changelingreader_adrian's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lenahe's review
lighthearted
2.5
This is a sweet cozy romance. Unfortunately, the writing could be better developed, and the pacing was off for me.
creativelifeofliz's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A fun indulgent read, just like the author's note mentioned.
samt03's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
It was cute but I wish it explained some more things and maybe wasn't as fast paced as it is
mousegoddess's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
3.5
Okay I enjoyed this more than other stuff I've read with this author. Her pacing seems pretty consistently not my thing, but I like the characters. Quick sweet read, no overwrought nonsense, angst level that worked for me, nothing to complain about really.
k8books's review
4.0
This book was sweet,romantic magic!
Ralph's past is clouded by his 150 years of verbal abuse by his family and other mages living in Ravenshire. Finally leaving, after he realizes that his best is never enough, he moves to Mistvale to start his own life; where his lack of magic will not be thrown at him as a taunt. Never would he have thought that he would find is Semlee & Semnyar in Mistvale and merely a couple houses down.
Jai's path in life has been rocky ever since he was born. Not expected to live past 6 months, he knows that everyday could be his last. Diagnosed with a heart defect at birth, he hasn't truly been able to live a day without pain or tiredness. Finally deciding that he is going to gain some independence by living on his own, he moves into his own house with his beautiful, loyal husky Padfoot. The day when he decides to change his routine and go take Padfoot for his walk early leads him to meet the new neighbor down the street. Could Ralph be the friend that won't leave Jai, even with his health condition?
This is a wonderful journey of perfect matches for both people and animals. It displays the bonds that people have with animals, the strength at finding great friends, and the other part of your soul can have when you don't think you're enough. I also lets you know that even though you maybe given a family at birth, if they don't value you, you can go out and find one that does; because everyone is worth something, we all just need a little help seeing that from time to time.
Ralph's past is clouded by his 150 years of verbal abuse by his family and other mages living in Ravenshire. Finally leaving, after he realizes that his best is never enough, he moves to Mistvale to start his own life; where his lack of magic will not be thrown at him as a taunt. Never would he have thought that he would find is Semlee & Semnyar in Mistvale and merely a couple houses down.
Jai's path in life has been rocky ever since he was born. Not expected to live past 6 months, he knows that everyday could be his last. Diagnosed with a heart defect at birth, he hasn't truly been able to live a day without pain or tiredness. Finally deciding that he is going to gain some independence by living on his own, he moves into his own house with his beautiful, loyal husky Padfoot. The day when he decides to change his routine and go take Padfoot for his walk early leads him to meet the new neighbor down the street. Could Ralph be the friend that won't leave Jai, even with his health condition?
This is a wonderful journey of perfect matches for both people and animals. It displays the bonds that people have with animals, the strength at finding great friends, and the other part of your soul can have when you don't think you're enough. I also lets you know that even though you maybe given a family at birth, if they don't value you, you can go out and find one that does; because everyone is worth something, we all just need a little help seeing that from time to time.
loulou87's review
4.0
Stella Rainbow strikes again.
If you are in search for a fluffy, sweet, low angst story, with a splash of paranormal and fantasy, this is what you should read.
the first book in her Mages of Ravenshire series follows a black sheep of a mage, called Raph who has left his magical town to escape his family. he has made a home for himself is a little town called Mistvale.
There he meets Jai, who is terminally ill and counting down his day. a chance encounter gets them together and they form a tentative friendship.
Suddenly, Raph's faulty magic finds a purpose, and both men start to shift their relationship to something more.
Their romance, the wooing, and the relationship was so sweet and so them. both men have good hearts, and it shows in the way they are together. they are also fearless in their love for each other which shows in the way they stand up to the people who are hurting the other.
I loved the ode to Hindi/Indian culture with Jai and his family, and how his family embraced Raph.
I can't wait until Cassian's story. He intrigues me!
#happyreading
If you are in search for a fluffy, sweet, low angst story, with a splash of paranormal and fantasy, this is what you should read.
the first book in her Mages of Ravenshire series follows a black sheep of a mage, called Raph who has left his magical town to escape his family. he has made a home for himself is a little town called Mistvale.
There he meets Jai, who is terminally ill and counting down his day. a chance encounter gets them together and they form a tentative friendship.
Suddenly, Raph's faulty magic finds a purpose, and both men start to shift their relationship to something more.
Their romance, the wooing, and the relationship was so sweet and so them. both men have good hearts, and it shows in the way they are together. they are also fearless in their love for each other which shows in the way they stand up to the people who are hurting the other.
I loved the ode to Hindi/Indian culture with Jai and his family, and how his family embraced Raph.
I can't wait until Cassian's story. He intrigues me!
#happyreading
smartie_chan's review
4.0
3.5/5 Stars
Fun fact: I bought his book, through it on my endless TBR and forgot all about it until I learned that the sequel had aces and vampires.
I was told that it is possible to read book 2 without the knowledge of 1, but I was also told, that it's not reccommanded to do so.
So yeah, what did I think about this one? Well, it's a hit or miss, I think.
When I first started, I couldn't - for the life of me - get along with the writing style. It's very telling, very repetetive and very not-me. There are parts of this book where I was kinda liking it and parts where I was just really frustrated overall. I usually don't DNF books, so giving up wasn't an option. Especially since I DID like the characters. So I forced myself through the beginning that seemed like I would never end, until I reached a point - don't ask me when that point was - where I wasn't minding the style as much.
I'm getting book 2, so I guess I didn't hate it as much as I'm claiming, but boy, was this book making it hard for me.
TO BE FAIR, I've forced myself to read, even though my depression was being a very loud bitch in the back of my mind, so there's a chance, that my depression made the experience worse, as in, the style isn't mindblowing, but it's probably way more okay than I'm giving it credit.
I voiced my complaints first, because those were the only things that bothered me, really.
The book is VERY sweet and wholesome.
Yes, there was past emotional-abuse and toxic housholds, that get a mini-subplot and yes, Jai is ill, but that didn't stop the book from making the romance the most healthy, cute thing I've read in a while.
Good Communication? Sexy Consent? AND Believable Romantic Attraction? More likly than you think.
This book features another trope I love (or hate, depends): Soul Mates. You see, I tend to love Soul Mates, but sometimes I hate them. Because Soul-Mates are not excuse for Insta-Lust-Love things to happen. Gimme believable attraction, gimme pining, gimme fluff. Don't gimme: We have to date because.
They do get together fast, but it didn't feel rushed at all. Because they just work.
I saw people complain about the spice level and to you, who it may concern, I have to kindly and politly say: Fuck you.
Don't take this from me! Most of the times I'm forced to read about twitching banana's and pages apon pages of smut that serves no purpose to the story what-so-ever. And it's refreshing to read about to people who's love isn't determined by their capability to have sex or nah.
The book never tried to be a smut-filled-smut-fest to beginn with. The tone is very clear and if this doesn't sound like something you might enjoy: Don't read it. It's that simple.
Someone get's kidnapped at the end and honestly, I LOVE the way this was executed. I'm tired of the "We-have-to-force-drama-into-this-book-in-the-last-few-pages" trope that I've had to read in so many other romance books. Sometimes a book can just be cute and fluffy and amazing. And that's ok.
Do I wish the emotional abuse subplot should have gotten more attention? Yes. But it's fine. The sub-plot has a good enough ending - and there's sequels too - so I'm satisfied.
So yeah, to summ my review up: I reccomand this book to everyone who's into Contemporary Slice of Life Romance.
Fun fact: I bought his book, through it on my endless TBR and forgot all about it until I learned that the sequel had aces and vampires.
I was told that it is possible to read book 2 without the knowledge of 1, but I was also told, that it's not reccommanded to do so.
So yeah, what did I think about this one? Well, it's a hit or miss, I think.
When I first started, I couldn't - for the life of me - get along with the writing style. It's very telling, very repetetive and very not-me. There are parts of this book where I was kinda liking it and parts where I was just really frustrated overall. I usually don't DNF books, so giving up wasn't an option. Especially since I DID like the characters. So I forced myself through the beginning that seemed like I would never end, until I reached a point - don't ask me when that point was - where I wasn't minding the style as much.
I'm getting book 2, so I guess I didn't hate it as much as I'm claiming, but boy, was this book making it hard for me.
TO BE FAIR, I've forced myself to read, even though my depression was being a very loud bitch in the back of my mind, so there's a chance, that my depression made the experience worse, as in, the style isn't mindblowing, but it's probably way more okay than I'm giving it credit.
I voiced my complaints first, because those were the only things that bothered me, really.
The book is VERY sweet and wholesome.
Yes, there was past emotional-abuse and toxic housholds, that get a mini-subplot and yes, Jai is ill, but that didn't stop the book from making the romance the most healthy, cute thing I've read in a while.
Good Communication? Sexy Consent? AND Believable Romantic Attraction? More likly than you think.
This book features another trope I love (or hate, depends): Soul Mates. You see, I tend to love Soul Mates, but sometimes I hate them. Because Soul-Mates are not excuse for Insta-Lust-Love things to happen. Gimme believable attraction, gimme pining, gimme fluff. Don't gimme: We have to date because.
They do get together fast, but it didn't feel rushed at all. Because they just work.
I saw people complain about the spice level and to you, who it may concern, I have to kindly and politly say: Fuck you.
Don't take this from me! Most of the times I'm forced to read about twitching banana's and pages apon pages of smut that serves no purpose to the story what-so-ever. And it's refreshing to read about to people who's love isn't determined by their capability to have sex or nah.
The book never tried to be a smut-filled-smut-fest to beginn with. The tone is very clear and if this doesn't sound like something you might enjoy: Don't read it. It's that simple.
Someone get's kidnapped at the end and honestly, I LOVE the way this was executed. I'm tired of the "We-have-to-force-drama-into-this-book-in-the-last-few-pages" trope that I've had to read in so many other romance books. Sometimes a book can just be cute and fluffy and amazing. And that's ok.
Do I wish the emotional abuse subplot should have gotten more attention? Yes. But it's fine. The sub-plot has a good enough ending - and there's sequels too - so I'm satisfied.
So yeah, to summ my review up: I reccomand this book to everyone who's into Contemporary Slice of Life Romance.
ankysbookbubble's review
5.0
Mages, magic, fated mates, two absolutely adorable fur-babies, a bit of adventure and lots of romance and just enough steam. What more could you ask for?