White Trash Warlock (Adam Binder #1)[December 7, 2023]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

.

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy Read for White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton starting on December 7, 2023.


Happy Reading!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Are you making new threads for everything this way?... I kinda made and left those threads I made for these 2 books yesterday or the day before, with the book title missing from the thread name...

For a second I thought I'd failed to delete my new new version of this thread I made for screenshots for the support email...

[Nirkatze]

Okay, so I DO need to replace my BR Tracker links then.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

:shrug:

[Nirkatze]

LOL I'm saving both until we start reading.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I kinda forgot to add this book to my spreadsheet/schedule...

So I'm a few days late... I'll read this tomorrow...

Checking the Master List, I forgot to add 3 December books to my list, starting with this one, and continuing with the Edgar Cantero one on the 18th... 3rd was Carrion City, but we moved that to March...

[Nirkatze]

So, I've been waiting for you to comment because there are still two threads for this. ^_^ Now I know which one to comment in.

[Ann-Marie]

I am thinking I am not going to re-read this unless your comments make no sense to me, then I may re-read real quick lol

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

2/3 done already...

Feels like a mix of elements from:

Greywalker -- private detective that can see ghosts of people and places (leads to some timey-wimey elements)...
Black Hat, White Witch -- UF detective series with Fae stuff and found family
Grave Peril -- the early ghost-focused Dresden book
Finn Fancy Necromancy -- necromancy, MC locked away for decades and finally free, helping family...

Basically, the main thing this series is missing, that half those has, is the family elements... but I feel like the family has a potential to repair itself?

This also has a burgeoning M/M romance...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

The overnight gap before finishing the book made me miss the significance of the Bobby chapter, until Adam explained it...

Definitely setup alot of elements for the 2nd book...

[Tonari no Emily]

Read this last week, I have a few books I've read already I need to make my way to the thread for. I should really turn on notifications at the start of the month for everything I plan on reading lol

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I mean... you may as well turn them on when they're created... most won't be commented on until the weeks around the BR date, unless there's a delay or something, anyway...

[Tonari no Emily]

I enjoyed this one though! (view spoiler)[ MM romance was cute, I'm interested to see where it goes now that he's a Reaper...
Also Death was super devious/manipulative here.. Dang.

I wasn't expecting Bobby to have killed their father.. Especially with the Aunt telling Adam he'd run into him or something like that. Details are a bit fuzzy at this point (hide spoiler)]

[Tonari no Emily]

Timelord Iain wrote: "I mean... you may as well turn them on when they're created... most won't be commented on until the weeks around the BR date, unless there's a delay or something, anyway..."

Yeah... But there's just soooo many lol

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I just leave all notifications on for the group... only ones I ever tend to disable are people's BR trackers...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I just leave all notifications on for the group... only ones I ever tend to disable are people's BR trackers...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Tonari no Emily wrote: "I enjoyed this one though!..."

Yea... I didn't know how to word my thoughts on that development :D

[Choko]

Through Ch. 12... First, that monster creature is very disturbing!!!

Second, I feel for Bobby and his wife. But I really feel bad for him having to deal with a father like theirs. Adam was obviously too young to remember how horrible he was, but Bobby Jack had to deal with him:((( He was still wrong to admit his brother into a sanitarium, but I guess it's easier to think "crazy" than "magic"...

I am interested to see what happens now with Vincent...

[Tonari no Emily]

Timelord Iain wrote: "I just leave all notifications on for the group... only ones I ever tend to disable are people's BR trackers..."

Ah well I don't join all the BRs like some people *cough, cough* Iain and Nirkatze *cough, cough*
😆

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I dont BR everything… but I like to lurk and occasionally pop in and comment… I live in notifications and rarely see the GR front page friends feed…

[Choko]

I finished it and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. the only thing I would have liked, would have been a bit more levity, but I guess the author isn't into that type of storytelling. I am very intrigued by the story though, and totally didn't see what Bobby had done coming!!! Wow!

[Nirkatze]

Started! Through Chapter 8--the book jumped in to the story with both feet! Exciting opening, though it took me three chapters to really start enjoying. Also wasn't expecting chapter-shifting POVs. (view spoiler)[Adam's past and the tense connection with brother Bobby... a bit of righteous rage on behalf of the MC is one way to keep me hooked into a story... I'm really impressed with how mature Adam is, not engaging with his brother's cuts. And his brother is the one who asked for his help! Ass-hat! (hide spoiler)]

@Emily--I think there're one or two I tapped out on...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I mostly tap out on ebooks… no matter how much I want to read them, I want to do other things more… value multitasking too much…

[Tonari no Emily]

Same, Iain... I'll read for a bit and then want to do something else, or I'll literally fall asleep lol

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Same… I lost the ability to read ebooks all day…

I feel like my 2013-2014 apartment was magical for that, for some reason…

[Nirkatze]

I still devour ebooks... but I have been trying to relegate my ebook reading to books I'm really looking forward to, and use audio for ones that I'm not overly enthusiastic about.

[Choko]

I don't feel like Bobby is really cutting him. To me, being the older sister, it seems like he just wants the best for his brother, but has two main issues - one, he sucks at communicating that to Adam, and second, he wants "the best" for him but the way he thinks what that best should look like, without taking under consideration what Adam feels is best for himself. I think those two things have compounded a lot of hurt throughout the years, and now every word by either one seems like criticism or a cut...

[Nirkatze]

Choko wrote: "Through Ch. 12... First, that monster creature is very disturbing!!!

Second, I feel for Bobby and his wife. But I really feel bad for him having to deal with a father like theirs. Adam was obviou..."

I'm up through Chapter 26 now, and enjoying the story and world... (view spoiler)[Also very curious to see what happens with Vincent in the long run...

Was not expecting Fae to come into this too... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Choko wrote: "I don't feel like Bobby is really cutting him. To me, being the older sister, it seems like he just wants the best for his brother, but has two main issues - one, he sucks at communicating that to ..."

LOL And I'm coming from the opposite POV--not a younger sibling, but with a very critical parent, who often makes off-hand remarks that seem specifically designed to tear down and belittle everything I've built... Everything that Bobby said in that first part--(view spoiler)[there was one remark in particular, about Bobby thinking Adam should have a "better" life, with a house and a job and a woman that sort of drove that home to me... I do agree, Choko, that Bobby wants what he thinks is the best for Adam... but he is so stuck on his own ideas of what is best that he doesn't actually think about how his best isn't Adam's best, and the whole "woman" bit really annoyed me.

Which I also appreciated--especially coming out of the OK area... one of my best friends lives in OK with his husband, where it is legal for landlords to evict people for being gay, and if his employers ever wanted to fire him, they could use his being gay to do so with no repercussions... that said, there is a thriving LGBT community... but families often aren't part of it. (hide spoiler)]

I just finished! Also seeing the ending, (view spoiler)[I can see more where @Choko's thoughts regarding Bobby were coming from... he'd killed to keep his brother safe... stepped into the parental shoes himself... but well, didn't do that great a job of parenting. I'm glad they had a good talk and that Bobby apologized... almost feel like the insane asylum and Adam's magic could be a parallel for anti-gay camps and being gay in a religious/conservative/Southern community... The scenes with Adam's family and Vic make me hopeful...

Also really curious to see where things go with Vic now that he's a reaper--and that Adam learned he essentially married Vic with that life-thread act! I don't like love triangles though, so Silver can just go find someone else.

Wondering if Adam's father is really gone though, even being dead. Or maybe he had a twin brother around? Though his aunt should've told him about that. Unless that is why she's gone at the end-book cliffhanger? Necromancy isn't too far a jump here... Binder Sr. could be poking around and causing trouble still... (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

I think we were expecting (view spoiler)[ that he was going to find and meet his father, but the aunt only promised he will find out where he is, not that he would be alive.... Interesting take on the necromancy though, since it seems totally plausible in this world... (hide spoiler)]

I agree about the south and the gay community. It is still legal in most communities in Missouri to evict gay couples, but not only. Several years ago a landlord company evicted an unmarried straight couple, I guess sighting some old law in the books for adultery and indecency!!!! I think we were all shocked, but it was lawfully enforced and no one could do anything about it. I am not sure if they ever changed that law or not...

[Ann-Marie]

I am happy to hear you guys liked it, I am very much looking forward to continuing and seeing how this plays out.

[Nirkatze]

@Choko, re: eviction--that is very interesting. I almost feel better knowing it isn't only gay people who are targeted... but it really isn't any better. I almost feel like a lot of things are going backwards lately, instead of forwards....

But on other thoughts, like Ann-Marie, I'm totally looking forward to the next book!

[Almera]

I really enjoyed it, I'm not sure what I expected but it was a pleasant surprise. The Bobby twist I did not expect, he just seemed way too straight laced to have done that to his dad. It also makes his other actions make a bit more sense. The world is very interesting and has potential for some amazing stories. I love the Vic / Adam relationship. I've already started the next one I have to know what happens!

[Choko]

Tara, so glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, Bobby totally surprised me, but it also kind of makes sense, being the protective older brother... He didn't have it easy at all and is making himself keep going by adhering to discipline and goals... I have a ton of respect for him...

[Nirkatze]

Yeah, that flashback definitely made me understand him better... but I don't think I could ever forgive him if I were Adam...

[Soo]

This thread kept showing up in my notifications and I found out the books are on Audible +. So, I read it. Finished today. Re-listened to parts of the end.

Narrator made the book great vs good for me. 🤓 Totally in for reading the series.

1) Tell vs Show: I loved the show parts of the writing. Those were the moments that sucked me into the story. I wasn't a fan of the Tell portions because it was done too often to bludgeon that viewpoint.

2) Adam is in 20's and Bobby should be late 20's/early 30's. Not that you could tell by how they talked. 🙃 I didn't have a hard time with the POV changes, but I do think the author did not create distinct narrative voices for Adam & Bobby. So kinda monotoned.

3) Potential for Plot & Events 😎
Super excited! I am so excited that I'm glossing over the gimmicky titles, not subtle & somewhat unoriginal character names, overshare in blurb (which I didn't read until after I read book), and heavy handed "I am gay!" shouting in story.

Adam Binder - Duh. Adam & Vic
It's TOTALLY GONNA be a love triangle! Wanna bet? *cackles*

4) I liked the intro. It was SUPER CHEESY and I felt like it was a sledgehammer for establishing topics like being gifted, tortured soul and gay.

5) Institutionalized: I didn't see anyone really dig into this aspect of the story. Like lots of comments about ok for Adam and Bobby to have fallout, etc. There was enough given in the story to know that Adam was abused & locked up for years. His family kept themselves intentionally blind to his pain. There's no one way Adam looked ok after being drugged up, tortured and locked up when they visited. Or mom visited.

But what happened was immensely cruel. It would be easier to accept that Adam is willing to let go of bygones if he didn't really remember what happened to him. His mom and father figure older brother locked him up to be physically, emotionally and mentally tortured for TWO YEARS.

☠️☠️☠️

The lack of PTSD on Adam's account would be astounding.

6) Dad: I want to know more about him. The twisted glimpses given to us by the family. How much of it was him and how much was it Death? Is he really dead?

7) Wobbly Balance: Adam's fractured family & Vic's warm one. Adam defensive and Vic accepting. Some of the connections were abrupt, but gotta give points to the author for completing plot points.

In some ways, I kinda wish the story was told from Vic's point of view. That would also have been a lot of fun.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Not sure why we glossed over the institutionalization/captivity aspect of the story... maybe because it just happened so fast and was a backstory element...

It's actually popped up in alot of BRs, lately...

1-2 of the recent In Death books in October/November/December
Shards of Honor (Cordelia and the war, then Beta Colony therapist assuming Manchurian Candidacy)
This Body Isn't Big Enough for the Both of Us

I'm probably forgetting some, it's happened so much...

[Soo]

You know me, I don't mind dark themes in stories. I do care about how it's used within context of the book. This was a fairly big deal and his pain about it mentioned A LOT. I can definitely understand people tuning it out when it happened so often. Author tried to make each angst rant a little different, but that wasn't effective.

Due to the way stuff was quickly presented and glossed over, I'd call the story borderline YA-NA.

[Nirkatze]

Love your in-depth analysis of the story, Soo.

[Soo]

Book geeking out. Some of what we do best. 🥸

[Nirkatze]

^_^ I wish I had more energy to reply appropriately, with my own geek-out but I love reading the book geeking! Also definitely going to be thinking about those aspects--family, PTSD, more "binder" potentialities--in the next one...