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Coven Chronicles #1
Spellbound & Hellhounds
Witches and wizards and spells, oh my!
Enter the world of Raen, turn left at the land of dragons, and you’ll find yourself in the country of Aeristria. A place overflowing with magic and creatures that were once only heard of in fairy-tales. In the heart of Aeristria is the capital city, Tolvade. Here you will find shops and taverns, laughter and fun, runesmiths looking for their next job and sneaky pickpocketing imps. Steer clear of the galloping gang of centaurs and you will see the headquarters of the prestigious Coven.
Within the Coven’s lower ranks, you’ll find Vanessa, a third year Hunter itching to become a Spellweaver. Her and her trusted demon partner, Botobolbilian, must investigate an explosion at the academy and bring the culprit responsible in. Easy job, right?
Wrong.
Vanessa and her partner find that this investigation runs deep in black magic and sprinkled with feral demon summonings. With countless lives on the line, Vanessa struggles with self-doubt and following her heart (and laws) as she tries to right the wrongs of these heinous criminals and bring them to justice before they do anymore harm. But, with an oncoming yearly blizzard just days away, is it too late?
Even with all the magic, spells, and power on Raen, this job might be the last that this duo ever faces…
Enter the world of Raen, turn left at the land of dragons, and you’ll find yourself in the country of Aeristria. A place overflowing with magic and creatures that were once only heard of in fairy-tales. In the heart of Aeristria is the capital city, Tolvade. Here you will find shops and taverns, laughter and fun, runesmiths looking for their next job and sneaky pickpocketing imps. Steer clear of the galloping gang of centaurs and you will see the headquarters of the prestigious Coven.
Within the Coven’s lower ranks, you’ll find Vanessa, a third year Hunter itching to become a Spellweaver. Her and her trusted demon partner, Botobolbilian, must investigate an explosion at the academy and bring the culprit responsible in. Easy job, right?
Wrong.
Vanessa and her partner find that this investigation runs deep in black magic and sprinkled with feral demon summonings. With countless lives on the line, Vanessa struggles with self-doubt and following her heart (and laws) as she tries to right the wrongs of these heinous criminals and bring them to justice before they do anymore harm. But, with an oncoming yearly blizzard just days away, is it too late?
Even with all the magic, spells, and power on Raen, this job might be the last that this duo ever faces…
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2019
41 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Nia Rose
8 books63 followersReading and writing are everything to me. But I also have an unhealthy obsession with coffee, anime, video games, and I enjoy lounging in bed for far longer than I should.
I am a proud mother of four beautiful children that light up my life and home with their laughter and tomfoolery. I have one fuzzy prince, Thor, the king of the hyper puppies, and one handsome (if I do say so myself) husband.
Oftentimes, I find myself battling my demons on paper and discovering pieces of myself through the adventures that I write. It is both my therapy and my joy. I couldn't imagine a day without reading or writing, and I hope that I pen a world for you to get lost in.
I am a proud mother of four beautiful children that light up my life and home with their laughter and tomfoolery. I have one fuzzy prince, Thor, the king of the hyper puppies, and one handsome (if I do say so myself) husband.
Oftentimes, I find myself battling my demons on paper and discovering pieces of myself through the adventures that I write. It is both my therapy and my joy. I couldn't imagine a day without reading or writing, and I hope that I pen a world for you to get lost in.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 20, 2020
5 spellbinding stars
for a unique and thoroughly entertaining read that put a huge smile on my face and made me dive straight into the sequel.
'Are you ready?' Leon asked...
Vanessa looked at him witn a smile that split her face in two. 'I was born ready,' she said.
Bobo cleared his throat into his massive paw and leaned over to the Spellweaver as he spoke in a hushed tone, 'You should stay close to that one. If that girl was born ready, I was born an incubus.'
Meet Leon, Vanessa and Bobo (or Botobolbilian to be exact). A Spellweaver, a third year Hunter itching to become a Spellweaver and her pet, a high class demon of the Underworld. These three will sweep you in a magic adventure full of sass, fun and dangerous dark magic. One that wouldn't be complete without Lyx, a sexy succubus that belongs to Leon.
Vanessa is an orphan who had somehow been accepted in the lowest ranks of the prestigious Coven of Aeristria. A place overflowing with magic and creatures that were once only heard of in fairy-tales.
She wanted to fly under the radar and become a highly respected Spellweaver, yet she constantly got into trouble and was regularly issued clean up jobs by the Council as punishment. And trust me when I say, this little witch is tough to like in the beginning of the tale. She's 'rude and with a lot of sass, horrible table manners and one nasty temper,' as her own familiar, or pet - Bobo, would openly state. And yet, as the pages flew by, she kind of slowly grew on me and by the end I realized she's not that bad at all.
Now Bobo on the other hand... 'That's a demon you wanna take home to momma.' And a certain succubus is trying her damnedest to do just that. Botobolbilian was supposed to be a ruthless killing machine that excelled at his job better than all other classes of demons. His huge size, combined with a little snarl, would be enough to make anyone flee in horror. And when he wields his battle axe, not even hellhounds have a chance to best him. And yet, you'll find Bobo spending every single free minute with his nose in a book. The perfect gentleman, devoted protector and loyal to a fault. Bobo is hands down one of the best familiars ever written! And I absolutely adore him!!
The dynamic between the incorrigible duo of witch master and demon pet is downright fabulous. Full of sass and witty comebacks, it will make your lips curl in a smile more often than you can count. But back to the plot, because I digress. :D
When the duo is sent to investigate an explosion at the academy and bring the culprit responsible in, Vanessa and Bobo suddenly find themselves neck deep in black magic sprinkled with feral demon summonings. And the rotten cherry on the trouble cake is that the Council decides to punish them even more, by partnering them to Leon and his succubus pet Lyx, who are supposed to keep them out of trouble. More out of snooping that is because the Council seems to sweep the whole incident under the carpet. Since Vanessa is know for her stubborn streak which will obviously drive her to find out what the hushed secret is, Leon is set as her warden to make sure the little witch keeps her nose out of the Council business. Of course that's just NOT going to happen, because Vanessa always does what Vanessa wants to do. And this is how their adventure begins.
One that will set countless lives on the line and will drive even brave Bobo to his knees. Danger, corruption, dark magic and hellish creatures, these are but a part of what the duo will have to face. And all the while Vanessa will not only need to brave harsh judgement and mocking laughter, but also struggle with self-doubt and even crippling depression.
Fast paced and entertaining, Spellbound & Hellhounds is one of those reads that you simply cannot set down. It is not perfect and could do with a few editing tweaks, but that diminishes in no way the enchantment of the tale. I read it all in one sitting and already grabbed the sequel because I want more.
Great characters, flawed and absolutely relatable with; from the main protagonists down to the secondary cast; they are all bound to grab the reader's attention and make anyone smile. Combine that with a fascinating setting and a great mix of all sorts of supernatural creatures of varying degrees of good or evil as well as superb magical constructs... Add in a full measure of sass and witty humor and a pinch of laugh out loud moments and there you go! The perfect recipe for a fascinating read.
And if a badass demon trying his best to escape the amorous advances of an infatuated incubus won't make you crack up at times... double dip a candlestick - the imps needing a clipboard to the face will definitely do the trick.
If you're in a mood for a fun magical read within the pages of which you can easily get lost, Spellbound & Hellhounds would be the perfect choice.
It is downright spellbinding! :)
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
for a unique and thoroughly entertaining read that put a huge smile on my face and made me dive straight into the sequel.
'Are you ready?' Leon asked...
Vanessa looked at him witn a smile that split her face in two. 'I was born ready,' she said.
Bobo cleared his throat into his massive paw and leaned over to the Spellweaver as he spoke in a hushed tone, 'You should stay close to that one. If that girl was born ready, I was born an incubus.'
Meet Leon, Vanessa and Bobo (or Botobolbilian to be exact). A Spellweaver, a third year Hunter itching to become a Spellweaver and her pet, a high class demon of the Underworld. These three will sweep you in a magic adventure full of sass, fun and dangerous dark magic. One that wouldn't be complete without Lyx, a sexy succubus that belongs to Leon.
Vanessa is an orphan who had somehow been accepted in the lowest ranks of the prestigious Coven of Aeristria. A place overflowing with magic and creatures that were once only heard of in fairy-tales.
She wanted to fly under the radar and become a highly respected Spellweaver, yet she constantly got into trouble and was regularly issued clean up jobs by the Council as punishment. And trust me when I say, this little witch is tough to like in the beginning of the tale. She's 'rude and with a lot of sass, horrible table manners and one nasty temper,' as her own familiar, or pet - Bobo, would openly state. And yet, as the pages flew by, she kind of slowly grew on me and by the end I realized she's not that bad at all.
Now Bobo on the other hand... 'That's a demon you wanna take home to momma.' And a certain succubus is trying her damnedest to do just that. Botobolbilian was supposed to be a ruthless killing machine that excelled at his job better than all other classes of demons. His huge size, combined with a little snarl, would be enough to make anyone flee in horror. And when he wields his battle axe, not even hellhounds have a chance to best him. And yet, you'll find Bobo spending every single free minute with his nose in a book. The perfect gentleman, devoted protector and loyal to a fault. Bobo is hands down one of the best familiars ever written! And I absolutely adore him!!
The dynamic between the incorrigible duo of witch master and demon pet is downright fabulous. Full of sass and witty comebacks, it will make your lips curl in a smile more often than you can count. But back to the plot, because I digress. :D
When the duo is sent to investigate an explosion at the academy and bring the culprit responsible in, Vanessa and Bobo suddenly find themselves neck deep in black magic sprinkled with feral demon summonings. And the rotten cherry on the trouble cake is that the Council decides to punish them even more, by partnering them to Leon and his succubus pet Lyx, who are supposed to keep them out of trouble. More out of snooping that is because the Council seems to sweep the whole incident under the carpet. Since Vanessa is know for her stubborn streak which will obviously drive her to find out what the hushed secret is, Leon is set as her warden to make sure the little witch keeps her nose out of the Council business. Of course that's just NOT going to happen, because Vanessa always does what Vanessa wants to do. And this is how their adventure begins.
One that will set countless lives on the line and will drive even brave Bobo to his knees. Danger, corruption, dark magic and hellish creatures, these are but a part of what the duo will have to face. And all the while Vanessa will not only need to brave harsh judgement and mocking laughter, but also struggle with self-doubt and even crippling depression.
Fast paced and entertaining, Spellbound & Hellhounds is one of those reads that you simply cannot set down. It is not perfect and could do with a few editing tweaks, but that diminishes in no way the enchantment of the tale. I read it all in one sitting and already grabbed the sequel because I want more.
Great characters, flawed and absolutely relatable with; from the main protagonists down to the secondary cast; they are all bound to grab the reader's attention and make anyone smile. Combine that with a fascinating setting and a great mix of all sorts of supernatural creatures of varying degrees of good or evil as well as superb magical constructs... Add in a full measure of sass and witty humor and a pinch of laugh out loud moments and there you go! The perfect recipe for a fascinating read.
And if a badass demon trying his best to escape the amorous advances of an infatuated incubus won't make you crack up at times... double dip a candlestick - the imps needing a clipboard to the face will definitely do the trick.
If you're in a mood for a fun magical read within the pages of which you can easily get lost, Spellbound & Hellhounds would be the perfect choice.
It is downright spellbinding! :)
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
June 9, 2019
I happily fell into the magically supernatural world of Raen, and appreciated the unique setting author, Nia Rose, created in the first book of Spellbound & Hellhounds (Coven Chronicles). Vanessa and Leon are totally relatable and likable; and I LOVED their "Pets," Bobo and Lyx. Having finished this novel earlier today, I must confess Bobo still has a piece of my heart. Love Bobo's style, wit, banter, loyalty, and protection of Vanessa...he's the most memorable, one-of-a-kind ogre ever! Vanessa is also a witty, yet fiercely independent heroine, hell-bent on protecting the town from black magic, while gaining credibility with the Coven, and the Celestial One (Love!). I thought the mystical elements in this book were organically interwoven throughout the storyline and enhanced the detailed, magical atmosphere Nia Rose created. During this read, I found myself "stealing time" to see what Vanessa and Bobo were up to next--they didn't disappoint! I'm already anticipating the next installment, and looking forward to watching Vanessa and Leon continue to evolve. If you like wizards, imps, elves, unicorn milk, magic, spells, spell weavers, and hellhounds, this book is the kick-off to a mystical world that keeps the reader wondering who or what is around the next corner. Happy Reading!
May 31, 2021
First in the Coven Chronicles paranormal fantasy series for young adult readers and revolving around Vanessa and Bobo and Leon and Lyx.
My Take
Spellbound and Hellhounds is a blend of action and character with a reasonable pace, creating an interesting world with Rose using third person protagonist point-of-view from Vanessa's perspective, as everything we know and experience is through her eyes. It's too bad that the poor editing and proofreading were so distracting.
Vanessa makes me nuts. She's such a snot in how she treats people. She's also one of those characters who thinks she knows everything, and yet she betrays herself too consistently. Bobo, now Bobo I love. He's so snarky in such a polite way, lol, and so very loyal.
I have to wonder why Vanessa and Bobo were sent out on this assignment, if it was all a cover-up. Vanessa is known to be trouble, so why would they take this kind of chance? It is interesting that Vanessa wants to not be noticed, and yet she's always pushing the envelope. She does mean well, but she does not think.
There is so much that goes unexplained. Celestial? Some of those spells (or raw materials?) Vanessa uses. The Coven appears to be both rewarding and yet mean — Vanessa certainly seems to live well for her status in the Coven. Raen has its own mythical creation story involving elves who also taught their creations how to control and use magic. So we get at least a bit of background, even though I still don't know if Raen is the planet, a continent, or ???
I did not care for the term "pet". I never got the impression that either Bobo or Lyx were "pets" as I would define a pet. Slaves maybe. I did appreciate Lyx's comment about the demons below not being aware of what they were missing. At least they're getting something out of this "partnership".
It did take me awhile to realize that Lyx really does like Bobo. It didn't take nearly as long to realize that Leon likes Vanessa, and that Vanessa is totally clueless about who likes who. As for Dr Snow's imps, they are a crack-up.
The prose was a nightmare. I don't normally list all the errors I find unless they are so egregious. The word confusions alone were enough to drive me mad: reigns, rot-iron fencing, the proper use of the subjunctive mood, isles, birth, or when it should have been nor, peddled, quitted, less, ran should have been run, snuggly (really?), wizzes (uh-huh), you'd want to talk about should read you'd want to talk to, sight, pallet, ridged, your.
Learn the difference between the possessive and the plural! While you're at it, learn about parallel construction and formatting dialogue. "The Mystery of the Comma and the Vocative Case" is pretty straightforward, and I do wish more writers paid attention. Please pay attention when using a present participial phrase that modifies the subject before it: "She started to stand still looking at her hands". In a more general sense, one should also pay attention to subject-verb agreement.
"The home" is something you say about an orphanage, a realtor says about a house up for sale. It's not something you say about your own home. "Her home", "home", "the house" would be more appropriate. I really don't think Rose meant to use "revered as the usual demon". It is typical of the many sentences that I had to read and re-read to figure out what Rose is talking about.
Nor does the "reason" for the betrayal make any sense. Oh, it is typical of idiots who feel as if they're less, but their ignorant argument for getting rid of the "trash" makes even less sense than the usual reasons for wanting to rid the world of others who don't "measure up".
Yep, it does end with a cliffhanger, and while I'd love to know what happens next, I can't take how badly proofread/edited Spellbound and Hellhounds is, as I expect the same threat from Secrets of the Sanctuary . Although, it is written by a different author.
The Story
It was a routine assignment to check on an explosion at a respected magic academy.
It was not routine, for traitors abound . . .
The Characters
The orphaned Vanessa Peterson is a troublesome third year Hunter itching to become a Spellweaver. Botobolbilian "Bobo" is the demon partner/ogre she summoned who hates the nickname Vanessa has bestowed on him. Bobo is also the product of a mis-aimed spell that renders him very intelligent and well mannered.
The rule-following Leon Zvěrokruh is a well-known Coven member and a Spellweaver. Lyx, a succubus enamored of Bobo, is Leon's summoned partner. Lyx calls Bobo "BooBoo".
Tolvade is . . .
. . . the capital city of Aeristria. On the planet Raen?? The Coven is the police force and government of the whole planet?? The High Priest Council, a.k.a. blue cloaks, are the directors of the Coven: six males, six females, and a Celestial. More specifically, Rose mentions Ronan, Mia, Dmitri, Isolde, and Torro McTaggart as blue cloaks. Dr Savanna Snow is the Coven's infirmary doctor with her seven red imps: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Prudence, and Temperance. Summoners are a step above Spellweavers. The Second Chosen are potential blue cloaks. Ell is a low-powered witch who appears to be reception and file clerk. Riker is notorious for separating out his personal feelings from his professional ones and adhering strictly to Coven laws.
Runerite is the largest academy of wizardry and the arcane, teaching magic and basic apothecary training. Tinker Bell's Spirit seems to be a simple spell or the dust used to create a spell. A Rip Van Winkle curse is neutral magic. With good intentions, neutral magic is gray with an aura of white; with bad intentions it becomes black magic.
Mundane Magic is a transportation service. Some of the shops include the Grim Bean, a favorite coffee shop; Apothecary Herbs and Beyond; Tarot & Fortune Telling Works; Crystal Ball Emporium; Old man Wit'ticker runs Spellvana, a magic dust shop; Merlin's is a pricy restaurant; and, The Dragon's Tale is Bobo's favorite book shop. Darion Black was the famous epic poet who wrote about the elven wars. Mrs Garrett is one of Vanessa's neighbors. John (the new guy) and Raymond are the men working the flat (elevator) in Vanessa's building.
Clipped by Magic is the best beauty shop in town, and it's run by pixies — who can read your mind, knowing exactly what style you want. Cressi agrees to spin in a chair. Nym is one of the shop's owners. Bidelia also works there and is a snitch. Tasgall, the daughter of a blue cloak, runs Tasgall's Tavern which offers drinks half off to Coven members. Good thing as she and her staff (Me'Glach and O'Glach) will be sure to slip you extra drinks to encourage tongue flapping. Tasgall appears to be friends with Vanessa. Hurro is a centaur. Felic'ma is a troll.
The demons
Leslie Templeton is an imp and a butter-fingered pickpocket who knows a lot. Gremlins speak Gremlic, which almost no one understands...except imps. Minotaurs, sphinxes, gorgons, and nagas are scroll-summoned guardians who are given a task. Hellhounds are the worst, traveling in packs, and using hellfire.
The Cover and Title
The cover is heated with the red-orange flames on the left gradating into blackness on the right. It's a large gold coin with a phoenix on it, its wings spread. Above the coin is the yellow and orange flaming title in a slightly gothic font. At the top of the coin is the series information in a black-shadowed yellow. Below the coin is the author's name in a black to gray gradient.
The title is about one of the last actions and the more immediate enemy in Spellbound and Hellhounds.
My Take
Spellbound and Hellhounds is a blend of action and character with a reasonable pace, creating an interesting world with Rose using third person protagonist point-of-view from Vanessa's perspective, as everything we know and experience is through her eyes. It's too bad that the poor editing and proofreading were so distracting.
Vanessa makes me nuts. She's such a snot in how she treats people. She's also one of those characters who thinks she knows everything, and yet she betrays herself too consistently. Bobo, now Bobo I love. He's so snarky in such a polite way, lol, and so very loyal.
I have to wonder why Vanessa and Bobo were sent out on this assignment, if it was all a cover-up. Vanessa is known to be trouble, so why would they take this kind of chance? It is interesting that Vanessa wants to not be noticed, and yet she's always pushing the envelope. She does mean well, but she does not think.
There is so much that goes unexplained. Celestial? Some of those spells (or raw materials?) Vanessa uses. The Coven appears to be both rewarding and yet mean — Vanessa certainly seems to live well for her status in the Coven. Raen has its own mythical creation story involving elves who also taught their creations how to control and use magic. So we get at least a bit of background, even though I still don't know if Raen is the planet, a continent, or ???
I did not care for the term "pet". I never got the impression that either Bobo or Lyx were "pets" as I would define a pet. Slaves maybe. I did appreciate Lyx's comment about the demons below not being aware of what they were missing. At least they're getting something out of this "partnership".
It did take me awhile to realize that Lyx really does like Bobo. It didn't take nearly as long to realize that Leon likes Vanessa, and that Vanessa is totally clueless about who likes who. As for Dr Snow's imps, they are a crack-up.
The prose was a nightmare. I don't normally list all the errors I find unless they are so egregious. The word confusions alone were enough to drive me mad: reigns, rot-iron fencing, the proper use of the subjunctive mood, isles, birth, or when it should have been nor, peddled, quitted, less, ran should have been run, snuggly (really?), wizzes (uh-huh), you'd want to talk about should read you'd want to talk to, sight, pallet, ridged, your.
Learn the difference between the possessive and the plural! While you're at it, learn about parallel construction and formatting dialogue. "The Mystery of the Comma and the Vocative Case" is pretty straightforward, and I do wish more writers paid attention. Please pay attention when using a present participial phrase that modifies the subject before it: "She started to stand still looking at her hands". In a more general sense, one should also pay attention to subject-verb agreement.
"The home" is something you say about an orphanage, a realtor says about a house up for sale. It's not something you say about your own home. "Her home", "home", "the house" would be more appropriate. I really don't think Rose meant to use "revered as the usual demon". It is typical of the many sentences that I had to read and re-read to figure out what Rose is talking about.
Nor does the "reason" for the betrayal make any sense. Oh, it is typical of idiots who feel as if they're less, but their ignorant argument for getting rid of the "trash" makes even less sense than the usual reasons for wanting to rid the world of others who don't "measure up".
Yep, it does end with a cliffhanger, and while I'd love to know what happens next, I can't take how badly proofread/edited Spellbound and Hellhounds is, as I expect the same threat from Secrets of the Sanctuary . Although, it is written by a different author.
The Story
It was a routine assignment to check on an explosion at a respected magic academy.
It was not routine, for traitors abound . . .
The Characters
The orphaned Vanessa Peterson is a troublesome third year Hunter itching to become a Spellweaver. Botobolbilian "Bobo" is the demon partner/ogre she summoned who hates the nickname Vanessa has bestowed on him. Bobo is also the product of a mis-aimed spell that renders him very intelligent and well mannered.
The rule-following Leon Zvěrokruh is a well-known Coven member and a Spellweaver. Lyx, a succubus enamored of Bobo, is Leon's summoned partner. Lyx calls Bobo "BooBoo".
Tolvade is . . .
. . . the capital city of Aeristria. On the planet Raen?? The Coven is the police force and government of the whole planet?? The High Priest Council, a.k.a. blue cloaks, are the directors of the Coven: six males, six females, and a Celestial. More specifically, Rose mentions Ronan, Mia, Dmitri, Isolde, and Torro McTaggart as blue cloaks. Dr Savanna Snow is the Coven's infirmary doctor with her seven red imps: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Prudence, and Temperance. Summoners are a step above Spellweavers. The Second Chosen are potential blue cloaks. Ell is a low-powered witch who appears to be reception and file clerk. Riker is notorious for separating out his personal feelings from his professional ones and adhering strictly to Coven laws.
Runerite is the largest academy of wizardry and the arcane, teaching magic and basic apothecary training. Tinker Bell's Spirit seems to be a simple spell or the dust used to create a spell. A Rip Van Winkle curse is neutral magic. With good intentions, neutral magic is gray with an aura of white; with bad intentions it becomes black magic.
Mundane Magic is a transportation service. Some of the shops include the Grim Bean, a favorite coffee shop; Apothecary Herbs and Beyond; Tarot & Fortune Telling Works; Crystal Ball Emporium; Old man Wit'ticker runs Spellvana, a magic dust shop; Merlin's is a pricy restaurant; and, The Dragon's Tale is Bobo's favorite book shop. Darion Black was the famous epic poet who wrote about the elven wars. Mrs Garrett is one of Vanessa's neighbors. John (the new guy) and Raymond are the men working the flat (elevator) in Vanessa's building.
Clipped by Magic is the best beauty shop in town, and it's run by pixies — who can read your mind, knowing exactly what style you want. Cressi agrees to spin in a chair. Nym is one of the shop's owners. Bidelia also works there and is a snitch. Tasgall, the daughter of a blue cloak, runs Tasgall's Tavern which offers drinks half off to Coven members. Good thing as she and her staff (Me'Glach and O'Glach) will be sure to slip you extra drinks to encourage tongue flapping. Tasgall appears to be friends with Vanessa. Hurro is a centaur. Felic'ma is a troll.
The demons
Leslie Templeton is an imp and a butter-fingered pickpocket who knows a lot. Gremlins speak Gremlic, which almost no one understands...except imps. Minotaurs, sphinxes, gorgons, and nagas are scroll-summoned guardians who are given a task. Hellhounds are the worst, traveling in packs, and using hellfire.
The Cover and Title
The cover is heated with the red-orange flames on the left gradating into blackness on the right. It's a large gold coin with a phoenix on it, its wings spread. Above the coin is the yellow and orange flaming title in a slightly gothic font. At the top of the coin is the series information in a black-shadowed yellow. Below the coin is the author's name in a black to gray gradient.
The title is about one of the last actions and the more immediate enemy in Spellbound and Hellhounds.
August 19, 2019
I admit, I have been on a huge reading slump recently and I'd love to say Spellbound and Hellhounds brought me out of it. In reality this is a solid three star read. It has all the ingredients for something more but isn't quite there, with many of the characters being too two dimensional and the narrative arc seeming to be left hanging.
I certainly appreciated certain characters like Bobo who is one of the best 'familiars' I have come across. Vanessa has the makings of an excellent character but seemed underdeveloped and Leon... is kinda just the ripped and powerful masculine lead. Perhaps this is advanced upon in the follow up books, but my other pet peeve is here in that the plot is left hanging with no explanation and then a cliff hanger. There's no real background or motivation for our bad guys, just that they exist and a few big boom action scenes deal with that.
That said, this is entertaining and well written. It is generally enjoyable if not the best urban fantasy I have read.
I certainly appreciated certain characters like Bobo who is one of the best 'familiars' I have come across. Vanessa has the makings of an excellent character but seemed underdeveloped and Leon... is kinda just the ripped and powerful masculine lead. Perhaps this is advanced upon in the follow up books, but my other pet peeve is here in that the plot is left hanging with no explanation and then a cliff hanger. There's no real background or motivation for our bad guys, just that they exist and a few big boom action scenes deal with that.
That said, this is entertaining and well written. It is generally enjoyable if not the best urban fantasy I have read.
February 2, 2020
I loved it!! 💜
This storyline was terrific and the characters were so much fun!! While reading/listening and was thinking how I hoped this was going to be a series and I’m so excited knowing there is more to come. My favorite saying? “double dip a candlestick”
A great YA book.
The narration was absolutely amazing. So many characters and Alex Goodman nailed each and everyone. Fantastic!
I highly recommend this book!
Sisters Spotlight 💜
This storyline was terrific and the characters were so much fun!! While reading/listening and was thinking how I hoped this was going to be a series and I’m so excited knowing there is more to come. My favorite saying? “double dip a candlestick”
A great YA book.
The narration was absolutely amazing. So many characters and Alex Goodman nailed each and everyone. Fantastic!
I highly recommend this book!
Sisters Spotlight 💜
April 20, 2020
Great read with a detailed magic system, a world I would love to live in.
May 12, 2019
Title: Spellbound and Hellhounds Coven Cronicles Book 1
Author: Nia Rose
Reviewer: Lorraine Leatham - Rainey Day Book Reviews
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Vanessa's dream has come true, she has joined the Coven and her job is now to track down those that abandoned the white ways and took on dark magic. Vanessa and her magical Ogre Bobo (full name Botobolbilian - I love this character). Add in Leon who is a Spellweaver and his pet succubus named Lyx. The beginning of the book seemed to move a bit slow but that is most likely to build character profiles. When the pace picked it really did so. I am very curious how the next installment goes.
Author: Nia Rose
Reviewer: Lorraine Leatham - Rainey Day Book Reviews
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Vanessa's dream has come true, she has joined the Coven and her job is now to track down those that abandoned the white ways and took on dark magic. Vanessa and her magical Ogre Bobo (full name Botobolbilian - I love this character). Add in Leon who is a Spellweaver and his pet succubus named Lyx. The beginning of the book seemed to move a bit slow but that is most likely to build character profiles. When the pace picked it really did so. I am very curious how the next installment goes.
April 8, 2020
Spellbound & Hellhounds by Nia Rose
Vanessa grew up in an orphanage where she had to fight for everything she had or wanted. So she has a chip on her shoulder and is hard to get to know, or like. She has been accepted into the Coven to refine her magical skills, she also lucked out big-time when she received her demon partner, Botobolbilian. Something strange happened when Botobolbilian went through the transference to become Vanessa’s demon partner. He is a huge ogre who speaks with sophistication, always has a book in hand to read, and wears a suit. Vanessa calls him Bobo, which drives him batty. He is a great character and Vanessa knows she is lucky to have him for protection.
Vanessa hopes this mission to investigate the explosion at the academy will be her ticket to move up in the rankings to be a Spellweaver. What she finds is far more than she bargained for and it ends up with her needing to be rescued from the Hellhounds. This is when we meet Leon who is her superior. Vanessa has a reputation of causing problems and when Leon and Vanessa are called to report to the Coven they decree that Leon stay with Vanessa at all times until they have investigated the Hellhound problem. However, Vanessa is like a dog with a bone and goes against the Covens orders to investigate.
The characters are all well-defined and diverse. There is a lot of action in the caves under the academy with some unique magic. Vanessa discovers that there is black magic involved. But finding who has turned to the dark side and why is a mystery. Vanessa has learned to stand by her convictions through her hard knock life. Now she needs to learn how to control her fears and stay focused to control her magic. She is a flawed character who is going through some growing pains but she turns out to be a great character to cheer for. You’ll want her to come out on top to get the respect she deserves. The climactic battle at the end is as emotional as it is physical with magic flying around in every direction. But it all comes around to a satisfying conclusion. “Spellbound & Hellhounds” is an enjoyable read.
FYI: “Spellbound & Hellhounds” is book 1 in Ms. Rose’s, Coven Chronicles series. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** March 30, 2020.
★★★ The Coven Chronicles is part of a dual trilogy. Also, all books end with cliffhangers! ★★★
Format/Typo Issues: A small number of proofing issues, such as missing, wrong, or extra words.
Vanessa grew up in an orphanage where she had to fight for everything she had or wanted. So she has a chip on her shoulder and is hard to get to know, or like. She has been accepted into the Coven to refine her magical skills, she also lucked out big-time when she received her demon partner, Botobolbilian. Something strange happened when Botobolbilian went through the transference to become Vanessa’s demon partner. He is a huge ogre who speaks with sophistication, always has a book in hand to read, and wears a suit. Vanessa calls him Bobo, which drives him batty. He is a great character and Vanessa knows she is lucky to have him for protection.
Vanessa hopes this mission to investigate the explosion at the academy will be her ticket to move up in the rankings to be a Spellweaver. What she finds is far more than she bargained for and it ends up with her needing to be rescued from the Hellhounds. This is when we meet Leon who is her superior. Vanessa has a reputation of causing problems and when Leon and Vanessa are called to report to the Coven they decree that Leon stay with Vanessa at all times until they have investigated the Hellhound problem. However, Vanessa is like a dog with a bone and goes against the Covens orders to investigate.
The characters are all well-defined and diverse. There is a lot of action in the caves under the academy with some unique magic. Vanessa discovers that there is black magic involved. But finding who has turned to the dark side and why is a mystery. Vanessa has learned to stand by her convictions through her hard knock life. Now she needs to learn how to control her fears and stay focused to control her magic. She is a flawed character who is going through some growing pains but she turns out to be a great character to cheer for. You’ll want her to come out on top to get the respect she deserves. The climactic battle at the end is as emotional as it is physical with magic flying around in every direction. But it all comes around to a satisfying conclusion. “Spellbound & Hellhounds” is an enjoyable read.
FYI: “Spellbound & Hellhounds” is book 1 in Ms. Rose’s, Coven Chronicles series. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** March 30, 2020.
★★★ The Coven Chronicles is part of a dual trilogy. Also, all books end with cliffhangers! ★★★
Format/Typo Issues: A small number of proofing issues, such as missing, wrong, or extra words.
January 11, 2020
SPELLBOUND & HELLHOUNDS is the first book in the Coven Chronicles series. This series does need to be read in the order of release.
Magic, fantasy, and a snarky “pet” ogre.
Everyone is going to love the living breathing oxymoron of an intelligent ogre with a heart of gold (though you’d be best not to mention to him that you noticed it). Botobolbilian, who Vanessa insists on calling “Bobo” is just one of a full cast of fantastic characters.
I liked that the story started a bit slowly, so that we could get to know everyone and then the action sped up quicker and quicker. I don’t even remember driving to and from work the last few days!
I loved spending time in the world of Raen, the country of Aeristria, the city of Tolvade with the Coven spellweavers, hunters, summoners, the coven leaders and the Celestial One. There were great magical elements, snarky elements, and bits of humor.
Something I never do is annoy the authors with questions of when the next book is coming. I’m patient. Honest. I am. Well, this time I’m not. I can’t wait! I’m being “that reader” and asking, “when???” That’s how much I enjoyed this fun and suspenseful new world of magic.
Narration: Alex Goodman is a phenomenal narrator. He has the art of pause and voice characterization down pat.
My only criticism is a few mispronunciations that pulled me away from the story. There were three that were used more than once or twice. Often should sound like soften without the s. Glowering should rhyme with showering. Soot should not sound like suit. I would not let these mispronunciations stop me from listening to him or this series again. I only hope he will work on these few words.
Oh – I almost forgot – my new favorite curse is, “double dip a candlestick!”
Note: While I received this book as a gifted audiobook copy, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: SPELLBOUND & HELLHOUNDS
Series: Coven Chronicles #1
Category /Genre: YA, Paranormal Fantasy
Recommended for: 12+ due to vocabulary, fantasy, witches
Listenability: OK for ears
Received from: Nia Rose (as an Audible gifted copy)
Magic, fantasy, and a snarky “pet” ogre.
Everyone is going to love the living breathing oxymoron of an intelligent ogre with a heart of gold (though you’d be best not to mention to him that you noticed it). Botobolbilian, who Vanessa insists on calling “Bobo” is just one of a full cast of fantastic characters.
I liked that the story started a bit slowly, so that we could get to know everyone and then the action sped up quicker and quicker. I don’t even remember driving to and from work the last few days!
I loved spending time in the world of Raen, the country of Aeristria, the city of Tolvade with the Coven spellweavers, hunters, summoners, the coven leaders and the Celestial One. There were great magical elements, snarky elements, and bits of humor.
Something I never do is annoy the authors with questions of when the next book is coming. I’m patient. Honest. I am. Well, this time I’m not. I can’t wait! I’m being “that reader” and asking, “when???” That’s how much I enjoyed this fun and suspenseful new world of magic.
Narration: Alex Goodman is a phenomenal narrator. He has the art of pause and voice characterization down pat.
My only criticism is a few mispronunciations that pulled me away from the story. There were three that were used more than once or twice. Often should sound like soften without the s. Glowering should rhyme with showering. Soot should not sound like suit. I would not let these mispronunciations stop me from listening to him or this series again. I only hope he will work on these few words.
Oh – I almost forgot – my new favorite curse is, “double dip a candlestick!”
Note: While I received this book as a gifted audiobook copy, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: SPELLBOUND & HELLHOUNDS
Series: Coven Chronicles #1
Category /Genre: YA, Paranormal Fantasy
Recommended for: 12+ due to vocabulary, fantasy, witches
Listenability: OK for ears
Received from: Nia Rose (as an Audible gifted copy)
February 11, 2020
I listened to this story rather than read, which was an awesome experience.
Nia Rose created a captivating world in the start of this series with Spellbound & Hellhounds, Coven Chronicles Book 1. This fantasy world is alive with supernatural creatures of varying degrees of good or evil powers and structures constructed of magic described to create detailed images in my mind. A balance of exploits and achievements, to witty humor captured my imagination in a one sitting listen. Yep it kept me engaged.
Vanessa, new member of the Coven grows up in this complex world of Raen, in the country of Aeristria, within the city Tolvade as she works to achieve her assignments to reach the next level in the Coven. Each of the magical creatures she encounters are like the woven spells of complex wards including all the colors, smells, sights, and sounds. As Vanessa works to defeat the 24 evil ones, galloping from one compromising situation after another, hellbent on succeeding to the rank of spell weaver. Not only has Leon, an accomplished spell weaver of the same Coven, come to her rescue previously, but also saves Vanessa and Bobo from the pack of hellhounds. Leon glowered down at Vanessa with smugness earned by his sage experience, teetering on the edge of promotion to the rank of summoner. They share an unlikely partnership in Vanessa’s quest.
Bobo was my favorite endearing ogre with an accented voice that matched perfectly to the well-developed character. He is Vanessa’s pet, protector, and confidant. His saving her - “suicidal hide on a regular basis” - is merely a taste of the tongue and cheek banter. Infused humor made me laugh aloud more than one.
Alex Goodman’s engaging pace kept my attention with clear, crisp narration, from start to finish. His transitions of voices between the characters was consistent and helped color the images of each. Alex’s voice acting was so winning that finding the pause or stop button was impossible.
I highly recommend Spellbound & Hellhound for those who want to be taken to a magic land of fantasy this series for those who enjoy a fantasy of magic
Nia Rose created a captivating world in the start of this series with Spellbound & Hellhounds, Coven Chronicles Book 1. This fantasy world is alive with supernatural creatures of varying degrees of good or evil powers and structures constructed of magic described to create detailed images in my mind. A balance of exploits and achievements, to witty humor captured my imagination in a one sitting listen. Yep it kept me engaged.
Vanessa, new member of the Coven grows up in this complex world of Raen, in the country of Aeristria, within the city Tolvade as she works to achieve her assignments to reach the next level in the Coven. Each of the magical creatures she encounters are like the woven spells of complex wards including all the colors, smells, sights, and sounds. As Vanessa works to defeat the 24 evil ones, galloping from one compromising situation after another, hellbent on succeeding to the rank of spell weaver. Not only has Leon, an accomplished spell weaver of the same Coven, come to her rescue previously, but also saves Vanessa and Bobo from the pack of hellhounds. Leon glowered down at Vanessa with smugness earned by his sage experience, teetering on the edge of promotion to the rank of summoner. They share an unlikely partnership in Vanessa’s quest.
Bobo was my favorite endearing ogre with an accented voice that matched perfectly to the well-developed character. He is Vanessa’s pet, protector, and confidant. His saving her - “suicidal hide on a regular basis” - is merely a taste of the tongue and cheek banter. Infused humor made me laugh aloud more than one.
Alex Goodman’s engaging pace kept my attention with clear, crisp narration, from start to finish. His transitions of voices between the characters was consistent and helped color the images of each. Alex’s voice acting was so winning that finding the pause or stop button was impossible.
I highly recommend Spellbound & Hellhound for those who want to be taken to a magic land of fantasy this series for those who enjoy a fantasy of magic
January 31, 2020
This story takes place In the world of Raen in the country of Aeristria, a place filled with magic and creatures of all kinds. The heart of Aeristria is the capital, Tolvade, where the Coven have their headquarters. It is here that the third year hunter, Vanessa, and her demon ogre Bobo try to fulfill the requirements needed for her to be a Spellweaver. They were given the task of finding out what Caused an explosion at the Academy. This should be just routine but the soon find out there are signs of black magic and demon summoning. Whether they have the talents to bring the criminals to justice remains to be seen.
This is a fantasy filled with magic and adventure. The main characters are well developed and interesting. There is. Bobo, is overly intelligent side conflicting with the natural brutal nature side. Vanessa is a picture of contrasts with her ambition, determination, self doubts and difficulty following the rules. It is this duo that draws the reader in. The adventure is fast paced and filled with unexpected twists and surprises that hold your attention as the storyline unfolds. The beginnings of a romance is also woven nicely into the tale. The narrative allows you to visualize a totally different world and the creatures there in. I enjoyed this read and would gladly read the next book about these amazing creatures.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a fantasy filled with magic and adventure. The main characters are well developed and interesting. There is. Bobo, is overly intelligent side conflicting with the natural brutal nature side. Vanessa is a picture of contrasts with her ambition, determination, self doubts and difficulty following the rules. It is this duo that draws the reader in. The adventure is fast paced and filled with unexpected twists and surprises that hold your attention as the storyline unfolds. The beginnings of a romance is also woven nicely into the tale. The narrative allows you to visualize a totally different world and the creatures there in. I enjoyed this read and would gladly read the next book about these amazing creatures.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 3, 2022
What an impressive story! I really enjoyed the world building that was done. I could easily envision all the things happening. I loved all the different characters! There are a lot that are built into this amazing world. We briefly touch base with Imps, trolls, pixies and even a Centaur. The real stars are a hunter, spellweaver, an ogre and a succubus.
I loved going on this journey with Vanessa as she learns her powers and listens to gain understanding. She is a stubborn girl with dreams of grandeur. The relationship she has with Bobo is always a fun time. The banter and bickering made me smile. He is a complex character all on his own. He defies the norms and his outlook is interesting but the power he welds immense.
Overall I loved this story and look forward to the next adventure. This is written with heart, fun and a strong female. This is a story to easily immerse yourself in. The writing is flawless and the world building superb. I did listen to this on audio. Alex Goodman is the narrator and he was new to me. I think he is the perfect selection to narrate all these different characters. Good Choice and well done!
I loved going on this journey with Vanessa as she learns her powers and listens to gain understanding. She is a stubborn girl with dreams of grandeur. The relationship she has with Bobo is always a fun time. The banter and bickering made me smile. He is a complex character all on his own. He defies the norms and his outlook is interesting but the power he welds immense.
Overall I loved this story and look forward to the next adventure. This is written with heart, fun and a strong female. This is a story to easily immerse yourself in. The writing is flawless and the world building superb. I did listen to this on audio. Alex Goodman is the narrator and he was new to me. I think he is the perfect selection to narrate all these different characters. Good Choice and well done!
March 22, 2020
I voluntarily received an audiobook in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
I am beginning to think I am a huge fuddy-duddy, or I am getting way too old. I thought Spellbound & Hellhounds was extremely cute and written perfectly for a younger teen audience, say the 13 age range.
However, when the word lover is thrown around instead of a boyfriend. It makes me pause. I am not sure why the word lover has always bothered me so much, but a lover to me implies sex. Sex isn't in this book since it is for such a young audience, so the word boyfriend would have been better suited. There were a few other things that I thought went a little to mature, but then I have to think of the times and what's on tv, social media, and the norm. So yes, I am a fuddy-duddy. But the word lover still shouldn't have been in this book, in my opinion.
I enjoyed the overall story, the quick pace, and all the characters, especially Bobo, he was my favorite. This world that Rose has invented is new, exciting, full of magic, wonder, and many surprises. I was entertained and delighted throughout. It is for a younger audience, but it is pure joy and light to listen to as an adult.
I am rating Spellbound & Hellhounds 4.5 Boundless stars, just because it tweaked my old sensibilities a bit for the age group it is written for. But what do I know?
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I am beginning to think I am a huge fuddy-duddy, or I am getting way too old. I thought Spellbound & Hellhounds was extremely cute and written perfectly for a younger teen audience, say the 13 age range.
However, when the word lover is thrown around instead of a boyfriend. It makes me pause. I am not sure why the word lover has always bothered me so much, but a lover to me implies sex. Sex isn't in this book since it is for such a young audience, so the word boyfriend would have been better suited. There were a few other things that I thought went a little to mature, but then I have to think of the times and what's on tv, social media, and the norm. So yes, I am a fuddy-duddy. But the word lover still shouldn't have been in this book, in my opinion.
I enjoyed the overall story, the quick pace, and all the characters, especially Bobo, he was my favorite. This world that Rose has invented is new, exciting, full of magic, wonder, and many surprises. I was entertained and delighted throughout. It is for a younger audience, but it is pure joy and light to listen to as an adult.
I am rating Spellbound & Hellhounds 4.5 Boundless stars, just because it tweaked my old sensibilities a bit for the age group it is written for. But what do I know?
http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
January 15, 2020
Oh my goodness, this was so entertaining. It was such a fun read with an intriguing storyline. I really enjoyed the world but the characters were the best. There's a good balance between humour and action.
This book has some of my new favourite book "pets". Lyx and Bobo are both quite the characters. Bobo has a very unique personality and his sense of humour had me burst out laughing a few times. He outshined Vanessa and Leon. Vanessa is brave, independent, and witty. I like her growth and ability to learn from her mistakes.
At first, I wasn't sure about a male narrator when there's a female lead but I don't think anyone could have done a better job than Alex Goodman. His narration was absolutely fantastic. I loved how he gave each character a unique voice, he really brought the story to life.
This book has some of my new favourite book "pets". Lyx and Bobo are both quite the characters. Bobo has a very unique personality and his sense of humour had me burst out laughing a few times. He outshined Vanessa and Leon. Vanessa is brave, independent, and witty. I like her growth and ability to learn from her mistakes.
At first, I wasn't sure about a male narrator when there's a female lead but I don't think anyone could have done a better job than Alex Goodman. His narration was absolutely fantastic. I loved how he gave each character a unique voice, he really brought the story to life.
September 20, 2020
This is the book 1 of Coven Chronicles.
The story revolves around Vanessa, her pet Botobolbilian (Bobo), Leon and a succubus Lyx which belongs to Leon.
Vanessa is an orphan who is accepted in the lowest ranks of Coven of Aeristria. She wants to become a highly respected Spellweaver but always gets into trouble and was given clean up jobs by the Council as punishment.
When Vanessa and Bobo was sent to investigate an explosion at the academy and find out the culprit they get themselves deep into black magic and the Council punished them more by partnering them with Leon and his succubus Lyx, who are supposed to keep them out of trouble and to make sure she doesn't poke her nose in Council business. And their adventurous journey begins.
It is a very fast-paced and amazingly written story filled with demons, black magic, spellweavers, action, adventure, humour and fun. Love the character of Vanessa.
I liked the story and can't wait to read the sequel.
The story revolves around Vanessa, her pet Botobolbilian (Bobo), Leon and a succubus Lyx which belongs to Leon.
Vanessa is an orphan who is accepted in the lowest ranks of Coven of Aeristria. She wants to become a highly respected Spellweaver but always gets into trouble and was given clean up jobs by the Council as punishment.
When Vanessa and Bobo was sent to investigate an explosion at the academy and find out the culprit they get themselves deep into black magic and the Council punished them more by partnering them with Leon and his succubus Lyx, who are supposed to keep them out of trouble and to make sure she doesn't poke her nose in Council business. And their adventurous journey begins.
It is a very fast-paced and amazingly written story filled with demons, black magic, spellweavers, action, adventure, humour and fun. Love the character of Vanessa.
I liked the story and can't wait to read the sequel.
January 7, 2020
Very Enjoyable. I volunteered to review this book for United Indie Book Blog. I had the audio version of it. Spellbound & Hellbounds by Nia Rose. This book is first book I listened to from this author. I loved the writing character development. Vanessa is a witty, yet fiercely independent heroine, she knows what she wants to do and don't change her mind. Leon who is a Spellweaver with pets Lyx. Vanessa and her pet Bobo got into a little to much dangerous, but for the most part they found a lot out of it. I LOVED their Pets Bobo (full name Botobolbilian) and Lyx. The mystical elements in this book through me into listening and wanting more. Vanessa and Leon are much like, and I can't wait to see them continue to grow. Great job. Can't wait to read or listened to more.
review by Logan
review by Logan
May 31, 2020
Honestly this book definitely had me Spellbound , not just this one but the two after this , i literally picked the book up every spare minute i had . BoBo, a super intelligent demon is owned by Vanessa who disappoints him on a daily basis but he'd die before he lets anyone or anything hurt her , that said trouble literally finds her usually because she's gone looking for it , this book is full of magical creatures , so much humour even in the direst of situations & fantastic characters that just keep giving , i raced on to the second book after reading the first one .
September 19, 2020
If you like wizards, unicorn milk, elves and hellhounds this book is a great kick off into the mystical world! This is entertaining and well written. It is enjoyable if not the best urban fantasy I have read. A unique and thoroughly entertaining read that put a huge smile on my face and made me dive straight into the sequel. . A place overflowing with magic and creatures that were once only heard of in fairy-tales. Add in a full measure of sass and witty humor and a pinch of laugh out loud moments and there you go! Enjoy this read:)))
January 15, 2020
Witches and Wizards? Yes please!
The author did a great job in building a world of magic and fantasy. These characters were all different and unique. I could see the little touches the author made to bring them to life. I LOVED Bobo! His personality and humor brought life into the story. Lyx is a character as well. I wish there was more for Vanessa and Leon. I had trouble relating to them. I needed more development from them. Towards the end, I saw some growth but they needed more right from the beginning.
That being said, this is a pretty good read. The narrator did a great job and I loved how he gave each character their own voice. His voice was pleasant and combined with the story, it held my attention. I hope there’s more!! I give this 4 stars.
**Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng**
The author did a great job in building a world of magic and fantasy. These characters were all different and unique. I could see the little touches the author made to bring them to life. I LOVED Bobo! His personality and humor brought life into the story. Lyx is a character as well. I wish there was more for Vanessa and Leon. I had trouble relating to them. I needed more development from them. Towards the end, I saw some growth but they needed more right from the beginning.
That being said, this is a pretty good read. The narrator did a great job and I loved how he gave each character their own voice. His voice was pleasant and combined with the story, it held my attention. I hope there’s more!! I give this 4 stars.
**Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng**
April 5, 2019
What a fun way to begin a series! I was drawn to Vanessa right away with her fierce independence, bravery and ability to find trouble everywhere she goes. She made a few bad choices throughout the book, but what made her a great character was her ability to learn from her mistakes and grow into a strong heroine. I had a lot of respect for her at the end. Then there is Leon…his sense of humor made me fall more and more in love with him. He is definitely one of my favorites but not THE favorite. That one goes to Bobo. My gosh is he adorable. I would go to battle with him any day! The story line was a fun one that held a lot of action, to the point I could barely put it down. Fantastic read!
April 4, 2019
I am giving the book a rating of 3.5
Vanessa's dream has come true, she has joined the Coven and her job now is tracking down those that abandoned the white ways and took on darker magics. Vanessa and her magical creature Bobo( full name Botobolbilian 😄) are in a mission that's very dangerous and risky than they could have imagined. I liked the magical atmosphere of this book : magical creatures, an academy of magic, spells, talismans, the summoning stone... And the characters especially Bobo.
This is a magical story that sends you on a journey, quite like Harry Potter.
Vanessa's dream has come true, she has joined the Coven and her job now is tracking down those that abandoned the white ways and took on darker magics. Vanessa and her magical creature Bobo( full name Botobolbilian 😄) are in a mission that's very dangerous and risky than they could have imagined. I liked the magical atmosphere of this book : magical creatures, an academy of magic, spells, talismans, the summoning stone... And the characters especially Bobo.
This is a magical story that sends you on a journey, quite like Harry Potter.
April 11, 2020
I really enjoyed this. I listened to it on audiobook, and I found each of the characters to be intriguing in their own unique way.
Vanessa is an intensely likeable lead, who couldn’t love Bobo?
This isn’t a genre that I commonly read, but I will certainly be reading more, especially in the case of this series specifically.
Let’s just say that I’ve already purchased the next book!
Vanessa is an intensely likeable lead, who couldn’t love Bobo?
This isn’t a genre that I commonly read, but I will certainly be reading more, especially in the case of this series specifically.
Let’s just say that I’ve already purchased the next book!
July 1, 2020
Before I start this review I want to say that I listened to this novel narrated by Alex Goodman, who did such an amazing job voicing the narrative and characters. I truly felt through his narration the distinctiveness of each character's voice and the magic of the scenery. An absolutely terrific audio book!
On to the story itself...
I've been a follower of Nia Rose for a long time. I knew once I got my hands on this story I'd love it. And I did. Absolutely and truly loved it.
A unique world of magic and fantasy, Spellbounds and Hellhounds takes you alongside the journey of Vanessa - a witch who desires to be promoted in the ranks of her coven. Powerful, sassy, but a little clumsy, Vanessa strives for more out of life, and with her sophisticated and witty ogre partner Botobolbilian, "Bobo" for short, she is determined to prove herself.
When an ancient evil arises, it takes the combined strength of Vanessa, Bobo, and their friends to face it.
Nia Rose writes about a magical world filled with brilliant characters so beautifully and elegantly, I was enchanted from the first sentence. Out of everything in this book, the one thing I loved the most were the interactions between the characters. Bobo is by far the funniest ogre I've ever seen!
In the end, all I can say more is that this is a wonderful start to what is no doubt going to be a fantastic series by a fantastic author. Five Stars!
On to the story itself...
I've been a follower of Nia Rose for a long time. I knew once I got my hands on this story I'd love it. And I did. Absolutely and truly loved it.
A unique world of magic and fantasy, Spellbounds and Hellhounds takes you alongside the journey of Vanessa - a witch who desires to be promoted in the ranks of her coven. Powerful, sassy, but a little clumsy, Vanessa strives for more out of life, and with her sophisticated and witty ogre partner Botobolbilian, "Bobo" for short, she is determined to prove herself.
When an ancient evil arises, it takes the combined strength of Vanessa, Bobo, and their friends to face it.
Nia Rose writes about a magical world filled with brilliant characters so beautifully and elegantly, I was enchanted from the first sentence. Out of everything in this book, the one thing I loved the most were the interactions between the characters. Bobo is by far the funniest ogre I've ever seen!
In the end, all I can say more is that this is a wonderful start to what is no doubt going to be a fantastic series by a fantastic author. Five Stars!
January 12, 2022
An overall enjoyable, lighthearted read. I found Vanessa to be an appealing protagonist, with crystal-clear and relatable motivations. I particularly enjoyed the pervasive sense of humor throughout the book, both from the characters and within the narration.
The plot was strong, as well. Hellhounds are a rare fantasy antagonist, and it was fun to see them brought out here!
My major point of contention is that the book could have used another editorial pass! Some of the sentence structure was rather clunky, and that could take me out of the world and an otherwise fast-paced, easy-to-enjoy story. Relatedly, the worldbuilidng could get a bit confusing or clunky. Sometimes it seemed like thigns were being dropped in as they became plot-relevant, not built up beforehand.
I did find the character of Bobo to be somewhat troubling--it wasn't clear to me why he's relegated to the status of being a "pet", since he seems just as intelligent and sentient as any of the other characters. The more we got to know him and the other supernatural "pets", the more this seemed like semi-glamorized slavery, which made me uncomfortable. This could have been a really interesting ethical avenue to explore, and I wish the book had dived into it.
On the other hand, the book has really strong dialogue! I especially enjoyed the little expressions that gave such life to both the characters and the world. And a great ending that set up well for sequels!
The plot was strong, as well. Hellhounds are a rare fantasy antagonist, and it was fun to see them brought out here!
My major point of contention is that the book could have used another editorial pass! Some of the sentence structure was rather clunky, and that could take me out of the world and an otherwise fast-paced, easy-to-enjoy story. Relatedly, the worldbuilidng could get a bit confusing or clunky. Sometimes it seemed like thigns were being dropped in as they became plot-relevant, not built up beforehand.
I did find the character of Bobo to be somewhat troubling--it wasn't clear to me why he's relegated to the status of being a "pet", since he seems just as intelligent and sentient as any of the other characters. The more we got to know him and the other supernatural "pets", the more this seemed like semi-glamorized slavery, which made me uncomfortable. This could have been a really interesting ethical avenue to explore, and I wish the book had dived into it.
On the other hand, the book has really strong dialogue! I especially enjoyed the little expressions that gave such life to both the characters and the world. And a great ending that set up well for sequels!
August 6, 2020
First of all I want to say this is not a genre I usually read but I really enjoyed reading this one. It was a beautiful experience going through the journey of Vanessa and her partner” Bobo” who is an orge in the supernatural world of Raen.
Vanessa is an relatable character who want to prove herself. Her witty but flawed nature made you like her even more. She is not so perfect but at the same time determined and powerful. I wanted the character Vanessa to be more elaborated but it is understandable that this is the only first part of the series.
Bobo is the highlight of the book.
I really enjoyed the character development in the series which made the plot more interesting and also helped reader to understand from the character’s point of view.
Author has amazing way of “keep you guessing “ which made is even more fun for me.
I am definitely gonna start the second book anytime soon.
I highly recommend Spellbound & Hellhound.
Must Read fo those who enjoy reading fantasy novel.
Vanessa is an relatable character who want to prove herself. Her witty but flawed nature made you like her even more. She is not so perfect but at the same time determined and powerful. I wanted the character Vanessa to be more elaborated but it is understandable that this is the only first part of the series.
Bobo is the highlight of the book.
I really enjoyed the character development in the series which made the plot more interesting and also helped reader to understand from the character’s point of view.
Author has amazing way of “keep you guessing “ which made is even more fun for me.
I am definitely gonna start the second book anytime soon.
I highly recommend Spellbound & Hellhound.
Must Read fo those who enjoy reading fantasy novel.
January 27, 2021
A slightly accident prone looking for trouble witch who comes with no background is given an assignment she needs to complete to continue to move up the ladder in the Coven. Her Orge pet/familiar is her protector and co-conspirator in her aspirations. She also has a protector she doesn't realize has feelings for her. The assignment turns out to be more than she bargained for. What happens next? You will have to read in order to find out. This is a pretty good book. It would be better if it were edited again as some words were misused/mispelled. Site instead of sight, things like that. Other than that, I would recommend this book as it was a good story.
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 14, 2020
*disclaimer I received this as an ARC from the author*
3.5 stars
The overall story was interesting and captivating as well as different from other fantasy/magic wielding novels I have read previously. The story line just fell a little short, there is a lot of world building and meeting characters with some action and “dangerous” antics by the main character. The writing style was very easy to follow without a lot of wording needing explanations.
I think I may continue reading further as the ending of the novel was getting into more detail of the world and dangers of their world.
3.5 stars
The overall story was interesting and captivating as well as different from other fantasy/magic wielding novels I have read previously. The story line just fell a little short, there is a lot of world building and meeting characters with some action and “dangerous” antics by the main character. The writing style was very easy to follow without a lot of wording needing explanations.
I think I may continue reading further as the ending of the novel was getting into more detail of the world and dangers of their world.
January 31, 2022
fun read
Likable characters. Fun read. Great for poolside , easy to follow . Witches, Demons , friendships. All ages if you like the fantasy storyline
Likable characters. Fun read. Great for poolside , easy to follow . Witches, Demons , friendships. All ages if you like the fantasy storyline
August 21, 2023
Audiobook review.
An absolutely wonderful audiobook with a great story, amazing characters, lots of humour and suspense, and excellent and intricate worldbuilding. Alex Goodman narrates the book brilliantly.
A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.
An absolutely wonderful audiobook with a great story, amazing characters, lots of humour and suspense, and excellent and intricate worldbuilding. Alex Goodman narrates the book brilliantly.
A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.
August 16, 2023
Good start to a new series
I enjoyed these characters it kind of reads as a YA
Gifted audio which I liked. It did it’s job and kept me interested in the story. Narrator did a good job.
I’ll carry on the series if it continues on audio.
I enjoyed these characters it kind of reads as a YA
Gifted audio which I liked. It did it’s job and kept me interested in the story. Narrator did a good job.
I’ll carry on the series if it continues on audio.
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