Typically, you wouldn’t classify a book that features a string of mysterious murders as “whimsical.” But there’s little typical about C.M. Waggoner’s unassuming debut, Unnatural Magic.

The book is modest in the most pleasurable ways—bright but not boastful, ambitious without being arrogant. You could say the same of its two main characters, whose twin narratives propel them through opposite ends of the world Waggoner has created, only intersecting as the plot’s central mystery comes to a head.

I loved Unnatural Magic by CM Waggoner. Magic, gender-fluid characters, and a fantastic whodunit come together beautifully. Great worldbuilding, characters I loved meeting, a great book to close 2019 and enter 2020 with.

I was intrigued by the synopsis provided and found myself somewhat enjoying this book. It wasn't exactly my cup of tea, so I can't give a thrilling review like others who thoroughly enjoyed it. The relationship dynamics were interesting for sure: it's highly unusual to see a troll/human couple, so that in itself was delightful. I agree with others who say that the ending was a bit rushed and perhaps too neat, but maybe I've just been reading too many sad-ending books?

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4 ⭐️. I really liked the way the writer just put the reader inside the world, no exposition, no infodumps. Just the reader walking next to the characters and excerpts of books, media from the world to set up each chapters, these give a hint of how the world works in an interesting form.

Trolls, humans, wizards, fay all live together but apart. Trolls are being murdered and taken apart for something. The mystery is okay and I spotted the red herring and the real culprit but.. it didn’t matter I wanted to see how the characters would get mashed together, how the woman who would be a wizard and the troll who would be a reig would get their prizes.

I loved this universe. Here’s hoping there will be more from this author.

I have to admit that I was instantly drawn to the cover. This book definitely has a fresh take on magic. I also appreciated the 2 strong female characters; one of which was a troll. I liked how the 4 main characters were developed and bright together. I recommend this book. Be warned, if you don’t like cursing, this may not be the book for you.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

While I hesitate to pick up new and unknown fantasy books, Unnatural magic by C. M.Waggoner turned out to be right up my alley. With similar fields of magic to Tolkien, but with a science-based casting system, the world-building between the humans and trolls remained familiar and comprehensive throughout the book.

Tsira and Onna were awesome female characters who didn’t try to change to fit into other people’s expectations. In fact, their friends and family adapted and changed around them. Jeckran’s admiration of Tsira and his constant support of how she considered herself presented one of the healthiest relationships I have seen in literature. This was a wonderful analysis of how different worlds can work together.

Pretty standard story about magic, starting with a contest to get into the "best" magic academy that Onna loses (because she's a female), but she then travels and wins a place as the intern to the most gifted magician in their world. The next POVs are those of Jeckram, a failed soldier, and Tsira, an outcast-from-her-clan ogre; both are trying to find their place in this world. There's a mystery regarding who is killing trolls in Hexos, again pretty standard.

What made this stand out for me was the ogre society: their words for "wife" and "husband" don't apply to gender but to job description. Anyone can decide to take on either role, and they can switch at times. It's a great way to think about gender and societal roles (better than the Onna storyline deals with them). It could lead to some wonderful conversations with readers about their thoughts regarding those things.

eARC provided by publisher.

Unnatural Magic is a standalone fantasy by C. M. Waggoner. Released 5th Nov 2019 by Penguin on their Ace imprint, it's 400 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a deliciously robust standalone fantasy in contrapuntal themes and, delightfully, with two unapologetically strong, intelligent, and appealing female leads.The disparate plot threads intertwine more closely as the book progresses until they merge about 3/4ths of the way through. The beginning of the book was slow for me because of the necessary framework-building and setup. It more than repaid my diligence for sticking with it and has been one of my best reads for 2019. The world building and magical system along with the racial interactions and societal background (troll vs. human, town vs. rural, magic class vs. mundane, emotional intelligence vs. logical intelligence, etc.) are all on point and well rendered. One of the biggest standouts for me with this book was the expert way the author managed to explore perception. Motivation from one character's perspective which seems perfectly logical to -them- may not appear so to characters from other classes or backgrounds and the author's ability to highlight both viewpoints was exemplary.

This is a BIG book in terms of themes and narrative reach. There's a lot to unpack and process, and I don't doubt it will stick with me a long time. It's also a very very well written book and an enjoyable read.

Strong language warnings apply. There's a fair bit of no-nonsense non-smutty sex in the book along with themes of gender identity, androgyny, some body horror (in context), non-sexual violence, gender roles, and more. This is a very comprehensive book. I sincerely hope there's more. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this author in future.

Five stars. Superlative fiction. I sincerely wish I'd managed to finish it earlier in the year, it deserved a strong consideration for the goodreads choice award in the fantasy class and compares quite favorably with any of the winners.

Disclaimer: I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Onna can write the parameters of a spell faster than any of the young men in her village school. But despite her incredible abilities, she’s denied a place at the nation’s premier arcane academy. Undaunted, she sails to the bustling city-state of Hexos, hoping to find a place at a university where they don’t think there’s anything untoward about providing a woman with a magical education. But as soon as Onna arrives, she’s drawn into the mysterious murder of four trolls.

Tsira is a troll who never quite fit into her clan, despite being the leader’s daughter. She decides to strike out on her own and look for work in a human city, but on her way she stumbles upon the body of a half-dead human soldier in the snow. As she slowly nurses him back to health, an unlikely bond forms between them, one that is tested when an unknown mage makes an attempt on Tsira’s life. Soon, unbeknownst to each other, Onna and Tsira both begin devoting their considerable talents to finding out who is targeting trolls, before their homeland is torn apart…

It’s difficult for me to review and rate this book since it wasn’t my cup of tea. There were no plot holes or problems with the writing, so I will stick with a four star rating. However, I did not find this book to suite my taste in fantasy novels.

I couldn’t get past the first couple of chapters on this one. I can see this being an in-depth look at a magical world, but the dialogue didn’t feel realistic at the beginning and the presentation seemed a bit rushed. I instantly felt like I was in the middle of something and had missed out on background. This just wasn’t for me, but I appreciate the chance to review!

I got this book through NetGalley to review. It sounded right up my alley, however I struggled to even get through the first couple chapters. This book is incredibly dense, it is written more like a text book than a fantasy novel and I was not in the mood to read something like that. I may have to pick it up at a different time.

This book switches between Onna’s POV (a student at a magic school) and a young troll. That’s as far as I got into the story. It took me forever just to read the first chapter because of all the names, technical terminology, and world history that is thrown at the reader. It was incredibly dense and I found the writing style very difficult to read.

I struggled through the second chapter and then called it quites. This book was making me very grumpy and I was very frustrated with it. I will say that I may not have read enough of th ebook to give itt a decent evaluation and in general folks have been saying the story improves later in the book.

Overall this was not for me. It was a huge struggle to get through the first couple chapters, the writing is very dense and the book takes itself very seriously. This was just not something I am at all interested in, despite the fact that the synopsis sounded intriguing. I imagine that this book will get high ratings because of the sheer effort and detail the author put into writing it, however that doesn’t mean it’s an enjoyable read.

Unnatural Magic is a wild and weird ride. It’s not often you get to experience a unique story such as this one!

This book was difficult for me to get into. I was not a fan of the writing style and I felt there was just too much information to take in. I’m a big mood reader so that could possibly have an effect on how I felt about this book.

Unnatural Magic by C.M. Waggoner is a refreshingly standalone fantasy novel with a brilliant cast of characters and intriguing magic system. I can honestly say that I'd love to see more of this world in the future, whether it's a spin off or companion novel. While I loved getting to know all of the diverse characters who pop right off the page, I became the most attached to Onna who has a great arc. I particularly appreciated her intelligence and focus. The magic system is very clever with complex math, physics, and chemistry like magic. Overall, I can't recommend C.M. Waggoner's debut novel enough. There's so much to love about this uniquely riveting adventure and I can't recommend it enough. I can't wait to see what this author will do next!

Unnatural Magic is a unique and mature fantasy debut with two distinct viewpoints occuring in different regions. The setting and atmosphere brings to mind a sort of victorian era, but imbued with magic. This is the first time I’ve ever read a fantasy novel that was quite fixated on trolls living among and communicating with humans harmoniously. The trolls in Unnatural Magic are broader and stronger than humans. They have a matriarchal culture that contrasts interestingly with the the patriarchal one of humans.

The first viewpoint is Onna’s, she is a young human woman- a studious pupil of magic who wishes to attend an elite magic academy. She’s rejected entry, mainly due to a preference for wizards over witches that prevails in her culture. Undeterred, she travels far and is finally recognized- becoming the protege of a gifted magician with a mysterious past. Together, they are looking for a murderer who has been targeting trolls and threatening the relative peace the two races have been starting to attain.

I almost DNF’d this book early on after reading a few of Onna’s chapters. The writing during her sections aims for a sort of elegance that came off as too decorated, and full of technical world building info dumps that I found barely digestible. The plot during Onna’s sections can be summed up quickly, and I found myself barely able to stand the world of humans in this book. Their conversations, their stuffy culture, even Onna is sadly bland more often than not in the way she carries herself and her thought processes.

However, there is a whole other perspective- that of a troll named Tsira and a human soldier Jeckran. On the cusp of DNF’ing, I encountered these chapters and was immersed. The writing style during these sections is more free-flowing (if often crude) and by far more eventful. Tsira is likable and fascinating. The way she and Jeckran interact is startlingly unique, as they come from very different regions yet grow close after traveling together on what starts off as a thrillingly dangerous journey. Tsira is a powerful warrior and future leader, Jeckran is a sort of damsel-in-distress who is eventually able to hold his own and is enamored by Tsira’s strength.

Their relationship is a real inversion of traditional roles, bringing something very unconventional that I’ve never seen focused so closely upon in fantasy. Once their adventure was fully underway, even Onna’s chapters became easier to read as I tried to focus on the many creative tidbits that merge to create a full picture of this world.

This is a case where the amount of effort that went into this book is so noticeable and admirable, but certain larger plot elements that should have been fascinating and garner much interest (the murder mystery that plays a role from beginning to end, unmasking the culprit) just left me cold and not that interested. The ending is also weirdly abrupt. Overall, a mixed bag.

Overall Rating – 6/10

Why You Should Try It – Highly detailed and unusual world, trolls and humans being the main focus. The cultural norms developed here are well developed and contrast in an interesting way. I liked Tsira and Jeckran. The highly differing styles of the two stark viewpoints show great versatility.

Why You Might Not Like It – I didn’t care for Onna and her companions, the style of her chapters was consistently unappealing. The climax called for more excitement.

Note : Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an ARC of this title for the purpose of review.

I adored this, very compelling and original. Follows the stories of Onna, a talented young wizard who is underestimated because of her class & gender, and Tsira, a half-troll who has the character of a leader but is underestimated because of her mixed race. Eventually they both begin to find their place in the world, with adventures, mysteries, and love affairs along the way.

This book was a real pleasure to read. I typically read at night and if a book has really captured my attention, then I think about it through the day, and can’t wait until bedtime when I can finally sink into the world again. This book felt that way for me.

Onna is a young woman, extraordinarily gifted in magic and very studious, but she has to contend with the burden of living as a female in a pretty male-driven human society.

Tsira is a female troll who is struggling to find her place in the world. Trolls in this book are a highly developed species, magically superior to humans in fact.

Both of the young women find themselves caught up in the mystery of who is targeting and brutally murdering trolls.

The magic system and world building were not neglected either. They are well thought out and contribute much to the setting.

But as engrossing as the central mystery being investigated is, for me the beauty of this book lies in its relationships. Tsira saves the life of a young human soldier and what follows is a really wonderful love story. Onna becomes the apprentice and friend to a truly eccentric wizard. All of these characters are complex and interesting. The relationship between Tsira and her young man explores gender non-conforming themes, and it’s so sweet to watch him allow himself to be loved by her in ways he never would have dreamed in normal human society. Onna’s mentor is a fascinating bisexual character, but their relationship is one of true respect and appreciation for each others talents.

I just found the book so refreshing and delightful. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Song for this book: You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go – Madeleine Peyroux

I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me access.

I struggled to finish this book. While trying to decide if I should DNF this or not, I stuck with it some more.

We start with different POVs and it honestly feels like 2 separate stories. Two fantasies smashed into one. Magic and Trolls. That being said, this story is completely original, and I haven't read anything like it before.

It is very unique and covers things like *PERIODS* Gasp! I know, I wasn't expecting it at all, but I applaud Waggoner for adding it to the story. Every female has it and have been wondering how characters deal with this!

Overall, Unnatural Magic is a unique read. It wasn't for me, but that doesn't mean that you will not enjoy it.

Unnatural Magic by C.M. Waggoner

I would like to thank Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing group for approving me for this early copy to review.

Unnatural Magic gets 3.5 stars from me. The premise of the story really intrigued me. It follows a couple storylines. Onna is a brilliant young woman who has studied to enter a prestigious wizarding school. She is clearly the best wizard of her age but is still denied from the school because she’s a woman. She eventually ends up going to another country to enter to their school and ends up being chosen as an apprentice for one of the greatest wizards alive, the Lord Mage Logos. This leads her to investigate a series of troll killings.

On the other hand, we have Tsira, who is a troll. Trolls are actually generally wealthy and successful, and humans like to emulate them. Clans are headed by reigs, which are usually considered female by human standard, but trolls are rather androgynous in actuality. Tsira meets Jeckran, a human who she teams up with to work jobs that are in need of a strong arm.

The things I loved about this book: the contrast between prejudices against women and empowerment of women in different cultures. In troll culture, the women lead, they are worshipped, they sleep with whomever they please and aren’t judged. They choose their mate(s), they are physically strong. In Onna’s homeland, women are expected to stay chaste until they marry, and do the housework. Even when she goes to Hexos, she notices the differences in culture. The people there are amorous and it is not uncommon to have many lovers before settling down, whether you’re a man or woman.

Another thing I loved: the fluidity of sexuality. The femininity that men exhibited. So refreshing compared to the toxic masculine traits men can often display. Jeckran is a tough human soldier willing to do what it takes to survive. When he meets Tsira, he becomes infatuated. He isn’t sure whether she is a male or a woman, but he starts loving her and lusting after her before he knows which she is. She takes the lead, she picks him up as easy as a sack of potatoes, she takes the lead in sex, she protects him. And he lets her without embarrassment or a thought to his masculinity. The role reversal is refreshing. Logos exhibits signs of flamboyance and tenderness. The men in this series don’t have to be tough constantly to protect their manhood.

At first the troll/human thing I thought was going to make me cringe but it was pretty well done. I was actually rooting for their relationship.

The bad thing about this book: while I was completely engaged when characters were speaking, when they weren’t, the book dragged. Sometimes there was too much focus on minute details. This could also be because I’ve been a bit overstimulated between the multiple books I’m reading, so don’t write this book off because of that.

One more thing that didn’t make it a perfect read for me: I get the building up of the four main characters before they meet... but it was a long build up. Most of the book was the two set of characters doing things on their own and then suddenly meeting towards the end of the book. It felt like a few chapters of them achieving something together and instantly turning into almost a family before the book ended. I would have loved to have them meeting earlier in the book. But that would be a personal preference and not a reflection on the author’s writing or decision making. This is her story and the way she wanted it to be.

The troll killer was obvious to me, but it might not be to some. I’m not gonna share my reasons why it is obvious or it will completely ruin it for those who haven’t read the book.

All in all, this was a great debut with some flaws, which is to be expected! I think many people will enjoy this book and it’s worth the read. It comes out tomorrow, November 5th.

This book was such a delight! Unnatural Magic is a true breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. I had no idea what to expect going into this, but it ended being even more charming and exciting than I could have hoped for. The characters are vibrant, engaging, and full of personality, the world is fascinating, and the magic system is one that I truly love.

Unnatural Magic follows three main characters: Onna, Jeckran, and Tsira. The story is sort of split into two predominate POVs, one of which features Onna as she embarks on her own educational-oriented journey to Hexos, and the second follows Tsira and Jeckran, an unlikely pair who cross paths and continue to journey on together throughout the story. Onna was easily my favorite POV simply because I was most interested in her usage of magic, exploring the city-state of Hexos, and the people we meet there, but that's not to say that I didn't enjoy Tsira and Jeckran's journey as well because I absolutely did. In the beginning of the book, however, I'll admit that I was slightly frustrated because switching POVs felt as though as I was reading two completely different books when I really only wanted to read one. Fortunately, the connections in the stories eventually make themselves known and both POVs started to become more interesting and make more sense to me.

Onna is a delightful character to follow and I liked seeing how she interacted with people in Hexos and especially within the new position she takes once in the city. She was raised on the slightly more proper and respectful side (though I wouldn't call her pretentious by any means!), so seeing her deal with those who aren't as trained in etiquette and/or appropriate conversations was highly enjoyable. Onna is one of those characters that you can't help but love because of her thirst for adventure while remaining a bit of an academic book-oriented girl at the same time.

Jeckran, a former soldier, is more on the relaxed side, though he has quite a few anxieties that come out during his journeys that allowed me to better get to know him. His interactions with Tsira were some of my favorite and I loved watching the bond develop between these two characters. And speaking of Tsira, she was easily one of the most interesting parts of this book. As the synopsis notes, Tsira is a troll, which made for a truly fascinating journey to learn more about her and the troll culture. I loved the explorations of how they deal with gender and roles and how relationships work among trolls--Waggoner really excelled in this area.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the magical system itself, though I do wish we had been able to learn a bit more about it in detail. The way the magic works is fascinating to me. Mages and those who use magic use what are called "parameters" to essentially create the spells and develop their functions. There seems to typically be those who create parameters (who don't have to have any magical skill) and mages who actually use those parameters in order to use spells and magic. The parameters sort of reminded me a proofs from math, which to me added a really unique and sort of solidified magic system that felt grounded and real.

Lastly, I'd like to make a quick additional note on the subtle yet important themes explored in this book related to gender, status, race, and other important political topics. Waggoner weaved discussions around all of these areas in such elegant ways that fit perfectly into this fantasy world while also allowing me to see relevance in our own world.

Overall, I've given Unnatural Magic 4.25 stars! If you're looking for a delightful magical read with exceptional characters and character interactions, as well as some smart discussion on relevant themes, then absolutely pick this one up!