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R'iyah Family Archives #1
A Mage's Guide to Human Familiars
One mage, Bel Adams – needs a familiar, gun shy about being rejected by one again.
One familiar, Nico di Rossi – Army Ranger, needs a change of pace and a new purpose in life.
Plus one familiar, Garen Dallarosa – Secret Service, needs his ex-lover Nico back.
One second chance – all for the taking.
Tags:
Mages, BOGO familiar, familiars as bodyguards, familiar bond, M/M/M, second chances, workplace romance, fated mates, magical shenanigans, Garen is part gargoyle, Bel part demon, Nico is a golden retriever in human form (though not literally), idiots in love, seriously I don't know what to do with them, Bel loves Garen just because he wants to love him, possessive behavior, not a single degree of chill from any of them, Nico is not allowed caffeine, Nico loves swords, Wicky is his supplier, lightsaber sounds, competency kink, Garen cannot be moved, he moves when he wants to, evil cults strangely don't clean up after themselves, absolutely no one's surprised, Nico thinks a magically booby-trapped cave is a theme park, cuz he cray cray, Demon Grandpa is also cray cray and approves
One familiar, Nico di Rossi – Army Ranger, needs a change of pace and a new purpose in life.
Plus one familiar, Garen Dallarosa – Secret Service, needs his ex-lover Nico back.
One second chance – all for the taking.
Tags:
Mages, BOGO familiar, familiars as bodyguards, familiar bond, M/M/M, second chances, workplace romance, fated mates, magical shenanigans, Garen is part gargoyle, Bel part demon, Nico is a golden retriever in human form (though not literally), idiots in love, seriously I don't know what to do with them, Bel loves Garen just because he wants to love him, possessive behavior, not a single degree of chill from any of them, Nico is not allowed caffeine, Nico loves swords, Wicky is his supplier, lightsaber sounds, competency kink, Garen cannot be moved, he moves when he wants to, evil cults strangely don't clean up after themselves, absolutely no one's surprised, Nico thinks a magically booby-trapped cave is a theme park, cuz he cray cray, Demon Grandpa is also cray cray and approves
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2021
386 people are currently reading
1760 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Sherwood
80 books1,987 followersAJ Sherwood believes in happily ever afters, magic, dragons, good men, and dark chocolate. She often dreams at night of delectable men doing sexy things with each other. In between writing multiple books (often at the same time) she pets her cats, plays with her dogs, and attempts insane things like aerial yoga.
She currently resides in Tennessee with aforementioned cats, dogs, and her editor/best friend/sister/partner in crime.
She currently resides in Tennessee with aforementioned cats, dogs, and her editor/best friend/sister/partner in crime.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 523 reviews
May 22, 2022
That one time I read a book by *A.J.* Sherwood, while somehow thinking it was *Kate* Sherwood. Doh!
I mostly liked this humorous fantasy story, but there were a few things that didn't entirely work for me.
I was pulled in by the blurb's magical menage, then really liked Nico, Bel, and Garen (in that order), as the three men got to know one another better and considered their potential for more.
[My take on Bel's hyperactive, ex-military familiar, Nico...]
The big drawback for me was mainly that, instead of making the story more action-packed, the author almost seemed to get lost in page after page after page of the three men's internal monologues about whether or not they should man up and ask the other two men if they were up for a poly relationship.
Spoiler: They all three were.
I was thrilled when they finally got over themselves and confronted that question head on and the reader was allowed to move forward; however, more action vs. more internal monologue would've gotten another star rating from me.
One annoyance was the tendency for cutesy pet names, like calling Bel "Ruby" (for his demonic eye color) and "Bel Bel" (for some unholy, godawful reason). Authors using pet names rarely goes into my plus column, because it smacks of trying too hard to be "adorable" in a chick flick kind of way.
I did unequivocally *love* Bel's grandfather and Wicky and I'm hoping to get a lot more of them in the second book in the series.
So while there were some things I would've changed, I'd put this one firmly in the "mostly liked it" category and rate it around 3.5 stars.
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April 16, 2025DNF 17%
This is going to be a DNF and it's totally on me, I have no real complaints about the writing in this, it's unremarkable but fine.
I don't love age gaps normally and something about Bel being 19 and Nico being 32 is just making me feel so uncomfy. Like I'm having to continuously age up Bel in my head to feel okay about it but they just keep on reminding me how young he is. As someone in their mid 30s when I see a 19 year old I want to pinch their cheeks and yell at them that they are BABIES. Anything else is a bit barfy honestly.
Also they used Nicos golden retriever energy to just run the chemistry too hard too fast and it's not clicking for me and I can't be bothered pushing through for the sake of it 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
This is going to be a DNF and it's totally on me, I have no real complaints about the writing in this, it's unremarkable but fine.
I don't love age gaps normally and something about Bel being 19 and Nico being 32 is just making me feel so uncomfy. Like I'm having to continuously age up Bel in my head to feel okay about it but they just keep on reminding me how young he is. As someone in their mid 30s when I see a 19 year old I want to pinch their cheeks and yell at them that they are BABIES. Anything else is a bit barfy honestly.
Also they used Nicos golden retriever energy to just run the chemistry too hard too fast and it's not clicking for me and I can't be bothered pushing through for the sake of it 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
December 12, 2023
A Mage’s Guide to Human Familiars by A J Sherwood
R’iyah Family Archives series #1. M-M-M romance fantasy with mages, familiars, and swords.
Bel Adams needs a new familiar and ends up calling army Ranger, Nico di Rossi who was bored, bored, bored with his regular job. Nico gladly leaves the army to be with the mage. But his training is advance deployment and needs training to stay closer to Bel so his prior lover Garen Dallarosa is borrowed from the Secret Service to train Nico to be a body guard. The three find they work effectively and efficiently together fighting magical problems.
A mage getting a familiar story. But more, the story totally goes off the rails in humor and throw-away comments. I enjoy the heck out this story as humor, puns and ridiculous are totally my jam. The three do a good job of solving problems too with the help of Demon Grandpa. I can’t imagine where this will possible go, but I’m very sure it will be entertaining, romantic, and full of giggles for me.
“A coffee offering. All hail the coffee offering.”
R’iyah Family Archives series #1. M-M-M romance fantasy with mages, familiars, and swords.
Bel Adams needs a new familiar and ends up calling army Ranger, Nico di Rossi who was bored, bored, bored with his regular job. Nico gladly leaves the army to be with the mage. But his training is advance deployment and needs training to stay closer to Bel so his prior lover Garen Dallarosa is borrowed from the Secret Service to train Nico to be a body guard. The three find they work effectively and efficiently together fighting magical problems.
A mage getting a familiar story. But more, the story totally goes off the rails in humor and throw-away comments. I enjoy the heck out this story as humor, puns and ridiculous are totally my jam. The three do a good job of solving problems too with the help of Demon Grandpa. I can’t imagine where this will possible go, but I’m very sure it will be entertaining, romantic, and full of giggles for me.
“A coffee offering. All hail the coffee offering.”
January 4, 2022
What a great start to 2022!!! I haven’t read an M/M/M book in a long time, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
I admit, recently I have been struggling with PNR, but this story of Mage Bel and his familiars turned into a really sweet, angst free read. I loved all three of main characters, Bel, Nico and Garen. They each had very different personalities that fit perfectly together, especially when they were working.
Looking forward to the next book
I admit, recently I have been struggling with PNR, but this story of Mage Bel and his familiars turned into a really sweet, angst free read. I loved all three of main characters, Bel, Nico and Garen. They each had very different personalities that fit perfectly together, especially when they were working.
Looking forward to the next book
November 21, 2021
I was really looking forward to this book. I don't read a lot of M/M/M books just because the romance doesn't always work in them. But this was a long-ish book, and I like the author.
The story follows Bel, a unique variety of mage who has demonic eyes that give him the ability to see beyond what's humanly possible—like he can see molecular structures and the intricacies of magic spells. Now, Mages in this world all have familiars. But the kind of Mage Bel is, he gets a human familiar who can protect him. In comes Nico, hyperactivity personified and in love with anything dangerous. And he brings in Garan, his ex, someone with the skills needed for defence.
For most of the book, I was on board. This book is a lot of fun. I like Nico because he's entertaining. And he's balanced out by Garen, who's more serious and rational. And Bel is sweet but very smart and humble. The three of them worked well together, and I could definitely see chemistry there. I also thought Bel's abilities were fascinating. But as we got farther along, cracks began to show.
Let's start with the first big "why?!" that I experienced. As I said before, I saw the chemistry between the three characters. And because this is a series, I thought the author would build on it for a while. But then the dreaded L-word came out of fucking nowhere. There's a difference between three people admiring and being attracted to one another and being in fucking love. I could understand Nico and Garen because they were already in love, and they'd only broken up because of distance. But they barely knew Bel! I really wish the author would've held off on such declarations. It's the same issue as I had with Jon's Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case .
The second issue is kind of related to the first. A significant part of the book is the trio going on cases/missions. The entire point of those should be a mystery, a conflict, or to learn about Bel's abilities. Except I think it was just to make jokes? Because there's no mystery or problem to be solved. And we don't learn any more about what Bel does than we already know.
That last part really bothered me. You see, spells in this world aren't specific incantations. They're just verbal instructions. And Bel, as someone who can see into anything, is better able to get to the root of problems and create spells. But we never really see him create one because whenever he does, we see it from someone else's—often Nico's—point of view, who isn't interested in details. But I'm interested in the details! If you're going to put so much time and emphasis on Bel's awesome powers, the least you can do is let me see them in action!
Overall, this was disappointing. I feel like, in almost 400 pages, the book didn't accomplish enough. Relationship and magic systems played second fiddle to the humour. And I'm sorry, but if I just wanted something to make me laugh, there are shorter books out there for that.
The story follows Bel, a unique variety of mage who has demonic eyes that give him the ability to see beyond what's humanly possible—like he can see molecular structures and the intricacies of magic spells. Now, Mages in this world all have familiars. But the kind of Mage Bel is, he gets a human familiar who can protect him. In comes Nico, hyperactivity personified and in love with anything dangerous. And he brings in Garan, his ex, someone with the skills needed for defence.
For most of the book, I was on board. This book is a lot of fun. I like Nico because he's entertaining. And he's balanced out by Garen, who's more serious and rational. And Bel is sweet but very smart and humble. The three of them worked well together, and I could definitely see chemistry there. I also thought Bel's abilities were fascinating. But as we got farther along, cracks began to show.
Let's start with the first big "why?!" that I experienced. As I said before, I saw the chemistry between the three characters. And because this is a series, I thought the author would build on it for a while. But then the dreaded L-word came out of fucking nowhere. There's a difference between three people admiring and being attracted to one another and being in fucking love. I could understand Nico and Garen because they were already in love, and they'd only broken up because of distance. But they barely knew Bel! I really wish the author would've held off on such declarations. It's the same issue as I had with Jon's Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case .
The second issue is kind of related to the first. A significant part of the book is the trio going on cases/missions. The entire point of those should be a mystery, a conflict, or to learn about Bel's abilities. Except I think it was just to make jokes? Because there's no mystery or problem to be solved. And we don't learn any more about what Bel does than we already know.
That last part really bothered me. You see, spells in this world aren't specific incantations. They're just verbal instructions. And Bel, as someone who can see into anything, is better able to get to the root of problems and create spells. But we never really see him create one because whenever he does, we see it from someone else's—often Nico's—point of view, who isn't interested in details. But I'm interested in the details! If you're going to put so much time and emphasis on Bel's awesome powers, the least you can do is let me see them in action!
Overall, this was disappointing. I feel like, in almost 400 pages, the book didn't accomplish enough. Relationship and magic systems played second fiddle to the humour. And I'm sorry, but if I just wanted something to make me laugh, there are shorter books out there for that.
February 3, 2025
This one had been sitting on my tbr since forever because I was waiting for the audio to go on sale, and luckily for me, I was able to grab it during the last Audible sale 🥳 While I enjoyed the story overall, I think I had built it up too much in my mind based on reviews. Don't get me wrong, I really did like the story, but it wasn't the 5* read that I had hoped it would be. It was a cute, fun, solid 4* read, but it didn't knock my socks off or anything 😅
Bel, Nico, and Garen were great together. I really loved their dynamic and how their personalities meshed together. There wasn't anything groundbreaking or overly amazing about the story itself, but I thought the MMM aspect was well done and worked nicely. If I had to pick a word to describe it, I would say it was sweet. There was just a sweetness about the whole story that worked for me. I enjoyed all of the supporting characters and really loved Bel's demon grandpa. I hope to see more of him in the next book!
As for the audio, I enjoyed it but was a bit sad that Michael F didn't get much audio time 😔 I also think it was a bit of mistake to have Greg B voice Bel. I love him so much, but I think Michael F would have been better as Bel and Greg B would have been better as Garen 🤷🏼♀️ Tim Paige was fine as Nico, but it was a shame to have to hear so much more from him than Michael F 🫠
Bel, Nico, and Garen were great together. I really loved their dynamic and how their personalities meshed together. There wasn't anything groundbreaking or overly amazing about the story itself, but I thought the MMM aspect was well done and worked nicely. If I had to pick a word to describe it, I would say it was sweet. There was just a sweetness about the whole story that worked for me. I enjoyed all of the supporting characters and really loved Bel's demon grandpa. I hope to see more of him in the next book!
As for the audio, I enjoyed it but was a bit sad that Michael F didn't get much audio time 😔 I also think it was a bit of mistake to have Greg B voice Bel. I love him so much, but I think Michael F would have been better as Bel and Greg B would have been better as Garen 🤷🏼♀️ Tim Paige was fine as Nico, but it was a shame to have to hear so much more from him than Michael F 🫠
November 8, 2022
Reread: November 2022:
Same as before: audio is heaven and the book is great! Gearing up for the audio book for book two to come out tomorrow!
Audio: millions of stars haha my ears have been blessed lol
Book: 4-4.5 stars
This was a good start to the series, i am excited to see where this will go, and if these three are the narrators yes i will give all my money to this series haha. Gives me some Alice Winter vibes which is a win for me.
Bel, Nico and Garen complimented each other very well, i will say the internal monologuing from each character for if either character would be interested in a poly relationship went on for much longer than i felt necessary.
i think that the team that they form with different mages will bring a great sense of adventure in future books.
Book two i am ready for you!
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holy shit, Greg Boudreaux, Tim Paige and Michael Ferraiuolo are narrating this sucker!! sign me the hell up! June 21st come faster!
Same as before: audio is heaven and the book is great! Gearing up for the audio book for book two to come out tomorrow!
Audio: millions of stars haha my ears have been blessed lol
Book: 4-4.5 stars
This was a good start to the series, i am excited to see where this will go, and if these three are the narrators yes i will give all my money to this series haha. Gives me some Alice Winter vibes which is a win for me.
Bel, Nico and Garen complimented each other very well, i will say the internal monologuing from each character for if either character would be interested in a poly relationship went on for much longer than i felt necessary.
i think that the team that they form with different mages will bring a great sense of adventure in future books.
Book two i am ready for you!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
holy shit, Greg Boudreaux, Tim Paige and Michael Ferraiuolo are narrating this sucker!! sign me the hell up! June 21st come faster!
November 6, 2021
The good
+ How Garen just drops everything and leaves within a day when Nico asks for his help
+ That, like Garen said, Nico and Garen never really broke up, just stopped having sex
+ How all three men more-or-less simultaneously decided they should try a poly relationship
+ Leg wrestling for the chance to sleep in Bel's bed
+ Garen and Bel indulging Nico in general
+ The way everyone's "flaws" were given positive twists ()
+ Wicky. He's the perfect friend for Nico
+ Nico being compared to a golden retriever. It really was accurate
+ Bel learning to trust Nico, and therefore trusting Garen by default
+ Bel's grandpa
+ Bel's family (except his biological parents) in general. They're all so supportive all the time
+
+ Bel's skill. It's pretty cool
+ How they decide not to force Nico to defend Bel in a way that doesn't use his full potential
+ Lightsaber noises
+
+ The open communications all the time. Everyone just decides to tell the truth instead of make up an excuse all the time and that really creates a strong bond
+ That for once, the little twink wasn't the hyperactive bouncing puppy. I love the way Army Ranger Nico is so incredibly enthusiastic and carefree
+ Sentient objects as familiars! That's fucking genius
The neutral
o I felt like Garen was the least fleshed-out, and he was my favorite. I want to know whether he has a family too, I want to read about it when , I want to see him go full stoney, I even wanted to know a little more about his adjustment to . But I'm sure we'll get to know him better in the next books
o A little thing about Nico that bothered me, but that's completely personal, was
The bad
- We never find out why Spencer was summoned in the first place. They're all adamant that Nico is a perfect match because the magic called him, but the magic called a dickhead before so how can they be so sure?
A great start to a new series. I can't wait to read the next books. Also, please have Garen meet Spencer. I really really really really really want that in my life. Thanks.
+ How Garen just drops everything and leaves within a day when Nico asks for his help
+ That, like Garen said, Nico and Garen never really broke up, just stopped having sex
+ How all three men more-or-less simultaneously decided they should try a poly relationship
+ Leg wrestling for the chance to sleep in Bel's bed
+ Garen and Bel indulging Nico in general
+ The way everyone's "flaws" were given positive twists ()
+ Wicky. He's the perfect friend for Nico
+ Nico being compared to a golden retriever. It really was accurate
+ Bel learning to trust Nico, and therefore trusting Garen by default
+ Bel's grandpa
+ Bel's family (except his biological parents) in general. They're all so supportive all the time
+
+ Bel's skill. It's pretty cool
+ How they decide not to force Nico to defend Bel in a way that doesn't use his full potential
+ Lightsaber noises
+
+ The open communications all the time. Everyone just decides to tell the truth instead of make up an excuse all the time and that really creates a strong bond
+ That for once, the little twink wasn't the hyperactive bouncing puppy. I love the way Army Ranger Nico is so incredibly enthusiastic and carefree
+ Sentient objects as familiars! That's fucking genius
The neutral
o I felt like Garen was the least fleshed-out, and he was my favorite. I want to know whether he has a family too, I want to read about it when , I want to see him go full stoney, I even wanted to know a little more about his adjustment to . But I'm sure we'll get to know him better in the next books
o A little thing about Nico that bothered me, but that's completely personal, was
The bad
- We never find out why Spencer was summoned in the first place. They're all adamant that Nico is a perfect match because the magic called him, but the magic called a dickhead before so how can they be so sure?
A great start to a new series. I can't wait to read the next books. Also, please have Garen meet Spencer. I really really really really really want that in my life. Thanks.
January 12, 2022
There is a thing such as too many pop culture references and silly jokes.
Unfortunately, this is it.
I love banter and the occasional references but in this book it got the point where I felt like entire plot points only served to be the set-up for specific jokes.
It didn't help that there didn't seem to be a coherent plot to speak of, the characters felt extremely flat, the supposedly 30+ year olds kept acting like teenagers, and the instalove prevented any meaningful development of relationships.
I've read and enjoyed most of AJ Sherwood's books, so this is a shame. :( I was not a fan of her Scales 'N' Spells series for similar reasons, so I think I'll have to pass on this series (unless we get a Mobius romance. I'd totally be down for that!).
Unfortunately, this is it.
I love banter and the occasional references but in this book it got the point where I felt like entire plot points only served to be the set-up for specific jokes.
It didn't help that there didn't seem to be a coherent plot to speak of, the characters felt extremely flat, the supposedly 30+ year olds kept acting like teenagers, and the instalove prevented any meaningful development of relationships.
I've read and enjoyed most of AJ Sherwood's books, so this is a shame. :( I was not a fan of her Scales 'N' Spells series for similar reasons, so I think I'll have to pass on this series (unless we get a Mobius romance. I'd totally be down for that!).
January 12, 2022
I wanted to love this, I really did but it honestly felt really dull for me.
December 22, 2021
I can’t understand why I keep giving Sherwood’s work a chance, again and again. Brain, we do not like Sherwood.
In this book, Bel Adams, a mage in the employ of the government, has a second shot at getting a human familiar. He gets Nico di Rossi, and they hit it off. But Nico doesn’t have “defensive” instincts, so they call in Nico’s ex, Garen, to help train Nico in this regard.
That’s the basic gist, and I assume Garen, Nico, and Bel will end up together. Whatever, still DNF at 35%.
1. Sherwood spent time lovingly detailing a playthrough of Overcooked, between Bel and Nico. But I don’t want to read about Overcooked. I’ve played Overcooked, I don’t need to know. That section contributed nothing but clutter to the story.
2. In contrast, Sherwood has Garen mention that Garen just wants to “play Final Fantasy.” When I mentioned this to Meep, Meep was like, “You can’t even tell me which one?” Word.
3. At one point Bel was describing his workmates — which, by the way, why don’t you just show me, instead of having someone describe them to me — and he called Vanessa a “tank” and Matt a “DPS”. I just. Please.
4. Garen and Bel have known each other for less than 24 hours when suddenly Garen tells Bel that Nico “sex[es] him up” when Nico has too much energy. You know what else is too much? Information. I know that y’all are going to be together as end game, but — again — this is less than 24 hours after you’ve met. That is TMI.
5. Sherwood is a weeb. Bel is nothing but a Sharingan user. I KNOW A SHARINGAN USER WHEN I READ ONE, YOU CAN’T SLIP ONE PAST ME. ALSO, NEJI FOREVER.
6. Sherwood kept repeating explanations about how Bel’s eyes and powers worked. I know. I know. This is the third time you’ve told me that Bel’s “powers” go into “maintaining his eyes”. I get the concept. I don’t need to know again and again.
In conclusion
Brain, do not like AJ Sherwood. We should stop reading Sherwood. Please remember this.
In this book, Bel Adams, a mage in the employ of the government, has a second shot at getting a human familiar. He gets Nico di Rossi, and they hit it off. But Nico doesn’t have “defensive” instincts, so they call in Nico’s ex, Garen, to help train Nico in this regard.
That’s the basic gist, and I assume Garen, Nico, and Bel will end up together. Whatever, still DNF at 35%.
1. Sherwood spent time lovingly detailing a playthrough of Overcooked, between Bel and Nico. But I don’t want to read about Overcooked. I’ve played Overcooked, I don’t need to know. That section contributed nothing but clutter to the story.
2. In contrast, Sherwood has Garen mention that Garen just wants to “play Final Fantasy.” When I mentioned this to Meep, Meep was like, “You can’t even tell me which one?” Word.
3. At one point Bel was describing his workmates — which, by the way, why don’t you just show me, instead of having someone describe them to me — and he called Vanessa a “tank” and Matt a “DPS”. I just. Please.
4. Garen and Bel have known each other for less than 24 hours when suddenly Garen tells Bel that Nico “sex[es] him up” when Nico has too much energy. You know what else is too much? Information. I know that y’all are going to be together as end game, but — again — this is less than 24 hours after you’ve met. That is TMI.
5. Sherwood is a weeb. Bel is nothing but a Sharingan user. I KNOW A SHARINGAN USER WHEN I READ ONE, YOU CAN’T SLIP ONE PAST ME. ALSO, NEJI FOREVER.
6. Sherwood kept repeating explanations about how Bel’s eyes and powers worked. I know. I know. This is the third time you’ve told me that Bel’s “powers” go into “maintaining his eyes”. I get the concept. I don’t need to know again and again.
In conclusion
Brain, do not like AJ Sherwood. We should stop reading Sherwood. Please remember this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 8, 2021DNF 68%
I BOUGHT this book and still DNFd it, that's how bad it is. I had a huge project due for school tonight that I was desperate to procrastinate on, but this book was so boring that I just kept going back to my project to avoid the book. I finished my project like 7 hours early, which never happens, because this book wasn't good enough to help me procrastinate. I'm just giving up, man. If it's not good by this point, it's not going to get better. AJ Sherwood is off the one-click list and firmly on the try before you buy list.
This book is almost 400 pages long and it could easily be half of that amount. There is nothing going on. It's the same crap page after page. How many pages am I supposed to want to read about the three of these guys trying to decide that they should just talk to each other? Or move the plot along somehow? Quit internal monologuing about it and just do it! I mean something needs to happen here! Yikes!
I BOUGHT this book and still DNFd it, that's how bad it is. I had a huge project due for school tonight that I was desperate to procrastinate on, but this book was so boring that I just kept going back to my project to avoid the book. I finished my project like 7 hours early, which never happens, because this book wasn't good enough to help me procrastinate. I'm just giving up, man. If it's not good by this point, it's not going to get better. AJ Sherwood is off the one-click list and firmly on the try before you buy list.
This book is almost 400 pages long and it could easily be half of that amount. There is nothing going on. It's the same crap page after page. How many pages am I supposed to want to read about the three of these guys trying to decide that they should just talk to each other? Or move the plot along somehow? Quit internal monologuing about it and just do it! I mean something needs to happen here! Yikes!
April 15, 2022
I really REALLY wanted to like this book. I made it to 90% before I gave up.
What I liked about this book:
Characters.
The characters were great!
Bel : part demon mage. Genius. Secret agent. SO COOL RIGHT?! My only issue with Bel (and this is personal) is that he's so young. Only 19. I would have liked to read a story about someone slightly older. I think it would have been feasible for him to have waited longer to go for another familiar. (Bel summoned a familiar at age 16, which is the standard age, and it rejected him causing him YEARS of recovery because of the bond breaking).
Nico : Army Ranger, summoned to be Bel's familiar. Nico is great and I loved him immediately. He's super hyperactive and just can't sit still or stop talking for two minutes. I loved that he was an Army Ranger and a badass, but was also kind of a fast talking dork. Nico's dialogue is some of my favourite stuff in the whole book. He has this very ADHD habit of spitting out random thoughts, and they're often really funny little observations about the world.
Garen : Part gargoyle/Secret Service Agent/Bodyguard. Garen is a great balance to Nico and Bel. I liked his steadiness and sureness. I really think this triad is balanced well. If it were just Bel and Nico I feel like I might have gone a little crazy... but Garen is the PERFECT balance for them. I also LOVE the idea that he's part gargoyle and can transform parts of himself into stone.
The world.
I love the way this world and the lore/magic in it is built. Magic being integrated into the world is one of my favourite things. And I loved that there's ALL kinds of creatures all over. I loved the way Bel's magic worked, and the fact that he was super powerful but was also hindered by that power was great. I love the idea of this secret agent branch of badass mages.
Ok... so if I liked all that stuff... why didn't I finish the book?
The romance plot line/sexual tension.
This drove me insane. INSANE. All three of them realize pretty early that they want to be together, all of them. Understandably they're unsure if the others are on board. But in a switch POV book when all three have the same realization, and then they're ALL cuddly and touchy feely with each other... like... just fuck already. There was too much build up. I don't mind a slow burn, but I don't care for books like this where everyone is all on board but the author KEEPS building the sexual tension... there's no more conflict... so the tension feels unnecessary except to keep stringing the reader along. They don't even have sex until 85% or so into the book... and at that point there are literally TWO interrupted sex scenes where they've all decided to be in a relationship together and the phone rings to interrupt them... or someone knocks on the door. At that point, when you've had so much build up and then you have those interruptions... it just feels cheap. To me anyway. Not to mention the fact that there's a plot line in the middle where Garen might get called back to his previous job... the stakes of that would have felt a LOT more intense if they'd already built an intimate connection and had sex together. Because it would have felt like they'd sealed the deal and then one of them was going to be torn away. So there was no need for the tension of the interruptions when Garen's possible departure could have added that extra conflict/tension. This drove me so crazy that I actually ended up skipping several chapters because I was like: I just need the relief of seeing them get together so I can stop reading (which I did at 90%).
The language.
Some of the language used was repetitive and started to get on my nerves. Particularly the use of "as" constantly. Everyone used it in dialogue. It was used in the narrative. And I know it seems like a small thing, but it started to really grate. This is just a personal thing, I know it doesn't bug everyone but it drove me nuts. I also found that a lot of people used the same slang/dialogue despite being from different backgrounds/parts of the country. The characters felt very unique because of their character traits, but all of their dialogue started to feel generic because they all spoke the same way. Things like, characters independently (not because they picked it up from each other) using the phrase "cool beans," which isn't a particularly common phrase everywhere. I think that could have been a unique thing that one character could have used, but more than one character says it and it makes them all start to feel the same.
Lack of non-romance plot.
I was jazzed for the poly romance, but I was also SUPER excited for the magic plot stuff. I mean: c'mon! A part-demon mage, his Army Ranger familiar, and a part-gargoyle all do magic secret missions together?! Doesn't that sound awesome! It fell flat for me. I understand that the missions needed to be low key because they were a new team and they couldn't very well go into some crazy battle having never fought together before... but the missions had absolutely NO stakes at all. There was never any moment where it felt like anyone was in danger (as far into the book as I got). It was a good opportunity to show all sorts of things if one of them got hurt. Maybe they're a good team, but they're still learning to work together... maybe it proves just how dangerous the job really is... it also gives the opportunity for hurt/comfort... but instead they skate through their missions no problem. And the only time I saw any real danger (a building collapses on top of Bel and Nico), it was from Garen's POV and he just watched the building collapse before Bel and Nico come out completely unscathed. So... the magic never felt like any threat. And the missions were treated like they weren't of consequence and they were just boring reading between romantic plot scenes. Missions: Rodents infesting a mine, structural issues with a building, a cave with dangerous wards/curses going on (which... two missions in a cave... felt repetitive). Add to that Garen never using his stone skin ability (in any scenes I read) except when he shows it to Bel when they first meet... and I was bummed.
Repetitive narrative and internal monologue.
Too much of this book is repetitive. To the point that I would start skimming ahead while one of the characters was overthinking their relationship AGAIN. Nico thinking about Garen. Nico thinking about Bel. Bel thinking about Nico. Bel developing a crush on Garen. Bel thinking about Nico and Garen's relationship. Garen thinking about Bel and Nico. Garen thinking about Nico. Set on a loop... over and over again. I understand that regular people second guess themselves a lot. But as a reader... we get it. You can tell us once, and then you can use hints or references to previous thoughts/incidents. We don't need to be told the same information over and over every time the person starts thinking about their relationship status again.
This book had huge potential for me, and I was super excited by the world/characters/concept... but execution just wasn't there for me. I tried to push through to the end, but I just couldn't make it.
What I liked about this book:
Characters.
The characters were great!
Bel : part demon mage. Genius. Secret agent. SO COOL RIGHT?! My only issue with Bel (and this is personal) is that he's so young. Only 19. I would have liked to read a story about someone slightly older. I think it would have been feasible for him to have waited longer to go for another familiar. (Bel summoned a familiar at age 16, which is the standard age, and it rejected him causing him YEARS of recovery because of the bond breaking).
Nico : Army Ranger, summoned to be Bel's familiar. Nico is great and I loved him immediately. He's super hyperactive and just can't sit still or stop talking for two minutes. I loved that he was an Army Ranger and a badass, but was also kind of a fast talking dork. Nico's dialogue is some of my favourite stuff in the whole book. He has this very ADHD habit of spitting out random thoughts, and they're often really funny little observations about the world.
Garen : Part gargoyle/Secret Service Agent/Bodyguard. Garen is a great balance to Nico and Bel. I liked his steadiness and sureness. I really think this triad is balanced well. If it were just Bel and Nico I feel like I might have gone a little crazy... but Garen is the PERFECT balance for them. I also LOVE the idea that he's part gargoyle and can transform parts of himself into stone.
The world.
I love the way this world and the lore/magic in it is built. Magic being integrated into the world is one of my favourite things. And I loved that there's ALL kinds of creatures all over. I loved the way Bel's magic worked, and the fact that he was super powerful but was also hindered by that power was great. I love the idea of this secret agent branch of badass mages.
Ok... so if I liked all that stuff... why didn't I finish the book?
The romance plot line/sexual tension.
This drove me insane. INSANE. All three of them realize pretty early that they want to be together, all of them. Understandably they're unsure if the others are on board. But in a switch POV book when all three have the same realization, and then they're ALL cuddly and touchy feely with each other... like... just fuck already. There was too much build up. I don't mind a slow burn, but I don't care for books like this where everyone is all on board but the author KEEPS building the sexual tension... there's no more conflict... so the tension feels unnecessary except to keep stringing the reader along. They don't even have sex until 85% or so into the book... and at that point there are literally TWO interrupted sex scenes where they've all decided to be in a relationship together and the phone rings to interrupt them... or someone knocks on the door. At that point, when you've had so much build up and then you have those interruptions... it just feels cheap. To me anyway. Not to mention the fact that there's a plot line in the middle where Garen might get called back to his previous job... the stakes of that would have felt a LOT more intense if they'd already built an intimate connection and had sex together. Because it would have felt like they'd sealed the deal and then one of them was going to be torn away. So there was no need for the tension of the interruptions when Garen's possible departure could have added that extra conflict/tension. This drove me so crazy that I actually ended up skipping several chapters because I was like: I just need the relief of seeing them get together so I can stop reading (which I did at 90%).
The language.
Some of the language used was repetitive and started to get on my nerves. Particularly the use of "as" constantly. Everyone used it in dialogue. It was used in the narrative. And I know it seems like a small thing, but it started to really grate. This is just a personal thing, I know it doesn't bug everyone but it drove me nuts. I also found that a lot of people used the same slang/dialogue despite being from different backgrounds/parts of the country. The characters felt very unique because of their character traits, but all of their dialogue started to feel generic because they all spoke the same way. Things like, characters independently (not because they picked it up from each other) using the phrase "cool beans," which isn't a particularly common phrase everywhere. I think that could have been a unique thing that one character could have used, but more than one character says it and it makes them all start to feel the same.
Lack of non-romance plot.
I was jazzed for the poly romance, but I was also SUPER excited for the magic plot stuff. I mean: c'mon! A part-demon mage, his Army Ranger familiar, and a part-gargoyle all do magic secret missions together?! Doesn't that sound awesome! It fell flat for me. I understand that the missions needed to be low key because they were a new team and they couldn't very well go into some crazy battle having never fought together before... but the missions had absolutely NO stakes at all. There was never any moment where it felt like anyone was in danger (as far into the book as I got). It was a good opportunity to show all sorts of things if one of them got hurt. Maybe they're a good team, but they're still learning to work together... maybe it proves just how dangerous the job really is... it also gives the opportunity for hurt/comfort... but instead they skate through their missions no problem. And the only time I saw any real danger (a building collapses on top of Bel and Nico), it was from Garen's POV and he just watched the building collapse before Bel and Nico come out completely unscathed. So... the magic never felt like any threat. And the missions were treated like they weren't of consequence and they were just boring reading between romantic plot scenes. Missions: Rodents infesting a mine, structural issues with a building, a cave with dangerous wards/curses going on (which... two missions in a cave... felt repetitive). Add to that Garen never using his stone skin ability (in any scenes I read) except when he shows it to Bel when they first meet... and I was bummed.
Repetitive narrative and internal monologue.
Too much of this book is repetitive. To the point that I would start skimming ahead while one of the characters was overthinking their relationship AGAIN. Nico thinking about Garen. Nico thinking about Bel. Bel thinking about Nico. Bel developing a crush on Garen. Bel thinking about Nico and Garen's relationship. Garen thinking about Bel and Nico. Garen thinking about Nico. Set on a loop... over and over again. I understand that regular people second guess themselves a lot. But as a reader... we get it. You can tell us once, and then you can use hints or references to previous thoughts/incidents. We don't need to be told the same information over and over every time the person starts thinking about their relationship status again.
This book had huge potential for me, and I was super excited by the world/characters/concept... but execution just wasn't there for me. I tried to push through to the end, but I just couldn't make it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2024
This was so much fun (and full disclosure, it’s taken me a week to read as I’m been reading it in queues at Disneyworld 🤣). I won the series in a giveaway that AJ Sherwood hosted and it’s just such a fun, light hearted and (eventually!) spicy read! Also, it’s MMM, which is something I haven’t read before really, so I’m enjoying tipping my toes into a new dynamic!
Bel Adams is a powerful R’iyah mage - part demon and very deadly, he is often called on to help with dangerous tasks and situations. Because of their power levels, R’iyah mages have human familiars who act as bodyguards - Bel has had his heart broken when his last familiar left him, however his new familiar, Nico, seems perfect for him - full of energy, a background in the military… and he’s not bad to look at either!
Nico is excited to be called as Bel’s familiar - he’s instantly attracted to the little blond mage. His background doesn’t make him the most natural bodyguard, so he calls in his ex, Garen, to teach him the basics. Nico quickly realises he still has strong feelings for Garen, as well as building ones for Bel… luckily all three men want each other and eventually they agree to be in a poly relationship together!
Read AMGTHF for:
✨ MMM romance
✨ Possessive bonding
✨ Lightsaber swords! (Vraũ vraũ)
✨ Snuggling with hellhounds
✨ Fun in the shower
✨ Lots of protective instincts
✨ Supernatural taskforce
✨ Found family 💕
Bel Adams is a powerful R’iyah mage - part demon and very deadly, he is often called on to help with dangerous tasks and situations. Because of their power levels, R’iyah mages have human familiars who act as bodyguards - Bel has had his heart broken when his last familiar left him, however his new familiar, Nico, seems perfect for him - full of energy, a background in the military… and he’s not bad to look at either!
Nico is excited to be called as Bel’s familiar - he’s instantly attracted to the little blond mage. His background doesn’t make him the most natural bodyguard, so he calls in his ex, Garen, to teach him the basics. Nico quickly realises he still has strong feelings for Garen, as well as building ones for Bel… luckily all three men want each other and eventually they agree to be in a poly relationship together!
Read AMGTHF for:
✨ MMM romance
✨ Possessive bonding
✨ Lightsaber swords! (Vraũ vraũ)
✨ Snuggling with hellhounds
✨ Fun in the shower
✨ Lots of protective instincts
✨ Supernatural taskforce
✨ Found family 💕
December 8, 2021
I really wanted to love this more. I was so excited for an MMM book, and the concept was great. Although I wasn't overly crazy about Nico's energy at first, I got on board with all the characters. I was even OK with the semi-insta-love between the three. It's just...too often I felt like we were moving through things step by step in a checklist.
Event: Person A becomes a familiar
To Do:
- Get his job moved - Check
- Talk to family - Check
- Everyone OK with this? - Check
Event: Main characters end up in Poly relationship
To Do:
- All people in relationship OK with this? - Check
- Coworkers OK with this? - Check
- Person A's family OK with this? - Check
- Person B's family OK with this? - Check
- etc
On top of that, the humor didn't do it for me. Sometimes it was funny, other times I felt like we were set up for the joke. By the end I had to push to finish which is why my rating went from 3 to a 2 stars. :-(
Event: Person A becomes a familiar
To Do:
- Get his job moved - Check
- Talk to family - Check
- Everyone OK with this? - Check
Event: Main characters end up in Poly relationship
To Do:
- All people in relationship OK with this? - Check
- Coworkers OK with this? - Check
- Person A's family OK with this? - Check
- Person B's family OK with this? - Check
- etc
On top of that, the humor didn't do it for me. Sometimes it was funny, other times I felt like we were set up for the joke. By the end I had to push to finish which is why my rating went from 3 to a 2 stars. :-(
December 6, 2024
Rating: 4.25
I originally picked up this audiobook purely because it has three of my fave narrators - Michael Ferraiuolo, Greg Boudreaux, and Tim Page.
I'm so glad I did because this book was GOOD! It's fantasy, magic, mages, familiars, and it has an actually well-balanced poly relationship between the three MCs that works so well!
I've read quite a few MMM books at this point, and my list of ones I love is sadly short but just got a bit longer with The Mage's Guide.
Bel, Nico, and Garen are all amazing and I adore them together. The book is very lighthearted and just a fun, easy read. I'm excited for more of these guys and their world in book 2
I originally picked up this audiobook purely because it has three of my fave narrators - Michael Ferraiuolo, Greg Boudreaux, and Tim Page.
I'm so glad I did because this book was GOOD! It's fantasy, magic, mages, familiars, and it has an actually well-balanced poly relationship between the three MCs that works so well!
I've read quite a few MMM books at this point, and my list of ones I love is sadly short but just got a bit longer with The Mage's Guide.
Bel, Nico, and Garen are all amazing and I adore them together. The book is very lighthearted and just a fun, easy read. I'm excited for more of these guys and their world in book 2
July 3, 2022
Best book I have read by this author so far!
I have read a couple of series by this author now and will be continuing to do so as I have loved every book. This one made me laugh so hard and so often l cried! So much snark! Love the alternate USA the author has developed for this series and look forward the rest of the books!
I have read a couple of series by this author now and will be continuing to do so as I have loved every book. This one made me laugh so hard and so often l cried! So much snark! Love the alternate USA the author has developed for this series and look forward the rest of the books!
May 30, 2024
3.75 - reread!!
ive been in the mood for unserious books and aj sherwood always delivers!! a good mix of plot, humor and romance🫶
ive been in the mood for unserious books and aj sherwood always delivers!! a good mix of plot, humor and romance🫶
January 18, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
A.J. Sherwood is so great at writing playful, fun, paranormal stories and A Mage’s Guide to Human Familiars is no exception. I found this story so entertaining, I just tore right through it. Bel is sweet and adorable and you can’t help but feel for him as he faces potential rejection by his familiar once again. But Nico is pretty much all in from the start, as he is all about the adventure and pretty much goes a million miles an hour. The joke is that Nico is like a golden retriever — happy, high energy, and needing to be let out to run regularly in order to contain all his exuberance. While others might shy away from the danger in Bel’s job, Nico is thrilled to get to fight freaky things that could kill him. Garen is the more steady of the two, a little bit of the straight man to Nico’s silliness. The three men have a nice sense of balance, both in their work dynamic and personal one, and they are a great fit for one another. So there is a nice fun tone here that is light and playful, even as they encounter some scary and intense situations.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
A.J. Sherwood is so great at writing playful, fun, paranormal stories and A Mage’s Guide to Human Familiars is no exception. I found this story so entertaining, I just tore right through it. Bel is sweet and adorable and you can’t help but feel for him as he faces potential rejection by his familiar once again. But Nico is pretty much all in from the start, as he is all about the adventure and pretty much goes a million miles an hour. The joke is that Nico is like a golden retriever — happy, high energy, and needing to be let out to run regularly in order to contain all his exuberance. While others might shy away from the danger in Bel’s job, Nico is thrilled to get to fight freaky things that could kill him. Garen is the more steady of the two, a little bit of the straight man to Nico’s silliness. The three men have a nice sense of balance, both in their work dynamic and personal one, and they are a great fit for one another. So there is a nice fun tone here that is light and playful, even as they encounter some scary and intense situations.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
June 23, 2024
Got me out of a reading slump!
This book was such a refreshing take of the familiar trope and I could not put it down once I started.
The romance between the three MCs felt believable and I was truly on the edge of my seat waiting for them to figure out their feelings. Thankfully there's not miscommunication in this book! They talked it out like adults and that is probably my favorite part. Genuinely made me laugh out loud at some points because the characters were just fully fleshed out and funny to read from.
The plot was also fascinating to me and this whole world of familiars and supernatural shenanigans has me hyped for the next book.
This book was such a refreshing take of the familiar trope and I could not put it down once I started.
The romance between the three MCs felt believable and I was truly on the edge of my seat waiting for them to figure out their feelings. Thankfully there's not miscommunication in this book! They talked it out like adults and that is probably my favorite part. Genuinely made me laugh out loud at some points because the characters were just fully fleshed out and funny to read from.
The plot was also fascinating to me and this whole world of familiars and supernatural shenanigans has me hyped for the next book.
January 1, 2022
Yikes.
I started reading this because the premise sounded interesting to me. Unfortunately, the narrative moved way too fast and didn’t go into detail on the development of the characters relationships. Also, the author kept using the phrase “sex up” and inserting out-of-place DnD and gaming references. I only finished it because I hate to read a third of a book and give up on it. Interesting premise, but the writing style and pacing needed a lot of refinement.
I started reading this because the premise sounded interesting to me. Unfortunately, the narrative moved way too fast and didn’t go into detail on the development of the characters relationships. Also, the author kept using the phrase “sex up” and inserting out-of-place DnD and gaming references. I only finished it because I hate to read a third of a book and give up on it. Interesting premise, but the writing style and pacing needed a lot of refinement.
April 16, 2025
Omg reading this was like the worst edging ever. The premise was fine, and characters were fine.. but it took them wayyyy too long to decide they were in a poly relationship.. and at 77% they still hadn’t done the dirty. Every time I thought it was going to happen, they got interrupted. Seriously.. way too many times. The I dnfed but am still giving it 3 stars bc I love the narrators for this.
November 29, 2021
I didn't really care for this one. When I read the blurb I expected something very different but I felt as though the characters didn't get enough time to know each other before they started flinging 'I love yous'. Everything was just so jokey.
November 25, 2025
A MMM magical, paranormal romance with a mage with his 2 human familiars (who love danger 🤭). It has opposites attract, bulky dudes x twink, age gap (~11-13yrs), rom-com funsies, action, slowburn & second chances!
I got this as a rec from Jaimie on FB under my "Can't Say Goodbye" post (as Tim Paige & similar). Loved Nico, Bel & Garen! The side characters were all a delight, adored Grandpa Demon. This is my 1st book by just AJ.
It was fun listening to 3 different narrators reading in 3rd person! B's VA sounded young & sharp, N's energetic & sassy, G's calm & posh (lol, I listened to him on 1.1x). The VA choices was great!
Bel (19) is a R'iyah mage, his part demon heritage gave special demonic eyes. B's young but mature, smart af, cautious & sensitive to rejection (due to asshole 1st familiar 😤).
Nico (32) was an Army Ranger. N's energetic, impulsive, easy-going, caring, fun with a need to protect & make a change.
Garen (30) was in secret service, part gargoyle. G's calm, careful, a defender who firsts researches then does action, whose sincere & humorous.
B needed a familiar. G wanted N back. G+N both wanted a change... They all got second chances & eachother 🤭.
This was a slowburn, but we got lots of kisses & make-out sesh - BUT we got edged, SO HARD. Omg, almost till end for that spice 🔥 (maybe as it's a series? 🤔). I & trio got frustrated, but gotta work 🤷♀️. I loved the magical explanation, really thought-out. The action is fun!
B calls N as familiar 1st, so we got many chapters with just the 2 before N calls G for help. G+N work well together, stony defense & speedy offense! The feelings conflicted, of past, present, priorities, insecurities, confusion, wants. I'm glad they fell in love & wanted to be poly together 🥰. The eventual steamy times - hot af 🥵.
N+G were in love, but B becomes their glue. I was glad when G becomes a familiar too AT END (I thought it'll happen sooner due to blurb!). I loved the fun dynamics as couple(s) & trio. Tho, I wonder if due to bond, B got more focus? 🤔 Tho B did need the reassurance. Their affection was sweet.
This had a HEA but I'm curious how that pans out in next book! I'd like some 2s sexy times along with the 3s IYKYK. I'm glad B has his mage team now 😍.
Audiobook+Story ratings:
POV: 3rd Person, Triple POV
Narration: Triple. Michael Ferraiuolo, Greg Boudreaux, Tim Paige.
1) The Characters: 5/5
2) The Feels: 😯🥺😆😉😅😩🥰😂😤😁🤨😥😳🤭😍🥵😭☺️🤔🛏️✨
3) Sexy/Steamy times: 2.5/5 (to last)
4) Levels: Lowish-Mild Angst, Very Cute, Low Dark
5) World build-up: 4.75/5, Pace/Style: 4.5/5
6) Voice acting: 9/10
FB Page | Instagram | Bookbub | FB group
I got this as a rec from Jaimie on FB under my "Can't Say Goodbye" post (as Tim Paige & similar). Loved Nico, Bel & Garen! The side characters were all a delight, adored Grandpa Demon. This is my 1st book by just AJ.
It was fun listening to 3 different narrators reading in 3rd person! B's VA sounded young & sharp, N's energetic & sassy, G's calm & posh (lol, I listened to him on 1.1x). The VA choices was great!
Bel (19) is a R'iyah mage, his part demon heritage gave special demonic eyes. B's young but mature, smart af, cautious & sensitive to rejection (due to asshole 1st familiar 😤).
Nico (32) was an Army Ranger. N's energetic, impulsive, easy-going, caring, fun with a need to protect & make a change.
Garen (30) was in secret service, part gargoyle. G's calm, careful, a defender who firsts researches then does action, whose sincere & humorous.
B needed a familiar. G wanted N back. G+N both wanted a change... They all got second chances & eachother 🤭.
This was a slowburn, but we got lots of kisses & make-out sesh - BUT we got edged, SO HARD. Omg, almost till end for that spice 🔥 (maybe as it's a series? 🤔). I & trio got frustrated, but gotta work 🤷♀️. I loved the magical explanation, really thought-out. The action is fun!
B calls N as familiar 1st, so we got many chapters with just the 2 before N calls G for help. G+N work well together, stony defense & speedy offense! The feelings conflicted, of past, present, priorities, insecurities, confusion, wants. I'm glad they fell in love & wanted to be poly together 🥰. The eventual steamy times - hot af 🥵.
N+G were in love, but B becomes their glue. I was glad when G becomes a familiar too AT END (I thought it'll happen sooner due to blurb!). I loved the fun dynamics as couple(s) & trio. Tho, I wonder if due to bond, B got more focus? 🤔 Tho B did need the reassurance. Their affection was sweet.
This had a HEA but I'm curious how that pans out in next book! I'd like some 2s sexy times along with the 3s IYKYK. I'm glad B has his mage team now 😍.
Audiobook+Story ratings:
POV: 3rd Person, Triple POV
Narration: Triple. Michael Ferraiuolo, Greg Boudreaux, Tim Paige.
1) The Characters: 5/5
2) The Feels: 😯🥺😆😉😅😩🥰😂😤😁🤨😥😳🤭😍🥵😭☺️🤔🛏️✨
3) Sexy/Steamy times: 2.5/5 (to last)
4) Levels: Lowish-Mild Angst, Very Cute, Low Dark
5) World build-up: 4.75/5, Pace/Style: 4.5/5
6) Voice acting: 9/10
FB Page | Instagram | Bookbub | FB group
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August 3, 2022What to say… I had not read the blurb when I purchased this book. All I latched on was Greg Boudreaux, Michael Ferraiuolo, and Tim Paige as narrators. I was sold regardless of the genre. That being said, having three of my absolute favorite narrators will only get you so far. My first qualm was because one of the MC is 19. I recognize this is fantasy, but I cannot fathom a 19 year old being mature enough to make such life altering decisions. My son is 25, and I STILL question his maturity at times. Because of the narrators, I still had no trouble finishing the book. Thing is, it sort of petered out in the last half to quarter of the book. It started out strong. I was laughing in, what I hope, were the right places. The pace was working for me, then nothing. I REALLY was not caring after 2nd or 3rd paranormal situation they found themselves in. It did not get better by the end. I assume it was filled out to make this a series? Maybe? Either way, too much filler. Not enough relationship on page. Why do they love each other? How did they get there? Hell if I know🤷🏽♀️.
Now. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t dislike the book. I mostly enjoyed it. There was enough to it that of there is an audio available for book 2, I’ll buy it.
I’m not going to rate it right now. I can’t really decide what to do. Rate the book? Or rate the narration? See my conundrum?
Read/listen at your own risk. Your mileage may vary.
Now. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t dislike the book. I mostly enjoyed it. There was enough to it that of there is an audio available for book 2, I’ll buy it.
I’m not going to rate it right now. I can’t really decide what to do. Rate the book? Or rate the narration? See my conundrum?
Read/listen at your own risk. Your mileage may vary.
July 13, 2022
A.J. Sherwood has fast become one of my favorite authors. I adored this book. I loved all three of these guys. Bel already been hurt badly for his young years and trusting again is really hard for him. But man oh man Nico's boundless energy was just too much to resist. Throw in Garen's super protective nature and these three are just a perfect complement to each other. All three of them were super adorable as they worked out how to talk to each other and admit that what they really wanted was for all three of them to be in this relationship.
The relationship and the emotional connection between the three guy was definitely a wonderful component of this story, but I also really loved the paranormal/urban fantasy elements of this story as well. Bel's power was interesting and I enjoyed the fun that the team they're building all had together. Nico and Wickey together were ridiculous amounts of fun. Bel's grandfather was fantastic and I hope we get to see more of him in later books.
I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait to read more in this series. I love how light the storytelling is. It's an easy read that just keeps me coming back for more as it just plain makes me happy.
The relationship and the emotional connection between the three guy was definitely a wonderful component of this story, but I also really loved the paranormal/urban fantasy elements of this story as well. Bel's power was interesting and I enjoyed the fun that the team they're building all had together. Nico and Wickey together were ridiculous amounts of fun. Bel's grandfather was fantastic and I hope we get to see more of him in later books.
I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait to read more in this series. I love how light the storytelling is. It's an easy read that just keeps me coming back for more as it just plain makes me happy.
November 13, 2025
Edit: reread as audiobook, my opinion still stands
Oh, this one was good! I found it pretty enjoyable to see the adventures of such different characters dealing with magical chaos. I could not set it down!
Oh, this one was good! I found it pretty enjoyable to see the adventures of such different characters dealing with magical chaos. I could not set it down!
November 16, 2021
Not All It Could Be
The little quirks of humor and how the author conveys their local to the area knowledge is great.
The build up is definitely slow burn. Sometimes felt too slow… and then, everything kind of fell apart for me once they finally decided to go ahead.
Character development is on point. Very different characters all perfectly executed. None of them fell flat or felt empty/useless (until the second half. Did they become different people after they made their decision?)
The trend toward “sex you up” is weird and I’m not a fan. I’m also not a fan of the use of “twink” but that’s a personal preference I can usually get passed unless it’s used too much. The number of times it was used in this book was a little over my line…and I honestly just think I’d rather an author give me a full description instead of relying on some word that is likely stereotyped.
SPOILERS BEYOND THIS
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Massive plot hole? Why not look through the door with the mummies before removing the lock? Hell, why not before dealing with the skeletons?
I’m stressed. Let me watch/read some porn real quick? Come on! That’s completely ridiculous and SO unlike bel’s character. It’s like they decided to date and then they all turned into idiots. Wtf
Maybe it’s a nod to “men can’t concentrate when sexually frustrated” but if it is, it comes across as well as Kanye at the music awards (not overly welcome or factual, not to mention grossly overplayed).
What’s with the pet names in another language that are never explained or expanded on?
Seriously. Who says hot monkey sex???
All in all, i liked the story idea. I loved the MMM aspect and the character development…other than that, i feel like it could have been much more and I look forward to reading more by this author and seeing their growth.
The little quirks of humor and how the author conveys their local to the area knowledge is great.
The build up is definitely slow burn. Sometimes felt too slow… and then, everything kind of fell apart for me once they finally decided to go ahead.
Character development is on point. Very different characters all perfectly executed. None of them fell flat or felt empty/useless (until the second half. Did they become different people after they made their decision?)
The trend toward “sex you up” is weird and I’m not a fan. I’m also not a fan of the use of “twink” but that’s a personal preference I can usually get passed unless it’s used too much. The number of times it was used in this book was a little over my line…and I honestly just think I’d rather an author give me a full description instead of relying on some word that is likely stereotyped.
SPOILERS BEYOND THIS
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Massive plot hole? Why not look through the door with the mummies before removing the lock? Hell, why not before dealing with the skeletons?
I’m stressed. Let me watch/read some porn real quick? Come on! That’s completely ridiculous and SO unlike bel’s character. It’s like they decided to date and then they all turned into idiots. Wtf
Maybe it’s a nod to “men can’t concentrate when sexually frustrated” but if it is, it comes across as well as Kanye at the music awards (not overly welcome or factual, not to mention grossly overplayed).
What’s with the pet names in another language that are never explained or expanded on?
Seriously. Who says hot monkey sex???
All in all, i liked the story idea. I loved the MMM aspect and the character development…other than that, i feel like it could have been much more and I look forward to reading more by this author and seeing their growth.
November 14, 2021
Meh
I usually really enjoy this author. I know her books are usually character driven and the plots are predictable and not action packed. But the humor and relationships make up for it. In this case I had to force myself to finish the book. It felt too similar to her “Jon Mysteries” series, A super special MC with skills only HE has, but his gift comes with debilitating issues causing him many issues. Requires constant support from a “normal” person to function. Their bond leads to insta love. Except it didn’t work here. I felt the three MCs didn’t have any chemistry and the plot was non existent. There were a few very funny and relatable lines peppered throughout. But I just wasn’t engaged. I know this is supposed to be a launch to a new series. But I won’t be continuing.
I usually really enjoy this author. I know her books are usually character driven and the plots are predictable and not action packed. But the humor and relationships make up for it. In this case I had to force myself to finish the book. It felt too similar to her “Jon Mysteries” series, A super special MC with skills only HE has, but his gift comes with debilitating issues causing him many issues. Requires constant support from a “normal” person to function. Their bond leads to insta love. Except it didn’t work here. I felt the three MCs didn’t have any chemistry and the plot was non existent. There were a few very funny and relatable lines peppered throughout. But I just wasn’t engaged. I know this is supposed to be a launch to a new series. But I won’t be continuing.
November 10, 2021
I really liked the world building on this one. Bel and his two men were really sweet together. However, I didn’t know it was gonna be such a slow burn. I kid you not, they finally end up in bed together by the 90% mark. I know it was part of the relationship building, but I still felt it could have happened before. Still, I liked the writing style and the MCs, so I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this book.
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