bchristian541's reviews
198 reviews

Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Magical Living by Maria DeBlassie

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Maria DeBlassie explains how to live a magical life, full of synchronicity, divine receptivity, Goddess energy, and divine feminine energy using her own struggles as a woman of color to help others find the magic within their lives. Each chapter will end with some tips on how to make your lives magical. 

            Maria DeBlassie fills Practically Pagan – An Alternative Guide to Magical Living with relatable experiences and realistic ways to make your life magical. Although, there is no witchcraft or wizardry going on, any person of any gender, race, background, etc. can use her tips to find fulfillment in their lives. I found this book especially helpful for those who feel as though they have lost who they are with the hustle and bustle of life. 

            If you need some insight into how to feel more like yourself, find yourself, or overall tips on how to find the magic in your life, do not miss out on this book. It is full of insights, experiences, and rituals for anyone who needs it. 

Painter of the Damned by Rob Samborn

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced

5.0

Nick and Julia thought they escaped Venice for good, until Nick is arrested and returned to Venice for the murder of Jacopo Comin, a man that should have been dead long-ago. As Nick and Angelo merge together even further, events become even more tragic, and Julia becomes determined to rescue her beloved with the help of Painter Carlo and a mysterious Guild. Tragedy after tragedy unfolds. What ever happened to Nick/Angelo? Is Julia able to save him? Find out in Painter of the Damned. 

            Full of lovable and relatable characters, readers feel right along with the emotions running rampant throughout the book. The descriptions make the reader feel as though they are right alongside the characters. I would not change a single part of this book. It does end in a cliffhanger, making me yearn for more. 

            If you are looking for a fast-paced book filled with mystery, romance, tragedy, action, and historical fiction look no further. Painter of the Damned is the second installment in the Painted Souls series. 

The Prisoner of Paradise by Rob Samborn

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 
After a brain injury leaves Nick O’Connor somewhat confused, his wife, Julia is hesitant to travel to Venice for her career. Nick convinces her and his doctor that he is stable, and the pair goes on their trip. While exploring artwork, Nick believes that a beautiful woman inside of a painting called Paradise is talking to him, but only he can hear her. Unsure as to if it is real, or if it is his brain injury talking, he ignores it. Then, he passes out. Nick tries to write it off as his brain injury, but something pulls him to return to Paradise to see if the instance occurs again, and it does. During his return, Nick finds that the woman’s name is Isabella and that her soul is trapped within the painting. Julia starts to fear for Nick’s wellbeing, while Nick puts the two of them further into danger. What exactly is Paradise and who are the people who are protecting it? Answers are found, while more mystery behind the painting unfold. 

            The Prisoner of Paradise is full of relatable characters, action, mystery, and betrayal. The scenes the writer describes can easily be envisioned, as well as the emotions that the characters feel can be felt through the reader. The Prisoner of Paradise is a work of art within itself. I would not change a single part of it. 

            If you are looking for a thriller full of beautiful sights, mystery, twists and turns, and love, look no further. I cannot wait to pick up the sequel, Painter of the Damned. 

The Final Bite by Naomi Valkyrie

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adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 After being killed by his greedy sister, Quinnlan is chosen to get a second chance at life. The catch? He must find a mate within three days, using no magical abilities. Did I forget to mention that Quinnlan is a vampire? The Gods dump him in an area with very little population. His second chance at life seems to be slipping out of his grasp, when on the second day, he sees a stranger in danger and chooses to save him. Mystery surrounds this intriguing stranger. What would become of this stranger and Quinlann? Can he help the stranger solve the mysteries? Find out in The Final Bite. 

            The Final Bite is full of relatable characters, paranormal beings, surprise, and quick comedic relief. It was fast-paced, and events unfolded quickly, to the point where it felt rushed. There were many opportunities for the story to be elaborated on or unfold slower. It is good for a short story, but I was expecting more out of it. It left me with questions that could have been answered with some elaboration. 

            Overall, The Final Bite is a great, quick read. It is full of mystery, suspense, and romance. If you are looking for a short story full of vampires, witches, and wolf shifters, do not hesitate to pick up The Final Bite. 

Mis Spelled by Th Leatherman

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Evan is a teenager with more than typical teenage problems. He has a mother who does not allow him to see his father, claiming he is a bad influence on Evan, a brother who torments him, and a loving grandmother. One day, Evan makes a choice to stand up to his brother for someone in need. His brother and his goons then turn on him and start chasing him into the woods across the way from the school. Injured, Evan stumbles into a stream and ends up into a place that is straight out of a fairy tale. From there, he falls in love with an elf who is engaged to someone and tricked into performing three quests for the elf queen in exchange for her to send him back to his world. Along the way, Evan finds friends in the most unlikely places, thwarts enemies, and finds out where he belongs. 

            Mis-Spelled is full of loveable and relatable characters. It is a fun, fast-paced fairy tale full of twists and turns. The descriptions of the lands are beautifully written, and the reader feels like they are travelling alongside Evan. 

            If you are looking for a fairy tale full of mystical creatures, mysteries, and unexpected events, do not miss out on Mis-Spelled. I highly recommend it. 

Ice Dance by Vik Azeem

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funny hopeful mysterious fast-paced

5.0

 Hassan has been going through the struggles of life after losing his job. His best friend pressures him into attending comedy night at a local bar, where Hassan meets Yasmine. Yasmine is everything he ever wanted. Things seem almost too good to be true for Hassan when Yasmine gives him her number, except it is not a phone number. A week later, Hassan starts to give up on Yasmine, when he gets a phone call for an interview, except it is not an interview. It is an interrogation. Yasmine is on the run and the interrogator is looking for her. Hassan barely makes it out alive, with the help of Yasmine, but now he is in deep danger for the girl he has fallen in love with. Will they escape? Find out in Ice Dance. 

            Ice Dance is a whimsical read full of action, thrill, romance, and comedic relief. All the characters are relatable, and the descriptions are vivid. This book will keep you engaged until the very end. 

            If you are looking for a fantasy story full of magic, romance, and comedy, look no further and pick up a copy of Ice Dance. 

Bycatch by Alexander Blevens, Alexander Blevens

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dark tense fast-paced

5.0

 
Bycatch follows the paths of many people following the Vietnam War. Some are Vietnam Veterans, others are shrimpers, while others are Vietnam Veterans turned into shrimpers. Mystery after mystery and tragedy after tragedy unfold and with a tough relationship between Americans and Vietnamese, who is to blame? Especially when one of the tragedies involves a South Vietnamese Veteran? Alexander Blevens takes you through the minds and eyes of each of his characters, while answers are sought. 

            Bycatch is an amazing read full of relatable characters and feelings. It did get a little confusing at times jumping from one person’s viewpoint to another, but it is still a 5-star read. I could not put it down. 

            If you are looking for a post-Vietnam War story that focuses on the tensions between the Vietnamese and Americans after the war, but is mixed with action and mystery, look no further. Bycatch is a quick read that will leave you on the edge of your seat. 

Borrowed Time by Lane Cohen, Lane Cohen

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

  Advanced physics professor, Andy Case fell in love with a married woman, who also fell in love with him. Andy drew further and further away from his wife to become closer to Francie, eventually divorcing his wife. Not only does he leave his wife, but he also loses Francie, who decides to reconcile with her husband because of their daughter. This leaves Case in a turmoil until he befriends one of his advanced physics students, Samoset Brown. Case and Brown work together to turn Case’s grandfather’s time machine movie prop into a working time machine, with the help of a power source that fell out of the sky. They each have their own goals if they were to succeed with the time machine. Samoset wanted to change history while Andy wanted to change his love life. However, neither go as planned. What went wrong? Where do Samoset and Andy end up? Find out in Borrowed Time. 

            I thoroughly enjoyed Borrowed Time. All the characters were relatable as well as their feelings. Some parts left me questioning and none were really answered, while other parts I felt were somewhat unnecessary, but I still rate it as a 5 star. I could not put it down. With the questions I still have and the cliff hanger ending, I hope there is a sequel coming. Overall, if you love time travel, science fiction, and romance, do not hesitate to pick up Borrowed Time. 

Curse of the Elf Lord by Heidi Vanlandingham

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adventurous hopeful fast-paced

5.0

  Curse of the Elf Lord is the second in the Kingdom of the Elf Lords series by Heidi Vanlandingham. In this installment, focus switches to Hel, Loki’s daughter, and Bernard’s uncle Emilien. Hel had made the difficult decision of staying out of their daughter’s life as her realm was draining Shalendra’s life force and she was in danger of Loki finding out about her. Shalendra grew up with Emilien, believing that he was her brother. Then, entities started to disappear from the afterlife realms and Hel finds out that Shalendra contacted Freyja, saying Emilien was missing. Hel takes the journey to Midgard to calm Shalendra, where she makes the difficult decision to tell her that Emilien is her father, risking Emilien becoming mad at her. Only a strong blood bond, such as father to daughter, can locate him. Doing so may alert Loki to who she is to him. Can Hel find Emilien and who is responsible for the disappearing entities? Can she keep Shalendra safe from her father, Loki? Find out in Curse of the Elf Lord. 

            I thoroughly enjoyed this book. All characters were relatable, and the vivid descriptions allowed the reader to envision the realms. I would not change a single part of it. If you are looking for an enchanting read, don’t miss out on Curse of the Elf Lord. 

Return of the Elf Lord by Heidi Vanlandingham

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 
Follow Bernard in Return of the Elf Lord as he tries to bring his wife and children back from the dead, causing more issues than he can handle on his own. Issues that even Norse Gods and Goddesses may not be able to help him with. Can Bernard fix what he messed up? Can he find love again? Pick up Return of the Elf Lord and find out. 

            I fully enjoyed Return of the Elf Lord. It put a great twist on Norse mythology. All characters are relatable, and the details allow the reader to live within their worlds. I would not change a single part of this book. 

            Overall, Return of the Elf Lord is a must read. It is full of adventure, mystery, twists, and turns. I highly recommend picking this book up.