Review: Finn Fancy Necromancy by Randy Henderson

Finn Fancy Necromancy by Randy Henderson

So, I picked this book up at random on Audible. No lie, I had no idea what I was getting in to when I started it. Boy, was it one of the best books I've ever picked up.

The basics, so I don't ACTUALLY give anything away, are simple... Finn's been in a magical type prison for 25 years, from 1986-2011, for a crime he didn't commit. Not even at the moment of his return, but before, he is besieged from all sides by an enemy he can't see and thrown into the middle of a battle he doesn't understand.

But, Finn manages to handle it all with an amazing strength that betrays his own understanding of himself. Sure, he makes mistakes, but then... Someone who was 15 in living, 20 in mind and 40 in body has a lot of catching up to do, starting with Star Trek 4 and finishing with a surprise twist that made this reader/listener more then a little happy.

As Mr. Henderson's debut novel, I have to say I'm stoked to see what more he has to give us.  The only negative, was that I figured out one of the big surprises about 2-12 chapters before Finn did. [I leave such a gap, because while I guessed it early on, but didn't know for sure until just before he did.]

I'm also thrilled to FINALLY see someone give magic users the ability to use science. You have no idea how much I love the idea of working them together. Sure, I also adore all the books that have them not able too, but... As a writer myself, I've never seen them as anything but two sides of the same whole.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Kristy C

Review: Reckless Magic by Rachel Higginson

Reckless Magic by Rachel Higginson

This was another of my free books that I picked up from iBooks.  A ‘book 1’ in a series.  I hadn’t been sure which to read, so a friend told me to assign a number to each of the books, and she’d pick one.

In some ways, the book was hard to follow at first.  It pulled me in, but there were spots where I was left confused. But, since the main characters is telling the story, it makes sense… She’s just as confused as we are.

More than once, I guessed at things pointed out later, or in once case the author tells you something that seems to be forgotten by the character.  Sure, excitement happens a moment later [and lasts for hours non stop], but it was sorta an important tidbit.  In some ways, I wish it had been said differently, so we the reader weren’t fully away of how special a snowflake our MC is.

All in all, there was only one moment where I did in fact groan.  During a sappy, teenager, confession of love.  It was so ’Twilight, I can’t live without you, spending a day away from you hurts, don’t ever leave my side again’ declaration, that I skipped it. All two paragraphs of it.

No regrets on this book however, and its sitting in my ‘To be continued’ folder to buy book two at a later date.

Rating? 3.5 outta 5 stars. You only get higher, if I adore it and lower if I almost couldn't finish it.

My next read is The Hobbit, which will start off my 2015 Reading Challenge.

Kristy C