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Raven of the Woods #1
Woods of the Raven
Something wicked this way comes…and it might be too late to stop it. Xander Corey lives simply, sustainably, on the outskirts of Osprey, a small, quaint town in Upstate New York. He’s a librarian when the town’s budget can afford him, a good friend, kind neighbor, and also, a witch. And while that’s of no concern to anyone around him, there are others, non-humans, who have a vested interest in Xander’s family land. Xander knows something dark and dangerous is brewing. He’s just not quite sure what. And that’s not the only mystery he’s dealing with. The new chief of police is, by turns, giving him heart palpitations and homicidal thoughts. Xander can’t decide if the gorgeous yet infuriating Lorne MacBain is on his side, or trying to drive him insane. Added to that, the man doesn’t believe in magic, and since that’s who Xander is, their future looks anything but bright. But Lorne is not the unimaginative, stick-in-the-mud Xander thinks he is. And a rock to anchor him as his life is turning upside down is just the thing Xander needs. Now if only the two of them can stay alive…
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2023
624 people are currently reading
2294 people want to read
About the author
Mary Calmes
125 books5,016 followersMary Calmes believes in romance, happily ever afters, and the faith it takes for her characters to get there. She bleeds coffee, thinks chocolate should be its own food group, and currently lives in Kentucky with a six-pound furry ninja that protects her from baby birds, spiders and the neighbor’s dogs. To stay up to date on her ponderings and pandemonium (as well as the adventures of the ninja) follow her on Twitter @MaryCalmes, connect with her on Facebook, and subscribe to her Mary’s Mob newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews
January 11, 2025
{DNF - 37%}
There’s no mystery to this writing style, and I...
✨simply couldn’t care any less if I tried✨
The idea was good, but every part of the execution and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural.
(Based on my 37% obviously.)
From page one, it’s like “oh have you heard the MC is a witch and sees ghosts and spirits..? Sit down and let me throw 33 mins of dialogue AT YOU about the lore of the land and 48 characters”
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
And at the end of the day.... The main reason I can not continue is.... seeing “36 mins left in chapter” at the start of EVERY DAMN CHAPTER IS SO MENTALLY UNSATISFYING.
I have the attention span of a goldfish, and if you haven't captured my attention or care-factor in 37% of book, it's a no from me, Gary🤷🏻♀️
35+ minute chapters can have my seat in the front row of hell, thank u next xoxo
There’s no mystery to this writing style, and I...
✨simply couldn’t care any less if I tried✨
The idea was good, but every part of the execution and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural.
(Based on my 37% obviously.)
From page one, it’s like “oh have you heard the MC is a witch and sees ghosts and spirits..? Sit down and let me throw 33 mins of dialogue AT YOU about the lore of the land and 48 characters”
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
And at the end of the day.... The main reason I can not continue is.... seeing “36 mins left in chapter” at the start of EVERY DAMN CHAPTER IS SO MENTALLY UNSATISFYING.
I have the attention span of a goldfish, and if you haven't captured my attention or care-factor in 37% of book, it's a no from me, Gary🤷🏻♀️
35+ minute chapters can have my seat in the front row of hell, thank u next xoxo
June 1, 2024
RTC
Ahhh!! This was so freaking good!!
_____________
Reading update:
“My line, we were blessed by a goddess, but me in particular, I was marked by a god.”
So this is FANTASY fantasy. I was not expecting that. I thought this would be a cute little paranormal romance
Ahhh!! This was so freaking good!!
_____________
Reading update:
“My line, we were blessed by a goddess, but me in particular, I was marked by a god.”
So this is FANTASY fantasy. I was not expecting that. I thought this would be a cute little paranormal romance
December 27, 2024
4/5
Oh wow, it was my first time reading a book by Mary Calmes, and I’m very pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t even in the mood for a fantasy novel at the time, but this book was too good to put down—I ended up reading it all in one sitting. I can’t remember the last time a book felt so cozy to me. While I read it now in the spring, I can only imagine how magical it would be to experience this story again during the autumn or Halloween season.
I went into this book a bit blindly, thinking that, sure, the synopsis hinted at some fantasy elements, but I didn’t expect it to be this much. It turned out to be true fantasy-fantasy, with witches, spells, magical creatures, fauns, demons, and so much more.
This book leans more heavily on plot than romance, at least in the beginning, but trust me—the writing is so magical and captivating that you simply can’t stop reading. I think it strikes a perfect balance between the romance and the plot, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt that way about a book.
The world-building, side characters, small-town vibes, and the mystery were simply perfect. We have Xander, a librarian when the town’s budget allows it, a good friend, kind neighbor, and a local witch. Then there’s his love interest—Lorne MacBain, the new chief of police. I absolutely adore both of them. Lorne started off as a grump, but deep down, he was the sweetest, most affectionate cutie. His character also had some jealousy and protective moments, which I thoroughly enjoyed. As always.
He was such a grouch at the beginning, but later I decided that I need this man in my life. Preferably right now.
Xan, aka the witch, outside look like he probably wouldn’t even harm you with a stick, he was pretty short, wore knitted cardigans and socks, was baking and making tea everyone was obsessed with, had a black cat and had longish hair which he put in a bun ( which yeah, was hot and adorable at the same time). But in reality, he was a powerful, badass witch.
I probably could have rated it higher if not for the fact that I got a bit bored toward the end. Though, to be fair, that’s likely because I discovered a new book I wanted to dive into next and started getting excited about it. I hate myself sometimes for that. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I already can’t wait to read more from Mary.
Oh wow, it was my first time reading a book by Mary Calmes, and I’m very pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t even in the mood for a fantasy novel at the time, but this book was too good to put down—I ended up reading it all in one sitting. I can’t remember the last time a book felt so cozy to me. While I read it now in the spring, I can only imagine how magical it would be to experience this story again during the autumn or Halloween season.
I went into this book a bit blindly, thinking that, sure, the synopsis hinted at some fantasy elements, but I didn’t expect it to be this much. It turned out to be true fantasy-fantasy, with witches, spells, magical creatures, fauns, demons, and so much more.
This book leans more heavily on plot than romance, at least in the beginning, but trust me—the writing is so magical and captivating that you simply can’t stop reading. I think it strikes a perfect balance between the romance and the plot, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt that way about a book.
The world-building, side characters, small-town vibes, and the mystery were simply perfect. We have Xander, a librarian when the town’s budget allows it, a good friend, kind neighbor, and a local witch. Then there’s his love interest—Lorne MacBain, the new chief of police. I absolutely adore both of them. Lorne started off as a grump, but deep down, he was the sweetest, most affectionate cutie. His character also had some jealousy and protective moments, which I thoroughly enjoyed. As always.
“Thank you for checking on me, Chief. Good night.” Getting on my bike, I rode fast to put some distance between us, crossing the street, but in seconds he was back beside me. He was in his SUV after all. “Don’t dismiss me,” he barked out of the open passenger side window, on my left now."
He was such a grouch at the beginning, but later I decided that I need this man in my life. Preferably right now.
"Never mind, who cares.” He reached for my hand. “I’ll happily be under your spell because it means you wanted me enough to cast it to begin with.”
“Please, Xan, let me have you, let me keep you. I’ll take good care of your heart, your body, and your home.”
Xan, aka the witch, outside look like he probably wouldn’t even harm you with a stick, he was pretty short, wore knitted cardigans and socks, was baking and making tea everyone was obsessed with, had a black cat and had longish hair which he put in a bun ( which yeah, was hot and adorable at the same time). But in reality, he was a powerful, badass witch.
"I’ve got it bad for you, Chief MacBain.”
“That’s good, since I feel the same.” He darted over, laid a kiss on me that curled my toes, and was out the door before I could say another word."
I probably could have rated it higher if not for the fact that I got a bit bored toward the end. Though, to be fair, that’s likely because I discovered a new book I wanted to dive into next and started getting excited about it. I hate myself sometimes for that. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I already can’t wait to read more from Mary.
May 4, 2023
*3-3.5* Rounded up just because.
“There’s still magic in the world,” he told her. “You just have to look and see.”
A cozy witch mystery filled with magic, snuggles and a dash of heat.
A sentient magic cottage
A vicious but sweet non-cat
A sexy new police chief
The best bff
Small town cuteness
MM slow burn
My grandfather was right: I needed to give people the same courtesy I gave new books—at least fifty pages before I made a decision. Best not to be hasty.
I felt safe reading this story, it was just the right amount of cute and snark. Started off with a great premise, had a very interesting middle, but petered out at the end. The romance aspect was sweet, but felt underdeveloped.
I think the book will appeal to a lot of readers, I just prefer my stories with a little more heft.
The book cover is gorgeous!!
“There’s still magic in the world,” he told her. “You just have to look and see.”
A cozy witch mystery filled with magic, snuggles and a dash of heat.
A sentient magic cottage
A vicious but sweet non-cat
A sexy new police chief
The best bff
Small town cuteness
MM slow burn
My grandfather was right: I needed to give people the same courtesy I gave new books—at least fifty pages before I made a decision. Best not to be hasty.
I felt safe reading this story, it was just the right amount of cute and snark. Started off with a great premise, had a very interesting middle, but petered out at the end. The romance aspect was sweet, but felt underdeveloped.
I think the book will appeal to a lot of readers, I just prefer my stories with a little more heft.
The book cover is gorgeous!!
August 8, 2025
Weird.
Um.
I should really think about my vocabulary for describing books. But I can't think of a better word.
And there was a lot, a whole lot.
The romance only plays a minor role, and the romance is what's weird to me. I don't think my brain is working on the right wavelength to go from the idea of the two main characters and their encounters to the idea that it's love at first sight for both of them and that they have so many feelings for each other without it really being visible on the pages. At least not for me.
Maybe I'm blind, but both MCs are so prickly and odd toward each other that I had a really hard time understanding them.
And what's really weird for me is that I like them both very much. Um. I can't get rid of that word.
Well, the romance is tiny, and there's not much intimacy between Xan and Lorne.
However, this story doesn't lack content.
There are many interesting characters, and something extraordinary happens every few minutes. There are dialogues that leave you breathless. Everything feels as if it were written without pause. I had trouble putting the book down because I was afraid the plot would jump ahead without me and I would miss half of it.
You have to be absolutely crazy about fantasy and mythology, otherwise you won't enjoy this book. There is so much damn information in it that it was difficult to understand everything and put it into context. For my little fantasy brain, it was wonderful. But I think it might be too much for many readers. You are literally bombarded with information.
Well, and Xan is omniscient and all-powerful, he knows everything and can do everything and has no problem telling everyone everything.
Yes, that's not really great.
As I said, I like all of that, but it's also a lot of telling and not showing.
As I write this, I keep asking myself whether I liked the book or not, and I can't really decide.
I also have the feeling that because it is written in such a fast-paced style, I may have overlooked a lot in my haste.
I'm leaning towards 3.5 stars... up or down... up or down... Okay, up, because I think a lot of research went into this, and that's something I like to reward. And even though everything was a bit weird, I still love the author's writing style.
“You’re a very nice person, a sweet person.”
I groaned softly. “Maybe not sweet.”
“Oh no? I bet you are. Let’s see.” Terrible line. Really atrocious. But I could not find it in myself to care when he leaned forward and kissed me. 🫣🫣🫣
Um.
I should really think about my vocabulary for describing books. But I can't think of a better word.
And there was a lot, a whole lot.
The romance only plays a minor role, and the romance is what's weird to me. I don't think my brain is working on the right wavelength to go from the idea of the two main characters and their encounters to the idea that it's love at first sight for both of them and that they have so many feelings for each other without it really being visible on the pages. At least not for me.
Maybe I'm blind, but both MCs are so prickly and odd toward each other that I had a really hard time understanding them.
And what's really weird for me is that I like them both very much. Um. I can't get rid of that word.
Well, the romance is tiny, and there's not much intimacy between Xan and Lorne.
However, this story doesn't lack content.
There are many interesting characters, and something extraordinary happens every few minutes. There are dialogues that leave you breathless. Everything feels as if it were written without pause. I had trouble putting the book down because I was afraid the plot would jump ahead without me and I would miss half of it.
You have to be absolutely crazy about fantasy and mythology, otherwise you won't enjoy this book. There is so much damn information in it that it was difficult to understand everything and put it into context. For my little fantasy brain, it was wonderful. But I think it might be too much for many readers. You are literally bombarded with information.
Well, and Xan is omniscient and all-powerful, he knows everything and can do everything and has no problem telling everyone everything.
Yes, that's not really great.
As I said, I like all of that, but it's also a lot of telling and not showing.
As I write this, I keep asking myself whether I liked the book or not, and I can't really decide.
I also have the feeling that because it is written in such a fast-paced style, I may have overlooked a lot in my haste.
I'm leaning towards 3.5 stars... up or down... up or down... Okay, up, because I think a lot of research went into this, and that's something I like to reward. And even though everything was a bit weird, I still love the author's writing style.
“You’re a very nice person, a sweet person.”
I groaned softly. “Maybe not sweet.”
“Oh no? I bet you are. Let’s see.” Terrible line. Really atrocious. But I could not find it in myself to care when he leaned forward and kissed me. 🫣🫣🫣
June 16, 2023
they said if a cop threatens to fine you for your lack of self-preservation is because he likes you
Half-time librarian, full-time witch, Xander is well-loved by everyone… except for the new police chief, Lorne MacBain, who keeps lecturing him pretty much every time they cross paths. But Xander has bigger problems than ahot annoying cop determined to fine him, there is something out there threatening his beloved town and he may be the only one able to stop it…
Woods of the Raven is a paranormal-romance set in a small town full of meddling people. It was my first Mary Calmes book, but it won’t be my last; there is something about the humor and how the characters seemed to be alive that makes you want to keep reading to get to know everyone.
“Nothing was clean this mourning, so I’m not wearing socks and-”
“Got it,” I said, smiling and taking a moment to wonder if he was wearing briefs.
I have a soft spot for sassy POVs and Xander is one of those. The way he always has a comment ready to make you smile, the way he’s kind and cares about everyone. The whole setting is endearing, all the people helping each other and adoring Xander for being the kindest witch. And don’t get me started with the house, how much fun it is seeing it liking everyone but Xander!
The romance started slowly, with the kind of miscommunication that can only come with someone terrible at flirting. It was hilarious, and it made me hopeful for a full slow burn of maybe a couple of books, or at least the very end of the standalone. But nope. They went from miscommunication to love in 0.2 seconds, which left my heart mourning the shattered expectations. I understand it’s partly my fault for thinking the pace wasn’t going to accelerate, but there are some things the characters could have left for later-make me yearn for it, instead of collapsing trying to process too much new information! They were so sweet with each other though, it was cute to see.
“I would never cast a spell on you that wasn’t for your highest good,” I promise him. “If you belonged to me, I would cast a protection circle around you before you left my side every day.”
“Oh yeah?”
I nodded.
“Every day?”
“Yes.”
As someone who is not into paranormal-yes, here we are again-, I actually liked that part. Still not my favorite, I would have preferred any other scene, but for once my brain was actually cooperative instead of deleting all info related to it, so I’m counting it as a win. I think it helped that it was witches and ravens instead of wolves-I’m so done with them.
Overall, a great book to start reading the author, especially if you are into cozy small-town vibes and paranormal romance. I loved the writing and everything about it was satisfying-except for the speed of the romance. A slow burn would have been preferred, but at this point I would have contented myself with any kind of curve that was not free fall.
Thank you so much Jazer for convincing me to finally give it a try and helping me choose the book. The setting was delightful and I adored Xander and all the characters-except the bad ones, of course ;)
Woods of the Raven: 3.5/5 stars
Half-time librarian, full-time witch, Xander is well-loved by everyone… except for the new police chief, Lorne MacBain, who keeps lecturing him pretty much every time they cross paths. But Xander has bigger problems than a
Woods of the Raven is a paranormal-romance set in a small town full of meddling people. It was my first Mary Calmes book, but it won’t be my last; there is something about the humor and how the characters seemed to be alive that makes you want to keep reading to get to know everyone.
“Nothing was clean this mourning, so I’m not wearing socks and-”
“Got it,” I said, smiling and taking a moment to wonder if he was wearing briefs.
I have a soft spot for sassy POVs and Xander is one of those. The way he always has a comment ready to make you smile, the way he’s kind and cares about everyone. The whole setting is endearing, all the people helping each other and adoring Xander for being the kindest witch. And don’t get me started with the house, how much fun it is seeing it liking everyone but Xander!
The romance started slowly, with the kind of miscommunication that can only come with someone terrible at flirting. It was hilarious, and it made me hopeful for a full slow burn of maybe a couple of books, or at least the very end of the standalone. But nope. They went from miscommunication to love in 0.2 seconds, which left my heart mourning the shattered expectations. I understand it’s partly my fault for thinking the pace wasn’t going to accelerate, but there are some things the characters could have left for later-make me yearn for it, instead of collapsing trying to process too much new information! They were so sweet with each other though, it was cute to see.
“I would never cast a spell on you that wasn’t for your highest good,” I promise him. “If you belonged to me, I would cast a protection circle around you before you left my side every day.”
“Oh yeah?”
I nodded.
“Every day?”
“Yes.”
As someone who is not into paranormal-yes, here we are again-, I actually liked that part. Still not my favorite, I would have preferred any other scene, but for once my brain was actually cooperative instead of deleting all info related to it, so I’m counting it as a win. I think it helped that it was witches and ravens instead of wolves-I’m so done with them.
Overall, a great book to start reading the author, especially if you are into cozy small-town vibes and paranormal romance. I loved the writing and everything about it was satisfying-except for the speed of the romance. A slow burn would have been preferred, but at this point I would have contented myself with any kind of curve that was not free fall.
Thank you so much Jazer for convincing me to finally give it a try and helping me choose the book. The setting was delightful and I adored Xander and all the characters-except the bad ones, of course ;)
Woods of the Raven: 3.5/5 stars
April 26, 2023
This had the bare bones of a good story, but somehow was very meh for me.
- The two main characters were supposed to be "enemies to lovers" except the second they have an actual conversation, they're in love immediately.
- Xan is too powerful to start out with. Every problem that arises, he can immediately fix -- from having a single conversation with the angsting teenagers who it turns out are seeing ghosts but also both have more mundane issues, all of which he resolves with one conversation, to any bad guy/girl he comes across who posture about being The Best and he defeats with zero effort. The showdown at the end was anticlimactic even though he isn't the one who ultimate does it, it's a literal deus ex machina where the deus in question is the god who branded him as a child - a god who has been alluded to but not explained in any way and the whole branding thing isn't explained either. If he has been branded for a good reason bc he did something amazing, then it would be different.
- None of the mysteries are actually mysterious. There is a question, Xan knows exactly where to go to get the answers, they go and get the answer, and deal with whatever it is immediately. E.g. Declan gave him a bad feeling, they go to find him, immediate reveal him to be a faun who wants to be human, Xan immediately makes him permanently human, and there is zero fallout or confusion.
- Lorne had no idea magic was real, immediately accepts all magical stuff no problem. This would have been way more interesting if the new sheriff who moved from the big city just thinks all the townfolk are crunchy granola people and he gradually learns magic is real.
- Their insta love relationship has zero bumps. Xan thinks "I can only do this if it's a forever love" and Lorne says "this is a forever love" pretty much immediately. There is a brief thought of "what if he would want to move away? I can't do that" and Lorne immediately is like "I want to move in forever"
Just overall underwhelmed and disappointed bc the premise was really good. Updating to add - I truly don't understand all the five star reviews on this. Neither character goes through any kind of arc other than "oh he is in to me, excellent we are now in love. Oh did some girl we learn absolutely nothing about die? Yes and we very easily find out the killer is fae and the cops just accept that answer." The bare bones of the story could have remained exactly the same, but with some struggle added - eg it takes Lorne more than two seconds to believe in magic, or even Xan was actually a murder suspect for a hot minute or not that but they have to come up with some other explanation for the record than "a fae sorceress sacrificed a random girl we don't learn anything about other than a name and then I killed the fae and she was absorbed into the ground with zero trace anything happened"
- The two main characters were supposed to be "enemies to lovers" except the second they have an actual conversation, they're in love immediately.
- Xan is too powerful to start out with. Every problem that arises, he can immediately fix -- from having a single conversation with the angsting teenagers who it turns out are seeing ghosts but also both have more mundane issues, all of which he resolves with one conversation, to any bad guy/girl he comes across who posture about being The Best and he defeats with zero effort. The showdown at the end was anticlimactic even though he isn't the one who ultimate does it, it's a literal deus ex machina where the deus in question is the god who branded him as a child - a god who has been alluded to but not explained in any way and the whole branding thing isn't explained either. If he has been branded for a good reason bc he did something amazing, then it would be different.
- None of the mysteries are actually mysterious. There is a question, Xan knows exactly where to go to get the answers, they go and get the answer, and deal with whatever it is immediately. E.g. Declan gave him a bad feeling, they go to find him, immediate reveal him to be a faun who wants to be human, Xan immediately makes him permanently human, and there is zero fallout or confusion.
- Lorne had no idea magic was real, immediately accepts all magical stuff no problem. This would have been way more interesting if the new sheriff who moved from the big city just thinks all the townfolk are crunchy granola people and he gradually learns magic is real.
- Their insta love relationship has zero bumps. Xan thinks "I can only do this if it's a forever love" and Lorne says "this is a forever love" pretty much immediately. There is a brief thought of "what if he would want to move away? I can't do that" and Lorne immediately is like "I want to move in forever"
Just overall underwhelmed and disappointed bc the premise was really good. Updating to add - I truly don't understand all the five star reviews on this. Neither character goes through any kind of arc other than "oh he is in to me, excellent we are now in love. Oh did some girl we learn absolutely nothing about die? Yes and we very easily find out the killer is fae and the cops just accept that answer." The bare bones of the story could have remained exactly the same, but with some struggle added - eg it takes Lorne more than two seconds to believe in magic, or even Xan was actually a murder suspect for a hot minute or not that but they have to come up with some other explanation for the record than "a fae sorceress sacrificed a random girl we don't learn anything about other than a name and then I killed the fae and she was absorbed into the ground with zero trace anything happened"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2024
➽ 2.5 stars
This book had so much potential.
It honestly pains me to give it such a low rating, because this story had a really good foundation, but in the end, there were too many things that bothered me.
First of all, I want to say that I absolutely loved how detailed everything regarding the „magic parts“ of this story was. I’m not an expert when it comes to Celtic mythology or anything related to witchcraft, but the author gave me the feeling that she really did her homework. She always explained exactly the spells Xan cast or which materials and herbs he used for his wreaths and protection charms. It definitely made the story a lot more interesting. We also got a typical witch cottage (that’s sentient!) in the forest, where he lived with a demon cat. On top of being the ward (that was branded by a god) of a magic gate to the fae realm, Xan also had to look after three ghost dogs that belonged to one of the members of the freaking Wild Hunt.
Can you see the potential? Yes? Unfortunately, the romance had to go and ruin it all.
I’m going to be honest with you. Lorne - the new cop in town - was totally unnecessary and didn’t contribute anything to the story. Xan could have literally done everything without him. The guy was supposed to solve the murder of a teenage girl, but I suppose lusting after the local witch was more important. I also found it weird that he wasn't fazed by anything, even after he got run over by an evil fae and then attacked by scary wolf-beings.
I was also so hoping for a grumpy x sunshine slow-burn romance, but instead got insta-love and a love interest that first was a jerk and then, all of a sudden, did a complete personality change and turned into the most affectionate and doting partner ever.
In my opinion, this book shouldn’t have had any romance at all…
Sorry, Mary!
-------------------------------------
I just read in Natasha's review that this book has a demon cat and a ghost horse.
Sign me up, please!
This book had so much potential.
It honestly pains me to give it such a low rating, because this story had a really good foundation, but in the end, there were too many things that bothered me.
First of all, I want to say that I absolutely loved how detailed everything regarding the „magic parts“ of this story was. I’m not an expert when it comes to Celtic mythology or anything related to witchcraft, but the author gave me the feeling that she really did her homework. She always explained exactly the spells Xan cast or which materials and herbs he used for his wreaths and protection charms. It definitely made the story a lot more interesting. We also got a typical witch cottage (that’s sentient!) in the forest, where he lived with a demon cat. On top of being the ward (that was branded by a god) of a magic gate to the fae realm, Xan also had to look after three ghost dogs that belonged to one of the members of the freaking Wild Hunt.
Can you see the potential? Yes? Unfortunately, the romance had to go and ruin it all.
I’m going to be honest with you. Lorne - the new cop in town - was totally unnecessary and didn’t contribute anything to the story. Xan could have literally done everything without him. The guy was supposed to solve the murder of a teenage girl, but I suppose lusting after the local witch was more important. I also found it weird that he wasn't fazed by anything, even after he got run over by an evil fae and then attacked by scary wolf-beings.
I was also so hoping for a grumpy x sunshine slow-burn romance, but instead got insta-love and a love interest that first was a jerk and then, all of a sudden, did a complete personality change and turned into the most affectionate and doting partner ever.
In my opinion, this book shouldn’t have had any romance at all…
Sorry, Mary!
-------------------------------------
I just read in Natasha's review that this book has a demon cat and a ghost horse.
Sign me up, please!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2025
Lovely fantasy read. Hope this will be a series, because I really liked the world building and I would love a story about a necromancer. How I love this author!!
April 19, 2023
3? 3.5? 4?
I think I'll go with 3.5 rounded up to 4 because of the magic and Mary. I love magic and am head over heels for Mary.
What I need is a Mythology for dummies. My mind spins in circles whenever the Gods and all that entails are mentioned. I go seriously dumb and well, there was a lot of stuff in this. So, a lot of the time I was just brain dead.
This seemed a lot less Mary than I am used to. Yes, Xander was beautiful and loved, but it was really tame. And yes again, Lorne was big and hot and growly and yum, but he was also sweet and romantic. Less is ok, I'm not really complaining, I just kind of like the more.
I just don't know. There was a lot of time spent on a lot of other sort of things. Some of those things were wonderful to see and some of those things seemed to take over the story.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I did. I love any sort of witch in the woods, small town sort of story, I just didn't love it. There was just a lot to weed through.
I think it would be better on a re-read and that is never a hardship or even unexpected when it comes to Mary's books, so I'll probably do that, after I get that Mythology for dummies book.
Different for sure.
I still just don't know.
I think I'll go with 3.5 rounded up to 4 because of the magic and Mary. I love magic and am head over heels for Mary.
What I need is a Mythology for dummies. My mind spins in circles whenever the Gods and all that entails are mentioned. I go seriously dumb and well, there was a lot of stuff in this. So, a lot of the time I was just brain dead.
This seemed a lot less Mary than I am used to. Yes, Xander was beautiful and loved, but it was really tame. And yes again, Lorne was big and hot and growly and yum, but he was also sweet and romantic. Less is ok, I'm not really complaining, I just kind of like the more.
I just don't know. There was a lot of time spent on a lot of other sort of things. Some of those things were wonderful to see and some of those things seemed to take over the story.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I did. I love any sort of witch in the woods, small town sort of story, I just didn't love it. There was just a lot to weed through.
I think it would be better on a re-read and that is never a hardship or even unexpected when it comes to Mary's books, so I'll probably do that, after I get that Mythology for dummies book.
Different for sure.
I still just don't know.
January 2, 2025
1/2/2025
Started the year with an easy favorite re-read/re-listen. Little did I know rereading it will delete my original review. What the hell happened?! Bad GR. 😭
Started the year with an easy favorite re-read/re-listen. Little did I know rereading it will delete my original review. What the hell happened?! Bad GR. 😭
May 27, 2023
dnf @ 63%
girl what is this
while this certainly had a promising start, it was all v much downhill from there. and fast. everything was just too convenient like where were the stakes?? the consequences??? the build up???? xan just happened to have a solution to literally EVERY problem like sure i wish that were me but it got boring and annoying so fast i wanted to cry. the romance was (again!! love is truly dead!!!) lacking any substance. one second lorne is brooding and dismissive and the next he's finding out xan is a real witch and magic is v v real and doesn't even bat an eyelash. he sure took it like a champ. he does kiss xan like literally right after finding out, no questions asked. xan could even tell him he shoots rainbows out his fingertips and lorne would not even question it. pls make it make sense 😭
don't even get me started on the sex
after dnfing stand in place, i wanted to give this author another shot but rip this is where i call it quits. it's 4 am and i'm so fucking done.
P.S. why was there so much TALKING in this book!!! i know i sound crazy but the convo in chp 2 with delia and cass made me want to eat dirt
girl what is this
while this certainly had a promising start, it was all v much downhill from there. and fast. everything was just too convenient like where were the stakes?? the consequences??? the build up???? xan just happened to have a solution to literally EVERY problem like sure i wish that were me but it got boring and annoying so fast i wanted to cry. the romance was (again!! love is truly dead!!!) lacking any substance. one second lorne is brooding and dismissive and the next he's finding out xan is a real witch and magic is v v real and doesn't even bat an eyelash. he sure took it like a champ. he does kiss xan like literally right after finding out, no questions asked. xan could even tell him he shoots rainbows out his fingertips and lorne would not even question it. pls make it make sense 😭
don't even get me started on the sex
after dnfing stand in place, i wanted to give this author another shot but rip this is where i call it quits. it's 4 am and i'm so fucking done.
P.S. why was there so much TALKING in this book!!! i know i sound crazy but the convo in chp 2 with delia and cass made me want to eat dirt
August 3, 2025
Very typical Mary Calmes, with her two stock MCs (I enjoy them!) and community shenanigans, shrouded in danger/romantic suspense.
Here, Xander Corey is the manic-pixie-dream MC, the one who has the best common sense solution for everything and is beloved by everyone, self-deprecating and unaware of his charms to the point of obliviousness, and the object of many a person's desire...especially...
New-to-town chief of police Lorne McBain, the glowering, seeming disapprover of Xander, who's constantly ordering him to stop and desist something, but somehow, is always around to witness Xander's (supposed) humiliations and trials. And of course, has become fascinated by Xander to the point of obsession (good obsession!).
Xander's got supernatural abilities that come out as the land he protects is endangered by unknown beings, and a murder happens on the property, bringing Lorne more solidly into his life. Something wants in via Xander's land, and it isn't playing nice.
Suspense and investigating get them on page together, but genuine friendship (and of course sizzling attraction) take over and they entangle in each other's lives and become the duo the baddies never predicted and ultimately can't overcome. Love, desire, magic, strong moral codes...it's all the good Mary stuff, and I enjoyed the read as expected. Not sure why she needs everyone and their (teen...) daughters to fawn all over the one hero every time, but...I'm used to it.
HFN, romantic suspense, sort of misunderstood enemies to lovers, magical powers and creepy supernatural enemies. No OM drama or others at all, and any lovers they had are left in the past and no annoying info creeps in. Safe for me. Recommended for Mary fans.
Here, Xander Corey is the manic-pixie-dream MC, the one who has the best common sense solution for everything and is beloved by everyone, self-deprecating and unaware of his charms to the point of obliviousness, and the object of many a person's desire...especially...
New-to-town chief of police Lorne McBain, the glowering, seeming disapprover of Xander, who's constantly ordering him to stop and desist something, but somehow, is always around to witness Xander's (supposed) humiliations and trials. And of course, has become fascinated by Xander to the point of obsession (good obsession!).
Xander's got supernatural abilities that come out as the land he protects is endangered by unknown beings, and a murder happens on the property, bringing Lorne more solidly into his life. Something wants in via Xander's land, and it isn't playing nice.
Suspense and investigating get them on page together, but genuine friendship (and of course sizzling attraction) take over and they entangle in each other's lives and become the duo the baddies never predicted and ultimately can't overcome. Love, desire, magic, strong moral codes...it's all the good Mary stuff, and I enjoyed the read as expected. Not sure why she needs everyone and their (teen...) daughters to fawn all over the one hero every time, but...I'm used to it.
HFN, romantic suspense, sort of misunderstood enemies to lovers, magical powers and creepy supernatural enemies. No OM drama or others at all, and any lovers they had are left in the past and no annoying info creeps in. Safe for me. Recommended for Mary fans.
November 7, 2023
Well this was a surprising paranormal delight from Mary Calmes! 😱
Calmes is mostly a miss for me, but this book was delightfully spooky & not overly sappy.
There is magic in the woods and it’s awesome!
Great narration by Greg Tremblay 😍
Calmes is mostly a miss for me, but this book was delightfully spooky & not overly sappy.
There is magic in the woods and it’s awesome!
Great narration by Greg Tremblay 😍
Read
July 7, 2023DNF at 15%. Welp, the gorgeous cover and promising blurb weren’t enough for me to get past that Calmes is just not for me. It’s little things that are rubbing me the wrong way but each new thing is makes it harder to continue.
Examples:
MC cop nitpicks everything. Jaywalking in a town so tiny there’s only one traffic light. Being outside after dark 🙄 Accusing the other MC of planning to shoplift. I mean, yeah, little things, but it makes me wonder if Calmes is paying attention to the problems of abuse of power and authority by cops in the US.
MC witch who supposedly lives simply and sustainably has best friend who had taken the two million her grandmother left her and grown it into forty times that amount. I was very proud of her. Once her business took off—a clean makeup line that was now a household name—she created a charity foundation that gave loans to women wanting to start a business. I don’t know… the witch doesn’t even have electricity, he’s into the environment and seems pretty hippy dippy. All the queer people I know that are hippies, myself included, are also into social justice and are anti-exploitation. There is no way a person makes 80 million dollars without exploiting others. And yeah, she created a charity foundation but millionaires and billionaires create these charities as way to pay less in taxes all the time. Besides the foundation gives LOANS, loans are expected to be paid back. It’s just gross to me. The ridiculously uneven distribution of wealth globally is disgusting and once again, I’m wondering how much attention Calmes pays to social justice, inequitable wealth distribution and exploitative power structures.
Witch approaches two teen girls, one of whom is crying. He gently encourages them to share what’s wrong. They resist. They state they’re not interested in sharing their personal troubles with a virtual stranger. He persists. They continue to subtly resist. He persists. They eventually give in. WTF? I’m sorry, no. It turns out the one girl’s troubles are extremely personal and it is completely unbelievably to me that she’d share them with him. I don’t know where this is going or why it’s relevant but I just can’t with it. No means no, it doesn’t mean convince me or badger me or bulldoze my boundaries. The girls ‘gave in’ voluntarily but only after resisting and resisting and resisting. IDGAF if their resistance was subtle and gentle, IDGAF if we’re supposed to believe they opened up voluntarily, when they resisted, he should have respected their boundaries, not badgered them to bend to his will.
I read queer literature because I naively expect authors who write queer stories to be cognizant of and sensitive to social justice issues, to respecting boundaries, to unequal and abusive power dynamics. I’m just 15% in and there’s really no evidence that that’s the case which has been my experience with Calmes’ stories in the past, so I’m out. I guess when I said it was little things, I might have lied. They’re not so little to me.
Examples:
MC cop nitpicks everything. Jaywalking in a town so tiny there’s only one traffic light. Being outside after dark 🙄 Accusing the other MC of planning to shoplift. I mean, yeah, little things, but it makes me wonder if Calmes is paying attention to the problems of abuse of power and authority by cops in the US.
MC witch who supposedly lives simply and sustainably has best friend who had taken the two million her grandmother left her and grown it into forty times that amount. I was very proud of her. Once her business took off—a clean makeup line that was now a household name—she created a charity foundation that gave loans to women wanting to start a business. I don’t know… the witch doesn’t even have electricity, he’s into the environment and seems pretty hippy dippy. All the queer people I know that are hippies, myself included, are also into social justice and are anti-exploitation. There is no way a person makes 80 million dollars without exploiting others. And yeah, she created a charity foundation but millionaires and billionaires create these charities as way to pay less in taxes all the time. Besides the foundation gives LOANS, loans are expected to be paid back. It’s just gross to me. The ridiculously uneven distribution of wealth globally is disgusting and once again, I’m wondering how much attention Calmes pays to social justice, inequitable wealth distribution and exploitative power structures.
Witch approaches two teen girls, one of whom is crying. He gently encourages them to share what’s wrong. They resist. They state they’re not interested in sharing their personal troubles with a virtual stranger. He persists. They continue to subtly resist. He persists. They eventually give in. WTF? I’m sorry, no. It turns out the one girl’s troubles are extremely personal and it is completely unbelievably to me that she’d share them with him. I don’t know where this is going or why it’s relevant but I just can’t with it. No means no, it doesn’t mean convince me or badger me or bulldoze my boundaries. The girls ‘gave in’ voluntarily but only after resisting and resisting and resisting. IDGAF if their resistance was subtle and gentle, IDGAF if we’re supposed to believe they opened up voluntarily, when they resisted, he should have respected their boundaries, not badgered them to bend to his will.
I read queer literature because I naively expect authors who write queer stories to be cognizant of and sensitive to social justice issues, to respecting boundaries, to unequal and abusive power dynamics. I’m just 15% in and there’s really no evidence that that’s the case which has been my experience with Calmes’ stories in the past, so I’m out. I guess when I said it was little things, I might have lied. They’re not so little to me.
May 17, 2023
Okay, well, I think my dislike of this is mostly on how the author writes. She spends a TON of time over explaining the simplest and most mundane things I don't give a fig about. Other things are never properly described/explained enough. The entirety of chapter two almost had me dnf. That conversation with the two teens could have been whittled down by 3/4 and still gotten the point across. I think Calmes is trying to sort of emulate Anne Rice's robust style, but lacks the skill and grace to pull it off leaving the reader wanting. This story had the potential to be really good. The basis worked, but execution was just terrible. The plot didn't even make itself known until about chapter 5 or 6, for christ's sake and that shit needs to be clear in chapter one. Insta-love is never okay. Problems were never really problems. I wanted more character development, more showing, less telling, less info dumps but enough details on the world building to not leave us confused or wanting to know more. Also, all the name drops weren't necessary and confusing. Amanda was hollow and I have no idea why her and Xander were friends because she didn't seem to actually like him much--he felt more like an obligation to her than anything. Overall, good premise, disastrous execution.
dnf
August 5, 2024DNF at 35%
The world building and magic in this is really intriguing but there’s something about the dialogue and character interactions which just really grates me the wrong way. Also the weirdly intense personal conversation with two teenage girls he just met felt kind of forced and strange.
Plenty of friends have really enjoyed this so there’s obviously an audience for it but I found myself not excited to pick it up and life is short.
The world building and magic in this is really intriguing but there’s something about the dialogue and character interactions which just really grates me the wrong way. Also the weirdly intense personal conversation with two teenage girls he just met felt kind of forced and strange.
Plenty of friends have really enjoyed this so there’s obviously an audience for it but I found myself not excited to pick it up and life is short.
April 20, 2023
I was like: “A cozy small town urban fantasy from Mary Calmes? Is that a thing?” I took a bit of time until I recognized that it indeed was a Calmes story but then shortly after that cozy start there were all the necessary ingredients and characters and she even indulged her kink of detailed skill structuring and labeling of titles (this time it's of course about witches and mages and sorceress) but everything was a lot more tame than usual and it seems that for me Mary Calmes works a lot better when she goes for her kind of more. Maybe then the extensive trip into the esoteric side of witchcraft with tea, clearing smoke, lucky charms and stuff wouldn't have bugged me that much but then it's maybe just me being too sensitive in that regard. I easily can understand what she wants to achieve with not going fully with one of the usual magic concepts but anchor Xander in the here and now by adding a lot of Wiccan practices. However, that fusion and the easy acceptance by everyone didn't sit well with me.
June 25, 2023
3-3.5 stars
When Greg B/T drops a book you stop everything and read it haha
This one was good but felt like there was something missing. I think the relationship pacing was off, but I did enjoy this though so maybe if I do ever reread I’ll like it more.. it feels like a book that will be better the second time haha.
Overall I’d say give this a chance for some fallish vibes in the summer time haha.
When Greg B/T drops a book you stop everything and read it haha
This one was good but felt like there was something missing. I think the relationship pacing was off, but I did enjoy this though so maybe if I do ever reread I’ll like it more.. it feels like a book that will be better the second time haha.
Overall I’d say give this a chance for some fallish vibes in the summer time haha.
October 2, 2023
A nice, cozy gay read. Some of the writing was off and the beginning half was better than the second half but overall it was a chill book perfect for the beginning of fall. Witches, magic, and random demons included. It definitely attempted to take fall aesthetic and personify it into words.
January 15, 2024
For some reason this story was utterly confusing. Then again, it was utterly spellbinding too. What a weird but beautiful experience.
Maybe it’s just me but I found this story to be incredibly chaotic, in every single way. Not only was the plot all over the place (and I don’t mean that in a bad way because in the end, I was very much able to follow along) but the characters, especially Lorne, were a bit two faced a well.
I should be more specific here, I think. Lorne was without a doubt a beautiful character and I loved how in the beginning he tried to get Xan’s attention in the weirdest way possible. But then, when he found out about the magic, his character changed drastically. I don’t exactly know how to explain it because I can see that he was still the same but with a broader horizon. The change was just extremely sudden.
The romance was secondary in this book. And extremely rushed which was a shame. I would have loved for this book to be longer and more detailed. But the plot just took so much explaining because it wasn’t the easiest to follow and every other thing just needed to fall behind in a way. Otherwise the plot wouldn’t have worked out.
The book should have been longer. It’s very clear to me now.
Maybe it’s just me but I found this story to be incredibly chaotic, in every single way. Not only was the plot all over the place (and I don’t mean that in a bad way because in the end, I was very much able to follow along) but the characters, especially Lorne, were a bit two faced a well.
I should be more specific here, I think. Lorne was without a doubt a beautiful character and I loved how in the beginning he tried to get Xan’s attention in the weirdest way possible. But then, when he found out about the magic, his character changed drastically. I don’t exactly know how to explain it because I can see that he was still the same but with a broader horizon. The change was just extremely sudden.
The romance was secondary in this book. And extremely rushed which was a shame. I would have loved for this book to be longer and more detailed. But the plot just took so much explaining because it wasn’t the easiest to follow and every other thing just needed to fall behind in a way. Otherwise the plot wouldn’t have worked out.
The book should have been longer. It’s very clear to me now.
April 22, 2023
I really tried to like this one. Really.
Small town witch Xander Corey is content with his life. He has friends in abundance, a wonderful cottage, and his magic. When Lorne MacBain, the gorgeous new chief of police, arrives, Xander’s confused. The chief is constantly calling him out for petty problems….until the first dead body shows up. As Lorne gets drawn into Xander’s magical world, they fall hard for each other. However, a deadly shadow from an alternate realm is threatening their little community, and Xander’s farm. Can Lorne and Xander overcome the horror and find a future together?
The story is Ok. The romance is rather….Ok. The world building isn’t great. There’s gods and goddesses who all have crazy Welsh/Norse names and I couldn’t keep them straight, but as it turned out it didn’t matter. The story…and there’s a LOT of it, is just….boring. Even the sexy times with Lorne and Xander were very lukewarm.
So…a well-deserved two stars.
Small town witch Xander Corey is content with his life. He has friends in abundance, a wonderful cottage, and his magic. When Lorne MacBain, the gorgeous new chief of police, arrives, Xander’s confused. The chief is constantly calling him out for petty problems….until the first dead body shows up. As Lorne gets drawn into Xander’s magical world, they fall hard for each other. However, a deadly shadow from an alternate realm is threatening their little community, and Xander’s farm. Can Lorne and Xander overcome the horror and find a future together?
The story is Ok. The romance is rather….Ok. The world building isn’t great. There’s gods and goddesses who all have crazy Welsh/Norse names and I couldn’t keep them straight, but as it turned out it didn’t matter. The story…and there’s a LOT of it, is just….boring. Even the sexy times with Lorne and Xander were very lukewarm.
So…a well-deserved two stars.
Read
July 31, 2023DNF 16%
One of the mains has been having a deep, incredibly personal conversation with two teenagers he just met for FIVE PERCENT with no end in sight! It’s more unrealistic than the magic and I feel like I’ve been reading this scene for a year 😟
One of the mains has been having a deep, incredibly personal conversation with two teenagers he just met for FIVE PERCENT with no end in sight! It’s more unrealistic than the magic and I feel like I’ve been reading this scene for a year 😟
January 18, 2024
You’ve got a charming and sassy witch, a grumpy (yet tender) cop, a demon cat, a ghost horse, beast dogs, and a twisted story about fae creatures trying to assert dominion over human land. It was fun, entertaining, a little drawn out, but overall - I liked it.
Obviously my favorite bits were between Lorne and Xander. Some of the subplot was beyond farfetched and (IMO) unnecessary. But I would totally love a sequel!
I would classify this as a cozy, romantasy read. There’s one smut scene and it’s just darling. Otherwise, it’s a healthy balance between Xan and Lorne’s relationship and then the fae/dark lord attacks.
3.5 stars.
Obviously my favorite bits were between Lorne and Xander. Some of the subplot was beyond farfetched and (IMO) unnecessary. But I would totally love a sequel!
I would classify this as a cozy, romantasy read. There’s one smut scene and it’s just darling. Otherwise, it’s a healthy balance between Xan and Lorne’s relationship and then the fae/dark lord attacks.
3.5 stars.
June 20, 2023
I really loved this one. It was super cute and I loved all the magic. But the earthy witch stuff was my favorite part. Everything about this book felt warm and cozy. I've also decided that I absolutely must have a cottage like Xander's. It's a new fantasy of mine.
Personally, I like Xander a lot but I'm not a super fan of Lorne though. I don't know why, he just isn't my type I'm thinking. But Xander was all sorts of cute and friendly and funny. Hard not to love him.
I'm currently experiencing some boyslove addiction right now. So this hit the spot. Plus it helped keep me reading instead of just watching BL all day. So an added plus :)
Personally, I like Xander a lot but I'm not a super fan of Lorne though. I don't know why, he just isn't my type I'm thinking. But Xander was all sorts of cute and friendly and funny. Hard not to love him.
I'm currently experiencing some boyslove addiction right now. So this hit the spot. Plus it helped keep me reading instead of just watching BL all day. So an added plus :)
October 25, 2023
4* - purely for the vibes!
September 24, 2024
Идеальная книга на осень найдена!
Что тут есть:
🌸ведьмовские причуды
🌿атмосфера маленького городка
🌸new cop in town
🌸grumpy x sunshine
🌿ароматный чай, букетики трав, заклинания, вороны
🌸черный кот увеличивающийся в размерах
🌸призрачные собаки на охране территории
🌿живой дом-коттедж
🌸эльфы, фавны, боги и другие дивности из другого измерения
В маленьком городке недалеко от Нью-Йорка все жители верят в потусторонние силы и знают, что Ксандер — ведьма🍵. Он дружелюбен, общителен и к нему всегда можно обратиться за помощью, будь то венок от злых духов или полезный зачарованный отвар. Ксандер спокойно живет в своем древнем домике без электричества и, как все предыдущее поколение его семьи, защищает территорию от существ извне. Но вот новый коп, не верящий во все магическое, не дает ему вздохнуть. То отчитает за хождение не по тротуару, то за вождение велосипеда без лицензии, а то и вовсе придет к нему в дом и сообщит об убийстве у порога.
С убийства, по сути, все и начинается. Но на самом деле детективная часть тут играет маловажную роль. Эта история — просто очень атмосферное и приятное чтиво. Книга напомнила мне "Дом в лазурном море", такая добрая история, где все заканчивается хорошо как в сказке.
Есть такое, что эта книга прям Правильная и Современная в своих идеях, все персонажи понимающие, адекватные и идущие в ногу со временем, и эта деталь добавляет большей нереалистичности, чем существование ведьм и магии. Получилось такое идеальное мини-общество (но хотя бы в книгах оно есть).
Хотя я признаю, что закрывала глаза на некоторые недочеты. То, как никого в городе особо не заботит убийство девушки, а Ксандер немного нитакуся как среди обычных людей, так и среди всяких ведьм. Да и темп истории немного непостоянен. Первая половина полна простых разговоров и гуляний, а во второй сюжет резко развился и расширился так, что я даже подумала, наверное у книги есть продолжение, ибо не понимала, как автор все успеет логично завершить.
НО! Это все не меняет того, что история действительно такая теплая и уютная, а Ксандер и Лорн очаровательны, и я умилялась с их каждого взаимодействия. Если по началу их отношения выглядят как grumpy x sunshine, то потом ты понимаешь, что они оба и grumpy и sunshine. Хотя их резкий переход от слоу-берна к "вместе навечно" может вызвать смешанную реакцию.
Это, конечно, не "искала медь, нашла золото", но довольно близко. Ожидания от книги были совсем другими, но я рада, что она мне попалась. Нам нужно больше не стекольной литературы!
Так что заваривайте себе какао, укутывайтесь в плед и читайте "Wood of the Raven" этой осенью!
ТГК: складоба
Что тут есть:
🌸ведьмовские причуды
🌿атмосфера маленького городка
🌸new cop in town
🌸grumpy x sunshine
🌿ароматный чай, букетики трав, заклинания, вороны
🌸черный кот увеличивающийся в размерах
🌸призрачные собаки на охране территории
🌿живой дом-коттедж
🌸эльфы, фавны, боги и другие дивности из другого измерения
В маленьком городке недалеко от Нью-Йорка все жители верят в потусторонние силы и знают, что Ксандер — ведьма🍵. Он дружелюбен, общителен и к нему всегда можно обратиться за помощью, будь то венок от злых духов или полезный зачарованный отвар. Ксандер спокойно живет в своем древнем домике без электричества и, как все предыдущее поколение его семьи, защищает территорию от существ извне. Но вот новый коп, не верящий во все магическое, не дает ему вздохнуть. То отчитает за хождение не по тротуару, то за вождение велосипеда без лицензии, а то и вовсе придет к нему в дом и сообщит об убийстве у порога.
"You should be walking on the other side of the road, against traffic, not with it. That's how people get kidnapped and murdered."
What?
"Use your head."
С убийства, по сути, все и начинается. Но на самом деле детективная часть тут играет маловажную роль. Эта история — просто очень атмосферное и приятное чтиво. Книга напомнила мне "Дом в лазурном море", такая добрая история, где все заканчивается хорошо как в сказке.
Есть такое, что эта книга прям Правильная и Современная в своих идеях, все персонажи понимающие, адекватные и идущие в ногу со временем, и эта деталь добавляет большей нереалистичности, чем существование ведьм и магии. Получилось такое идеальное мини-общество (но хотя бы в книгах оно есть).
Хотя я признаю, что закрывала глаза на некоторые недочеты. То, как никого в городе особо не заботит убийство девушки, а Ксандер немного нитакуся как среди обычных людей, так и среди всяких ведьм. Да и темп истории немного непостоянен. Первая половина полна простых разговоров и гуляний, а во второй сюжет резко развился и расширился так, что я даже подумала, наверное у книги есть продолжение, ибо не понимала, как автор все успеет логично завершить.
НО! Это все не меняет того, что история действительно такая теплая и уютная, а Ксандер и Лорн очаровательны, и я умилялась с их каждого взаимодействия. Если по началу их отношения выглядят как grumpy x sunshine, то потом ты понимаешь, что они оба и grumpy и sunshine. Хотя их резкий переход от слоу-берна к "вместе навечно" может вызвать смешанную реакцию.
"I'll happily be under your spell because it means you wanted me enough to cast it to begin with."
Это, конечно, не "искала медь, нашла золото", но довольно близко. Ожидания от книги были совсем другими, но я рада, что она мне попалась. Нам нужно больше не стекольной литературы!
Так что заваривайте себе какао, укутывайтесь в плед и читайте "Wood of the Raven" этой осенью!
ТГК: складоба
June 7, 2024
Charming and very atmospheric, exciting and a bit spooky. Has some Mary Calmes halmarks—a traditionally masculine, protective LI, and a clever, saintly MC. I have no problem with that, and I like the way it works here. Although their dynamic is very traditional in some ways, the progress of their relationship—especially their communication—is refreshing.
I really like the witchy vibes, the way the book dips into mythology without biting off more than it can chew. Still very rich, but not overly complicated world building.
I really like the witchy vibes, the way the book dips into mythology without biting off more than it can chew. Still very rich, but not overly complicated world building.
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May 7, 2023DNF 7%. Shades of "Stand In Place", which she wrote in 2019. There is no doubt in my mind that the MC will start to glow in the dark (not being metaphorical) at about 60% into the book. In fact it has about 80% of the same ingredients, including the same MCs.
It's frustrating because the broader plot stuff looks very interesting.
It's frustrating because the broader plot stuff looks very interesting.
May 9, 2023
Just meh. I enjoyed the world building and the magical premise and Xander was cutely quirky, but that’s it. There was no romance, no chemistry, no personality for Lorne. I spent half the time not understanding what was going on and the other half side-eyeing how easy problems were resolved. I feel like the author is condescending to the reader. “They’re in love because I say they are.” No, tell me why. Show it.
Also, are we still doing that “he’s mean to you because he likes you” and expecting the person to be grateful for it instead of angry in 2023? Gross.
Also, are we still doing that “he’s mean to you because he likes you” and expecting the person to be grateful for it instead of angry in 2023? Gross.
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