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Connected by Jackson Spey #10
Carny's Magic
LGBT Fantasy Paranormal
Carny Jessup here. The best part of my life began when my aunt’s homophobic squeeze smashed his fist into my face. I already knew a wizard named Jackson Spey lived on my side of town, so I figured I’d turn things around by becoming his apprentice.
Problem was, Spey didn’t want an apprentice. He was going through a midlife crisis. All he wanted was to build beautiful furniture and get cozy with his beautiful husband, Adin. He still took me in, though. Guess he felt sorry for me. And he was intrigued by the red paths I’d been seeing in the air.
I’m only 19, so how could I have foreseen the rest? That I’d fall for a breathtaking boy named Peter, who was at the center of some strange magic tied to Jackson’s past. And that I’d have to deal with a sorcerer named Bezod, an evil pig who plagued all four of us and threatened to destroy our relationships.
Hey, sometimes you just have to fight for what’s right. Like love. I might’ve been new to the boyfriend gig and Jackson might’ve been a reluctant wizard, but when the time came, we were ready to kick some supernatural ass.
Publisher's This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find male/male sexual practices.
Carny Jessup here. The best part of my life began when my aunt’s homophobic squeeze smashed his fist into my face. I already knew a wizard named Jackson Spey lived on my side of town, so I figured I’d turn things around by becoming his apprentice.
Problem was, Spey didn’t want an apprentice. He was going through a midlife crisis. All he wanted was to build beautiful furniture and get cozy with his beautiful husband, Adin. He still took me in, though. Guess he felt sorry for me. And he was intrigued by the red paths I’d been seeing in the air.
I’m only 19, so how could I have foreseen the rest? That I’d fall for a breathtaking boy named Peter, who was at the center of some strange magic tied to Jackson’s past. And that I’d have to deal with a sorcerer named Bezod, an evil pig who plagued all four of us and threatened to destroy our relationships.
Hey, sometimes you just have to fight for what’s right. Like love. I might’ve been new to the boyfriend gig and Jackson might’ve been a reluctant wizard, but when the time came, we were ready to kick some supernatural ass.
Publisher's This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find male/male sexual practices.
219 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2012
98 people want to read
About the author
K.Z. Snow
57 books273 followersThis says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH7rt4...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 2, 2012
This is for the first time, K.Z. Snow's story doesn't work for me. The story has 3 parts. Part 1 and 3 from Carny's perspective (1st voice) and Part 2 is from Jackson and Adin's perspective (3rd voice)
It starts pretty well in Part 1. I like Carny's voice, his wanting to be an apprentice. I like the mystery surrounding Peter. It's great that Ms. Snow writes Carny's part as 1st person, so I feel like him, in a sense. I don't see the chess board, and I wonder what's going on, and I want to find out about it together with Carny.
But then comes Part 2 ... That's when I start to lose focus. Not that I think Jackson and Adin as uninteresting characters; I know that they're Ms. Snow's most beloved characters (they appear in several of her titles) but the title is "Carny's" Magic. Not Jackson and Adin. Plus I don't know a lot about them -- and well, I'm not planning to track back on their story because it appears it involves woman (so NO!). It just yank me out of the story, and I'm bummed that Carny sort of missing in Part 2.
So when Part 3 starts, with Carny again in the front seat, as they all prepare to save Peter .... I just lose my interest and end up skimming the pages.
It starts pretty well in Part 1. I like Carny's voice, his wanting to be an apprentice. I like the mystery surrounding Peter. It's great that Ms. Snow writes Carny's part as 1st person, so I feel like him, in a sense. I don't see the chess board, and I wonder what's going on, and I want to find out about it together with Carny.
But then comes Part 2 ... That's when I start to lose focus. Not that I think Jackson and Adin as uninteresting characters; I know that they're Ms. Snow's most beloved characters (they appear in several of her titles) but the title is "Carny's" Magic. Not Jackson and Adin. Plus I don't know a lot about them -- and well, I'm not planning to track back on their story because it appears it involves woman (so NO!). It just yank me out of the story, and I'm bummed that Carny sort of missing in Part 2.
So when Part 3 starts, with Carny again in the front seat, as they all prepare to save Peter .... I just lose my interest and end up skimming the pages.
April 3, 2021
3.5 stars. The story's well-written and Carny was an interesting character. Jackson and Adin, of course, were awesome. And I liked Peter and the mystery involving him. But there were some sections in the story, in part 2 & 3, where Jackson planed & pulled off complicated magics, they were shown through Carny who was sometimes away from the scene or didn't know what's happening, kind of seemed like the story was happening off screen.
July 23, 2012
It's not every day that one seeks the aid a bonafide wizard, but in Carny's case in 'Carny's Magic' by K.Z. Snow, this is what he decides to do. Carny thinks he needs magic to make his life more meaningful, but in actuality, Carny is already magical.
Carny is outrageous, cynical, kind, and loving, but, because of his sad upbringing, he thinks of himself as nothing but a smart-assed, obnoxious, unattractive nobody. Carny is searching for something to make him special and has decided that learning magic will help him. Carny definitely is a potty-mouth, but that along with his in-your-face attitude is part of his defense mechanism protecting him from his pain of rejection. He seldom thinks before he speaks, and when he does, a lot of what he says is amusing and clever, even though I admit to conferring with the Urban Dictionary at times, and others are just sad. But there is one thing Carny hasn't lost in the dire shuffle of his existence—his righteousness. Carny has a good heart and a brave soul and, when necessary, will fight to protect who or what he believes in as is indicated in his desire to help his lover, Peter with his own problems even if it means physical and emotional harm to himself.
Jackson Spey—What can I say? I think Carny's first impression is the best way to put it: “I don’t know what to make of him. Suspicious, concerned, hostile, secretive, stern, caring—what’s it gonna be next?” Jackson's quite the mixed bag, but of one thing there is little doubt, he adores his husband, Adin, and the feeling is totally mutual. In spite of his James Dean persona, Jackson is a good guy. I liked the way he nurtured and supported Carny, giving him a chance to get on his feet and gain more self-esteem. I liked how he helped him only when Carny needed it. What I liked most about Jackson was his humility and his desire to keep his considerable wizardry skills as quiet as possible. For me, that's a true sign of greatness.
Embarrassingly, I'd never heard of Jackson Spey before. I've never read any of the several books he's appeared in, yet from the way he is portrayal in this book, along with the insight into the past given about him and Adin, I was able to gather enough information to admire and respect both of them. 'Carney's Magic' was a real treat to read. The characters are unique and well-crafted, each adds their own special charm to the story and helped weave it together nicely. Anyone who is already a fan of Jackson and Adin will love this story and people new to their adventures, like me, will quickly be won over by their charm. I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fantasy, paranormal, mystery, intrigue, and passion combined with the idea that when there's true love, magic already exists. Thank you, K.Z., for once again gifting me with your special brand of magic.
Carny is outrageous, cynical, kind, and loving, but, because of his sad upbringing, he thinks of himself as nothing but a smart-assed, obnoxious, unattractive nobody. Carny is searching for something to make him special and has decided that learning magic will help him. Carny definitely is a potty-mouth, but that along with his in-your-face attitude is part of his defense mechanism protecting him from his pain of rejection. He seldom thinks before he speaks, and when he does, a lot of what he says is amusing and clever, even though I admit to conferring with the Urban Dictionary at times, and others are just sad. But there is one thing Carny hasn't lost in the dire shuffle of his existence—his righteousness. Carny has a good heart and a brave soul and, when necessary, will fight to protect who or what he believes in as is indicated in his desire to help his lover, Peter with his own problems even if it means physical and emotional harm to himself.
Jackson Spey—What can I say? I think Carny's first impression is the best way to put it: “I don’t know what to make of him. Suspicious, concerned, hostile, secretive, stern, caring—what’s it gonna be next?” Jackson's quite the mixed bag, but of one thing there is little doubt, he adores his husband, Adin, and the feeling is totally mutual. In spite of his James Dean persona, Jackson is a good guy. I liked the way he nurtured and supported Carny, giving him a chance to get on his feet and gain more self-esteem. I liked how he helped him only when Carny needed it. What I liked most about Jackson was his humility and his desire to keep his considerable wizardry skills as quiet as possible. For me, that's a true sign of greatness.
Embarrassingly, I'd never heard of Jackson Spey before. I've never read any of the several books he's appeared in, yet from the way he is portrayal in this book, along with the insight into the past given about him and Adin, I was able to gather enough information to admire and respect both of them. 'Carney's Magic' was a real treat to read. The characters are unique and well-crafted, each adds their own special charm to the story and helped weave it together nicely. Anyone who is already a fan of Jackson and Adin will love this story and people new to their adventures, like me, will quickly be won over by their charm. I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fantasy, paranormal, mystery, intrigue, and passion combined with the idea that when there's true love, magic already exists. Thank you, K.Z., for once again gifting me with your special brand of magic.
June 8, 2012
Carny’s Magic was a mixed bag for me. If you're looking for more Jackson and Adin (and who isn't) then this is a good update on how they're doing. They are still together and very much in love though it’s interesting to see some of Jackson's continued insecurities about their relationship here. If you haven't already read about this couple in Snow's previous books it's OK, this one works fine as a stand alone though your experience here will be richer for having read them.
But the book is called Carny’s Magic and we start off getting to know 19 year old Carny, a vibrant, colorful, and cocky kinda guy trying to find his way in the world. He meets and is drawn to Peter, a beautiful (think Andrej Pejic beautiful), mysterious guy with some strange issues. Carny enlists Jackson’s help to work his wizard mojo to help Peter.
Halfway through the tale we switch from Carny’s POV to Jackson’s. So, a little issue I have with this story is also what I like about it. We get more Jackson/Adin but the title suggests that this is really supposed to be Carny and Peter's story. You see why Snow makes this shift, it does push the plot -- Jackson’s help in rescuing Peter - but for me it’s also a big disconnect and a missed opportunity to ‘flesh’ out what Carny and Peter have going on. Having said that, there is still a lot of fun to be had with these two hot couples.
Jackson and Adin Memorable Image:
“Huffing, they disengaged just long enough to scramble into a sixty-nine...The strength of their circuit again struck Adin, both in his soul and in the reactionary recesses of his testes. They’d become a tense, trembling snake swallowing its own tail.”
But the book is called Carny’s Magic and we start off getting to know 19 year old Carny, a vibrant, colorful, and cocky kinda guy trying to find his way in the world. He meets and is drawn to Peter, a beautiful (think Andrej Pejic beautiful), mysterious guy with some strange issues. Carny enlists Jackson’s help to work his wizard mojo to help Peter.
Halfway through the tale we switch from Carny’s POV to Jackson’s. So, a little issue I have with this story is also what I like about it. We get more Jackson/Adin but the title suggests that this is really supposed to be Carny and Peter's story. You see why Snow makes this shift, it does push the plot -- Jackson’s help in rescuing Peter - but for me it’s also a big disconnect and a missed opportunity to ‘flesh’ out what Carny and Peter have going on. Having said that, there is still a lot of fun to be had with these two hot couples.
Jackson and Adin Memorable Image:
“Huffing, they disengaged just long enough to scramble into a sixty-nine...The strength of their circuit again struck Adin, both in his soul and in the reactionary recesses of his testes. They’d become a tense, trembling snake swallowing its own tail.”
June 9, 2012
3.5 stars. Good paranormal m/m romance about a young man who presents himself to Jackson Spey, wanting to be the wizard's apprentice. And then he meets a gorgeous and mercurial guy living a few houses down and discovers just how messed up magic can be.
July 9, 2012
3.5 stars
September 30, 2012
3.75 out of 5
August 12, 2013
Lovely sequel to Jackson's and Adin's story. See review by Jenre.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews