Kiss and Spell

Kiss and Spell (Enchanted, Inc. #7)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9781986978866
202 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Book 7 in the Enchanted, Inc. Series. With great power comes great danger… When a freak accident leaves Katie Chandler with magical powers, it seems like a wish come true for the former magical immune. But it also means she’s vulnerable to magic, just when the dangerous Elf Lord is cooking up another scheme in his bid for power. Anyone who gets in his way disappears—including Katie and her wizard boyfriend, Owen Palmer. Now Katie’s under a spell that obscures her true identity, living a life right out of a romantic comedy movie in a Hollywood set version of New York. Will she be able to find her true Mr. Right in time to break the spell with a kiss and warn everyone, or will she be trapped forever, unaware of the doom facing her world?

My Thoughts:

Kiss and Spell opens with Katie exploring her newfound magical abilities and how they will affect her role at MSI. But before she even has a chance to take everything in and find a new routine, the whole world is turned upside down in many ways, and so much is happening. You don't get much time with this volume to get your bearings before everything goes off the rails, but it is in the best way.

Despite how much I have enjoyed the previous books, there has been a noticeable repetition. There are only so many times and so many ways to spin when powers bounce around, evil wizards interfere, and dates are disastrous. I was looking for and hoping for something fresh. Kiss and Spell absolutely delivered. Putting Katie and Owen in a new setting was genius. It was great seeing them interacting in a different way. I would read an entire book about AU coffeeshop bookstore Katie and Owen. No, seriously.

The stage set in this book allows for some great moments of humor, including plenty of spot on criticisms of romance movies. Which you wouldn't necessarily expect in a borderline romance novel. But it worked brilliantly. It also gives you an opportunity to better get to know some of the characters introduced in the last book - though, sadly you also don't get as much time with some favorites from previous books. 

While it was possibly the most out of this world (do you see what I did there?) storyline yet, it was also a most endearing one. Of  all of the Enchanted, Inc. books that I have read so far, Kiss and Spell is possibly my favorite. 

Parent's Guide:

This book is pretty easy to read and the story is fun. There is fighting, but it is almost all of the magical variety. This book is definitely teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter:

One! It was a subtle one about 80% of the way into the book, but Katie herself identified it for the reference it was. 

(The Oz Counter is explained in the "Anatomy of a PBG Review" link at the top of the page.)

Two Rogues Make a Right

Two Rogues Make a Right (Seducing the Sedgwicks #3)

By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062821584

320 Pages

Available in Paperback, Audible, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Will Sedgwick can’t believe that after months of searching for his oldest friend, Martin Easterbrook is found hiding in an attic like a gothic nightmare. Intent on nursing Martin back to health, Will kindly kidnaps him and takes him to the countryside to recover, well away from the world.

Martin doesn’t much care where he is or even how he got there. He’s much more concerned that the man he’s loved his entire life is currently waiting on him hand and foot, feeding him soup and making him tea. Martin knows he’s a lost cause, one he doesn’t want Will to waste his life on.

As a lifetime of love transforms into a tender passion both men always desired but neither expected, can they envision a life free from the restrictions of the past, a life with each other?

My Thoughts:

Two Rogues Make a Right is the third installment in Seducing the Sedgwicks, Cat Sebastian's second M/M historical romance series. This book has a markedly different feel from the previous two volumes, and many other regency era romance novels. In this friends to lovers story, the two lead characters already have an existing history, including a couple of brief past romantic encounters, but have never truly explored or admitted those feeling to each other.

Will Sedgwick, the youngest of the series' titular Sedgwick brothers, has just returned from naval service and is is concerned at his inability to locate his best friend Martin, whom he greatly cares about and whom is suffering from an incurable affliction. Martin Easterbrook cares equally about Will, but does not want the young Sedgwick beholden by his malady, doomed to always be his caretaker. Unfortunately, he is not that great at taking care of himself either, and at the beginning of the book he is quite ill. Which forces Will's hand, as he essentially kidnaps Martin and takes him to a cottage in the country where he can be cared for. 

This sojourn to the countryside gives the men a chance to reconnect and learn more about themselves, as well as each other. It gives them an opportunity to explore the feelings that have always been there, under the surface, as they live together peacefully in their little one room cottage. It also gives the reader a chance to enjoy a different setting and lifestyle, in contrast to how most regency era books focus on the ton and the bustling London life with. One of the things that I love about Cat Sebastian's regency era books is how they spend a lot of time outside of London social circles and all that comes with that.

The side characters in Two Rogues Make a Right are delightful. Especially Daisy, whose youthful exuberance is a breath of fresh air, and her mother, who is rational and supportive and protects the men when she deduces that they are more than just an ailing man and his indifferent caretaker. The pair provide a bit of humor to a book that is otherwise pretty serious in tone. One of my favorite bits is when Daisy innocently asks one of the men to pretend to be her beau for very teenage reasons.

Two Rogues Make a Right has much less action and side plot that the previous volumes. But this doesn't detract from the story at all. This volume is much sweeter and focuses more on the pair and their slow burn romance. But this doesn't mean that there is no drama included. A few people start to get ideas about their relationship and try to tear them apart, including Martin's aunt, who tries to control him for her own benefit. Most notably, Martin learns some very interesting information about his father that changes his world and his whole family dynamic.

There is also family drama on the other side. Will's older brother Hartley (from A Gentleman Never Keeps Score) supports his brother, but does not understand or agree with his choice to care so much for Martin. He is distrustful of the man thanks to some bad family history between the Easterbrooks and the Sedgwicks. But then Martin gets an opportunity to show how much he truly cares for Will, which results in Hartley having a change of heart and making peace with Martin, and Martin in turn making reparations for his father's misdeeds.

After reading six other Cat Sebastian books (the entire Turner's series and the first two Seducing the Sedgwicks volumes) back to back, I was pleased that this one had just enough of a difference to keep me interested without feeling old or played out. I really enjoyed Two Rogues Make a Right. With it's friends to lovers storyline, it had almost a completely different vibe than the previous books in the series.

Parent's Guide:

Same as with the rest of the series - 100% not for the kids! This book is adult in nature, with graphic sexual situations. Absolutely 18+

Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan

 

Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan Vol 1 & 2
By  Gaku Kuze

ISBN: 9781646511143 & 9781646511402
272 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle/ComiXology
Trigger Warning: Depression, Suicide, Mental Health Topics 

Synopsis:

How did the cynical Uramichi end up hosting a TV show for small children? And how long is the studio going to let him keep teaching the kids the sorrow and exhaustion of life instead of, say, the ABCs? This dark comedy manga started as a webcomic and became a bestseller across Japan -- with an anime coming soon!

Uramichi is a 31-year-old host on a kids' show who leads exercise routines and teaches life lessons colored by one main theme: Adulthood sucks. Alongside mascots played by a couple of bushy-tailed twentysomethings and a singing duo whose music embodies the notion of being kicked while you're down, Uramichi wades through the misery of working life, one sardonic comment at a time...

V2 - While grappling with unexpected overtime, unreasonable working conditions, and unflattering costumes, URAMICHI makes the acquaintance of other jaded professionals working deep behind the scenes. Digital strategist SAITO and merchandising whiz HANBEI almost seem like kindred spirits, but their respective bad attitude and worse temper keep the doors to URAMICHI's fragile heart firmly shut. There must be someone out there who understands... right?

My Thoughts:

I stumbled upon the first two volumes of Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan at my local library and didn't know what to expect. I had seen a friend mention the impending anime series on social media a few days beforehand, so I decided to give the manga a shot. The best description for what I found contained within the pages was "twisted." The story is about Uramichi, a 31-year-old retired gymnast who passes his days as the host of a children's show. Uramichi is the quintessential pessimist, and clearly has a lot of mental and emotional baggage, which is seen in his interactions with the kids and his peers.

His peers being four other performers who work on stage with Uramichi, and who round out the cast of main characters. These coworkers each have their own share of quirks and traumas as well. Because of this, the characters all mesh well together and tell an interesting and funny set of stories.

Funny and dark. The Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan series is definitely what would be considered dark humor. The characters clearly care about the kids that they are working with, but at are frequently sarcastic and go on about pain, depression, and job burnout. If you are sensitive to mental health issues, this may not be the series for you. However, if you are one of those people who likes to laugh through the pain then you will enjoy it.

The art work in these graphic novels is really clean and the story is not too complicated to follow. At some points there is a bit much going on within the pages, but it's all a part of the glorious chaos that makes the story work. One thing that I did like about this series is that there is a glossary in each volume where they cover Japanese terms used in the book that readers may not be familiar with.

As twisted as the story was, I loved Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan. There are currently only two volumes available and, as previously mentioned, an anime which aired during the summer of 2021 (available on Funimation). Volume three of the manga has been announced and has cover art. It is currently available for preorder and will be released on February 1, 2022. I can't wait.

Parent's Guide:

This book is rated 16+ due to content that is somewhat dark. It covers some deep topics like depression, and is probably not for kids. Mature older teens may enjoy it, depending on how twisted their sense of humor is.

No Quest for the Wicked

No Quest for the Wicked (Enchanted, Inc. #6)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9781986981125
317 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

A Questing We Will Go

Now that the Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. team has defeated the nefarious Spellworks, the only “competition” in town, Katie Chandler doesn’t have much to do as director of marketing, and she’s starting to question her role at MSI. Her boyfriend Owen Palmer, on the other hand, is in hog heaven, translating an ancient and powerful magical manuscript.

But then he finds that the cryptic text describing the location of an enchanted gem known as the Eye of the Moon has radically changed. This deadly stone gives its holder enhanced power over others and a craving for more power. It once caused a terrible war before it was safely hidden and then lost – and now it seems to be in New York and set in an elven brooch that renders its wearer invulnerable. Whoever has this brooch could take over the world.

Katie and Owen must find it before anyone else does, and they’re not the only ones searching. They’ll need all the help they can get, including Katie’s visiting grandmother. But who can they trust when their allies fall under its spell? Not to mention the new enemies who are deadlier than anything they’ve faced before.

My Thoughts:

No Quest for the Wicked, the 6th entry in the Enchanted, Inc. series, opens with Katie and Owen settling into their new roles at MSI. Spellworks has finally been defeated and things appear to be calming down a bit. Owen is without his powers and finds himself facing great scrutiny from the magical community after the reveal of his lineage. He is keeping himself occupied with something that, to him, is a dream assignment - translating the Ephemera, an ancient text so powerful that nobody with magic is allowed near it. Katie, on the other hand, is restless, not feeling sure of her current position in the company as marketing director. 

You get to see a lot of fun character interaction in this volume. Katie's beloved grandmother comes into town from Texas and brings along her own brand of chaos. I absolutely love the exchanges between the Granny and Merlin! Readers also get to learn more about the more feral nature sprites that Granny introduced us all to in Don't Hex With Texas. This book also brings back Mimi, Katie's erstwhile boss from the firm she was at before she came to work at MSI. Mimi lands a major role in No Quest for the Wicked, as she finds herself newly engaged and in possession of the Eye of the Moon, a "One Ring" style powerful magical artifact that everyone wants to get their hands on .

Most notably, No Quest for the Wicked gives us an opportunity to see into the world of the Elves, who have really only been mentioned in passing up to this point. We get to learn more about Elven culture and politics, and how they fit in to the magical world that has been created. And their role is somewhat surprising.

The plot in this book is a bit all over the place. There is a LOT going on - Owen is walking on eggshells trying to convince everyone that he is not out for world domination, everyone is hunting for the Eye of the Moon, and nobody can quite trust anyone else. It is quite exhausting at times. That's not to say it is bad, just that it is complicated. Yet somehow, despite everything that is going on, I find this to be the least memorable storyline of the entire series. It's like the magical world's Eclipse. (Seriously, does anyone remember what happened in that book? Because I don't.)

On the relationship front, Katie and Owen's seems to have all but stalled out. There is still the obligatory amount of blushing, but now they are together and things have mellowed some, yet there is nothing happening. After how much the first books in the series focused on Katie's relationships and desires, it kinda feels like a betrayal. I wasn't expecting anything hot and heavy. Just something to show that they actually still care about one another. Because at this point I'm really not sure. The words may be there but the chemistry is fleeting.

Overall, No Quest for the Wicked is an okay story, but it doesn't hold up to previous volumes in the series. It wasn't bad enough to keep me from reading the next book in the series, but it was somewhat of a let down when compared to it's predecessors.

Parent's Guide:

This book is very easy to read and the story is fun. It has the standard bits of fantasy violence, but nothing too extreme. The setting is real world relatable for older kids. This book is definitely teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter:

And still none. :*(

(The Oz Counter is explained in the "Anatomy of a PBG Review" link at the top of the page.)

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score (Seducing the Sedgwicks #2)

By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062821584

320 Pages

Available in Paperback, Audible, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Once beloved by London's fashionable elite, Hartley Sedgwick has become a recluse after a spate of salacious gossip exposed his most-private secrets. Rarely venturing from the house whose inheritance is a daily reminder of his downfall, he’s captivated by the exceedingly handsome man who seeks to rob him.

Since retiring from the boxing ring, Sam Fox has made his pub, The Bell, into a haven for those in his Free Black community. But when his best friend Kate implores him to find and destroy a scandalously revealing painting of her, he agrees. Sam would do anything to protect those he loves, even if it means stealing from a wealthy gentleman. But when he encounters Hartley, he soon finds himself wanting to steal more than just a painting from the lovely, lonely man—he wants to steal his heart.

My Thoughts:

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score is the second installment in Seducing the Sedgwicks, Cat Sebastian's second M/M historical romance series. Hartley Sedgwick, the second of the series' titular Sedgwick brothers, is laying low in his London home after having been outed as having earned his status and possessions on his back, so to speak. From the time he was a teen, Hartley was coerced into a physical relationship with his wealthy godfather. He took it upon himself to get his siblings out of their bad upbringing situation by exchanging sexual favors for placements, obtaining the vicarage for the elder Benedict (as explored in It Takes Two to Tumble), a naval rank for his younger brother Will, and the London home and an allowance for himself.

Hartley sees what he did as a necessity and a controlled situation, but Sam Fox sees it for what it was - an innocent young boy was manipulated by a corrupt man. Sam Fox is a retired boxer and the proprietor of the pub The Bell. He works there alongside his brother Nick and Kate, his childhood friend and Nick's fiancée. Kate once allowed a scandalous painting of herself to be made in exchange for money that she dearly needed at the time. The artist? The very same corrupt godfather who exploited Hartley. Kate wants the painting reclaimed and destroyed before she is married, so she turns to Sam to help. Sam attempts to break into Hartley's house, believing it to still belong to his late godfather.

I particularly enjoyed how A Gentleman Never Keeps Score gives a glimpse of the lifestyle within the black community. Not a lot of regency era books cover this, and it is a significantly different experience than that you see reading books that focus on the ton and their bustling social calendars. None of the pivotal characters in this book are titled or have elevated social status and most of the action takes place in back alleys and more lively parts of town.

Aside from the core storylines about retrieving the painting and the scandal, A Gentleman Never Keeps Score had some interesting side themes. There was the mystery surrounding the location of the (multiple!) scandalous paintings, Kate's relationship with Nick, Sam's disputes with the racist local law enforcement, and pub related drama. Most significantly, you get a bit more insight into the drama with Will Sedgwick, which was alluded to in It takes Two to Tumble and will be more fully explored in the next book.

Another big part of the story was the interactions with Alfie, the only servant that did not leave Hartley after the scandal broke, and Sadie, a young girl in a difficult situation who comes to work at Hartley's house mid book. These characters are loyal, honest, and jovial despite what life has thrown at them. As far as side characters go, they are absolutely delightful. I would love to be able to read more about them and what happens to them after this tale ends.

After binging through five other Cat Sebastian books, with this one being read number six, I was afraid that I would get burnt out on the genre and the setting. But that's not what happened. I really liked reading A Gentleman Never Keeps Score. It brings different things to the table than the previous reads. But at the same time, it does have a similar feel to A Soldier's Scoundrel. If you liked Sebastian's introductory novel, you will equally enjoy this one, as I did.

Parent's Guide:

100% not for the kids! This book is adult in nature, with graphic sexual situations. Absolutely 18+

November Reading List

You may notice that my November reading list has some holdovers from my October list. I got presented with some reads in October that were not expected and therefor not planned for, so some books got bumped ahead again. I also had some times I wasn't feeling too hot so reading got ignored. I hope that this month will be more productive, but I am going back to working at the local renaissance festival on weekends, so no guarantees. I wasn't planning to work this season, but my friends really needed help and, with last year being the first one I had skipped in 19 years, I really missed it. So I thought about it and decided to go back and work the last half of the current festival. That still leaves me reading time in the evenings, but with no internet out there it means that my Monday posts may go up later than usual.

This is currently my November reading list:

Dune by Frank Herbert
Frogs and Kisses by Shanna Swendson
Out of Body Universe by Martin Chu Shui
Witchy Coffee by Erin Ritch*
Jazz Age Cocktails by Cecelia Tichi
The Undoing of Lord Saville by Maria Green (Shelved for a later time)
Embracing Darkness by Tina Moss and Yelena Casale
Reading 5X5 X2: Duets by B. Morris Allen

Much Ado About Magic

Much Ado About Magic (Enchanted, Inc. #5)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9781986979122
292 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

To Do: Manage Magical Mayhem, Save the Company, Save the World

Katie Chandler is back in New York and at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. – and just in time. The city’s in the grip of a magical crime wave from spells that wizarding whiz Owen Palmer thinks look awfully familiar, and the rogue firm Spellworks is raising its profile in the magical world by selling protective amulets. It’s Katie’s job as the new director of marketing for MSI to fight this battle of public perception while Owen and the other wizards try to uncover what’s really going on.

What Katie doesn’t realize is that her idea to stage a showcase for MSI’s magical achievements is playing right into a devious plot more than three decades in the making. Now Katie has to do damage control that has nothing to do with marketing. To save the magical world, she’ll have to prove who the real enemy is, and doing that will require digging deeper into Owen’s mysterious past than he wants anyone to go. If she fails, she not only stands to lose a magical war, but she could also lose the man she loves.

My Thoughts:

Much Ado About Magic, the 5th entry in the Enchanted, Inc. series, finds Katie and Owen back in New York City at MSI and once again facing off against Spellworks, the rogue spell company that is selling curses and dark charms all over the region. The competition has upped their game and is now selling both the curses and charms to protect against the curses, in an effort to make it appear as though they have the answers to everyone's problems. Katie gets assigned as MSI's new marketing director and is planning a big event to improve the company's image and win back their customers.

There are a lot of new characters in this book, including a whole marketing department of personalities. I particularly enjoyed the character of Perdita, Katie's new elf assistant. Not only because she is funny AF, but also because I think this is the first actual named and backstoried elf in the series. We knew elves existed - they have been mentioned in passing - but we had not actually met one yet. Now we have and she is hilarious and a nutcase. So far departed from the usual image of elves in fantasy works. 

Much Ado About Magic finally wraps up the core plotline that has been around since Enchanted, Inc., resolving the mess started by Phelan Idris. This volume is a bit tamer than it's predecessors, but is still interesting. Katie gets a much bigger set of responsibilities. Sure, she is always the focus anyways, due to being the main character and the unicorn magical immune, but this time she gets to use actual learned abilities and prove that she is useful beyond her immunity. There are plenty of jokes the whole scene with the honeymoon suite was a complete riot! , but also plenty of emotions. Poor Owen gets put through the ringer and I felt so bad for him - especially when his parentage is revealed and used as a weapon to create distrust and the company suffers for it. And then, to top it all off he loses his powers .

There are some nice romantic moments between Katie and Owen in Much Ado About Magic. Their relationship is still progressing slower than molasses in winter, but there are some touching moments. The ending is particularly sweet. Owen seems to be taking his loss in stride and Katie still makes a point to say that she wouldn't have him any other way. And of course there is still plenty of blushing along the way...

Parent's Guide:

Like the rest of the series so far, Much Ado About Magic is a cheery read with plenty of laughs. It has the expected amount of childish name calling and fantasy violence, but nothing too severe. Older kids who like magical settings and sarcasm will enjoy it. This book is teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter:

Still none. :(

(The Oz Counter is explained in the "Anatomy of a PBG Review" link at the top of the page.)