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Stella Mayweather #1
Illicit Magic
Life's experiences aren't always gooey or mushy like a Hallmark card.
Spouses mess up.
They even have the audacity to mess up on Valentine's Day,
a day that a wife never forgets!
Then your children make you mad.
They wet their pants,
and you have to hand wash them
before the recital,
because there's only one pair left.
Yet, they can move you in a second's notice.
The book Purposefully Annoyed & Other Short Stories is an extensive collection of stories and scenarios.
This book will definitely make you think
Not once,
Not twice,
but three times
about every Moment,
just like the show Seinfeld does,
because well, life is Fantastically Complicated.
Spouses mess up.
They even have the audacity to mess up on Valentine's Day,
a day that a wife never forgets!
Then your children make you mad.
They wet their pants,
and you have to hand wash them
before the recital,
because there's only one pair left.
Yet, they can move you in a second's notice.
The book Purposefully Annoyed & Other Short Stories is an extensive collection of stories and scenarios.
This book will definitely make you think
Not once,
Not twice,
but three times
about every Moment,
just like the show Seinfeld does,
because well, life is Fantastically Complicated.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2011
250 people are currently reading
1840 people want to read
About the author
Camilla Chafer
52 books748 followersCamilla Chafer is a USA Today bestselling author. Her novels include the Lexi Graves Mysteries, the spinoff trilogy Deadlines Mysteries, the Calendar Cozy Murder Mysteries, and supernatural/urban fantasy Stella Mayweather series.
She has written for newspapers, magazines, and websites globally, and also written and edited several non-fiction books.
Follow Camilla on BookBub for new releases and special offers https://www.bookbub.com/authors/camil... or on Facebook for behind the scenes content.
She has written for newspapers, magazines, and websites globally, and also written and edited several non-fiction books.
Follow Camilla on BookBub for new releases and special offers https://www.bookbub.com/authors/camil... or on Facebook for behind the scenes content.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
March 7, 2015
I am beside myself after reading this book. The story line is amazing and with some exceptional direction and editing it could be a hidden treasure. It was very daunting for me to read. I had to force myself to slow down my reading speed so I wouldn’t get lost in plot line. The grammar mistakes were plastered throughout leaving me questioning why the author chose not to use an editor, or at least a proofreader before publishing.
***SIDE NOTE*** If I can get my hand on a PDF version that I can correct. I will try to revisit the book again and give an updated review.
March 7, 2012
Reviewed for http://www.gotfiction.com/2011/11/ill...
***spoilers ahead, ye be warned***
Wow, so as many of you can see, this is not my usual fare.
This was recommended to me by a friend (that's you Jackie) and I was told that this book would appeal to the YA group who wanted an older cast of characters. Since the main reason I don't read YA is that I actually get irritated with the teens, I thought this might be a nice change. Stella, our protagonist, is 24. She's spent her life in London's foster care system, constantly being carted from one home to another since strange things seemed to happen around her.
We enter the story as she's walking home from yet another temp job (she never stays too long, just in case someone notices she's different). The ladies at work warned each other to walk in pairs, and to be safe, since there have been many recent burnings of women. On her normally uneventful walk to her flat, her instincts kick in and tell her DANGER! DANGER! As she never ignores her instincts, she is very alert. Adn then it happens. She is being followed. Stalked. And she runs! Hiding, she is in full-panic mode, just as someone grabs her by the throat and grits "Witch" in her ear, she poofs herself across the street! Holy moly how did that happen? Stella is grateful her power kicked in when she needed it, as hers are super unpredictable, but at the same time, she even surprised herself.
She runs to her flat, and while there, a woman knocks on her door telling her to come with her NOW. Stella figures the woman is nuts and then the nice lady poofs herself into Stella's room. Just like Stella can do, only much more controlled. What happens from there is that they are attacked by the Brotherhood-an anti-witch organization. More, the Brotherhood then sends a video to the media detailing the witches they've burnt at the stake, and telling the world that they are coming for more.
As soon as Stella is rescued, she and her new friend Etoile hop the first flight to New York, where she meets many others like herself, then is attacked once more (and this time it looks like an inside job, even thought it's blamed on the Brotherhood), and Stella is once more shuttled somewhere new. This is where the majority of the story takes place-a safe house where witches can learn the craft and come into their powers.
She meets both Marc and Evan and while she has feelings for both, only one will win her heart. In the meantime, very little happens. Once you can get used to the writing, it's a good book. The tone of the book is VERY British, and I'm super lucky to have some twitter friends in the UK who helped me out with some of the words. It's not necessary to have a British bud for your English-to- English translations, as most words were obvious within their context, but a few did confuse me. Another thing, is that even the Americans sound English. I am not listing this as a fault AT ALL, it was interesting. As an American writer, I write about Scotland, I wonder if all my Scots sound American? So, my non-American friends, do you find that many of our books sound American?
But my feelings on this book are that while the book itself is more of what happens with Stella, and Stella learning to control her powers, when the action does happen, it's crazy intense. The writing is addictive and will make you want to keep reading. The ending was so hard! Why? Why would you do that to us? I can see our author rubbing her hands in evil glee laughing an evil laugh thinking "Yes, my pretties, you will have to read to find out...muahahahaha!!!"
After the big, huge plot twist (that I did not figure out until right at that moment!), everyone leaves Stella for safety and medical care. This bothered me since they all had a lot invested in her, and while Etoile, and her sister Seren had a lot on their plates at the moment, I don't see them having left Stella to fend for herself in that house. I also don't see David not having called someone since he was there supervising clean-up. Evan, oh Evan, I hope you are okay, and that yoou go after her! And Stella, you did all that covering your tracks to go to the one place that can be traced to you. Evan is gonna find you! (I hope, I hope!) And Marc, I really want to sit down and have a talk with Marc. Sigh, I'll have to wait til the end of July so I can get the second book Unruly Magic.
Final thoughts? It's not a romance, but there is a romance in there that I like, and it's not quite an urban fantasy-maybe more in the lines of a light UF meets cozy mystery. Enjoy readers.
**thanks to the author for the review copy
http://gotfiction.wordpress.com/2011/...
***spoilers ahead, ye be warned***
Wow, so as many of you can see, this is not my usual fare.
This was recommended to me by a friend (that's you Jackie) and I was told that this book would appeal to the YA group who wanted an older cast of characters. Since the main reason I don't read YA is that I actually get irritated with the teens, I thought this might be a nice change. Stella, our protagonist, is 24. She's spent her life in London's foster care system, constantly being carted from one home to another since strange things seemed to happen around her.
We enter the story as she's walking home from yet another temp job (she never stays too long, just in case someone notices she's different). The ladies at work warned each other to walk in pairs, and to be safe, since there have been many recent burnings of women. On her normally uneventful walk to her flat, her instincts kick in and tell her DANGER! DANGER! As she never ignores her instincts, she is very alert. Adn then it happens. She is being followed. Stalked. And she runs! Hiding, she is in full-panic mode, just as someone grabs her by the throat and grits "Witch" in her ear, she poofs herself across the street! Holy moly how did that happen? Stella is grateful her power kicked in when she needed it, as hers are super unpredictable, but at the same time, she even surprised herself.
She runs to her flat, and while there, a woman knocks on her door telling her to come with her NOW. Stella figures the woman is nuts and then the nice lady poofs herself into Stella's room. Just like Stella can do, only much more controlled. What happens from there is that they are attacked by the Brotherhood-an anti-witch organization. More, the Brotherhood then sends a video to the media detailing the witches they've burnt at the stake, and telling the world that they are coming for more.
As soon as Stella is rescued, she and her new friend Etoile hop the first flight to New York, where she meets many others like herself, then is attacked once more (and this time it looks like an inside job, even thought it's blamed on the Brotherhood), and Stella is once more shuttled somewhere new. This is where the majority of the story takes place-a safe house where witches can learn the craft and come into their powers.
She meets both Marc and Evan and while she has feelings for both, only one will win her heart. In the meantime, very little happens. Once you can get used to the writing, it's a good book. The tone of the book is VERY British, and I'm super lucky to have some twitter friends in the UK who helped me out with some of the words. It's not necessary to have a British bud for your English-to- English translations, as most words were obvious within their context, but a few did confuse me. Another thing, is that even the Americans sound English. I am not listing this as a fault AT ALL, it was interesting. As an American writer, I write about Scotland, I wonder if all my Scots sound American? So, my non-American friends, do you find that many of our books sound American?
But my feelings on this book are that while the book itself is more of what happens with Stella, and Stella learning to control her powers, when the action does happen, it's crazy intense. The writing is addictive and will make you want to keep reading. The ending was so hard! Why? Why would you do that to us? I can see our author rubbing her hands in evil glee laughing an evil laugh thinking "Yes, my pretties, you will have to read to find out...muahahahaha!!!"
After the big, huge plot twist (that I did not figure out until right at that moment!), everyone leaves Stella for safety and medical care. This bothered me since they all had a lot invested in her, and while Etoile, and her sister Seren had a lot on their plates at the moment, I don't see them having left Stella to fend for herself in that house. I also don't see David not having called someone since he was there supervising clean-up. Evan, oh Evan, I hope you are okay, and that yoou go after her! And Stella, you did all that covering your tracks to go to the one place that can be traced to you. Evan is gonna find you! (I hope, I hope!) And Marc, I really want to sit down and have a talk with Marc. Sigh, I'll have to wait til the end of July so I can get the second book Unruly Magic.
Final thoughts? It's not a romance, but there is a romance in there that I like, and it's not quite an urban fantasy-maybe more in the lines of a light UF meets cozy mystery. Enjoy readers.
**thanks to the author for the review copy
http://gotfiction.wordpress.com/2011/...
September 9, 2013
Well, I made it through this novel, I think I deserve a prize.
It very much reads like a YA novel, but the heroine is 24 - even though she acts like a dim 17 year old (I have a 17 year old, I know how they act :P ).
There are many, many flaws with the premise of the book, with the spelling and grammar... makes you wonder if anyone still employs editors. Most amusing mistake by far, was when she ran her fingers 'threw' her hair. I would be so annoyed if someone threw MY hair!
The one thing I will say in it's favour is, at least there were more clues as to who the bad guy was than there was in the first Sookie Stackhouse novel. By clues, I mean it was glaringly obvious.
It starts with our heroine, who grew up in a series of foster homes, and is now a is a poor, friendless orphan, living in a crummy bedsit in London, walking home from work and realising she is being followed.
It very much reads like a YA novel, but the heroine is 24 - even though she acts like a dim 17 year old (I have a 17 year old, I know how they act :P ).
There are many, many flaws with the premise of the book, with the spelling and grammar... makes you wonder if anyone still employs editors. Most amusing mistake by far, was when she ran her fingers 'threw' her hair. I would be so annoyed if someone threw MY hair!
The one thing I will say in it's favour is, at least there were more clues as to who the bad guy was than there was in the first Sookie Stackhouse novel. By clues, I mean it was glaringly obvious.
It starts with our heroine, who grew up in a series of foster homes, and is now a is a poor, friendless orphan, living in a crummy bedsit in London, walking home from work and realising she is being followed.
October 25, 2011
Well this started out promising. No really it did. I liked Stella at first, liked the plot with the Brotherhood killing off the witches. Liked how Stella was suddenly dropped into a new world with new characters, new rules, and a new way of life.
Sadly it all derailed like a damn train wreck. In the end though it was another cliche filled book with a heroine who is an idiot, secondary characters who never get more than a passing glimpse of a personality, and a predictable plot that failed to answer any real questions and never addressed the plot from the beginning of the book.
You expect Stella to grow emotionally in this book. Yes she does learn to control her magic but she is your classic TSTL heroine. She plays 2 guys then wonders why one hates her, she constantly wonders what the hell is going on but never asks the right questions - instead she asks about other peoples pasts, customs, etc. She seems totally shocked about who the bad guy was but from the beginning the suspect list was short and there were several hints. She is supposed to be 24 but instead reads like a 17 year old.
The secondary characters each had their one main trait - Marc was jealous/angry, Evan was gentle/caring, Kitty was enthusiastic/bubbly, Etoile was mysterious/alluring, etc etc. Not one of them was really all that interesting - at least more interesting than your normal cardboard cutout secondary character.
The brotherhood plot where crazies were hunting down and burning witches at the stake was a great plot, yet that didn't even exist after the first part of the book, sadly the remaining plot was weak, hole filled, and cliche.
I thought I might giver the second book a chance anyways just to see if it got any better, but it didn't. And thus I won't be reading it.
Sadly it all derailed like a damn train wreck. In the end though it was another cliche filled book with a heroine who is an idiot, secondary characters who never get more than a passing glimpse of a personality, and a predictable plot that failed to answer any real questions and never addressed the plot from the beginning of the book.
You expect Stella to grow emotionally in this book. Yes she does learn to control her magic but she is your classic TSTL heroine. She plays 2 guys then wonders why one hates her, she constantly wonders what the hell is going on but never asks the right questions - instead she asks about other peoples pasts, customs, etc. She seems totally shocked about who the bad guy was but from the beginning the suspect list was short and there were several hints. She is supposed to be 24 but instead reads like a 17 year old.
The secondary characters each had their one main trait - Marc was jealous/angry, Evan was gentle/caring, Kitty was enthusiastic/bubbly, Etoile was mysterious/alluring, etc etc. Not one of them was really all that interesting - at least more interesting than your normal cardboard cutout secondary character.
The brotherhood plot where crazies were hunting down and burning witches at the stake was a great plot, yet that didn't even exist after the first part of the book, sadly the remaining plot was weak, hole filled, and cliche.
I thought I might giver the second book a chance anyways just to see if it got any better, but it didn't. And thus I won't be reading it.
July 19, 2017
Well Done
Camilla does a wonderful job with YA fantasies.
Everyone can enjoy her work.
Young h just learning about her magic with a wonderful cast of friends and foe's alike. Full of mystery, danger, loss, laughter and love.
Camilla does a wonderful job with YA fantasies.
Everyone can enjoy her work.
Young h just learning about her magic with a wonderful cast of friends and foe's alike. Full of mystery, danger, loss, laughter and love.
March 24, 2012
I enjoyed this book. It was really a simple tale of a girl finding out about herself and coming to grips with it. Stella is really just an average girl trying to survive in a world where people don't really like her. Then a group of mysterious men try to kill her and she is thrust into a world she had no idea existed.
I did like how the author let the story unravel rather than forcing a lot of background noise at me. We discovered what was going on as Stella discovered it. There are several mysteries going on around her and only a couple of them are solved leaving a lot of room for sequels. There were a few bumps in the writing, but for a new author and a new series, its small and will definitely evolve with the series.
I would recommend this book to adult readers (it has sexual situations) who like the YA paranormal romance genre, and readers of regular paranormal romance, although this isn't a YA book, it has that feel.
Very nice start and I will look up the sequels!
I did like how the author let the story unravel rather than forcing a lot of background noise at me. We discovered what was going on as Stella discovered it. There are several mysteries going on around her and only a couple of them are solved leaving a lot of room for sequels. There were a few bumps in the writing, but for a new author and a new series, its small and will definitely evolve with the series.
I would recommend this book to adult readers (it has sexual situations) who like the YA paranormal romance genre, and readers of regular paranormal romance, although this isn't a YA book, it has that feel.
Very nice start and I will look up the sequels!
March 14, 2018
30% magic and action, 70% teen spring break
This started with a lot of action and promise. Stella, an impoverished orphan (why are they always orphans?) in England is suddenly under attack by the Brotherhood, a group determined to kill witches. She's saved by a mysterious new friend who whisks her away to America.
There, she meets a host of new people with varied powers, from none to extraordinary. The middle part of the book is getting to know you, who likes who, who likes-likes who, and sometimes learning magic. Also, Stella is beautiful, despite being broke with no nice clothes. (Because orphan, of course.)
The last section is all the action, how's, and why's rolled into a verbal onslaught. The first and last section in no way resemble the middle, a better balance throughout would have made for a stronger book.
Overall not bad, but it doesn't compel me to read further to see what happens next.
This started with a lot of action and promise. Stella, an impoverished orphan (why are they always orphans?) in England is suddenly under attack by the Brotherhood, a group determined to kill witches. She's saved by a mysterious new friend who whisks her away to America.
There, she meets a host of new people with varied powers, from none to extraordinary. The middle part of the book is getting to know you, who likes who, who likes-likes who, and sometimes learning magic. Also, Stella is beautiful, despite being broke with no nice clothes. (Because orphan, of course.)
The last section is all the action, how's, and why's rolled into a verbal onslaught. The first and last section in no way resemble the middle, a better balance throughout would have made for a stronger book.
Overall not bad, but it doesn't compel me to read further to see what happens next.
December 1, 2020
Really enjoyed the story - ended on a low note - but clearly not the end. No thread seemed closed at all.
June 22, 2011
Illicit Magic
More than three hundred years after the most terrifying witch hunts the world has ever known, it's happening again.
Young witch, Stella, has to put her faith in strangers just to stay alive but she might not be any safer in their midst than from the danger she is running from.
There is more than one dark secret in her new family: Étoile’s sister is spoken of in fear and sadness; Marc is supposed to be a powerful witch but is missing his magic; where does the owner of their safe house vanish to every day and why does Evan have the eyes of someone not quite human? There is only one secret that someone will do anything to keep quiet, but whose secret is it and will Stella have to pay the price for silence?
Stella Mayweather has been sent from pillar to post most of her life after losing her parents at the tender age of five... Never staying in one place for long due to strange occurrences which cause her foster families to quickly pack her up and ship her back to social service workers. After finally turning eighteen Stella moves out on her own and makes her way as best she can... Now at twenty-four Stella has settled into a routine of living in one place, going to work each day and coming home each night without much variance from day to day... Suddenly attacked one night she is thrust into a nightmare from which she barely escapes when a strange young woman appears at her flat and whisks her away before she loses her life in a fire set by her previous attackers when they find her at home...
Throughout Stella's story as we work our way through all the mysteries that surround her past and all the day to day drama that encompass her present circumstances one thing becomes clear, she is a special young woman who despite her harsh beginnings has strength and admirable amounts of courage.
The unraveling of the answers as to who, what, why, when and where take place at a good pace and by the end of the book when the final showdown occurs the reader has learned quite a bit about each of the young witches and the instructors that Stella is placed among to learn how to utilize her craft...
The eye opening reveal of the person responsible for the attacks against Stella and her new friends was one that I had figured out a bit before the final showdown but I still had a few surprises to come when other secrets were revealed as well, all in all this was a well thought out original story that had just enough romance thrown in to appeal to a wider audience than just those looking for a good paranormal read!
The burning questions in my mind is what will Stella do next? What happened to Evan? What happened to Marc and Kitty? To find out one must continue the series with book 2 Unruly Magic which I intend to do as the story was just getting to the good part when it ended!
I strongly recommend this book to those YA readers looking for characters who are young adults in their 20's that can be sympathized with by older people like myself as they have more relatable circumstances going on in their life than someone who is only in their teens. The book is geared more towards adults over the age of 17 as there are sexual scenes that while not explicit are not meant for young readers...
Book 1 Illicit Magic out now and book 2 Unruly Magic in July and in December book 3 Devious Magic as per author's information in an interview with The Dark Phantom .
Goodreads Blurb
More than three hundred years after the most terrifying witch hunts the world has ever known, it's happening again.
Young witch, Stella, has to put her faith in strangers just to stay alive but she might not be any safer in their midst than from the danger she is running from.
There is more than one dark secret in her new family: Étoile’s sister is spoken of in fear and sadness; Marc is supposed to be a powerful witch but is missing his magic; where does the owner of their safe house vanish to every day and why does Evan have the eyes of someone not quite human? There is only one secret that someone will do anything to keep quiet, but whose secret is it and will Stella have to pay the price for silence?
My Thoughts
Stella Mayweather has been sent from pillar to post most of her life after losing her parents at the tender age of five... Never staying in one place for long due to strange occurrences which cause her foster families to quickly pack her up and ship her back to social service workers. After finally turning eighteen Stella moves out on her own and makes her way as best she can... Now at twenty-four Stella has settled into a routine of living in one place, going to work each day and coming home each night without much variance from day to day... Suddenly attacked one night she is thrust into a nightmare from which she barely escapes when a strange young woman appears at her flat and whisks her away before she loses her life in a fire set by her previous attackers when they find her at home...
Throughout Stella's story as we work our way through all the mysteries that surround her past and all the day to day drama that encompass her present circumstances one thing becomes clear, she is a special young woman who despite her harsh beginnings has strength and admirable amounts of courage.
The unraveling of the answers as to who, what, why, when and where take place at a good pace and by the end of the book when the final showdown occurs the reader has learned quite a bit about each of the young witches and the instructors that Stella is placed among to learn how to utilize her craft...
The eye opening reveal of the person responsible for the attacks against Stella and her new friends was one that I had figured out a bit before the final showdown but I still had a few surprises to come when other secrets were revealed as well, all in all this was a well thought out original story that had just enough romance thrown in to appeal to a wider audience than just those looking for a good paranormal read!
The burning questions in my mind is what will Stella do next? What happened to Evan? What happened to Marc and Kitty? To find out one must continue the series with book 2 Unruly Magic which I intend to do as the story was just getting to the good part when it ended!
I strongly recommend this book to those YA readers looking for characters who are young adults in their 20's that can be sympathized with by older people like myself as they have more relatable circumstances going on in their life than someone who is only in their teens. The book is geared more towards adults over the age of 17 as there are sexual scenes that while not explicit are not meant for young readers...
Reading Order for series
Book 1 Illicit Magic out now and book 2 Unruly Magic in July and in December book 3 Devious Magic as per author's information in an interview with The Dark Phantom .
I have to disclose that this book was an e-arc copy submitted to me by the author via The Bookish Snob Promotions for an honest review and that there is no other compensation from her, the tour host or the publisher except my reading pleasure and enjoyment of the characters depicted in the story.
May 22, 2011
This was a great start to a new series.
Stella Mayweather is a 24-year-old woman who has grown up in foster care and is searching for her place in the world.
Life has been even more difficult for her, because accidents keep happening around her, to people that threaten her or make her afraid, which of course caused her to change several foster families.
Not that she can really control it, but her reputation as a "witch" on account of that, is more literal than she would think.
Stella is reluctant to believe that she is really a witch, a person that can make bookcases drop on you if you touch her (:P), but the mere thought of that has her retreat into herself, her world.
She is a loner and no one pays her any attention.
She moves from temp job to temp job, maintaining a less than mediocre apartment and her life is a bore.
Everything changes, however, when one afternoon as she gets off work, she realizes that she is being chased by a group of men who have murder on their mind. Even more than that, Stella understands that the long string of murders all over England isn't a coincidence.
There's a reason they are burning women alive. The Brotherhood - a group of people hating Witches and everything supernatural - is set on killing every last one of them all around the world and now they are after her.
Seeking refuge in her apartment, after a shocking manifestation of her Shimmering power, Stella is whisked away to USA by Etoile, a fellow witch sent by the Witch Council to save her.
Stella is brought in front of the Council,introduced to a society of witches, men and women with magic, acquired or inherited, she never knew existed.
After an attack at their very shelter, she is once more taken away to a secluded house by the sea, which is used as a "School", where young witches are trained.
It is there that she makes her first friends, among them- apart from Etoile- Mark, Meg, Kittie, Seren, Christy, Clara, Jared, David etc and most importantly Evan.
But are they enough to guide and protect her when there's a killer after her who isn't afraid to use magic? Could it be the Brotherhood - though they loathe magic?- or is there something more sinister after her?
I adored the story. It was both original, in its execution, and compelling. The pace of the story was good, although, I have to admit that it felt a little slow in the beginning.
The situations were believable and you could really connect with Stella and the other characters. They all took a life of their own and as soon as I read on, I was hooked on finding out what was going to happen next.
The story is written as a first person narrative, with Stella being our guide and after the first couple of chapters, it really grew on me. At first, I felt a little detached because Stella felt a little stiff to me even in her fear, but later on I got a feel of her character and I appreciated her need for both independence and belonging.
The romance in the book was superb. Both Marc and Evan were yummie, although I have to admit that I liked Evan from the start. Marc seemed too aloof in a "running hot and cold" kind of way, that I didn't find appealing. His character was very nice though and he had a lot of drama in his life.
The ending - though unfair (I know she needed to feel connecter but snif) - really made me wish I had the second book in my hands right NOW! :P
In a nutshell: Read it now!!!
Stella Mayweather is a 24-year-old woman who has grown up in foster care and is searching for her place in the world.
Life has been even more difficult for her, because accidents keep happening around her, to people that threaten her or make her afraid, which of course caused her to change several foster families.
Not that she can really control it, but her reputation as a "witch" on account of that, is more literal than she would think.
Stella is reluctant to believe that she is really a witch, a person that can make bookcases drop on you if you touch her (:P), but the mere thought of that has her retreat into herself, her world.
She is a loner and no one pays her any attention.
She moves from temp job to temp job, maintaining a less than mediocre apartment and her life is a bore.
Everything changes, however, when one afternoon as she gets off work, she realizes that she is being chased by a group of men who have murder on their mind. Even more than that, Stella understands that the long string of murders all over England isn't a coincidence.
There's a reason they are burning women alive. The Brotherhood - a group of people hating Witches and everything supernatural - is set on killing every last one of them all around the world and now they are after her.
Seeking refuge in her apartment, after a shocking manifestation of her Shimmering power, Stella is whisked away to USA by Etoile, a fellow witch sent by the Witch Council to save her.
Stella is brought in front of the Council,introduced to a society of witches, men and women with magic, acquired or inherited, she never knew existed.
After an attack at their very shelter, she is once more taken away to a secluded house by the sea, which is used as a "School", where young witches are trained.
It is there that she makes her first friends, among them- apart from Etoile- Mark, Meg, Kittie, Seren, Christy, Clara, Jared, David etc and most importantly Evan.
But are they enough to guide and protect her when there's a killer after her who isn't afraid to use magic? Could it be the Brotherhood - though they loathe magic?- or is there something more sinister after her?
I adored the story. It was both original, in its execution, and compelling. The pace of the story was good, although, I have to admit that it felt a little slow in the beginning.
The situations were believable and you could really connect with Stella and the other characters. They all took a life of their own and as soon as I read on, I was hooked on finding out what was going to happen next.
The story is written as a first person narrative, with Stella being our guide and after the first couple of chapters, it really grew on me. At first, I felt a little detached because Stella felt a little stiff to me even in her fear, but later on I got a feel of her character and I appreciated her need for both independence and belonging.
The romance in the book was superb. Both Marc and Evan were yummie, although I have to admit that I liked Evan from the start. Marc seemed too aloof in a "running hot and cold" kind of way, that I didn't find appealing. His character was very nice though and he had a lot of drama in his life.
The ending - though unfair (I know she needed to feel connecter but snif) - really made me wish I had the second book in my hands right NOW! :P
In a nutshell: Read it now!!!
March 15, 2012
Illicit Magic written by Camilla Chafer was a delightful read. While the story was faced pace with lots of action, the author wrote the characters in such a way that the reader gained empathy and other such emotional ties to them. The world built was a fascinating one that brought new experiences to the reader. It was exciting to explore the world where there are all manners of supernatural creatures with frightening conspiracies and antagonists. It was pleasant that the author didn’t immediately pinpoint all the other supernatural creatures within her world, nor did she explicitly hammer out all the motivations and plots with the antagonists. In doing so she left many points of mystery and room for the series to grow. I want to make sure that future readers understand that it was handled in such a way that instead of being frustrating it made the book so much more exciting.
As stated earlier the character builds were in depth and the reader was given the opportunity to explore the motivations and insights into them while still leaving room for development. I wont go into detail, as I don’t want to spoil anyone’s experience. I will state here that the author pulled no punches with the characters in intense situations, which I found to be pleasing.
I think that many people will find this book to be an entertaining read. If you enjoy just about any supernatural fiction then this book would be up your alley. I will make a last note here that while this book does contain sexual encounters however, they are done in a tasteful manner and are not overbearing in the book and should not turn readers away.
As stated earlier the character builds were in depth and the reader was given the opportunity to explore the motivations and insights into them while still leaving room for development. I wont go into detail, as I don’t want to spoil anyone’s experience. I will state here that the author pulled no punches with the characters in intense situations, which I found to be pleasing.
I think that many people will find this book to be an entertaining read. If you enjoy just about any supernatural fiction then this book would be up your alley. I will make a last note here that while this book does contain sexual encounters however, they are done in a tasteful manner and are not overbearing in the book and should not turn readers away.
April 21, 2012
Stella grew up in the foster system. She remembers nothing about her parents or where she came from but she knows that she is being hunted by the people that have murdered other woman around the world and when a mysterious woman shows up at her door claiming she is a witch she has no choice but to go with her and save herself from the hunters that are about to break down her door.
Stella knows she is different but she never imagined that there were other witches that could teach her how to use her powers. While learning to control her powers she makes new friends and is still in hiding from whoever is trying to kill her. I liked her character, her emotions and reactions were easy to picture in the situations she found herself in. The mystery was well played out and I honestly didn't guess what was really going on until it was about revealed. The other characters in the story were interesting to get to know and fit in their spots nicely. Surprisingly there is quite a bit of romance in the story and a bit of a triangle that doesn't last long thankfully. Both the boys were yummy sounding but I really only pictured her with one of them and thankfully that is who she ended up with. The writing was easy to get into but there were a few slow spots where I got a bit bored.
There is a lot left open at the end and I wouldn't mind seeing what happens next. Not a must read series for me but it was enjoyable.
Stella knows she is different but she never imagined that there were other witches that could teach her how to use her powers. While learning to control her powers she makes new friends and is still in hiding from whoever is trying to kill her. I liked her character, her emotions and reactions were easy to picture in the situations she found herself in. The mystery was well played out and I honestly didn't guess what was really going on until it was about revealed. The other characters in the story were interesting to get to know and fit in their spots nicely. Surprisingly there is quite a bit of romance in the story and a bit of a triangle that doesn't last long thankfully. Both the boys were yummy sounding but I really only pictured her with one of them and thankfully that is who she ended up with. The writing was easy to get into but there were a few slow spots where I got a bit bored.
There is a lot left open at the end and I wouldn't mind seeing what happens next. Not a must read series for me but it was enjoyable.
September 4, 2016
Stella is a fucking moron. No really, she is. In fact if she were a real person I would take this book and smack her in the face with it because she is so fucking stupid.
What’s really sad is that it started out really well, Stella is at her latest shitty temp job in a series of shitty temp jobs, where she manages to alienate everyone who works with her because weird things happen around her. On her way home she is followed and then attacked. Here starts her stupidity. So people are chasing you, scary people, people who make you feel threatened, you know you need to get to somewhere safe, perhaps lose yourself in a crowd? Not Stella! She goes to the quietest, darkest most abandoned place she can find, but of course since she’s the mc and the story can’t go one without her, her magic kicks in an saves her. It goes pretty downhill from there.
Apart from the insane amount of grammatical errors, there are also plenty of plot holes, inconsistencies and a dearth of Stella being a completely clueless, aggravating imbecile in a completely predictable plotline.
There is no character development here either so I’m completely lost as to the point of this book. Still because I’m a Sucker for Pain (see what I did there) I read the next book because I was hoping the higher rating meant it got better.
It doesn’t. Stella is still annoying and I’m not punishing myself anymore.
What’s really sad is that it started out really well, Stella is at her latest shitty temp job in a series of shitty temp jobs, where she manages to alienate everyone who works with her because weird things happen around her. On her way home she is followed and then attacked. Here starts her stupidity. So people are chasing you, scary people, people who make you feel threatened, you know you need to get to somewhere safe, perhaps lose yourself in a crowd? Not Stella! She goes to the quietest, darkest most abandoned place she can find, but of course since she’s the mc and the story can’t go one without her, her magic kicks in an saves her. It goes pretty downhill from there.
Apart from the insane amount of grammatical errors, there are also plenty of plot holes, inconsistencies and a dearth of Stella being a completely clueless, aggravating imbecile in a completely predictable plotline.
There is no character development here either so I’m completely lost as to the point of this book. Still because I’m a Sucker for Pain (see what I did there) I read the next book because I was hoping the higher rating meant it got better.
It doesn’t. Stella is still annoying and I’m not punishing myself anymore.
October 12, 2012
This book started off a little wobbly for me. It wasn't the pacing (because a lot happened in the beginning) so I'm thinking it was the amount of backstory woven into the start of the novel.
But after I pressed on, things certainly got more interesting and I'm glad I did read it to completion. The "magic" was neat, and I found the training parts interesting and nicely done. The romance factor during the second half of the book was very nicely done.
There is a bit of a cliffhanger ending, but it's not so abrupt as to leave a sour taste in your mouth. Just makes you want to read the next one!
But after I pressed on, things certainly got more interesting and I'm glad I did read it to completion. The "magic" was neat, and I found the training parts interesting and nicely done. The romance factor during the second half of the book was very nicely done.
There is a bit of a cliffhanger ending, but it's not so abrupt as to leave a sour taste in your mouth. Just makes you want to read the next one!
September 15, 2013
I tried so hard to finish this book but I just couldn't. The writing was so over descriptive about things I felt like it was just added in to fill up the book and it felt like the story was barely moving along. I really struggled to like any of tge characters. I got to page 119 and had to put it down. I also skipped numerous pages and felt I didn't miss anything. I hate not finishing a book but I just couldn't force myself to read this any longer.
June 26, 2013
It started out so well....atmospheric, good story line, lots of promise. And then it turned into a teenage romance with one dimensional heroines & a seriously clueless heroine. She's supposed to be 24, not 16. Gave up on this as I could see it was going nowhere
September 6, 2016
Got this as a freebie through bookbub and the adage "you get what you pay for" came to mind a number of times as I was reading it. The story had potential but it was poorly written and edited. I definitely won't bother with the rest of this series.
May 17, 2011
I loved this book and am looking forward to the next one.
September 21, 2021
My all time favourite fantasy series loved all off these and have re read them so many times, witches, werewolf’s, demons etc what more could you want oh and romance hehe
February 22, 2018
Hmm. More like 2 1/2 stars, but I rounded up.
The entire story seems filled with holes. Stella, the protagonist, is a woman who has no one in her life and everyone thinks she is strange. Suddenly her life is in danger and a strange woman shows up in the nick of time to save her. She is bustled out of her entire country to meet up with some other strange people. They tell her they will keep her safe and that she has to learn to use her witch powers.
OooKayyy... I am waiting for the part where she freaks out. But it doesn't really happen.
Time flies by at a "safe house" and she goes on accepting everyone there and not really questioning anything even when it becomes clear that they are keeping things from her.
She ends up in a sad love triangle and then in a battle for her life in which she can suddenly do magic she was never taught. Hmmm...
It is just to full of holes! She doesn't question some of this stuff?! She waits around for others to DECIDE to tell her things?! The ending is what saved it for me. She actually grew a back bone and started making choices for herself. She was scared and sad, but made the choices ON HER OWN!
I will read the second book just because I was encouraged by the ending.
The entire story seems filled with holes. Stella, the protagonist, is a woman who has no one in her life and everyone thinks she is strange. Suddenly her life is in danger and a strange woman shows up in the nick of time to save her. She is bustled out of her entire country to meet up with some other strange people. They tell her they will keep her safe and that she has to learn to use her witch powers.
OooKayyy... I am waiting for the part where she freaks out. But it doesn't really happen.
Time flies by at a "safe house" and she goes on accepting everyone there and not really questioning anything even when it becomes clear that they are keeping things from her.
She ends up in a sad love triangle and then in a battle for her life in which she can suddenly do magic she was never taught. Hmmm...
It is just to full of holes! She doesn't question some of this stuff?! She waits around for others to DECIDE to tell her things?! The ending is what saved it for me. She actually grew a back bone and started making choices for herself. She was scared and sad, but made the choices ON HER OWN!
I will read the second book just because I was encouraged by the ending.
September 1, 2022
what I wanted and expected: a character struggling to learn how to use her magic and unravel the secrets of her past
what I got:
- a main character whose magical powers might actually just be extreme stupidity and extreme lack of curiousity
- insta love triangle with a asshole
- No thoughts shared between any of the characters
like they had no discussion about who got through a magically defended place
how was Stella found by the Brotherhood (honesly a great plot twist would be if she joined forces with them because the witches community just let her rot for years)
Why was the lawyer a useless fucker/ family friend- who left a magical child in the foster care system with people who don't know magic exists (what if she ended up being adopted by a Brotherhood family?)
Stella not reading the letter in her parents personal items
the villain and the villain reveal was weird along with their defeat
Stella going through all the effort to hide the trail she was leaving on route to her parents house
I read the description for the next book and what a surprise another love triangle and i have no desire to read it
what I got:
- a main character whose magical powers might actually just be extreme stupidity and extreme lack of curiousity
- insta love triangle with a asshole
- No thoughts shared between any of the characters
like they had no discussion about who got through a magically defended place
how was Stella found by the Brotherhood (honesly a great plot twist would be if she joined forces with them because the witches community just let her rot for years)
Why was the lawyer a useless fucker/ family friend- who left a magical child in the foster care system with people who don't know magic exists (what if she ended up being adopted by a Brotherhood family?)
Stella not reading the letter in her parents personal items
the villain and the villain reveal was weird along with their defeat
Stella going through all the effort to hide the trail she was leaving on route to her parents house
I read the description for the next book and what a surprise another love triangle and i have no desire to read it
July 30, 2024
After being attacked by witch hunters, Stella Mayweather is whisked away to a combination safe house and school for witches.
This Paranormal & Urban Fantasy is delightful. This title predominantly contains an introduction about the setting, the system of magic, and a few characters. There are some romantic entanglements, one of which gets mildly steamy. Ultimately, the story comes to an uncertain end, providing no direction for the series.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Haunting. Romantic. Scary. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
This Paranormal & Urban Fantasy is delightful. This title predominantly contains an introduction about the setting, the system of magic, and a few characters. There are some romantic entanglements, one of which gets mildly steamy. Ultimately, the story comes to an uncertain end, providing no direction for the series.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Haunting. Romantic. Scary. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
May 10, 2017
Illicit Magic is book 1 in the Stella Mayweather series.
I thought I was going to really enjoy this book when I started it and I did. I liked how all the witches could do things differently and the mystery behind some of the characters and who they were exactly. But I wasn't too happy with the ending, I don't understand why no one took Stella where they went. I also found the descriptions of the characters to be too long and direct, it seemed a bit much.
I thought I was going to really enjoy this book when I started it and I did. I liked how all the witches could do things differently and the mystery behind some of the characters and who they were exactly. But I wasn't too happy with the ending, I don't understand why no one took Stella where they went. I also found the descriptions of the characters to be too long and direct, it seemed a bit much.
May 23, 2017
A fun read with lots of interaction between the various characters. Not a great deal of character building, but enough to make everyone interesting. I found the techniques for teaching magic interesting and the epic battle very riveting. There were a handful of grammar mistakes which should have been caught with a final proofreading, but weren’t enough to ruin the storyline, just causing minor bumps.
February 9, 2021
If you're going to self-publish, as least spent a little time on the ebook. The font is blocky, with little space between characters, words, and lines, with no difference between the in-paragraph lines and between paragraphs. There's also very little indentation on the first para line. There might be an interesting story in there, somewhere; but the book was unreadable.
I've had problems with other ebooks, but this deserve a special callout and the rating I've given it.
I've had problems with other ebooks, but this deserve a special callout and the rating I've given it.
October 7, 2020
Enjoyable book
Good storyline and interesting characters. Loss, intrigue, death, hate, love, understanding, vampire. The ending was complete but it was rushed, characters were killed off for a quick explanation that really didn't make sense.
Good storyline and interesting characters. Loss, intrigue, death, hate, love, understanding, vampire. The ending was complete but it was rushed, characters were killed off for a quick explanation that really didn't make sense.
January 24, 2021
Great start to a series.
I enjoyed being introduced to Stella Mayweather's world like she is when she discovers she is a witch. Loved the characters and can't wait to read the next book.
I enjoyed being introduced to Stella Mayweather's world like she is when she discovers she is a witch. Loved the characters and can't wait to read the next book.
June 2, 2022
This book started off very exciting, but then it bogged down. I realize that a new series has to set up the characters, but I found this book very slow … then a burst of excitement … and then the ending left me hanging.
July 2, 2017
Really good book.
This book is a really good start for a series. I enjoyed this book. Ready to start the next one.
This book is a really good start for a series. I enjoyed this book. Ready to start the next one.
September 12, 2017
Fascinating take on the idea of a magical world. I enjoyed it.
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