porter’s Peak. What’s the deal with this town? It’s run by a wolf pack? How do the humans end up here? They apparently know about the shifters but aren’t shifters supposed to be secret? How does the ward work and why is it still in place given the war between the mages and the wolves? Just on the say so of one guy? Why is Leo’s father inspired to be different that his father and what happened to the rest of Leo’s family? So I guess I wanted some more world building.
The character building is well done though I feel like it was a bit uneven. Leo has a lot of the information that Zac doesn’t have, including that Zac is his fated mate, but he is also parceling it out in a way that suits him. That gives us more insight into Leo than Zac. And of course there’s one big secret and we know how this always works in these stories…
There are essentially two crisis moments, one character driven and one storyline driven. Both are dramatic and have big emotional impact. They are written with the perfect amount of tension and had me alternately holding my breath and wanting to sob. Really terrific writing. The epilogue is a great tension builder for the next book which I cannot wait to read. Strongly recommend this book.
**I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review.**
The MCs in this book are Leo, the alpha of the Porter’s Peak wolf pack, and Zac, a mage who grew up not knowing his background and is only now discovering his destiny. And, oh yeah, it appears to be with his mortal enemy, a wolf shifter.
The world building and the story arc pacing are a bit uneven. At times the story moves at a perfect pace, combining character building and storyline advancement and at other points things seems to slow down and stall the storyline. There is a ton of back story that Zac doesn’t have which not only puts him at a disadvantage but infuriates him as well. His trusted mentor Dylan, it turns out has been withholding A LOT of information. Things keep popping up out of nowhere and shocking the heck out Zac.
I really wanted to know much more about Porter’s Peak. What’s the deal with this town? It’s run by a wolf pack? How do the humans end up here? They apparently know about the shifters but aren’t shifters supposed to be secret? How does the ward work and why is it still in place given the war between the mages and the wolves? Just on the say so of one guy? Why is Leo’s father inspired to be different that his father and what happened to the rest of Leo’s family? So I guess I wanted some more world building.
The character building is well done though I feel like it was a bit uneven. Leo has a lot of the information that Zac doesn’t have, including that Zac is his fated mate, but he is also parceling it out in a way that suits him. That gives us more insight into Leo than Zac. And of course there’s one big secret and we know how this always works in these stories…
There are essentially two crisis moments, one character driven and one storyline driven. Both are dramatic and have big emotional impact. They are written with the perfect amount of tension and had me alternately holding my breath and wanting to sob. Really terrific writing. The epilogue is a great tension builder for the next book which I cannot wait to read. Strongly recommend this book.
**I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review.**
March 24, 2021
Overall, it's... trying to be epic and.. it doesn't feel like so.
1) Until the end of book, I still don't know what the title refers to. Which one is forbidden magic and what is forbidden about it?
2) Okay, so Zac has run for ... what years? And he didn't train for his magic? Really, what did he do with Dylan then?
3) Till the end of the book, I don't understand the difference between dark magic and non-dark magic
4) Zac's magic is able to read someone's lifetime and able to tell truth.
5) Suddenly in the middle of book (20-30%) there is a mention of while it's not mentioned before, out of blue, whatever that means. Like Zac has spent his life never thought about it and bam, "hey, you're mine".
6) The antagonist party
7) The final battle
8) From encounter with Seth and the bully brother, I expect to meet them again . I was wrong. Er, more like unresolved point? Dunno. I might expect too much since it doesn't seem like resolved.
9) The falling in love in span of .... 1 week? From "hey, get out from here, you're my greatest enemy since dawn of time" to "you're love of my life"
Eh. Could be good, could be great. Not yet, I guess.
1) Until the end of book, I still don't know what the title refers to. Which one is forbidden magic and what is forbidden about it?
2) Okay, so Zac has run for ... what years? And he didn't train for his magic? Really, what did he do with Dylan then?
3) Till the end of the book, I don't understand the difference between dark magic and non-dark magic
4) Zac's magic is able to read someone's lifetime and able to tell truth.
5) Suddenly in the middle of book (20-30%) there is a mention of while it's not mentioned before, out of blue, whatever that means. Like Zac has spent his life never thought about it and bam, "hey, you're mine".
6) The antagonist party
7) The final battle
8) From encounter with Seth and the bully brother, I expect to meet them again . I was wrong. Er, more like unresolved point? Dunno. I might expect too much since it doesn't seem like resolved.
9) The falling in love in span of .... 1 week? From "hey, get out from here, you're my greatest enemy since dawn of time" to "you're love of my life"
Eh. Could be good, could be great. Not yet, I guess.
April 20, 2020
Forbidden Magic is the first in the Magic and Claws series and centres on the enemies to lovers relationship between Leo, alpha werewolf of the Porter's Peak pack and Zac, a mage recently arrived in the town.
I really liked the premise for this book, set in a world where shifters and mages openly cohabit with humans, even if there is animosity between the werewolves and the magic users. It's not really just animosity, though, there is a bloody history between the two factions and the main characters could hold the key to restoring harmony.
As a couple of main characters, the two are well-rounded. Leo is a good alpha: a strong leader, direct, protective, listens to his pack (and especially their seer) but he has enough flaws to make him too good to be true - his reaction to Zac's arrival in Porter's Peak is less than stellar. Zac, meanwhile, has a complicated family history which has left him with trust issues, etc. He also has to go through some growth to accept that Leo has to protect him from the source of the pervasive dark magic swirling around the town.
There's plenty of action in the plot, which is pretty decent. The only slight complaint I have is that there is a bit of a disconnect between the prologue where we learn about Zac's teenage experience and his arrival at Porter's Peak - a gap of 8 years. We're given practically no clue where he was / what he was doing in this time, so I personally would prefer a short bridging piece; or even a flash back scene or two.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Forbidden Magic and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the series. 4*.
An ARC was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the premise for this book, set in a world where shifters and mages openly cohabit with humans, even if there is animosity between the werewolves and the magic users. It's not really just animosity, though, there is a bloody history between the two factions and the main characters could hold the key to restoring harmony.
As a couple of main characters, the two are well-rounded. Leo is a good alpha: a strong leader, direct, protective, listens to his pack (and especially their seer) but he has enough flaws to make him too good to be true - his reaction to Zac's arrival in Porter's Peak is less than stellar. Zac, meanwhile, has a complicated family history which has left him with trust issues, etc. He also has to go through some growth to accept that Leo has to protect him from the source of the pervasive dark magic swirling around the town.
There's plenty of action in the plot, which is pretty decent. The only slight complaint I have is that there is a bit of a disconnect between the prologue where we learn about Zac's teenage experience and his arrival at Porter's Peak - a gap of 8 years. We're given practically no clue where he was / what he was doing in this time, so I personally would prefer a short bridging piece; or even a flash back scene or two.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Forbidden Magic and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the series. 4*.
An ARC was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2020
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really did enjoy this story. There was a good pacing to the story and though there was some drama, it didn't seem over the top given the characters and what they were dealing with. There were some issues with the timeline and there were points that almost came across as a contradiction in the story, but not enough to spoil the entire story. I really liked the connection Leo had both with his pack and with his son. He clearly cares about those he's charged with protecting, but that made his attitude towards Zac in the beginning even worse. Zac hasn't really had a home, but his new place could be home. He wasn't expecting the town to have shifters, the very magical creatures he's been taught to see as the enemy. The first chapter was honestly a bit odd in comparison to the rest of the story. It does help show Zac's issues in foster care and the start of his magic, but it just felt off considering the rest of the book. I would have liked to see a bit more of Zac's magic, some of the more low-key side. I also think there could have been more to show the pack and how they integrate in the town. There is some descent world-building and I'll be interested to see where the series takes it.
I'm looking forward to the next book. It will be interesting to see a story from Dylan's POV given everything we learned in this book.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really did enjoy this story. There was a good pacing to the story and though there was some drama, it didn't seem over the top given the characters and what they were dealing with. There were some issues with the timeline and there were points that almost came across as a contradiction in the story, but not enough to spoil the entire story. I really liked the connection Leo had both with his pack and with his son. He clearly cares about those he's charged with protecting, but that made his attitude towards Zac in the beginning even worse. Zac hasn't really had a home, but his new place could be home. He wasn't expecting the town to have shifters, the very magical creatures he's been taught to see as the enemy. The first chapter was honestly a bit odd in comparison to the rest of the story. It does help show Zac's issues in foster care and the start of his magic, but it just felt off considering the rest of the book. I would have liked to see a bit more of Zac's magic, some of the more low-key side. I also think there could have been more to show the pack and how they integrate in the town. There is some descent world-building and I'll be interested to see where the series takes it.
I'm looking forward to the next book. It will be interesting to see a story from Dylan's POV given everything we learned in this book.
April 22, 2020
Zac has been in and out of foster care as long as he can remember. But one day a strange feeling overcomes him and he is whisked away by a stranger, Dylan and told he is a mage. Dylan then spends years training Zac about his magic and how he can control it. A cryptic message later sends Zac to a new town where he meets Leo, a shifter. As soon as Leo meets Zac he knows that this is his mate. But shifters and mages can't be together and worse there's been a long feud between the two groups for years, how can a mage be Leo's mate? Both men have to figure out if they are willing to risk everything to give their love a shot and put aside their differences to secure peace for the shifters and mages or die trying.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the push and pull between Zac and Leo. They had such good chemistry, even when they despised each other, you can tell that, their bond was so deep, even when they wanted to hate, they couldn't stay away. This plot was also very different from other Omegaverse novels that I've read. I'm relatively new to the genre, but I've become addicted and I like how each author has their own spin on the inner-workings of omegas, alphas, etc. In fact, this was the first book I've read with mages, so it was interesting too see how these different groups interacted and how their society was governed.
If you like magic, prophecies and enemy to lover romance this book is for you!
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the push and pull between Zac and Leo. They had such good chemistry, even when they despised each other, you can tell that, their bond was so deep, even when they wanted to hate, they couldn't stay away. This plot was also very different from other Omegaverse novels that I've read. I'm relatively new to the genre, but I've become addicted and I like how each author has their own spin on the inner-workings of omegas, alphas, etc. In fact, this was the first book I've read with mages, so it was interesting too see how these different groups interacted and how their society was governed.
If you like magic, prophecies and enemy to lover romance this book is for you!
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