This novella is the second installment of the Port Lewis Witches series! Both reads were three stars for me.

First, the world building was unique and didn’t feel overwhelming. I think the author did a great job of including enough details without weighing down the reader in each novella. Second, you have to commend the LGBTQ+ representation. Third, the characters were so lovable. The more you read, it was impossible to not get attached to Liam and Ryder.

As the author has been revealed to be toxic and abusive, I will not be reviewing this title, nor will I be taking a feedback hit by using the button meant for that response. It’s not my fault they can’t behave properly.

Brooklyn Ray's writing is lyrical and it's really easy for me to drop into the flow of the Port Lewis Witches stories and ride them to the end. I like the characters and I like the world they're creating, but again I find myself wanting there to be... more, somehow. So the fact I rated this three stars is probably me, rather than the book.

The heat between Ryder and Liam, and the love, is fantastic. Hopefully I will like Tyler better after I see him through Donovan's eyes... It is great that Tyler manages to push through a lot of his upbringing and current situation not to just take the easy if brutal way out by pushing Ryder and Liam away from him though. And poor Christie. I'd hate to be her.

4 stars. The writing is absolutely fabulous, but I can't help feeling like I've been thrown into the story part way through, the same as I felt with the first book in this series. Maybe it's because I'm not as versed in witchcraft/occult, but I still wish there was just a bit... more, I guess? to the stories. The relationships, the found family, the plot, and writing are fabulous, so still a full four star read. Would highly recommend to any witchy friends.

I’m always looking for LGBTQ stories in fantasy fiction, and NineStar Press are killing it recently (see my review of Daughter of the Sun), so when I saw Undertow, a paranormal fantasy novella, pop up on NetGalley I was intrigued. They were kind enough to send me a copy of the first novella, Darkling, too, as the series requires the books to be read in order to understand what is going on!

First things first, this is a genre I haven’t immersed myself in for quite a while, but recently I’ve been wanting to read more about witchy goings on in the modern world. I think I was expecting this to be adult fiction, as paranormal books so often are, but instead it’s that rare beast of New Adult – the characters are all around 20, and it’s a little more graphic than YA. So, I don’t have an awful lot to compare it to!

Darkling introduces us to the Port Lewis Witches, a circle of witches in their early twenties in a gloomy seaside town. Our main POV character is Ryder, a guy who begins to suspect that his powers are not all they seem, while also realising that he may have fallen in love with his best friend and circle-mate, Liam. Though the book is fairly short, things get intense pretty fast, and start to involve demonic deals, necromancy, and rather a lot of sex. The sequel, Undertow, picks up a few weeks after the end of the first book, and follows Liam’s POV as he, too, discovers that magic is not as straightforward as it seems. And has a lot of sex.

This series really reminds me of Monsterhearts, a tabletop roleplaying game that I’ve played with my friends, which has a very similar magic-is-sex-is-magic sort of vibe. It’s atmospheric, but also, for me, a little bit cliched. I didn’t feel that the stories, at 126 and 111 pages respectively, really needed quite as many sex scenes as they included! The story is pacey, so you never feel like it drags too much, but those who aren’t looking for a large portion of sex scenes should maybe steer clear.

However, that being said, I did enjoy the trans representation in this book. Almost none of Ryder’s personal conflict comes from the fact that he is a trans guy – he’s more concerned with whether or not he’s evil, and whether or not Liam likes him back! Liam is utterly unfazed by it, having fallen for Ryder himself and not worrying about his body, so I found this really refreshing to read about. I don’t have any personal experience of the situation, but where I have seen it in books before, transness is usually a plot point in itself – so Ryder’s confidence and the circle’s acceptance of him is lovely to read. He’s just Ryder – a great character in his own right. I recommend checking out some #ownvoices reviews of this series, but from looking at Goodreads it seems to be received well.

A few things did bother me about this series. Firstly, there’s a heavy focus on bloodletting (necessary for necromancy, apparently), and this is used in almost all of the sex scenes, which I found a little unnecessarily ‘edgy’. Secondly, though the author says she writes about found families, the circle of witches contains characters who really don’t seem to like each other. I see nothing redeeming in their head witch, Tyler, who just seems like a judgemental douchebag. So your mileage may vary on that. Thirdly, and a tad spoilery-ly, I don’t care if it is a necromancy ritual, I don’t want to see people killing cats. Just nope.

These books have the vibe of Supernatural or later seasons of Buffy, or indeed, Monsterhearts, so if you’re looking for some spooky, witchy NA with some great atmospheric writing, you should check these out. Just be aware that they’re definitely mature! I give the first book four cats, and the second three, but overall, this series is a four-cat read.

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

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Book – Undertow
Series – Port Lewis Witches, 2
Author – Brooklyn Ray
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 111
Cover – Stunning!
POV – 3rd person, one character
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Contemporary, Witches, Trans (FTM)
Content Warning – blood-play, death, necromancy, light gore, off-page parental abuse


Wow! What can I say? Once again, just as in the first book, the world building and storytelling are on point. I mean, completely and unerringly perfect. I completely understand the world that is created here – a contemporary, real life world that has witches and demons as a subset of the population, not known to “normal” human – and I feel comfortable with everything that happens. Even the stuff I don't know about personally – magic, the circle, the spells – I feel connected and familiar with, because they're written with such realism and detail, without being a dummy's guide or being condescending.

I've loved the Port Lewis Witches series since I read book one. I had that unexplainable feeling when I read it, that I've had only a few times with a series, where I just knew, without a doubt, that it was going to be an auto-buy series and author, for me. The only other series' that gave me this feeling were Lavender Shores, by Rosalind Abel, and the Chronicles of Tournai, by Antonia Aquilante. That's it. Three series, hitting me right from page one, with an instant feeling of being familiar, of being home, of being right.

That's what Port Lewis is – it's a home away from a home, a life I never lived, people I've never met, who are like family, and who make you feel welcome for every moment you spend with them.

The characters are exactly the same as book 1, only told from a new POV – Liam's, instead of Ryder's – and yet they manage to grow organically, without being forced into situations or experiences that don't fit their personalities. They are as true to the characters in book 1 as any character can be when written well. And the chemistry between Liam and Ryder – though I never thought it possible – sizzles with twice the intensity. Not only did Liam seem older and more mature than the previous book, taking charge as it was his element they were working with, but I loved the growth of their bond with each other. That Ryder wasn't irrational or jealous about the kelpie who kissed Liam, that he didn't doubt Liam's love for him. That neither of them doubted what they felt for each other, even when faced with everyone they cared about being against them.

I loved that Donovan became the one who was steady, who held it together despite his own issues, and who was always the voice of reason. Tyler was a little more volatile in this one, but in a way that I can see he's running on fumes and it won't be long before he snaps. I loved the progression of Christy's character, how she was explored a little more in depth and showed a side that we hadn't seen of her before, a loneliness and a sense of being apart from the rest of the circle, while seeing things that she didn't always want to see. I really felt for her.

With a clear timeline, a genuine progression of plot from book 1, without being so closely linked that you couldn't accidentally read them out of order, and a consistent level of characterisation and world building, this one is a win all the way. I didn't read the blurb, when this came up for review on Netgalley, because I didn't care what it was about. It was a Port Lewis Witches book, it was written by Brooklyn Ray, and that was good enough for me. And I wasn't disappointed.

And can I just say – that ending! Such a tease. I read it, blinked, and then had to do a quick little revisit to an earlier scene to make sure I hadn't imagined it. Between the 'sigil of Mars', the Queen coming back in four weeks, the claim that Donovan is in lust but not love, the secrets about Tyler and his father, and the reading saying that someone would hurt Tyler soon, I just can't wait for the next one.

A five star read from page one to 'the end', and thanks to a little nod from the author, one that I'll be buying in paperback as soon as it's released at the end of November. Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas to me!

~

Favourite Quotes

“The unknown was restless and horrible. It surrounded them, a being with too many eyes and too many teeth, waiting to rip them apart. Somehow, Ryder was still more dangerous than any unknown and any kelpie and any other witch.”

Be aware this is the second book in the series. The first is Darkling. Halfway through the book I would say I prefer the first one. By the end I want to read the next one with Tyler and Donovan. More secrets and lies, a small circle of witches with unknown lineage. This one is based on water witch Liam. It’s good to see it from his point of view and as a bonus more Ryder. Plenty of little smut moments involving magic. Looking forward to the next one.

First off, can we talk about this cover? Talk about gorgeous. That's what initially drew me to this book. However, I realized too late that I had made a mistake. This is the second book in a series and I had not read the first book. I'm a bit pressed for time right now, so I went ahead and read the synopsis for book 1 and pressed on into book 2 (Undertow).

Thankfully, I felt the author did a good job summarizing events in Book 1 enough that I was easily able to follow along with the events in book 2. Liam Montgomery and Ryder Wolfe are boyfriends in the middle of some sort of Witchy Circle. Liam is a Water Witch while Ryder is a Fire Witch / Necromancer with some sort of demon inside him. They practice dark and blood magic together which I gathered was taboo in their White Witch world. Liam is having visions from a fae creature from the ocean as well as visions that he will kill the man he loves (Ryder--who also happens to be trans).

This book seemed to be very diverse, which I appreciated. The writing was beautiful--lyrical and fluid like the water magic Liam practices. But, all in all, this book wasn't really for me, which was surprising. I think normally I would really enjoy a witchy fantasy, but for whatever reason, I had trouble caring about the characters. Lesson learned. Always read book 1 first, kids!

I think people who had read book 1 would definitely enjoy this book.

This is an absolutely fantastic addition to the Port Lewis universe. I really love how the magic system works and the dynamic of the characters. Also sex magic. I just really really like sex magic. The bringing of the kelpies and more fae creatures is also really interesting and I like how its handled. I did find the ending a bit abrupt but I am looking forward to book 3.

This is very much a it's not you, it's me situation. I'm just not a huge fan of paranormal romance at all, and I struggle with large casts of characters when we're just thrown in via someone who knows everyone already. This is a book I'm sure other people would enjoy way more than me.

I will start off saying that this is not a stand-alone book, you need to read the first one. I did enjoy this book better than the first one as we now have some type of fight on our hands that is building on the horizon, or at least I think so. Liam and Ryder’s relationship is growing stronger and once they are able to control the magic, they will be a force to reckoned with. The bond between the circle mates are really put to the test and Tyler needs to get his act together, it is strongly hinted at that his home life is a horrible place to be. There are still too many secrets between them all and everyone needs to come clean. I wish these books were a little longer as well. I look forward to the next book in the series as we will get Donovan and Tyler’s story.

Rating: 1/5

For me, this was a very confusing read. You definitely need to read the first book in order to even TRY to comprehend what happens in this one. The pace is also slow and didn't capture my interest at all unfortunately. This book also introduces a transgender relationship which was my first to ever read so my inexperience with trans characters led to me misunderstanding a lot of things with Ryder and therefore couldn't relate at all. I have nothing against books with LGBTQ characters, but I mean the sex scenes were just weird. While this may not be a book I'd recommend or read again, it did have a lots of secrets that were uncovered and kept the plot mildly exciting.

I enjoyed this more than I did <u>Darkling</u> but it’s still confusing and hard to follow in a lot of ways. I love the magic and supernatural elements of the story, and I’m still curious about the future, but in some ways it’s Weird. I hate that the friendship between the circle-mates is falling apart and how cruel Tyler can be, but I do like the growth between Liam and Ryder from the first book.

Overall, I think I’m in this for the long haul because curiosity, but sometimes it’s hard to follow what exactly is going on...

[this review will be up on my blog, acquadimore.wordpress.com, on September 8, 2018]

Undertow is the second novella in the paranormal romance series Port Lewis Witches. The first, Darkling, is one of my favorite novellas I read this year, and this sequel didn’t disappoint.

While Undertow is a direct sequel and not a companion, it’s told in Liam’s PoV, and this time we get to know more about both the witchy world of Port Lewis and about Liam’s family.

One thing I really loved about the first book was the rainy small town atmosphere, which set the perfect tone for the story. I appreciated this aspect even more in this book – not only this novella was atmospheric and immersive, it also got creepy at times. Undertow follows a water witch, and the water hides a lots of mysteries. I love books with sea horror scenes (I think the ocean is terrifying).
Undertow also expanded the worldbuilding, introducing other magical creatures apart from witches and demons, and that was really interesting to read.

I really like Liam’s and Ryder’s relationship. Demon involvement can lead to trouble, but they try to make it work. Also, it’s a m/m romance with a trans love interest! Their relationship with the rest of their circle, however, is strained at the moment – prejudices against necromancers and secrets kept for too long worsened the situation – and those scenes were a bit painful to read (I just want them all to be fine!) but I still really liked reading about this very queer group of witches.
The only reason Undertow isn’t a five star for me, unlike the first book, is that it’s told in Liam’s PoV. I really liked Liam, but that meant we see very little of Jordan (Ryder’s sister), who is probably my favorite character in the series. I love her a lot and wanted to know more about her, but I liked getting to know more about her girlfriend Thalia.

This is the second book in the series. I liked the first book a lot better, as it focused more on the relationship between Liam and Ryder as well as some discussion of Ryder’s powers. I think this one felt too fast paced for my tastes. This one went a little bit into Liam’s powers, but I don’t think either book goes into the characters’ powers enough for my tastes. There was some conflict regarding Liam and Ryder being together, and how it caused problems with Liam’s heritage coming out more as a result. But it felt kind of rushed for me.
The plot kind of confused me a little at times (i.e. syphoning, Orders, etc.), and as someone that unknowingly read this book first - the second in the series - I think it’s always good to include that information again (or for the first time) in subsequent books to jog readers’ memories if it’s been a while since they’ve read the series, or if it’s their first experience with it. I liked the ideas behind the plot, and the characters’ abilities (Christy’s mind reading, for example) but it was very fast paced, and I still wasn’t entirely sure what the other characters like Liam and Ryder could actually *do* as Water and Fire Witches. Can Liam do things like Percy Jackson? Is it more like Avatar, “bending” the elements? I’m not sure beyond some basic powers that were mentioned. There also wasn’t as much action as I would have expected considering the conflict with the kelpies.
I really liked the pre-established relationship between Liam and Ryder though. It was great to see trans representation through Ryder, a transgender male. I also liked what I could see of Donovan and Tyler’s relationship, and they seem to be the focus of the next book based off of the preview. I think that the author does a good job writing the relationships. Overall I think that if the book was longer and a bit more drawn out and informative plot-wise it would have worked better for me. I’d say give the series a shot if the summary catches your interest because it is an interesting concept (there was some mention of demons, fae, weres, etc. brought in late in the book). I really enjoyed the first book more, as it didn’t end with a cliffhanger of sorts like this book did. But I do want to read the next book in the series to see what happens with Liam and Ryder especially, as well as Tyler and Donovan’s relationship.

TW: bloodletting

I was so glad to return to Port Lewis and my witch kids. This was a wild ride from beginning to end. Liam is dealing with some thiiiings and I was so glad just to reunite with him and Ryder and their circle. And get his POV this time. Whew. Their circle's a little shakyyyy and made for some tense moments especiallyyyyy when everything that had been building up from the start of the story came to a head.

I was so worried and on edge the entire time reading this so kudos to the author. Excellent job. The tension bled right off the page for me. I love this writing style and whenever they used their magic the images created by the author's words were so vivid.

I love Ryder and Liam's relationship. How we see our guys got each others backs no matter what. I just adore them ok! Ryder was and still is my absolute fave but getting into Liam's head for this book was great because we get more backstory on him and his family and i just love seeing Ryder through his eyes. They're soooo in love it hurts :D

The ending has me shaken cuz it hints at some things to come for our fave circle and !!!!! I just need all of them to be ok. But I'm really intrigued about Donovon and Tyler, from since book 1, and we'll get their story in book 3 via Donovon's POV. And that's gonna be soooo exciting considering his secret got revealed in this book eeep!!