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The Four Houses #1
An Inheritance of Curses
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
Driven by a lust for powerful blood, the first LeFey plunged the Four Houses of Magic into a century of conflict. Survivors of the Great War, desperate to repair their tattered worlds, signed a treaty banning any contact between the Houses of fae, werewolf, vampire and witch. And for over a thousand years that treaty has held strong...
Haunted by the dark talents she once embraced, Rose LeFey is determined to confront her manipulative aunt and prove she’s finished with blood magic. Instead, she finds a basement full of prisoners and a false-mate bond with an insanely attractive, and utterly forbidden, werewolf.
As lust tears into her hard-earned self-control, Rose realizes the werewolf was bait. Her aunt wants to unleash war on the magical Houses and humans alike—with Rose at her side. To stop that from happening, Rose must deny both her own deadly powers and the temptation to turn the false mate-bond real.
Driven by a lust for powerful blood, the first LeFey plunged the Four Houses of Magic into a century of conflict. Survivors of the Great War, desperate to repair their tattered worlds, signed a treaty banning any contact between the Houses of fae, werewolf, vampire and witch. And for over a thousand years that treaty has held strong...
Haunted by the dark talents she once embraced, Rose LeFey is determined to confront her manipulative aunt and prove she’s finished with blood magic. Instead, she finds a basement full of prisoners and a false-mate bond with an insanely attractive, and utterly forbidden, werewolf.
As lust tears into her hard-earned self-control, Rose realizes the werewolf was bait. Her aunt wants to unleash war on the magical Houses and humans alike—with Rose at her side. To stop that from happening, Rose must deny both her own deadly powers and the temptation to turn the false mate-bond real.
435 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2018
513 people are currently reading
2385 people want to read
About the author
Dee J. Holmes
30 books95 followersThe characters I care about aren't content with the status quo. They don’t sit in some narrow, boilerplate box and do what they’re told—they break the laws of their worlds, defying everything for what's right and for true love. Whether battling fantastical odds, facing science fiction dilemmas or nursing a supernatural heartache, they challenge expectations and change their worlds.
I love complex worlds and even more complex characters. Fantasy, science fiction, paranormal, romance and geekery abound—and they're holding hands with opinions. Sometimes created while appreciating a fine rye. Probably NSFW.
I’m not only an author, I’m a visual artist. Decades of creating imagery in multiple mediums and the desire to see my characters brought to life led me to create book covers. I might have started with my own, but now I craft carefully branded, personalized covers for many authors.
Aside from authoring and drawing, I live with my husband and our Great Dane, Fable (aka Mistress of Menace, Duchess of Oof, the Terror Beast) in beautiful Vancouver. When I’m not creating, I’m enjoying a long walk with my giant doggo, or shooting some monsters in a co-op video game with my husband.
Above all, I love crafting exciting tales that pull at your heartstrings—and maybe your pant-strings—stories which excite and sweep readers into new worlds and leave them wanting more.
I love complex worlds and even more complex characters. Fantasy, science fiction, paranormal, romance and geekery abound—and they're holding hands with opinions. Sometimes created while appreciating a fine rye. Probably NSFW.
I’m not only an author, I’m a visual artist. Decades of creating imagery in multiple mediums and the desire to see my characters brought to life led me to create book covers. I might have started with my own, but now I craft carefully branded, personalized covers for many authors.
Aside from authoring and drawing, I live with my husband and our Great Dane, Fable (aka Mistress of Menace, Duchess of Oof, the Terror Beast) in beautiful Vancouver. When I’m not creating, I’m enjoying a long walk with my giant doggo, or shooting some monsters in a co-op video game with my husband.
Above all, I love crafting exciting tales that pull at your heartstrings—and maybe your pant-strings—stories which excite and sweep readers into new worlds and leave them wanting more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
December 13, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story is about fairies and the main character's name is Rose LeFey. That probably tells you what you need to know about this book. I admittedly did not finish it, but I did not find anything unexpected, un trope-y, or unusual to distinguish it from the many other YAish urban fantasy books about the chosen one who is given a lot of authority, needs to prove herself, and also has several hot guys to choose from. YMMV.
The story is about fairies and the main character's name is Rose LeFey. That probably tells you what you need to know about this book. I admittedly did not finish it, but I did not find anything unexpected, un trope-y, or unusual to distinguish it from the many other YAish urban fantasy books about the chosen one who is given a lot of authority, needs to prove herself, and also has several hot guys to choose from. YMMV.
October 24, 2018
I adored this book! I'm a sucker for a great paranormal story and this one had action, adventure, mystery, suspense and romance! Whew!! So much tension, I almost couldn't handle it 😉
All the characters were great but my fav by far is Sebastian- the sexy but snarky (and hilarious) vampire (who certainly doesn't sparkle - though there is a place in my heart for twilight). Can't wait for the sequel!
5 stars
All the characters were great but my fav by far is Sebastian- the sexy but snarky (and hilarious) vampire (who certainly doesn't sparkle - though there is a place in my heart for twilight). Can't wait for the sequel!
5 stars
October 7, 2022
I can’t exactly tell you why I didn’t like this book? Well I didn’t not like it. I think I literally have no feelings towards it either way. I kept wanting to give up on it but was determined to finish it.
I think the way it was written and the constantly changing POV, while also making the characters the least likeable when it was their POV, just negated any chance to create bonds to the characters.
I think the way it was written and the constantly changing POV, while also making the characters the least likeable when it was their POV, just negated any chance to create bonds to the characters.
February 11, 2024
An Inheritance Of Curses is book one of The Four Houses series of urban fantasy tales. Here the four houses are represented by fae, vampires, werewolves and witches.
The story opens with Rose LeFey, witch descendent from the renowned Morgan LeFey, who has been asked to check in with her estranged aunt. There is no sign of her aunt, but Rose discovers horrors in the basement: an iron cage with two fae, a vampire staked to a wooden table and a werewolf held by silver chains.
This is not all. The small town is eerily silent, its inhabitants held captive and sleeping by strong magic, a dark magic Rose had vowed to turn her back on. Faced with lethal warriors and a town to save, Rose must trust that her own strength is greater than that of her inherited magic.
I liked the complexity of four paranormal societies working together, while the setting and story theme were very believable. The pages were filled with magical spells and old family threads. In places the pace slowed, but as the story continued I was keen to keep reading, and have already bought book two. Although the main elements of this story conclude in book one, there were enough interesting loose ends to carry the characters forward to book two. The denouement is more like a soft cliff-hanger than an abrupt and jarring one that can leave the reader frustrated.
The story opens with Rose LeFey, witch descendent from the renowned Morgan LeFey, who has been asked to check in with her estranged aunt. There is no sign of her aunt, but Rose discovers horrors in the basement: an iron cage with two fae, a vampire staked to a wooden table and a werewolf held by silver chains.
This is not all. The small town is eerily silent, its inhabitants held captive and sleeping by strong magic, a dark magic Rose had vowed to turn her back on. Faced with lethal warriors and a town to save, Rose must trust that her own strength is greater than that of her inherited magic.
I liked the complexity of four paranormal societies working together, while the setting and story theme were very believable. The pages were filled with magical spells and old family threads. In places the pace slowed, but as the story continued I was keen to keep reading, and have already bought book two. Although the main elements of this story conclude in book one, there were enough interesting loose ends to carry the characters forward to book two. The denouement is more like a soft cliff-hanger than an abrupt and jarring one that can leave the reader frustrated.
September 19, 2017
An Inheritance of Curses is an interesting young adult book that combines a lot of fantasy staples: witches, werewolves, faeries and vampires. The main character, Rose LeFey, is a witch that is talented in blood magic but refuses to use it due to her past. Her aunt Sorcha (the core villian) wants her to embrace her blood magic powers and join her in her unquenchable thirst for power. Her aunt kidnaps Dar (a werewolf), Sebastian (a vampire) and Raina (a faerie) at the beginning of the book. Once rescued by Rose, the four characters spend the entirety of the book trying to stop Sorcha before she hurts more people.
I'll start with the positives: I liked the characters of Rose and Dar. I thought their interactions were believable and I was invested in their story. The book is also quite easy to read. As a new mom I don't really get any extended time to read, so it was nice to be able to read a chapter or two of this book, walk away, and not feel lost when I picked it up again. There were enough unanswered questions at the end of the book that I will want to read the second one when it comes out.
Now the negatives: I wasn't a big fan of the repetitive nature of the book. The concepts of blood magic and the bond between Rose and Dar were reiterated over and over and over again. While good to get reminders of these plot lines, I didn't need a reminder every 10 pages. I also would have liked to learn more about Rose's past (particularly about her mom), maybe that is coming in the next book?
Overall, this was an easy read that held my interest enough that I want to see where the story goes.
I'll start with the positives: I liked the characters of Rose and Dar. I thought their interactions were believable and I was invested in their story. The book is also quite easy to read. As a new mom I don't really get any extended time to read, so it was nice to be able to read a chapter or two of this book, walk away, and not feel lost when I picked it up again. There were enough unanswered questions at the end of the book that I will want to read the second one when it comes out.
Now the negatives: I wasn't a big fan of the repetitive nature of the book. The concepts of blood magic and the bond between Rose and Dar were reiterated over and over and over again. While good to get reminders of these plot lines, I didn't need a reminder every 10 pages. I also would have liked to learn more about Rose's past (particularly about her mom), maybe that is coming in the next book?
Overall, this was an easy read that held my interest enough that I want to see where the story goes.
January 10, 2019
An Inheritance of Curses Review
I absolutely loved this book! The author did an amazing job bringing her characters and their world to life. From the very first pages I was sucked in completely by the sassy, stubborn, proud, and unsure characters. They were all fascinating in their own way with their unique strengths and weaknesses and while I liked them all I especially adored a certain mouthy vampire. Though Dar was certainly nothing to throw a stick at.
It was interesting watching the story play out once they all fought for the same cause and I can only imagine what sort of trouble they will continue to get into.
The big bad was just as nasty as expected and it has a solid ending that promises much more to come.
The only thing that slightly bothered me was the southern slang used occasionally by Rose. But that is more of a personal thing
(I don't even like it when my sister does it) and it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.
I'm extremely glad I took a chance on this book and have every intention of seeing where the story goes next so I would definitely recommend An Inheritance of Curses.
I absolutely loved this book! The author did an amazing job bringing her characters and their world to life. From the very first pages I was sucked in completely by the sassy, stubborn, proud, and unsure characters. They were all fascinating in their own way with their unique strengths and weaknesses and while I liked them all I especially adored a certain mouthy vampire. Though Dar was certainly nothing to throw a stick at.
It was interesting watching the story play out once they all fought for the same cause and I can only imagine what sort of trouble they will continue to get into.
The big bad was just as nasty as expected and it has a solid ending that promises much more to come.
The only thing that slightly bothered me was the southern slang used occasionally by Rose. But that is more of a personal thing
(I don't even like it when my sister does it) and it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.
I'm extremely glad I took a chance on this book and have every intention of seeing where the story goes next so I would definitely recommend An Inheritance of Curses.
May 19, 2017
This book had a great mix of characters! Everything was fast paced which I loved, I hate when things are just dragged along. I thoroughly enjoyed having all of the four houses in this book, I think it really gave a unique twist to things which kept me glued to the pages from start to finish! The complicated love triangle wasn't really a triangle which I liked, it was refreshing and a better approach than any other book that's had one lol. My 5 star rating is a honest review of this book. I enjoyed the writing style of this author and I can't wait to read the next installment!
March 15, 2022
An inheritance of curses by Dee. J. Holmes.
The Four Houses: Book 1.
Driven by a lust for powerful blood, the first LeFey plunged the Four Houses of Magic into a century of conflict. Survivors of the Great War, desperate to repair their tattered worlds, signed a treaty banning any contact between the Houses of fae, werewolf, vampire and witch. And for over a thousand years that treaty has held strong...
Haunted by the dark talents she once embraced, Rose LeFey is determined to confront her manipulative aunt and prove she’s finished with blood magic. Instead, she finds a basement full of prisoners and a false-mate bond with an insanely attractive, and utterly forbidden, werewolf.
As lust tears into her hard-earned self-control, Rose realizes the werewolf was bait. Her aunt wants to unleash war on the magical Houses and humans alike—with Rose at her side. To stop that from happening, Rose must deny both her own deadly powers and the temptation to turn the false mate-bond real.
An ok read. Likeable story and characters. 3*.
The Four Houses: Book 1.
Driven by a lust for powerful blood, the first LeFey plunged the Four Houses of Magic into a century of conflict. Survivors of the Great War, desperate to repair their tattered worlds, signed a treaty banning any contact between the Houses of fae, werewolf, vampire and witch. And for over a thousand years that treaty has held strong...
Haunted by the dark talents she once embraced, Rose LeFey is determined to confront her manipulative aunt and prove she’s finished with blood magic. Instead, she finds a basement full of prisoners and a false-mate bond with an insanely attractive, and utterly forbidden, werewolf.
As lust tears into her hard-earned self-control, Rose realizes the werewolf was bait. Her aunt wants to unleash war on the magical Houses and humans alike—with Rose at her side. To stop that from happening, Rose must deny both her own deadly powers and the temptation to turn the false mate-bond real.
An ok read. Likeable story and characters. 3*.
December 12, 2022
I really thought this was going to be a reverse harem with a bisexual main love interest. It is—not that, at all. Still a great story just not what I thought it was going to be.
If you love adventure and character growth as well as a sassy vampire on the side, growly possessive werewolf love(?) interest, a Princess fae and 2 witches running around trying to stop some major evil—-seriously give this a try.
If you love adventure and character growth as well as a sassy vampire on the side, growly possessive werewolf love(?) interest, a Princess fae and 2 witches running around trying to stop some major evil—-seriously give this a try.
February 10, 2024
I liked this book. It had an interesting plot line and some interesting characters. The magic system was different. I’ll probably read the others in the series as well.
January 21, 2024
DNF 88%
April 20, 2021
A fun read if you know what you’re getting into. If you told me this was originally posted on wattpad I wouldn’t question it for a second but I like a wattpad hit every now and then. The characters were fun if tropey, the plot was a little rushed perhaps (the whole thing takes place in like two days) and Im not gonna lie the only thing that kept me reading was the romance, no matter how predictable. This girl actually isn’t a chosen one technically even if she is pretty central to everything going on and I actually enjoyed the way events unfolded. Interesting magic system and descriptions too.
I do want to say that for a forced magical mating werewolf romance, this was shockingly consent-heavy. Most YA has zero regard for consent and boundaries even with regular human couples so when I see supernatural mating AND a love spell, I expect constant “uncontrollable” “instinct-driven” whatever other bullshit excuse you can come up with for borderline rape. But this book and these characters, EXTREMELY horny internal monologue aside, mainly talked abt the spell and actively checked in with the other person’s state of mind constantly to a point where it was a little ridiculous when compared to the topic at hand. A very pleasant surprise and made the whole thing much more readable than I was preparing for.
In conclusion, I might skim the next few releases to see the romance play out and to Ms Holmes: I hope you’ve had a chance to get all that horny out of your system cos some of this was alarming.
I do want to say that for a forced magical mating werewolf romance, this was shockingly consent-heavy. Most YA has zero regard for consent and boundaries even with regular human couples so when I see supernatural mating AND a love spell, I expect constant “uncontrollable” “instinct-driven” whatever other bullshit excuse you can come up with for borderline rape. But this book and these characters, EXTREMELY horny internal monologue aside, mainly talked abt the spell and actively checked in with the other person’s state of mind constantly to a point where it was a little ridiculous when compared to the topic at hand. A very pleasant surprise and made the whole thing much more readable than I was preparing for.
In conclusion, I might skim the next few releases to see the romance play out and to Ms Holmes: I hope you’ve had a chance to get all that horny out of your system cos some of this was alarming.
December 5, 2022
I am disappointed, because the synopsis made the book sound quite interesting. I did read the first 7 chapters before giving up. It was a lot of work figuring out how things worked and the result to that point just wasn't worth the effort to me. I didn't find the characters particularly interesting. Sorcha, Rose's aunt, was over-the-top evil and powerful and I have no patience for that level of evil at the beginning of a story. With Lord of the Rings, you had time to get to know the characters before the true evil of Sauron was manifested, so that you were invested in what happened to them and having them fail was unacceptable. Because Holmes immediately leapt to the overwhelming power and evilness of Sorcha within the first couple of chapters, there was no investment in the outcome, other than a generic "she can't be allowed to win and these poor abused creatures must be saved" sort of way. And I just wasn't interested enough to stick around and see how they managed it.
I'll probably try again at another time, when I'm more in the mood to wade my way through the world that Holmes created, but at this point, I just can't be bothered.
I'll probably try again at another time, when I'm more in the mood to wade my way through the world that Holmes created, but at this point, I just can't be bothered.
March 1, 2021
I did my best to reach the 50% mark but I just can't waste my time anymore.
The writing style is babbling stupidity on a higher level. Everything feels jumbled, unnecessary and the inner monologue of the girl just about made me crazy confused and irritated.
She goes to her aunt's shop, she finds a group of supernaturals as prisoners. She releases them. Brings them to her fiance who is also a witch. They heal one of them. She bonds to a shapeshifter wolf, by a curse left by her aunt. They go through town, they go to the shifter's pack territory ... and nothing happens to develop the relationship. Is this an RH? Is this nonsense? I am done.
The writing style is babbling stupidity on a higher level. Everything feels jumbled, unnecessary and the inner monologue of the girl just about made me crazy confused and irritated.
She goes to her aunt's shop, she finds a group of supernaturals as prisoners. She releases them. Brings them to her fiance who is also a witch. They heal one of them. She bonds to a shapeshifter wolf, by a curse left by her aunt. They go through town, they go to the shifter's pack territory ... and nothing happens to develop the relationship. Is this an RH? Is this nonsense? I am done.
February 20, 2024
This has been in my TBR for some time, and when I got this for free in a "stuff your kindle" event, I was anticipating reading it. But I couldn't read past chapter 4. These people act like teenagers, but she's old enough to be engaged, and it seemed she was more than old enough to leave her family's house (from what she said about her grandma), yet she thinks like a teenager high on sugar. Pinkie Pie has nothing on her. Her thoughts are confusing, and the way her dialogues are written was annoying. I just couldn’t continue. I’m not willing to spend time reading 5 books when the heroine is so annoying.
October 23, 2017
This book was a disappointment, and super corny. The main characters having a "False mate-bond" is quite possibly the most cringe-worthy thing I've ever read in my entire life. The writing was jarring and did not flow, the entire relationship and interactions between Dar and Rose are awkward and uncomfortable. This book felt like the writer was trying to make the next Twilight, and couldn't even do that.
October 5, 2023
There seemed to be something missing
It was really hard for me to get in to the story, especially at the beginning. I found myself correcting words and sentence structures instead of being drawn in to the story.
There is real potential for the story, but I feel like it fell short
It was really hard for me to get in to the story, especially at the beginning. I found myself correcting words and sentence structures instead of being drawn in to the story.
There is real potential for the story, but I feel like it fell short
October 27, 2017
I have given up trying to read this book. It's really weird and not at all as cool as I thought it was gonna be. The reviews on here made it sound exciting and fast paced but I found it kind of weird and awkward and really difficult to get into.
July 5, 2023
DNF at 28%
I just can't get past the incredible amount of errors. Between mixing up there, their and they're, and the incessant inconsistencies on view points (because we often randomly switch out third with first and second) I just couldn't keep going.
I just can't get past the incredible amount of errors. Between mixing up there, their and they're, and the incessant inconsistencies on view points (because we often randomly switch out third with first and second) I just couldn't keep going.
Read
June 5, 2024DNF. Couldn't get into the story after trying for a long while. Nothing really exciting happens and this forced mate bond without even having normal interactions between the characters is not it for me.
January 1, 2018
A fast-paced read in an interesting world. Rose and Dar pulled me into their conflict, and Sebastian never fails to entertain.
October 8, 2022
dark world
This isn’t a HEA romance. It’s tense and dark from the opening. There are betrayals, death, loss and curses. Not much joy anywhere. Not for me.
This isn’t a HEA romance. It’s tense and dark from the opening. There are betrayals, death, loss and curses. Not much joy anywhere. Not for me.
December 5, 2022
I just couldn't get into this.
July 12, 2023
Meh. This book was just meh. It felt like too many POVs, It was hard to keep up. A lot of filler. Was really slow and I really struggled not to DNF it. I won't be finishing the series.
July 30, 2023
I could not read this. The elements pulled me in tight seat but there were so many typos and grammatical errors that it took me out of the story.
Read
September 21, 2023DNF
May 15, 2024
Bad editing
May 17, 2017
The past will continue to haunt until you learn how to face it head on
The book was one rollercoaster ride. The beginning was gripping and past faced as we are thrown head first into the world and the problems Rose faced. Though the story fell in the middle as it began to focus too much on the false mate bond but the ending made up for it. It wasn’t a cliff-hanger that left me wanting to find out what happened next but it was a satisfying ending that left me wanting to accompany them to the next problems they may face.
Now let’s start with the characters. Rose is a character who has strong powers yet she didn’t want to use it. Throughout the whole book, she suffered from self-doubt but as the ending neared she started to accept who she was and learned that not everything was black and white.
Dar is someone who is trying to surpass the expectations given to him by his pack being the possible next alpha. He was able to show that he had what it takes when the others began to doubt him as well.
Raina is the princess of the fae who was willing to do anything for her family but in the story, I think her character wasn’t developed that much.
Julian was probably my least favourite since his character was nothing but a conflict to the romance happening between Rose and Dar. Also I got tired of being always reminded that he was a Terra.
My favourite character of them all would probably be Sebastian. He was sarcastic, rude and often times didn’t know how to stop talking and pretty much annoyed most of them but as you follow him throughout the story, you could see that this was just his defence mechanism. He was an actual softie inside though he probably wouldn’t admit it.
The writing was fluid and easy to get invested in. Though the first part had me confused at times to who was talking and who was moving but as the story progressed it got better.
The world building was greatly done. I was able picture the places mentioned in the book with ease but I would have liked more insight on the backgrounds of each creature/houses. Especially on the treaty that was being mentioned over and over again. I don’t think that just hate for the other species alone could lead to a treaty that powerful.
I received an ARC from the publisher from Net galley. I thank them and the publisher for sending this wonderful book to me.
May 8, 2017
WOW! Why does this author not have any other books available yet?!
As I am absolutely the sort to judge a book by its cover, and since I was captivated by the stunning artwork on the front of this one, I was very excited to read An Inheritance of Curses. I was not disappointed!
I was drawn in from the start by the main character’s inner monologue. It was smart and relatable, but also punctuated by personality and Southeastern vernacular which made Rose very authentic. I found, too, that Dar had a similar appeal when we were given glimpses into his internal voice – there is something exceptionally alluring about a werewolf whose local shop keep likes him enough to import specially foods just to allow him a taste of the world beyond his territory.
I also appreciate the care that the author took with research. As someone very familiar with Wiccan culture, I often find writers don’t take the time to get their facts right regarding elements such as the use of certain crystals or herbs. DJ Holmes is a happy exception to that norm. I also suspect her detailed development of the Four Houses to be born from a similarly educated and well thought out manner. It leaves me eager to learn more about the creative, meticulous world that she has invented!
What I loved: The descriptions of the spellbound forest. I was captivated by the sinister atmosphere imbued by the wrongness of pine needles buzzing like gnats and dew drops lifting off the ground and into the sky. I love a truly unique and imaginative scene. And, to counteract that darkness, Sebastian! While the book is fantastic without his well-timed quips, it is made all the more vibrant with this loveable, sarcastic vampire in the mix. Nowhere else will you find someone who upholds their commitment to crafting clever sexual innuendos despite having a small army of arrows trained upon their frame.
What I would change: Not having a sequel already in print! Ack! I am so ready to see what is next for Rose and Dar and their toothy, sparkly, and oh-so-practical companions! Please hurry up with the next installment!
As I am absolutely the sort to judge a book by its cover, and since I was captivated by the stunning artwork on the front of this one, I was very excited to read An Inheritance of Curses. I was not disappointed!
I was drawn in from the start by the main character’s inner monologue. It was smart and relatable, but also punctuated by personality and Southeastern vernacular which made Rose very authentic. I found, too, that Dar had a similar appeal when we were given glimpses into his internal voice – there is something exceptionally alluring about a werewolf whose local shop keep likes him enough to import specially foods just to allow him a taste of the world beyond his territory.
I also appreciate the care that the author took with research. As someone very familiar with Wiccan culture, I often find writers don’t take the time to get their facts right regarding elements such as the use of certain crystals or herbs. DJ Holmes is a happy exception to that norm. I also suspect her detailed development of the Four Houses to be born from a similarly educated and well thought out manner. It leaves me eager to learn more about the creative, meticulous world that she has invented!
What I loved: The descriptions of the spellbound forest. I was captivated by the sinister atmosphere imbued by the wrongness of pine needles buzzing like gnats and dew drops lifting off the ground and into the sky. I love a truly unique and imaginative scene. And, to counteract that darkness, Sebastian! While the book is fantastic without his well-timed quips, it is made all the more vibrant with this loveable, sarcastic vampire in the mix. Nowhere else will you find someone who upholds their commitment to crafting clever sexual innuendos despite having a small army of arrows trained upon their frame.
What I would change: Not having a sequel already in print! Ack! I am so ready to see what is next for Rose and Dar and their toothy, sparkly, and oh-so-practical companions! Please hurry up with the next installment!
April 23, 2025
Great concept reads like a draft instead of a published novel.
According to their website, Bad Unicorn is a new publisher, "Where entertainment and progressive storytelling meet." Evidently they haven't met any skilled editors or even proofreaders yet. I would hazard than Dee J. Holmes, a USA Today best-selling author, deserves better than this maladroit effort of dissemination. A shame.
I have to say that what originally caught my attention from the book's description is how the hero's last name is spelled the same as mine. Doesn't happen often. But on to the story.
Mx Holmes knows how to craft a tale, that's for sure. The pace at which the plot trips along, characters are developed, and dark secrets are revealed was tantalizing and just satisfying enough to keep me turning pages. The societal system in which four magic species have long maintained segregation is dashed by utter evil on a grand scale, but the representatives of those species thrust so inauspiciously together are familiar and charismatic to this common human. I couldn't help but root for them as they fought to save the queen, defeat the abomination, stave off another great war, and deny passion.
My hat is off, too, for the author's deft ability to write unbridled desire without slipping into the banal erotica that borders on porn.
It's a good enough novel that I'm eagerly following the vampire, werewolf, witch, and fae into book 2. I just hope to Saint Merlin that the slipshod editing, uncorrected grammar, and misspelling rampant in this book were a symptom of the chaos magic unleashed by crossing species, and that it is vanquished in subsequent volumes. Such poor press standards mar what should have been a delight to read. Holmes really deserves much better.
According to their website, Bad Unicorn is a new publisher, "Where entertainment and progressive storytelling meet." Evidently they haven't met any skilled editors or even proofreaders yet. I would hazard than Dee J. Holmes, a USA Today best-selling author, deserves better than this maladroit effort of dissemination. A shame.
I have to say that what originally caught my attention from the book's description is how the hero's last name is spelled the same as mine. Doesn't happen often. But on to the story.
Mx Holmes knows how to craft a tale, that's for sure. The pace at which the plot trips along, characters are developed, and dark secrets are revealed was tantalizing and just satisfying enough to keep me turning pages. The societal system in which four magic species have long maintained segregation is dashed by utter evil on a grand scale, but the representatives of those species thrust so inauspiciously together are familiar and charismatic to this common human. I couldn't help but root for them as they fought to save the queen, defeat the abomination, stave off another great war, and deny passion.
My hat is off, too, for the author's deft ability to write unbridled desire without slipping into the banal erotica that borders on porn.
It's a good enough novel that I'm eagerly following the vampire, werewolf, witch, and fae into book 2. I just hope to Saint Merlin that the slipshod editing, uncorrected grammar, and misspelling rampant in this book were a symptom of the chaos magic unleashed by crossing species, and that it is vanquished in subsequent volumes. Such poor press standards mar what should have been a delight to read. Holmes really deserves much better.
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