Queer Magick

by L.C. Davis

An LGBT+ fantasy of apocalyptic proportions.

Twenty-something Holden Adams never asked to be the harbinger of the apocalypse, or for the seven lovers who come with the job. All he wanted in Stillwater, Vermont was a fresh start, but his past as a preacher's kid turned witch threatens any hope he has of a normal life in the idyllic town. A fateful encounter with a strange cat on the brink of death earns Holden a new enemy and some unlikely friends, but as Stillwater reveals itself not to be as conventional as it appears, the line between the two becomes irreparably blurred.

Daniel St. James is getting too old for this crap. The love of his life turned out to be a cold-blooded killer and while Dennis got away with murder thirteen years earlier, Daniel and the rest of the town are still reeling from the tragedy. Now some kid who claims to be a witch waltzes into town and all of a sudden, Daniel's unflinchingly straight best friend is head over heels for Holden. Chaos has a way of following Holden, revealing a web of supernatural secrets around Daniel that makes him question everything he believes about the town he's lived in his entire life--and everything he doesn't.

Welcome to Stillwater. Things are a little queer here.

This book is intended for mature audiences only.

Genres: M M Romance, Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, LGBT, Urban Fantasy, Gay

269 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2017

About the author

Hi! I'm L.C. Davis, author of The Mountain Shifters Series, Queer Magick and the upcoming Great Plains Shifters series. I write MPREG and M/M fantasy.

I love hearing from readers, so feel free to reach out here on Goodreads or via email at author@lcdavisbooks.com!

Reviews

[M'rella · Rating 4 out of 5]

After years of being imprisoned, used and abused by his father, Holden is finally settling down in Stillwater, a small New England town. He's been on the run for a long time, trying to cover his tracks by changing his name and moving from one place to another as far away from his home state as possible.

A happy protective bubble of Stillwater seems like heaven. It has a few quirks, of course, but which town does not? Everyone knows everybody and people are mostly friendly. That is until Holden meets Daniel, a local vet (who is a veteran). An injured cat and the severity of the injury make Holden a catnapper when he refuses to surrender the poor kitty for euthanization and flees the clinic.

Daniel knows what Holden is and confronts him shortly after catnapping. From that moment on the town secrets and the mysterious creatures start coming out of the woodwork full force. Every time you turn the page, there is a surprise. Every time you think you finally know who/what the person is, you are proven wrong. Things, people, situations turn and twist; there is humor, there are pockets of darkness and despair; there is an amazing diversity of characters (not going into details on the characters' subject, cause - spoilers! ;))

I could not get enough of the book and really wanted to give it five stars, but here is this:

- it ends smack in the middle of things. I can't even call it a cliffhanger, more like the author roughly separated the manuscript in two without much thought. I honestly would not advise reading this first installment until the second one comes out.
Update: LC just said it will by out in June. YAY!!! =)

- the story lost its momentum around 80%. Instead of fast paced it became stagnant with characters sitting around in one spot for weeks, waiting for the next full moon, reflecting, eating pizza and even (finally) having sex (since there is literally nothing else to do). But it looks like things are going to pick up with a vengeance in book two :D

Otherwise, an excellent read and pure pleasure :) Highly recommended :)

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 review.
STILL a great read and I highly recommend. No, the series isn't finished, and I don't know if you can still buy this, but if you have it, and you like snark, then pick this up immediately! All the below still true!

2017 review
I highly recommend this book and not yet finished series. I laughed so hard with this story. My review includes a few quotes that I loved. Taken out of context they aren't as funny (maybe) but I hope it comes across as at least interesting. :-D

Review 10-5-2017
A complimentary copy was provided by the author via the GR MM Don't Buy My Love (DBML) program in exchange for an honest review.

OMG, this was amazing!!!! Highly, HIGHLY recommend. This is a very well written story about werewolves, witches, prophecies, angels, demons and zombies!!! AND, transgender and cross dresser characters too! It has it all! And oh yeah, eh-hem - Holden may be The Whore of Babylon. But that's something you need to read more about on your own. I am soooo not spoiling all the fun. I laughed so hard with this book! I really can't reveal the plot because it would spoil the whole story. I had no idea where I was being taken on this journey but I couldn't wait to pick this up again.

Here are just a few of the bits that made me snort, laugh or outright want to slap the table. :-D

"As it turned out, the parole terms for keeping your kid locked in a basement for five years were pretty lenient when you had an entire church association bankrolling a celebrity lawyer and publicist. Friends in high places and all that."

"Something told me the brusque yet kind landlady would have been reluctant to share her remote home with most guys, but my overt twinkishness had always worked against me. For once, it seemed to have worked in my favor. With long, unruly brown hair and a less-than-impressive build, I couldn't intimidate a church mouse if I tried."

"Mystery man? Crud. Maybe I needed to be a little less reclusive. If I had to fill out one more set of change of address forms, I was going to stick a ballpoint pen through my occipital lobe."

"She linked her arm in mine, which seemed like a strangely intimate gesture for someone she barely knew. Stillwater must have been having a gay best friend shortage. "I can't wait to introduce you to everyone tomorrow night," Carla chattered. I began to wonder when I had officially accepted the invitation..."

"He was looking at me like I'd just run over a newborn puppy and then reversed a few times just to make sure."

"Nick turned back to me with a closed-mouth smile. I took his offered hand hesitantly, almost surprised when I received a handshake rather than getting shanked with the letter opener on the counter."

"A small wound was one thing, but it would take some serious mojo to heal an animal that had been laid open, and that would be a flagrant violation of Rule Three before my first week in Stillwater was even up. You could only get chased out of town by an angry mob so many times before it got old."

"Some little voice in the back of my mind railed at me for what I was doing. Probably my common sense."

"Tui gratia Iovis gratia sit cures," I whispered. Because shit always gets real when there's Latin involved."

"What kind of deal?"
"You have something I want, and I have something you want," he said in a voice like silk. "Protection from your father."
"No offense, but I don't think trading one psychopath for another is something I'm interested in."
He pressed a hand against his silk shirt, as if deeply offended. "Psychopath? Histrionic Personality Disorder I could see, but that's just hurtful."

"Your virginity."
"Excuse me?"
"Hm, let me rephrase that," he mused, pressing a finger to his lips. "I need you to lose your virginity in a specific ritual context."
"Thanks for clarifying that, because otherwise it would've just been silly."
"So sassy," he said, wrinkling his nose. "I was hoping you'd be sassy."

I groaned. "I knew this had something to do with that bullshit prophecy."
"Quarter in the swear jar," he sang.

"I've been freaking out about you showing up again, and all this time I've been feeding you and letting you sleep in my bed."
"Don't be such a martyr. The food sucks and you snore."
I lunged for him and Nick held me back, which was probably a good thing since I was out of shoes.

Bahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!! Some of these are probably not as funny taken out of context of the whole scene, but trust me, they are hilarious!! I just loved Holden - he is just great. And the rest of the characters - Nick, Daniel, Dennis, Locke, and toss in an angel or two - this is going to be a super great series. I have the next book in my hands and can't wait to read it. Fingers crossed the next book is just as great.

Umm, I did find a few things that seemed like errors and weren't caught during the proofing session(s), but overall not many. I do hope more of the backstory is revealed in the next book because I have so many questions about what is going on! :)

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dang - I bought this book back in 2017 and finally got around to reading it. Turns out it is a cliffhanger, and the second installment is no longer in print. What bad luck.

Anyhoo, the story is great, hence the four stars, but unfortunately L.C. Davis really needed a decent editor, or at least a decent beta reader. There are some silly mistakes, as well as a few pretty confusing ones. Just enough to be kinda distracting :(. Still, I'd read Fairy Tales if I could find it.

Nicely creative story, interesting characters, and an enjoyable quick pacing. Very enjoyable.

[Nocturnalux · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Queer Magick is one of those novels that tries to address many themes, some of which are far too serious for its scope, while trying to strike a balance across a range of tone registers that only muddle it even further, to the point of compromising the overall effect. What could have been a fun comedy devolves into hocky melodrama, the epic element failing to make much of a mark under the drudgery of vapid romance.

The basic premise, while rather standard for m/m fare, has potential. Holden is the son of a highly corrupt preacher who locked him in a basement for years so as to better exploit his power as a faith healer. The story starts with Holden, still processing this trauma, relocating to a new small town after a string of failed new beginnings, in the hope of settling down and starting anew. This backstory alone is a kernel for psychological exploration that goes almost entirely out the window. Being gay in a fundamentalist environment that is so extreme as to have deprived him of any normal development during crucial formative years is more than enough to make Holden a highly interesting character from a literary point of view.

Given that the narrative is first person and that Holden is actively avoiding facing his past as much as possible, it does perhaps make sense why the novel does not go into what could have been riveting territory for any novelist to venture. But there is no forgiving how a novel with such a dark premise spends most of its material on snappy comebacks, sassy drivel and so many romantic meanderings that it becomes nothing short of silly.

Polyamorous characters are perfectly fine but the novel does not commit fully commit to this, instead every single character is attracted to virtually all others, with one exception that does more to detract from the romantic element than anything else. It follows that everyone is absolutely gorgeous.

On the matter of characters, the first person narrative is spread across two characters, Daniel being the other one that counters Holden's in telling the story. Daniel is a gruff vet with a rocky past that has left him jaded in matters of love. His point of view is more interesting that Holden's, if only because he has been involved with the rest of the cast for decades on end and as such it makes much sense that he should react as intensely as he does. There is also more room for character growth.

This brings me to the least well accomplished character of this cast of ever so beautiful characters, namely, Nick. It is as if the author unloaded every single paranormal cliché on this particular character, which is bad, and then completely skipped on most of his interaction with Holden, which may be even worse. To boot, mild spoilers but perhaps required:Nick is a transgender alpha werewolf who is soulmated to Holden because Destiny says so. It is even worse than it sounds. For starters, it makes precious little sense that a shape shifter should be trans. Why should Nick be capable of shifting into a male werewolf form but unable to do the same in his human form? Perhaps it is simply the way things are, magic as a concept needs only work as the author intends, but it is still a bit of a miss. The destiny/soulmate part is a complete disaster. Due to a lack of focus that is remarkable, Holden spends much more time bonding and talking to every single character other than Nick. They do interact but the reader is not privy to these moments; instead we are simply told that a few days have passed and they so much closer now.
I am sure it is entirely unintentional but it comes across as Nick being a dumping ground for several topics the author wanted to cover even if it made little sense in context. I want to make it perfectly clear that I have absolutely nothing against transgender people, it is the way Nick is portrayed as that I find clunky. The novel would gain from writing him off entirely.

All this aside, whether one enjoys keeping track of the zany love dodecahedron or not, the worldbuilding is so thin as to be nonexistant. It does not help that the novel tries to mash several supernatural traditions together, an eccletic approach that is quite popular, without quite developing any of them. Sexy demons with quirky lines are fine but not enough to sustain the plot. One feels that the fictional universe is the result of the shallow end of all things paranormal so that it seems very generic and non-engaging.

Said plot includes ushering in the apocalypse but the stakes never seem all that high. There is never a sense of the world being in actual peril. The humor falls rather flat more often than not and the tension simmers away in juvenile backbiting.

With all this said, the novel is not without its highlights. Almost every single chapter in which Daniel reflects upon his torturous relationship with Dennies has a poignant resonance that could be a novel onto itself. The comedy, while less than stellar in dialogue, can be amusing in the inner dialogue.

Ultimately, Queer Magick fails in its attempt to be both funny and dark. If the franchise manages to fine-tune its tone better and direct it so as to have an impact, it can probably recover from this not too amazing first entry.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the story line, a new twist on a biblical tales is always cool to see, and including Trans characters without making it the focus ways a bonus too. I really wished the ending had a better wrap up then it did. I know there is another book (can't wait to read it) but I felt like it just cut off instead of giving us a a temporary close. Over all liked the plot, liked the characters and will read the next one.

[Furio · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of this work was having me in jitters: it is far from often, these days, that I happen onto an M/M fiction with such a good premise, such a good setting and such potentially interesting characters and this one had them all in a decently written package.
The second half, unfortunately, does not compare and much of the enthusiam I felt at first, cooled down disagreeably.

First things first, though.

This novella is the first instalment in a yet to be published series.
Urban fantasy may be a decent definition, but Yaoi with a supernatural plot fits it so much better, at least for those who know what a yaoi is and have read some whose plot involved supernatural events/characters.
As said, premises are strong. The small-town setting is common but it always works and the lead has traits that are common enough in a yaoi but are seldom found in an M/M romance. The tension, at the beginning, is quite high and promises a great deal.

Unfortunately the author does not manage to maintain that high a tension and curiously enough it is the gradual unveiling of the side characters that spoils the sport. Locke the demon is -to put it bluntly- weak: he should be the focus around which the whole of the story revolves but he is not up to his task and the pages he is in feel utterly flat with dire consequences for the entertainment rate.

Writing is not a particular asset in itself: it is fluid, proficient, but nothing more than that. As long as tension is high, it serves its purpose, when tension falters it cannot help.

[Fani · Rating 4 out of 5]

-“I'm just trying to figure out if you're a complete psychopath or if you actually believe this shit.”

-“It's nice to have brain teasers to puzzle over.”

Though “Queer Magic” has two points of view, the story begins with Holden, a young man who has magical abilities and is trying to escape his religious father. To achieve that, he moves into a small town and is determined to act normal, in order to fit in. Holden of course does not have to worry about fitting in because it turns out that Holden’s new town is anything other than normal.

The plot was interesting enough and there was always something more to discover about the small town and its residents. Sometimes, though, the story was weak. That was probably because the author had to juggle a lot of characters and their intricate relationships. I think the plot needed a few more action packed scenes to keep things interesting.

Also weak was the personality of Locke. In the end we saw just a glimpse of his vulnerable side, this added more depth to his character. But for the rest of the book, i would have liked to see a stronger, sassier personality fit for a demon like him.

It was mentioned that this book had polyamory themes but all i saw, was the usual love triangle where two men wanted the protagonist. The only difference was, that even though they both preferred to keep him all to themselves, they said it was okay to not be exclusive. I didn’t like the fact that they agreed to do something they didn’t truly like just so they could be with Holden.

I hope things change fast in the second book so we could see a true polyamory relationship where all parties happily agree to an open relationship. Also, i would like to see these men date someone else too (preferably Daniel) because until now only Holden was the one who dated other people, while they stayed devoted to him.

What made me like this story and motivated me to continue with this series, was Daniel. When i read his point of view for the first time i was surprised. I couldn’t understand how a character with such a harsh personality would be interesting enough in order for us to read his point of view. Of course after i learned more about his backstory, i really came to love his character. Behind his harsh personality was hidden a lot of pain and despair that came from unrequited love.

His kindness became more and more obvious as i kept reading this book. Even though he felt isolated and a lot of times left out from the people around him, he still didn’t hesitate to help them in their time of need. I really hope in the next book we will see Daniel receive the happiness and love that he deserves.

*3.5 Stars*

I voluntarily reviewed the free copy that i received.

[Caroline Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEWED FOR LOVE BYTES

3.5 Stars

This story was equal parts frustrating and enchanting. A modern day twist on a story of old that introduces many, many characters of the paranormal kind.

Holden Adams has spent the last few years moving from state to state and assuming a new name each time in the hope that he can keep outrunning his family and the curse that seems planned for his life. As a harbinger of the apocalypse it seems everyone wants a piece of Holden and there are no lengths they won’t go to ensure their plans work out. Spending a lot of his childhood locked away he has no plans to be tied to anyone or anything anytime soon!

Arriving in the sleepy town of Stillwater Holden is hopeful that he can stop running for a while. He probably couldn’t have picked a worse town as it seems every second person is a paranormal of some kind and the town is hiding some pretty big secrets. A cat is the first thing to trick Holden and introduces him to more people who are integral to the story. What with wolves, his soulmate, a demon, lurking angels and even the odd zombie the one thing you quickly know for sure is that Holden doesn’t stand a chance of staying under the radar and enjoying a quiet life!

From about three quarters of the way through I began to realise that this story wasn’t going to be resolved. There is a lot of world building, introduction of characters and various storylines laid out but 212 pages was never going to be enough for any sort of resolution. This book is definitely fantasy and paranormal and certainly isn’t romance. The biggest frustration was the way it finished, almost mid-sentence, and I can only presume the author has plans for another book and hope that it’s published pretty damn quickly! I would definitely recommend this book but if you are not a fan of incomplete stories then I would also recommend waiting for the next part too!

[Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

And the “Doing Too Much" Award goes to...

2.5

I like a book with ambition and attempting to do something unique, and even when it doesn’t quite land well, I still give points for trying, which is why “Queer Magick” gets 3 stars. Because as much as I applaud ambition, it doesn’t make up for unevenness within the plotting, character development and storyline. In a story attempting something so large in scope and intricate, where everything from the town itself to the majority of the many introduced characters are important, careful world-building, character development and pacing are crucial. As many elements need to be on point as possible, otherwise almost everything about the book has a veneer of superficiality that can keep a reader from engaging with or caring about the story and characters. While the writing is not bad and there are enjoyable bits and dialogue, after a while it just felt like the book was a tangled mass of quirk, mystery, paranormal overload and pseudo-ominous vagaries—basically an unsatisfying jack-of-all-trades. Unfortunately, it was unsatisfying in the worst way possible for a book with a cliffhanger because my dissatisfaction had nothing to do with being left wanting to know more and finish the tale.

This book was provided by the author for review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.

[Addicted2M/M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written, engaging. Secrets abound.
Let the battle begin!


The players thus far:

Nick Locke Holden Dennis Daniel

More. I need more. Preferably now. When is book two coming?

[Sunshine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feeling about this one. The story was good then it stopped... then started again. Overall a good read. Yes, I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review through the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.*

Queer Magick sucked me in with two of my favorite things in fiction: an odd, but unapologetically interesting premise and lovable characters. It’s also chock full of more schmexy monster men than you can shake a stick at and a healthy diversity of queer representation. Needless to say I quickly became infatuated.

The writing style and storytelling made reading Queer Magick feel like reading a cozy, without the murder (at least within the timeframe of the story presented) but with a healthy dose of the mystery. Perhaps the small town New England setting and my upbringing on Murder, She Wrote played no small part in this. Rest assured, however, that this book lies firmly in the M/M romance genre. I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot. You can read other reviews for that, if you’d like. Let’s just say that - cozy or no - things get biblical… in more ways than one.

While there are a host of characters presented to the reader, this volume mainly follows two in particular - Holden and Daniel. Davis does a fairly good job of developing the entire main cast of characters that are present in Queer Magick, but does the deepest dives into the lives of Holden and Daniel. This is achieved by presenting chapters that alternate perspectives between these two men. As I have said in other reviews, this is one of my favorite narrative structures when done well because it allows me to live inside the head of both characters, thus creating a far richer experience in a novel where personal backstory and psychological narrative are important. I only hope that this type of structure is continued in the rest of the series, expanding to include time spent with the other main characters.

Not everything comes up pumpkin pie and warm apple cider (I have Autumn on the mind, but also the book is set in the Autumn) with Queer Magick, though...

Pacing was pretty uneven. Don’t get me wrong. There were moments where it was spot on, especially in the beginning; however, parts in the middle feel unnecessarily rushed, with a final return to normalcy at the end.

Speaking of ends, there be cliffhangers here. This will come as no surprise to any that have read other reviews on this book; however, I’m not as mad about it as those other reviewers seem to be. There does seem to be a distinct lack of a plot that can be used as evidence of an obvious boundary dictating when the volume should end, but I was oddly ok with it. If this might bother you, though, perhaps you’ll want to wait until the entire series is done before you dive in, as I suspect most of the books in the series will be this way.

Finally, while I truly appreciate the uniqueness of the underlying story arc Davis presents (a story arc I can only assume will underpin the entire series), it became more than a bit convoluted at times. I find that rationalizing irrational things is often unnecessary in fiction. Just let them be what they are.

All-in-all, I can roll with these small flaws, though, for the sake of finding out where this delightfully crazy story goes. Keep bringing the schmexy monster men and letting things get even more biblical and I’m all yours!

PS - I did want to point out that there was one very small bit of the book that nagged me throughout my reading and still does. In one of the early scenes, the reader is given the impression that unprotected sex with a random stranger shouldn’t be a problem for Holden, because he’s a witch - s if his magical ability will protect him from contracting disease. Healing magick is definitely part of Holden’s host of powers, but this particular intimation still stuck out to me as odd, unnecessary, and slightly problematic. I know I’m reading a fantasy novel, but it’s an odd inclusion to prove the point of Holden’s potent healing magic, especially considering it is already demonstrated aptly elsewhere in the story. It didn’t ruin the book, but it certainly stuck with me and not in the positive sense. Maybe it’s just me...

[Molly Lolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original review on Molly Lolly
Four and a half stars!
Oh my word this book was so good. I adore Mr. Davis’ voice and how he weaves a story. He pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until the end of the book but constantly makes you want more story because it’s just so dang good. The way he weaves the plot together and brings the pieces expertly where they go. This book was fascinating with all of the different elements coming together. It’s definitely the first in a series though because there’s wonderful set up of the world and how the overall series plot is going to play out. I’m so eager to read the next book in this series.

Holden was interesting. His past is haunting and you can tell it affects him deeply. He desperately wants to move on from that past but it’s harder than it seems. I really liked Holden’s magic. It was subtle but a part of him. I’m interested to see how his magic changes and evolves in the next book. I was fascinated by Holden’s interest in all of the guys in the story. He has a unique bond with each of them. I kind of want to know how that’s going to play into the prophecy and his future.

Daniel was a total sweetheart. He’s a lovable curmudgeon which you wouldn’t think possible but he is and it works. He is still a bit naive in some ways but also slightly blind in others. He was hurt in his past and he is the one character I want to see deliriously happy at the end of the series. I like how he and Holden become friends and confidants over the course of the story.

There’s more going on with Dennis than it looks. I’m interested to see more of him in the next book. I’m hoping some of the mystery surrounding him gets solved. I’ve got a few guesses on what could be going on. However I have a feeling when all is said and done it’s not going to be as easy as my guesses are.

Nick is confused. I feel bad for him and hope he doesn’t get his heart broken as the series progresses. His family is intriguing and all kinds of deliciously messed up. But you can tell they’re a tight knit group. You can see Nick’s feelings for Holden grow as the story progresses and I’m eager to see how he deals with those feelings in the next book.

There’s only two books in this series out so far but I’m hooked already. I can’t wait to see what happens next. I enjoyed the world and the rules behind the magic, the town, and all of the characters. I can’t wait to keep reading this series.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review as part of the Don't Buy Me Love program Thanks to the LC Davis for this opportunity! It was a fun read. I'll admit that it is outside my normal type of book, but I decided to give it and the sequel a shot. I struggled through the first part of this book, and it did pick up and became more interesting to me part way through. I like the main character, Holden. He's fun to read, and his interactions with others were interesting. He is written in first person, as is Daniel, who initially I did not like at all, but grew to enjoy much more, again towards the middle of the book. If books with a supernatural theme, and a multitude of characters are for you, then go for it.

I'll put a break here as I'm going to mention some specific things that could be spoilers....
**************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The cat as a demon made me laugh. I got a kick out of that in part because I'm pretty sure one of my cats is a demon! I didn't really notice some of the complaints I read in reviews about the lack of litter and so on which could explain my cat being a demon since I obviously don't pay enough attention to him, plus I named him Snape...anyway, that particular plot twist was fun for me.

I did not like the transgendered surprise for Nick. Not because I have a problem with transgendered characters or transgender in general, but rather because it seemed over the top when thrown in with him being a werewolf and everything else going on in this book. You've got demons, werewolves, witches, zombies, and politicians. Why not throw a transgendered in too? Maybe it was less about him being transgendered and more about the way it was written in...I'm not sure as many of the M/M books I read have trans, and I don't usually get annoyed and usually find it either normal or interesting. This time I did get annoyed and rolled my eyes.

I'm just starting book 2, and have no idea how many are supposed to be in the series. Book 1 does end with nothing resolved so I'm hopeful book 2 is able to finish some plot points.

[Kaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A free copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, so that was... very queer. And very unpredictable, in the best way. It's been a while since I put this book in my TBR, and I didn't re-read the blurb before I started it, but honestly I don't think any description could have captured everything going on in this book. I really enjoyed (and continue to enjoy, although somewhat impatiently) that I didn't know where this book was headed. Some of the individual twists and reveals I could guess at, but the story surprised me again and again. I feel like many books I've read recently haven't been engaging because I was certain from the start that everything would work out for the main characters. That is not the case here. The characters are put in difficult situations with no easy way out and real consequences for their actions. Unfortunately, this book ends without really resolved anything, but I hope to have the second book VERY SOON.

I thought the main quartet of characters was great. Each of the men is so well described, with all their complexities and imperfections. Personally, I liked that there weren't immediately clear pairings, and that there was so much overlap in their romantic and sexual relationships. (If these kind of fuzzy boundaries are not for you, this is probably not the right book.) The narrative style was pretty unusual - primarily told from Holden's POV, with occasional chapters narrated by Daniel - but I thought it worked well. Holden is clearly the main character around whom the story revolves, but Daniel's perspective gives the reader a deeper understanding of the rest of the men and of the town itself. Plus I loved how grouchy and skeptical Daniel was.

[Helke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved a free copy of this book as part of the DBML programm in exchange for an unbiased review.

What a wicked story. I love the new spin on old themes. And some of the characters are precious. Holden is a realy nice guy but he as he himself says tries to make up for past bad decisions with new ones which trend to be mistakes too. So his situation gets worse and worse.
There is something I did find unnessessary for the story and that was Nick´s transgender past. Ok it was used to explain why he lived with his uncle and aunt but that could have been explained with the death of his father and him beeing the heir of pack leadership. Why bringing this into an otherwise very full book? There is so much going on that would have been enough. The end of the book comes a bit as a surprise. The story just ends in the middle of it. This cliffhanger is a bit unsatisfying.

4 out of 5 stars from me.

[Lioness7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a lot of fun reading this first book in the Queer Magick series. It is a fun romp with tons of plots twists and character hook-ups.

What I love about the book is that there are so many main characters. Sure, the book is told through two people's eyes, but they both interact and hook-up with others. You never really know what is going to happen, and there is no way of guessing who will end up with who. You just have to read and hope for the best.

I also love the setting and plot twists. The town is small with everyone knowing each other. It is also a haven for supernaturals. I love it when books have settings like this. Then you add in the plot twists. Other than who is hooking up with who, you never know what you'll find out about the past or what will happen to a character. You think you have something figured out and then BAM!

I can't wait to find out what happens next. It should be a lot of fun.

[Sharon Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 and a half stars rounded up to 5
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Queer Magick by L.C. Davis really surprised me as I was sure that I had it all worked out before I started reading. I was wrong.
Holden has escaped from his abusive father and has settled in Stillwater, New England. This small town is not what it appears to be and the people who live there suit the town perfectly. Holden is a witch and the inhabitants include a werewolf and a demon.
I liked the writing style of the author and I actually liked that the book was written from the point of view of two of the main characters. I had to pay attention to who was narrating but it kept me on my toes. This book is part of a series and I will be reading book 2 as I want to know what happens. There is a lot left unresolved at the end of Queer Magick.
Definitely recommended.

[Elyse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should be name everyone wants a piece of Holden.
Holden Adams move to a new town in an attempt to escape his religious father. The young man give himself three rules
rule one: act normal, rule two: look normal and rule three: no witchcraft.
Well, he manages to screw up quite fast when he saved the life of an injured cat. Daniel, the local vet thinks he is a cat-thief and a charlatan. Nick the town psychic believe that Holden is his soulmate. There is also Dennis the lawyer who take an interest in the young witch.
Not only that, turn out that the cat is in fact a demon. Locke, the demon in question wants Holden to follow his destiny as The Whore of Babylon.
I am not a fan of polygamy. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention enough, but I was mixing the characters and sometimes was wondering who was who. There was also too much supernatural stuff mix together for my taste.

[Sumayyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Queer

Holden moves to a new town, hoping to make a nice, normal, forever home and finally put his past to rest, but immediately breaks his biggest rule: no witchcraft. Daniel is a sour veterinarian who suspects Holden of unsavory deeds and is half in love with his best friend, Nick. Nick is part of the clan that rules the little town, with a closet worth of skeletons just waiting to be discovered. Witches, demons, shapeshifters, and angels prowl Stillwater and it's edges, and Holden is smack in the middle of the coming storm.. Decent read. Abrupt ending without resolution of the main plot. A second read through by a copy editor would benefit a second edition. Lots of queer men and masculine-identified people. Few women. Zero people of color.

[Kristen L. Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this a romance or a soap opera?

Like Good Omens, Queer Magic is taking a hard look at easy morality and religion, using the stories of war between angels and devils. As a queer romance, Queer Magic focuses that lens on the ethics around gender and lust. But we are off the "romance" reservation, in that I'm not sure who belongs with who, or if anyone "belongs" with anyone. That's normally one of the things I love about the romance genre. Once I gave that up...I really enjoyed the ride. The characters are interesting and likeable. The plot is great. I have NO idea what will happen next, and that is a treasure.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I can honestly say I wasn't all that excited to read this just because this kind of fantasy isn't really my cuppa but it was quite entertaining. It was snarky and funny and gross and confusing and I still have no clue WTF is going on. So far we have Holden the witch, Nick the werewolf, Daniel the new zombie, Locke the demon and Dennis who I think is a vampire but not sure yet. All of this in the sleepy little town of Stillwater. Not so sleepy, I'd say. I'm not familiar with any bible stories so I don't really get the references but shit was just getting real when the book ended so it looks like I'll be reading the next one right away.

[Fantus · Rating 5 out of 5]

#I received this book free for a review from the author via the DBML program in the MMRG.#
Queer Magick is a very good book. I love the fact that it reminds you of a fairy tale; matter of fact; more than one Fairy Tale. It seems like it's going to be Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I like how the author mixes the characters and fantasy or Undead races. I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't wait to read book two, which I'm reading now. I'm going to give this book the highest thing I can give it, which is five stars. I cannot wait for book 3!

[blub · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the cover and a little more than half was great but after that it kind of dragged and went down for me. I think the premise is interesting and the cover is lovely but it just didn't snag my attention. I'm not sure I'm going to read the next one even though I'm a tad curious. I'm also not a reader of polygamous relationships, characters getting maimed and decisions with no real options being forced on them.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

KU
Well...I wanted to love it and I might one day but it won't be until there's more to the story. A lot of people were introduced and something will happen one day but for the most part, this just seemed like a very long introduction and setup. I like this author's writing so I have high hope for the next book.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was an utter clusterfuck if biblical proportions! But in the absolute BEST way possible! Lol I was entranced, intrigued, sometimes a little confused, but never bored by this story. And I am excited to check out the second book because when you mix the monsters with Apocalypse, how can it NOT be awesome?

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, rate it 3.5 stars. There were a few unexpected events and surprises. A few "I didn't see that comings" and "huh, what's that all about". Things just are not what they appear to be. It was fun. Yes, I will read book 2.

[PekeDevil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comienza muy lento y sin que pase nada. Mejora casi cuand acaba. Aún así, queda interesante para los siguientes.

[Nijin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked it very much. Fast and witty, funny and sexy. Lots of twists in very elaborate plotline. Havent read anything like this for a long time. Same for book 2.

[Janeylou · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars