setaian's review
3.0
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.
Three Stars but a good three stars with a promise of greatness as the author develops her craft.
redhairedashreads's review
4.0
Alex Blackwood, a metalsmith artist, is pulled into the fae world when her best friend is killed. Her whole life quickly changes and gets dangerous. She fights fae, creates amazing art, and makes new friends and new enemies. I really liked Alex. She was strong and held up well with all the craziness that was being thrown at her. Her ability was interesting and unique as well. I can’t wait to see how she will wield in the future.
This world and characters are fascinating and intriguing. I was captivated quickly and couldn’t put the book down. There are also a lot of side characters that I want to know more about, especially James. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.*
This world and characters are fascinating and intriguing. I was captivated quickly and couldn’t put the book down. There are also a lot of side characters that I want to know more about, especially James. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.*
bananatricky's review
4.0
Three and a half stars.
Alex Blackwood works in a bookstore and is also a metalsmith in her spare time, having some success selling her art in a local art gallery.
Following the Faerie Wars all fae have to be registered and live on a reservation unless they have a special licence to live outside but tensions remain high between the fae and the humans. A serial killer is on the loose, apparently randomly targeting unrelated people, and one of Alex's best friends has been murdered. It turns out her friend may have been half-fae and in possession of some mysterious fae artefact. Indeed, it turns out that all the victims were half-fae, entrusted with fae artifacts - is someone trying to amass power or start another war?
Soon Alex is embroiled in trying to track down the killer and avenge her friend's death, but not everyone is as they seem - who can she trust?
I thought this had some potential as the start of a new series, the world building of a contemporary world in which the fae are out in the open (although hidden by glamours) but other paranormal creatures are still considered myths was good. I liked the various factions and not knowing who to trust.
However, I can already foresee at least a love-triangle if not a love-square with some of the characters - apparently everyone finds Alex irresistible and she already possesses special talents (sigh). Also, there was so much world-building that at times concepts were just thrown into the mix and not really explored further - maybe they will be the main thrust of the second book?
I will definitely look out for the second book to see how this series develops.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Alex Blackwood works in a bookstore and is also a metalsmith in her spare time, having some success selling her art in a local art gallery.
Following the Faerie Wars all fae have to be registered and live on a reservation unless they have a special licence to live outside but tensions remain high between the fae and the humans. A serial killer is on the loose, apparently randomly targeting unrelated people, and one of Alex's best friends has been murdered. It turns out her friend may have been half-fae and in possession of some mysterious fae artefact. Indeed, it turns out that all the victims were half-fae, entrusted with fae artifacts - is someone trying to amass power or start another war?
Soon Alex is embroiled in trying to track down the killer and avenge her friend's death, but not everyone is as they seem - who can she trust?
I thought this had some potential as the start of a new series, the world building of a contemporary world in which the fae are out in the open (although hidden by glamours) but other paranormal creatures are still considered myths was good. I liked the various factions and not knowing who to trust.
However, I can already foresee at least a love-triangle if not a love-square with some of the characters - apparently everyone finds Alex irresistible and she already possesses special talents (sigh). Also, there was so much world-building that at times concepts were just thrown into the mix and not really explored further - maybe they will be the main thrust of the second book?
I will definitely look out for the second book to see how this series develops.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
jessicareadsit's review
4.0
A Drop of Magic by L.R. Braden was vividly descriptive and highly entertaining. Once I stepped into the world of Alex Blackwood and the Fae I simply could not put this novel down. The characters were bold and endearing with just the right amount of raw emotion and sass to keep me engaged.
After a sudden tragedy rocks Alex's life, a Pandora's box explodes and she is thrust into a new and dangerous world. Alex is bombarded by startling revelations of her past and those nearest and dearest to her. All her life she has survived by following one simple rule- Do not care! Alex swiftly learns life really doesn't care much about "rules" and kinda does its own thing.
As her quiet life is turned upside down by people who wanted to hurt, help, love and kill her, she learns that maybe the good guys aren't always that good, and the bad guys aren't always that bad.
I was impressed by the layers of intricacy developed by L.R. Braden and her ability to present a cadre of unique and entertaining characters without overwhelming the reader. Her characters were larger than life and lept off the pages straight into my heart. A drop of magic is a truly amazing novel that had me emotionally invested from the first chapter.
Thank you to NetGalley, BelleBooks Inc. and Bell ridge Books for providing me with an arc.
After a sudden tragedy rocks Alex's life, a Pandora's box explodes and she is thrust into a new and dangerous world. Alex is bombarded by startling revelations of her past and those nearest and dearest to her. All her life she has survived by following one simple rule- Do not care! Alex swiftly learns life really doesn't care much about "rules" and kinda does its own thing.
As her quiet life is turned upside down by people who wanted to hurt, help, love and kill her, she learns that maybe the good guys aren't always that good, and the bad guys aren't always that bad.
I was impressed by the layers of intricacy developed by L.R. Braden and her ability to present a cadre of unique and entertaining characters without overwhelming the reader. Her characters were larger than life and lept off the pages straight into my heart. A drop of magic is a truly amazing novel that had me emotionally invested from the first chapter.
Thank you to NetGalley, BelleBooks Inc. and Bell ridge Books for providing me with an arc.
see_sadie_read's review
3.0
I thought this was ok, not great, but not bad either. I liked the main character, but I had issues with most of the side characters. The book passes the Bechdel test (it does feature at least two women who do talk to each other about something other than a man), but not by much and honestly, it didn't feel like it should. It felt very much like all the important side characters were male. In fact, it started to feel like a reverse harem, though there is no sex and the only whisper of romance comes in the last pages. (It could have been one of several male characters and worked just as well, so I can say it wasn't impactful to the story.) Actually, very little in the book is impactful. I think that's why I've finished it with a mental shrug more than anything else. I won't remember it next week.
The writing was fine, though I think there were a few editing mistakes. It's hard to tell with an audiobook, but I'm fairly sure it said 'we'll find out who killed your father,' at one point when they were investigating the death of her friend. All in all, I don't think I'll be rushing to continue the series, but I didn't hate it either.
The writing was fine, though I think there were a few editing mistakes. It's hard to tell with an audiobook, but I'm fairly sure it said 'we'll find out who killed your father,' at one point when they were investigating the death of her friend. All in all, I don't think I'll be rushing to continue the series, but I didn't hate it either.
eternity21's review
5.0
This story takes place after a human-fae war. The fae have to register and get visas to visit and stay in the human world.
Alex Blackwood who is a metalworker has a friend that turned out to be half-fae who has fae artifacts that causes his murder. While Alex is trying to understand why she didn't know about Aiden she has to confront the fact that someone is trying to kill her because they think she has info on a particular fae artifact.
I really enjoyed this world which is different from others that include Fae or Fairy people. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Alex Blackwood who is a metalworker has a friend that turned out to be half-fae who has fae artifacts that causes his murder. While Alex is trying to understand why she didn't know about Aiden she has to confront the fact that someone is trying to kill her because they think she has info on a particular fae artifact.
I really enjoyed this world which is different from others that include Fae or Fairy people. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.
tazian's review
3.0
So the plot is good, the characters are good; in fact I like mostly everything about the book, but you can definitely tell this is a new writer. Something that time/experience and a good editor will fix. With how much I enjoyed everything else about the book I will go ahead and read the rest of the series to see how she progresses.
wisecraic's review
4.0
**I was provided an electronic ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
LR Braden's debut novel, A Drop of Magic, is part murder mystery, part preternatural fantasy, and one solid good time.
The reader follows the perspective of metalsmith Alex Blackwood as she learns about the recent murder of her friend, Aiden. Alex is quickly drawn into a tangled web of secrets about Aiden himself and how the fae may or may not be involved in how he died. In the process, she learns some shocking truths about herself and has to adapt quickly to avoid death herself as she seeks justice for Aiden.
While the pacing of the story seemed a little disjointed to start, the approach that Braden took to magical artifacts, magical beings, and the overall world was one that I really enjoyed. Alex was an accessible main character whose naivete and ignorance about the fae realm gave Braden opportunities to educate the reader on the world as well. That being said, I found myself more invested in the "side" characters (Malakai, Marcus, James) than I was in Alex herself. Shout out for a glimmer of LGBTQ rep in David as well! I think Cat might be my favorite :)
I liked that Braden had a couple twists thrown into the story, and that not everything flowed perfectly for Alex and Malakai as they completed their investigation. Braden's writing style lends itself toward an authentic vibe that made it easy to lose yourself in the story. Was this a unique take on the concepts or creatures in this novel? Maybe not, but certainly Braden's version of preternatural mystery was done well and was an absolutely respectable debut.
Overall, I found A Drop of Magic to be an entertaining read that left me smiling. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Braden, and would absolutely recommend this book to Laurell K Hamilton fans or anyone else looking for a fast paced fun read.
LR Braden's debut novel, A Drop of Magic, is part murder mystery, part preternatural fantasy, and one solid good time.
The reader follows the perspective of metalsmith Alex Blackwood as she learns about the recent murder of her friend, Aiden. Alex is quickly drawn into a tangled web of secrets about Aiden himself and how the fae may or may not be involved in how he died. In the process, she learns some shocking truths about herself and has to adapt quickly to avoid death herself as she seeks justice for Aiden.
While the pacing of the story seemed a little disjointed to start, the approach that Braden took to magical artifacts, magical beings, and the overall world was one that I really enjoyed. Alex was an accessible main character whose naivete and ignorance about the fae realm gave Braden opportunities to educate the reader on the world as well. That being said, I found myself more invested in the "side" characters (Malakai, Marcus, James) than I was in Alex herself. Shout out for a glimmer of LGBTQ rep in David as well! I think Cat might be my favorite :)
I liked that Braden had a couple twists thrown into the story, and that not everything flowed perfectly for Alex and Malakai as they completed their investigation. Braden's writing style lends itself toward an authentic vibe that made it easy to lose yourself in the story. Was this a unique take on the concepts or creatures in this novel? Maybe not, but certainly Braden's version of preternatural mystery was done well and was an absolutely respectable debut.
Overall, I found A Drop of Magic to be an entertaining read that left me smiling. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Braden, and would absolutely recommend this book to Laurell K Hamilton fans or anyone else looking for a fast paced fun read.
moonykitten's review
1.0
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.
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