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The Trove Arbitrations #1
A Grimoire for Gamblers
Magic may be secret, but it’ll kill you anyway.
Small town mayor’s assistant Elizabeth has enough on her plate grieving her father’s suicide. She doesn’t need his stash of magical knowledge in the attic. She doesn’t need the hidden supernatural subculture of monsters it pulls her into. And she certainly doesn’t need hints that her father’s madness might have been a smokescreen for something far darker.
But uncovering her father’s secrets could be the only way Elizabeth can stop a string of suspicious suicides… if the local wizard doesn’t rip the memories out of her mind, first.
Wizards, right?
Small town mayor’s assistant Elizabeth has enough on her plate grieving her father’s suicide. She doesn’t need his stash of magical knowledge in the attic. She doesn’t need the hidden supernatural subculture of monsters it pulls her into. And she certainly doesn’t need hints that her father’s madness might have been a smokescreen for something far darker.
But uncovering her father’s secrets could be the only way Elizabeth can stop a string of suspicious suicides… if the local wizard doesn’t rip the memories out of her mind, first.
Wizards, right?
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2021
351 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
February 17, 2024
A Grimoire for Gamblers is an enjoyable and well written book. World building was done gradually, maintaining story flow whilst avoiding the pace killing information dump. Written first person and entirely from Elizabeth's POV this easily held my attention throughout. It perhaps wasn't the most complex of plots but it worked AND it did still manage to spring a few surprises. The foreshadowing was subtle, I loved that it wasn't too obvious yet resolutions felt entirely plausible.
Elizabeth is a pretty determined and resourceful heroine, at times she stumbles and there were occasions when she really hadn't thought things through. As someone new to the world of magic, and one also lacking all the necessary information to make a sound judgement, these errors were not only forgivable but were eminently believable. I'm really quite excited for the next book and can't wait to see what adventures Elizabeth will face next.
Elizabeth is a pretty determined and resourceful heroine, at times she stumbles and there were occasions when she really hadn't thought things through. As someone new to the world of magic, and one also lacking all the necessary information to make a sound judgement, these errors were not only forgivable but were eminently believable. I'm really quite excited for the next book and can't wait to see what adventures Elizabeth will face next.
May 16, 2021
A cut above the usual made-from-box-mix urban fantasy, with a sensible, capable (sometimes to the point of ruthlessness) protagonist. It's darker than I really prefer, with a number of tragic deaths of innocents that the protagonist has some unintentional responsibility for and is unable to prevent. The supernatural world is hostile and dangerous to a medieval degree, and only an extraordinarily gutsy move by the protagonist is able to resolve the plot.
There were some weaknesses and unanswered questions for me. For example, the voodoo train. Why would someone make that, and having made it, why would they leave it active, literally an accident waiting to happen?
I groaned when the handsome wizard with green eyes turned up, because that's the universal signal for a love interest, and the protagonist already had a boyfriend who seemed like a decent guy - by her account, anyway; he was absent elsewhere for almost the whole book, and even when he returned he felt like he didn't have much heft to him as a character. He functioned more as an aspect of the protag than a person in his own right. Hopefully the author will figure out what to do with him in future books in the series and give him his own independent reality. I hope he doesn't just become a genderflipped damsel in distress/hostage to fortune/motivating factor/fridge inhabitant. Anyway, the green-eyed-love-interest trope was invoked only to be averted, and I sincerely hope that continues.
The protagonist is smart, and a good problem solver, and while she narrates in a version of First Person Smartass, it's not overdone. She has some genuinely tough stuff to cope with, and does so bravely and resourcefully. I'm not sure if it's a Covid side-effect, a phenomenon whose time had come regardless, or just good luck or good management on my part, but I'm loving the fact that I'm finding so many really competent, pragmatic female protagonists lately.
I'll definitely be looking out for a sequel, though I hope the author manages to make more of the boyfriend next time.
There were some weaknesses and unanswered questions for me. For example, the voodoo train. Why would someone make that, and having made it, why would they leave it active, literally an accident waiting to happen?
I groaned when the handsome wizard with green eyes turned up, because that's the universal signal for a love interest, and the protagonist already had a boyfriend who seemed like a decent guy - by her account, anyway; he was absent elsewhere for almost the whole book, and even when he returned he felt like he didn't have much heft to him as a character. He functioned more as an aspect of the protag than a person in his own right. Hopefully the author will figure out what to do with him in future books in the series and give him his own independent reality. I hope he doesn't just become a genderflipped damsel in distress/hostage to fortune/motivating factor/fridge inhabitant. Anyway, the green-eyed-love-interest trope was invoked only to be averted, and I sincerely hope that continues.
The protagonist is smart, and a good problem solver, and while she narrates in a version of First Person Smartass, it's not overdone. She has some genuinely tough stuff to cope with, and does so bravely and resourcefully. I'm not sure if it's a Covid side-effect, a phenomenon whose time had come regardless, or just good luck or good management on my part, but I'm loving the fact that I'm finding so many really competent, pragmatic female protagonists lately.
I'll definitely be looking out for a sequel, though I hope the author manages to make more of the boyfriend next time.
May 24, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This quickly became one of my favorite urban fantasies. The setting is dark and intriguing, the characters are larger than life, and the world is complex and ever changing.
The story begins with Elizabeth, struggling emotionally after her father has committed suicide. After going through his things, she finds a mysterious box, which leads her to places she could have never imagined. All of a sudden, Elizabeth is thrown into a world of magic, deals, and dangers beyond comprehension. While dealing with new revelations, Elizabeth has to work through the discovery that there may be more to her father's death than anyone realized and it could all be connected to numerous unexplained and mysterious suicides happening around her.
The world-building in this and the magi system were superb! The writing is so immersive and you really feel like you are by Elizabeth's side experiencing all the magic and craziness with her. The world is complex but not overwhelming. The magic system is really unique and so interesting that I even started making notes about how things work as I read.
The characters also shined in this book, especially Elizabeth. She is a very entrancing character and so easy to like and relate to. I really liked how she initially reacted to the existence of magic and once she got past the impossibility of it, she took it like a champ, diving straight in for more answers. Elizabeth was fun and witty and strong and I cannot wait to read more of her story.
This quickly became one of my favorite urban fantasies. The setting is dark and intriguing, the characters are larger than life, and the world is complex and ever changing.
The story begins with Elizabeth, struggling emotionally after her father has committed suicide. After going through his things, she finds a mysterious box, which leads her to places she could have never imagined. All of a sudden, Elizabeth is thrown into a world of magic, deals, and dangers beyond comprehension. While dealing with new revelations, Elizabeth has to work through the discovery that there may be more to her father's death than anyone realized and it could all be connected to numerous unexplained and mysterious suicides happening around her.
The world-building in this and the magi system were superb! The writing is so immersive and you really feel like you are by Elizabeth's side experiencing all the magic and craziness with her. The world is complex but not overwhelming. The magic system is really unique and so interesting that I even started making notes about how things work as I read.
The characters also shined in this book, especially Elizabeth. She is a very entrancing character and so easy to like and relate to. I really liked how she initially reacted to the existence of magic and once she got past the impossibility of it, she took it like a champ, diving straight in for more answers. Elizabeth was fun and witty and strong and I cannot wait to read more of her story.
May 11, 2021
When I opened up A Grimoire For Gamblers the other day I had already forgotten exactly what the blurb had said… I do this a lot… many times on purpose. I’ll read the premise and get interested, but I’ll put it away on my Kindle for awhile so I go into the book with a fresh start.
Back to the book at hand. After a couple pages, I thought this was going to be a pretty straightforward urban fantasy novel about a girl who finds out her recently deceased father was a part of the second magical world… but I was wrong. Really wrong.
Creiglow has fashioned a book that only gets more complex and interesting with every page.
Elizabeth is on bereavement leave after the suicide death of her father. She has moved back into her childhood home with the purpose of cleaning it. Elizabeth’s father had always been an eccentric man with his model trains and other hobbies, but when she finally gets up the gumption to go into the attic she finds a trove of evidence. Evidence that magic is real.
Add to that a troll who delivers a possible connection to other suicides… and there lies the mystery and the layers. I also want to mention there’s a wizard and a demon and some relationships.
The feels, the action, and a whole lot of fun… A Grimoire for Gamblers is a debut that should be on many TBRs!
4 out of 5 stars
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog/
Back to the book at hand. After a couple pages, I thought this was going to be a pretty straightforward urban fantasy novel about a girl who finds out her recently deceased father was a part of the second magical world… but I was wrong. Really wrong.
Creiglow has fashioned a book that only gets more complex and interesting with every page.
Elizabeth is on bereavement leave after the suicide death of her father. She has moved back into her childhood home with the purpose of cleaning it. Elizabeth’s father had always been an eccentric man with his model trains and other hobbies, but when she finally gets up the gumption to go into the attic she finds a trove of evidence. Evidence that magic is real.
Add to that a troll who delivers a possible connection to other suicides… and there lies the mystery and the layers. I also want to mention there’s a wizard and a demon and some relationships.
The feels, the action, and a whole lot of fun… A Grimoire for Gamblers is a debut that should be on many TBRs!
4 out of 5 stars
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog/
May 28, 2021
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
A Grimoire for Gamblers is the first installment in author Amanda Creiglow's The Trove Arbitrations series. The main character of the story is Elizabeth Baker. Elizabeth is dealing with the fact that her father just recently died. He had mental issues for years and made it known that everything he owned should be burned to the ground. No reason left behind for the request. Needless to say, Elizabeth ignored his request and it was deemed unenforceable. In this world, there is no such thing as a coincidence.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
A Grimoire for Gamblers is the first installment in author Amanda Creiglow's The Trove Arbitrations series. The main character of the story is Elizabeth Baker. Elizabeth is dealing with the fact that her father just recently died. He had mental issues for years and made it known that everything he owned should be burned to the ground. No reason left behind for the request. Needless to say, Elizabeth ignored his request and it was deemed unenforceable. In this world, there is no such thing as a coincidence.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
May 15, 2021
3.5, round up
I generally enjoyed this. I liked the way Elizabeth thought things through and was able to hold multiple facts to be true at once. I liked her, as a character, and thought her adventure to save everyone was a fun one. I did think some of the Hail Mary saves actually working were a little too convenient to believe and the plot drags a little in the middle. But I always enjoy supernaturals who aren't human and therefore don't follow human logic or mores. And we have that in spades here. So, all in all, it's a thumbs up from me and I'll be looking for the rest of the series when it comes out.
I generally enjoyed this. I liked the way Elizabeth thought things through and was able to hold multiple facts to be true at once. I liked her, as a character, and thought her adventure to save everyone was a fun one. I did think some of the Hail Mary saves actually working were a little too convenient to believe and the plot drags a little in the middle. But I always enjoy supernaturals who aren't human and therefore don't follow human logic or mores. And we have that in spades here. So, all in all, it's a thumbs up from me and I'll be looking for the rest of the series when it comes out.
July 27, 2021
A grimoire for gambles is an interesting and new urban fantasy. The worldbuilding done by the author is fantastic. She gradually takes the readers with the protagonist in to a dark and magical world where mythical creatures live secretly among humans. Especially the magic system is very refreshing and unique.
At times I found the solutions to problems to be a little be too convenient, especially towards the end. In addition, there were a couple of loose ends I would like to have learned more about, like the voodoo train. All in all, a pretty good start of a series and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
ARC provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
At times I found the solutions to problems to be a little be too convenient, especially towards the end. In addition, there were a couple of loose ends I would like to have learned more about, like the voodoo train. All in all, a pretty good start of a series and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
ARC provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
June 3, 2021
Elizabeth works for the mayor in her small town of Springfield, she's recently inherited her father's house after his suicide, something he's been attempting for the last eight years. Before he was committed, her father had been a creator and Elizabeth spent her childhood watching her father crafting things in his loft, particularly train sets, so she shouldn't be surprised when she finds a model railway in the loft. Except it seems to be running without any visible form of power, eight years after he left the house. Also, unlike his previous sets, this train set is an exact replica of Springfield. Unthinkingly Elizabeth flicks the train, knocking it off the tracks, and is horrified when the next day the papers are full of the story of how a train derailed in Springfield. Is she losing her mind like her father? Could the model railway be linked to the real thing? Elizabeth also finds a locket, together with a note from her father, imploring her to stay out of the loft, or at least wear the locket for protection.
Then a strange man claiming to be a wizard barges into the house shouting about humans and magic and threatening to wipe Elizabeth's memories. Only the locket seems to prevent him from doing anything to harm Elizabeth. Still unsure of whether what is happening is real or signs of impending mania, Elizabeth searches the loft and finds a locked box containing spell books and other paranormal paraphernalia, can it be real?
The box, the locket and the magical objects draw Elizabeth into a world of wizards and magical creatures hidden from normal humans and a series of bizarre suicides which seem to be linked to that of her father. Can she solve the mystery and prevent further human deaths?
OMG what a breath of fresh air. Elizabeth isn't (yet) a special snowflake growing into her powers. She's a mundane human with a magic book, and 21st century technology like a scanner and a printer to help her draw her spells accurately. The magical creatures are not the usual shifters and vampires (something wiped out the Fae), the mystery is dark and Elizabeth has to make some terrible choices.
I really enjoyed this and I am curious to see where Amanda Creiglow is going to take the series. I hope she keeps it dark and twisty.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Then a strange man claiming to be a wizard barges into the house shouting about humans and magic and threatening to wipe Elizabeth's memories. Only the locket seems to prevent him from doing anything to harm Elizabeth. Still unsure of whether what is happening is real or signs of impending mania, Elizabeth searches the loft and finds a locked box containing spell books and other paranormal paraphernalia, can it be real?
The box, the locket and the magical objects draw Elizabeth into a world of wizards and magical creatures hidden from normal humans and a series of bizarre suicides which seem to be linked to that of her father. Can she solve the mystery and prevent further human deaths?
OMG what a breath of fresh air. Elizabeth isn't (yet) a special snowflake growing into her powers. She's a mundane human with a magic book, and 21st century technology like a scanner and a printer to help her draw her spells accurately. The magical creatures are not the usual shifters and vampires (something wiped out the Fae), the mystery is dark and Elizabeth has to make some terrible choices.
I really enjoyed this and I am curious to see where Amanda Creiglow is going to take the series. I hope she keeps it dark and twisty.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
August 25, 2021
3.5 stars -I enjoyed this new series starter. The beginning is a bit odd and it takes a bit to for the story to get going (and as a warning the lead is grieving about her father's death by suicide ) and Elizabeth begins to discover that her father had secrets - magical ones. But I thought Elizabeth's introduction to hidden magic world was interesting and there is a mystery to solve and a bad supernatural to defeat. I liked how she used technology to make up for fine motor control when she tries to learn magic and that she has to work for it instead of discovering that she had super duper hidden talent - which is a nice change from the 'discovers a hidden world' trope. I also liked how the resolution transitions her into a new role in the supernatural world that leads her into another mystery in book 2.
I read both books back to back and look forward to more.
I read both books back to back and look forward to more.
April 19, 2024
The writing of this was good. The world building and revelations about magic and the community were mostly well done. It has quite a bit of darkness, and there were some things that I think could, and should, have been better defined (like the vampire spirit), especially since there was a very clear opportunity to do so. I liked that there wasn’t a big romance or love triangle, and that there isn’t a cliffhanger.
April 29, 2021
I enjoyed this book quite a bit.
The main character, Beth, is clever and snarky.
The author is creatively descriptive and I wish I could add some of my favorite quotes.
The plot is a little unwieldy in the sense that some events feel as though they need more explanation or a more obvious connection to the plot.
I spent a good deal of the time wondering why Beth didn’t ask Max a really obvious question, actually, to be honest, I have at least four questions for Max that were not answered in this book.
The good news about that is this will be a series and hopefully my questions will be answered in the next book.
The main character, Beth, is clever and snarky.
The author is creatively descriptive and I wish I could add some of my favorite quotes.
The plot is a little unwieldy in the sense that some events feel as though they need more explanation or a more obvious connection to the plot.
I spent a good deal of the time wondering why Beth didn’t ask Max a really obvious question, actually, to be honest, I have at least four questions for Max that were not answered in this book.
The good news about that is this will be a series and hopefully my questions will be answered in the next book.
November 7, 2021
Meh (spoilers)
This book was so confusing. I really struggled to get through it. Also, I was annoyed every time Faisal (the girl’s boyfriend) was mentioned because it was hinted at that he was a big part of the story, but he wasn’t. He appeared at the beginning, and at the end for a few pages. There was no point to his character being in the book, other than for the main character to pine after him in her thoughts. All throughout the book she wishes Faisal were there.
So the girl’s father admitted himself to a mental hospital then killed himself 8 years later, and then the girl realized that magic is real and that there’s a strange pattern to a series of suicides that match/align with her father’s suicide. She eventually found out that the thing causing the deaths is a vampiric spirit (whatever that is…who knows because it’s never explained) who had been trying to kill one specific person but couldn’t find them. So it had been jumping from person to person to try and find its target. After 3 days it gave up and made the person it was in kill themselves, then it went to another person to try to find the target person. The second “host” killed themself when the target wasn’t found, over and over. The girl finds out that the vampiric spirit was a curse put on a guy who had a magical object when he wasn’t supposed to have it, and the girl’s dad took the spirit out and took it himself instead to save the first guy. Then the dad locked himself in the insane asylum on a suicide watch. When the vampiric spirit finally managed to make him kill himself, it was released, and began hunting for the first guy. The girl tried to find a way to stop it, but she ended up with a second vampiric spirit. Then a wizard who was kind of sort of helping her decided that he was going to kill her to get rid of the vampiric spirit, and she didn’t want that. So she broke into his house and drew the wizard’s scary masters to the house in the hopes that they would be able to destroy the two vampiric spirits. They did, and then the girl was put on trial for using magic as a mere human who was clearly not supposed to use magic. She gambled and won the right to do magic. Then the book ended with her becoming an arbitrator for the magic creatures because she was neutral.
I feel like my jumbled summarizing makes more sense than the actual book. Who/what was the antagonist? Why were the few rules that were introduced broken? The world building is not the greatest, and left me with a lot of questions. I think part of my confusion comes from the fact that the entire conflict in the book (the dad dying and releasing the vampiric spirit so it could go on a murderous rampage to try and find its original target, and the girl trying to stop it by using illegal magic) felt hollow. The entire reason for the vampiric spirit curse was because one of the creatures (a graveling; who knows what that is because again, it’s never explained) saw one character with a magical object (he didn’t know it was magic) and decided to curse him for “cheating”. The person (the girl’s dad) gave the magic item to the person who got cursed so he could reinforce it. What was the point of the vampiric spirit? What was the point of the story?
This book was so confusing. I really struggled to get through it. Also, I was annoyed every time Faisal (the girl’s boyfriend) was mentioned because it was hinted at that he was a big part of the story, but he wasn’t. He appeared at the beginning, and at the end for a few pages. There was no point to his character being in the book, other than for the main character to pine after him in her thoughts. All throughout the book she wishes Faisal were there.
So the girl’s father admitted himself to a mental hospital then killed himself 8 years later, and then the girl realized that magic is real and that there’s a strange pattern to a series of suicides that match/align with her father’s suicide. She eventually found out that the thing causing the deaths is a vampiric spirit (whatever that is…who knows because it’s never explained) who had been trying to kill one specific person but couldn’t find them. So it had been jumping from person to person to try and find its target. After 3 days it gave up and made the person it was in kill themselves, then it went to another person to try to find the target person. The second “host” killed themself when the target wasn’t found, over and over. The girl finds out that the vampiric spirit was a curse put on a guy who had a magical object when he wasn’t supposed to have it, and the girl’s dad took the spirit out and took it himself instead to save the first guy. Then the dad locked himself in the insane asylum on a suicide watch. When the vampiric spirit finally managed to make him kill himself, it was released, and began hunting for the first guy. The girl tried to find a way to stop it, but she ended up with a second vampiric spirit. Then a wizard who was kind of sort of helping her decided that he was going to kill her to get rid of the vampiric spirit, and she didn’t want that. So she broke into his house and drew the wizard’s scary masters to the house in the hopes that they would be able to destroy the two vampiric spirits. They did, and then the girl was put on trial for using magic as a mere human who was clearly not supposed to use magic. She gambled and won the right to do magic. Then the book ended with her becoming an arbitrator for the magic creatures because she was neutral.
I feel like my jumbled summarizing makes more sense than the actual book. Who/what was the antagonist? Why were the few rules that were introduced broken? The world building is not the greatest, and left me with a lot of questions. I think part of my confusion comes from the fact that the entire conflict in the book (the dad dying and releasing the vampiric spirit so it could go on a murderous rampage to try and find its original target, and the girl trying to stop it by using illegal magic) felt hollow. The entire reason for the vampiric spirit curse was because one of the creatures (a graveling; who knows what that is because again, it’s never explained) saw one character with a magical object (he didn’t know it was magic) and decided to curse him for “cheating”. The person (the girl’s dad) gave the magic item to the person who got cursed so he could reinforce it. What was the point of the vampiric spirit? What was the point of the story?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2022
Ordinary humans stumbling into the magical world isn't anything new, though usually those humans are far from ordinary as they typically have yet unfulfilled magical powers. Not so in A Grimoire for Gamblers. Our protagonist is truly human and has only stumbled into the magical world after the death of her father many years after admitting himself into a psychiatric ward.
I appreciated that Elizabeth doesn't have any powers. She's been thrown into this world and she doesn't mysteriously pick everything up through mitosis. As with most urban fantasy MCs, she's a little bit snarky and we spend a lot of time in her head listening to her as she tries to figure this all out. She doesn't immediately merge with this new world and spends a lot of the time wondering if her father's supposed insanity isn't genetic. At this point though, why not try a spell to see and she does, with the help of computers, scanners, and even a Cricut. Annnd promptly sets herself on fire. Okay, so she's muddling through the best she can but she's smart and she'll figure it out.
True to the rules of urban fantasy, the world-building is enmeshed in the "real" world as we humans know it. Oh sure, there are some interesting locales such as the casino where humans are gambling with their souls and a fighting arena where supernatural creatures are pitted against each other. At the same time, the vast majority of this book takes place right here, in the city Elizabeth knows.
There were a few holes in the plot I think, or at least in the plot devices. While the toy voodoo train set up in the attic was neat, I didn't really understand what it had to do with everything. Why would her dad have a train linked to the real-world train? And some of the characters weren't really explained. Gravelings? Vampiric Spirits? Also, from the first pages, Elizabeth mentions her boyfriend and thinks about him throughout the novel. He's not even really in the book other than her thoughts, so what was the point of having her in a relationship?
All in all, though, this was a pretty solid urban fantasy. It managed to be very unique in a lot of ways, including the technology-boosted magic. Work smarter, not harder, right? There were obviously some things that didn't work as well for me, but as this is the first in the series, I'm not going to judge it too harshly. It's hard to do urban fantasy that hasn't been done before and this is a solid foundation for the series to continue.
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I appreciated that Elizabeth doesn't have any powers. She's been thrown into this world and she doesn't mysteriously pick everything up through mitosis. As with most urban fantasy MCs, she's a little bit snarky and we spend a lot of time in her head listening to her as she tries to figure this all out. She doesn't immediately merge with this new world and spends a lot of the time wondering if her father's supposed insanity isn't genetic. At this point though, why not try a spell to see and she does, with the help of computers, scanners, and even a Cricut. Annnd promptly sets herself on fire. Okay, so she's muddling through the best she can but she's smart and she'll figure it out.
True to the rules of urban fantasy, the world-building is enmeshed in the "real" world as we humans know it. Oh sure, there are some interesting locales such as the casino where humans are gambling with their souls and a fighting arena where supernatural creatures are pitted against each other. At the same time, the vast majority of this book takes place right here, in the city Elizabeth knows.
There were a few holes in the plot I think, or at least in the plot devices. While the toy voodoo train set up in the attic was neat, I didn't really understand what it had to do with everything. Why would her dad have a train linked to the real-world train? And some of the characters weren't really explained. Gravelings? Vampiric Spirits? Also, from the first pages, Elizabeth mentions her boyfriend and thinks about him throughout the novel. He's not even really in the book other than her thoughts, so what was the point of having her in a relationship?
All in all, though, this was a pretty solid urban fantasy. It managed to be very unique in a lot of ways, including the technology-boosted magic. Work smarter, not harder, right? There were obviously some things that didn't work as well for me, but as this is the first in the series, I'm not going to judge it too harshly. It's hard to do urban fantasy that hasn't been done before and this is a solid foundation for the series to continue.
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May 29, 2021
A Grimoire for Gamblers, (The Trove Arbitrations Book 1), Amanda Creiglow
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Sci-fi and Fantasy
This sounded unusual, and that's good in a market saturated with so many fantasy reads that are almost copies...so I dived in.
The magic here is different, very different to the usual, and I liked that, it was good to read a protagonist that wasn't instantly transformed into someone more skilled than others hundreds of years older. Magic here – for humans at least – relies on skill, practice, accuracy- and intention. I really felt that part was one of the things that sets this novel above so many others.
I liked Elizabeth, and understood her grief for her father even though he'd been trying to end his life for some time. Her curiosity – that would be me, I couldn't leave such interesting papers and items alone either....The grief provides a convenient excuse for her not being at work too, which gives her time to sort out this mess she's inadvertently involved in. I didn't see the point of the boyfriend, Faisal, he's away for most of the novel and doesn't add anything. Their relationship doesn't feel like a very solid one, there's no real pull between them, they feel more like flatmates than lovers.
I did get a little confused by all the different magical creatures, and I'm still not entirely sure what/where the Gravelings come from. That kind of brings up the weakness in the story for me, I have several unanswered questions. I didn't understand the relevance of some incidents, felt others were too slickly glossed over. Max seems almost manic at times, yet terrified of his masters – why? What was the significance of the train, other than to begin events? The solutions occasionally seemed a bit slick, though the end result, the big problem, worked excellently for me. Complex enough to make me think, yet with a logic that I could understand.
Overall this was a fun read, and the issues I had could easily be put down to first in series syndrome. Those books have a tough ask, delivering a story interesting enough to hook the reader, but a world wide enough to carry future books. I think its successful here, I'd certainly like to read more.
Stars: Three and a half, its a fun fantasy, but with some darker edges. Holds promise for an interesting series.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Sci-fi and Fantasy
This sounded unusual, and that's good in a market saturated with so many fantasy reads that are almost copies...so I dived in.
The magic here is different, very different to the usual, and I liked that, it was good to read a protagonist that wasn't instantly transformed into someone more skilled than others hundreds of years older. Magic here – for humans at least – relies on skill, practice, accuracy- and intention. I really felt that part was one of the things that sets this novel above so many others.
I liked Elizabeth, and understood her grief for her father even though he'd been trying to end his life for some time. Her curiosity – that would be me, I couldn't leave such interesting papers and items alone either....The grief provides a convenient excuse for her not being at work too, which gives her time to sort out this mess she's inadvertently involved in. I didn't see the point of the boyfriend, Faisal, he's away for most of the novel and doesn't add anything. Their relationship doesn't feel like a very solid one, there's no real pull between them, they feel more like flatmates than lovers.
I did get a little confused by all the different magical creatures, and I'm still not entirely sure what/where the Gravelings come from. That kind of brings up the weakness in the story for me, I have several unanswered questions. I didn't understand the relevance of some incidents, felt others were too slickly glossed over. Max seems almost manic at times, yet terrified of his masters – why? What was the significance of the train, other than to begin events? The solutions occasionally seemed a bit slick, though the end result, the big problem, worked excellently for me. Complex enough to make me think, yet with a logic that I could understand.
Overall this was a fun read, and the issues I had could easily be put down to first in series syndrome. Those books have a tough ask, delivering a story interesting enough to hook the reader, but a world wide enough to carry future books. I think its successful here, I'd certainly like to read more.
Stars: Three and a half, its a fun fantasy, but with some darker edges. Holds promise for an interesting series.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
September 10, 2021
I'm always very excited when I discover a new author that writes Urban Fantasy well. And I was fairly blown away by A Grimoire for Gamblers.
I found it to have a fairly unique premise in a world where Wizards are the supernatural worlds boogeymen, policing them to a degree. And long ago a treaty was made, keeping the humans ignorant, the supernatural glamored and the Wizards running things. Only, you don't need to be a born Wizard to do magic. Any human can, if they're willing to do the tedious work that comes naturally to Wizards.
Grimorie for Gamblers is about Normal Human Elizabeth who knows nothing about magic or the supernatural, stumbling headfirst into the supernatural. She doesn't do this by fully believing it, nor fully believing she's gone insane. No no, Liz is a pragmatic sort where "I better just check this out in case I'm not insane, and if I AM insane then it doesn't matter"
And you go quickly from dabbling a little, to dealing with powers far greater than her.
Elizabeth survives by pure luck and a little smarts. She makes allies, but they're bittersweet because they're not friends, they're not instantly good guys fighting for the cause, but rather along for their own reasons, reasons that sometimes goes against what Elizabeth herself wants.
I found that refreshing, it wasn't black and white, it wasn't "either we're BFF from the start or I will kill you", it was "okay I need you, and I know you're doing some scheming of your own and I'll deal with that later"
And what was more refreshing. Was the lack of romance. Elizabeth isn't a single main character thirsting after every person she meets. No no, she's already in an committed relationship with a man she loves. He happens to be out of the country for the period of the first book but he's mentioned a few times and it is clear she loves him.
This is a.. unusual take. We do get to see more interactions with him in the second book, but almost every other book out there you always get to see the START of an relationship, the falling in love and how they make a relationship works.
This relationship already works. It's steady. There's just the tiny little part where he might think she's crazy if she tells him she can now do magic. But yknow.. small details..
I found it to have a fairly unique premise in a world where Wizards are the supernatural worlds boogeymen, policing them to a degree. And long ago a treaty was made, keeping the humans ignorant, the supernatural glamored and the Wizards running things. Only, you don't need to be a born Wizard to do magic. Any human can, if they're willing to do the tedious work that comes naturally to Wizards.
Grimorie for Gamblers is about Normal Human Elizabeth who knows nothing about magic or the supernatural, stumbling headfirst into the supernatural. She doesn't do this by fully believing it, nor fully believing she's gone insane. No no, Liz is a pragmatic sort where "I better just check this out in case I'm not insane, and if I AM insane then it doesn't matter"
And you go quickly from dabbling a little, to dealing with powers far greater than her.
Elizabeth survives by pure luck and a little smarts. She makes allies, but they're bittersweet because they're not friends, they're not instantly good guys fighting for the cause, but rather along for their own reasons, reasons that sometimes goes against what Elizabeth herself wants.
I found that refreshing, it wasn't black and white, it wasn't "either we're BFF from the start or I will kill you", it was "okay I need you, and I know you're doing some scheming of your own and I'll deal with that later"
And what was more refreshing. Was the lack of romance. Elizabeth isn't a single main character thirsting after every person she meets. No no, she's already in an committed relationship with a man she loves. He happens to be out of the country for the period of the first book but he's mentioned a few times and it is clear she loves him.
This is a.. unusual take. We do get to see more interactions with him in the second book, but almost every other book out there you always get to see the START of an relationship, the falling in love and how they make a relationship works.
This relationship already works. It's steady. There's just the tiny little part where he might think she's crazy if she tells him she can now do magic. But yknow.. small details..
November 14, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Grimoire for Gamblers by Amanda Creiglow is an adult fantasy that will appeal to fans of urban fantasy and The Magicians on Syfy. The story revolves around Elizabeth, whose father recently died by suicide in an extremely violent way. She discovers a grimoire in the attic which allows her to use magic. Then, a handsome wizard shows up at the house. At first, Elizabeth thinks it's all in her head, but then she realizes that it is real. Will Elizabeth be able to control her newfound magic powers?
Here is a magical excerpt from Chapter 4 when Elizabeth first performs magic:
"And then I yelp as the entire sheet of paper in my left hand is very suddenly engulfed in flame.
I should have had something prepared for success - a bucket of water, maybe. I was expecting a small flame, commensurate with my small, beginning-student power. But nope. I guess when you do a spell right, the spell executes.
On instinct, I release the flaming paper, which falls into my lap and catches my clothes on fire. And then I do something I never expected: I actually use stop, drop, and roll."
Overall, A Grimoire for Gamblers is a magical book that will satisfy people looking for a light-hearted blend of adult fantasy and humor. As an adult myself, I enjoy reading about protagonists that are closer to my age and that deal with problems like adults do. The author has some original ideas, such as including side adventures with trolls, demons, and vampiric spirits. I did take off 2 stars though, because I wasn't really drawn into the conflict of the book. I had trouble maintaining my interest in the plot, and I didn't really feel excited at any point. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of adult fantasy, you can check out this book, which is available now!
A Grimoire for Gamblers by Amanda Creiglow is an adult fantasy that will appeal to fans of urban fantasy and The Magicians on Syfy. The story revolves around Elizabeth, whose father recently died by suicide in an extremely violent way. She discovers a grimoire in the attic which allows her to use magic. Then, a handsome wizard shows up at the house. At first, Elizabeth thinks it's all in her head, but then she realizes that it is real. Will Elizabeth be able to control her newfound magic powers?
Here is a magical excerpt from Chapter 4 when Elizabeth first performs magic:
"And then I yelp as the entire sheet of paper in my left hand is very suddenly engulfed in flame.
I should have had something prepared for success - a bucket of water, maybe. I was expecting a small flame, commensurate with my small, beginning-student power. But nope. I guess when you do a spell right, the spell executes.
On instinct, I release the flaming paper, which falls into my lap and catches my clothes on fire. And then I do something I never expected: I actually use stop, drop, and roll."
Overall, A Grimoire for Gamblers is a magical book that will satisfy people looking for a light-hearted blend of adult fantasy and humor. As an adult myself, I enjoy reading about protagonists that are closer to my age and that deal with problems like adults do. The author has some original ideas, such as including side adventures with trolls, demons, and vampiric spirits. I did take off 2 stars though, because I wasn't really drawn into the conflict of the book. I had trouble maintaining my interest in the plot, and I didn't really feel excited at any point. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of adult fantasy, you can check out this book, which is available now!
October 16, 2023
a good beginning
It’s a rather good beginning for an old trope, the one where Girl wakes up and discovers that Magic is Real. The author could’ve make her character school age and we’d have the Magic School trope. The author did follow a few older tropes. We meet a few Gods/Entities that could fall under the “Watching Gods” trope. You know that one, Gods watching the world, itching to get into a fight, claiming they’re not going to help, while gently nudging a game piece (or two) in the direction the God wants. We also have the Crazy Father trope. Yep, Daddy got too involved with Magic and magic made him insane — OR a God made him insane; both the Crazy Old Man trope.
So a lot of various Fantasy Tropes are used in A Grimoire for Gamblers. The main character is examined fully, but I don’t get why she’s not running down the street screaming. “MAGIC’S REAL! MAGIC’S REAL!” This author took their main character in a rather unexpected way, embracing magic, though she didn’t have any idea of what she was doing, or that the God’s were watching. And she forgot one of the oldest Fantasy tropes - All Magic Has a Price.
What will be her price she pays?
That’s the story more or less, righting past wrongs, protecting yourself, and if magic is used, that there’s a price she must pay. If someone forgets to pay, bad things happen. If she forgets to pay, all HELL can break loose.
I do recommend this book, it’s a light read, the plot moves along fast, and the times you go, “Huh?” wondering what’s going on, are thankfully low.
I’ll try the next one in this series, as long as it doesn’t cost too much.
It’s a rather good beginning for an old trope, the one where Girl wakes up and discovers that Magic is Real. The author could’ve make her character school age and we’d have the Magic School trope. The author did follow a few older tropes. We meet a few Gods/Entities that could fall under the “Watching Gods” trope. You know that one, Gods watching the world, itching to get into a fight, claiming they’re not going to help, while gently nudging a game piece (or two) in the direction the God wants. We also have the Crazy Father trope. Yep, Daddy got too involved with Magic and magic made him insane — OR a God made him insane; both the Crazy Old Man trope.
So a lot of various Fantasy Tropes are used in A Grimoire for Gamblers. The main character is examined fully, but I don’t get why she’s not running down the street screaming. “MAGIC’S REAL! MAGIC’S REAL!” This author took their main character in a rather unexpected way, embracing magic, though she didn’t have any idea of what she was doing, or that the God’s were watching. And she forgot one of the oldest Fantasy tropes - All Magic Has a Price.
What will be her price she pays?
That’s the story more or less, righting past wrongs, protecting yourself, and if magic is used, that there’s a price she must pay. If someone forgets to pay, bad things happen. If she forgets to pay, all HELL can break loose.
I do recommend this book, it’s a light read, the plot moves along fast, and the times you go, “Huh?” wondering what’s going on, are thankfully low.
I’ll try the next one in this series, as long as it doesn’t cost too much.
September 27, 2024
This book could've easily been an episode of some supernatural series, or a short movie of sorts. If you're in search of magical mysteries and lots of rugs being pulled under you, or simply putting a puzzle together that feels like nothing makes sense, until it does... well, you got it: it's for you.
Until her father's death, or a week or so after, Elizabeth's life was as chill as someone working for the mayor could be. With a history of mental illness, she takes her time before she's back to work; and what a field day (or days) to absorb a whole new world of magic, getting away from people trying to either kill her or trick her. But you'll likely like every character, even in their weirded states and order, you ought to find something to cling to in order to pull it together until "The End". You'll like troll, you will like statue. You'll even like the wizard's masters... and maybe even the wizard -- if you like being jerked around to the point it feels like a weird case of gas-lighting or simple manipulation; pick your poison and decide who is friend or who's foe. That will be fun in on itself. And the story will continue in the next volume I have chosen to put of my to-read list for one day to purchase it... but I have freebies to go through first, and hopefully I can remember to buy the next volume in the future.
ps: I'm skipping going into tangents about which character did what, cause I want you to pick your poison - you don't have to like everyone; enjoy the entertainment of this new world while the real one is up in flames.
Until her father's death, or a week or so after, Elizabeth's life was as chill as someone working for the mayor could be. With a history of mental illness, she takes her time before she's back to work; and what a field day (or days) to absorb a whole new world of magic, getting away from people trying to either kill her or trick her. But you'll likely like every character, even in their weirded states and order, you ought to find something to cling to in order to pull it together until "The End". You'll like troll, you will like statue. You'll even like the wizard's masters... and maybe even the wizard -- if you like being jerked around to the point it feels like a weird case of gas-lighting or simple manipulation; pick your poison and decide who is friend or who's foe. That will be fun in on itself. And the story will continue in the next volume I have chosen to put of my to-read list for one day to purchase it... but I have freebies to go through first, and hopefully I can remember to buy the next volume in the future.
ps: I'm skipping going into tangents about which character did what, cause I want you to pick your poison - you don't have to like everyone; enjoy the entertainment of this new world while the real one is up in flames.
May 16, 2021
📘📘ONE SUSPENSE-FILLED ADVENTURE📘📘
Buckling boggles boo! Amanda works the tapestry, weaves the pattern and secures the border, delivering this intoxicatingly tantalizing, skillfully compelling, sinfully addictive, delectably delicious, rock-our-world landslide, clearing hurdles, jumping hoops and snagging traps, propelling this little treat to a whole new level. Hurled head-first into a vicious scheme full of riveting drama, gripping intrigue, underlying currents, spiraling danger, escalating suspense and gut-wretching situations ensue in epic proportions, putting our characters through their paces, kicking this jewel into a tailspin with an astonishing culmination, melding this gem together seamlessly. Mannerisms and perceptions in each thread you unravel with every page, your drawn into this intricate web so tightly and precise, secrets are shared, revelations are unearthed and battle lines are drawn, reaching deep for every ounce of strength in a fierce surge of determination, blasting this baby to life beautifully. The characters, interactions and charged atmosphere along with relatable qualities and individual traits add diversity, transforming into formidable personalities. The scenes are abundantly descriptive with colorful details that blend and flow, creating a majestic backdrop that's so rich and lively it feels like you can just reach out and touch it. Remarkable job Amanda, thanks for sharing this little jewel with us.
Buckling boggles boo! Amanda works the tapestry, weaves the pattern and secures the border, delivering this intoxicatingly tantalizing, skillfully compelling, sinfully addictive, delectably delicious, rock-our-world landslide, clearing hurdles, jumping hoops and snagging traps, propelling this little treat to a whole new level. Hurled head-first into a vicious scheme full of riveting drama, gripping intrigue, underlying currents, spiraling danger, escalating suspense and gut-wretching situations ensue in epic proportions, putting our characters through their paces, kicking this jewel into a tailspin with an astonishing culmination, melding this gem together seamlessly. Mannerisms and perceptions in each thread you unravel with every page, your drawn into this intricate web so tightly and precise, secrets are shared, revelations are unearthed and battle lines are drawn, reaching deep for every ounce of strength in a fierce surge of determination, blasting this baby to life beautifully. The characters, interactions and charged atmosphere along with relatable qualities and individual traits add diversity, transforming into formidable personalities. The scenes are abundantly descriptive with colorful details that blend and flow, creating a majestic backdrop that's so rich and lively it feels like you can just reach out and touch it. Remarkable job Amanda, thanks for sharing this little jewel with us.
May 24, 2021
I received a digital ARC via Netgalley in return for my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
4 stars - Great urban fantasy with an excellent heroine!
Okay, I really enjoyed this one even though urban fantasy does not always work for me, so I'm really glad I gave this one a chance.
We follow Elizabeth, who has just lost her father to suicide and moved into his house. Upon going through his things she finds a trove of magic knowledge - something that non-wizards really should not get their hands on if you ask the local wizards.
The trove and and a series of suicides that cannot be coincidence and might be connected to her father's death draw her quickly into the world of wizards and supernatural creatures. And it is not a world for the faint of heart. It is strange, hostile and Elizabeth has to learn to navigate it without getting herself killed while at the same time trying to solve the murder mystery at hand.
What really shone for me in this book was our heroine Elisabeth. She is smart, compassionate, thoughtful, perceptive, courageous and tough. I could relate to her thought processes a lot which is always helpful for getting immersed in a story. There is also a colourful ensemble of side characters who are all complex - neither cookie cutter good nor bad guys. The world of supernatural creatures and magic carries plenty of promise, as does her relationship with her boyfriend Faisal and I am very much looking forward to any next parts in this series.
4 stars - Great urban fantasy with an excellent heroine!
Okay, I really enjoyed this one even though urban fantasy does not always work for me, so I'm really glad I gave this one a chance.
We follow Elizabeth, who has just lost her father to suicide and moved into his house. Upon going through his things she finds a trove of magic knowledge - something that non-wizards really should not get their hands on if you ask the local wizards.
The trove and and a series of suicides that cannot be coincidence and might be connected to her father's death draw her quickly into the world of wizards and supernatural creatures. And it is not a world for the faint of heart. It is strange, hostile and Elizabeth has to learn to navigate it without getting herself killed while at the same time trying to solve the murder mystery at hand.
What really shone for me in this book was our heroine Elisabeth. She is smart, compassionate, thoughtful, perceptive, courageous and tough. I could relate to her thought processes a lot which is always helpful for getting immersed in a story. There is also a colourful ensemble of side characters who are all complex - neither cookie cutter good nor bad guys. The world of supernatural creatures and magic carries plenty of promise, as does her relationship with her boyfriend Faisal and I am very much looking forward to any next parts in this series.
May 17, 2021
An interesting read, though it wasn’t for me.
Elizabeth is grieving the loss of her father following his suicide. She inherits his house and belongs. In her exploration of the attic she discovers the hidden world of magic her father was a part of. This launches her into an investigation that introduces her to green-eyed wizards, demons, trolls and other magical beings.
Elizabeth was a strong, smart and logical main character, who was faced with difficult situations throughout the story.
I found that this story, for me was difficult to get into. It felt like every time I was started to get into it, there would be an interaction that irritated me or took me out of the story. There were descriptions that I didn’t understand, though I believe this is due to my lack of knowledge of the American references.
I enjoyed the magic system, which was different to the usual -point and say magic word- standard. The fact that things didn’t work first time for Elizabeth made her more relatable. She could be me.
There were parts of the story that I felt were not discussed enough; the bewitched train being the main one. This could be addressed further in the coming releases. Also, the addition of her boyfriend seemed a little pointless. She could just as easily been single.
ARC provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review
Elizabeth is grieving the loss of her father following his suicide. She inherits his house and belongs. In her exploration of the attic she discovers the hidden world of magic her father was a part of. This launches her into an investigation that introduces her to green-eyed wizards, demons, trolls and other magical beings.
Elizabeth was a strong, smart and logical main character, who was faced with difficult situations throughout the story.
I found that this story, for me was difficult to get into. It felt like every time I was started to get into it, there would be an interaction that irritated me or took me out of the story. There were descriptions that I didn’t understand, though I believe this is due to my lack of knowledge of the American references.
I enjoyed the magic system, which was different to the usual -point and say magic word- standard. The fact that things didn’t work first time for Elizabeth made her more relatable. She could be me.
There were parts of the story that I felt were not discussed enough; the bewitched train being the main one. This could be addressed further in the coming releases. Also, the addition of her boyfriend seemed a little pointless. She could just as easily been single.
ARC provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review
May 13, 2021
Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of A GRIMOIRE FOR GAMBLERS (Book 1 of the Trove Arbitrations Urban Fantasy Series) by Amanda Creiglow in exchange for an honest review. Elizabeth has taken a leave of absence from her job as the mayor’s assistance after her father’s suicide. Elizabeth finally manages to open the attic door, and what she finds there sets off a series of events she never saw coming. Magic, magic users, mythical creatures, and curses . . . . Elizabeth’s journey into the fantastical will yield revelations about her father’s death that will give her some closure. However, in uncovering that information, Elizabeth finds herself facing the same situation that eventually ended her father’s life. Can Elizabeth survive what her father couldn’t, or will she die and drag the rest of her family with her?
I liked this book and though it was a great start to an urban fantasy series. Elizabeth’s already in a long-term relationship, so, hopefully, this series will manage to stay urban fantasy instead of drifting into that other genre-you know the one. I recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy.
#AGrimoireforGamblers #NetGalle
I liked this book and though it was a great start to an urban fantasy series. Elizabeth’s already in a long-term relationship, so, hopefully, this series will manage to stay urban fantasy instead of drifting into that other genre-you know the one. I recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy.
#AGrimoireforGamblers #NetGalle
May 30, 2021
I’m kind if happy about this book!
I really liked Elizabeth and felt like her character had a good balance of positive and negative qualities. She was flawed and wasn’t over-powered and had some aspects of her personality that I could relate to. I think that she was a well made and well developed character.
I will say that I didn’t have any interest in her and Faisal’s relationship but that’s mainly because it wasn’t a very prominent aspect of the story.
I also really liked the worldbuilding. As someone who quite enjoys worldbuilding in books, I was happy to learn about how magic worked as well as the mythical creatures in the story.
Plot-wise, this story was okay. It had good moments but parts of it felt slow and could have been worked on more to make it feel fast-paced the entire time. The plot was really good but my enjoyment was slightly lowered by these slower paced sections since they made it a bit harder to get to the next section of the story.
I liked this book and if you think it might interest you, then definitely give it a try! It does take a little bit to get into but it’s definitely worth it.
I really liked Elizabeth and felt like her character had a good balance of positive and negative qualities. She was flawed and wasn’t over-powered and had some aspects of her personality that I could relate to. I think that she was a well made and well developed character.
I will say that I didn’t have any interest in her and Faisal’s relationship but that’s mainly because it wasn’t a very prominent aspect of the story.
I also really liked the worldbuilding. As someone who quite enjoys worldbuilding in books, I was happy to learn about how magic worked as well as the mythical creatures in the story.
Plot-wise, this story was okay. It had good moments but parts of it felt slow and could have been worked on more to make it feel fast-paced the entire time. The plot was really good but my enjoyment was slightly lowered by these slower paced sections since they made it a bit harder to get to the next section of the story.
I liked this book and if you think it might interest you, then definitely give it a try! It does take a little bit to get into but it’s definitely worth it.
July 10, 2021
A fairy standard plot for an urban fantasy but it shines with the female protagonist. She doesn't have any innate magical powers, but through determination, intelligence and use of technology she manages to hold her own in the magical world. She won't leave a series of magical caused "suicides" that she has a slight role in causing alone for the wizards to take care of. Particularly, when she finds out how careless wizards are with normal humans' lives.
She makes mistakes, but how could she not being thrust into a completely alien world where the creatures are ruthless. Elizabeth is likeable and believable. I just hope that she doesn't end up falling for the wizard. That would be the typical way urban fantasies go. She really doesn't like the careless way wizards have to just messing with people's minds and casually killing one if they think it is for the better good instead of finding another way of doing things which might be more difficult. She has a boyfriend who doesn't have much of a presence in this story; she admits he is a great guy. Hopefully they can continue to have a relationship.
Good introduction to a new series.
She makes mistakes, but how could she not being thrust into a completely alien world where the creatures are ruthless. Elizabeth is likeable and believable. I just hope that she doesn't end up falling for the wizard. That would be the typical way urban fantasies go. She really doesn't like the careless way wizards have to just messing with people's minds and casually killing one if they think it is for the better good instead of finding another way of doing things which might be more difficult. She has a boyfriend who doesn't have much of a presence in this story; she admits he is a great guy. Hopefully they can continue to have a relationship.
Good introduction to a new series.
November 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. While it is in a genre that I have read a fair amount of, there was something about the characters, world, and situations that were just a little more... solidified than works I expect in this genre. It felt more... considered, and compared to much of what I have read in the genre, a little bit better written, honestly. I will say that it was a bit weird to functionally have two main characters who weren't *there* in the book though. Doesn't spoil anything, but her father's death at the beginning of the story means he isn't part of what happens, and yet his actions and decisions and suffering are all through this story. Additionally, the main character's significant other is mentioned a lot for someone who is out of town for almost the entirety of the story as well. The latter of these two things, I expect will not continue in the next installment, as he had just been out of town for work.
There are some interesting things that add a nice bit of flavor and interest to things that might otherwise seem too familiar like 'making connections' and 'Right Mind', for example.
I will probably check out the next book in this series.
There are some interesting things that add a nice bit of flavor and interest to things that might otherwise seem too familiar like 'making connections' and 'Right Mind', for example.
I will probably check out the next book in this series.
June 22, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Grimoire for Gamblers follows the main character, Elizabeth, as she is mourning the loss of her father. She has inherited her childhood home from her father along with the items that come inside it. The most significant being a magical trove and starts coming into the realization that her father may have had more secrets then he let on. These secrets lead her into a supernatural world that she was never supposed to be a part of and a series of gruesome deaths that may not be mere coincidence.
I thought this was an interesting read and felt it was a compelling enough of a story to keep you wondering how it would end. I found myself towards the end sometimes getting annoyed with Elizabeth because I felt like she didn't think things through, rushed into things, and could come off as judgmental. But she is going through a lot in a very short amount of time and so all of that can be understandable.
Overall, an interesting story that makes me wonder how the series will continue!
A Grimoire for Gamblers follows the main character, Elizabeth, as she is mourning the loss of her father. She has inherited her childhood home from her father along with the items that come inside it. The most significant being a magical trove and starts coming into the realization that her father may have had more secrets then he let on. These secrets lead her into a supernatural world that she was never supposed to be a part of and a series of gruesome deaths that may not be mere coincidence.
I thought this was an interesting read and felt it was a compelling enough of a story to keep you wondering how it would end. I found myself towards the end sometimes getting annoyed with Elizabeth because I felt like she didn't think things through, rushed into things, and could come off as judgmental. But she is going through a lot in a very short amount of time and so all of that can be understandable.
Overall, an interesting story that makes me wonder how the series will continue!
January 10, 2023
Our heroine is still grieving from her father's death so she doesn't need any more complications. But when she discovers that all is not as it seems, that is exactly what she gets. Now she has to figure all this out before even worse things happen. If it isn't already too late.
This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start.
This is an urban fantasy story. The story is well written and easy to read, although things are a bit foggy at the beginning. The reader is discovering the magic at the same time that the heroine is, so it takes a while for everything to come into focus. Such as it is. I found the characters to be well developed and I particularly liked our heroine who was tough and smart, if a bit out of her depth. The plot is a good one with plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. Overall, I found this to be an excellent introduction to the series and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
Highly recommended.
I received an ARC from Hidden Gems for review purposes.
This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start.
This is an urban fantasy story. The story is well written and easy to read, although things are a bit foggy at the beginning. The reader is discovering the magic at the same time that the heroine is, so it takes a while for everything to come into focus. Such as it is. I found the characters to be well developed and I particularly liked our heroine who was tough and smart, if a bit out of her depth. The plot is a good one with plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. Overall, I found this to be an excellent introduction to the series and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
Highly recommended.
I received an ARC from Hidden Gems for review purposes.
June 5, 2021
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
I found this to be a very pleasant and engaging story. The premise was a new twist on what I have read in the past and was very enjoyable.
The world this author has created, complete with the rules and laws for magic use is different and I will be very interested to see how it progresses in later books. I like that magic did not suddenly make everything 'great' for Elizabeth. In this world, the fact that the human suddenly can access magic does not give her a golden ticket, but actually has put her in a very precarious position. It was also interesting that the people assumed to be her friends in the new world, may not be-I think that is yet to be seen.
All in all, the storytelling was excellent. The author had enough twists and turns to keep interest going.
I look forward to the next installment.
I found this to be a very pleasant and engaging story. The premise was a new twist on what I have read in the past and was very enjoyable.
The world this author has created, complete with the rules and laws for magic use is different and I will be very interested to see how it progresses in later books. I like that magic did not suddenly make everything 'great' for Elizabeth. In this world, the fact that the human suddenly can access magic does not give her a golden ticket, but actually has put her in a very precarious position. It was also interesting that the people assumed to be her friends in the new world, may not be-I think that is yet to be seen.
All in all, the storytelling was excellent. The author had enough twists and turns to keep interest going.
I look forward to the next installment.
June 11, 2021
Far better than expected
Frankly, the name made me think it was another trope-filled urban fantasy about the supernatural.
It isn't. I mean, it is - previously mundane human suddenly immersed in the supernatural. But its different. Elizabeth's dad was institutionalized, and then died. She's really worried about sanity, and reality, and her emotional state is not great. But she inherits something sort of by accident , and it causes as many problems as it solves. People can't be trusted, and what she's seeing can't be trusted, either.
There were parts that I thought could be improved. Elizabeth's relationship with her sister seemed superficial - Olivia wasn't as clear of a character, she seemed to exist mostly so that Elizabeth would have something to lose. Max the wizard was not nearly as smart as he thought he was, or as smart as he was written to be.
All in all, a well written, engaging urban fantasy with some great world building .
Frankly, the name made me think it was another trope-filled urban fantasy about the supernatural.
It isn't. I mean, it is - previously mundane human suddenly immersed in the supernatural. But its different. Elizabeth's dad was institutionalized, and then died. She's really worried about sanity, and reality, and her emotional state is not great. But she inherits something sort of by accident , and it causes as many problems as it solves. People can't be trusted, and what she's seeing can't be trusted, either.
There were parts that I thought could be improved. Elizabeth's relationship with her sister seemed superficial - Olivia wasn't as clear of a character, she seemed to exist mostly so that Elizabeth would have something to lose. Max the wizard was not nearly as smart as he thought he was, or as smart as he was written to be.
All in all, a well written, engaging urban fantasy with some great world building .
January 15, 2022
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring.)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
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