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Brookmoors Magi #1
Sylvie Asleton and the Shrike's Curse
When a girl suffers from a magical affliction of misfortune and misery she must confront the impossible being made real and chase after the secrets of her past.
Orphaned by flames and haunted by malevolent shadows, Sylvie Asleton doesn't have it easy living in New York.
At least she kept out of the mental asylum by claiming magic isn't real.
When Sylvie's life is on the brink of disaster, a mysterious letter arrives in her apartment, inviting her to Brookmoors Academy of Sorcery and Invocation, offering to teach her magic.
But her chance to beat the esoteric trials and tests is slim, especially when few in the country ever pass. And those that fail lose their memories.
The odds are further stacked against Sylvie when something sinister and monstrous hunts her, a ghost out of the past that stops at nothing to prevent her from going to Brookmoors.
Learning magic is Sylvie's only hope to survive, but can she fight off the curse that locks her powers away and discover her heart's calling?
Scroll up and take your first steps in the hidden magical world of Brookmoors Magi.
Warning: This dark urban fantasy contains profanity and themes of mental illness.
Orphaned by flames and haunted by malevolent shadows, Sylvie Asleton doesn't have it easy living in New York.
At least she kept out of the mental asylum by claiming magic isn't real.
When Sylvie's life is on the brink of disaster, a mysterious letter arrives in her apartment, inviting her to Brookmoors Academy of Sorcery and Invocation, offering to teach her magic.
But her chance to beat the esoteric trials and tests is slim, especially when few in the country ever pass. And those that fail lose their memories.
The odds are further stacked against Sylvie when something sinister and monstrous hunts her, a ghost out of the past that stops at nothing to prevent her from going to Brookmoors.
Learning magic is Sylvie's only hope to survive, but can she fight off the curse that locks her powers away and discover her heart's calling?
Scroll up and take your first steps in the hidden magical world of Brookmoors Magi.
Warning: This dark urban fantasy contains profanity and themes of mental illness.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2018
9 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
James T. Callum
21 books220 followersMy name is James T. Callum and I’m not going to talk to you in the third person or make it seem like I’ve got some publisher or editor who has a bio on me.
I'm always available to talk, connect with readers, fellow authors, and lovable book nerds:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JamesTCallum
Website: https://www.jamestcallum.com
Twitter: @JamesTCallum
This is just me, talking to you, the reader. I’m no different than you, I love reading and gaming just the same as everybody else.
In fact, I’ve loved reading for as long as I could remember. From the very first fantasy book I read, The Wizard of Earthsea, I was hooked.
For just as long I’ve also been an avid gamer and DND player (as well as other tabletop RPGs). Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Illusion of Gaia, and on through the years as stories and graphics became better and better.
You’ll be able to find hints of inspiration from all sorts of RPGs and video games in my works. From the Final Fantasy series to Warcraft, Age of Empires to Anno, and games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Because who doesn’t love a little cosmic horror thrown in for fun?
These games (and countless others) have inspired me ever since I was a kid, and they continue to serve as my muse now that I’m much older.
Writing has always been my greatest aspiration and with your help, I hope to make it a full-time job. At the time of this writing, I still work a day job like most people. It is only thanks to Patreon that I was able to dedicate some of my spare time to writing.
So, if you’d like to provide direct support and help me achieve my goal of writing full-time (so I can write even more stories for you awesome people!) you can hop on over to my Patreon page where you’ll find tons of content.
Patrons get access to advanced chapters of upcoming books, special discord roles and discussion channels, early releases of books before anyone else, maps, cover reveals, voting, and a lot more.
And if you spot a typo or error, shoot me an email at: typos@jamestcallum.com, and I will get it fixed and re-uploaded ASAP. I aim to provide the best possible reading experience and as soon as I find an error I fix it. Once it’s fixed and updated, your reading device should update automatically with the improved version.
I'm always available to talk, connect with readers, fellow authors, and lovable book nerds:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JamesTCallum
Website: https://www.jamestcallum.com
Twitter: @JamesTCallum
This is just me, talking to you, the reader. I’m no different than you, I love reading and gaming just the same as everybody else.
In fact, I’ve loved reading for as long as I could remember. From the very first fantasy book I read, The Wizard of Earthsea, I was hooked.
For just as long I’ve also been an avid gamer and DND player (as well as other tabletop RPGs). Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Illusion of Gaia, and on through the years as stories and graphics became better and better.
You’ll be able to find hints of inspiration from all sorts of RPGs and video games in my works. From the Final Fantasy series to Warcraft, Age of Empires to Anno, and games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Because who doesn’t love a little cosmic horror thrown in for fun?
These games (and countless others) have inspired me ever since I was a kid, and they continue to serve as my muse now that I’m much older.
Writing has always been my greatest aspiration and with your help, I hope to make it a full-time job. At the time of this writing, I still work a day job like most people. It is only thanks to Patreon that I was able to dedicate some of my spare time to writing.
So, if you’d like to provide direct support and help me achieve my goal of writing full-time (so I can write even more stories for you awesome people!) you can hop on over to my Patreon page where you’ll find tons of content.
Patrons get access to advanced chapters of upcoming books, special discord roles and discussion channels, early releases of books before anyone else, maps, cover reveals, voting, and a lot more.
And if you spot a typo or error, shoot me an email at: typos@jamestcallum.com, and I will get it fixed and re-uploaded ASAP. I aim to provide the best possible reading experience and as soon as I find an error I fix it. Once it’s fixed and updated, your reading device should update automatically with the improved version.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 2, 2019
When I first read the synopsis, it piqued at my interest. But when I first read the book, it was different from all the other fantasy books I've read. At first, I did not understand why there was not much dialogue, and I was frustrated. What was worse was that some of the stuff were repetitive, how the narrator mentions that she was thrown at a mental hospital or how she was surprised to have a friend. It took me a couple of chapters to find that there were some dialogue.
I did not know why there was a lot of narration and description until I reached the end. Key word from the title: The Shrike's Curse. From the beginning, Sylvie was hit with the curse, thanks to her godfather. Because of the curse, it made Sylvie feel negative emotions which was also the reason why there was not much dialogue from the first couple of chapters.
Though, some of the things I love about this book was that there was some character development, a few plot twists, descriptions, and distinction for each and every character. Though, it would be nice if the author would get to the point of where he needs to go and have a little more action, instead of describing one thing and the other for each page, but I understand that having less of the dialogue was serving as a purpose for the plot of the book. And I can see that the book has some potential to it.
I would like to shed some light here; there will be a balance of both dialogue, narration, and descriptions in the next book of the series, if you give it a chance. I'm going to keep reading the series to see where it'll lead, because there are so many unanswered question that are piquing at my interest. You can always feel free to check out the second book since it recaps what happened from the last book. But if you want to read the first book to get an idea, go ahead. I read the first book for the same reason as well.
Hope you guys find the review interesting and well worth reading.
I did not know why there was a lot of narration and description until I reached the end. Key word from the title: The Shrike's Curse. From the beginning, Sylvie was hit with the curse, thanks to her godfather. Because of the curse, it made Sylvie feel negative emotions which was also the reason why there was not much dialogue from the first couple of chapters.
Though, some of the things I love about this book was that there was some character development, a few plot twists, descriptions, and distinction for each and every character. Though, it would be nice if the author would get to the point of where he needs to go and have a little more action, instead of describing one thing and the other for each page, but I understand that having less of the dialogue was serving as a purpose for the plot of the book. And I can see that the book has some potential to it.
I would like to shed some light here; there will be a balance of both dialogue, narration, and descriptions in the next book of the series, if you give it a chance. I'm going to keep reading the series to see where it'll lead, because there are so many unanswered question that are piquing at my interest. You can always feel free to check out the second book since it recaps what happened from the last book. But if you want to read the first book to get an idea, go ahead. I read the first book for the same reason as well.
Hope you guys find the review interesting and well worth reading.
October 17, 2018
There are books that remind you just how much you love reading, that draw you in so strongly you lose your sense of time, and just plain stick with you.
Sylvie Asleton and the Shrike's Curse is definitely one of them.
This urban fantasy really surprised me with its compelling, struggling main character. It's hard not to want things to turn out better for her, as I relate to how harsh life can be sometimes.
I seriously look forward to reading more in this series. Binge worthy.
Sylvie Asleton and the Shrike's Curse is definitely one of them.
This urban fantasy really surprised me with its compelling, struggling main character. It's hard not to want things to turn out better for her, as I relate to how harsh life can be sometimes.
I seriously look forward to reading more in this series. Binge worthy.
October 22, 2018
At 160 pages, and taking place over about two days, this was not a long book. I think there is potential - the Cinder seeing thing seems interesting, and the key and family stuff as well. However, I couldn't really connect to Sylvie. She seemed very in her own head and a little irritating, honestly. I liked Pyx, though. Overall, while my curiosity is piqued, I am not sure if I will read the next book. If you have Kindle Unlimited, like I do, I'd say feel free to give it a try. I wouldn't buy it, though. 3 stars.
October 4, 2018
Her life has been plagued by shadows and as been unable to find work. She had been sent to so many different roster homes. She got a job finally but when an errant act of kindness meant she lost her job. Now she is almost homeless. She gets an offer and she takes it. Where is she going? What will happen there? See how it will all go
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 4, 2018
The First Trial: An Urban Dark Fantasy (Brookmoors Academy Book 1) by James T. Callum is a wonderful story to read. It is the fisrt book in the series by a new author I never ever read before. It has magic in the story and that is one the things I love to read about. I highly recommend this story and author, if you buy this story you will not be disappointed at all.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 29, 2025
This book starts from the very beginning with so much action it leaves your head spinning. It took a couple of chapters to wrap my head around what was going on. The world building is magical there is so much detail it walks a fine line of being overwhelming. You see everything in high definition. I'm curious about the secondary characters. I will defiantly be giving book 2 a chance.
April 22, 2019
This is a fab and magical academy read that will have you on the edge of your seat! Well written with a fab storyline this is filled with action, magic, suspense and great characters, can’t wait to read the next book!
July 30, 2019
If you like Harry Potter and would like a more grown up story filled with magic then look no further.
This book follows Sylvie as she is brought into the magical world as an adult when she receives her summons to a magic school.
She has been on her own since her parents and brother died when she was a kid and has been struggling with anxiety while trying to keep herself afloat in a busy (very nonmagical) world.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to continue on with the series. This one seems like a short introduction to this world as it takes place over about 2-3 days but it managed to hook me completely.
The writing is hilarious and I laughed out loud quite a few times.
This quote was pretty much the reason for why I picked this book up in the first place.
The way the book hints at Harry Potter just gave me warm fuzzies, and I just highly enjoyed my time with Sylvie.
This book follows Sylvie as she is brought into the magical world as an adult when she receives her summons to a magic school.
She has been on her own since her parents and brother died when she was a kid and has been struggling with anxiety while trying to keep herself afloat in a busy (very nonmagical) world.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to continue on with the series. This one seems like a short introduction to this world as it takes place over about 2-3 days but it managed to hook me completely.
The writing is hilarious and I laughed out loud quite a few times.
“Teach magic. To children.” He unlaced his hands and pressed them to the desk. He rose and paced behind it. “Are you fucking insane?”
This quote was pretty much the reason for why I picked this book up in the first place.
The way the book hints at Harry Potter just gave me warm fuzzies, and I just highly enjoyed my time with Sylvie.
December 1, 2019
This book was good and I love the storyline. I noticed quite a few errors like spelling, punctuation, etc., and I’m unsure of who is held responsible (author? Editor? Publisher?). Also, I’m pretty sure I caught them only because I teach English and that’s what I’m constantly looking for (lol). A few times while reading, I would get confused on what was going on because it’s told from Sylvie’s limited perspective (3rd person limited). The storyline and plot are great, but I often felt confused and flustered because it dwelt on Sylvie’s confusion. The descriptions of intense moments were all over the place and I never felt I knew exactly what was going on. Maybe that’s what Callum was going for though! Often moments of high intensity and stress are chaotic and hectic, and only after, with reflection, is there some semblance of clarity. Who knows? I will be continuing the series because I love the plot and I’m excited to see where it goes.
July 9, 2019
This hits somewhere between Harry Potter and The Magicians. Magic school, but for adults, and the characters are still likeable. Looking forward to the next one!
Edit: I should add that it contained what I believe was a Wheel of Time reference, which I really appreciated.
Edit: I should add that it contained what I believe was a Wheel of Time reference, which I really appreciated.
May 2, 2019
I loved the story and Pyx,Sylvie and Dean Magnus. It was a very intriguing story and I am definitely going to be reading the next book of the series.
July 9, 2019
Too much telling, too much exposition, and too short for me.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews