Wild Magic

When Peri was 16 she fled her mother’s coven after they attempted to murder her to steal her mage powers. Now in present day she teams up with the head of the Vampire Cabal in New York City to search for clues about her past and the murder of her mother and her coven. This is a world filled with demons, goblins, fae and witches living amongst humans. Peri is such a strong main character. If you are looking for a book that has an insanely rich vampire, touch her and you die vibes, and a murder mystery storyline then this is the book for you!

Wild Magic- Bk #1 Magic for Hire
By: Alexandra Ivy- I like her Guardians of Eternity series
Setting: Wyoming, NJ, and NY
Published 1/2/24, read 12/22/23

✔️ Paranormal Romance
✔️ Fae, Demons, Mages, Witches, Vampires
✔️ Enemies to lovers
✔️ Found family
✔️ Adult Fiction
✔️ Sci Fi/Fantasy
✔️Murder mystery

This is the story of Peri Sanguis who was raised by her mother and her witch coven. At sixteen, Peri manifests wild magic. Her mother Brenda Sanguis is envious of her daughter's magic and wants it for herself. Sensing the threat she would become, her mother stabs her in the heart. She escapes to the Witch's Brew bookstore/cafe, and meet Skye and Maya who help and train her. Valen is a two thousand year old vampire and one of The Vampire Cabal-the most powerful who rule the Gyre(source of magic). He wants to claim Peri as his mate, but she can't stand him. He is protective and shows up for Peri when she's in danger. When Brenda and twelve witches in her coven are murdered, Peri wants to know what happened and who did it. Together she and Valen investigate and fight their attraction to each other.

The world building is filled with supernatural creatures. The vampires in The Cabal rule over all but Peri and her friends enjoy their independence and will never "bend the knee" while under the protection of The Benefactor. They don't know who this is, but from time to time they are assigned tasks to complete. The Benefactor reminds me of Charlie from Charlie's Angels.

The characters- Peri is a strong, independent mage that follows her own mind regardless of danger. I love how she challenges Valen even though he could kill her in an instant. Valen is patient and protective because he knows she is stubborn, so he takes his time. Maya and Skye are Peri's found family and are protective of her even when she's reckless. I feel like they have secrets and their own stories to tell. The mysterious "Joe" comes around the bookstore and they have no idea why. They know nothing about him but he gives them cryptic warnings. I even like Tia, a mage who hates vampires and wants Peri's wild magic.

My Thoughts-I loved Valen and Peri's power struggle. Working together on the murder case helped them get to know each other. It's slow burn with a bit of action, mystery, and fantasy that PNR readers will like.

Rating:  4/5 ✨

Spice: 4/5 🌶️they have 1 actual sex scene at the end, with a few interrupted kisses.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC💙 ! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

"Wild Magic" is a 4-star read that delivers on its promise of supernatural intrigue and passionate romance. Alexandra Ivy introduces readers to a world where magic, desire, and danger collide, setting the stage for an enticing series that fans of paranormal romance will undoubtedly enjoy.

Mysterious, magical and beautiful. Peri needs to investigate how her mother and her coven died, but she’s chasing an evil entity. This thing survives on feelings and is hunting something it deems vastly important. Valen, the vampire leader seeking control over Peri and her friends, is intrigued by her lack of fear of him. It’s like wanting what you can’t have, Valen desires Peri but does she desire him? I was fascinated by this story, thinking it was just a romance between vampire and mage but it quickly moved to a murder mystery and lesson in magical abilities. I was captivated and never lost interest in their mission. I’m hoping this moves into a series as it appears Maya has a mystery of her own developing. My copy came through NetGalley and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

This was magically badass!!

I absolutely loved Wild Magic! I was instantly drawn in by the cover & the blurb - and it 100% lived up to the hype!

🔮 Magic
🧛‍♂️ Vampires
💥 Big Bad
❤️‍🩹 Emotional Damage
🎬 Action Packed
♥️ Romance
🔐 Secrets

Thank you so much Kensington Books for the advanced copy!

Wild Magic by Alexandra Ivy is a fascinating urban fantasy story packed with mystery, suspense, action and drama, and romance that develops as a slow burn that enhancing storyline rather than overshadow and doesn’t deter from the main focus of plot but allows it to grow and emerge.

Peri Sanguis had a tragic start to life, but her stubborn, independent, determined, and intelligent nature has helped her survive and become a formidable Mage; and a little sass hasn’t gone astray either. While the male lead Valen, is a wealthy, powerful, arrogant, and overbearing Vampire, who is also protective and generous with a side helping of humour.

I have long been an avid fan of Ms Ivy’s work and found Wild Magic to be a fast-paced, entertaining, and enjoyable tale with its creative twists and turns and edge of your seat suspense, the only thing that prevented a 5 Star rating was my personal opinion that more worldbuilding was needed, especially in relation to Gyre. However, overall Wild Magic is a story that kept me engaged throughout and eager for the next book in the Magic for Hire series.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel for review. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Unbeknownst to humans, the world is filled with supernatural beings. Peri Sanguis is a very powerful Mage. Even she doesn't know the capacity of her powers. Daughter of a witch who attempted to steal her power when she was sixteen, Peri lives outside New York City with her friends, working at a bookstore/cafe called the Witches Brew. When her mother and old coven mysteriously dies, Peri senses something is off about their deaths. She travels to the midwest to investigate.

Valen is a vampire who has lived millenniums. He oversees the territory that includes New York City. Valen has always had an interest and attraction for Peri even though Peri seems to not want anything to do with him. When Peri travels to her mother's ranch, Valen feels a need to accompany her in an effort to provide protection. As the duo finds out, Peri's evil mom has unleashed a powerful magic that hasn't been free in quite some time. This evil force leaves a trail of destruction and death across the midwest. The question to be asked is Peri strong enough to win a battle against such an ancient evil?

Wild Magic is a very unique story with an intense storyline. Many of the supernatural character traits and items found throughout the book are distinctive creations by Alexandra Ivy. Peri is an amazing female character who has overcome some extremely terrible things in her early life. I must admit that Valen gave me the creeps when he was first introduced but over the course of the book I grew to fall in love with him. Even though this book is not identified as part of a series, I believe Ivy plans at least two more books involving characters that are Peri's close friends. I am excited to continue reading more about these characters and this wonderful world.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a fascinating introduction to Peri Sanguis in chapter one! Wild Magic by Alexandra Ivy is an urban fantasy, a mystery, and a paranormal romance combined in one entrancing novel. In a world of mages, witches, vampires, and more, Peri is a strong mage. At sixteen she was forced to flee her home to save her own life. Eventually she found a family with Maya and Skye who tutor her and together they run the Witch’s Brew bookstore and café. When her mother and her coven in slaughtered, she must travel back to Wyoming to solve their deaths. A member of the Vampire Cabal, Valen, goes as well and they work together to solve the mystery.

Both Peri and Valen are well-defined characters with depth. Peri is independent, intelligent, stubborn, opinionated, impulsive and uses mockery as a weapon. Valen is protective, wealthy, powerful, independent, arrogant, and bossy. However, he is also generous and has a hidden sense of humor.

Death, suspense, action, and drama immediately pull readers into the story, which is well-written. The plot is twisty and flows well. There is the right amount of mystery, romance and creative twists to the paranormal to keep readers engrossed and wondering what was going to happen next. My biggest quibble is that I wanted to know more about the Gyre. I felt the worldbuilding concerning it was insufficient.

Overall, this novel was a fast-paced and entertaining tale with great characterization that kept me engaged throughout the story. This is the first book in the Magic for Hire series. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Kensington Boks, Lyrical Press and Alexandra Ivy provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 02, 2024.

3.5 Stars
Paranormal murder mystery.
Enemies to lovers.
Slow Burn Romance.

This book follows Peri, a powerful mage, as she hunts for a mysterious magical creature that has somehow been released into the world, but she isn't alone. Tagging along is Valen - powerful, arrogant vampire leader who, despite her best efforts, Peri can't seem to resist. They travel across America following clues and encountering dangerous situations.

I liked this book. I didn't love it, and it didn't blow me away, but it was definitely a fast-paced, easy read. The main FMC and MMC were a bit stereotypical (she is a powerful independent woman that doesn't want to rely on a man, and he is arrogant and unfeeling towards every woman except for her), and the romance seemed a bit forced at times.

But the magic was interesting, and I really like the Gyres and the logical approach to magic and the way it is concentrated in the world. I liked a lot of the side characters, and would have loved to know about them - hopefully the author is going to write a sequel or two with Maya and Skye featuring more prominently.

Overall, it was a fun read, and definitely one I would recommend to people to who need to get out of a reading slump as it's quick and easy, and doesn't require too much brain space to enjoy.

Thank y0u to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Wild Magic" was a lighthearted and fun urban paranormal mystery. Peri is a confident and sassy female protagonist who works as somewhat of a magical bounty hunter. However, when she finds that her estranged mother and childhood coven have found their untimely demise, she teams up with the powerful vampire Valen to investigate the circumstances of this event.

The pacing of the novel is well-executed, with a good balance between the paranormal and mystery elements. However, there are instances where the plot follows predictable tropes and formulaic twists, making it somewhat foreseeable for seasoned mystery enthusiasts. Despite this, the story manages to keep readers engaged with its atmospheric descriptions and a sense of impending danger.

The characters were likeable but I did find it hard to connect on a deeper level with any of them. Valen, the MMC, is powerful, dark, a bit mysterious and a little obsessed with Peri, which are all things I enjoy in a male protagonist, and I enjoyed the chapters from his point of view. I still found myself not able to really connect with him or Peri or any of the side characters in this novel. I was also a bit disappointed that the only romantic scene occurred so late in the narrative.

I was also confused as to whether this was supposed to be a standalone novel (which is what I thought the premise was), which would have worked perfectly fine, however I felt that the ending has left itself open for a follow up novel as we didn't get closure on a number of points.

While "Wild Magic" may not break new ground in the paranormal mystery genre, it excels in providing a satisfying and entertaining read. It strikes a delicate balance between the eerie and the familiar, making it accessible to both avid fans of the genre and those new to paranormal mysteries. It makes a great book to enjoy on a cozy weekend, offering a blend of the supernatural and the mysterious that will keep you hooked until the final page.

Thankyou to #NetGalley, Kensington Books and the author for allowing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vibes: spooky, plot-heavy, every day magic, slooow burn

Following the murders of her mother and her coven, powerful Peri must team up with the vampire Valen–who’s long desired her–to confront her past and go up against a dangerous evil.

I was so excited to see a paranormal romance up on Netgalley–and one with a vampire hero at that! Pros: the writing is strong here, and I do think Ivy has an interesting concept going on with a fun world. Cons: as a romance, it fell flat for me. It’s so, so slow; and because this is ultimately a romance, that slowed down the entire plot. Now, I’ll admit; a sloooow slow burn usually doesn’t work for me, so I have that bias. But waiting for Valen and Peri to get together (especially since they sounded hot) just didn’t work for me. However, if you do like a Mariana Zapata-level slow burn and want to pick up a paranormal romance, it may work for you.

Quick Takes:

–In a lot of ways, this is a murder mystery. Which is fine! I figured that would be a part of it based on the summary, but I didn’t realize it would be such a strong part of it. I can’t help but think that if the murder mystery had been a smaller part of the book, the romance would have moved faster and been strong. I mean, in a lot of ways the murder mystery even overpowered the paranormal aspects. I didn’t always feel like I was reading a book with a vampire hero.

–Speaking of, maybe I’m spoiled by Immortals After Dark, but… Valen just didn’t feel much like a vampire to me. It just took too much of a backseat to the mystery.

–At the end of the day, despite Peri and Valen’s romance being a slow burn, they really didn’t spend a lot of time getting together in terms of the story’s timeline. So it’s rushed and slow at the same time. I don’t mind a quick timeline in a romance. But to me, that necessitates the two really FEELING feelings in a big way even more, because you kind of have believe that they just can’t resist diving in.

Ultimately, which Wild Magic was well-written in terms of prose and something I could tell I should like, the pacing and lack of real clarity of genre made it a slog for me to get through. It’ll definitely work for its niche readers, but it didn’t work for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC of this book. I enjoyed it. It was a quick read for me and fast paced, no lulls which was nice, and that slow burn of romance/spice was a nice little topper at the end. This book has mages, Vampires, daemons, other magical things and a little murder mystery in there too. Just a dash of spice. The characters were all wet developed and enjoyed the storyline as well. Look forward to the next book. Definitely recommend this book if you enjoy a little magic, fantasy and sexy Vampires.

Peri Sanguis is a very powerful mage in a world where demons and magic co-exist secretly with the human population. When her estranged witch mother winds up dead in what appears to be a mass suicide, Peri gets caught up in a mystery that involves an elusive forbidden magic that no one seems to know how to control. When Valen, the sexy vampire who practically owns the city where she lives, offers his assistance, she doesn’t want to accept because Peri likes to work alone.

A vampire cabal, a rogue mage and a power hungry coven? Sign me up!

In this enemies to lovers slow burn romantasy, the chemistry between Valen and Peri is hot even while their attraction smolders. The tension between the two is irresistible and always left me wanting more (in the best way possible!)

Peri is a femme fatale and Valen’s cool assurance is the perfect match to light her flame. The strength that Peri exudes is phenomenal, and I love how the super sexy, ultra powerful vampire is secretly in awe of her.

The plot is action packed and moves at a quick but manageable pace. The first couple of chapters were a lot of world building information, but it after that it was easy to catch on.

I really love this world that Alexandra Ivy has created with all its intricacies and twisted factions. The end will leave you guessing so I hope there's a lot more in store!

An urban fantasy mystery in the vein of Patricia Briggs and Jeaniene Frost!

This was a pretty good read, the writing is good, there is a bit of tension and the story is interesting but without any big wow for me. I would still recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the above mentioned authors.

This story is told in the third person from our two main characters point of view with brief snippet from other important characters.
Our main cast are Peri a powerful mage and Valen our typical alpha vampire. While clearly being presented as an alpha vampire the author is careful of modernising him, avoiding the suffocating vibe we sometime get from those type of character. However, the author is so purposeful in not making in an alphahole that it's sometime a bit too on the nose. As for Peri, she is a powerful, reckless mage but show a certain level of self awareness and sensitivity. Overall the characters are relatively stereotypical of this genre but remain tridimensional.

One of the positive point of this book is that the two MC knew each other from the get go. This way the story manage to not feel like insta love even if it span a short period of time.

Wild Magic by Alexandra Ivy
WOW! This is a fantastic book - Alexandra grabs you and pulls you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Peri, a mage and Valen, a vampire must work together to solve the evil mystery. She has lots of baggage and he has been looking to claim an untrained female. The attraction is instant, but there is angst, trust issues, demons, an evil mist, danger, violence, magic, growing love, some laughs, some tears, and steam to get us to their HEA. I am looking forward to ANCIENT MAGIC.

I have been reading books by Alexandra Ivy since 2007 when I read Embrace the Darkness (which I loved), as well as Darkness Everlasting. As such, I was pleasantly surprised to come across Wild Magic after I had taken a long break from reading. The storytelling in Wild Magic was great, as always. Peri Sanguis is a badass female character, and I loved that Valen was able to take a step back to let her do her thing. I love how he sees and respects her strength, and it was nice to see Peri soften towards him.

Ivy’s books are often written in multiple POV which switches from the FMC to the MMC (which I don’t mind at all). However, there are a few instances where the POV switches to other characters (Elias and Destiny) that I didn’t care for. I think the information we learn while reading in Destiny’s POV could have been shared more effectively without needing to switch out of the POV of Peri. I also would have preferred more time between Peri and Valen to develop their relationship. There was so much action and problems to solve that their development together wasn’t as smooth as I have seen in other stories between the FMC and the MMC by Ivy.

However, I was still very entertained by the story! I loved the found-family aspects, which I’m hoping turns into a series with all the ladies of the Witches Brew. The ending is mysterious, which I’m hoping will continue with a book centering around Maya.

Peri uses her wild magic to right wrongs - for a price. When she learns that her mother has been murdered in a ritualistic manner, she reluctantly returns home to investigate - accompanied by the vampire Valen, who rules the territory where she lives. When Peri and Valen discover that her mother unleashed an ancient power that thrives on chaos, the two come together to track and combat the magic before it tears their world apart.

I really enjoyed this novel. Peri and Valen have excellent chemistry. The side characters are interesting too. The plot teases a second novel which I can't wait to read! For fans of Ilona Andrews.

I liked this book. There is a really complex magic system that we have only begun to explore. I loved watching Valen and Peri's relationship grow. I was left with so many questions at the end. What is Peri? Who is Joe? I am hopeful we are not done with this world and there will be a sequel either focusing on Skye or Maya or another about Peri and Valen.

A strong mage with a stubborn streak, a Vampire and a evil that threatens what he desires. What a great read! Lots of suspense! A must read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book. The writing style, coupled with the diverse points of view, including those of the antagonists, was excellent. The unique details and the unconventional magic system set it apart from other paranormal romances, which I found refreshing.
However, the pace felt a bit hurried. Some details were glossed over, and I believe the story could have benefited from a bit more length. Exploring Valen and Peri's connection in greater detail and enhancing the dynamic between them could have added the delightful tension that this romance seemed to lack. Despite these considerations, it was still an enjoyable read, and I'm intrigued to see where the story unfolds.