Synn, a demon, carries extraordinary magic and power, but there is more within her than she dreams. Kidnapped as a child, her captors murdered her family and forced her into training as a warrior assassin. When an assignment goes horribly wrong, she finds herself at the mercy of the friends and family of her intended target. Offering valuable information in exchange for protection, she gains her freedom, but it is not without its challenges. Gavin Shaughnessy is the publican at his family's Irish pub. He is certain Synn is meant to be his and isn't bothered by her past. He must find a way to convince her their future together is stronger than the dark memories that haunt her dreams. When her past comes calling for revenge, will their love survive the raging inferno she brings down upon them? Or will the searing path of destruction destroy all they hold dear?
With the majestic Rocky Mountains just outside the window, I sit at my computer with vampires,demons, witches, faeries, and a variety of paranormal creatures gathered around telling me their stories! That makes me an author of paranormal romance novels and cozy mysteries with magic spark. The everyday world is mundane, but sprinkle a little magic and you have fantastic!
Colorado is home. I share my life with a wonderful husband of many moons, our brilliant Chow Chow, a terribly spoiled companion parrot, and a forty-year-old box turtle. We enjoy hiking, biking, and camping, also love water sports including kayaking and whitewater rafting, especially on the Arkansas River through the Royal Gorge.
Another passion of mine is reading a good novel. You can find me any winter evening curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate, and a big bowl of popcorn. While growing up, if I didn’t like the ending of a book, I’d rewrite it, which led to writing my own books.
Reluctantly, I discovered that in real life it’s tough to rewrite an ending.
Synn is a demon who has gained her freedom from evil demon lord Baltizar but she’s struggling with where she fits in. She’s switched to the light side yet is plagued with horrible nightmares. All she wants is a normal life with friends and family who love her. Is that too much to ask?
Gavin works in his family’s pub. He loves Synn, loves her so much it hurts. See, he’s a gryphon and when they find their mate, they mate for life. Her past doesn’t scare him, only brings out his protective nature. He must prove to her their future is more powerful than anything she’s done in the past. When Baltizar sends his army of minions to incinerate Synn and anyone standing in his way, can Gavin save Synn or will he wind up alone, pining for his mate?
A Magic Redemption is such a wonderful story of second-chances and defeating your inner demons. Synn is a tortured character, trying to make amends. All she wants is a normal life with friends and family but does she even deserve it after all she’s done? Gavin seems to think so and it’s his unconditional love which tears down her walls. The chemistry between Gavin and Synn is electrifying and thoroughly enjoyable.
With plenty of twists and turns, intricate magic-driven action scenes and a full cast of characters, this is a must-read! Descriptive plot moves at a fast pace with paranormal creatures and mythology. I gasped a few times and the ending was spot-on.
If you’re looking for a story to sink your teeth into, you’ve got to read A Magic Redemption. It is part of a series but Stetler fills in details to perfection so you won’t be lost.
Favorite Character/Quote: Synn. I connected with her immediately. Her growth is immense throughout the book and when all looks lost, her strength and power shine. Strong, flawed female leads are my favorite!
As a rule I don’t read paranormal stories because my brain can’t always follow the story lines of fantastical worlds and characters who do things that I don’t – like breath fire and fly!
All bets are off when a new Tena Stetler book releases, though. Ms Stetler is able to create real life- characters in the here and now - who just so happen to do unusual things, have mystical powers, and still feel like people you’d meet on the street. Her 5th book in the Demon’s Witch series, A MAGIC REDEMPTION is such a case.
Synn ( whom we’ve met before) is a demon who has gained her freedom from her overlord. Hoping to live a “normal” life – well, as normal as can be expected(!) she wants to atone for the perceived wrongs and deeds she committed while in servitude to her master. Gavin, a gryphon ( and there’s a word you don’t use every day to describe someone) loves Synn and wants to protect her. He’s a mate for life kinda guy and he knows Synn’s the one for him. But it seems her overlord isn’t finished with her yet.
Again, Stetler makes the mystical feel normal ( for lack of a better word). The themes in this book, from redemption to self-awareness, to knowing the difference between right and wrong, are universal ones and you find yourself rooting for the two protagonists on every page.
Another well done book by Tena Stetler, and one you’re sure to want to add to your collection. I was given an arc of this novel from Netgalley and the Wild Rose Press for an honest opinion of the work. My opinion: get this book!
I always knew I’d have to tell Synn’s story, but had to wait until all the pieces fell into place from the other books in the series. talk about a character driven story! Synn was much more of a spit-fire than I imagined. Not having given it much thought until my editor, Lill, asked me what happened to Synn and Gavin at the end of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance. It gave me pause, until Synn danced through my mind, tapping her tiny foot and demanding that I write her story. Now! Gavin took flight right behind her in support of her demands. What choice did I have? A Magic Redemption was born.
I’m super excited to share her incredible adventure and heart-warming story with you now. I certainly hope you enjoy reading A Magic Redemption as much as I did writing Synn’s tale.
Followers of this dark fantasy series won't be disappointed in the latest addition to Stetler's A Demon's Witch Series. This one focuses on Synn a demon trying to right past wrongs--done by her and to her. Gavin, a shape-shifting gryphon, loves her to distraction and is trying his mightiest to let her make her own way in the world. Between the two of them stubborn rises to new and interesting heights. Stetler has more to come in that remarkable imagination of hers--we can't wait. Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews
I received a review copy as a blog host for Goddess Fish Promotions. The blurb and premise was intriguing, and I really looked forward to reading this one. Demon heroine and gryphon hero? Sign me up! The language is lyrical, the descriptions and settings were well-described and atmospheric, and the characters were likable and true to themselves. The Irish family pub was charming. AND THERE'S A CHOW CHOW PUPPY!!! (For those of you NOT in the know, I HAVE A CHOW named Abby...) I really wanted to love this story.
I liked this story quite a bit--the puppy steals every scene, and there are CASTLES--but I didn't fall in love with it. The pacing was too leisurely and rambly for me, most of the tension came from nightmares and and relayed through dialogue rather than actual action. I felt like a bit of an outsider on the edge of inside jokes. The romantic chemistry was uneven--some stellar moments, other awkward ones. And it could have used stronger editing--tightening to increase pacing, and there were a lot of typos. It read more like an indie-pub than a traditional small pub. It just never fully gelled for me.
3.5 stars This fifth book in the Demon's Witch series focuses on Synn and Gavin. There are things mentioned throughout the story from earlier books, but the author does a great job of giving enough information so that a new reader isn't lost, and she does it without info dumps, which is a huge plus for me. For this book, Synn, a demon, is looking for redemption for her past. All she wants is a life, just like anyone else. Of course, it's not going to be easy, especially when someone from that past wants to destroy her. Gavin is a gryphon and knows Synn is meant to be his mate from the beginning. This pair does have great chemistry and the story is full of twists, danger, action, and plenty of magic. There are a few lags in the story that could use some tightening up, but other than that, it's an enjoyable, fast-paced read with characters that pulled me in and had me rooting for their happy ending. All in all, a good addition to the series.
Synn has been struggling to adjust to regular life after escaping from her captors. Now, she knows what freedom is like, but certain things remind her of her past life and cause her to spiral into a panic attack. She had some sort of relationship with Gavin previously, but in this novel, the two are tiptoeing around each other. Synn isn't sure that she's ready to be in a relationship, and Gavin doesn't want to push her into anything too fast. They can't deny their chemistry and others keep trying to set them up, but they don't want to betray each other's trust.
This was definitely one of the better paranormal romance stories that I had read, as they truly respected each other's wants and needs, and supported each other mentally as well as romantically. Synn allowed Gavin to support her, and she also went to other members of Gavin's family for emotional support. I liked that they didn't make it so that she escaped from her captors and was perfectly fine, she actually had anxiety from her life's ordeal. Others were sensitive to her emotional needs, and she was able to grow and get a job.
The only thing that I wish had been included more in the novel was Gavin's being a gryfon. It was a known fact from the beginning of the novel that he was a gryfon, but it wasn't included in the storyline until almost the end. The only character that had magic was Synn herself, and her magic was only slightly the focus of the novel. I felt that it made the book less paranormal and more just regular adult romance. If things had been explained and used more in the story, I think that it would have added more to the overall worldbuilding.
Even though this book was 231 pages, I read through it pretty quickly. It was nice how well the story flowed, and how the story didn't seem rushed. Even though it was the fifth book in the series, I definitely think that it could be read as a standalone. I was still able to connect with all the characters and enjoy this amazing book without reading the previous four.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an adult romance novel with some paranormal elements.
I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
I'll start off by saying I haven't actually read any others in the series - the ARC description said this could be read as a standalone, and I suppose that's mostly true, if only because the world is so empty and the characters so bland that what's happened before doesn't really matter.
Our main character is a demon, which seems to mean basically nothing. She looks like a human, acts like a human, thinks like a human. She has magic, but what it can do or what it costs is completely undefined, and she pretty much only uses it to clean things up or make them pretty. Despite apparently being a badass assassin/warrior, she does absolutely nothing of interest throughout the novel. The story does a very bizarre thing where it fixates on the mundane - girls shopping/watching movies together, dates, working as a waitress - while completely brushing over anything actually interesting - her magical training as she unlocks new powers, her backstory, her conflict with the villain. I honestly think this is because the author doesn't know how to write those events, and doesn't actually care, she just wants to write about the main characters making out every few scenes. The "climax" of this story takes place in a page and a half, and I kid you not, part of it is written like "(other characters) took down the creatures one by one until only (villain) was left." What's the point of writing a story like this??
The central romance was also irritating, because the two characters constantly bounce between "we shouldn't be together" to "let's make-out/have sex" back to "we shouldn't be together" every few scenes. There's no rationale for why they can't be together (villain is out there doing villain things, but again we resolve his whole thing in a page and a half later on), and no tension, because we know in a few pages they're just going to reverse their choice all over again.
Overall, this was just extremely poorly written. Bland characters, no world-building, no plot to speak of, etc. Would not recommend even to fans of the genre.
First, let me say that this book is the fifth in the Demon Witch series. I did not realize that when I chose to read it because the blurb caught my interest right away. The author did a good job giving short explanations throughout so I was able to enjoy the story without feeling like I was being overwhelmed with information overload. In most cases, I remained fully involved in this book while still feeling the urge to start from the beginning since this installment starts sometime after a major battle in which Synn was dreadfully injured.
Set in a remote area in Ireland, Synn heals slowly both mentally and physically. A small group of friends are helping her, but she is reluctant to get too close for fear that she will inevitably bring death and destruction to those she deeply cares for – including Gavin, a man who loves her intensely but is willing to wait for Synn to figure out how to love him, despite her horrendous past.
This book was a little slower paced than my usual preference, but understandable because it is a time of deep soul searching for Synn as she attempts to reset her life. I really enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other. Their personalities were mixed and well-rounded. I also liked the descriptions of the landscape; especially the wild, windy cliffs and the ancient castle hunkered on top of it. Synn adopted a little half-dead puppy one miserably cold, rainy night. Soon christened Storm, the little rag mop's antics added some fun moments in the story that I just adored.
In hindsight, I would have liked to have begun this saga at the beginning, but this book stood well enough on its own; encouraging me to read more from this author in order to visit this magical world again soon.
Synn, a demon, carries extraordinary magic and power, but there is more within her than she dreams. Kidnapped as a child, her captors murdered her family and forced her into training as a warrior assassin. When an assignment goes horribly wrong, she finds herself at the mercy of the friends and family of her intended target. Offering valuable information in exchange for protection, she gains her freedom, but it is not without its challenges. Gavin Shaughnessy is the publican at his family’s Irish pub. He is certain Synn is meant to be his and isn’t bothered by her past. He must find a way to convince her, their future together is stronger than the dark memories that haunt her dreams. When her past comes calling for revenge, will their love survive the raging inferno she brings down upon them? Or will the searing path of destruction destroy all they hold dear?
Our Review: Devoted followers of this interesting dark fantasy series won't be disappointed in the latest in the Demon Witch's series, A Magic Redemption. Tormented by her past, everything she did and was done to her, Synn is fearless and selfless, determined to live the rest of her life--which could well end at any moment--in peace and redemption. She is everything any woman would want for a daughter. Gavin, stubborn to a fault, proud as only ten Irishmen can be, is the man we'd want for her--even when both drive those who care for them crazy with their stubborn willfulness. Author Stetler has not reached her full potential, we are sure of it.
On a scale of 1 to 5, A Magic Redemption earns a 5
I was provided an ARC of A Magic Redemption for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is book 5 in the Demon’s Witch series; which is a series I have never read before. I was told by Stetler that it is a stand-alone book, but in my opinion, it isn’t.
I was leery about reading book 5 in a series because I HATE not starting from the beginning. But the blurb intrigued me enough to give it a shot. I should have stuck with my gut instinct. Although Synn and Gavin’s story is a separate romance, there are so many other characters and plots that happened in other books that are mentioned, that I had felt cheated not knowing the complete stories. Not to mention I missed out on knowledge and mythology of this world.
A Magic Redemption felt like a reunion of past characters. If this is a series, you follow this is a book you would probably love. For me, it didn’t have the emotional payoff. I think had I read the rest of the series I would have enjoyed this book more.
I started skimming at about 40% because I didn’t connect with the characters and I found so many frivolous details that I was getting bored. There was so much with the puppy I was thinking it was going to turn into a demon or something. But no just details that bogged the story and slowed the pace to a crawl.
I not sure at this point if I will attempt book one. Because as much as I am intrigued by the characters and their mythos. The extra details that slowed the story’s pace are putting me off.
This is a hard rate for me. If I had read the series I think the rating would be higher but as it stands I am giving it 2.5 Boundless stars it was entertaining but could have been better.
Let me begin by saying—it would be worth your while to read the entire A Demon’s Witch series, but if you’re not up for it, at least read A Magic Redemption, book five. Tena Stetler has a gift for bringing a story to life with description. You feel like you’re walking down the street behind the characters, listening in on their conversations. Everything is like your own world except you realize you’re following a vampire, or sitting across the room from a witch. This book is the story of Synn, a beautiful but damaged demon who has turned away from her past only to have it follow her. And, Gavin, a strong yet sensitive gryphon who doesn’t intend to let her face danger alone. The story has exciting twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your chair. At the same time, Synn and Gavin work through healing, self-discovery, patience, and understanding to build a strong bond. The best part – the ending will leave you with your jaw dropped. I highly recommend A Magic Redemption and all Ms. Stetler’s books.
A magical story with a wonderful selection of characters.
I'm loving Gavin, he's intelligent, sexy and a Griffin...This is my first story with a Griffin character, well family, and I'm not disappointed.
Where as Synn (gorgeous name!) Is a...I'll let you find out!
Synn is in Ireland healing her mind and body after a traumatic life and battle. She's rebuilding herself, learning to make friends and be at peace with herself. It's great being on this journey with her as she's quite relatable.
With lots of magic, folklore, sexual chemistry (with a little sex, of course) and love we see Synn begin to flourish.
It's nice to see so many magical races working together, being friends or in love.
There's a few places I'd have liked a little more detail adding but it doesn't ruin the story.
Apart from the obvious, I don't dislike any of the characters, which I'm glad about. It's nice having a good character base that makes me smile.
I was given a copy of this book by Hidden Gems. I was very excited by the synopsis, which sounded promising. I had not read the rest of the series, but in romance anthology series that's not normally a problem. This is definitely a book that should be read after the previous ones in the serious.
The intriguing parts of the synopsis that made me excited to read this story seemed to have already taken place in the last story. Instead of seeing the tough assassin who gets captured only to fall in love with one of her enemies, we get the aftermath of that story: a slow paced recovery love story. Since a great deal of each characters development took place previously, I wasn't invested in their story.
I feel that my review isn't all that fair since it is based off only this 1 book instead of how this book fits into the series, but the agreement with Hidden Gems is to leave a review based on the book I received.
Do you believe in magic, fairies, demons, witches, unicorns, and other mythological beings? Do you sit for hours with a great read, even into the early hours of dawn? Do you believe in romance and happy ever after endings? If so, I challenge you to pick up this phenomenal story, A Magic Redemption today. I was transported to Ireland within the pages of this story and didn’t want to return to my own reality. This is Gavin and Synn’s story—one filled with surprises, adventures, and one badass demon. And yes, a powerful love story, too. Thank you, Ms. Stetler. You swept me away for a while and I long to return.
As a character who has floated through the Demon’s Witch Series, Synn finally gets her story and a chance for redemption. As a former demon warrior who finally escaped the oppressive/abusive life under Baltizar, Synn struggles to find her new normal while trying to also find her place with the gryphon, Gavin. Tens Stetler weaves a good tale, bringing back characters from her previous books. Witches, demons, Fae, gryphons and vampires populate this book to the delight of every reader of PNR.
This took me a bit to get into. I liked the world that Tena Stetler built, and I enjoyed the characters within. Synn wanted to protect those around her, and Gavin wanted her forever. Danger swirled around, surprises popped up, and family held all together. This was the first book in this series that I read, and it was a nice read.
I received an ARC through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
Lots of time was spent in the description of things, actions, thoughts, events etc. that didn't contribute to the story.
And then the important events were rushed. Like the big battle scene.
It's also hard to read it as a standalone, the author doesn't really explain things that happened previously that do impact the clarity of the story. Like Gavin and mating. It's not explained unless you read the previous book. I received a free copy of this book and I voluntarily reviewed it
A intriguing paranormal tale about second chances and redemption. Synn and Gavin story is one that I became totally immersed in and loved reading about the interaction/drama between the two of them. The twists and turns kept me captivated. Well written with some awesome characters is another reason this story was a page turner.
Book five in the A Demon's Witch Series another well written story in this series. Once I started reading I was not putting the book down until I was finished this suspense filled book. I enjoyed reading Synn, a demon and Gavin Shaughnessy's story. I received a copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Although I had a little trouble getting into the story because of the slow inclusion of prior events, I really enjoyed this story. I especially enjoyed Synn's becoming a more confident woman, or should I say part demon. The magical elements and the chow gave me exactly what I wanted in a paranormal romance.
Magical and romantic. I enjoyed the story and the journey the characters took both with their relationship and within themselves. I enjoyed the secondary characters and definitely need to go back and read the other stories.
this was a really great story! she is a demon with so many magical powers inside her. kidnapped and her family killed. now she is on a new mission that goes wrong. she needs the help of her friends. read to find out what happens.
I just loved the mythical beings in this story , Gavin a Gryphon is in love with Synn a Demon / Fae . Baltazar is out to get Synn and kill everyone she has grown to love , this story grips you it’s full of suspense !! Great writing and AMAZING storyline !!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. Synn and Gavin's story was ok however it didn't seem to hold my attention as much as the other books in the series
I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here. Going into this book, I didn’t realize it was actually fifth in a series. Despite this, I didn’t really feel confused about what went on before. There is enough backstory to get the gist without being overbearing. It seems to be done like I’ve seen a lot of romance series, a different book for each couple, and it was nice to see the couples who had their HEAs in previous books as characters here. This is definitely a good read for paranormal romance fans. There’s a healthy dose of magic, and some characters from myth make an appearance. I particularly liked that this seemed to combine the fae, a witchy angle, and demons. Lots going on here, and there’s something to satisfy every paranormal leaning. Speaking of satisfaction, those wanting some hot make out (and more) scenes will find that here, too. Synn is an interesting character. I got a sense for all the trauma she’d gone through in her life but wasn’t hit up-side the head with it, which was nice. While her backstory made sense, her character arc felt a little unfinished to me. She starts the book closed off and ends the book more open. At least, I gather that’s what was supposed to happen, but I didn’t really feel like she’d changed all that much from beginning to end. Her transformations felt more told than shown to me. Opposite Synn, we have Gavin, a sexy Scotsman alpha male, who is protective of Synn but not so overly protective that Synn spends a large chunk of the book telling him she can walk on her own. This made for a nice balance between the characters. There’s a lot of history between Gavin, Synn, and Gavin’s family. It was all interesting stuff, but I didn’t feel like some of it was explored as much as it could have been. Maybe I would have had to read previous books to get a true handle on everything, but Gavin felt kind of one-dimensional in terms of the romance. He’d already made up his mind that Synn was the one, which just left Synn to go back-and-forth about whether Gavin was something she wanted in her life. As a result, their romance felt a bit underdeveloped. The paranormal side of things was also interesting. The big bad demon that Synn used to work for wants revenge on her, and there are some neat dream sequences regarding that. Like the romance, though, it felt like there could have been more. There’s no real deadline for the paranormal conflict to come to a head, which gave the plotline a “waiting for something to happen” feel. When the big conflict did come about, it felt too quick. I had to reread that part to make sure I hadn’t missed something. There were a lot of fun scenes in this book that I enjoyed. There are some girls’ nights out, where Synn does some nice character development. We really got to know the female side of the clan here. Gavin and Synn also do some touristy things in Scotland, which was cute. Oh, and I couldn’t possibly end this review without mentioning the impossibly adorable puppy, Storm. Storm was an excellent animal buddy for Synn and really did enhance the story. All in all, this is a fun read with some serious content. As I said, it’s perfect for paranormal romance lovers, especially those wanting an exotic location, some tight girl-bonding scenes, and a solid dose of heat. Overall, I enjoyed the story.