User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
A DROP OF MAGIC by L.R. Braden is the first book in The Magicsmith supernatural suspense series. This is the debut novel by an author that is new to me. The female protagonist, Alex Blackwood is a metalsmith creating works of art in Colorado after a fragile peace between the Fae and humans. When her best friend is murdered and she is violently attacked, her life suddenly becomes fraught with danger, lies, stress and changes. Along the way, she learns a lot about herself, her family, her friends and the Fae.
Alex is a likeable main character and is definitely someone you want to succeed. Her goals were clear and her motivations were believable. However, after being attacked, she didn’t take the precautions that I would have expected. I wanted Alex to be a stronger protagonist. The secondary characters are not as well-developed, but the novel was relatively short. Hopefully, that growth and depth will occur as the series develops. They did enhance the story and they added to the story rather than detracting from it. The prose was well-written, engaging, and entertaining. The plot was engrossing, fascinating and action-filled. The world-building was excellent.
Overall, the book was suspenseful, entertaining and fast-paced. I am looking forward to reading more in this fantasy series. If you enjoy supernatural suspense with a lot of action, then this book is one you may enjoy as much as I did.
Many thanks to BelleBooks, Inc. and L.R. Braden for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Rating: really liked it
A Drop of Magic is a new urban fantasy series by L.R. Braden. And, I will be delighted to add it to my must-read series list.
Alex discovers that one of her friends is murdered and their last act was calling Alex, leaving her racked with guilt for not answering his call. The mystery behind the murder sends Alex into detective mode, uncovering secrets about herself and her friends.
A Drop of Magic has lots of unexpected twist turns, a bunch of side of really fascinating secondary characters and side plots and great, original world building. Thumbs up for another debut suspense-filled fantasy. This is my first read from L.R. Braden but it won't be my last.
I received this ARC copy of
A Drop of Magic BelleBooks, Inc. - Bell Bridge Books. This is my honest and voluntary review.
A Drop of Magic is set for publication July 31, 2019.
My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: L.R. Braden
Paperback: 234 pages
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Publication Date: July 31, 2019
ISBN-10: 1611949416
ISBN-13: 978-1611949414
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Drop-Magic-Mag...
Barnes & Nobles: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-dr...
Rating: really liked it
A good effort and an interesting introduction to a new UF world with fae, werewolves and other magic users. One of the mistakes new authors make quite a lot is telling not showing and there is a little of that here. Not quite an info-dump and it wasn't so bad as to turn me off continuing but it was there.
Three Stars but a good three stars with a promise of greatness as the author develops her craft.
Rating: really liked it
Note - I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The premise for the book was excellent, but I didn't enjoy the book as much. Most of it was because of Alex. She was contrary, inconsistent, unlikeable, incompetent and not relatable. Her background and choices were not at all believable.
Also, the plot and the world building felt incomplete. There were just too many characters introduced without any context. For a woman who was supposedly alone, she had too many friends.
Overall, I didn't have the best experience with this book and I am not going to continue with the series.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars
I enjoyed reading this first book in a new Urban Fantasy series following Alex, an artist / metalsmith who is going to go after her best friend's murderer with the help of a fae named Kai. We meet a few secondary characters and the world created is interesting.
I thought the romance would be more developed in this book but I'm guessing the author wants to build it slowly over the three books planned for this series. It's a bit disappointing because I usually love having a romance in Urban Fantasy. Also, is it just me that felt like there might be more than one love interest? Mmh.
Overall, I liked A drop of magic and I thought it was a quick read. However, I'm not sure yet if I'll read the sequel Courting Darkness coming out in August. It wasn't a new favorite so I might stop here but we'll see.
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
Rating: really liked it
*Source* NetGalley/Publisher
*Genre* Urban Fantasy, Romance
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
A Drop of Magic, by debut author L.R. Braden, is the first installment in the authors The Magicsmith series. A Drop of Magic is the story about 28-year old protagonist Alyssandra (Alex) Blackwood who works as an artist specializing in metal sculptures. She lives in the mountains outside of Nederland, Colorado and shows her work at Souled Art Gallery in Boulder, Colorado where her friend James Abernathy is owner. As the story opens, Alex receives some unwelcome visitors looking for an engraved box which is supposed to be in her possession.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
Rating: really liked it
3.25⭐
This novel is L. R. Garden's debut and also the first of a new fantasy series.
Alex's friend is found murdered. Desperate to find answers, she is quick to jump into cahoots with a fae named Kai in order to get them. Along the way Alex learns a lot about herself as well as the people around her; the biggest thing she learns being how much those around her love and care for her.
There is a fair amount of action and surprises in this book, enough to make me want to continue the series. I felt the story was good but something felt incomplete. Hopefully this will get better with each book.
I recommend this book and would purchase it.
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and BelleBooks Inc for an advanced review copy.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 starsI like to say that my favourite genre is Urban Fantasy, and when I look deep into my heart that is where my love lies. I love the interesting twists and overlays that authors put on a contemporary world. Then I love to see the stories and characters that the authors plonk down into the world they crafted. However, when I look at my reading history, you could be fooled into thinking that I barely have a passing interest in the UF genre. This is why I decided to pick up A Drop of Magic by L.R. Braden, I need to start trying new UF authors rather than just sticking with the ones I know and have an unhealthy level of love for.
Part of what attracted me to this book is that our heroine Alex was a metalsmith and an artist. I loved the concept of a heroine in a UF not being a warrior, but having a more creative bent. Like most UF’s this book is told in first person. Which means that it is essential that you like the protagonist. However, although I didn’t dislike Alex, I also didn’t particularly feel a strong attachment to her either. I found her very…tepid and reactive. This did mean it took me while to really get invested into this book and it definitely suffered through a very slow start.
It’s depiction of the fae was very similar to that of Patricia Briggs with them as ruthlessly sly and extremely clever. The fae are key aspect of the world that Braden has created and I can’t wait to see how she uses them in this series. In fact, one of the things I liked about this book was the world that Braden created, there are a lot of possibilities and I look forward to seeing these come into fruition in future books.
Now, let’s talk about romance. My favourite type of UF is UF where romance does play a role. In this book it looks like we may have the set up of a love triangle…maybe even a love square judging by how the book ended… I have mixed feelings about this. One half of me is really happy that there is a prospect of romance in the future, the other half is dreading having to put up with a love triangle. I don’t like them. They never reflect well on any of the characters involved and I find myself getting very frustrated with the whole thing. However, maybe I am seeing things that aren’t there, but I do plan on reading the next book in the series so I can find out.
Rating: really liked it
This was supposed to be my half hour bedside read before going off to sleep, but by the time I closed my kindle, I realized I had finished the book and it was 2am.
The story about humans and fae caught my fancy. The book coasted on my imagination as it narrated the realms of fae world intersecting with humans. War between the two had ended a decade ago, and they lived in an uncomfortable truce with the imposed rules after signing the peace treaty. But soon murders occurred, and Alex Blackwood, thought to be human but actually a half-fae, lost her best friend. With pure blood fae, Kai, she was forced into this investigation to get back a sealed artefact which would destroy world completely.
The author L. R. Braden, in her debut, has narrated a fascinating world. Alex, the main character, who liked to be alone, surprisingly had many who genuinely cared for her including her Cat. Every chapter showed how she was slowly embroiled in this whole quest. Her emotions coursed between pain and anger which sometimes felt off but was understandable. There were times I wished she would grow up, my only grouse. Past and present was mixed with rules of magic. World building added its own mystic aura. Braden's writing made it all easy to understand.
Few moments of choppy writing gave way to smooth action scenes and new twists. Romance was hinted at but thankfully didn't take over the story. Creatures other than fae and humans were amalgamated smoothly into the plot.
I never expected that this urban fantasy would take over my sleeping time, but I was so glad it did. It was hypnotic and exciting, and the action scenes caused me to imagine myself in that role. Blasting fun!
Rating: really liked it
The blurb got me intriuged and the cover gave me a sort of a Sansa-vibe, so i think i had high hopes for this one. It was somewhat interesting in the start, but i felt after a while i wasn't intruiged anymore... the balooon kind of aired out so to speak, I didn't connect nor like any of the characters, and was a bit confused why so fantasy was pressed into one book, dragons, fae... and more... it felt a bit like too much? and sometimes i got confused and felt just meh about the story, nothing kept me wanting to find out how the book ended, even though i finished it.
Rating: really liked it
DNF at 70%
I couldn't keep my attention on it, and finally wondered "why on earth am I making myself get through this?"... so I bailed.
The FMC is an utter moron. That's really what it boils down to. This whole book is her running around like a stupid jackass looking for a thing that we were given an obvious location for in the first 10%. And on top of being a moron, I just don't like her. I don't like how she is with her friends. I don't like how she's surrounded by a lot of people who seem to know what is going on but share nothing with her (or maybe they tried and it didn't sink in? Like I said, she's a moron).
Meh. Great big meh. I'm a fast reader - like, when I pick up a book, I'm done in a day or two - and I've been working on this, trying to slog through, for a week. Meh.
Rating: really liked it
Alex is a metalsmith and artist working part time in a book store to get by. The Fae Wars are over, and there's an uneasy truce between humans and fae, but there are disturbing social parameters. Fae live on reservations and have to register the moment they step onto human lands. Half-fae must register as soon as they're discovered, or they're deported forthwith. And there's a special police force that's big on enforcement. So the paranormal skulk around in hiding...and maybe biding their time. Alex's parents died during the war. The last thing she wants is a renewing of hostilities. But when her best friend is slain, she's thrown right into the thick of things.
Alex is stalked and confronted by a bunch of fae people who want a mysterious magic box her friend died protecting. She has to discern friend from foe, and learns nothing--and no one--is what they seems. And she learns more about the fae world, and herself, than she ever wanted to. But once known, she can't unknow it. There's no going back to what was.
I loved this book so much! Alex is my favorite kind of heroine--snarky, spirited, imperfect. Her mistrust is understandable, but often misplaced. There were times when I got impatient, and exasperated, with her, because at times she was so dense and stubborn--but that's when I knew the author did her job making the characters REAL. There is a wide cast of characters, both good, really bad, and everything in between. The worst were the human Purists, who are against everything non-human, period. (Parallels to reality slightly disturbing.) I loved the glaring cultural differences between the humans, fae, and weres. I loved how people had to reluctantly work together against a growing threat that imperiled all. And I hated that Alex had to keep secrets from her human friends, partly for their own protection and partly because she didn't trust how they would react to her. I found that sad, if realistic.
I wouldn't call this a romance, but I'm okay with that. Urban fantasy isn't inherently a romance. There was enough going on that I didn't miss it. I loved my introduction to this often dark, disturbing world, and can't wait to get to the next installment in this series.
Rating: really liked it
i normally don't write reviews for books.
But i will for this one.
Rated at 2 1/2 stars
UF is one of my fave genres, I love everything to do with fae and supernaturals(weres/vamps etc) However this book was very "flat" to me. The plot premise was interesting but I feel like there wasn't much world building or at the very least it was kept very vague. To make it seem interesting, the author had one thing after another happening, it happened quickly but the downtime was really DOWN. I ended up starting skim pages and then skip them all together. mostly near the end of the book. Some things were very obvious too, like Cat.
This book was starting to feel too much like reverse harem to me as well and I tend to stay away from that genre because in all honesty, it bores me. Every time someone new came into the picture, it was, of course, a guy. none of the characters themselves in my opinion were very dynamic, they were all pretty flat.
And lastly, the romance. I love slow burning romances but i feel as if the author took way to long to introduce anything remotely romantic and while it was hinted at with James. I felt as if there were no real sparks? nothing that really jumped out. A bit to forced near the end too.
All in all, I don't really think I'll be reading the next book. A lot to do with the possible reverse harem or "love" triangle.
I apologize if this review is all over the place as I said above, I never really write them. Mostly because my grammar is a mess and I can't keep my thoughts straight.
Rating: really liked it
!!Discount alert!!
To celebrate the launch of my newest book, Demon Riding Shotgun, I'm discounting the first two books in my award-winning Magicsmith series!
That means you can grab A Drop of Magic for just .99 cents!
So if you've had this book sitting on your "Want to Read" shelf, there's no better time to start this bestselling, award-winning series!
