Member Reviews
You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
Adrienne Morales is an artist. She creates bespoke pieces of artwork for a number of clients and rents a space in Desmond Desoto's shop Craft Haven. She is also an Enchantress. She can channel the magic of the Earth into any enchantment she wishes, and can put that enchantment into her craft pieces, any object that is compatible, or even people. That last one she refuses to do. She's spent the last 7 years hiding from a cult that she escaped who were fleshwriters. Enchanters that willingly placed enchantments on people, whether those people were willing or not. She's been minding her own business and quite enjoys the little life she has created for herself. Between bickering with her best friend Kendall, and daydreaming about what her and Desmond's relationship COULD be. That all is thrown for a loop when an obviously enchanted and insane man barrels into the store breathing fire. A rogue enchantress is on the loose and is doing terrible, terrible things to unsuspecting people. The Void Union, the conglomerate in charge of overseeing the paranormal population around the world, are on the scene, and that's not exactly what Adrienne was hoping for. She's flown under the radar but now they know about her, and one specific Void Hunter has Adrienne pinned for the rogue enchantress. Now she must come out of hiding, face up to some truths, hope her cult doesn't find her, keep the Void Union off her back, and stop a rogue enchantress from causing more harm. Nothing big.
I was pleasantly surprised at how fast paced this novel was. It didn't seem like there was a LOT happening, don't get me wrong, there's stuff going on, but I was so shocked when I happened to see that I was already over half way through this book without realising it. It's such an easy story to fall into and it's a definite page turner for me.
I found the concept of Enchantresses brilliant. Essentially, any paranormal creature that currently exists can be traced back the Enchantress who created the enchantment to MAKE them that way. What an absolutely BRILLIANT concept. I've never come across it before and I absolutely LOVE it. I also loved that there are extremist groups in this. Adrienne's cult is definitely one of them. And something about the term fleshwriter just makes me giddy. Not in a weird way, in a "what an awesome term for someone who does something SO terrible" way. It's just a good term.
I found Adrienne's character to be incredibly likeable, relatable and real. She was easy to connect to and was just a down to earth character for someone constantly in a battle with magic wanting to be channelled. There was no false bravado, just someone trying to do what they think is right to fix something that is wrong. And even though she came from a rough childhood, it didn't turn her into a whiney, poor me, why me whingy McWhingepants, which I've come across sometimes in books, and it just grates on me. Spahn wrote Adrienne's character wonderfully and I thoroughly enjoyed her. I loved Kendall and Desmond's personalities as well, Kendall is the smartarse best friend who is always up to no good and Desmond is the love interest who hides how he really feels behind a smirk and bickering comments.
The story itself was well thought out. As said above, it was fast paced which for a story like this is fantastic. It really gave you the feeling of 'time is running out' and that is just amazing. I did not work out who the rogue enchantress was, I had a couple of possibilities but was pleasantly surprised when the big reveal happened. One Adrienne had worked it out, it clicked for me as well, which as you all know, I LOVE it when that happens. It sucks when you work it out before they do. The story tends to drag if it ends up that way.
The world building was done exceptionally well and there was no info dumping in sight. You were able to take in the make up and rules of the world without being completely bamboozaled with how it all works. I also love the underlying story that will obviously end up playing a big part through this series. The story of Adrienne's past and the cult she's been running from for the last 7 years. It's going to be an amazing showdown I reckon, and I cannot WAIT to read about it.
This book is definitely the most unique world I've encountered in quite some time. I read a lot of paranormal romance and this was so refreshing and interesting that I absolutely could not put it down. As the start of a series, I'm 100% committed and cannot wait until the next book!
Adrienne is an enchantress - someone who constantly attracts and channels magic. Sounds cool, but she must always be alert to the amount of magic she accumulates, because too much is dangerous. She had a pretty traumatic childhood, and that has led her to avoid sharing all of herself with others. Things are relatively "normal" for her, working in her craft space with her BFF and her possible love interest/landlord. One fateful day, however, thing get all turned upside-down. Now there's Voids, people who police her kind (and are immune to magic), after her, assuming that she is the nasty enchantress using magic for evil deeds.
Lucky for Adrienne, she has somehow surrounded herself with the best allies a girl could want. The mystery and action is filled with wonderful magics and interesting spells. I don't think I can stress how interesting and unique the magic in the book was. Channeling magic in this world is so intricate, it's like a work of art. Adrienne ends up figuring out how to survive this madness with her mind intact, but she's forced to make some tough decisions. I eagerly anticipate the next installment in this series to see what other surprises this world holds.
My first thought when I finished this book was one of exasperation. Why exasperation? Two reasons: I now have ANOTHER author I need to read, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book. I really was impressed by this book for many reasons which included great writing, wonderful characters, and a totally engrossing plot. I adored Adrienne, Desmond, and above all Kendall (a squirrel shifter) who completely made the book. I even liked Axel at the end. I also liked the unique universe the other has created. I can’t wait to read the next one, and if you like urban fantasy, you really need to read this one. I do highly recommend this book and was provided a copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
A fast-paced and gripping book that I just couldn't put down. I loved the characters in particular Kendall, the squirrel-shifter who's character I found to be hilarious. I also was fascinated by the way the magical world blended with the ordinary. The way magic worked in this book was different to any other I'd read which made this book particularly riveting.
My Goodreads review is: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2731019947?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
I received this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the magic and mystery of the story. The world building was great and it kept me hooked from the beginning. Cant wait for the next one!
I received this book from Sealook Pressm, Xpresso Book Tours, NetGalley for an unbiased review.
I loved this book!
What a lot of fun! Magic was used in a different and relatively unusual manner, characters were young, but fun, and the storyline moved along nicely. I had a lot of fun reading it, even though it was definitely YA. I've never minded YA books, and books like this are why.
The banter among the characters was entertaining, the storyline engaging and all in all a quick enjoyable read. The who-done-it in the storyline wasn't as tricky as it could have been. I knew who it was pretty quickly, but getting to where we're shown who it is was worth the trip. I liked all the characters, but I think maybe I like Kendall best. She's a firecracker, which is just my kind of teen/young adult. I was unable to determine the ages of everyone (they seemed younger than their years), but since this was more a fun tale than a tragedy or sex story, the ages didn't really seem to matter much. Having had kids of my own, I know that from about 16 to about 25 they are still working on maturing so age becomes immaterial. Watching Adrienne and Desmond develop a relationship slowly and carefully which was a nice change of pace.
I'm dying to know what happens next and hate that I'll have to wait for quite awhile since this book hasn't gone live yet, but wait I will anxiously! I like your work, AC Spahn, very much. Keep it up!
*thank you netgalley and sealook press for a copy of this arc*
this book just was not fleshed out as well as it needed to be. the concept was fine: an urban fantasy following an enchantress on the run. the story was just lacking. the world building needed WAY more attention; specifically the magic system & it’s rules. the plot was meh. the characters were meh but there was nice funny lines (kendall was great). I loved the latinx representation so that was a plus. overall I just feel as though it could have been longer and needed more build up. it was all very amateur.
This was a fun book! I liked the mystery and how it wrapped in the main protagonist’s history. I look forward to reading the next one and seeing how this universe grows.
Soooo....I was not overly impressed with this book. I’m a big supe fan and the basis of her magic being actually harmful like every 20 seconds was annoying. There was no really good way for her to channel her magic and everything was potentially harmful. That was a bummer and a turnoff. Add that in to the constant KADOOMs and I was really done, There is potential in the book, but I just can’t see it getting better.
a book about a woman who can do magic. She has problems with a unity, woh wants to control her and a past that she can ´t forget. A bit of romance because there is a man she likes, but it it complicated
I received an ARC of this book from Sealook Press through NetGalley. What follows is my real and fair review.
Branching out from my regular genres just a bit, I picked up Enchantress Undercover by A.C. Spahn, an urban fantasy novel that introduces readers to a somewhat complex magic system involving enchanters, Voids, and other paranormal creatures. Since I tend to read more high fantasy, this was somewhat new territory for me. Reading Enchantress Undercover made me realize how long it’s been since I read something in the urban fantasy or paranormal romance genres. Spahn’s novel was a decent re-introduction to the genre. Here’s my quick summary:
Adrienne is an enchantress which gives her power to manipulate the world—and people—around her but makes her vulnerable to Voids, individuals unaffected by magic who police the paranormal community. Unfortunately for Adrienne, when she defends her shop from a fire-breathing assailant, her boss sees her use magic. And it turns out, he’s a Void. Now that the Voids know about her, Adrienne must avoid imprisonment while she tries to find the real rogue enchanter.
This book’s strengths lie in its mystery and the backstory it hints at for the main character. Adrienne’s hunt for the real enchanter is fairly straightforward, but it kept the story moving at a fast pace. Furthermore, I actually did not predict the identity of the rogue enchanter while reading the book. It was nice to be somewhat surprised by the ending. In addition, the novel lays down intriguing groundwork towards exploring Adrienne’s past with other enchanters. You learn some about what happened to her when she was growing up, but it would be interesting to see where that aspect of the story goes next.
However, I do think there are some issues with the book, mostly with its treatment of the romantic sub-plot. The book is categorized as “new adult,” which makes sense because its main characters are in their early or mid-twenties, I think. That being said, I don’t there’s any content in the book that a teen couldn’t read. That’s because the novel’s main romance is very tepid. Now, it’s one thing for a book to lack a romantic plot. However, this book dedicated so much time to Adrienne’s attraction to her boss it would’ve been nice for there to be real chemistry between the characters. Furthermore, the book’s rapid switches between Adrienne thinking ‘it’s not time to think about romance’ to immediately thinking about romance, or her bosses abs, were a little annoying.
Overall, this was a quick, easy read. I enjoyed the mystery and fast-pace, though I thought the writing was just average. I wouldn’t mind reading rest of novels in series, but I’m not overly invested.
Recommended for readers looking for an accessible entry into urban fantasy genre.
3 stars
Enchantress Undercover will be released 18 March 2019.
Enchantress Undercover by A.C. Spahn, a Joy to Read. This book was fun and entertaining, a real 5 stars. Written well, introduces its subject matter quickly and explains the ins and outs of its magic world very well. Adrienne is an enchantress, someone who binds magic into items for various purposes. What she does is not quite illegal but she is hiding from the supernatural police - Voids - people whom magic does not affect. Until things start to affect the city around her and the store she is, she does not realise that the owner of her shop is a Void... Looking forward to seeing where this series goes.
What attracted me to this book was the description. It seemed really interesting. And it was!
I haven't read anything like this.
I must admit that I loved the author's version on magic. The way it has to be handled. And that it is both amazing and terrifying. A blessing and a curse at the same time.
The protagonist, Adrienne, was very likable. Smart, a little shy but confident in herself and her abilities.
Kendall was awesome. And funny. If I continue with this series I hope we'll see more of her.
Now, a major downfall for me. The romance. It's not a main aspect of the story. It's just a little bit there. And I was fine with that.
But it really didn't work for me. I could see no chemistry. Sure, they were great friends but I don't think that they should be more.
I think this is the only (ever) time when I with for another romantic interest to appear. I majorly hate that in other book. But here I am. Desperate times and all that.
So, if you are looking for a book full of magic, with a new take on supernaturals and powers, interesting characters and a little bit of romance (which you might like or not) then you should give this a chance. I did, and I can't say I regret it.
Thank you NetGalley and Sealook Press for this arc.
Another young witch / enchantress living in "hiding" with a Messiah complex and her hunky boyfriend "save the world" story. Yawn.
The author is very knowledgeable of the San Francisco area. The pacing is fast and fairly consistent throughout. But the story has been done to death with much better characters.
This novel contains magic and the supernatural. Adrienne Morales is an enchantress who has been in hiding your years. Her past is something she wants no part of and is afraid of being found. She is an artistic and uses her abilities to "enchant" objects, for she is releasing her magic before it overwhelms and potentially destroys her. Desmond Desoto is a Void, one who is immune to magic and Adrienne's business partner and potential interest. Adrienne becomes nervous when Desmond finds out her secret, for it puts her in the path of The Union. When a rogue enchantress starts causing problem, Adrienne knows she needs to stop her, since The Union believe she is causing all the trouble. Adrienne, Desmond, and their friend Kendall, a shapeshifter, work together to find out who is making all the monsters and destroying minds. When Kendall goes missing, Adrienne and Desmond know they are running out of time. Will they be able to stop the rogue enchantress in time or will Adrienne take the fall for magic she has not done? Looking forward to the next novel in the series!