Review: Wizards & Weavers by Nazri Noor 4 of 5 stars

Wizards & Weavers by Nazri Noor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Braiden Beadle’s beloved craft shop is fading fast, overshadowed by the sudden appearance of a dungeon outside the seaside city of Weathervale. With adventurers flooding in for treasure and glory, no one’s interested in yarn or knitting needles anymore. Desperate to save his livelihood, Braiden decides to venture into the dungeon himself. But Augustin Arcosa, the powerful and aloof Wizard of Weathervale, sees the dungeon as a threat and wants it sealed. Braiden, armed only with his quirky weaving magic and stubborn determination, must convince Augustin otherwise. Their only option? Explore the dungeon together. As they descend into its depths, sparks fly—between danger, magic, and a growing attraction neither expected.

I loved this story which was a whimsical quest of courage, creativity, and unexpected connection. I loved Braiden's weaving magic which was a clever metaphor for resilience and transformation. The supporting cast of characters were special and I look forward to seeing more of them in the next book in the series. Well written, I could feel Braiden's despair at the prospect of losing his family store. This was an MM story.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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Review: The Claws of Winter by Nazri Noor 4 of 5 stars

The Claws of Winter by Nazri Noor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jackson Pryde can almost taste it now that the guild of artificers is so close to completion and everyone agrees that he should be the master even the powerful guild of bakers' master Mother Dough. But a strange sorcerer has reawakened Xander's interest in Incandescence, the second AI is now live again and has unearthed a new blueprint and thanks are not so calm in the Verdance. Whilst they saved the King of Summer they have to face the wrath of the Queen of Winter.

I really enjoyed this instalment of the series where Jackson and Xander had another adventure in the Verdance as they helped the King of Summer with something which infuriated the Queen of Winter and ended with an explosive conclusion. The mystery Incandescence Sorceror was worrying but in the end, it had a good ending. There was lots of danger and drama in this story where our heroes and their friends did battle. I loved the occasional tender moment between the two even though they didn't really have much time between all of the work to expand the reach of the guild of artificers. Easy to read, feel and understand. Contains some MM mature content.

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Review: Lord of Leaves by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Lord of Leaves by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lochlann Wilde is now a true summoner after earning his Crest in the previous book getting him Prince Sylvain and so is ready to go and get his inheritance, but he doesn't get cash as he expected instead a fast-talking familiar called Satchel with a second vault protected by a dragon that he has to get past first. The Withering is still in the Verdance as well as Sylvain's homeland and so they are given a series of quests to try to find the reason and/or a cure. He receives a gift from Aphrodite and needs to get the help of the Oriel of Air to get past the dragon.

I loved this story which was a continuation of the series where we learnt more about Locke, Sylvain, and the other friends from the Verdance and progress was made on information about the Withering. There was plenty of drama and action in this story as well as some tender moments between Locke and Sylvain. So some questions were answered and some were left open ready to drill down on in the next book. Easy to read and understand, this book contains mature MM content.

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Review: Prince of Flowers by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Prince of Flowers by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summoner Lochlann Wilde is in the shadow of his famous father who was legendary and commanded mythical beasts in battle. Locke on the other hand has still not passed his academy's trial of the elements. Then when out in the woods he accidentally summons a fae prince called Sylvain who is fiery, ferocious, strong and pant melting hot. Time is running out for the trial Locke needs to pass and Locke needs to find a way to tame the prince and his wild heart. Can Locke pass the trial, keep his inheritance, save the family name and have a shot at true love?

I absolutely loved this story. I started off feeling sorry for a loser, then had some hope for him, then excited for him to have someone so hot in his life, then in despair and finally relieved that they had a shot at a future together. Sylvain is definitely a complex character and I feel there are some politics at work there that will come more apparent in the next book. It was easy to read, feel and understand. Contains some mature content in an MM relationship. I cannot wait until the next book in this series now.

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Review: A Clap of Thunder by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

A Clap of Thunder by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jackson Pryde and Xander Wright are very happy together and everything appears to be finally going their way - the Guild of Artificers is getting larger and stronger as the other Black Market masters are helping, a second AI is starting to wake up and it also appears that Jackson has actually invited something which is commercial and can be sold to generate an income. However, not everything is good and Madame Catherine Grayhaven apparently does not forgive easily and so is rallying her students determined for war with the fac in Verdance. Can Jackson and Xander join the fight but actually find King Oberon in order to hold him to account?

Wow - from what starts off as a scene of domestic bliss for the two loved-up men everything soon changes and differing sources of chaos hit them from all directions although there were some major positives. I loved the marketable idea that Jackson came up with and the way to fill it up as proposed by Xander was very inspired (in more ways than one). I also really liked the track that the guys are sticking to which is to concentrate on fixing things as opposed to destroying them which is definitely a way for us all to live by in the real world. Some major secrets and some great progress. Clear to read and understand, I love the writing style of this author which definitely transports me to the world where this book is set. Contains some mature content and the main characters are in an M/M relationship.

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Review: Ex Tenebris by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Ex Tenebris by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Godling Dustin Graves has been honing his power in his dark dimension while also visiting his friends and partner in Valero, California. All appears to be well, but the Midnight Convocation (an alliance of the gods of darkness, night and the moon) is not leaving him alone saying that he can't be a god of nothing. Dustin really does not want anything to do with them considering his past interactions with them. Then they offer a bribe - it appears they have located Vanitas - can he make the right choice?

Wow - there were a whole host of the characters that Dustin knew, relied on, or had helped him in some way in the past. It was great to read how they were woven into the story and how the various moments of action occurred and were resolved. I loved how the whole invitation was resolved and how it was not quite how it appeared (when is anything when it involves Dustin?). Well written, easy to read, feel and understand. I loved the way the story ended and I will reiterate - trust in Dustin. The burger, fries and onion rings are soon to follow.

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Review: Sucker Punch by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Sucker Punch by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vampire Sterling is busy balancing the attentions of his beau an ancient Norse deity, a knife-wielding Knight of the Flowers and his friend who is a sleazy vampire sycophant plus his normal gang of friends from the Boneyard (Asher and Gil). Something is seriously amiss in Silveropolis as more vampire hunters are appearing intent on attacking Sterling and the rest of the supernatural population of the area. Then the moon suddenly disappears which weakens the local werewolf pack. Just when it seemed to not be able to get worse the Scepter of the vampire court of California arrives and she is really pissed.

This was definitely an action-packed final instalment of this series around vampire Sterling. I loved the way that he is never very positive but is exactly the right person to take control of everything and together with his contacts, some deities and supernatural friends work out a solution to the problem at hand. I loved the way that he was so bashful about anything emotional and yet deep down he definitely had those emotions there. A great finish and I loved the way everything ended which was quite emotional.

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Review: Hand of Glory by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Hand of Glory by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Artificer Jackson Pryde and his boyfriend Xander Wright and the great guilds on the Black Market are finding the strength and spell power to rebuild in the aftermath of the fae attacks. But the fae keeps on coming using illusion and glamour to infiltrate. The upcoming Greyhaven Gala seems to be a perfect opportunity to attract them. Hearing whispers of a strange and powerful candle that will help Jackson to find the fae source he does his best to work out what he needs to complete that task. Jackson is also building up the courage to move on to the next phase in his relationship with Xander - he just needs to find the time!

I loved this book which made some progress on what was causing the fae to be so bold and attack as well as include some adventures for Jackson and Xander to do what they do best and work with kindness. I loved the descriptions of the events and their impact on the two of them which meant it was as if I was there. I also loved the actions of some of the guild masters and feel that it will be enough to make almost all of Jackson's dreams come true. Lore was fantastic as normal. Easy to read and understand.

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Review: A Velvet Glove by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

A Velvet Glove by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Artificer Jackson Pryde and Mage Xander Wright are working by shearing talking sheep when they are visited by the goddesses Hectate and Freyja who are summoning Jackson for a convocation of the immortals so that they can study and test his prismatic powers. Jackson is also busy as he is trying to rebuild the artificers' guild. Then he hears that his childhood hero is looking for a suitable assistant. Then Xander gets a chance assignment to return to where their bitter rivalry started many years ago - Greyhaven. How will that affect the relationship between the guys?

I loved this book. In it, we saw their relationship have a few moments of insecurity but overall strengthen into something that was solid and just as devoted as I could imagine. Jackson and Xander discovered more about the fractures and the way that Jackson's prism skill worked. Certainly, their relationship meant that Xander was the perfect person to feed magic into Jackson for dispersal. I loved the meeting with Jackson's hero and the fact that it reminds us all that sometimes our heroes are not quite as perfect as we remember or built them up to be. Lots of developments, lots of relationship challenges, lots of friendship and interesting developments around the fae and their fractures. I now can't wait to find out what happens next and wonder if a MM marriage is possible in the Arcane Hearts world? Easy to read and understand. Contains explicit sexual content.

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Review: Thirst Trap 5 of 5 stars by Nazri Noor

Thirst Trap by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vampire Sterling's life is sweet in SIlveropolis - blood is easy to get as there are plenty of college students and cryptid hunters in the town for mountain madness (an annual search for some elusive creature known as Smallfoot). But yet another corpse is found in the woods which makes the friends wonder if the Everetts are back to make it some kind of ritual killing or was it a random murder? They get the help of a brooding journalist as well as the storm god (who seems to be jealous!) but Sterling really needs to investigate this before it is too late as the victim was staked through the heart. It is becoming clear that a vampire hunter has come to Silveropolis. Can they solve the case and stay alive?

I loved this story which added a new dimension of danger for Sterling (even though he was his usual self with very little sense of self-preservation and certainly at times no filter on his thoughts nor his words). I loved their interactions with all of the magical people and the unicorn tea party was just SO much fun. (but next time I want to be invited!). There were several twists and it was fun to find them and experience the changes in the story around those areas. I enjoyed the expansion of the role that vampire Valmas had and look forward to that being expanded in further books in the series. Easy to read and understand.

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Review: An Iron Fist by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

An Iron Fist by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Artificer Jackson Pryde and Mage Xander Wright were working in the mountain halls of the dvergar (dwarven people who mine for jewels and ore) when they find a cluster of the Chrysanthemysts. The masters of the Black Market guilds grudgingly unite to give resources to stop the fatal flowers but then they find a legendary gemstone called the Heart of Oberon which gives a whole new conundrum - where did it come from, why now and what is it constantly whispering?

Wow - this was definitely a dramatic book in the series as we learnt more about Jackson and what his skills may be as well as how he might be able to get the gauntlet to work. At the same time, it was a treat to see how the relationship between Jackson and Xander was developing and their dynamics. We also learnt a bit more about Lore and his skills which seem to appear at the right time (which definitely frustrates Jackson as he would love to know everything now). This was very easy to read and get lost in the world around these two great guys, the Guilds and the Black Market. You could feel the thoughts and emotions of the characters and get into their heads. I can't wait to find out what happens to them next as their future shows that they can become a formidable force. Contains sexually explicit content in this M/M book.

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Review: A Stroke of Brilliance by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

A Stroke of Brilliance by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jackson Pryde and Xander Wright live their lives hunting and harvesting rare reagents but on a trip to visit some Japanese tree spirits they encounter two crystal shards embedded into the bodies of word animals - they appear familiar as they are violet like amethyst just like the Chrysanthemyst. When they get home they find two rival guilds in strife and Jack and Xander get caught in the crossfire of spells and even slander which s not great as SEER is still watching their every move. The Jackson has to handle his deadliest challenge ever - meeting Xander's parents which makes the crystals appear as the least of their worries. Can they come out of all these complications intact and still together?

Gosh - so much happened to the guys in this book. I loved the shards in this story and the way that they were removed. The interaction with the leaders of the guilds and their personalities were interesting and their magic was fun. It was great to see the relationship between Jackson and Xander develop and that they were admitting their feelings for each other more. Well written plus easy to read, feel and understand. Loving the way this series is developing. Contains explicit M/M sexual content.

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Review: A Touch of Fever by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

A Touch of Fever by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jackson Pryde is not good at magic and so is an artificer making magical devices instead. He lives and works in the shadowy bazaar or wonders known as the Black Market. Former schoolmate and now bitter enemies plus neighbour Xander Wright is a mage and he hates all the hammering done in Jackson’s workshop. Then they get a chance assignment which means that they have to team up and as part of that they discover that someone is driving members of the magical community into murderous rages. Can they combine their might and magic through working together to find the source of the so-called Fever and stop it before even more people die including themselves?

What a great start to this new series! I loved Jackson who was such fun with his fast-talking and insecurity whilst also being determined to prove just how great he was and how his profession really was important. Add to that Xander with his snarky comebacks, pride in his magical skills and his determination to be a credit to his family they made a great combination of investigators, crime fighters and overall partners. Lots of cool magic, interesting new wonders set around the Black Market that we were introduced to in the Darkling Mage and Sins of the Father series by the same author. It was great to see them both realise that there really was no real reason for them to be enemies as they had far more in common. I can’t wait to find out what happens next in this series. Contains some M/M sexual content.

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Review: Kingdom Come by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Kingdom Come by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mason Albrecht still has anger issues and they finally come to a head attracting another member of the Seven when the Prince of Wrath reveals his hand by striking directly at where it will hurt the most - Abaddon possesses Josephine Albrecht's body then disappears taking her with him. Mason plunges into despair and as he and his allies rush to try and find Abaddon and a way to stop him they start to puzzle on how to destroy the demon hiding inside his mother's body whilst rescuing her. It seems that Mason is going to have to swallow his pride, bare his soul and beg old friends and enemies alike (even one of the Seven) for help if he is going to get his mother back.

OMG - I loved this story which summarised quite succinctly exactly what one of Mason's faults was as well as one of his weaknesses. As for some of the people he was asking for help, one of them was such a wonderful surprise that I squealed in excitement. I enjoyed the way as part of this story we also learnt more about some of the other characters who are part of his social circle which is always a great thing to have. It was great to read more about Mason and now my mind is swirling with all the great things he could achieve if he could just learn a little more self-discipline. Well written, easy to read and understand. My only outstanding thought is how I could persuade the author to write faster without losing the excellent quality of both the stories and his writing.

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Review: Blood Moon by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Blood Moon by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vampire Sterling has to trade the big city for a trip to a sleepy mounting town where mangled dead bodies have been discovered. Soon he is entangled with snooty vampire nobles, territorial werewolves and law-enforcing sorcerers. The locals don't appear to be so bad from the young lady at the fruit shop to the hunky electrician with the beautiful smile. But they are distractions from the hunt for the murderer. Either way, none of this explains why the corpses are missing their faces. Can Sterling, Gil and Asher get to the bottom of the mystery?

When I started to read this book I realised just how much I had missed Sterling, Gil and Asher and the magical world and characters that this author has created. Certainly in this book, Sterling has lost none of his attitudes as he encounters the different people and seems to aggravate and wind up everybody so that he has to fight them. Through all of that, they manage to solve the mystery (although at times I did wonder if he really wanted to or just to really irritate everyone so he could have an argument with them). Either way, I found myself laughing at him at times when I probably shouldn't have. Well written and easy to read and understand. I loved the start of this series and can't wait to find out what happens to them next.

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Review: Crystal Brawl by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Crystal Brawl by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Darkling Mage Dustin Graves was never a fan of human sacrifice because he was one himself. A knife in the heart changes a man, but Dust survived, awakening to the eldritch gift of shadow magic. One night, he stumbles upon a nocturnal ritual, a cult ceremony he stops with the help of his sentient sword Vanitas. But there was one small thing the two of them hadn't considered. What if the girl on the altar was the real danger?

I loved this story with its usual snark and humour as Dust did his best to help and how he handled what happened next. As always it had to involve eating in some way. You have got to love Vanitas who is like Dust++ in the dry humour stakes. At the end of the book, there were also short stories from the other connected series.

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Review: Halo Goodbye by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Halo Goodbye by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After recent events, Nephilim Mason Albrecht should be celebrating as the high heavens have shown him great favour and granted him his very own halo (which is a very rare privilege). He's on the path to tracking his mother's true location was his estranged angel father Samyaza is helping him. Samyaza can also help him to find the other Nephilim worldwide who are in danger as they start to turn up dead and less their internal organs who seem to be being eaten. Can they track down any existing Nephilim, work out who is doing this and stop it from happening anymore (while also finding and freeing Mason's mother)? It's going to take all of the allies Mason has plus his very own brand of ingenuity in order to achieve this. Can he save everyone?

I loved this part of Mason's story. He had a lot of new discoveries, a lot of danger and drama, a lot of loss, but also a correcting balance of victory. I feel that he grew more as a person from everything that happened to him in this story, plus we enjoyed that growth with him. It was nice for Florian to also develop his skills further with the help of one of the Gods and that should put the friends in better stead for future adventures. I can see all sorts of exciting things happening next and it will be really interesting to see how the author chooses to direct the story next. Well written, easy to read and understand, and completely addictive. I just cannot wait to find out what is going to happen next and how Mason will handle whatever hits him next.

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Review: Holy Hell by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Holy Hell by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An ancient threat has been awakened - the long-dead paladin Roland wants his holy sword back and has decided that Mason Albrecht is definitely the man to find it. He has decided to go for the extreme method of asking for it - he has raised the dead around the world until Mason returns his sword to him. That means that the Lorica is also on Mason's case and is threatening him with confinement in the high-security Prism. At the same time, Mason's access to the Vestments is severed and so he feels defenceless as he cannot access arms nor amour easily. The demon Prince of Gluttony (Beelzebub) also wants a piece of him and so his blood pressure is going through the roof. Can Mason handle all of these things at the same time or will the perfect storm signal the end of him?

This was definitely an action-packed story as Mason and his allies fought enemies on many fronts at the same time. Through it all Mason also had to learn new skills and use them in the field without any time to practice them. While at times anyone would have wished they were dead he kept on battling at finding new ways to achieve the desired result. Well written and very enjoyable. Easy to read and understand - I definitely felt the thoughts and emotions that he was going through and was thrilled when he finally managed to come out of the various situations intact. Definitely recommended. I'm already starting to wonder what he is going to get up to in the next book of the series.

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Review: Demon Prints by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Demon Prints by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Half-breed demon Quilliam J. Abernathy is the Chosen of Asmodeus and destined to become their greatest weapon against heaven and humanity. However, not only is he a powerful sorcerer but he is very prideful and his power is based on the number of grimoires and tomes he has in his collection. However, when he has a botched mission he becomes the target of Asmodeus' wrath and he is stripped of everything - sorcery, protections and even his books. Add to that the duo of deadly angels that want him dead and he is in big trouble. He has a big choice to make - obey Asmodeus so he can reclaim his magic and book so he can continue to work towards the apocalypse or rebel again his position and role in Hell. Either way, he's doomed.

This was a book full of magical danger and drama as Quill battled to stay alive and try to cope with his severely restricted abilities. It was nice to experience him in his origin and why he was the way he is. There was plenty of drama, danger and action in this story which set the scene nicely for the series to come (this was the first book). Anyone who has read the Darkling Mage series by the same author will have already met Quill and it was great to have some more background to him and his abilities. I look forward to reading more of this series and enjoying the adventures and scrapes he gets himself into. Well written and easy to read and understand, the writing style was very descriptive and clear.

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Review: Ex Inferis by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Ex Inferis by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Quilliam J. Abernathy is a fledgeling sorcerer, spoilt and has never worked a day in his life. After all, why should he? He is half-human and half-demon and the son of a demon prince, which has the perk of a palatial lifestyle of luxury and excess. But all of this comfort comes at a price - he is the Chosen of Asmodeus, destined to destroy the world and fated from birth to become the harbinger of hell. He has one last trial to complete which is the final obstacle to his ascent - just a deadly game of devils.

This was a great prequel to the new Infernal Inheritance series. It helped to set the scene and was very useful in explaining what he actually is and why he is like he is. Well written and easy to read and understand I am now looking forward to the series starting in earnest.

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