Craving a gritty, kickass heroine? If you like guns, magic, & heartbreaking drama, you NEED this book!
Helena Martin doesn't know who she hates more, the sorcerers who fired the magic-laced bullet or the gang-lord master who used her mother as a shield. It's not the price she expected for escaping magical slavery, nor is the unstable power now pulsing in her veins.
Caught between her former master's hunters and the Guild Sorcerers determined to kill them, she finds a safe haven at a dog rescue willing to take in a different kind of stray. But Helena's newly-unleashed power is a beacon for her enemies. And they're threatening the first place she's ever thought of as home.
Lauren was raised by an impulsive furniture mover and an itinerant TV News professional in a string of homes up and down the East Coast of the United States. Eventually settling (sort of) in Raleigh, NC, Lauren befriended a band of whimsical nerds who found themselves de-facto beta readers for her scribblings. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she studied English and Classics, Lauren moved to Tokyo, Japan for three years. While there, she studied Japanese, taught English, and fell in love with the hot drink section in the vending machines. Now, Lauren balances a day-job of Cardiac Ultrasound with her passion for writing and other creative persuits. She is the author of The Millroad Academy Exorcists novella series and an Assistant Editor at Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. Her narration and voice acting can be heard on Audible.com, EscapePod, and various short fiction podcasts.
First things first: This is an almost 5 star. Not quite perfect, but... darn. You don't expect this in indie YA fiction.
Helena is a girl caught up in some seriously bad magical doo-dah. We meet her holding a knife above a sacrificial victim's throat, magically forced to carry out yet another heinous act in the name of her bonded master. Then all hell breaks loose. Guild enforcers, her mother, her cousin Morgan, guns, spell flares, mandalas... But in the end, she escapes. She ends up alone, numbed by the terrible things that have happened, and on the run from not one but two angry groups of underground magical types. When her backup plans fall through, it's only the intervention of two volunteer dog rescuers of all people that saves her. Given that she's a "spellhound", even she appreciates the irony. But there are people out there who want her, and no amount of normality will ever stop them from coming for her.
Honestly, when I started this book I was... underwhelmed. Action action action. Terms and concepts being casually inserted with no context. No idea who or what some of these people were. Sigh. Another high-octane YA affair, all mouth and... well, being YA there'd probably be trousers later. But (and this is a big but) I am very glad I kept reading. We slow down, we get to know the characters who are important and slowly start to unravel where the fantasy part of the urban fantasy makes sense. The plot, after that initial surge, goes to a much more digestible pace. There are fast scenes and slow scenes, but nothing ever felt like it dragged.
Helena could have been just another feisty YA angst-fest, but you know what? She's not. She reacts proportionately to the circumstances, even goes as far to question her own emotions or lack of them. She may feel blank, but there's something about her that while she's not the easiest to love, she's far more likable than some YA leads. She's sad, scared, and needs time to rediscover her humanity rather than being a spiky ice-queen.
The side cast's diversity is a Millennial snowflake's dream. There's a variety of ethnicity, sexuality and mental illness on show, and yet not once do these characters feel unnaturally or cynically forced into existence. Jaesung and Krista have a wonderful chemistry with each other, and bring Helena in even when she by all rights her inability to engage should repel them. There is romance, but again, it feels real. No insta-love. No swooning, or angsting, or repeating over and again how much their love cannot be because reasons.
The baddies aren't often clear or physically present. They don't need to be. This story is mainly about Helena and is character driven, rather than being about some magical underworld war.
Now, why the 5 but not 5 stars? The early character development and explanation of what is going on (or lack of it).
On a side note, the ebook I read was absolutely riddled with formatting, spelling and grammar errors. I have read that there was an issue on release that was fixed, but sadly not in my copy.
Regardless of these perceived negatives, Unleashed has much about it to love. The characters, the unusual and detailed magic system , the gentle unfolding of the story that never treats the reader like an idiot, and the relationships built on real emotional connections.
I enjoyed the book so much that I pre-ordered the next in the series. While not perfect, it does exactly what a good novel should: engage, engross and make you feel so invested in the characters and their world that you care. A seriously intelligent YA read, and I'm looking forward to finding out just how this interesting cast of characters will adjust to their new situation.
-I received a free ebook copy of this from a giveaway-
Magic Mafia. Sorcerer Police. A girl on the run from both.
Helena Martin doesn't know who she hates more, the sorcerers who fired the magic-laced bullet or the gang-lord master who used her mother as a shield. It's not the price she expected for escaping magical slavery, nor is the unstable power now pulsing in her veins. Caught between her former master's hunters and the Guild Sorcerers determined to kill them, she finds a safe haven at a dog rescue willing to take in a different kind of stray. But Helena's newly-unleashed power is a beacon for her enemies. And they're threatening the first place she's ever thought of as home.
This is a new author for me and wow am I glad I clicked the book to read! The story is fabulously written and I absolutely love how the characters meet and come together. Magic is different in this one than in others which I love as if you know anything about this not all magic is the same. Love the pace and the action through the book. I absolutely can't wait to read more; highly recommend!!!
I picked this copy up from Prolific for free and this is my own voluntary honest review!
Kindle edition had formatting issues, but it's a really good read.
I've read a couple Lauren Harris shorts (Mill Road Academy) and thoroughly enjoyed them, so I've been looking forward to Unleash for a while. And I have not been disappointed! While the Kindle formatting issues were definitely distracting, the story has a good pace and takes an approach to magic I haven't seen before, which makes for a refreshing change. Also, Harris had me at dog rescue. All in all, a very worthy read. I'll be looking forward to the next installment, and more of Morgan's story (because I'm certain he has a good one).
This book was the worst thing I've read in a while. Literally the first 70 percent is the MC throwing a pity party and being weak. There is nothing wrong with emotion but she let it overcome her way too much. And if I have to hear " I'm bad at saying thank you" one more time I'll sceam. Very weak MC would not suggest this book
*I received this book from the author or publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Helena just wants to be free to live a semi-normal life with her mother and pack. When things go wrong in a planed rescue from her slaver, Helena is left alone and on the run. She wants nothing to do with her magical slaver or the Guild that was to help them escape. Helena finds herself caught between the two groups and dodging being caught. One will get to her first but she'll have to chose which one.
Lauren starts us right in with a spell being cast. A spell worked with a mandala and blood sacrifice. Oh this is a neat combo. We get a taste of the two together that makes us curious to learn more about how this works, and worries for Helena and her mom! And to hate Gwydian! The first chapter stirs strong emotions for and with Helena. And they don't stop there. I grow to care for friends with Helena through this book when she stops to hide out and wait for her pack to arrive.
When things start to get hairy with the Guild Sorcerers and news of Gwydian's group reach Helena, the growth of something Helena never had, friendships and a feeling of home, stops her from doing the one thing she knows she should do. Run. While waiting for her cousin, Morgan, to arrive in this town, Helena grows bonds with two special people - Krista and Jaesung.
Oh Jae! I absolutely love him! There are hints that he's more than just human. But is he really? Whether he is or not, he's an amazing character! He's so kind and has a great sense of humor to balance out the serious moments. Yet he seems to sense more than what's being said. Krista couldn't be better as a loving friend. She is there for Helena, as is Jae, when things get rough. They also understand that Helena needs time to come to them with what is going on or has happened in her life, so they give her that. I fell in love with them both. They are great "people".
Okay. Now that I've gushed over the love of the characters I want to mention something more about them. Not only are they awesomely written but they are not your average characters of white world. Nope, and that's the added bonus to them being amazing people with their glowing personalities. I'm mentioning this because there are people that look for diverse characters in books, and Lauren has that here. Jaesung is Korean, came to America when young with his mother. He had some great obstacles to overcome. Krista is gay, but her girlfriend has her own troubles which Krista is living through too, depression. Lauren has written characters that people will care about as they are real and have troubles to live with.
This is YA, but how old should the reader be? I say read it and you decide. There is death and Helena does have to kill to protect herself. There are a few heated scenes, but you don't get intimate details.
Somewhere along the way, I fell, with Helena, for Jaesung. And grew to love the characters here - Helena, Krista, and all present. I love the magic created here with the mandalas. There is a blend of different cultures in this creation that have me loving it. Very interesting. I look forward to more books with Helena and her friends.
In contemporary urban fantasy Unleash (Spellhounds, Book One) by Lauren Harris, Helena Martin fights to break the spell binding her to her sadistic abuser, a powerful mage intent on destroying her family lineage. When well-meaning mundanes offer her a couch to crash on while she waits to contact her cousin on the run, Helena gets a taste of the normal life her abuser has stolen from her. Too bad the Guild is after her and strange happenings keep endangering her and her mundane rescuers.
Lauren Harris writes heart-stopping action scenes while delving into the emotional backlash of abuse--which for Helena includes panic attacks and a painful disconnect from your average social scripts. Readers get a good feel for how dangerous and damaging Helena's situation is, and as a result, Helena comes out on top as an even stronger character. The gritty realism of Unleash was a welcome break from the lighter urban fantasy I usually see. Flowing banter, plot twists, and pointed descriptions round out the action to make Unleash a compelling read.
The wonderfully nail-bitting world of Unleash involves ancient magic drawn through mandalas, blood magic, shapeshifting, and a powerful sorcerer's intent on hiding it all from mundanes. And then there's the heart-warming volunteer dog rescue and the rescuers who only want to give Helena a safe place to stay, away from whatever horrible thing she ran away from. Mandalas and dangerous puppies. Doesn't that make you want to dive in?
Harris has created an Urban Fantasy series I cannot wait to continue. Her magic system is deep and intriguing, spanning the entire world in origin, and it captured my interest from the very beginning. Our heroine, Helena, is so human it hurts. What Harris has written is so true to life (while still being fantastical, of course) that I never wanted to put the book down.
The prose is easy to sink into and a joy to consume. Helena's POV rings as how a damaged, surviving teenager would view life. There aren't any incidents of her stepping out of character for herself to serve the plot or anything. No mistakes here in that regard.
I'm giving the author a pass on the editing, as I am subscribed to an updated social media account, and the technical errors were a software problem she is in the process of rectifying.
Do I recommend this book? HIGHLY. Do I recommend waiting a short while for the corrections to be made? Yes. But keep this book in your wishlist, or go ahead and buy it and wait for the updated version. Trust me, you will NOT regret it. I am watching the clock now, counting down the seconds until the next installment releases!
I enjoyed this book more than I'd planned to. It did feel like there was either hard action or drawn out personal development, but they alternated frequently enough for the book to stay engaging. This reminded me of the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, yet more relatable. It preserved what was enticing about fiction, the escape from reality, while still making Helena understandable. As the story progressed, it made the begining easier to digest, like a book you could reread and still appreciate it equally. In YA books, it's normally focused around a greater plot which doesn't recieve much context, and a romantic sub plot tease. While I feared this book would fare similarly, after the key events to establish the core conflict occured, it slowed down and managed to ground itself. It didn't build itself into a larger world which eventually becomes dry, and overdone, instead focusing on a key story. Whenever it did began to get off task, there managed to be some explanation to why it was necesarry, and overall felt well thought out.
I'm always nervous reading a book by someone I know, in case I hate it. In this case, I really liked it. As the story opens, protagonist Helena is a slave to the sorcerer Gwydian, forced to carry out his sacrifices. A botched raid by the guild of magic frees her but gets her mother killed. Helena winds up at a dog-rescue operation in the Midwest, appropriate since one of her powers is to shapeshift into a canine form. This was quite dark. Helena's been through hell and badly PTSDed, the magic cops are pretty nasty. It worked for me. So does the magic, involving mandalas and symbols rather than spells made of words. This would get 4.5 or maybe 5, but the proofreading was awful. There's a major chapter of exposition and bargaining where chunks of conversation get left out. Even so, I look forward to reading V2 eventually.
The opening line pulls you right in. The opening scene is so action packed that you almost don't know what hit you. It's hard to get a really good magic battle in literature that you feel like you're in the middle of and that's what the author pulls off. The protagonist is a great badass, but the author reveals her inner vulnerability perfectly. As the story progresses and slows down to really get into the characters, the reader is treated to a fun cast that one really loves. Just as you're getting comfortable in the slower parts, things suddenly get fast again and the author shines in her ability to write a great action scene. I haven't read the second book yet, but I've bought it and I can't wait to dive in.
I received Unleash, book 1 of the Spellhounds series, from the author/publisher (via BookFunnel). The gifting did not determine the review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
Wow! I love a complex, layered read and this book surprised me with its strong, determined, and take-no-bull protagonist, Helena. I loved how she didn't bend when she believed something was wrong, and called people out when necessary. Plenty of twists to keep the reader interested, and I'm curious to know what happens next.
I am a HUGE fan of plot pacing and this book delivered. Page one is the gun shot and it's off to the races. This author skillfully blends a great suspenseful story with endearing characters. I almost got more wrapped up in side characters than I did the main character Helena. The magic and world are unique and well done. This is a strong start to the series and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good Urban Fantasy book.
I really enjoyed this book. Harris does a great job of getting you invested in the characters right off the bat, even though magic spells are swirling about around them. Helena is a strong female protagonist, even though she doubts her strength, just as we all doubt ourselves. I really love the interactions with the dogs at Ruff Patch and how Helena finds a home she wasn't even looking for. I'm really excited to read Book 2 to find out what happens next.
This is a brand new author for me and I am so glad I read the story. This story has very strong characters and a well writen story line that I fell in love with . This is the first book of a brand new amazing series. I can not wait to read the next book in this series . I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves magic, if you buy this book you will not be disappointed at all. This is my honest and unbias opinion of the story.
I liked the book a lot, I was really sucked into the story and the world of the characters. What really annoyed me was the errors in the text. There were quite some spelling mistakes and sentences would be interrupted by words or parts of sentences that had nothing to do with it. It could have used some additional review and editing.
Non stop action, with plenty of world and character building along the way. I really enjoyed the magic system, very innovative. I really enjoyed the diversity represented as well. I can see that there is a lot bigger world than was shown here, I'm hoping for more books to fill it out.
I enjoyed this book very much. I love a magic system that isn't the same old thing. I wish there had been a bit more editing done before release but it didn't stop me from enjoying the book.
Unleash delivers what is promised. It's a fun read and I can't wait for the next in the series. The characters are complex and the magical world is not the same as other books. And there's a dog rescue, who wouldn't like it? Take a chance on this, you won't be disappointed.
Great story line, legend etc... No unanswered question of history regarding the characters past and if a bit harsh in the scene it could be a believable fiction. I look forward to the sequels.
Lauren Harris has written a book with super characters, a great story of a world of magic that mundanes know nothing about. This book starts off what promises to be a magical series of books.
A good consistent story,with characters who comes together in lot of interesting and surprising ways to get to sulve their delimas. Overall a enjoyable experience.