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The Guild Codex: Spellbound #2
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri
When I found myself facing down the scariest black-magic felon in the city, practically daring him to abduct me, I had to wonder exactly how I ended up here.
It all started when I accidentally landed a job as a bartender—but not at a bar. At a guild, populated by mages, sorcerers, alchemists, witches, and psychics. Good thing this lame-o human is adaptable, right?
Then my favorite guild members—three sexy, powerful, and intermittently charming mages—asked for my help. Did they want access to my encyclopedic knowledge of cocktails? Oh no. They wanted to wrap me up in a pretty ribbon and plunk me in the crosshairs of a murderous rogue to lure him out of hiding.
So that's what we did. And that's why I'm here. About to be kidnapped. Oh, and our grand plan for safely capturing said murderous rogue? Yeah, that completely fell apart about two minutes ago.
Why did I agree to this again?
It all started when I accidentally landed a job as a bartender—but not at a bar. At a guild, populated by mages, sorcerers, alchemists, witches, and psychics. Good thing this lame-o human is adaptable, right?
Then my favorite guild members—three sexy, powerful, and intermittently charming mages—asked for my help. Did they want access to my encyclopedic knowledge of cocktails? Oh no. They wanted to wrap me up in a pretty ribbon and plunk me in the crosshairs of a murderous rogue to lure him out of hiding.
So that's what we did. And that's why I'm here. About to be kidnapped. Oh, and our grand plan for safely capturing said murderous rogue? Yeah, that completely fell apart about two minutes ago.
Why did I agree to this again?
ebook
First published November 16, 2018
2531 people are currently reading
3258 people want to read
About the author
Annette Marie
50 books7,189 followersAnnette Marie is the best-selling author of over thirty books, including the expansive urban fantasy series The Guild Codex, epic urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter.
A 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist in Fantasy and an Amazon Charts Bestseller, Annette has sold over 2 million books. Her books have been translated into French, German, Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian, with readers coming back again and again for her addictive blend of fast-paced adventure, tantalizing forbidden romance, and unforgettable characters.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minions of darkness. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in her garden or an art project while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
To find out more about Annette and her books, visit www.annettemarie.ca
A 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist in Fantasy and an Amazon Charts Bestseller, Annette has sold over 2 million books. Her books have been translated into French, German, Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian, with readers coming back again and again for her addictive blend of fast-paced adventure, tantalizing forbidden romance, and unforgettable characters.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minions of darkness. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in her garden or an art project while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
To find out more about Annette and her books, visit www.annettemarie.ca
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,270 reviews
September 22, 2019
All the stars
REREAD Sept 22, 2019
Because Zak, obviously
————
5 stars
I really shouldn't be surprised anymore at how much I enjoy these books, but every time I finish one I'm like "WOW DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING THAT WAS SO AWESOME!"
I really liked this book, even more than the first. There were some issues I had with it (Tori's attitude got to be a bit over the top at times), but overall a solid story. This one wasn't quite as fun as the first book, but I felt like it was more authentic with its magic and storyline. ALSO DRAGONS! AND FAE! AND SNARKY TALKING SKULLS! We also meet this new amazing character that I'm completely in love with () and I hope that this isn't the last time we see this character!
In the first book, I got some major Fairy Tail vibes. This book? Fullmetal Alchemist all the way =D
As always, I can't wait for the next book =)
------
ARC!
REREAD Sept 22, 2019
Because Zak, obviously
————
5 stars
I really shouldn't be surprised anymore at how much I enjoy these books, but every time I finish one I'm like "WOW DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING THAT WAS SO AWESOME!"
I really liked this book, even more than the first. There were some issues I had with it (Tori's attitude got to be a bit over the top at times), but overall a solid story. This one wasn't quite as fun as the first book, but I felt like it was more authentic with its magic and storyline. ALSO DRAGONS! AND FAE! AND SNARKY TALKING SKULLS! We also meet this new amazing character that I'm completely in love with () and I hope that this isn't the last time we see this character!
In the first book, I got some major Fairy Tail vibes. This book? Fullmetal Alchemist all the way =D
As always, I can't wait for the next book =)
------
ARC!
January 17, 2020
I can only assume that the talking skull named Harry was a nod to the Harry Dresden series, but other than that there wasn't as much to smile at in this second installment. The first book introduced to us a human, Tori, who accidentally discovers magic is real when she starts a job as a bartender for a guild of magic users. Of course the guild includes three best friend mages who are all good looking with backgrounds that are hinted at but not fully revealed and one of them is more obviously slated to be The Love Interest. In this second book I was expecting to get more of all of their history and have them join together to face a new magical-baddie, but instead we get this weird story where Tori spends almost the entire book surrounded by people who didn’t even appear in the first book, much to my disappointment. I liked the new main character we meet, but I think his appearance would have been better suited for book 3 after we got to know the current cast of characters a bit more. Oh well. I'll still keep on with this series because they are free library audiobooks on hoopla and I previously liked this author's completely different (and honestly, better) series starting with Red Winter
May 9, 2021
Q: “A daiquiri? Good choice. ... Perfect drink for a chat about the dark arts.” (c)
Q: “Maybe we should call ourselves crows instead of hammers.” (c)
Q: “... independence is an admirable trait, but it can be rooted in pride, insecurity, and fear as easily as it can stem from strength, confidence, and self-reliance. Be sure you know what drives yours.” (c)
Fancy 'complimentary mold, cockroaches, and suspicious odors'? If no, getting an apartment w/faery is a done deal. Or not:
Q: Hell no. I was not doing a real-life “unlikely roommates” sitcom with a faery. (c)
The set:
Laetitia
Aaron the pyromage,
Ezra the aeromage,
ai the elecramage...
Plus:
Q:
my customers ranged from the ever-irascible sorceress Sylvia, an old hag who loved to hate me, and her banana-haired apprentice, Alyssa; Bryce and Drew, who looked like teeth-bashing bouncers but were actually psychics—a telepath and a telekinetic; Laetitia, the water-flinging hydromage; and Rose, a grandmotherly diviner with turquoise glasses ...
Zora, a badass sorceress with a penchant for massive weapons; Andrew, a mid-fifties defensive combat sorcerer who was always on everyone’s team because he was so dependable; and a pair of sorcerers I didn’t know, Zhi and Ming. ...
Completing our team were two psychics. Taye had the gift of telethesia, which allowed him to track people supernaturally; once he caught the Ghost’s trail, the slippery worm wouldn’t be able to escape. And lastly, Bryce, a telepath. Yes, the mind-reading type, and I wasn’t sure how excited I was to work with him. (c) Why is it that the diviner's inevitably a grandma? Can't she be a pyrokinetic or smth, more dynamic?
The Crow and Hammer (yes, that's a place) is getting it's pick of paranormally wacky clientelle.
Tori (Victoria) gets an invite from the mage trio to participate in a mystic cockroach etermination session. Or something like that. Since she has quite the story, she's in! So, she has a valid reason to be spunky, upbeat and resourceful throughout the volume.
The escapade? They have a great plan:
Q: ... when Bryce gives you the command, you run like hell right out of there.” (c) Sounds east-peasy.
Of course, all the characters can't help being inordinately hot or so I've been told.
While the whole is a bit formulaic Paranormal read, it's very entertaining. So, I think I won't go harping on the details of lesser importance and just continue throught the series.
The Guild:
Q:
The third rule? I’d never heard of a third one before. I only knew two guild rules: One, don’t hit first, but always hit back, and two, don’t get caught. All things considered, their rules didn’t inspire much confidence. (c) Now, that's reasonable.
The Russian trace:
Q:
“Varvara Nikolaev,” Nadine said with a passable Russian accent. “I usually call her tatushka. (c) OMG that's so funny! NikolaevA as she's female. 'Tatushka' means 'a tattoo'. She shouldn't have called the poor gal THAT. She probably should've considered calling her 'babushka' which means 'granny'. LOL. I won't take points off for this, since it's hilarious.
Other fun:
Q:
I took one look at the moaning specter and screamed like the sissy girl that I am. (c)
Q:
They’d antagonized us right up until I’d asked one if his ass ever got jealous of the shit coming out of his mouth, and at that point Aaron decided we should leave. (c)
Q:
How did a drawing of a naked couple predict the future? Who used tarot cards to decide if they should bang someone? (c)
Q:
I tried to imagine how an average teen would react ... I couldn’t base it on my own reaction to discovering magic, since “Can I see that fireball again?” probably wasn’t typical. (c)
Q:
I kept my expression pleasantly neutral but internally, I was rolling my eyes so hard they were metaphysically blistering. (c)
Q:
“Rule number three: Any rule can be broken.”...
That was the third rule? Seriously? Mythics were batshit crazy, the whole lot of them.(c)
Q: “Maybe we should call ourselves crows instead of hammers.” (c)
Q: “... independence is an admirable trait, but it can be rooted in pride, insecurity, and fear as easily as it can stem from strength, confidence, and self-reliance. Be sure you know what drives yours.” (c)
Fancy 'complimentary mold, cockroaches, and suspicious odors'? If no, getting an apartment w/faery is a done deal. Or not:
Q: Hell no. I was not doing a real-life “unlikely roommates” sitcom with a faery. (c)
The set:
Laetitia
Aaron the pyromage,
Ezra the aeromage,
ai the elecramage...
Plus:
Q:
my customers ranged from the ever-irascible sorceress Sylvia, an old hag who loved to hate me, and her banana-haired apprentice, Alyssa; Bryce and Drew, who looked like teeth-bashing bouncers but were actually psychics—a telepath and a telekinetic; Laetitia, the water-flinging hydromage; and Rose, a grandmotherly diviner with turquoise glasses ...
Zora, a badass sorceress with a penchant for massive weapons; Andrew, a mid-fifties defensive combat sorcerer who was always on everyone’s team because he was so dependable; and a pair of sorcerers I didn’t know, Zhi and Ming. ...
Completing our team were two psychics. Taye had the gift of telethesia, which allowed him to track people supernaturally; once he caught the Ghost’s trail, the slippery worm wouldn’t be able to escape. And lastly, Bryce, a telepath. Yes, the mind-reading type, and I wasn’t sure how excited I was to work with him. (c) Why is it that the diviner's inevitably a grandma? Can't she be a pyrokinetic or smth, more dynamic?
The Crow and Hammer (yes, that's a place) is getting it's pick of paranormally wacky clientelle.
Tori (Victoria) gets an invite from the mage trio to participate in a mystic cockroach etermination session. Or something like that. Since she has quite the story, she's in! So, she has a valid reason to be spunky, upbeat and resourceful throughout the volume.
The escapade? They have a great plan:
Q: ... when Bryce gives you the command, you run like hell right out of there.” (c) Sounds east-peasy.
Of course, all the characters can't help being inordinately hot or so I've been told.
While the whole is a bit formulaic Paranormal read, it's very entertaining. So, I think I won't go harping on the details of lesser importance and just continue throught the series.
The Guild:
Q:
The third rule? I’d never heard of a third one before. I only knew two guild rules: One, don’t hit first, but always hit back, and two, don’t get caught. All things considered, their rules didn’t inspire much confidence. (c) Now, that's reasonable.
The Russian trace:
Q:
“Varvara Nikolaev,” Nadine said with a passable Russian accent. “I usually call her tatushka. (c) OMG that's so funny! NikolaevA as she's female. 'Tatushka' means 'a tattoo'. She shouldn't have called the poor gal THAT. She probably should've considered calling her 'babushka' which means 'granny'. LOL. I won't take points off for this, since it's hilarious.
Other fun:
Q:
I took one look at the moaning specter and screamed like the sissy girl that I am. (c)
Q:
They’d antagonized us right up until I’d asked one if his ass ever got jealous of the shit coming out of his mouth, and at that point Aaron decided we should leave. (c)
Q:
How did a drawing of a naked couple predict the future? Who used tarot cards to decide if they should bang someone? (c)
Q:
I tried to imagine how an average teen would react ... I couldn’t base it on my own reaction to discovering magic, since “Can I see that fireball again?” probably wasn’t typical. (c)
Q:
I kept my expression pleasantly neutral but internally, I was rolling my eyes so hard they were metaphysically blistering. (c)
Q:
“Rule number three: Any rule can be broken.”...
That was the third rule? Seriously? Mythics were batshit crazy, the whole lot of them.(c)
July 30, 2020
hey.... do you guys remember the wonderful remake of 'love is in the air' that i wrote in my review of Immortal Fire? no? then go check it out, it was pretty awesome hehe. and read the entire Red Winter series while you're at it!
anyway, this book made me want to continue my chain of remakes to talk about my love for Annette Marie's characters. because this book introduced Zak *angels come down from the heavens and sing*. Zak is...... ooft, what ISN'T Zak? he's gorgeous and powerful and funny and snarky and smart and all round BRILLIANT and i am in LOVE, like he's up there with Shiro (Red Winter again). and very few people are up there with Shiro. VERY few. basically, if i was in this book then he would never be able to get rid of me. ever. i would be attached to him.
that said, i kinda ship him and Tori hehe. like, i ship Zak and Tori more than i ship Tori with ANY of the boys, which is kinda a problem. (don't even mention Tori and Aaron near me, they have ZERO chemistry). so i really want TorixZak, but i'm getting the feeling that they aren't a thing, which is kinda (EXTREMELY) heartbreaking. but ah well, i guess Zak is just mine then. i can handle that.
now, i know what you're thinking. you're thinking 'if you love this Zak THAT MUCH then why did you rate this book 4 stars?' (joking, you're probably thinking i'm insane. deal with it, i am and i accept it hehe.) anyway, i rated this 4 stars cause i am getting NOTHING from the boys. those three special boys - Kai, Aaron and Ezra - yeah, i'm getting nothin' from them. no emotion. no attachment. i don't really ship Tori with any of them (though if i had to choose i would say Ezra) and i get -5 personality traits from Kai. it's so strange, cause all of Annette Marie's other characters are amazing and so realistic and relatable (eg. Shiro, Emi, Yumei, ZAK, Tori, Twiggy) but Kai? and honestly Aaron and Ezra a bit as well? nothing. zip. zilch. i can't relate to them, i'm not attached. it's really weird. they could die and i'd be like 'rip. that'll make Tori sad, which is unfortunate.' basically, I WOULDN'T GIVE A CRAP.
all up, Zak is carrying this entire series for me (no wonder he has such gorgeous muscles).
still, this series is addictive and then some! i can't stop reading these books!
and now, if you've made is down to this part of my review, you deserve a reward, because this review was CHAOTIC. so here's your reward: another song! yay!
i'm in love with the shape of Zac
we push and pull like a magnet do
although my heart is falling too
i'm in love with Zac's body (and mind and humour and brain cause i'm not shallow and i don't focus on looks entirely COME ON ED.)
phew, that was probably more pushishment than reward, sorry! anyway if you've made it down here then shoot me a quick reply hehe (or don't, your choice!).
anyway, this book made me want to continue my chain of remakes to talk about my love for Annette Marie's characters. because this book introduced Zak *angels come down from the heavens and sing*. Zak is...... ooft, what ISN'T Zak? he's gorgeous and powerful and funny and snarky and smart and all round BRILLIANT and i am in LOVE, like he's up there with Shiro (Red Winter again). and very few people are up there with Shiro. VERY few. basically, if i was in this book then he would never be able to get rid of me. ever. i would be attached to him.
that said, i kinda ship him and Tori hehe. like, i ship Zak and Tori more than i ship Tori with ANY of the boys, which is kinda a problem. (don't even mention Tori and Aaron near me, they have ZERO chemistry). so i really want TorixZak, but i'm getting the feeling that they aren't a thing, which is kinda (EXTREMELY) heartbreaking. but ah well, i guess Zak is just mine then. i can handle that.
now, i know what you're thinking. you're thinking 'if you love this Zak THAT MUCH then why did you rate this book 4 stars?' (joking, you're probably thinking i'm insane. deal with it, i am and i accept it hehe.) anyway, i rated this 4 stars cause i am getting NOTHING from the boys. those three special boys - Kai, Aaron and Ezra - yeah, i'm getting nothin' from them. no emotion. no attachment. i don't really ship Tori with any of them (though if i had to choose i would say Ezra) and i get -5 personality traits from Kai. it's so strange, cause all of Annette Marie's other characters are amazing and so realistic and relatable (eg. Shiro, Emi, Yumei, ZAK, Tori, Twiggy) but Kai? and honestly Aaron and Ezra a bit as well? nothing. zip. zilch. i can't relate to them, i'm not attached. it's really weird. they could die and i'd be like 'rip. that'll make Tori sad, which is unfortunate.' basically, I WOULDN'T GIVE A CRAP.
all up, Zak is carrying this entire series for me (no wonder he has such gorgeous muscles).
still, this series is addictive and then some! i can't stop reading these books!
and now, if you've made is down to this part of my review, you deserve a reward, because this review was CHAOTIC. so here's your reward: another song! yay!
i'm in love with the shape of Zac
we push and pull like a magnet do
although my heart is falling too
i'm in love with Zac's body (and mind and humour and brain cause i'm not shallow and i don't focus on looks entirely COME ON ED.)
phew, that was probably more pushishment than reward, sorry! anyway if you've made it down here then shoot me a quick reply hehe (or don't, your choice!).
September 9, 2019
I really enjoy this series and how the heroine didn't magically discover all these amazing powers but instead is just a regular smart alec kick butt girl that doesn't take crap.
Seriously impressed with the writing, editing, and how fun this series is. I can't wait for more!
Seriously impressed with the writing, editing, and how fun this series is. I can't wait for more!
August 7, 2025
This is solid and very entertaining urban fantasy!
April 5, 2021
2.5 rounded up. I definitely agree with other reviewers that Tori should not have been on her own for most of the plot, sans the three mages - their gang's relationship could have used the further development before we got this hodgepodge of new characters coming in.
Also, I hate Aaron?Arron? (IDK I listened to the audio) being shoved at us as a love interest - and, again, the weirrrrdd reverse-harem vibes I get from Tori just getting intimate with everyone. Either make it that, or avoid all the weird vibes. And she makes dumb choices, something that is hit or miss for me with protagonists. With Tori, it's a miss. She's annoying.
Oh, also, her repeatedly calling an Asian character a NINJA? Please, stop. If it isn't racist, it's...something, and bothers me.
OK so I hate the main character more than I thought? I will continue, just because a friend recommended sticking around to see who is 'really' the love interest eventually, but I'm gonna take a break before more of the series.
Side note - the fairy roommate's voice was HILARIOUS and a delight to listen to in the audio version. I will accept more of this character, a lot more.
Also, I hate Aaron?Arron? (IDK I listened to the audio) being shoved at us as a love interest - and, again, the weirrrrdd reverse-harem vibes I get from Tori just getting intimate with everyone. Either make it that, or avoid all the weird vibes. And she makes dumb choices, something that is hit or miss for me with protagonists. With Tori, it's a miss. She's annoying.
Oh, also, her repeatedly calling an Asian character a NINJA? Please, stop. If it isn't racist, it's...something, and bothers me.
OK so I hate the main character more than I thought? I will continue, just because a friend recommended sticking around to see who is 'really' the love interest eventually, but I'm gonna take a break before more of the series.
Side note - the fairy roommate's voice was HILARIOUS and a delight to listen to in the audio version. I will accept more of this character, a lot more.
February 20, 2019
I'm starting to fall for all these characters!
May 6, 2024
05/06/2024: Reread! (Audiobook.)
08/01/2023: Reread! (Listened on audiobook with my son, Maddox.)
12/20/2022: Reread! (Audiobook.)
06/14/2021: Reread! (Audiobook.)
09/14/2020: Reread! (Audiobook.)
07/30/2020: Reread! (Listened on audiobook with my son, Maddox.)
07/13/2020: Reread!
09/10/2019: Read for the third time! <3
11/13/2018: Read for the second time! I love this world and these characters so much!
I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the author.
This review contains minor SPOILERS.
More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction
08/01/2023: Reread! (Listened on audiobook with my son, Maddox.)
12/20/2022: Reread! (Audiobook.)
06/14/2021: Reread! (Audiobook.)
09/14/2020: Reread! (Audiobook.)
07/30/2020: Reread! (Listened on audiobook with my son, Maddox.)
07/13/2020: Reread!
09/10/2019: Read for the third time! <3
11/13/2018: Read for the second time! I love this world and these characters so much!
I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the author.
This review contains minor SPOILERS.
More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction
November 12, 2025
I'm listening to this for the 2026 Read-Along hosted by Books of My Heart.
*****
I was hooked from the moment I started and I finished this audio in a day. Dark Arts and a Daiquiri is book two in The Guild Codex: Spellbound by Annette Marie.
Tori is a fun heroine. She's feisty, sassy, caring, has a great sense of humor and all around cool. We learn a little more about her. The one thing I did notice is that she makes a lot of idiotic and life endangering decisions on a whim, but it works for her character.
I adore the three mages; Kai, Aaron, and Ezra. I was glad that Tori was the lead and the guys where secondary this time around.
I enjoyed the plot which features fast-paced action and a mystery to solve. Ghost was a fun character and I liked the direction things took in this novel. The author explains more about the world and we get insight into certain magic classes and creatures.
As for the romance I will say I’m not sure on the love interests. I kind a wish there weren’t so many options, but the romance is not a solid part of this story. It takes a backseat.
Narrator: Cris Dukehart was great! I love all the voices and that each is distinctive and can be told apart. The action, adventure, and emotional feel of the characters comes alive.
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri takes us on a magical fast-paced adventure. I can’t wait to dive into the next installment. What a fun cast of characters.
Rated: 4.5 Stars
*****
I was hooked from the moment I started and I finished this audio in a day. Dark Arts and a Daiquiri is book two in The Guild Codex: Spellbound by Annette Marie.
Tori is a fun heroine. She's feisty, sassy, caring, has a great sense of humor and all around cool. We learn a little more about her. The one thing I did notice is that she makes a lot of idiotic and life endangering decisions on a whim, but it works for her character.
I adore the three mages; Kai, Aaron, and Ezra. I was glad that Tori was the lead and the guys where secondary this time around.
I enjoyed the plot which features fast-paced action and a mystery to solve. Ghost was a fun character and I liked the direction things took in this novel. The author explains more about the world and we get insight into certain magic classes and creatures.
As for the romance I will say I’m not sure on the love interests. I kind a wish there weren’t so many options, but the romance is not a solid part of this story. It takes a backseat.
Narrator: Cris Dukehart was great! I love all the voices and that each is distinctive and can be told apart. The action, adventure, and emotional feel of the characters comes alive.
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri takes us on a magical fast-paced adventure. I can’t wait to dive into the next installment. What a fun cast of characters.
Rated: 4.5 Stars
June 29, 2025
Ich kann nicht in Worte fassen, wie wütend ich darüber bin, dass das erste Buch eine 3 im Titel hat, das zweite eine 1, und das dritte eine 2.
Gabs im Verlag auch Rum-Cola ohne Ende als das beschlossen wurde?
Stört es noch jemanden, dass das exakt der Plot von The Thief Of Always von Clive Barker ist?
Sonstige Bemerkungen:
• Die Drei Magier: *Foltern jemanden für Informationen*
Tori: Wie effizient.
Die Drei Magier: Ja, wir haben da eine Routine.
Ich: WTF
Tori: *swoon*
• In diesem Buch sterben ein Dutzend Rottweiler. Damit meine ich die Hunde, nicht die Bewohner der Stadt Rottweil.
• Wieso stört Tori es eigentlich nicht, dass all ihre Loveinterests permanent besoffen sind, und sie selber trinkt ständig bei der Arbeit, aber ihr Vater war Alkoholiker und sie musste von Zuhause weglaufen, um ihm zu entkommen?
• Und wieso kann sie Cocktails aus dem Effeff mixen??
• Ich finde es auch immer noch seltsam, dass die Gilde in einer Bar stationiert ist und die alle bei der Arbeit trinken.
• Ach so. Es gibt einen neuen Loveinterest. Weil, warum auch nicht.
• Ich habe oben erwähnt, dass große Teile des Plots von The Thief Of Always...öhm, inspiriert sind, aber die kleine Feen-Mitbewohnerin kam ganz klar von The Witcher 3, wo eine kleine Gottling ein Haus in der Stadt für sich beansprucht und so tut, als würde es da spuken, damit niemand einzieht. Letztendlich zieht eine Frau dort ein und die beiden leben zusammen. GENAU WIE HIER.
• Und der Drachenflug war aus Chihiros Reise ins Zauberland.
• In diesem Band kämpft niemand in Unterhosen. Das ist mir recht.
Triggerwarnung für das Buch: Kindesmisshandlung, Alkoholismus, Töten von Hunden, Mord
Gabs im Verlag auch Rum-Cola ohne Ende als das beschlossen wurde?
Stört es noch jemanden, dass das exakt der Plot von The Thief Of Always von Clive Barker ist?
Sonstige Bemerkungen:
• Die Drei Magier: *Foltern jemanden für Informationen*
Tori: Wie effizient.
Die Drei Magier: Ja, wir haben da eine Routine.
Ich: WTF
Tori: *swoon*
• In diesem Buch sterben ein Dutzend Rottweiler. Damit meine ich die Hunde, nicht die Bewohner der Stadt Rottweil.
• Wieso stört Tori es eigentlich nicht, dass all ihre Loveinterests permanent besoffen sind, und sie selber trinkt ständig bei der Arbeit, aber ihr Vater war Alkoholiker und sie musste von Zuhause weglaufen, um ihm zu entkommen?
• Und wieso kann sie Cocktails aus dem Effeff mixen??
• Ich finde es auch immer noch seltsam, dass die Gilde in einer Bar stationiert ist und die alle bei der Arbeit trinken.
• Ach so. Es gibt einen neuen Loveinterest. Weil, warum auch nicht.
• Ich habe oben erwähnt, dass große Teile des Plots von The Thief Of Always...öhm, inspiriert sind, aber die kleine Feen-Mitbewohnerin kam ganz klar von The Witcher 3, wo eine kleine Gottling ein Haus in der Stadt für sich beansprucht und so tut, als würde es da spuken, damit niemand einzieht. Letztendlich zieht eine Frau dort ein und die beiden leben zusammen. GENAU WIE HIER.
• Und der Drachenflug war aus Chihiros Reise ins Zauberland.
• In diesem Band kämpft niemand in Unterhosen. Das ist mir recht.
Triggerwarnung für das Buch: Kindesmisshandlung, Alkoholismus, Töten von Hunden, Mord
September 22, 2024
Super spannend, humorvoll und auch ein bisschen romantisch - alles wunderbar gelesen von Yeşim Meisheit🥰
Volltreffer für gute Unterhaltung. Obwohl einiges vorhersehbar war, hatte ich so viel Spaß mit Tory und ihrem Männerzirkus😆
Volltreffer für gute Unterhaltung. Obwohl einiges vorhersehbar war, hatte ich so viel Spaß mit Tory und ihrem Männerzirkus😆
January 6, 2020
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri
The Guild Codex: Spellbound Series, Book 2
By: Annette Marie
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
This has lots of twists and turns. Nothing is as it seems. Great plot. Love the characters. I hope the new character comes up in later books.
Great narration!
The Guild Codex: Spellbound Series, Book 2
By: Annette Marie
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
This has lots of twists and turns. Nothing is as it seems. Great plot. Love the characters. I hope the new character comes up in later books.
Great narration!
February 24, 2020
This is second in a UF series so the story and characters build over time. So you probably want to read in order.
Having read the first, you know what to expect more or less. The weaknesses fade a bit into the background and that's a relief. The strengths are still as strong, though I wasn't happy that Tori . That said, Tori dealing with her insecurities by finding (and embracing) her strengths is a great theme and I loved seeing her mess up and then doing better.
I kind of hated that . That always feels cheap.
Still, this is a solid four stars, but only if you take as given that you enjoyed the first book. On its own, it's likely a little lower.
A note about Chaste: Tori still doesn't have a solid or intimate relationship, though there is some underwear-clad exhausted unconsciousness in this story. There's some banter and flirting around losing and gaining consciousness, but nothing explicit. I consider this still chaste, but those who are stricter could disagree.
Having read the first, you know what to expect more or less. The weaknesses fade a bit into the background and that's a relief. The strengths are still as strong, though I wasn't happy that Tori . That said, Tori dealing with her insecurities by finding (and embracing) her strengths is a great theme and I loved seeing her mess up and then doing better.
I kind of hated that . That always feels cheap.
Still, this is a solid four stars, but only if you take as given that you enjoyed the first book. On its own, it's likely a little lower.
A note about Chaste: Tori still doesn't have a solid or intimate relationship, though there is some underwear-clad exhausted unconsciousness in this story. There's some banter and flirting around losing and gaining consciousness, but nothing explicit. I consider this still chaste, but those who are stricter could disagree.
December 6, 2018
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Dark Arts and a Daiquiri picks up just a few weeks after the events of Three Mages and a Margarita, and we jump right into the action as Tori and the guys set up an exorcism for a faery spirit haunting the apartment she wants to rent. Much hilarity ensues, and then sadly the apartment and the faery are abandoned while they all become involved in hunting down this big-huge-black-magic-bad-guy that is stealing magically inclined youngsters. And by hunting down, we mean using Tori as bait. Things do not go as planned. Things – and people – are not what they seem.
I loved this one just as much as the first, even if some things I was hoping for didn’t happen. I snickered and giggled my way all the way through, as well as having a few moments where I simply couldn’t read fast enough.
Characters
Tori is the same smart-mouthed chick we met in the first book. We learn a very little bit more about her past, but mostly the story was moving along so quickly there wasn’t a whole lot of time for reflection. There are some new characters, Nadine, Echo (I don’t care what anyone says, I am INTRIGUED), and perhaps most interestingly, Zac. Oh! And Harry. Can’t forget Harry. Yes, I am being intentionally vague because this book is VERY easy to spoil.
In Tori’s words:
Actually, you know what? I just want to be able to come up with this smart-mouthed retorts like Tori. My daily life would be so entertaining.
I don’t know exactly why this particular exchange struck me as so funny, but I laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks.
Also, I am in awe of the author’s ability to make me care about ALL these characters. Usually when I read a book I’m only really invested in one or two. Not so with these. Which is why I was very disappointed that we didn’t see much of the three mages in this book. They were there, but just not nearly as much, and I reeeeeeally wanted to find out more about their backstories!
Plot
If you’re hoping for some resolution of previous things, forget it. This book is an entirely new can of worms, and we only barely see the house-haunting faery that appear in the very first chapter! It does seem like it will play a larger part maybe in a later book, but damn.
Also, there are now dragons – including baby dragons – and I want to see more of them.
With so many loose ends, this seems like it could be a fantastic series of at least five or six books. Can we please go back to Ezra’s story? I want to know why everyone seems to be afraid of him when he really seems like such a nice guy.
Oh, and Zac. I really want to know more about him too.
Flame Rating
More sexual tension, but not as much as in the first. Come oooooon, girlfriend. Tori’s obviously got the hots for Aaron but I’m still Team Ezra.
Minor Complaints
As already mentioned, lack of screen time for the three mages. Also the unfair teasing with the house faery. Then…does Tori have to immediately get into a confrontation with every other woman she meets? I thought she and the witch from the first book were going to be friends, but she only appeared in passing in this one…does it have to be all guys?
4.5/5 stars. Great second book, can’t wait for more!
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__________________________
OMG WTF...this is why it is SO HARD to start a series when it’s still being written, the wait is SO HARD. *ducks flying tomatoes from all the Game of Thrones fans*
__________________________
*squee* Downloaded!
_____________________
After the first one, I absolutely cannot WAIT for this one! And please don’t let that November 2018 publish date be a typo...!
Dark Arts and a Daiquiri picks up just a few weeks after the events of Three Mages and a Margarita, and we jump right into the action as Tori and the guys set up an exorcism for a faery spirit haunting the apartment she wants to rent. Much hilarity ensues, and then sadly the apartment and the faery are abandoned while they all become involved in hunting down this big-huge-black-magic-bad-guy that is stealing magically inclined youngsters. And by hunting down, we mean using Tori as bait. Things do not go as planned. Things – and people – are not what they seem.
I loved this one just as much as the first, even if some things I was hoping for didn’t happen. I snickered and giggled my way all the way through, as well as having a few moments where I simply couldn’t read fast enough.
Characters
I planted my feet, hands clenched as I glared at him, silently daring him to blast me into Tori goo.
Tori is the same smart-mouthed chick we met in the first book. We learn a very little bit more about her past, but mostly the story was moving along so quickly there wasn’t a whole lot of time for reflection. There are some new characters, Nadine, Echo (I don’t care what anyone says, I am INTRIGUED), and perhaps most interestingly, Zac. Oh! And Harry. Can’t forget Harry. Yes, I am being intentionally vague because this book is VERY easy to spoil.
“Sorcery,” he interrupted irritably. “Not sorcerer-y.”
In Tori’s words:
“You are a supreme dickhead and I haven’t forgiven you for anything.”
Actually, you know what? I just want to be able to come up with this smart-mouthed retorts like Tori. My daily life would be so entertaining.
“I don’t think you’re as bad as you think you are.”
“I told you not to get the wrong idea.”
“Oh, sorry. What I meant to say was you’re an evil bastard and I can’t wait to see you burnt at the stake for your evil crimes of evil.”
I don’t know exactly why this particular exchange struck me as so funny, but I laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks.
Also, I am in awe of the author’s ability to make me care about ALL these characters. Usually when I read a book I’m only really invested in one or two. Not so with these. Which is why I was very disappointed that we didn’t see much of the three mages in this book. They were there, but just not nearly as much, and I reeeeeeally wanted to find out more about their backstories!
Plot
If you’re hoping for some resolution of previous things, forget it. This book is an entirely new can of worms, and we only barely see the house-haunting faery that appear in the very first chapter! It does seem like it will play a larger part maybe in a later book, but damn.
Also, there are now dragons – including baby dragons – and I want to see more of them.
“For the blood of my blood’s life, I will aid you again – but only once.”
With so many loose ends, this seems like it could be a fantastic series of at least five or six books. Can we please go back to Ezra’s story? I want to know why everyone seems to be afraid of him when he really seems like such a nice guy.
Oh, and Zac. I really want to know more about him too.
Flame Rating
More sexual tension, but not as much as in the first. Come oooooon, girlfriend. Tori’s obviously got the hots for Aaron but I’m still Team Ezra.
Minor Complaints
As already mentioned, lack of screen time for the three mages. Also the unfair teasing with the house faery. Then…does Tori have to immediately get into a confrontation with every other woman she meets? I thought she and the witch from the first book were going to be friends, but she only appeared in passing in this one…does it have to be all guys?
4.5/5 stars. Great second book, can’t wait for more!
Blog | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Google+
__________________________
OMG WTF...this is why it is SO HARD to start a series when it’s still being written, the wait is SO HARD. *ducks flying tomatoes from all the Game of Thrones fans*
__________________________
*squee* Downloaded!
_____________________
After the first one, I absolutely cannot WAIT for this one! And please don’t let that November 2018 publish date be a typo...!
July 5, 2023
This felt like a step down in quality after Spellbound #1 and Warped #1.
Spellbound 2 spends a little more time exploring Tori's past as an abused teen and the marks that left on her in the present. There is far less interaction between Tori and the three mages. Currently she's tentatively starting to date Aaron, but there's been very little romantic development, and I have a feeling the Aaron/Tori ship won't be floating forever.
We got to meet Zak for the first time in this book. He is introduced as "the Ghost", a powerful dark druid allegedly kidnapping mythic teens. Actually, we find out that he runs some kind of weird cultish ranch in the mountains where abused mythic teens can live and train safely.
I know everyone loves Zak, but I'm not there yet. e's an interesting guy on his own, but I don't like the way he was introduced in relation to Tori.
1 - I think he was supposed to come off as an anti-hero, but really he seems perfect. Way too perfect. He's super powerful, kind-hearted, gorgeous, famous, all the fae and animals love him... Okay, sure. He has Mary Sue energy.
2 - Don't like the way Tori shouldered her way into his shower and bed. That was pushing his boundaries at the least, assault at worst.
3 - At this point it seems like Annette Marie is messing with us, intentionally giving us strong RH vibes without any intention of giving anyone the payoff. You can't have it both ways. I don't mind a slowburn, but stop throwing men into the MC's path as potential love interests if you don't want to follow through.
And this third point is my main gripe with the story at present. If you want this to be an urban fantasy with little to no romance, fine. I'm cool with that. If you're very slowly developing a romance between two characters with many other things on their mind, I'm fine with that, too.
But don't leave a million hints and threads at romances that are never going to pan out. That feels deceptive and unkind to readers who are being led on, hoping for romance that's never going to come. That's not cool.
Spellbound 2 spends a little more time exploring Tori's past as an abused teen and the marks that left on her in the present. There is far less interaction between Tori and the three mages. Currently she's tentatively starting to date Aaron, but there's been very little romantic development, and I have a feeling the Aaron/Tori ship won't be floating forever.
We got to meet Zak for the first time in this book. He is introduced as "the Ghost", a powerful dark druid allegedly kidnapping mythic teens. Actually, we find out that he runs some kind of weird cultish ranch in the mountains where abused mythic teens can live and train safely.
I know everyone loves Zak, but I'm not there yet. e's an interesting guy on his own, but I don't like the way he was introduced in relation to Tori.
1 - I think he was supposed to come off as an anti-hero, but really he seems perfect. Way too perfect. He's super powerful, kind-hearted, gorgeous, famous, all the fae and animals love him... Okay, sure. He has Mary Sue energy.
2 - Don't like the way Tori shouldered her way into his shower and bed. That was pushing his boundaries at the least, assault at worst.
3 - At this point it seems like Annette Marie is messing with us, intentionally giving us strong RH vibes without any intention of giving anyone the payoff. You can't have it both ways. I don't mind a slowburn, but stop throwing men into the MC's path as potential love interests if you don't want to follow through.
And this third point is my main gripe with the story at present. If you want this to be an urban fantasy with little to no romance, fine. I'm cool with that. If you're very slowly developing a romance between two characters with many other things on their mind, I'm fine with that, too.
But don't leave a million hints and threads at romances that are never going to pan out. That feels deceptive and unkind to readers who are being led on, hoping for romance that's never going to come. That's not cool.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1647896333i%2F31792110._UX200_CR0%2C96%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
September 16, 2019
I pushed the rating for this one down slightly, partially because the 'romance' frankly irritated the hell out of me.
Why?
Short answer: there isn't a romance. Aaron and Tori have no real feelings for each other, and honestly I'm one of those people who dislikes reading lots of pages about a relationship build-up between the heroine and someone who isn't the ultimate hero. I don't enjoy love triangles and I won't be surprised if this series has one.
Still, the romance (or lack thereof) takes such a back seat that I was able to focus on the fast-paced action and funny dialogue instead.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
Why?
Short answer: there isn't a romance. Aaron and Tori have no real feelings for each other, and honestly I'm one of those people who dislikes reading lots of pages about a relationship build-up between the heroine and someone who isn't the ultimate hero. I don't enjoy love triangles and I won't be surprised if this series has one.
Still, the romance (or lack thereof) takes such a back seat that I was able to focus on the fast-paced action and funny dialogue instead.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
March 1, 2019
The book really benefitted from the new character and different setting. The first book was all about introducing the characters and in this we see how Tori is gathering connections and influence as she goes. I really liked the direction the magic took in this one and how the magical world expanded.
January 5, 2019
“It’s impossible to make the second book better than the first”
Annette Marie: Hold my drink
Annette Marie: Hold my drink
April 9, 2020
Honestly, the only reason I am giving this 4 stars is because of the beautiful men that Annette Marie has decided to bless us with in this series, especially my boy Zak. Otherwise, I probably would have given this a 2 star rating or something.
Okay, maybe that's a little too harsh , considering I quite enjoyed the plot in this one, which definitely had more material than the first book. The storyline was very pretty fascinating, maybe a little predictable here and there.
But you see, there is a reason behind why I was so tempted to strike off the stars.
Tori .
I am just unable to like this woman. She annoys me. A lot.
Why is she so stupid? I feel like she tries too hard to be this snarky, badass character but then just ends up looking so fucking silly . Maybe I am being too cynical. But I don't care. It's not like I didn't try. I tried super hard to like her because I have thing about trying to make myself love my main characters but she just would get on my nerves with her stupid tantrums, uncalled for stubbornness in unnecessary situations and dumbass big girl facade.
As I said before, the plot was great but predictable. Now, I didn't mind it being that predictable because I was overall satisfied with everything else. Even though I mostly knew what was going to happen, I liked the narration and the interactions so that wasn't a problem. But the fact remains, the plot was predictable. Some things were so bloody obvious. So, why the hell was it so difficult for Tori to grasp what's happening around her and even consider the possibility of the obvious??
She has this thing where she would assume one thing and would not let it go. She isn't willing to even consider other possibilities. And maybe I am being too dramatic about this but it pisses me off every time she stubbornly refuses to believe some things. Just reading the narration itself is so damn infuriating when she is being a stubborn dimwitted bitch.
Then all of a sudden she would have a big revelation moment where she would suddenly realise that what she had been thinking was wrong all along. Which would make no sense, because it was so clear from the beginning itself.
The only reason why I don't completely dislike her is because A) she's funny and B) she's tough and not doormat material. Only if she had a little more sense.
But my love for the three mages continues in the second installment as well, with the addition of a certain Druid who is impossible not to love. *blushes*
I loved the Ghost and his extremely hot, enigmatic demeanor. And clearly, I am not the only one. Literally every other review is gushing about him. The first 30% of the book was pretty boring but as soon as The Ghost enters the plotline, it was just hard to put the book down. I took 2 days to read the first 30 % and then read the rest of it in one entire setting. I had so much fun with his interaction with Tori. It was honestly golden and I can't wait to see more of him.
I love the reverse harem vibes so much
No, but, the reverse harem isn't quite there but the setting seems to be going in that direction. There is no romance, per se but Tori surely seems to be taking full advantage of the attention she gets from all these men. If there is going to be any romance in this book, I think it will pretty much be a slow burn and I would be lying if I said I am not looking forward to it.
Oh, and did I mention, this book has Dragons? Dragons! The moment I saw dragons, I knew I was going to love the book.
Okay, maybe that's a little too harsh , considering I quite enjoyed the plot in this one, which definitely had more material than the first book. The storyline was very pretty fascinating, maybe a little predictable here and there.
But you see, there is a reason behind why I was so tempted to strike off the stars.
Tori .
I am just unable to like this woman. She annoys me. A lot.
Why is she so stupid? I feel like she tries too hard to be this snarky, badass character but then just ends up looking so fucking silly . Maybe I am being too cynical. But I don't care. It's not like I didn't try. I tried super hard to like her because I have thing about trying to make myself love my main characters but she just would get on my nerves with her stupid tantrums, uncalled for stubbornness in unnecessary situations and dumbass big girl facade.
As I said before, the plot was great but predictable. Now, I didn't mind it being that predictable because I was overall satisfied with everything else. Even though I mostly knew what was going to happen, I liked the narration and the interactions so that wasn't a problem. But the fact remains, the plot was predictable. Some things were so bloody obvious. So, why the hell was it so difficult for Tori to grasp what's happening around her and even consider the possibility of the obvious??
She has this thing where she would assume one thing and would not let it go. She isn't willing to even consider other possibilities. And maybe I am being too dramatic about this but it pisses me off every time she stubbornly refuses to believe some things. Just reading the narration itself is so damn infuriating when she is being a stubborn dimwitted bitch.
Then all of a sudden she would have a big revelation moment where she would suddenly realise that what she had been thinking was wrong all along. Which would make no sense, because it was so clear from the beginning itself.
The only reason why I don't completely dislike her is because A) she's funny and B) she's tough and not doormat material. Only if she had a little more sense.
But my love for the three mages continues in the second installment as well, with the addition of a certain Druid who is impossible not to love. *blushes*
I loved the Ghost and his extremely hot, enigmatic demeanor. And clearly, I am not the only one. Literally every other review is gushing about him. The first 30% of the book was pretty boring but as soon as The Ghost enters the plotline, it was just hard to put the book down. I took 2 days to read the first 30 % and then read the rest of it in one entire setting. I had so much fun with his interaction with Tori. It was honestly golden and I can't wait to see more of him.
I love the reverse harem vibes so much
No, but, the reverse harem isn't quite there but the setting seems to be going in that direction. There is no romance, per se but Tori surely seems to be taking full advantage of the attention she gets from all these men. If there is going to be any romance in this book, I think it will pretty much be a slow burn and I would be lying if I said I am not looking forward to it.
Oh, and did I mention, this book has Dragons? Dragons! The moment I saw dragons, I knew I was going to love the book.
September 25, 2021
Oooooo! Why was this so good!
What an adventure! Reading this was so much fun! I can tell I'm gonna fall more in love with these characters and this world with each book.
And Zak...*swoons dramatically* I need more of him, ASAP.
What an adventure! Reading this was so much fun! I can tell I'm gonna fall more in love with these characters and this world with each book.
And Zak...*swoons dramatically* I need more of him, ASAP.
February 8, 2020
I wanted to like this series and I was willing to suspend a ridiculous amount of common sense but this one tanked hard .
Tori is too stupid to live, but at least her stupidity was hilarious enough to get me all the way through the story. In the first book my response to most of her 'thoughtful introspection' moments was a resounding "no sh*t." She's twice as dumb in this one, and the never-ending succession of stupid decisions she makes are all that drive the plot. No, it doesn't help that in the end she looks back and goes, "huh, I guess that was stupid of me." 😂 Girl. smh. She completely ignored the completely in-your-face 'lesson' from the first book too.
I almost fell to the ground laughing when the druid turned out to be smoking hot. I mean--I should have expected a goofy level of male objectification from this series, obviously. That one's on me. BUT to have two characters stop IN THE MIDDLE OF A MONSTER AMBUSH, and just get utterly sidetracked by some dude's jawline... 🤦♀️ PRIORITIES, ladies. (I know I'm not straight enough to get some of this but REALLY? REALLY??? )
The second time I totally lost it (just started yelling at the sky) was the dragon blood incident. Babe. Just, no. That's what it looks like when a writer tries way too hard to make a scene happen--characters & plot be da*ned. Hilariously bad. "Go take a shower!" "But... explaaaaain fslkdglskdgm waaaaah." 😝
The spooky Ghost-guy was trying to pull some kind of Severus Snape 'is he evil or just a troubled anti-hero' nonsense but it never hit the mark. He's an absolute fruitcake from the start. He's like my goofy 14 year old little brother wearing a hooded cape and trying to act Manly™. The three mages from the first one were cheesy but likable enough. This guy? Nah. I don't care how cut his abs are if his entire persona is being standoffish and vaguely menacing.
"The third rule is disobey the rules." 😂 just end my suffering
Concerning the Audio version, the reader for both books was unfortunate. She's a perfect match for Tori's ditzy rage queen persona but she's awful at the dude voices. It's a pet-peeve of mine when women-readers do a fake basso for every dude character in a book. (It makes them sound like my 14 year old little brother, lol.) It's just as annoying when male readers use a falsetto voice for every female character. It sounds stupid. That might have had a lot to do with why this series was a lot funnier to me than it meant to be.
I did notice 'Harry' the pervy talking skull 👀. Nice Dresden Files nod.
Tori is too stupid to live, but at least her stupidity was hilarious enough to get me all the way through the story. In the first book my response to most of her 'thoughtful introspection' moments was a resounding "no sh*t." She's twice as dumb in this one, and the never-ending succession of stupid decisions she makes are all that drive the plot. No, it doesn't help that in the end she looks back and goes, "huh, I guess that was stupid of me." 😂 Girl. smh. She completely ignored the completely in-your-face 'lesson' from the first book too.
I almost fell to the ground laughing when the druid turned out to be smoking hot. I mean--I should have expected a goofy level of male objectification from this series, obviously. That one's on me. BUT to have two characters stop IN THE MIDDLE OF A MONSTER AMBUSH, and just get utterly sidetracked by some dude's jawline... 🤦♀️ PRIORITIES, ladies. (I know I'm not straight enough to get some of this but REALLY? REALLY??? )
The second time I totally lost it (just started yelling at the sky) was the dragon blood incident. Babe. Just, no. That's what it looks like when a writer tries way too hard to make a scene happen--characters & plot be da*ned. Hilariously bad. "Go take a shower!" "But... explaaaaain fslkdglskdgm waaaaah." 😝
The spooky Ghost-guy was trying to pull some kind of Severus Snape 'is he evil or just a troubled anti-hero' nonsense but it never hit the mark. He's an absolute fruitcake from the start. He's like my goofy 14 year old little brother wearing a hooded cape and trying to act Manly™. The three mages from the first one were cheesy but likable enough. This guy? Nah. I don't care how cut his abs are if his entire persona is being standoffish and vaguely menacing.
"The third rule is disobey the rules." 😂 just end my suffering
Concerning the Audio version, the reader for both books was unfortunate. She's a perfect match for Tori's ditzy rage queen persona but she's awful at the dude voices. It's a pet-peeve of mine when women-readers do a fake basso for every dude character in a book. (It makes them sound like my 14 year old little brother, lol.) It's just as annoying when male readers use a falsetto voice for every female character. It sounds stupid. That might have had a lot to do with why this series was a lot funnier to me than it meant to be.
I did notice 'Harry' the pervy talking skull 👀. Nice Dresden Files nod.
November 26, 2018
Originally posted at:
This series has proven itself to be amazing! I love how the stories are set up and span a full book with no cliffhanger at the end. The writing and pacing are great! Books by Annette Marie just keep getting better and better with every new release.
I love Tori's sense of humor and how sassy she is even in inappropriate moments. The backbone she's sporting makes her one heck of an interesting character as well. All that being said, I also have soft spot for her. Especially now after learning a little more about her past in this book. I will admit that Tori made a lot of idiotic and life endangering decisions on a whim in this story but it didn't feel out of character for her (as strange as that may sound coming from someone who abhors dumb decisions main characters seem to love to make).
I'm having trouble telling the three mages apart. The only one I automatically think of is Erza and that's because I'm rooting for him to somehow have a permanent thing with Tori. It's looking like a long shot if you're only considering this novel but I'm still hopeful... to a degree.
Is it bad that I kind of want a side story/spin-off series/novella on Ghost and his possibility at a happy ending? He's won me over enough that I want to get to know him when he's in his element and with someone he trusts.
Even though I rated this book 5 stars I will say I missed the little bit of romance, that the first book in this series had, in this one. I'm a lover of the romance genre at heart so even though I understand this is an urban fantasy novel I still wanted more development in that department. I can also admit that the overall adventure was awesome!
The Audio Book:
The narration was great! I could tell all the character's apart even when 3 or more were in a conversation. I also wasn't getting lost or confused in any part of the novel due to the narration.
This series has proven itself to be amazing! I love how the stories are set up and span a full book with no cliffhanger at the end. The writing and pacing are great! Books by Annette Marie just keep getting better and better with every new release.
I love Tori's sense of humor and how sassy she is even in inappropriate moments. The backbone she's sporting makes her one heck of an interesting character as well. All that being said, I also have soft spot for her. Especially now after learning a little more about her past in this book. I will admit that Tori made a lot of idiotic and life endangering decisions on a whim in this story but it didn't feel out of character for her (as strange as that may sound coming from someone who abhors dumb decisions main characters seem to love to make).
I'm having trouble telling the three mages apart. The only one I automatically think of is Erza and that's because I'm rooting for him to somehow have a permanent thing with Tori. It's looking like a long shot if you're only considering this novel but I'm still hopeful... to a degree.
Is it bad that I kind of want a side story/spin-off series/novella on Ghost and his possibility at a happy ending? He's won me over enough that I want to get to know him when he's in his element and with someone he trusts.
Even though I rated this book 5 stars I will say I missed the little bit of romance, that the first book in this series had, in this one. I'm a lover of the romance genre at heart so even though I understand this is an urban fantasy novel I still wanted more development in that department. I can also admit that the overall adventure was awesome!
The Audio Book:
The narration was great! I could tell all the character's apart even when 3 or more were in a conversation. I also wasn't getting lost or confused in any part of the novel due to the narration.
June 28, 2025
Apparently this is a popcorn series filled with a lot of reckless actions, hot guys, and a somewhat annoying female main character.
Yeah, I like Tori less in this book. Mainly because of this weird sexual vibe she has with ALL the guys (including the new one), while kissing and planning to date one. It just doesn’t feel right to me, even if I’m hoping she’d ditch Aaron for a better one. There’s also that one time she chose to go bra-less while spending the night with the three mages, and I was like, eeew, why?
Besides that, she’s of course saving people left and right—something that feels more and more like the author’s gimmick than a genuine characterization.
I am still mildly interested to find out what happens next with the orb and the three mages, so I’ll prb continue with this series in between other books.
Yeah, I like Tori less in this book. Mainly because of this weird sexual vibe she has with ALL the guys (including the new one), while kissing and planning to date one. It just doesn’t feel right to me, even if I’m hoping she’d ditch Aaron for a better one. There’s also that one time she chose to go bra-less while spending the night with the three mages, and I was like, eeew, why?
Besides that, she’s of course saving people left and right—something that feels more and more like the author’s gimmick than a genuine characterization.
I am still mildly interested to find out what happens next with the orb and the three mages, so I’ll prb continue with this series in between other books.
January 19, 2025
Story 4 stars. Narration 5 stars
I’m really enjoying this series. This was book two of the series and I plan to continue. The books aren’t long, but neither are they novellas.
The series is about a human that literally accidentally finds herself in a bar for supernaturals and applies for and gets the bartender job. Now she’s made close friends with three guys that are mages. They answer all her questions and protect her from some of the more unsavory types. Theres no 3 way romance thankfully. She’s not even supposed to be in the bar because most humans know nothing about supernaturals. Some maneuvering has had to happen to keep her employed, although who knows for how long? The mages decide to work the case of a missing teenager and need her help to use as bait. A very scary Druid is taking young people off the street-never to be seen again. Nothing is ever simple though and of course everything gets messed up. It makes for an action packed last 25 present of the book. Or more. I’m going to leave it at that. I thought it was well written and I am really enjoying her friendship with the three men. Another man is added in the mix this time and I really liked him a lot. Hopefully we will see him in other books.Recommended to adult urban fantasy readers that like a feisty, engaging heroine full of sass and fun. I really like the banter between her and an all the other characters. It’s what makes these books for me.
I’m really enjoying this series. This was book two of the series and I plan to continue. The books aren’t long, but neither are they novellas.
The series is about a human that literally accidentally finds herself in a bar for supernaturals and applies for and gets the bartender job. Now she’s made close friends with three guys that are mages. They answer all her questions and protect her from some of the more unsavory types. Theres no 3 way romance thankfully. She’s not even supposed to be in the bar because most humans know nothing about supernaturals. Some maneuvering has had to happen to keep her employed, although who knows for how long? The mages decide to work the case of a missing teenager and need her help to use as bait. A very scary Druid is taking young people off the street-never to be seen again. Nothing is ever simple though and of course everything gets messed up. It makes for an action packed last 25 present of the book. Or more. I’m going to leave it at that. I thought it was well written and I am really enjoying her friendship with the three men. Another man is added in the mix this time and I really liked him a lot. Hopefully we will see him in other books.Recommended to adult urban fantasy readers that like a feisty, engaging heroine full of sass and fun. I really like the banter between her and an all the other characters. It’s what makes these books for me.
December 27, 2018
4.5 stars
How in the hell did I now discover this series sooner? It's totally up my alley. Relatable no BS heroine, great side characters, intriguing plot. Highly recommend to all UF lovers out there. The story isn't completely new and revolutionary (given the number of UF stories that already exist, I think it's quite difficult to come up with a completely new idea), but it isn't full of cliches either.
This is what you will get in The Guild Codex: Spellbound:
- kick-ass heroine that isn't afraid to fight for what she believes in, who isn't dumb or self-centered. Plus, she has a sense of humor!
- fun side characters - honestly, the only thing I don't particularly enjoy is how hot all males in this series are. I mean, are there no average-looking or even ugly men? I don't like the stereotype that every guy has to be super gorgeous in UF
- interesting world and story - I mean, like I said, it's not something completely new and yet unseen in UF, but it's done well.
How in the hell did I now discover this series sooner? It's totally up my alley. Relatable no BS heroine, great side characters, intriguing plot. Highly recommend to all UF lovers out there. The story isn't completely new and revolutionary (given the number of UF stories that already exist, I think it's quite difficult to come up with a completely new idea), but it isn't full of cliches either.
This is what you will get in The Guild Codex: Spellbound:
- kick-ass heroine that isn't afraid to fight for what she believes in, who isn't dumb or self-centered. Plus, she has a sense of humor!
- fun side characters - honestly, the only thing I don't particularly enjoy is how hot all males in this series are. I mean, are there no average-looking or even ugly men? I don't like the stereotype that every guy has to be super gorgeous in UF
- interesting world and story - I mean, like I said, it's not something completely new and yet unseen in UF, but it's done well.
May 9, 2019
I am having a blast with this series. RTC
October 3, 2020
So happy The Ghost is getting his own spinoff series because he is perfection
December 16, 2025
This was the second book in the Guild Codex: Spellbound series. It was a very solid sequel that maintained the quality of the first instalment. The series is fast-paced banter-heavy UF that does a good job of mixing humour, action, drama, slow-burn hints of romance, and a ton of fun magic! It is easy to get sucked into the story as the characters are easy to like and Annette Marie has an engaging writing style.
The story was pretty fun. Tori was helping the Guild track down a missing teen by going undercover as a runaway teen herself. Her own past experiences helped her connect with the situation in ways that added some added depth to her character. The mission had her going solo and cut off from her Guild support, which created real tension. The book introduced some great new characters, including the “Ghost,” a Druid with a dangerous reputation in the magical community. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say his role in the story was more complex and interesting than it initially appeared, and the soft flirtation between him and Tori added some nice tension (especially since she’d just started tentatively dating one of the three mages back home). The Druids and Fae we met expanded the magic system in interesting ways.
All in all, I’m enjoying this fun pulp UF series and am going to move straight onto the next one!
Rating: 4 Stars.
Audio Note: Cris Dukehart did a good job with the audio. She feels like a good fit for Tori and seems to get the humour.
The story was pretty fun. Tori was helping the Guild track down a missing teen by going undercover as a runaway teen herself. Her own past experiences helped her connect with the situation in ways that added some added depth to her character. The mission had her going solo and cut off from her Guild support, which created real tension. The book introduced some great new characters, including the “Ghost,” a Druid with a dangerous reputation in the magical community. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say his role in the story was more complex and interesting than it initially appeared, and the soft flirtation between him and Tori added some nice tension (especially since she’d just started tentatively dating one of the three mages back home). The Druids and Fae we met expanded the magic system in interesting ways.
All in all, I’m enjoying this fun pulp UF series and am going to move straight onto the next one!
Rating: 4 Stars.
Audio Note: Cris Dukehart did a good job with the audio. She feels like a good fit for Tori and seems to get the humour.
November 14, 2018
3.5 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
This was another fun, quick read in a magic-filled urban fantasy series that managed to keep me on my toes with some surprising twists and a very different plot from the first book.
I think Tori's past was touched upon in the previous book, but it was confronted more in this one. Oftentimes authors go to the extreme when including abuse in a story, so I liked the acknowledgement that abuse isn't always physical, that mental and emotional abuse can be just as damaging and disparaging.
As I mentioned above, the story in this one managed to be totally different from the first, which was great because it kept things interesting. It had Tori doing more on her own, without the help of her three new sexy mage friends. There were some... not really twists, but rather some surprising elements. And I'm still not sure where certain subplots and clues are going to go, so that unpredictability is fun.
And of course there was some humor! Tori is feisty and sassy and can be very entertaining at times.
The magic was also great, but that's no surprise as Annette Marie always does a great job of writing really interesting magic and magic systems.
Unfortunately, despite all the good things about it, and despite loving other series by this author, this series isn't really clicking with me. Clearly I don't think it's bad---it's fun! But this particular kind of sassy humor just isn't really my thing. And although I liked Tori in the first book, this time her rash decisions seemed like forced plot points, and her attitude during times when it literally could have gotten her killed was frustrating. I had also hoped I'd get to know the characters more, but they still felt stereotypical.
Overall, even though I had some issues, I thought this was an entertaining story. And although it might not be quite for me, this is a type of humor and types of characters that I know a lot of people love. So if you're looking for something fun and fast-paced with a sassy heroine and lots of sexy magic-users, you might love it!
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 1 in Annette Marie's The Guild Codex: Spellbound series. Anyone who likes sassy heroines with attitude, sexy men with magic, and fun urban fantasy.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
This was another fun, quick read in a magic-filled urban fantasy series that managed to keep me on my toes with some surprising twists and a very different plot from the first book.
I think Tori's past was touched upon in the previous book, but it was confronted more in this one. Oftentimes authors go to the extreme when including abuse in a story, so I liked the acknowledgement that abuse isn't always physical, that mental and emotional abuse can be just as damaging and disparaging.
As I mentioned above, the story in this one managed to be totally different from the first, which was great because it kept things interesting. It had Tori doing more on her own, without the help of her three new sexy mage friends. There were some... not really twists, but rather some surprising elements. And I'm still not sure where certain subplots and clues are going to go, so that unpredictability is fun.
And of course there was some humor! Tori is feisty and sassy and can be very entertaining at times.
The magic was also great, but that's no surprise as Annette Marie always does a great job of writing really interesting magic and magic systems.
Unfortunately, despite all the good things about it, and despite loving other series by this author, this series isn't really clicking with me. Clearly I don't think it's bad---it's fun! But this particular kind of sassy humor just isn't really my thing. And although I liked Tori in the first book, this time her rash decisions seemed like forced plot points, and her attitude during times when it literally could have gotten her killed was frustrating. I had also hoped I'd get to know the characters more, but they still felt stereotypical.
Overall, even though I had some issues, I thought this was an entertaining story. And although it might not be quite for me, this is a type of humor and types of characters that I know a lot of people love. So if you're looking for something fun and fast-paced with a sassy heroine and lots of sexy magic-users, you might love it!
Recommended For:
Fans of Book 1 in Annette Marie's The Guild Codex: Spellbound series. Anyone who likes sassy heroines with attitude, sexy men with magic, and fun urban fantasy.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
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