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Struggling barista Constance Flynn is barely hanging on: she's up to her eyeballs in debt, her mother is dying, and she just lost her pet rabbit. But she keeps the promise she made to her best friend, Lexie, for a shopping trip. For the cost of a cup of coffee, she buys the pretty wooden box she can't take her eyes off of. Inside the box is a dazzling bracelet with colorful gemstones. Once on, it won't come off. She doesn't think anything of it until Lexie is abducted. The mysterious kidnapper wants only one thing in return – Constance, the stone mage.
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2016
101 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 14, 2017
just not very good
If you like main characters who spend all their time crying, screaming and wailing, you'll probably like this book. I don't, and was heartily sick of Constance before she got to Alaska, much less once she was a captive. Lots of screeching, lots of gore and entirely too many depraved cardboard villains. No world building to speak of, as Constance gets told about the magic world off-camera, so to speak: meaning we're told she's heard about it from her cell-mate, but given the actual conversation isn't included in the book, we don't know much of whatever she's learned. This robs the story of much of its interest, especially since Constance herself is ignorant of what's going on, so she mostly just flails about crying and acting like a helpless hysterical victim. Boring and annoying--a bad combination.
If you like main characters who spend all their time crying, screaming and wailing, you'll probably like this book. I don't, and was heartily sick of Constance before she got to Alaska, much less once she was a captive. Lots of screeching, lots of gore and entirely too many depraved cardboard villains. No world building to speak of, as Constance gets told about the magic world off-camera, so to speak: meaning we're told she's heard about it from her cell-mate, but given the actual conversation isn't included in the book, we don't know much of whatever she's learned. This robs the story of much of its interest, especially since Constance herself is ignorant of what's going on, so she mostly just flails about crying and acting like a helpless hysterical victim. Boring and annoying--a bad combination.
February 8, 2017
1st step
Constance is living her life when 2 eerie children convince her to buy a locked jewel box at a garage sale. After pricking her finger on the box, it opens to display a beautiful jeweled bracelet. When she tries it on, it locks to her wrist. Constance is running the coffee shop left to her by her retired Welsh Grandmother. Barely keeping her head above water, she is living with her parents and mourning her pet rabbit. Her best friend is her rich neighbor Lexie.
In this book we get sucked into Constance's life, which is a difficult juggle between work, her parents, and her friendship with Lexie. However things get a lot stranger after she buys the bracelet and a strange man kisses her in her coffee shop. She is thrown into danger and a battle and discovers the bracelet is a source of magic and begins to learn how to use it. She finds new allies and enemies. It appears that she has a number of enemies. This book is named for one of them. This book is clearly the first salvo in a series and nothing is resolved by the end of it. We are not really sure why the enemies are enemies or even if the friends will end up being friends. However Constance is a relatable heroine and the initial world building is solid. I want to know more about this world and what happens to her next and who all these new magical people really are and what happens to the life she was leading. I will be planning on reading more in this series
Constance is living her life when 2 eerie children convince her to buy a locked jewel box at a garage sale. After pricking her finger on the box, it opens to display a beautiful jeweled bracelet. When she tries it on, it locks to her wrist. Constance is running the coffee shop left to her by her retired Welsh Grandmother. Barely keeping her head above water, she is living with her parents and mourning her pet rabbit. Her best friend is her rich neighbor Lexie.
In this book we get sucked into Constance's life, which is a difficult juggle between work, her parents, and her friendship with Lexie. However things get a lot stranger after she buys the bracelet and a strange man kisses her in her coffee shop. She is thrown into danger and a battle and discovers the bracelet is a source of magic and begins to learn how to use it. She finds new allies and enemies. It appears that she has a number of enemies. This book is named for one of them. This book is clearly the first salvo in a series and nothing is resolved by the end of it. We are not really sure why the enemies are enemies or even if the friends will end up being friends. However Constance is a relatable heroine and the initial world building is solid. I want to know more about this world and what happens to her next and who all these new magical people really are and what happens to the life she was leading. I will be planning on reading more in this series
December 10, 2016
A good start for a mage
Beginning stories are the background for more stories to come. Here writing was pleasant and left you wanting more. She just nearly begin to learns her powers.
Beginning stories are the background for more stories to come. Here writing was pleasant and left you wanting more. She just nearly begin to learns her powers.
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August 31, 2019Abbastanza deludente. Non che mi aspettassi chissà che in così poche pagine, per non parlare del fatto che è il primo di una serie, ma non mi ha presa. La scrittura scorre, ma sono abituata ad altri ritmi, senza contare che sono rimasta con molte domande. Costance trova questo braccialetto a una vendita da garage e quando se lo prova non riesce più a toglierlo: perchè? Ho capito che si deve essere legato in qualche modo a lei, ma perchè non può toglierselo? Se c'è chi lo vuole devono per forza ucciderla per prenderlo? Il tipo che entra nel suo bar all'inizio non lo si rivede per il resto del libro e non si sa nemmeno chi sia l'anima gemella di cui si parla, quella legata al braccialetto. E la sua amica?
Succede talmente poco, per non parlare di come ci lascia all'ultimo capitolo. Ammetto che ne vorrei capire di più, ma non so se andrò a cercarmi anche il secondo.
Succede talmente poco, per non parlare di come ci lascia all'ultimo capitolo. Ammetto che ne vorrei capire di più, ma non so se andrò a cercarmi anche il secondo.
May 29, 2024
Sinceramente non mi aspettavo chissà che ma ne sono rimasta delusa.
La storia inizia molto lentamente per poi soffermarsi su cose poco utili invece di darci riposte.
Ad esempio avrei tanto voluto capire un po' meglio il mondo creato dall'autrice e capire un po' meglio anche Liam, perché è un personaggio che non mi convince del tutto.
Mentre Constance, la protagonista, mi è sembrata piatta, più degli altri personaggi.
Se nel complesso la storia è anche interessante come viene sviluppata e lo stile dell'autrice non mi hanno convinto. Vorrei andare avanti solo perché il finale non è aparto di più, ma non credo proprio che lo farò.
La storia inizia molto lentamente per poi soffermarsi su cose poco utili invece di darci riposte.
Ad esempio avrei tanto voluto capire un po' meglio il mondo creato dall'autrice e capire un po' meglio anche Liam, perché è un personaggio che non mi convince del tutto.
Mentre Constance, la protagonista, mi è sembrata piatta, più degli altri personaggi.
Se nel complesso la storia è anche interessante come viene sviluppata e lo stile dell'autrice non mi hanno convinto. Vorrei andare avanti solo perché il finale non è aparto di più, ma non credo proprio che lo farò.
February 9, 2017
This was not for me. I hate books that are centered on weak, whiny, cry baby females that are suppose to be adults. The main character and her friend are childish. The main character ( I can not remember her name) is mid 20's living with her parents and has to sneak back into her house. She owns a coffee shop that's busy enough for her to buy multi plane tickets out of 1 deposit but not busy enough for her to pay her bills? There were a few seconds of magic, I guess, thrown in and a man in prison. Guess that counts as paranormal romance. It wasn't terrible just not good.
November 22, 2016
Finished at 61%
The magic was getting a little too unbelievable for me, I just about could accept the regenerating back from DEATH but the possibility to be changed to water just pushed my limits a little too far.
The magic was getting a little too unbelievable for me, I just about could accept the regenerating back from DEATH but the possibility to be changed to water just pushed my limits a little too far.
February 23, 2017
Battle of the unknow
I enjoyed this book, it was a fast passed book that keep a high adventure throughout. When the heroin has no idea about magic its an adventure finding out with her.
I enjoyed this book, it was a fast passed book that keep a high adventure throughout. When the heroin has no idea about magic its an adventure finding out with her.
October 22, 2018
I struggled all through this book, I don't see myself continuing the series
February 6, 2017
This would have been so much more enjoyable if Constance acted more like the age age was suppose to be. Her somewhat childish behavior along with all of the completely wild, unbelievable things and Constance 's ability to, for some reason, just be able to accept certain things without question and then not accept easier things is why I'm giving this 3 stars...but if I'm honest it's more like a 2.5. Ooohh and don't get me started on the gory f'd things that happened, which still didn't elicit the appropriate reaction from our, all over the place, MC.
March 14, 2017
Not for me.
I tried to like this book. I think the author is wildly creative but the pacing is slow. It is vile in its gruesomeness which I don't really care for. I read the whole book and yet still don't really know what this story is about. More importantly, I don't care. I will pass on the rest of the series, it's just not my thing.
I tried to like this book. I think the author is wildly creative but the pacing is slow. It is vile in its gruesomeness which I don't really care for. I read the whole book and yet still don't really know what this story is about. More importantly, I don't care. I will pass on the rest of the series, it's just not my thing.
October 15, 2016
Brilliant book, I was gutted when it ended !!
This is a brilliant book. It is a book about a mystery artefact that turns its owner into a mage. But that is the most mundane part of the story, because the power that Constance not wields as a result, is anything but normal.
The book keeps you intrigued because there is more to her power than seems. She ends up being kidnapped by some powerful but evil mages which opens up the story for a host of adventure, before a bid for freedom is made. During which things get very interesting and just as you are really getting into the story, the book ends!
As such you are left excited and wanting more! I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book !!!!!
This is a brilliant book. It is a book about a mystery artefact that turns its owner into a mage. But that is the most mundane part of the story, because the power that Constance not wields as a result, is anything but normal.
The book keeps you intrigued because there is more to her power than seems. She ends up being kidnapped by some powerful but evil mages which opens up the story for a host of adventure, before a bid for freedom is made. During which things get very interesting and just as you are really getting into the story, the book ends!
As such you are left excited and wanting more! I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book !!!!!
December 19, 2016
While Constance seemed a liiiittle underdeveloped at times, I really enjoyed this book. The concept was cool, and the secondary characters were awesome. The book was full of magic, and more than a little creepy. My biggest complaint, however, was how short this was, and how it didn't have a very good ending. I felt like I was missing the second half of the book. I'll read on, but I really hope the future books are a bit longer.
3/5
3/5
October 4, 2016
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Unus is the first book in Raven Whitney’s The Stone Mage series, and it is an excellent way to start the series. It started off with a lot of detail, and by Chapter 3, I became so riveted with the plot that I didn’t want to put down my Kindle! I can’t wait until the next book is released!
Unus is the first book in Raven Whitney’s The Stone Mage series, and it is an excellent way to start the series. It started off with a lot of detail, and by Chapter 3, I became so riveted with the plot that I didn’t want to put down my Kindle! I can’t wait until the next book is released!
November 1, 2016
Scary, Crazy
A simple garage sale find turns her world a asunder. It makes no sense that evil beings want her. They are macabre, killing machines. From a day at the store to a dank, rank cell fighting for her life because, she was trying to save her best friend.
Great storyline and odd, eccentric characters.
A simple garage sale find turns her world a asunder. It makes no sense that evil beings want her. They are macabre, killing machines. From a day at the store to a dank, rank cell fighting for her life because, she was trying to save her best friend.
Great storyline and odd, eccentric characters.
February 7, 2017
Great Book
It moved quickly with a lot left to be discerned in the next book. Getting on to the next book now.
It moved quickly with a lot left to be discerned in the next book. Getting on to the next book now.
October 13, 2016
I am waiting for the next book in the series
October 30, 2016
Brilliant
Loved it. Very well written and unique story. Characters are brilliant and I am so looking forward to the next book x
Loved it. Very well written and unique story. Characters are brilliant and I am so looking forward to the next book x
November 20, 2016
Not my thing
I suppose this just wasn't my thing; the stone mage concept is interesting, but the book just didn't hold my attention. I lost interest about halfway through.
I suppose this just wasn't my thing; the stone mage concept is interesting, but the book just didn't hold my attention. I lost interest about halfway through.
January 3, 2017
Good start
I thought the story started a little slow but definitely got moving quickly. Still not sure if I am a fan, yet. Will try next book
I thought the story started a little slow but definitely got moving quickly. Still not sure if I am a fan, yet. Will try next book
January 17, 2017
It is a great book to read
April 25, 2017
Great book!
I had never read any of Raven Whitney's books before now, and was very surprised at the in-depth ability of expressionism. The three evil mages were conveyed as "evil incarnate" from the most diabolical minds of all time. I was so "grossed out" that I could not put the book down until the end. Excellent writing and characterizations.
I had never read any of Raven Whitney's books before now, and was very surprised at the in-depth ability of expressionism. The three evil mages were conveyed as "evil incarnate" from the most diabolical minds of all time. I was so "grossed out" that I could not put the book down until the end. Excellent writing and characterizations.
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November 2, 2017DNF @ 32%
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Sadly, I just couldnt get into the book. The character is in her early twenties but acts like a teen and her bff isn't any better. I still haven't read anything that is telling of her being a mage... or having any abilities. Just not worth the read for me, sorry.
s
Sadly, I just couldnt get into the book. The character is in her early twenties but acts like a teen and her bff isn't any better. I still haven't read anything that is telling of her being a mage... or having any abilities. Just not worth the read for me, sorry.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews